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After two of his most sought after albums, 'Song of Innocence' and 'Songs of Experience', David Axelrod released his final solo album for Capitol records in 1970: 'Earth Rot'. Like much of his output, this album is highly sought after by beat diggers and has been sampled by hip-hop's finest. This post will cover 'Earth Rot', as well as some of his production credits for Cannonball Adderley.
'Earth Rot' is divided into two concept album sides and is not as widely known for its beats. In 1994, No I.D. sampled Axelrod's 'The Signs (Part 2)' on the title track single to Common's sophomore album 'Resurrection'. The same track would be sampled by Madlib among many others (including other Axelrod tracks) on 'Return of the Loop Digga' as Quasimoto, whose album 'The Unseen' is reviewed in depth here, here, and here. In 1999, Diamond D and Mos Def would use another sample from 'Earth Rot', 'The Warnings (Part 2)' for the track 'Hip Hop' from Mos Def's breakthrough album 'Black on Both Sides' (which will be reviewed in depth soon in a future post on this blog).
In addition to producing his own material, Axelrod continued his role as producer on much of Cannonball Adderley's 70s output. Among the many Adderley albums that have been sampled is 1970's 'The Price You Pay to Be Free' whose song 'Exquisition' was sampled for the Pharcyde's 'Pack the Pipe' produced by J-Swift. 'Soul Virgo' from the same album is one of the samples used by A Tribe Called Quest on 'Bonita Applebum' from their debut 'Peoples' Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'. Six years later, Tribe would sample another Cannonball Adderley track. An untitled track from Adderley's 'Black Messiah' album was sampled by Jay Dee (J Dilla) and the Ummah for Tribe's '1nce Again' from 'Beats, Rhymes, and Life'.
Check back for our next look at David Axelrod's production career.
The Lowdown:
David Axelrod 'The Signs (Part 2)' and 'The Warnings (Part 2)'
from 'Earth Rot' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Common 'Resurrection'
from 'Resurrection' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Quasimoto 'Return of the Loop Digga'
from 'The Unseen' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Mos Def 'Hip Hop'
from 'Black on Both Sides' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Cannonball Adderley 'Exquisition' and 'Soul Virgo'
from 'The Price You Pay to Be Free' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Pharcyde 'Pack the Pipe'
from 'Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde' (1991) (MP3/CD)
A Tribe Called Quest 'Bonita Applebum'
from 'Peoples' Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Cannonball Adderley 'Untitled'
from 'Black Messiah' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
A Tribe Called Quest '1nce Again'
from 'Beats, Rhymes, and Life' (1996) (MP3/CD)
2 comments:
Anonymous Anonymous said...
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,"By the time you Av ante the Garde has passed you by"!
February 6, 2009 9:41 AM
Thanks for the response! There is one more post to finish out the 70s and likely some looks into his production work with the Electric Prunes. I agree that Axelrod would be known for his work without the world of sampling, but I think its excellent that through hip-hop, his work has become more widely available through reissues and compilations. There are many brilliant artists that have never gotten their fair shake - thankfully Axelrod finally has respect on a level that his work deserves.
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