picking Mad Professor's brain...
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:28 am
Here are a compilation or e-mails responses that I have gotten from Neil regarding several questions I asked about ariwa re-issues and Ariwa Posse history. hope you enjoy this. I decided to post this up b/c of all the recent posts about ariwa artists.
(October 19, 2004)
We are planning to release the older catalogue very soon. I am still
deliberating about formats.
As the cd is not such a nice format these days, I'm incline to favour vinyl.
We are also planning a series of archive material dating back from 1980 when
I started, to the mid - nineties. Expect the first dics in the next 3 months.
There is a vocal to Kunte Kinte. It's called Kunte Kinte- the African
Warrior, and it was never released. This may very well be one of the
releases. When we were touring years ago, this song was a great favourite.
Good luck
When we did Ariwa Possee back in 1984, I think we maufactured 2000 sleeves.
The first pressings would have been 1000. I am sure we repressed, so I think
around 1500 were made.
20 years is a long time to remember...I could be wrong!
(October 20, 2004)
I love your questions.
It makes me think, and takes me back. So much has happened in 24 years, one can easily forget.
I remember though, that the rythm track was one of the very first sessions I did in 1980.
The musicians were a drummer called T ~(Terry Crooks) bass - Peacher, piano - Norman Collins
These were laid on 1/2 inch 8 track.
We then had some artists going crazy over these rythms. Ranking Ann voices moonlight lover
Then we upgraded to 16 track, I met Horsemouth Wallace, who suggested that he replayed the drum tracks on some of the songs...I have to check to see which one you prefer...I need to rewind the tape in my head!!
(October 21, 2004)
re: reissue techniques
It is not more difficult for me to reissue older material, as all old material is subject to processing old tape.
The hardest thing now is for us to hire some 1/2 inch and 1 inch machines, so we can play back and transfer recordings from 2 decades or more ago.
Also, the formats you use, will definitely influence the sound of your recordings.
Check this: the heaviest recordings were done in the 70's when tape machines were turning at 7 1/2 ips on a 4 track 1/2 inch or 1 inch 8track machine. through a desk that was built with slicon transistors as opposed to ics and whose eq
sections were coupled by tantulum capacitors
(October 24, 2004)
re: 81,82, & 83 sessions
I wont remaster through Protools.
I find it easier to just remaster as natural as possible, without touching the digital domain.
We get all the original machines, and reply the formats in the same conditions it was made in.
this means we have 4, 8 16 /2, 16 / 1, 16 / .5.
All the processors from that era are re-installed in the system.
I'll let you hear some of the results when I finish the mixes
(December 9, 2004)
Tony was indeed one of the lead singers of RR, the other being Allan Kingpin.
These guys were around Ariwa in the early days.
I learnt a lot from them.
Their debut album was on CBS. the secont lp was on Greensleeves, but it was a spin off group as the original band split.
We are in the process of resurecting many early recordings, to be part of an ariwa historical collection
(January 30, 2005)
re: African Woman Abroad LP
I recorded this album in 1982, but it was not on Ariwa.
I was not the producer, only the engineer.
(April 29, 2005)
The early sessions took a little time to get together. What was difficult was mixing the tracks, as all were done on 16 track 2 inch tape or 8 track.
Aquizm
This group was based in Brixton. They were rehearsing and occupying a squat next door to the police station.
Bobby Davidson, the lead singer was living there.
I was introduced to the band by Sgt Pepper who I'd met in a pub in Brixton.
I remember the squat as filthy house with tons of rubbish in some rooms, and some floors with floorboards dangerously missing.
The band was please to meet with me, as I provided them with studio time and an outlet for their songs.
The band was also very good friends with Reggae Regulars who would use Aquizm members as surplus musicians whenever they had large gigs or missing personel.
We released around 5 singles between 1982 and 1983.
The band was also the main backing band for the emerging Ariwa Posse.
I want to go into more detail, but I need more time. I have to go to sound check.
(October 19, 2004)
We are planning to release the older catalogue very soon. I am still
deliberating about formats.
As the cd is not such a nice format these days, I'm incline to favour vinyl.
We are also planning a series of archive material dating back from 1980 when
I started, to the mid - nineties. Expect the first dics in the next 3 months.
There is a vocal to Kunte Kinte. It's called Kunte Kinte- the African
Warrior, and it was never released. This may very well be one of the
releases. When we were touring years ago, this song was a great favourite.
Good luck
When we did Ariwa Possee back in 1984, I think we maufactured 2000 sleeves.
The first pressings would have been 1000. I am sure we repressed, so I think
around 1500 were made.
20 years is a long time to remember...I could be wrong!
(October 20, 2004)
I love your questions.
It makes me think, and takes me back. So much has happened in 24 years, one can easily forget.
I remember though, that the rythm track was one of the very first sessions I did in 1980.
The musicians were a drummer called T ~(Terry Crooks) bass - Peacher, piano - Norman Collins
These were laid on 1/2 inch 8 track.
We then had some artists going crazy over these rythms. Ranking Ann voices moonlight lover
Then we upgraded to 16 track, I met Horsemouth Wallace, who suggested that he replayed the drum tracks on some of the songs...I have to check to see which one you prefer...I need to rewind the tape in my head!!
(October 21, 2004)
re: reissue techniques
It is not more difficult for me to reissue older material, as all old material is subject to processing old tape.
The hardest thing now is for us to hire some 1/2 inch and 1 inch machines, so we can play back and transfer recordings from 2 decades or more ago.
Also, the formats you use, will definitely influence the sound of your recordings.
Check this: the heaviest recordings were done in the 70's when tape machines were turning at 7 1/2 ips on a 4 track 1/2 inch or 1 inch 8track machine. through a desk that was built with slicon transistors as opposed to ics and whose eq
sections were coupled by tantulum capacitors
(October 24, 2004)
re: 81,82, & 83 sessions
I wont remaster through Protools.
I find it easier to just remaster as natural as possible, without touching the digital domain.
We get all the original machines, and reply the formats in the same conditions it was made in.
this means we have 4, 8 16 /2, 16 / 1, 16 / .5.
All the processors from that era are re-installed in the system.
I'll let you hear some of the results when I finish the mixes
(December 9, 2004)
Tony was indeed one of the lead singers of RR, the other being Allan Kingpin.
These guys were around Ariwa in the early days.
I learnt a lot from them.
Their debut album was on CBS. the secont lp was on Greensleeves, but it was a spin off group as the original band split.
We are in the process of resurecting many early recordings, to be part of an ariwa historical collection
(January 30, 2005)
re: African Woman Abroad LP
I recorded this album in 1982, but it was not on Ariwa.
I was not the producer, only the engineer.
(April 29, 2005)
The early sessions took a little time to get together. What was difficult was mixing the tracks, as all were done on 16 track 2 inch tape or 8 track.
Aquizm
This group was based in Brixton. They were rehearsing and occupying a squat next door to the police station.
Bobby Davidson, the lead singer was living there.
I was introduced to the band by Sgt Pepper who I'd met in a pub in Brixton.
I remember the squat as filthy house with tons of rubbish in some rooms, and some floors with floorboards dangerously missing.
The band was please to meet with me, as I provided them with studio time and an outlet for their songs.
The band was also very good friends with Reggae Regulars who would use Aquizm members as surplus musicians whenever they had large gigs or missing personel.
We released around 5 singles between 1982 and 1983.
The band was also the main backing band for the emerging Ariwa Posse.
I want to go into more detail, but I need more time. I have to go to sound check.