The Breaks: Liquid Liquid 'Cavern'

One of the 80s most widely known, yet least likely to be properly identified, breaks is Liquid Liquid's 1982 breakbeat jam 'Cavern'. Liquid Liquid, along with another heavily sampled band called ESG (who will be covered in a future post) were part of a short-lived, minimalistic early 80s post-punk movement centered in New York City. 'Cavern''s signature bassline and chant would be most notably replayed by the Sugar Hill band as the backing for Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel's single 'White Lines (Don't Do It)'. 'White Lines', remarkably, never broke the top 40 in America, but was a giant hit in the UK which further ignited their burgeoning electro scene.

A decade later, 'Cavern' would be sampled by a new stable of artists. LL Cool J reinterpolated the chorus of 'Cavern' for his hit 'Phenomenon' from the album of the same title (which is in the running for the worst use of a lens flare on an album cover award). The Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Nasty Boy' also interpolates 'Cavern'. Not oddly enough, both of these tracks from 1997 were produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs. Havoc has production credits for 1999's 'Quiet Storm' by Mobb Deep. The 'Quiet Storm' remix has a guest verse from Lil' Kim, part of the Diddy / Biggie stable.

2006 saw one of the more unusual interpolations of 'Cavern', bringing it back to its NYC rock roots. 'Phenomena' from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' album 'Show Your Bones' uses Liquid Liquid's familiar chant during its slow motion chorus.

The Lowdown:
Liquid Liquid 'Cavern'
from 'Optimo' (1982) (MP3 Not available/CD not available)
Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel 'White Lines (Don't Do It)'
LL Cool J 'Phenomenon'
from 'Phenomenon' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Phenomenon'
Notorious B.I.G. 'Nasty Boy'
from 'Life After Death' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Nasty Boy'
Mobb Deep 'Quiet Storm' and 'Quiet Storm' (Remix)
from 'Murda Muzik' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'Phenomena'
from 'Show Your Bones' (2006) (MP3/CD)

BONUS CUT:
'Cavern' is the cut, but it is not the only track from Liquid Liquid's short career with floor filling beats. Check out 'Optimo', also from their 1982 EP that produced 'Cavern'.