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David Axelrod first entered the recording industry as an A&R man in 1963, though major label production work soon followed when he helmed Lou Rawls' 'Live' album in 1966. Axelrod's minimal, funky production style has made his records a commodity among beat diggers and producers. This first post in a two post arc will cover Axelrod's early production work, from 1966 to 1968, and the artists who have sampled his tracks.
'Trouble Down Here Below' by Lou Rawls from his 1966 'Carryin' On' album was sampled on Justin Warfield's 'Teenage Caligula' produced by Warfield and QD III (Quincy Jones' son). The track is from Warfield's debut 'My Field Trip to Planet 9', a highly underrated, unconventional hip-hop album with psychadelic elements. He would follow with a string of unusual projects including the Justin Warfield Supernaut and One-Inch Punch before becoming half of the rock band She Wants Revenge. 'My Field Trip to Planet 9' will be covered in a future post on this blog.
One of 1993's inescapable summer jams owes some credit to Axelrod. The Joe Zawinul penned '74 Miles Away' by Cannonball Adderley from the 1967 album of the same name is the source for Naughty By Nature's 'Hip Hop Hooray', which was arguably Naughty By Nature's last hurrah on the charts. Call it what you like, it's an obvious sell out track, but it's immaculately produced and is seemingly cut with sunshine. Six years later, Dr. Dre would have his own summer anthem via another David Axelrod produced sample, but not without some hip-hop controversy. 'The Edge' by David McCallum was sampled by Missin' Linx for their track 'M.I.A.' in 1998, but a year later would be sampled again by Dre on 'Next Episode'. Whether it was a beat bite or a coincidence, 'Next Episode' blew up into the stratosphere while Missin' Linx is a footnote in hip-hop history. Another tidbit about this beat is McCallum himself, who was an actor from the television show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. who was given a two album deal (both of which are fully instrumental and produced by Axelrod). Another coincidence in sampling circles around two West Coast crews and a sample of Lou Rawls' open drum and vocal track 'Lifetime Monologue' from the Axelrod produced 'You're Good for Me' from 1968. Both the Beatnuts and Dilated Peoples sampled the break in 1997, the Beatnuts on their 'Stone Crazy' album track 'Thinkin' Bout Cash' and the Dilated Peoples on their Alchemist produced debut single 'Third Degree'.
Check back for part 2 of David Axelrod's producer profile, with tracks by DJ Shadow, Madlib, Lil' Wayne, and more.
The Lowdown:
Lou Rawls 'Trouble Down Here Below'
from 'Carryin' On' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Justin Warfield 'Teenage Caligula'
from 'My Field Trip to Planet 9' (1993) (MP3/CD not available)
Cannonball Adderley '74 Miles Away'
from '74 Miles Away' (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Naughty By Nature 'Hip Hop Hooray'
from '19 Naughty III' (1993) (MP3/CD)
David McCallum 'The Edge'
from 'Music: A Little Bit More of Me' (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Dr. Dre 'Next Episode'
from '2001' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Next Episode'
Lou Rawls 'Lifetime Monologue'
from 'You're Good for Me' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Beatnuts 'Thinkin Bout Cash'
from 'Stone Crazy' (1997) (MP3 not available/CD)
Dilated Peoples 'Third Degree'
from 'Third Degree' (1997) (MP3/CD not available)
BONUS CUTS:
Loads of instrumental cuts this time: Naughty By Nature 'Hip Hop Hooray' (Instrumental), Dr. Dre 'Next Episode' (Instrumental), and Dilated Peoples 'Third Degree' (Instrumental).
1 comment:
I applaud your knowledge, research, and your unbiased approach in regards to David Axelrod. It is extremely refreshing to see someone undertake such a post or 3 part series as you and I wish to thank you. Right or wrong (you got most right)Axelrod is sampled in over 300 different songs! I should know as I have invested 3years chasing sounds, tips, etc.. I am his greatest fan and his most vocal critic also. It is too bad that so many of these samples which have allowed some to mine millions off of a true artist never gave or even willing to at least acknowledge the man behind the "sample". All out there who think Axelrod would not even be known without sampling should look at a man who has made over 50 albums
to his credit and realize he was, is, and will continue to be here as all the world catches up to HIS works. It is not the artist's job to catch up to a wavering audience. AXELROD long ago said,"But the time you Av ante the Garde has passed you by"!
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