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"Like Frank Sinatra and Huey Newton rolled into one" — Ian MacKaye on FELA KUTI (1999)

Ian MacKaye on FELA KUTI
interviewed by Jay Babcock

This short article was originally published in Mean Magazine in 1999 as one of the many sidebar to the massive feature on Fela Kuti (see below for links to the other articles that comprised the feature). Mean’s publisher, Kashy Khaledi, wanted to have contemporary artists of a certain notoriety talk about their admiration for Fela, who we knew would be an unknown, slightly outre quantity for most of the magazine’s readership. These sidebar interviews would be a way in to digging Fela for some of the less-curious readers. It was a good idea, and easily executed, as there were plenty of Fela admirers ready to testify—including Ian MacKaye, a founding member of Minor Threat and Fugazi, and the owner-operator of the Washington, DC-based Dischord Records (which is still in business).

I interviewed Ian by telephone in late summer ’99…

Q: When did you first come across Fela?

Ian Mackaye: I probably first heard him in the early ’80s. There was a deejay here in town that used to play him at shows. I was working at a record store starting in 1983 or ’84 and some of his records came through then, and I was attracted to them because they’re so completely primitive looking…a lot of them had no art at all, they were almost just like 12-inch things… Of course the songs were like 15-20 minutes long, but they were like punk records, so I was attracted to them on an aesthetic level. Then I started listening to them. I really had no idea who he was or what was going on…I thought the music was interesting. I listened to a lot of go-go music here in Washington, and there’s a lot of similarities. Also it had a really organic feel to it which I was always really drawn to.

Somewhere in the mid-’80s, I saw King Sunny Ade, who’s a bit of a lighter version [of African pop], and at least to my knowledge not nearly as politicized…And then I started getting real interested in Fela cuz I was like, ‘This other guy is into some very serious issues.” He seemed way more punk to me. So I had him on the brain. I just started picking up things here and there…I got the biography, Fela, Fela: This Bitch of a Life in London. And in the back of this book they have a discography, and IT BLEW MY MIND how many records he had done. I have seen a FRACTION of those in my life.

I think that anyone who reads that book would just know that this guy was coming from such a totally different place, and he was SO hardcore in what he was doing. I used to tell people that Fela is sort of like Frank Sinatra and Huey Newton rolled into one—he filled stadiums and at the same time was the most aggressively anti-government guy you can imagine. He had the dough and the power to actually really make a stir. He was an originator, an innovator, and he clearly brought a lot of people together in one form or another. He also had a lot of fuckin’ nerve—to leave your mother’s coffin at the gate of the palace…? [laughs in awe]

Q: It puts a lot of things in perspective, doesn’t it?

Mackaye: It definitely does. Some of the most publicly radical American musicians, their great acts of defiance are always these sort of paltry drinking offenses or sexual offenses, hese kinds of things where you’re like, [sarcastically] ‘Okay that’s really radical.’ Fela actually had a political agenda that he apparently was willing to really suffer for.

“Fela: King of the Invisible Art”—main article

TONY ALLEN on Fela Kuti, Afrobeat, solo career, more

GINGER BAKER on Fela Kuti

LESTER BOWIE on Fela Kuti

BILL LASWELL on Fela Kuti

BOOTSY COLLINS on Fela Kuti

DAVID BYRNE on Fela Kuti

FLEA Aand JOHN FRUSCIANTE (Red Hot Chili Peppers) on Fela Kuti

Fela! is now playing on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neil Theatre. Info: http://felaonbroadway.com/index.php

Here’s a review of the earlier off-Broadway production of Fela! from C & D’s column in Arthur No. 31 (Sept 2008).

May 15: Minimal Wave Treehouse in Brooklyn

Pirate radio DJ, photographer and Minimal Wave curator Veronica Vasicka will be playing forgotten DIY synth jams from around the world tonight at Brooklyn’s Treehouse, alongside Arthur pal Raspberry Jones and Brooklyn Flea boss Treeboy. Get all of the details by clicking the flyer up top.

Preview the vintage keyboard jamming to come in the video below, at Vasicka’s website, www.minimal-wave.org, or take a listen to her session on Tim Sweeney’s “Beats in Space” show by clicking here.

FLEA and JOHN FRUSCIANTE on Fela Kuti (1999 interview)

Flea and John Frusciante on FELA KUTI
interviewed by Jay Babcock

This little article was originally published in Mean Magazine in 1999 as part of a massive feature section on Fela Kuti (see below for links to the other articles that comprised the feature). Mean’s publisher, Kashy Khaledi, wanted to have contemporary artists of a certain notoriety talk about their admiration for Fela, who we knew would be an unknown, slightly outre quantity for most of the magazine’s readership. These sidebar interviews would be a way in to digging Fela for some of the less-curious readers. It was a good idea, and easily executed, as there were plenty of Fela admirers ready to testify—including bassist Flea and guitarist John Frusciante of the tremendously popular Red Hot Chili Peppers, who had recorded a b-side called “Fela’s Cock” in 1991. I talked with the two of them together at John’s Silver Lake apartment in Spring ’99…

Q: When did you first hear Fela, or hear about him?

Flea: I was playing with James White, who described Fela as “the James Brown of Africa.” That’s how I found out about him. I just went out and bought the first record I found in a store, Expensive Shit. And a greatest hits record with “Gentleman” and “Lady” on it. And in the next year, he got out of jail and he came and he played at the Olympic Auditorium. I went to go see him play and it was one of the most AWESOME things I EVER saw in my life. He played for about four hours, like three songs. It was the greatest thing I ever heard: It was incredible! People went crazy, the whole place was on fire! I just remember being enthralled by the music. I was totally entranced. He had freedom to play as long as he want, say what he want, did what he want, he was just like walk onstage in his underwear, smoking joints, rocking out, counting out tunes, long solos.

What was the scene like onstage?

Flea: There was this whole big band. and the musicians were very distinct, playing their parts very well, just grooving their asses off, and the dancers were really sexual, you know. They were wearing some kind of outfits and they were on all fours in the front of the stage with their asses facing the audience, doing some wildly sexual humping movements. It was all choreographed—

John Frusciante: They do that thing where they syncopate their asses, the girls who are singing backing vocals, like he says, they line up and their asses are facing the audience, and all their asses are doing the same thing: one cheek is going up and down and the other cheek is going left and right. They’re all doing the same thing. They’ve got like hundreds and hundreds of muscles in their asses that you don’t see a girl in America having…

John, when did you first hear Fela?

John: I first heard him because in David Byrne and Brian Eno interviews they would talk about the fact that he was a big influence on the sound of the album Remain in Light which was an album I bought when it came out in 1980. But I bought a Fela record in ’84…Black President…I remember I just fell in love with it right away. I mean I went crazy, I was excited and moved. It really connected with me. I got Black President, and then I would learn the saxophone solos on the guitar. Now I’m much more into playing along with the guitar parts, because I find a lot of value in just playing five notes or six notes or ten notes or whatever it is, over and over and over and over, and thinking about the relationships between all the instruments. With Fela’s music you can really trip out on it. The relationships between all the parts…. Total mental exercises. From the period when we finished the record, whenever that was, in January, around the time we finished it and for four months after that I think I was playing along with a Fela record every single day.

Flea: Fela’s just the rebel, the punk rocker! Fela’s the guy who spat in the face of all authority. And you know, Fela’s the guy, one of those rare people, that made a WHOLE style of music that is his, that you identify with him. The Afrobeat style of music, you can’t think of anyone else, you know. And Fela would never do anything to TRY and be popular. He stuck to his guns. In that way he’s like Fugazi or something, you know what I mean? In terms of not playing the game at all. He would never play a song after he recorded it. That’s like total opposite of what people do to have big audiences. For me, being just a white guy growing up in Hollywood, my image of what’s beautiful about Africa is Fela. I’ve never been to Africa, but…everything that’s beautiful about people I see in Fela. I love his music so much and to me, he’s one of those transcendent artists like Bob Marley or Billie Holiday or Miles Davis or Led Zeppelin…all those great artists that transcend everything else.

John: With Fela’s music you’ll hear a groove at the beginning of the song and you’re just happy because you know you’re gonna be hearing the same groove for ten minutes and it’s a groove that will sound good for ten minutes. That’s only certain kinds of grooves…most people that write music, they write grooves that if you had to hear it for half an hour you’d go crazy. But with Fela’s grooves, they all sound really good, hearing them forever.

Flea: Yep. All of em. Every record! The sharpness of the music and the sound of the music is so…it’s a bottomless pit of groove, you know? There’s nothing else like it. I tried to think, is there anyone else’s like it? Nothing, you know. And all the records are consistently great.

John: I’m so happy he made so many, you know?

Flea: People have gotta hear it, you know? He should be heard by everyone. …Plus, the main thing that I always liked about him, probably the most CRUCIAL element, was that his name had the same four letters as “Flea”… [laughter]

“Fela: King of the Invisible Art”—main article

TONY ALLEN on Fela Kuti, Afrobeat, solo career, more

GINGER BAKER on Fela Kuti

LESTER BOWIE on Fela Kuti

BILL LASWELL on Fela Kuti

BOOTSY COLLINS on Fela Kuti

DAVID BYRNE on Fela Kuti

MARIO CALDATO, JR. on Fela Kuti

IAN MACKAYE on Fela Kuti

Fela! is now playing on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neil Theatre. Info: http://felaonbroadway.com/index.php

Here’s a review of the earlier off-Broadway production of Fela! from C & D’s column in Arthur No. 31 (Sept 2008).

ATTN: LONGHAIRS, LOCKS-WEARERS, HAIRFARMERS AND DYEJOBS TOO!: CUT YOUR HAIR FOR THE GULF

Above: “A rainbow of donations! Boxes from Los Angeles are often entirely blond! Really.” Photo courtesy Matter of Trust.

HAIR TODAY, GULF TOMORROW!
Did you know? You can cut your hair to protect the Gulf from BP’s oil spill.

Nonprofit organization Matter Of Trust is “providing a safe, non-toxic, effective way to participate in the Gulf Spill clean up. Donors from every state in the US, from Canada and beyond are sending in hair, fur and wool clippings as well as nylons and funding for outer mesh. This is used to make Booms that can protect beaches and coastal waters.”

“Booms will lie along the beach, the waves will come up, and they’ll go through the hair and the nylon,” said Lisa Gautier, co-founder of Matter of Trust, on NPR a few days ago. “And the hair will grab the oil and then the wave goes back out and it’s cleaner.”

HAIRFEST 2010
Organize your own public haircutting party. THE SOONER THE BETTER—time is of the essence. The more the hairier! Tell us about your GROUP TRESSES-SHEDDING in COMMENTS below, or by mailing info/flyers to editor at arthurmag dot com

BRING US THE HAIR OF BRUCE VILANCH!
Free Arthur “Tuff Wizard” T-shirts for the entire extended family of the person who brings us the mane of Bruce Vilanch (pictured above).

Above: Hair stuffed in nylons. This is from Amanda Bacon’s first Boom B Q in Alabama. Photo courtesy Matter of Trust.

More info on how this project works, and where to send your sheddings, trimmings and hairwurst fillings to: Matter of Trust

NPR story on Matter of Trust’s efforts: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126536482

Special thanks to Derek Meier!

Sat May 15: Planting the Future Conference in Santa Rosa, CA

Planting the Future Conference – California
Saturday, May 15th 2010
Sonoma Academy Campus – Santa Rosa , CA
(off Petaluma Hill Rd, just minutes from Santa Rosa)

More info: United Plant Savers

Teachers include: Amanda McQuade-Crawford, Christopher Hobbs, Kathi Keville, Cascade Anderson-Geller, Richo Cech, David Hoffmann, Sheila Kingsbury, Autumn Summers, Leslie Gardner, Denise Cooluris, ND, Peggy Schafer, Kami McBride, Jane Bothwell, Gail Julian, Rose Loveall, Trinity Ava, Dale Pendell, Bill Schoenbart, L.Ac, Lynda LeMole, David Crow, Sage LaPena, Annabella deMattei and other local teachers.

Classes:
Sirens of the Sea – Sea vegetables for food and medicine– Autumn Summers, Trish Gallagher, Kristin Younger, Terry Nieves
From ancient times to the present, seaweeds have been used by coastal people all over the world to nourish themselves, their gardens, as well as to treat disease. The Sonoma coast is incredibly rich in seaweeds that can be used as foods and medicines. Learn about this amazing resource from a panel of seaweed harvesters.

Hearing the Voice of White Sage (Salvia apiana), – A Shamanic Connection to the Plant World – Annabella De Mattei
An interactive class that is a synergy of presentations, dialogue, imaging, art expression and a journey using traditional shamanic techniques for accessing plant spirit.

Orpheus, Faust, Eve: Shamanism in the Western Tradition – Dale Pendell
Through the myths of Orpheus, Faust, and Eve we find shamanic traditions in the West—some using plants, some not—that continue to affect our policies and beliefs. The three magical traditions are distinct, and lead to vastly different results in the contemporary world.

Wildcrafting Herbs – Discussions on a Complicated Issue – Cascade Anderson Geller
With population growth and land development on the planet increasing, is there any rationale for wildcrafting herbs? Or, is wildcrafting herbs and other plants, actually an incentive to keep wild lands wild? We’ll explore this controversial issue from several points of view using well-known species such as goldenseal, ginseng, echinacea, linden, pau d’ arco, cork oak and others from around the world.

Ten Top Herbs for Kids – Sheila Kingsbery
Children often have fairly common ailments and a well thought out selection of herbs can help and appeal to their taste buds. Learn herbs for fevers, respiratory infections, coughs, sore throats, tummy aches, sleep issues, anxiety, skin rashes, insect bites and small wounds. And the delivery methods most helpful in getting children to willingly take our concoctions.

Turmeric and Red Sage –Ancient Tradition and Modern Science of Two Miraculous Herbs – Bill Schoenbart
Learn about the many traditional uses and modern research on turmeric as a powerful anti-cancer herb. Red Sage root, or Dan Shen, used to “calm the spirit” and treat heart problems has modern research that shows it possesses impressive cardiac effects and profound anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Bill’s own research shows that locally grown organic Red Sage roots are equal or superior to those grown in China.

The Medicinal Landscape – Kami McBride
Come explore the use of California native plants for creating your home medicine chest garden. Enhance the ‘medicine shed’ and turn your yard into a medicinal landscape. Seasonal harvests become healing medicines inspiring sustainability, self-empowerment and keeping your loved ones well.

Herb ‘Walk’ in the Potted ‘Insta-Garden’ – Gail Julian
Learn the identification and uses of the herbs provided to us by local growers, in our lusciously blooming potted ‘HerbGarden’.

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Joe Strummer and Robert Fripp in conversation (Musician magazine, 1981)

Joe Strummer: wikipedia
Robert Fripp: wikipedia

Note: At the time of this conversation, Joe Strummer was 28 and Robert Fripp was 35.

RUDE BOYS: An Interview with Joe Strummer and Robert Fripp
by Vic Garbarini
Originally published in Musician Magazine, June 1981

…

Musician: One of the main things you two have in common is the belief that music can actually change society. How can this happen?

Strummer: Because music goes directly to the head and heart of a human being. More directly and in more dimensions than the written word. And if that can’t change anybody, then there’s not a lot else that will. Music can hit as hard as if I hit you with a baseball bat, you know? But it’s not an overnight thing; you can’t expect everything to change quickly. I figure it’s an organic process. Insidious. Look how listening to all those hippie records has affected everybody in general: everybody feels looser about things now.

Fripp: I did a radio show in New York with Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats recently, and he said he didn’t believe rock and roll could change anything. And I said to him, I disagree. So he said, well, if you build up hope in Joe Bloggs in some slum in Northern Ireland, he’s just going to wind up disappointed. And I said, look, if there’s Joe Bloggs in his appalling social conditions in Northern Ireland with no hope, and that becomes Joe Bloggs at No. 8 in his appalling social conditions but with hope, you have two entirely different situations.

S: That’s right. Good point that.

F: Then it’s possible for the geezer at No. 10 to get some hope, too. And then it spreads up the street, and you have a community. Then you have a community. Then you’re talking about something which isn’t dramatic and exciting, but which contains the possibility of real change. It’s easy to miss because it’s essentially personal, and it’s very quiet. And like Joe says, it takes time.

M: Is it the music itself that can do this, or does it merely serve as a rallying point?

F: Both, really. It serves as a rallying point, but it can work more directly too. I think sometimes at a really good gig when there’s a certain quality in the music, a kind of liberation can take place, and you don’t go home and take quite as much crap from the news as you did before, because you’ve actually tasted a different quality of experience which changes how you think about things. So to a degree you’ve been liberated.

M: How did you both wind up choosing music as your means of expression? How were you feeling about things in general, or what made you decide it had to be a band? That there was something you needed or could accomplish through rock?

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