Roots Archives Forum

Hi

I can't figure out what that sound or instrument that is used in some tracks most famously perhaps with Black Uhurus Guess who.. & Grace Jones Sly & Robbies my Jamaican Guy.
Its a very quick 16 or 32 note rythmic speed and its almost like a filtered drum sound or perhaps some quick fingered pop sounding work on a keyboard my only guesses.

Thanks!

You mean that strange "laser siren" at the beginning of "Guess who's coming to dinner"? Synthesizer or Syndrums I guess. Maybe our forum member Gboubard knows or can ask Sly.

It's played throughout both the songs.

It's more like muffled bongos. That's what it sounds like maybe with the attack taken out. It's quite mechanical in its fast beat and always only in 2 pitches. A machine?

Okay I checked that Grace Jones track on YouTube. It's awful imho, but now I know what sound you mean. Not that "siren", it sounds more like a syndrum-effect on the hihat I guess. It sounds almost like bubbles. Or maybe it's the keyboard-player playing the background "Reggae bubble" with heavy effects. Or it's a special percussion instrument.

Here are links to the two tunes:

Uhuru: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnj6ReLEmMI

Jones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LTzVPCFSY8

Sounds like a sequencer to me, like Pink Floyd have used here and there...

it's Sly doing one of his trademark sounds. he calls it the popcorn

he used to use a syndrum (there is a video of him overdubbing but I just can't find it on YT) and played a percussion pattern

he now uses an MPC

he does it live, not sequenced, except when he programs everything of course

PS = My Jamaican Guy, like everything else Grace Jones did with S&R is totally and unequivocally fIRETRucking awesome

gbougard wrote:it's Sly doing one of his trademark sounds. he calls it the popcorn

he used to use a syndrum (there is a video of him overdubbing but I just can't find it on YT) and played a percussion pattern

he now uses an MPC

he does it live, not sequenced, except when he programs everything of course

PS = My Jamaican Guy, like everything else Grace Jones did with S&R is totally and unequivocally fIRETRucking awesome

I told you... gbougard knows! I just googled the word "firetrucking". But you really can't mean what I found (pissing your pants intentionally when you're too lazy to go to the bathroom

Anyway... Sly and Robbie rule! (common knowledge), but I guess I'm still allowed to dislike Grace Jones' Music hehe.

Irie

Hahahaha firetrucking was hilarious. But yeah. Both S&R albums with Grace Jones are incredible. And if you don't think so then you simply haven't listened enough

That specific song was later sampled by LL Cool J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFjYNJiOXtA

I remember playing the song of his CD at the discos in fifth grade. Got a lot of flak for the sexual lyrics. Imagine if I had played Grace Jones with songs such as Pull Up to the Bumper

Actually, she did 4 albms with S&R

Warm Leatherette
Night clubbing
Living my life
and in 2006, she did Hurricane which has a dub version and it is pretty excellent too
If I could get the multitracks for the WL, NC and LML, I'd ask Groucho to mix a dub version for all these fantastic riddims.

Yeah I remember that LL Cool J track too. I still kinda like it today. I didn't really understand the lyrics at that time, being an 11year old german kid hehe.

I intended no disrespect towards Miss Jones. I don't HAVE TO love her Music, right?