MyGen
Profile GeneratorIt’s been a tumultuous 3 years for Baggsmen since the release of their critically acclaimed album Eleven Stages in 2003. Touring across Australia uncountable times, featuring as a festival favourite (including 2 Big Day Outs) and supporting many internationals (including Stereo MCs, Nitin Sawney, Groove Amarda, Herbert) the period ended with the departure of the band's original keyboardist Will Frasier. Lok Brahe (drums) and Tony Buchen (Bass) reconvened to envisage how to make their next record mid way through 2006. Through Tony's work as one of Australia’s busiest young record producers (under the moniker Buchman he has been working with artists and bands including Macromantics, Andy Bull, Kid Confucius, Earl Gray, The Whitlams and Gelbison), the guys met Welsh keyboardist and producer Brad Munn who moonlights as keyboard player and producer for London’s live soul/breaks/hip hop crew 4 Hero and has written songs with Talvin Singh, Jill Scott and Madonna. Sending sketches of tracks via the internet to Brad's cottage in rural Wales, Tony and Lok found the perfect collaborator for the next Baggsmen record.
Titled Songs From The Yard the new record is Baggsmen's most accomplished and coherent work to date. It sees a return to their origins, seamlessly bridging the loose, organic nature of their first album Curiosity Flow (under their previous name The Hive) and the tight arrangements of their JJJ featured sophomore record Eleven Stages. Fusing disparate influences ranging from dancehall to hip hop to dub and psychedelia, the songs include meandering, cinematic instrumentals and tight banging pop, nu-jack swing reinventions and crunk - always played with characteristic poise and skill on live instruments. Guest vocalists include Jake Stone (of Bluejuice, reprising his performance on Baggsmen's 2003 hit Long Strong Diamond), Janny Cassanova (of Sydney reggae crew Rastawookie) and Earl Gray (Sydney's roots singer and JJJ favourite who is on the brink of his own massive success). The album promises to reinstate Baggsmen as one of Australia's most original and pioneering live bands.
The first single from Songs From The Yard is BUBBLEGUM, a 2 and a half-minute explosion of powerful crunk-hall featuring the incomparable Jake Stone on vocals. The single includes 2 remixes – Buchman’s Emergency Mix and a hot Baille Funk mix by Spruce Lee.
Baggsmen celebrate the new single with 2 special shows at The Hopetoun Hotel – Sunday 6 May and Sunday 13 May, joined by an array of special guests.
BAGGSMEN'S CLASSIC VIDEO FOR LONG STRONG DIAMOND NOW ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0hOPyztVYg
NEW VIDEO FOR BUBBLEGUM featuring a very disturbing performance by Bluejuice's Jake Stone ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsbSDfeD0IU
