Class of ’86

I graduated from high school in 1986 and for me that was about the time that I started to really get into music. I grew up in a small town and there wasn’t really much of a choice in genres…it was pop music, metal and classic rock. I would occasionally sneak out of the house and head to Ann Arbor (home to the University of Michigan) in order to catch some underage hardcore shows or to visit Schoolkids Records.

This month’s mix is presents some of my favorite pop/new wave songs from the early 80s up until I graduated. For me, that was the time when MTV was new and influential. The videos were mostly concept videos with either a comical view or a political slant to the music. It wasn’t until around 1985 when the videos started getting controversial (Madonna‘s Like A Prayer), although Golden Earring‘s Twilight Zone was moved to a later time slot after it originally aired because of it’s implication of shooting a human being.

The jukebox this month is a collection of New Wave or Punk that reminds of events of my youth, someone in particular or just my life in general. Most of the picks are more obscure songs from known artists or groups that have long been forgotten. Some of the more obscure choices are Angel & The Reruns Buffy Come Back, Athletico Spizz ’80 Clocks Are Big and Where’s Capt. Kirk?, Department S Is Vic There?, Human Sexual Response Jackie Onassis, The Ruts Babylon’s Burning which is the original that The Clash made popular later. The known artists that I picked are well-known but the songs I chose were either b-sides or album cuts that were not released as singles. This includes: The Buggles On TV, Devo Turn Around, Duran Duran Late Bar, The B-52s Strobe Light and Toni Basil Little Red Book and You Gotta Problem which was written by Devo and changed to Pity You on their Duty Now For The Future album.

-BobbyBurbank

http://www.bobbyburbank.com/

AfriMix

With the FIFA World Cup soccer hitting South Africa next month, I thought it only appropriate to post an African mix. I’ve been getting into the afro-funk/soul sound from the mid-70s and AfriMix 1 & 2 reflect that. Mix 1 starts off with a band called Splash that I found on a compilation. It has an almost Peter Gabriel feel to it. The Souljazz Orchestra really takes us back to the 70s when Africa was freeing itself from colonization. Angola and Mozambique gained independence from the Portuguese and South Africa (including Namibia) were beginning their long struggle to lose the chains of Apartheid. As tensions escalated, the music really was a uniting factor and the sounds and lyrics reflected the change. Mix One really could be the second part of the sounds emanating from the continent now, as it can be heard with the mellowness of the music but some of the seminal artists of the time were Hugh Masekela. On the track Ashiko from his album, The Boys Doin’ It, he was in the U.S., Europe and other African countries building awareness of the plight of his South Africa. Mix Two delves further into Masekela’s music and his work with other artists, like Baranta and Ojah, on his Chisa label in the late-60s/early-70s. Mix One concludes with rising new voices of South Africa, Spha Bembe, flugelist making a mark in the contemporary jazz scene of the country and neo-soul/afro-soul songstress Simphiwe Dana who many are toting as the new Mariam Makeba.

On the jukebox side of things, I’ve added those artists that didn’t make the mix but who have musically defined the continent. Simphiwe Dana makes another appearance with her song Tribe which features guitarist, Greg Georgiades and Ashish Joshi on tabla. Both artists are on the track Scented Sands, which is Georgiades’ band Vivid Afrika. The addition of upstarts Kwani Experience, Steady On, DJ Cleo are an example of what is happening in South Africa currently. From Mozambique, but now located in South Africa, is afro-pop newbies Gazelle offering their blend of electronics, pop and african rhythms and from Swaziland trumpeter Itallo brings traditional jazz to the table along with Swazi diva Nana and a track from her superbly neo-soul offering Five Loaves and Two Fish. I had the opportunity to see both of these artist’s sets at the annual Bushfire festival in Swaziland last year. Of course, African legend Mariam Makeba is on the list as well as a couple of well-known tracks from Hugh Masekela.

I’m attending the Bushfire festival at the end of this month, so stay tuned for updates and tracks from that festival. See you in the mix!

-BobbyBurbank

http://www.bobbyburbank.com/

Kicking it off

So this will serve as my blog. Look for liner note type ramblings about the music I’m posting on my site and the mixes that I’m doing. I will also put anything else that is on my mind and somehow relates to this website.