Live

Rip It Up, Issue 137, 1 December 1988, Page 6

Liv e

RUNDMC DEREK B Powerstation, November 15 Jesus, it was great. Better than drugs or sex. The "livest" rock show I've ever • seen, with the best audience I've ever been in. You didn't need any degrees in rapology to enjoy this jam, it was in effect, totally.; Derek B is a superstar. With'Bullet From A 'Good Groove,"Get Down,' and 'Bad Young Brother' he had the crowd yelling the chorus, and taught us how to say "motherfucker." Very much the Eddie Murphy school of crowd control, with lots of Say Yo and Ho between the slabs of great rap. Derek almost lost the show to his DJ Scratch, who was strictly business on the turntables. This is what a lot of the crowd came to see, the mixing , between the black discs, that great sonic noise when Scratch spun the records against the needle. Great stuff, especially that dramatic foot on the turntable move. Just loved that belt he wore, just like The one Honky Tonk Man wears as the greatest living intercontinetnal WWF champion of all time. More gold than an Aztec. The crowd just lapped it up, shouting and moving to the beat, Derek looked good and impressed everybody. After a bit he moved in with the audience, talking to people — rap democracy in action. Okay, it's time for the big boys, Run DMC and Jam Master Jay, who told us in no certain terms just whose house it was. It was indeed 'Run's House' which opened a non-stop attack on our . sensibilities. Anything but the old men of rap, they kicked the shit of any rock band. It was in the way Jam Master Jay worked the wheels of steel, just like a drummer, he slammed down the beat, solid as a rock. Highlights included 'Mary Mary,"Walk This Way,' 'Tougher Than Leather,'and by far the best, 'Kings of Rock.' Like Derek B, they involved the audience in everything, with the constant Say Ho, and Whose House? They kept everyone on the edge. Best thing about it was being able to see live hip hop, and see what you missed out on the records. The week before at the same venue, a local rap competition was held with

some very impressive crews. Like Guy, who came third with a rap over Klymax's 'Miss You,' and 'Monster House' who came second with great vocals. First came Semi MCs with a good rap style and neat human beatbox. Lots of talent also in Total Effect, DJ Mark Homeboys, Ski Down Productions and the rest. It was cool to see local hip hop and record companies should grab some talent soon Double concert of the year. Hope we see more of it. KERRY BUCHANAN THE GREG JOHNSON SET Berlin, November 30 The Friday prior to the GJ Set gig had seen one of Club Berlin's better floorshows complete with running DJs, exploding owners and flying vinyl, but this Wednesday it was back to business as usual. Greg Johnson began as This Boy Rob but now records under his own name. The Greg Johnson Set drew their moniker from the presence of two Car Crash survivors in the band: Nigel Russell played keyboards and Trevor Reekie got time off from the office to play guitar. The opening songs were quiet and melodic and suited the club (which is always too small). Johnson's apologies for the lack of tempo were unnecessary — the change of pace was welcome. His best songs so far have been in the same vein, complex, street-smart - melodies touching on 'Cadence & Cascade' as much as on Bill Nelson and 'Ladytron'. Best song of the evening was called (I think)'Searching For Atlantis.' I don't recall hearing the nifty 'Shirt And Tie Man' but new songs recalled the same whimsicality. There were no covers, no swipes from the VU, and tentative forays into funk, the bassist settling during the latter into a slinky Dali's Car line. The dalek drummer made two false starts, but everyone coped. If Greg Johnson trips up, it's because • he aims high, mixing pop and melancholy with a jazz-styled trumpet and often ambient guitar. The songs are long and hugely inventive, a treat at a time when one-note funk and one-note thrash are in style; his task now is knitting those parts together. What he doesn't need (as has been suggested, I hear) is a mercenary commercial producer. And he doesn't need to apologise for the slow bits. And a drummer would be nice. Everything else seems dandy and fine.

CHAD TAYLOR