Malcolm McLaren – "Madam Butterfly"
Saturday, February 27, 2010 -- by Hashmoder
In :: 411 KNOWLEDGE DROP, :: COLLECTOR'S BIN, HOMEPAGE, MUSIC
In 1983, Malcolm McLaren released two singles, Buffalo Gals and Double Dutch, both of which becoming worldwide top-10 smash-hits. Those two tracks hit the international music charts before his LP Dutch Rock was released. Dutch Rock album proved to be highly influential, bringing hip-hop to a wider audience, especially in the UK.
In 1984, Malcolm changed his tune to opera on his next maxi/EP single release of Madam Butterfly which was an electronic, synth-pop modern-classic track, based on Giacomo Puccini's 1902 classic-opera Madam Butterfly's - "Un Bel Di Vedremo" final aria (watch videos below). For those of you who are not familiar with Puccini, perhaps you might recognize his "Nessun Dorma" aria from his Turandot opera (which is still part of today's popular culture). Nessun Dorma has achieved pop-status by Luciano Pavarotti's recording of it, used as the theme song of BBC's television's coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup soccer in Italy; and it subsequently reached #2 on the UK singles music chart (the highest placing ever by a classical recording).
Malcolm McLaren's Madam Butterfly is arranged with a drum-machine, atmospheric synthesizers and spoken/sung R&B verses (with opera backup vocals). The production on Malcolm's Madam Butterfly is stellar. The track was produced by Steven Hague who settled for nothing but the best in overall production. I know for a fact that a Fairlight CMI-2 was used, because Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo) starts with the Fairlight's famous factory sound-preset "aah" voices coming in slowly and rising gradually in amplitude, serving as a bed/pad sound layered in the background throughout the track. Watch music video below to hear that sound. I know all the Fairlight sounds inside-out, because I've heard them millions of times since 1980 when the Fairlight beast of a sampler/workstation instrument was used on countless of tracks by other famous artists and groups in that era (for it's unique sound, powerful sample/sound processing engine and music sequencer). Watch this video of the Fairlight being demonstrated by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. As for the chord melody in Madam Butterfly, it is a sound of an upright-harp with softer/slower attack transient; though there's no telling what synthesizer or sampler brand used for it. It could've been a custom-sampled harp sound for the Fairlight, or a factory-sample bank coming from a then-popular E-mu Emulator-II, but my guess is that the harp and the bassline-sound were factory-preset patches from a Yamaha DX7 synth. Watch this YouTube demo of the DX7. Harp sounds from synths and samplers sound almost exactly the same and very difficult to distinguish them apart. Also, the drum-machine used in Madam Butterfly is an Oberheim DMX (which was just as popular as Roland TR-808, LinnDrum and E-mu Drumulator and SP-12 drum-machines at that time).
Attention new music producers: I have compiled and categorized .wav samples of almost every classic drum-machine and electronic drum-kits made by man. Download drum_kits.zip
I used to own the 12″ vinyl of Madam Butterfly which I bought in 1984 from Our Price record store in Uxbridge town center (Hillingdon, Buckinghamshire, UK). But I gave it to my friend Mister P-Body (Arizona) in June 2001 (just before I moved back to West Vancouver, BC, Canada, on July 1, 2001), as I had already owned a copy of it on CD-single which I'd purchased in 1988. To this day, I'm still playing the track over and over again. I have never gotten (and still never get) sick of listening to Madam Butterfly — takes on me on long mind trips each time.
Read my previous blog/article: Malcom McLaren – "Deep In Vogue"
Malcolm McLaren – "Madam Butterfly" (Un Bel Di Vedremo)…
Artist: Malcolm McLaren
Title: Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo)
Label: Virgin Records; Charisma Records
Malcolm McLaren – "Madam Butterfly" (Un Bel Di Vedremo) (mp3)
Malcolm McLaren – "Madam Butterfly" (On The Fly Mix)…
Title: Madam Butterfly (On The Fly Mix)
Malcolm McLaren – "Madam Butterfly" (On The Fly Mix) (mp3)
Malcolm McLaren – "Death Of Butterfly" (Tu Tu Piccolo)…
Title: Death Of Butterfly (Tu Tu Piccolo)
Malcolm McLaren – "Death Of Butterfly" (Tu Tu Piccolo) (mp3)
Stage Performance: A preview of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" opera…
Opera Performance: Puccini – "Madama Butterfly" (Un Bel Di Vedremo)…
Stage Performance:
Pavarotti sings "Nessun Dorma" final aria of Puccini's Turandot opera…
Tagged with: 1984 • aria • Buffalo Gals • Charisma Records • Death Of Butterfly (Tu Tu Piccolo) • Double Dutch • Dutch Rock • E-mu Drumulator • electronic modern-classical synth-pop • Fairlight CMI • Giacomo Puccini • LinnDrum • Luciano Pavarotti • Madam Butterfly (On The Fly Mix) • Madama Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo) • Madama Butterfly opera • Malcolm McLaren • Malcolm McLaren (22 Jan 1946 - 08 Apr 2010) • Malcolm McLaren - "Death Of Butterfly" (Tu Tu Piccolo) • Malcolm McLaren - "Madam Butterfly" (On The Fly Mix) • Malcolm McLaren – "Madam Butterfly" (Un Bel Di Vedremo) • Mister P-Body • Mr. P-Body • Nessun Dorma • Nick Rhodes • None Shall Sleep • Oberheim DMX • P-Body • R.I.P. Malcolm McLaren • R.I.P. Malcolm McLaren (22 Jan 1946 - 08 Apr 2010) • Roland TR-808 • Sex Pistols • Turandot • Un Bel Di Vedremo • Virgin Records • Yamaha DX7 • Ying Huang
Malcolm McLaren – "Deep In Vogue"
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 -- by Hashmoder
Let's get one fact straight… former Sex Pistols impresario Malcolm McLaren was the first to bring vogue-dancing (from the gay underground scene in New York) to the international mainstream music almost two years before Madonna. McLaren and Bootsy Collins' Bootzilla Orchestra collaborated together and came up with a track called Deep In Vogue — an ode to the ballroom scene started by young, gay African-Americans and Latinos in New York City featured in the documentary Paris Is Burning. Dedicating the song to all the houses of ballroom and vogueing, the track featured vocals from voguing pioneer and legend Willi Ninja. (Also, click here to view image-results of Willie Nina.) On the production side, additional remixing were done by Mark Moore (of S-Express, watch video of "Theme Of S-Express") and William Orbit.
Macolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra
- "Deep In Vogue"…
Title: Deep In Vogue
Label: CBS Records
Malcolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra
- "Deep In Vogue" (mp3)
Macolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra – "Deep In Vogue" (Banjie Realness)…
Title: Deep In Vogue (Banjie Realness)
Malcolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra – "Deep In Vogue" (Banjie Realness) (mp3)
Music Video: Macolm McLaren – "Deep In Vogue" (Banjie Realness)…
Documentary edit: Paris Is Burning (of Willie Ninja)…
R.I.P. Willie Ninja (Apr.12.1961 – Sep.02.2006)…
In loving memory of Willie Ninja who was a legend and one of the early pioneers of vogue-dancing and posing.
The first video in the playlist below made me very sad with a huge apple in my throat. Every time I've been watching it brings tears to my eyes. Perhaps I should just release it and ball out crying. And I will. Willi Ninja — he was so beautiful man. Rest in beautiful peace, Willie, as I've learned about your passing. You were sent away heroically instead of dying like some aging deadbeat in a nursing home. You danced, you taught, you loved, you lived most truly, and that's what life is all about. What a beautiful man you were and still are… .
Willi Ninja (April 12, 1961 September 2, 2006) was an American dancer and choreographer best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris is Burning. Ninja, who was gay, was a fixture of ball culture at Harlem's drag balls who took inspiration from sources as far-flung as Fred Astaire and the world of haute couture to develop a unique style of dance and movement. He caught the attention of Paris is Burning director Jennie Livingston, who featured Ninja prominently in the film. The film, a critical and box office success, served as a springboard for Ninja. He parlayed his appearance into performances with a number of dance troupes and choreography gigs. His style served as an inspiration to Madonna, who immortalized it in her 1990 hit song and music video "Vogue." He also starred in the earlier music video for Malcolm McLaren's Deep In Vogue.
Tagged with: 1988 • Bootsy Collins • CBS Records • Deep In Vogue • Deep In Vogue (Banjie Realness) • gay African-Americans • gay Latinos • Madonna • Malcolm McLaren • Malcolm McLaren (22 Jan 1946 - 08 Apr 2010) • Mark Moore • Paris Is Burning • R.I.P. Malcolm McLaren • R.I.P. Malcolm McLaren (22 Jan 1946 - 08 Apr 2010) • The Bootzilla Orchestra • vogue • vogue dance • voguing • William Orbit • Willie Ninja
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Hey DJ"
Friday, December 25, 2009 -- by Hashmoder
Click here to watch short video of the recording session of this 12-inch single at my home-studio.
Although Hey DJ was released in 1984, but the first time I've heard and bought it was in Christmas time 1986 in England. Lots of good tracks with similar sound and feel, like this one, were released at that time. Stellar production on this 12-inch single. As mentioned in the blog/post previous to this one, Doug Wimbish on the bass and bass-synthesizers; Keith LeBlank on the drums; and synth & drum machine programming by Jack Waldman, Clifton Chase and Craig Peyton. Although Stephen Hague produced this track, Malcolm McLaren was somehow involved heavily in Hey DJ (check out the music video below).
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Hey DJ" (Extended)…
Artist: World's Famous Supreme Team
Title: Hey DJ (Extended)
Label: Charisma Records
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Hey DJ" (Extended) (mp3)
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Hey DJ" (Extended Instrumental)…
Title: Hey DJ (Extended Instrumental)
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Hey DJ" (Extended Instrumental) (mp3)
Video: World's Class Supreme – "Hey DJ" (produced by Malcolm McLaren)…
Tagged with: 1984 • Charisma Records • Clifton Chase • Craig Peyton • Divine • doug wimbish • Hey DJ • Jack Waldman • Keith LeBlank • Malcolm McLaren • oldschool electro hiphop/rap roots • Worlds Class Supreme Team
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Misery"
The production on this LP is stellar. Doug Wimbish on the bass and bass-synthesizers; Keith LeBlank on the drums; synth & drum machine programming by Jack Waldman, Clifton Chase and Craig Peyton; background vocals by Divine; there's even a five-member horn section; and the list goes on. One of the tracks is even produced by Malcolm McLaren ("Hey DJ").
I decided to post Misery because of how it sounds. Nice keyboard layers. It's an emotional track produced by Bradshaw Leigh. Even though the title of this track may seem like a downer, but in fact the track is very powerful, uplifting and inspirational in the positive direction.
I used to walk around Toronto and London a lot back in the day while listening to Misery on my walkman. The track's powerful note and chord progressions served as the driving soundtrack to the vivid visuals which I've imagined/created in my head, going through my own kind of transcendental and meditational real-life montage. If I remember correctly, there were few images of beautiful faces from pretty women going through my mind, like a music video in slow motion. Heh, I was only 15 years old!
Title: Misery
World's Famous Supreme Team – "Misery" (mp3)
Doug Wimbish (featuring Fats Comet)…
Previously blogged about Doug Wimbish on September 18, 2009 (click here to read)
Title: Don't Forget That Beat
Genre: Electronic Funk Drumbeat Industrial
Comment: Doug Wimbish is one bad-ass bassist. He collaborated with Fats Comet on this track. Both are from the UK. Their sound is like Art Of Noise meets Africa Bambaattaa meets Ministry (of 1985 sound).
Doug Wimbish [featuring Fats Comet] – Don't Forget That Beat (mp3)
Tagged with: 1984 • Bradshaw Leigh • Charisma Records • Clifton Chase • Craig Peyton • Divine • doug wimbish • Hey DJ • Jack Waldman • Keith LeBlank • Malcolm McLaren • Misery • montage • oldschool electro hiphop/rap roots • Worlds Class Supreme Team