November 22, 2014 – We had a real Black Misfits conversation with bassist, music guru and radio producer Luke Stewart and the iMiXWHATiLiKE crew about Black rock, Afro-Punk and misfit race relations. It was a laid back but heavy and fun conversation. Initially our discussion was intended to be part of Stewart’s forthcoming tribute to Jimi Hendrix. That may have been where we started but we went into a lot more; the punk scene in 2014, Black participation in punk music, White participation in hip-hop, cultural appropriation and more. We also talked some about one of my favorite documentaries on the history and origins of rock-n-roll in Black America, Electric Purgatory and about some of our favorite artists, bands and songs.
So refreshing a topic: ” Black Rock and Misfits”. Viscerally, what I’ve received from the above enlightening conversations are two quotes I’d like to share that adds to the conversation’s relevancy: “They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But man, there’s no boundary line to Art”— Charlie Parker. Jimi Hendrix introduced Free Jazz improvisation into rock’ n’ roll, reaffirming the African American sources of the music for his fans, most of whom were white. His rendition of the ” Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock in 1969 was his crowning achievement; he had put the blues to the acid test” [ African Americans, Voices of Triumph ]
Thank you Good Sir!
Brothers!
1) the original “skinheads” were reggae-loving black and white youths of London in the early ’70s; it was the opposite of a presentation of white supremacy
2) Iggy Pop, and even The Monks, are more likely among the primal ancestors of punk; Hendrix used “destruction” as an artistic tool onstage but his technically-adept musicianship was one of the unintentional progenitors of the stadium rock that punk developed as a response AGAINST; technique was a mainstream or bourgeois preoccupation that punk was meant to attack.
3) Prince is not a brilliant guitarist; no guitarist with any chops rates Prince highly as a guitarist (unless he/she is trying to get a job in Prince’s band). His effects-heavy, pentatonic, garage-style workouts are a phase that serious guitarists grow out of a few years into the journey. Being a superstar froze his skills at a transitional level in that insidious “well, I’m selling records, what’s there to fix?” sort of way. Where would Prince be without the (not particularly savvy) schoolgirls (and their moms)? Victor Wooten (the bassist), and his brother, are both infinitely better than Prince on strings, for example.
damn… the critique of Prince was painful. but Victor Wooten is more than the truth! so i at least know Steven cant be no fool.