Episode 71: Stereo MCs’ “Connected” (1992)

Summary

Accelerated Culture Podcast Episode 71: Stereo MCs’ “Connected” (1992)
Release Date: August 2, 2025
Hosts: Lori and Scott Free

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Introduction to Stereo MCs and "Connected"

In Episode 71 of the Accelerated Culture podcast, hosts Lori and Scott Free delve into the influential 1992 album “Connected” by the Stereo MCs. This discussion not only explores the album's musical nuances but also situates it within the broader landscape of early '90s alternative and hip hop music. As the 2024 Webby Honoree for Best Indie Podcast, Accelerated Culture continues its mission to uncover pivotal yet often overlooked moments in music history.

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Background of Stereo MCs

Lori and Scott begin by providing a comprehensive background of the Stereo MCs. Originating from Nottingham, England, the duo—Nicholas Hallam (The Head) and Rob Birch (Rob B)—transitioned from their initial rock roots in the mid-1980s to embrace the evolving hip hop and electronic sounds of the late '80s and early '90s. Their formation of G Street Records and subsequent signing with 4th and Broadway Records, a subsidiary of Island Records, marked their entry into the hip hop scene.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [04:20]: “In 1991, 1992 was when alternative really started to sprawl and grow and start encompassing all kinds of other genres.”

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"Connected" Album Overview

“Connected” represents the Stereo MCs' third album and their most commercially successful release. The album showcases a blend of hip hop, acid jazz, and alternative influences, distinguishing it from traditional American hip hop acts of the time. Lori, who first encountered the Stereo MCs while working at a trendy clothing store, shares her initial impressions and how the album's unique sound captivated her.

Notable Quote:
Lori [03:48]: “I was absolutely hooked.”

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Track-by-Track Analysis

1. "Connected"

The title track is highlighted as a standout single, notable for its haunting vocals and innovative sampling. The use of a rudimentary sampler created a layered, atmospheric sound that resonated both in clubs and on mainstream charts.

Notable Quote:
Lori [27:48]: “Rob started jamming around the vocal… We looped it up and put it through the whole song.”

2. "Ground Level"

Characterized by its deep bass groove and jazzy elements, “Ground Level” demonstrates Rob B's detached vocal style contrasted by Cath Coffey's soulful backing vocals. The track blends hip hop with a lighter, more upbeat feel.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [39:06]: “Connected is dense and hypnotic. Ground level is like light and bouncy and spare and jazzy and groovy.”

3. "Everything"

A socially conscious track addressing urban violence and self-reflection within the hip hop scene. The song features eclectic sampling and maintains the album’s signature groove.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [46:03]: “It's all cutthroat down to the last note. It's all heave ho down from the word go.”

4. "Sketch"

This track employs extended metaphors related to painting and self-deception, showcasing more intricate lyrical content compared to earlier tracks. The instrumentation includes jazz samples and Latin percussion, adding depth to the composition.

Notable Quote:
Lori [50:07]: “It's an extended metaphor using painting and sketching to talk about self deception.”

5. "Fade Away"

A funk-infused track with prominent horn sections, “Fade Away” combines upbeat rhythms with lyrics that critique societal pressures and superficiality.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [52:56]: “Birds of a feather, bees of a sting… It's just a jubilant jazz dance track.”

6. "All Night Long"

A stripped-down, mellow track featuring minimal lyrics, emphasizing the song's ambient and exotic soundscape. It includes a brief moment of silence, a unique production choice for its time.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [56:38]: “It's like a distant call to prayer even. It’s got that sort of exotic sound.”

7. "Step It Up"

This energetic track blends acid jazz with funk, featuring a lively horn section and a danceable groove. Scott and Lori note its alignment with the early '90s acid jazz movement.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [62:27]: “It's like James Brown and Jamiroquai had a baby raised by the Happy Mondays.”

8. "Playing with Fire"

A hip hop-centric track addressing themes of struggle and resilience. The song incorporates samples from iconic bands, adding layers to its rhythmic structure.

Notable Quote:
Lori [65:12]: “They sampled the song Nipple to the Bottle by Grace Jones.”

9. "Pressure"

A funk-laden song that combines lyrical critiques with a compelling groove, emphasizing the interplay between Rob B and Cath Coffey's vocals.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [70:07]: “If you don’t have anything to say, shut up, man.”

10. "Chicken Shake"

An instrumental track with a sensual vibe, “Chicken Shake” incorporates samples from The Specials and Barry White, creating a unique fusion of sounds.

Notable Quote:
Lori [74:25]: “There's a voice warning, warning, nuclear attack… sampled from The Specials' 'Man at C.N.A.'”

11. "Creation"

Echoing earlier themes, this track blends hip hop with mellow vibes, using samples from Ray J and The East Side Ciders to craft its soundscape.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [77:57]: “They sampled 'Love Doll' from Ray J and The East Side Ciders.”

12. "Don't Let Up" ft. Micah Paris

A collaboration featuring British gospel and soul singer Micah Paris, this track infuses hip hop with soulful melodies and positive messaging.

Notable Quote:
Lori [81:07]: “They sampled Grace Jones' 'Nipple to the Bottle.'”

13. "The End"

Closing the album on a contemplative note, “The End” combines melancholy lyrics with a relaxed tempo, reflecting on relationships and closure.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [87:52]: “There ain’t nothing funny about breaking up… This is the end.”

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Impact and Legacy of "Connected"

Lori and Scott discuss the album's commercial success, particularly the title track’s performance on the US Billboard charts and its inclusion in various movie soundtracks such as Hackers (1995) and Saving Silverman (2001). The hosts highlight how "Connected" broke barriers for British hip hop acts in the American market, despite initial categorization challenges.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [20:39]: “Connected… embraced different vibrations. It had the hypnotic quality of dance music, the attitude of hip hop and its vocals were unplaceable.”

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Where Are They Now?

Reflecting on the Stereo MCs' career post-“Connected,” the hosts reveal that after the album's success, the band took a nine-year hiatus before releasing new material. During this period, they focused on remixing for major artists like Madonna and U2, toured extensively in Europe, and released a comprehensive box set. As of 2025, the Stereo MCs are active, having embarked on a US tour for the first time in 24 years, indicating their enduring presence in the music scene.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [90:27]: “Connected went huge… they’re still doing the Stereo MC thing and there is talk of new material possibly released this year.”

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Conclusion and Looking Ahead

As the episode wraps up, Lori and Scott reflect on their favorite tracks from the “Connected” album, with Scott favoring “Connected” and “Sketch,” and Lori choosing “Ground Level” for its exemplary groove and vocal interplay. They tease the next episode, which will focus on INXS's 1992 album Welcome to Wherever You Are, encouraging listeners to engage with related music videos as part of their preparation.

Notable Quote:
Scott Free [88:05]: “Connected is just so good that it would be crazy to pick something other than that.”

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Final Thoughts

Episode 71 of Accelerated Culture offers an in-depth exploration of the Stereo MCs' "Connected," highlighting its innovative fusion of genres and its significant impact on alternative and hip hop music in the early '90s. Through meticulous track analysis and historical context, Lori and Scott provide listeners with a rich understanding of the album's legacy and the Stereo MCs' enduring influence.

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For more insights into alternative music history, tune in to Accelerated Culture Podcast and visit AcceleratedCulturePodcast.com.

Transcript

[Lori]

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[Scott Free]

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[Lori]

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[Scott Free]

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[Lori]

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[Scott Free]

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[Lori]

I love it. I really do.

[Scott Free]

Foreign.

[Lori]

Welcome to the Accelerated Culture Podcast. A sonic journey through the vibrant and revolutionary sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. And now 2024 Webby Honoree for Best Indie Podcast. I'm Lori, along with my co host Scott Free, and in this podcast we explore how new waves stormed the airwaves in the early 80s and gave way for the rise of alternative music in the 90s. Find us on the [e-mail].

[Scott Free]

Hello and welcome to the Accelerated Culture Podcast. I am your co host Scott Free.

[Lori]

And I'm Lori. How's it going?

[Scott Free]

It's going pretty good. Summer in Chicago and good times to be had. What have you been up to?

[Lori]

I've been grading finals.

[Scott Free]

That is not the most exciting part of summer in Chicago, but summer school is a legit way to spend your summer. And when you're a professor, grading gotta happen, I guess.

[Lori]

Yes. Yes it does. How about you, Scott? What have you done? What have you seen?

[Scott Free]

I went last week to a really weird and really great show. There is in the northern suburbs of Chicago a place called Ravinia. It is a outdoor concert venue with big outdoor amphitheater situation but then also huge sprawling lawn treed and attendees are allowed to bring in coolers and set up huge picnic spreads. Now mind you, you cannot see the concert at all if you're on the lawn section, as we were. You do get to see some big video screens so it's okay. But ultimately you're hearing the sound and enjoying the surroundings and the company. And it's a lovely day out in the park with a concert. And the concert that myself and five friends attended was back with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

[Lori]

How interesting.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah, it was. It is a profoundly weird combination and it really worked. Beck doing some of his more melancholy downtempo ballads and the like with a huge string section that really works for that as well as some weird uptempo numbers, particularly off of Odile, the album that gave you devil's haircut and the like. And really strange and really good show. He's a hell of a showman in a weird, understated sort of way. And that combination of his band with A full symphonic orchestra. Really, really great. Highly recommend if he comes to your town and does a similar thing and, you know, good excuse to have a huge picnic spread and drink with your friends on a very hot summer night.

[Lori]

Sounds good. So just before we started, Scott, I got off the phone with my brother and my brother asked me, well, what are you guys doing your episode on tonight? And I told him, connected by the stereo MCs. And he's like, wait a minute, you guys are doing rap? And I tried to explain to him, you know, well, you know, we did the Beastie Boys. But yeah, he, he was, he was quite surprised at today's topic. So.

[Scott Free]

And into was not a you're doing rap, I'm out. It was a you're doing rap. Maybe I'll listen to your show.

[Lori]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Scott Free]

Isn't it great, then, of the support of your family? Here's the thing Is, particularly in 91, 92 and beyond, alternative started morphing. I've had. I spoke with a friend of mine just this afternoon as well, who lives in Canada, in Toronto. First time I'd spoken to him in five years. And so I was informing him that I'd do this podcast at all and told him that it was an alternative podcast and that we were doing the stereo MCs. Connected. He had a similar reaction. Like he was saying, I think of alternative and I think of my time living in Vancouver in 1991 and going to see Nirvana and Alice in Chains in Seattle right when it was happening. And that's what I think of as alternative. But in 1991, 1992 was when alternative really started to sprawl and grow and start encompassing all kinds of other genres. And really anything that wasn't mainstream, old school traditional rock and roll, or current contemporary pop, or straight up hip hop rap. And, you know, we included the Beastie Boys. But as we talked about, maybe a third of that album, Check youk Head, was strictly speaking hip hop, much less rapid. We did Massive Attack, which has rapping on it, but was pretty firmly trip hop. We've done acid house and Madchester. We've done other genres that are not immediately leaping to mind. Sort of goth, industrial or goth pop. And really alternative could have been anything that wasn't just the big mainstream stuff that you would hear on the rock station, the pop station or the rap station.

[Lori]

Right, so no Phil Collins.

[Scott Free]

Oh, let's not be hasty. Probably not Phil Collins, although I freaking love Phil Collins. But so the stereo MCs, yes, there is rapping on it, but as we'll see, it's on maybe half of the tracks. And he is such a strange, such a very, very English mc, even when he is rapping that it's already weird. And outside of what was thought of as American hip hop, and there's so much just straight up instrumental song craft, there is funk, there is acid jazz. There's a lot going on this record that doesn't have a lot to do with hip hop outside of maybe the use of samplers and drum machines and even that stereo MCs were doing less on this album than they ever had before. And rapping, as I said, maybe half the tracks on the album have any. So I don't know if I consider this a rap album, but we'll see.

[Lori]

Did I surprise you when you told me that this was going to be the album and I said that I actually own this one? Did that surprise you?

[Scott Free]

That was a little bit surprising to me, yes. Now I can say, knowing you as long as I have, and that was a real long time and knowing your musical tastes and journey. So you're a bit younger than me, but only a bit. But in 1992, 3, 4, 5, the title track from this album, Connected, was a mainstay on a lot of different dance floors. So if you in the later part of that time frame were going to any of the bigger or even smaller Chicago goth or industrial dance floors, there's a non zero chance and actually pretty high chance that you would have heard Connected on that dance floor. And maybe that's what hooked you.

[Lori]

No, I wasn't going to dance clubs back then.

[Scott Free]

God, you gotta get cooler back then, man. It was a really good time.

[Lori]

Well, okay, I will say I was working at a clothing store at the mall and it was a very trendy teen, 20something clothing store. And in the pipe, was it Hot Topic? No, it was not Hot Topic. It was Contempo Casuals.

[Scott Free]

Oh, it's still pretty cool. Yeah. 90s throw away.

[Lori]

Yeah, but we used to have music that was piped in and I think that's probably where I first heard them.

[Scott Free]

So department store techno has become a pejorative term. But yeah, if it was a cool store playing what was then cool music, that's a perfectly legit end. Fair enough.

[Lori]

Unfortunately, I really don't know anything about stereo MCs. I suspect you do.

[Scott Free]

I do. Although, as is oftentimes the case, learned a lot more than I did know. Doing the research for this episode myself, I was already familiar with the stereo MCs by the time Connected came out. Their previous album, Supernatural, featured a big single that was one of the first to break through to the United States. I believe the first English hip hop song to break through to the United States. Song called Elevate My Mind. And that song blew me away at the time. So when Connected came out, it was a very different style, but still had this very English, weird, dark pop, hip hop infused thing going for it. So I was ready for it. And yeah, this album, this album stuck with me. Okay, so the history of the stereo MCs, let's just jump right into it. The stereo MCs start off as a duo. One Nicholas Hallam, aka the Head, he was born in 1960. So when the stereo MCs start off in about 1985, he was 25 or so, and his partner in crime won. Rob Charles Birch, aka Rob B, born a year later, 1961. And they were next door neighbors growing up in Nottingham, England from a very young age. And they were always friends. They bonded over their love of music and in their teens started a rock band. And then they moved to London in 1985. I believe it was Nicholas Hallam who went there to get into a music career and Rob B who went to study photography. That was in 1985. So they're in their mid-20s. That band continued in London and they switched pretty soon as music was changing at the time from rock to hip hop and, well, this electronic, not quite hip hop thing, although in the early days it was pretty firmly hip hop. I have this bit on the formation of the record label that the two of them formed together called G Street, that was both a record label and a recording studio. And this is just from their Wikipedia entry. Part of the finance came from Birch and Hollam's joint receipt of £14,000 from a property developer on the condition that they vacated their adjacent flats. Like, that may be the most English musician thing that I have ever heard. Yeah, they're getting kicked out of their apartments and got £14,000 as a settlement. And they're like, yeah, yeah, we're starting a record label. Props to them. Right, G Street Records gets picked up by 4th and Broadway Records, an American hip hop label that was a subsidiary of Island Records, although that's actually more complicated. And it's part of the Island Trading Company, a distribution subsidiary of Island Records. Accelerated Culture Podcast. Come for the music, stay for the verbal descriptions of incredibly complicated corporate structures. It's fun for everyone, I know, anyway, whatever. Fourth and Broadway, best known for being the record label of Eric B and Rakim, one of the all time greatest acts of the golden age of hip hop and of Mars, who you may know from their big single Pump up the Volume, which I will put up as one of the greatest songs of all time and wildly ahead of its time, but right, the stereo MCs now on 4th and Broadway as of like 1986 7, they release on 4th and Broadway their debut album entitled 33 45, 78. A genius album title in my humble estimation because you see, it's the three speeds that a lot of record players had back then. And they were hip hop guys who did a lot of sampling and turntable stuff.

[Lori]

So I thought Mars was 4ad didn't ar Kane on 4ad.

[Scott Free]

Didn't they start Mars, I mean originally on 4th and Broadway, but then yes, signed to 4ad and I believe the pump up the volume was re released on that. Something like that. There is a crossover so we can both be right about it. Anyway, okay. In 1990 the Stereo MCs released their sophomore LP Supernatural. And as I mentioned earlier, it was at this point that they caught my attention with Elevate My Mind. The song, it's weird and rad and again so very, very English. It's got this deep sliding bass and these chimes on a prominent sample of Grandmaster Flash and a Furious Five's White Lines. And that was a huge favorite hip hop song of mine. Old school hip hop song of mine. So hearing that sampled, it's like, oh, these guys get it right? And then there was this interplay of the voices of lead MC Rob B and the weirdly compelling singing of backup singer Cath Coffey. And the video also for this one, basically when I saw this it was like, okay, the lead MC of this group is basically the guy from the Hills have Eyes. And to a larger extent reprising the role in Weird Science, which was an old favorite movie of mine, but has not aged well. Not the point. This guy, weird looking, skinny, big eyed, shaven headed, very pale Englishman in oversized pants and jacket with the little cap and dancing around in a very cheap but well lit red room. It was strangely compelling and again just so damn weirdly English. And he's rapping, but he's also singing. And is that singing? And it was like talk singing at times. It was just so strange but dark and I loved it. And again it was making the rounds on the dance floors in 1990, 1991 where I was hanging out. And so I was absolutely hooked.

[Lori]

Podbean, your message amplified, ready to share.

[Scott Free]

Your message with the world. Start your podcast journey with podbean.

[Lori]

Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform.

[Scott Free]

Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts.

[Lori]

Use Podbean to record your podcast.

[Scott Free]

Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast podcast.

[Lori]

Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast.

[Scott Free]

Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere.

[Lori]

Launch your podcast on podbean today. So Kath Coffey is actually, I guess she's pretty famous in Britain. She's originally from Ethiopia. And besides her work with stereo MCs, I think she also did some work with Tricky. I know we've talked about Tricky in a previous episode.

[Scott Free]

Oh, she definitely did. On Tricky's second album, which, yeah, was under the name Nearly God, she did sing a track with him and that was again, one of the early seminal hip hop outings. And hers was a deep track on it, but it's a good one.

[Lori]

She's got a very soulful voice.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, she does. She really is not afraid to belt it. And yeah, it's. It's good stuff. I'm with you.

[Lori]

It's a nice counterpoint to Rob B. I think.

[Scott Free]

I will agree with that. Yeah, the two are a strange duo. And it works, I think. As far as the just so damn English thing, I think I can or have to admit this now. I've been thinking about it a lot, particularly as we cover things that cross over into kind of hip hop on this particular show, that a lot of these hip hop or sort of hip hop acts that we're covering are white hip hop acts and particularly white English hip hop acts. And I don't want to give anybody the wrong idea. I grew up a white boy in the suburbs of Detroit. We listened to a lot of hip hop and it was largely black artists. But in the context of this show, as indicated by your brother's surprise that we were covering a sort of hip hop album at all, we don't do a lot of just straight up American black hip hop artists. I think there's some room for that to change. Particularly I think we missed an opportunity with public enemy, Apocalypse 91, which did cross over into the alternative realm, particularly with their team up with Anthrax for redo of Bring the Noise. All of this is just to say in my younger days, particularly in the 80s and the new wave era, I think English bands just had a huge advantage for me. Right. If it was English new wave, it was much more likely to land with me and for me to find compelling and I don't know if it was just because at that young age I found England somehow exotic or if there was something going on in music production and songwriting that was actually different. But English bands had a huge advantage for me and I think that carried over into the 90s that we're covering now, where an English hip hop act was just so strange and they did not do it like Americans. That they already sort of had an in. Massive Attack, I think really counts on that. And they obviously are a multiracial band, but the white guy was a prominent part of it. Anyway, all of this is just to say when the stereo MCs presented themselves, yeah, it really captured my imagination in some way and in no small part because it was just so damn weird. But I think that weird really worked. Okay, where the hell was I? Elevate my mind. That's right.

[Lori]

Yes, right.

[Scott Free]

This single got some MTV play and became the first British hip hop single to hit the US Billboard R&B chart and also reached number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was kind of a big deal. In supporting Supernatural, their sophomore album, they toured with Living Color and with A Certain Ratio.

[Lori]

A Certain Ratio was one of Tony Wilson's Factory Records bands.

[Scott Free]

That's right. That is why that sounded so familiar. Good eye. And with the Happy Mondays, another accelerated culture band. If you haven't listened to episode 44, Pills and Thrills and Belly Aches, you should check that out as soon as you're done with this episode. It is one of our best, I think, and I think you'll agree, Laurie.

[Lori]

Yeah, I do agree.

[Scott Free]

Looking at those three bands that the Stereo MCs were touring with. Living Color, Happy Mondays, A Certain Ratio. Rob B talks about this. To be honest, by the time we got to play with the Happy Mondays, we were already hardened performers. We played with hardcore hip hop groups to audiences that wouldn't accept us. So we knew what it was like to be given a hard time. We played with a heavy rock group, Living Color, and their audience really knew how to give us a hard time. We played with emf, A Certain Ratio, De La Soul, all kinds of groups, because we wanted to get out there and get a reaction, no matter what sort of a reaction it was. But yeah, the Happy Mondays crowd were good for us because they were open minded and knowledgeable about the rave scene, the hip hop scene, the music scene in general. They were well up for it all. This is just to say you can tell by the company they keep that they are not exactly a straight up hip hop Band. Their first album, 3345 78, that was an English hip hop record. Their second, Supernatural, it was, but it was starting to turn a little bit towards the direction we get with the third album, Connected, and this moderate success that the Stereo MCs were enjoying, crossing over into the R and B charts in the US as well as the mainstream Hot 100 charts. Despite sounding odd and so damn English and difficult to define, Rob B. Talked about this in a 2019 article. July 11, 2019, an interview called Originals. Rob Birch, Stereo MCS. And they talk about their history. They talk about a lot, but talking about touring with the Happy Mondays in particular. Despite their name and their tendency to incorporate rap influences in the music, the stereo MCs don't see themselves as a rap group in launching their career in America, where it seems everything must fit into a musical category, the stereo MCs are faced with an extra challenge now, quoting Rob B. It's quite weird. In America, we noticed that the last time we came, explains Rob. We saw everything was really segregated and it was a bit hard for the record company to know what to do with us because we didn't seem to fit anybody's category. So it was hard to start with. But I think it was up to us to make an impression of our own and just say that we weren't coming over to be a rap group every fan had to listen to, because America's got enough rap groups of its own. We just wanted to come over and say, we're the stereo MCs and this is our music. And it just kind of is a melting pot. Lots of different influences, and I think they do that and connected the album and the song is really where that begins to come together and make itself clear to American audiences. Except apparently to you and to your brother and probably almost everybody else. The name Stereo MCs really does make it sound like it's going to be a hip hop group, right?

[Lori]

Yes. Yes, it does.

[Scott Free]

Yes, it does.

[Lori]

I was actually kind of surprised at how many people I've spoken with that don't know that MC is short for Master of Ceremonies.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, yeah. That's one of the pillars of hip hop. So admittedly, the name does scream hip hop, but the music mostly partly kind of doesn't some of the time.

[Lori]

Right.

[Scott Free]

So then that brings us to 1992 and Connected, the Stereo MC's third album and the actual subject of this episode of Accelerated Culture.

[Lori]

Yay.

[Scott Free]

So whereas on the sophomore LP Supernatural, the Stereo mcs had recorded in New York City to be in the hip hop scene and where their collaborators were located, like the Jungle Brothers. And because they had never recorded in New York City before, unlike that for Connected, they went home to london again from chaoscontrol.com we figured that's what this LP is all about. Us just being quite honest and making it where we live and a living the music kind of thing. So they were going home and they were making an English album, English in London. And the result is Connected.

[Lori]

We should probably mention the personnel on the album.

[Scott Free]

Let's do that. Yes.

[Lori]

Okay. As you had previously mentioned, we have Rob B on vocals and Nick the Head is the dj. The drummer is named Owen, if obviously a stage name. And Calf Coffee, as we mentioned, on backing vocals with that powerful voice of hers. There are also some additional personnel. James Hallowell on keyboards and organ.

[Scott Free]

And he does some rock solid organ work. Rock solid organ. Don't include that.

[Lori]

By now I have to.

[Scott Free]

Okay.

[Lori]

Paul Okane and Matthew Seligman. Those are the two bassists. Saxophone by Chiku Modu. Strings, Ivan Hussey, Johnny T. Anya Ullman and Laura Cochrane. And brass on some of these tracks is. I don't know if you call them a band called Kickhorns.

[Scott Free]

Freelance horn section.

[Lori]

That's a better description. Yes. So. And they're pretty well known in London, so.

[Scott Free]

Right on. Yeah. Yeah. There's at least one track I can think of that prominently features flute, so I'm gonna go ahead and guess that's part of the Kickhorns. But yeah, again, this is a much more robust band than you're seeing in your typical 1992 hip hop. It's its own animal. All of that adds up to the album Connected.

[Lori]

I honestly have not listened to this album since maybe 93. I was actually pleasantly surprised when I dug it back out and listened to it again.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah.

[Lori]

It's a lot better than I remember it being.

[Scott Free]

I think it's time we jump into the track by track. And we start off the track by track, as we always do, with the first track, Track one, the title track. Conn.

[C]

You make mistakes See through you see through you gotta do right sun and gotta do right Come on. If you make sure you're connected the writing's on the wall but if your mind's neglected Stumble, you might fall Stumble you might fall.

[Scott Free]

Right. So for me, the first thing that hits me with this song and the first thing that hit me the first time that I heard it is that haunting, weird, atmospheric sung vocal. That which repeats or the entire song.

[Lori]

Yeah, so that was Rob B. He was messing around with a very rudimentary sampler called a bell delay unit. The head Hallam told the Guardian Back in 2023, we had the chorus, but we had hit a cul de sac. Rob and me went to the studio, put the track on and thought, let's see if we can get at least the vibe we need to nail it. Rob started jamming around the vocal that ah. We looped it up and put it through the whole song. Then Rob went back and did the rest of the vocals and that was it. And I did see another quote in a few places that Rob had also said that his fingers were bleeding from hitting the button so often for the sample. Because it was really only just a very short sample.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. They had to trigger it every time it plays through the song. So he's just hitting the button over and over again every time he needs to do that. And it goes throughout the entire song. Yeah. They were playing on relatively rudimentary gear. This was a big level up from their previous album, but still a far cry from the digital workstations and entirely software based solutions where you're just clicking and dragging samples from sample banks. They were doing it old school because. Well, it's 1991, 92 anyway, so it starts off with that haunting.

[Lori]

Actually there's something before that.

[Scott Free]

Oh, excellent point. Yeah. The sort of weird stuttery vocal that's like. What is that? Exactly. I did not know that until today. Doing the research. Thank you. Whosampled.com Love that site.

[Lori]

Now that we found love by third world, right?

[Scott Free]

That's right. Yeah. A 1975 song. I want to say.

[Lori]

I think it's 78.

[Scott Free]

All right, we'll go with that.

[Lori]

And it's specifically a part of the lyric that goes Make Natty Shook. Make Natty Shook. Which you really can't tell the way they've distorted it, but it's an interesting way to start the song.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. And like if the title of that song that they sampled sounds familiar. Now that We Found Love. Yeah. The actual chorus of the song is exactly what Heavy D sampled to make his huge single. Now that We Found Love.

[Lori]

Now that We Found Love. What are we gonna do Exactly.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, that's the thing you find in those songs that do contain samples on this album. The stereo MCs Tastes in music and sources of inspiration are wildly diverse. Although a lot coming from the early to mid-70s. Again in adverse fact. Anyway, you got that now that We Found Love sample. You've got the ahs, and then this organ comes in and this deep pitch shifted vocal. And then the whole thing starts swelling and rising. And then that 100 bpm acid house shuffle beat drops. He said bpm drink Zabe. It's just perfection. Such a strong opening. And that is all. Just the first 12 seconds of the song and the album. Then that guitar riff. That guitar riff comes in. I'm just saying. And then a baritone sax like. And then turntable scratching. 22 year old me was all in. And 55 year old me still all in. I'm down. Stereo MC. They got me now.

[Lori]

Also, according to whosampled.com, the drum beat was sampled from Let me, let me be your lover by Jimmy Bo Horn.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. But it's a specific portion of the Durham sequence. There is another drum machine program over.

[Lori]

It, I think for most folks. Would you mention stereo MCs if they remember stereo MCs? This is probably the song that comes to mind.

[Scott Free]

Almost certainly, yes. Although you'll also be surprised because there's at least one later in the album that you're like, oh, actually, that does sound familiar. Now that you mention it. Possibly two.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

There were four singles on the album and three kind of made a little mark.

[Lori]

I would have said two. At least here in the US I was only aware of the two. But yeah, there were two other singles that made it big in the UK that we're going to talk about. This one was released as a single on September 14th of 1992. So it predated the album by a few weeks. The album itself was released on October 5th of 92. I recognize it from a number of movies because this has been featured in some movie soundtracks.

[Scott Free]

And one in particular, I can think of that you love hackers, right? That's the one.

[Lori]

That's the one. Yes. 1995. Angelina Jolie, Johnny Lee Miller, Matthew Lillard. Yeah, Matthew Lillard. Yeah.

[Scott Free]

And they were all babies.

[Lori]

I know, I know. Angelina with this cute little elvish haircut.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

It was also featured in saving Silverman in 2001. Definitely. Maybe in 2008. And I have not seen this one, but now I might watch it. You don't mess with the Zohan in 2008.

[Scott Free]

Man. I am. I have a hard time with Adam Sandler movies. And yet he's made several that are just undeniable classics.

[Lori]

Yeah. So here in the U.S. the song went to number 11 on Billboard's top 40 and number five on the U.S. modern rock tracks chart. I was surprised that it went that high on the top 40, to be honest.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. I mean, it's a really compelling groove, right?

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah, it's an earworm for sure.

[Scott Free]

I have another good quote that I like from that same Guardian article you were quoting.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Connected got played at all sorts of clubs, even at house music ones, which is surprising because at 100 bpm, it's pretty slow. Somehow the feeling embraced different vibrations. It had the hypnotic quality of dance music, the attitude of hip hop and its vocals were unplaceable. It's not indie, it's not rock. It's a hybrid. We were from the wave of musicians making groundbreaking music by having to re educate ourselves. When we started getting into rap, we had to forget everything we knew about music because we didn't know how people made those sounds. In those days, there were no computers or sampler packs. It was all just in your ears and your soul. You had to listen and go, how can I make that sound? And yeah, with Connected, they nailed it.

[Lori]

I will say that I think the lyrics are a little bit weak in places. Your dirty tricks, you make me sick.

[Scott Free]

I love it. I knew that, you know, you are the lyrics lady and that you were going to be able to take issue with some of the lyrics on this album. Not all. I think he does some really good work later. But this is one of those kind of like we got sometimes with, I don't know, let's go with a Happy Mondays, where the words they're saying are not the point. It becomes another instrument in this sonic collage. And. Yeah, could he have written something more philosophical and earth shattering? Sure. Did he have to? No. For me, it doesn't matter. But if you like lyrical content and poetry and imagery. Oh, just wait, it'll come later.

[Lori]

And I will say that even though the lyrics for this one are simplistic, that does make them very easy to remember. I mean, even not having heard the song in 20 years, you know, I could pull up the lyrics in my head instantly.

[Scott Free]

So for sure. Okay, so that's all we have time for today. Thanks for listening, everybody.

[Lori]

All right, I'm going to bed.

[Scott Free]

All right, so I may have gone a bit long on the intro, and there's a lot to talk about with this single. The opening track, Connected, because it was a monster at the time. But stay tuned, there's plenty of Connected left. We got tracks 2 through 13 coming up and we might as well start.

[Lori]

That with track two, Ground level.

[C]

It just depends how close the ground level you are. It just depends how close to ground level you are. Can you see the hurt, can you see the pain? Can you feel the rain coming? Like a train of thought.

[Lori]

You know, this is a really good one. The first thing that hits me is the baseline. And that's true of a lot of these songs, that this is a really good, good deep bass groove. But also I think this one really kind of demonstrates Rob B's vocal style where he's. He's very detached when he's singing. You know, it's like the opposite of emotional.

[Scott Free]

There is a coolness to him that. Yeah, it's cool, man. Connected is dense and hypnotic. Ground level is like light and bouncy and spare and jazzy and groovy. Right?

[Lori]

Yeah, I like it.

[Scott Free]

So, yeah, like from the opening chimes and metallophone, sort of xylophone sounded thing. And then that shuffle beat, you know, you're on a totally different vibe than on the opening track. Then Kath Coffee's like, yeah. And then whistling like, come on. I love me a good whistling song.

[Lori]

Shout out to my buddy Nick, who has a weird thing about songs with whistling.

[Scott Free]

I don't think it's a weird thing, Nick. I think whistling is underutilized in pop and rock music. I've mentioned in the past that I am frontman in a couple cover bands, and there are times where if we do not have the proper instrumentation to cover a horn solo or synth line. Yeah, I'll just whistle it because. Whistle song.

[Lori]

What's the Scorpion song? The one Nick's always talking about. I think it's. Is it Winds of Change?

[Scott Free]

Rings of Change.

[Lori]

Yeah. Hi, Nick.

[Scott Free]

Also. Yeah. Peter Bjorn and John, the young folks. One of the biggest whistle songs of all time. Love it.

[Lori]

I don't know if I know that one.

[Scott Free]

Anyway, whatever. We may have gotten a bit off.

[Lori]

Track, a little sidetracked. Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Okay.

[Lori]

Don't worry, I'll rein it back in.

[Scott Free]

And then. Yeah. And then Robby coming in with the. It just depends how close to ground level you are. Again, this ain't exactly hip hop. And even throughout when he's talk singing, it's not exactly rapping. Right. Mostly throughout, he's full on singing. And like he said, even if his voice isn't like classically beautiful or strong voice or even a conventional pop voice, it's got that detached cool to it, just so distinctly his own that I think is the strength of this group. They're just doing their own weirdo English thing. And when it works, it really works.

[Lori]

Yeah. So I was surprised to learn that this was released as a single because I don't remember it, but it was the third single off of the album. It was released on February 8th of 1993 and it didn't chart here in the US, but it did go to number 19 in the UK.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, I think it deserves it. It does fit in with some of the jazzy stuff that was starting to hit at the time. You just have to go a little bit back to get some of the jazz samples that were becoming very big in hip hop. A Tribe Called Quests. Low End Theory comes to mind. Even us three, although that's a whole episode in its own right. But not one for this show. Diggable Planets and I mean, hell, even Massive Attack to some extent. Anyway, all this is just to say it fits in with the zeitgeist of the time, but spinning it in a way that wasn't hip hop per se. This falls more into another genre we'll talk about shortly.

[Lori]

Okay. All right, so what's next?

[Scott Free]

What is next is track three, Everything. What would you do if a vicious enemy suddenly started coming at Armed to the tee and ready to kill you? Right. So open and strong with that bouncy baseline, know you're in for a dance song, Right? And then that vocal sample dialogue snippet. What would you do if a vicious enemy started coming to you, Armed to the teeth and ready to kill you? And the guy's response is like, I want to know the answer, man.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

It is a shame that they don't give you that answer. But you can find that answer if you go to Arnie's Appeasement signals. Samurai Sequence by Jimmy Webb in 1973.

[Lori]

It's from a movie called the Naked Ape.

[Scott Free]

Yes. Anyway, this one feels like a hip hop track, sort of. I guess I'm just recognizing that Rob B. Is actually rapping here. But musically it's another jazzy electronic dance track. Kind of strange, and I dig it. Personally.

[Lori]

The bass line kind of reminds me of. What was that one song from Breakin? You know the one I'm talking about?

[Scott Free]

Sounds like the Baby Elephant Walk by Henry Mancini.

[Lori]

Oh, shut up.

[Scott Free]

Probably not what you were thinking of anyway. You got anything to say about musically?

[Lori]

Just a couple more samples from whosampled.com.

[Scott Free]

Sure.

[Lori]

The hook or riff is sampled from a 1977 song called Bite your Granny by morning, noon and night.

[Scott Free]

There is also some funky Latin percussion that comes in at the 1 minute 37 mark from Bob James jazz legend Thorandol sweet number two.

[Lori]

That was pretty good.

[Scott Free]

From 1975. The same album that produced the Chime sample that became the hook of Run DMC's Peter Piper. And it's classic. It's a really good jazz album in its own right. But yeah, it's just some Latin percussion that rounds out the drum track.

[Lori]

Latin percussion was a French name, you know.

[Scott Free]

Lyrically, this one is a social commentary on violence in urban life and social decay. In the proud tradition of say, a grandmaster flashes the message. It's like a jungle sometimes Makes me wonder how I keep from going under. Okay, you know, it's not going to change your life or your worldview, but I appreciate Rob B. Going for it. What's interesting to me in this one lyrically is when he turns the lens on himself. It's all cutthroat down to the last note. It's all heave ho down from the word go. No originals, Everything reproduced, even down to my juice. So he's kind of being self critical and talking about how hip hop is oftentimes a retread. I think.

[Lori]

You know that part that you just read too. I was about to say that I don't think the title, everything occurred in the song, but you proved me wrong just then.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, there you go. So come, so come on, come on, come on, check me out I want to know if we can turn about, turn around and maybe see what's missing if you've got nothing to say sit back and listen get a vision so unless you can do better Shut up, man. Perfectly cromulent song. That's what I say.

[Lori]

What's the word? Crombulent.

[Scott Free]

Oh, it's a old school Simpsons reference.

[Lori]

So the next song, track four is called Sketch.

[C]

Pain and true Pain and true Pain and true. Are you having problems cooning in other truths that you're seeing deceptive? Listen, I come to clear up and pull you out and you spin don't adjust your set just let them begin I want to tell you about the day barrage commercial breaks Living in a mirage Seeing stars that are fake and mate you should ate as you thought just eight then I can't wait now it's too late and I see my mistakes Don't.

[Scott Free]

Okay, so straight up hip hop track this time, and that's fair. But you know, whatever the genre or genre bending work they're doing, these guys can cobble together a good danceable groove, whatever the tempo. In this case, 100 bpm. Zabe, you're probably going to want to just keep a bottle in front of you for the duration of this episode.

[Lori]

Interestingly, I'm looking at the writing Credits and most of the songs on this album are Birch and Hallam, but this one also mentions Tuesday. Diabro or Abreu. Abro. I guess he is a Brazilian singer.

[Scott Free]

I'm going to go ahead and guess that is because the string, the guitar sample that starts the song and plays throughout, which was from Pasarino by gal Costa in 1973, I would say that that plays such a prominent part in the song that they had to give him songwriting credit.

[Lori]

I gotcha. And if you listen to the original Passerino, it's a lot slower. They sped it up for this song.

[Scott Free]

And really works, I think.

[Lori]

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[Scott Free]

You know, they sped it up and here's the thing is it. They speed it up to this 100 bpm groove that is the same tempo as Connected.

[Lori]

Yes.

[Scott Free]

But while Connected is so dense and sludgy and hypnotic, I don't know. To me that song feels slower and this one a little peppier and more upbeat. Feels like it's faster track. But they're the same tempo as it turns out.

[Lori]

Interesting. Yeah, I like this one. You know, paint it true. Paint it true. I mean, I, you know, we met at an art school.

[Scott Free]

We did, in fact.

[Lori]

We did.

[Scott Free]

I think lyrically he does some really good work here. I said earlier, okay, if the simplicity, simplisticness of Connected leaves you a little flat, I think this song makes up for it. And I give Rob B. Props for actually saying something and doing it with some pretty specific and consistent poetic imagery. The whole song, he uses an extended metaphor using painting and sketching to talk about self deception and lying to the world and presenting our true selves. You know, he's going for deep and as is often the case with hip hop lyrics, that might not hold up if you look at it under a microscope, but, you know, I think this is another one where it's as much to be listened to and felt as it is to be actually dissected. Unlike so much hip hop of the time, this was never one that I like. Memorized every word and hit pause and then backed up and tried to get it and write it down and then recite it. This one, I always just head nodded along to it and for me that's plenty again, Groovy, I think is the main thrust of this album. Sometimes the lyrics really shine. I think this one, it does some good work. I don't necessarily feel like reciting it as poetry, but, you know, it's worth digging into.

[Lori]

One other sample worth mentioning just because I don't think we've ever mentioned this band on the podcast before. There's a drum sample from the song Fool Yourself by Little Feet.

[Scott Free]

Right again. Their musical tastes are pretty damn diverse. Although so many of them that we're talking about are from like 1972 to 78.

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah. This was 73.

[Scott Free]

This one was 73. Yeah, they have a thing for 70s music, but they are not making 70s music, just using it, repurposing it and making it their own.

[Lori]

That's all I got on that one.

[Scott Free]

Fair enough. Let's move on then to track five. Fade away.

[C]

Feel the tension in the air. You best be ready, best be prepared. Don't try to doubt it. It's in the blood, it's in the faith, it's in the look sitting on your face and you can't hide it. So no pretend they start defending. Stop the rock before it sets in. Think about it spreading like poison autographs. Poison ivy from the part. You got to think about it. We are bor of a clever be of a sting. Listen to the word that the silo bring. Cuz we're living in the shadows of yesterday. Nobody can make that fade away.

[Lori]

You can make it fade away, you.

[C]

Can'T make it fade away.

[Scott Free]

Once again, super groovy. More upbeat this time. You know, this has got the funk to it. And particularly great work by that horn section again. What was the name of that horn section again?

[Lori]

McHorns.

[Scott Free]

Pickhorns. You know, I said this I think earlier. I'm gonna say it again later. I am a sucker for baritone saxophone. And this along with the rest of the horns really gives this groove some bottom end. And you know, I dig that horn section, man.

[Lori]

Well, you used to play sax, didn't you?

[Scott Free]

I still play sax. I have multiple. But they are of the much more affordable and portable sizes.

[Lori]

Header.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, baritone is a serious commitment.

[Lori]

Yeah, they're huge.

[Scott Free]

Huge, inexpensive.

[Lori]

You know, I'm not in love with this song. Rob's voice has this really kind of sing songy quality to it on this one. He does on some of the other songs to a better effect. But here it just kind of. I don't know, I think that.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, the songwriting more than the singing. I mean, I guess the singing is. Is an expression of the songwriting. But that melody. Yeah, I. I can see that, but whatever. Don't dig it. You don't have to. That's fine. I don't want to get too much into analyzing the lyrics, but I do really like the line where Birds of a feather, bees of a sting. Oh, you Know, a nice twist on the whole birds of a feather thing. I dug that. And then I'd rather be a savage sea than undergo this lobotomy. You gotta think about it.

[Lori]

Just think about it.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. I don't know. I think it's just, again, groovy. You don't have to overthink this one. It's designed to make your ass shake. And I think if you were on a dance floor, might well accomplish that.

[Lori]

Right?

[Scott Free]

Yep. I don't have a ton more to say about that.

[Lori]

Well, then that brings us to the next track. All Night Long.

[C]

All night long.

[Lori]

All night long.

[Scott Free]

So if you were getting tired of Rob be's white English guy rapping. I wasn't. But I get that some people may have a beef with us sometimes. Or the sing song melodic thing that you were not in love with in the last one. Well, you're in luck because it's just four minute groove with very little in terms of lyrical content.

[Lori]

Yeah. Three words all night long repeated over and over.

[Scott Free]

Right. So. Right. It opens with a drum machine percussion groove that feels a lot to me like George Michaels for Freedom 90. And I am never gonna be mad about being reminded of that track. But it's just so stripped down, this whole song. It's got that guitar riff, Kath Coffee's soulful wailing.

[Lori]

When I first heard that, I'm like, am I listening to a Deep Forest album? What is this?

[Scott Free]

Right. That or me, Like I'm hearing it. It's with this heavy reverb on her voice and the EQ kind of removing all of the low end from it. So it's like a distant call to prayer even. It's got that sort of exotic sound to it and a bunch of layered Rob bees just chanting all night long. Yeah, yeah. So loudy as hell of a groove and I am ready for a cocktail.

[Lori]

Yeah. I enjoy the more mellow, down tempo sound songs on this album. And that's why I said earlier, I don't remember it being as good as it is. Maybe I've changed, you know, since 92 because I remember listening to it and just kind of putting it away on a shelf.

[Scott Free]

I think the big single title track was so distinct and so specific and odd that it might be one of those where people bought the album thinking it was going to be that and then got a lot of this other stuff. And like I. I just don't know how to dig into this just yet. And many may never have listened to it again. And they missed out because again, I'm going to keep saying groovy all episode long. I kind of wish we had a Pee Wee's playhouse word of the day and that everyone scream. Good screaming everybody. But you know, whatever. Here we are. Also in this track, a little past the halfway point, there is a DJ heart attack inducing mid song cold break. Just a full seven seconds of dead silence in the middle of the song. So if you were playing this one, you're a DJ playing it in a chill out room in a club and you get to that point in the track. And this was before you had the waveforms up on your laptop like the DJs do now. You would have had to know the track back and forth or been looking really closely at the actual grooves in the vinyl to see. Wait a minute, something happens there. There's no sound there. Yeah, seven seconds of dead silence. But then the groove comes back in full force. Chill as that force may be and with a little extra to it. Yeah, not much to say. You either dig this groove or you don't. And I personally do.

[Lori]

Yeah, no, it's decent. I like music for atmosphere. I like being able to put something on in the background and not having it distract from whatever it is I'm trying to do. So, you know, a lot of the songs on this album fit that bill.

[Scott Free]

I think a lot of artists would take some exception to being described as background music, but, you know, really good background music.

[Lori]

It is, it is.

[Scott Free]

Well then I guess that brings us to track seven. Step it up.

[C]

To the right right Step it up, step it up it's all right to the left, to the right Check the new ride out it's all right Silence Ending season Cuz there ain't no good in grief can't stop my mouth I'm breathing I'll see you in what I say.

[Lori]

All right, so this was the other song from this album that I knew.

[Scott Free]

All right.

[Lori]

And how I came to this song. In 1992, I was an assistant to a jazzercise instructor.

[Scott Free]

I love this story already.

[Lori]

So yeah, she let me take free jazzercise classes if I would haul her equipment in and set it up for her, her big speakers and stuff. This song was. I remember there was a routine. They had these little plastic step benches that you could stack.

[Scott Free]

Oh sure.

[Lori]

And so it was basically step aerobics. And I think that's the first time I heard this song. But I have a good association with it. And then the other thing I really like about this is that boop boop because it reminds me of like old 8 bit video games.

[Scott Free]

All right, all right. These are all honest and personal ways to associate with the track. And I can respect the hell out of that. Love it. All right, okay, so if the loungy jazzy grooves of All Night Long, track six left any doubt, with this track we have firmly entered funky acid jazz territory. You know, we've talked about acid house in some previous episodes. I want to say the Happy Mondays in particular, I think so Acid jazz, it's a offshoot, a cousin of this. Takes on some of the instrumentation of jazz, at least in sample form. But in the case of the stereo MCs, the actual instruments, but the emphasis is not on melody or instrumental virtuosity or improvisation. Uses the tools of acid house and of hip hop. Your samplers and your drum machines, sometimes at a slower tempo, but regardless, the emphasis is on the groove. So here we are. It's acid jazz and funk. It's like James Brown and Jamiroquai had a baby and he was raised by the Happy Mondays. Something like that.

[Lori]

Okay, I like the saxophone, the raspy and I think that's layered over the other horns, but I like that.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, once again, I am always going to be swayed by a Barry Sacks. Honestly, it's just that easy. If more pop musicians or rock artists want my money should probably throw more bar sacks in their work. I. I think a lot of them are really going for the coveted middle aged man market. You know, it's just a jubilant jazz dance track. Right. That's like lyrically, I mean, I'm sure there are some lyrics in there. And I'm here mostly for the. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the two left to the right and the Step it up, step it up, it's all right. You know, I couldn't tell you what the other lyrics are. And they don't all have to be earth Changers. Some of them just need to be booty shakers. And that is in this track aplenty.

[Lori]

Okay, so this was released as the second single off of the album on November 23rd, 1992. It went to number 30 on the Billboard top 40. Again, that surprised me that it went that high. 25 on the US Dance Club Play list and 16. You do remember that?

[Scott Free]

I remember being played in dance clubs, yeah.

[Lori]

Okay. And then 16 on the US modern rock tracks chart. Interestingly, it was also featured on the soundtrack of a movie called One Day starring Anne Hathaway in 2011.

[Scott Free]

Can I tell you, I kind of love Anne Hathaway.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

A lot of people in the press and movie industry hate her and they're wrong. She's a delight.

[Lori]

She is. It's a shame about the con artist ex boyfriend, though.

[Scott Free]

I will say yes. Pretending like I know what you're talking about.

[Lori]

Okay. All right. But, yeah, no, I do love me some Devil Wears Prada. So, boy, these guys must have really made a lot of money in royalties from the films. That and I think this one was also in a couple episodes of TV shows as well, if I'm not mistaken. But they must have really made bank.

[Scott Free]

You know, no doubt are continuing to make bank on this to this day. Also, is. You know, you and I both like to [e-mail] to see where the samples in the album come from. On a couple occasions I saw. Okay, there are no samples that this stereo MC is used in this track. However, other bands have sampled them.

[Lori]

Oh, yeah.

[Scott Free]

From this album in particular. So licensing. That's. That's the sweetest plum.

[Lori]

Nice. So that brings us to the next track, Playing with Fire.

[C]

You're playing with fire. You could be one in a million. Could be walking down the street just like any civilian. You could be amphibian. But it still don't mean that you ain't gonna fall victim to the April shies and the tombstone and bouquet of old flies Powers above who be guided. A mapman of the wheel is the way we be riding down to the line Stay upon one corner.

[Scott Free]

Okay, so that piano, it's out of my vocal range, but you get that, that piano twiddling. I'm listening to that. I'm going, is that a sample of the Rolling Stones, Monkey Man? And you know, any searching I could find? No, but if it is, it's a ghost sample where the band actually just replays the instrumental part.

[Lori]

Wikipedia confirmed what you just said.

[Scott Free]

It is a ghost symbol of Monkey Man.

[Lori]

Yes, it just says it uses the piano progression.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Okay. Ghost sample. I feel good about that. And well played stereo MCs on emulating SL stealing one of the Stones's best and most underrated tracks. I very much want the classic rock cover Bend. I'm in to play Monkey man, but we're going to need somebody to play that piano, and I think it's probably going to end up being me. And that just seems like a bad idea.

[Lori]

But also, according to Wikipedia, Scott, there's a sample from the Pet Shop Boys opportunities, let's Make Lots of Money. And I think it's that very distinctive percussion sound.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, that drum machine track, that's like some serious old School fake drum. Sounds like straight out of a Roland 808, I want to say. Or maybe even earlier, like a doctor Rhythm or something like that. Mad respect. And yeah, I'm a little surprised that I didn't put it together that that was from Pet Shop Boys. Opportunities. Let's Make Lots of Money as that is one of my all time favorite songs by them. But, you know, they. They probably tweaked it and layered it and I don't know. I'm gonna. I'm gonna forgive myself on this one, but I'm usually pretty good at the Find the Sample game.

[Lori]

It's pretty hard to hear unless you're specifically listening for it.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, I'll go with that.

[Lori]

Yeah. Okay.

[Scott Free]

Thanks for letting me off the hook on that.

[Lori]

All right. You got anything else about Playing with Fire?

[Scott Free]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, there's a couple interesting bits in the lyrics. Let's see here. You're playing with fire. You could be one in a million. Could be walking down the street just like any civilian. You could be amphibian but it still don't mean that you ain't going to fall victim to the April showers and the tombstone and the bouquet of old flowers. Powers above who be guiding a madman at the wheel is the way we be riding down the line. Standing upon corner selling two at a time, you really want to shock it. That's when you make the exchange in your pocket.

[Lori]

Wow.

[Scott Free]

I mean, come on. Those are some fun hip hop lyrics, right?

[Lori]

Yeah, no, those are good. Those are good. So. So I can forgive him for.

[Scott Free]

You make me sick.

[Lori]

Yeah. Dirty tricks, you make me sick. Yeah, Forgive him for that.

[Scott Free]

I don't know. You wouldn't.

[Lori]

All right.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, Right. That's all I got. There's more it's worth digging into, but yeah, I just think it's a good song.

[Lori]

Yeah, it is a good one. Okay, so the next one, track nine is called Pressure. Let's listen.

[C]

If you don't know what to say then keep your mouth shut out the way you'll get no flattery. If you know the time of day then why'd you let yourself go gray? You need a battery. Cause every moment count as a watch dog waste a pound but he ain't smart as me.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. So now they're full on funk band.

[Lori]

Yeah, I really like this one. And even just like right out of the gate with the lyrics, like, I.

[Scott Free]

Like the tracks where Rob B. Goes into both modes, both weird English, weird pop, weird singer and weird English mc. Here he does both. And I am into it, you know.

[Lori]

I love even just the way it starts off. If you don't know what to say, then keep your mouth shut out the way you'll get no flattery.

[Scott Free]

It's the second time that has been the message in lyrics we've cited.

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah.

[Scott Free]

If you don't have anything to say, shut up, man. Now, I can understand some of the critiques that I saw in some reviews of this album just by Internet commentators saying that some of the production sounds dated and I think this one that's legit. There is both an actual horn section, but also some keyboard horns that are a little. Eh. But I think overall the track really does work for me, especially when it fully kicks in. Lyrically. There is just one. One section, a few lines. If you knew the time of day then why'd you let yourself go gray? You need a battery. Why are you coming at me? Rob B. Yeah, seriously, ma'. Am. Yeah, you. You all can't see me out there in podcast listener land, but yeah, my hair ain't as brown as it used to be.

[Lori]

That suits you, though. You look distinguished.

[Scott Free]

Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, you know, I have. I do have a whole section of lyrics that I did right, but.

[Lori]

Okay, go ahead, do it.

[Scott Free]

And the watchdog waits to pounce but he ain't as smart as me with the Bible on his lips and a pistol on each hip but he ain't blinding me so just remember don't believe all you see Things aren't always how they're meant to be Some come as villain dressed as virtue but all they really want to do is hurt you and that's reality I'm just saying the man's got some things to say and sometimes he says it pretty well.

[Lori]

Yeah. I mean, that could have been written in 2025, that part.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah. I don't want to get too into how it might apply to certain individuals in our contemporary milieu. But yeah, I think that's just kind of a timeless sentiment. There's always those people and have been.

[Lori]

Well, Yep, I think you're right.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

So that brings us to. I love the name of this one. Chicken Shake.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Another groovy little acid jazz number, kind of bordering on trip hop, but yeah, I'd put that pretty firmly in the acid jazz category.

[Lori]

It's got such a sexy vibe to it with caf. Coffee with that. Oh, yeah. You know, this really. It's very sensual. I really like this.

[Scott Free]

But then also, like, you can picture it in like a UK chill out room in a club, but Then throw a little bit of air raid siren in there to make it club ready. So it's chill out room. But not the most conducive to chilling. It's sexy but also alarming. And yeah, there's something to that.

[Lori]

Well, there's that sample from the Specials at the beginning.

[Scott Free]

Explain.

[Lori]

At the very beginning there's a voice warning, warning, nuclear attack.

[Scott Free]

Okay.

[Lori]

And that, that is sampled from a song by the Specials called Man at CNA from 1980.

[Scott Free]

Of course you would know that. Former co host of Stateside Madness, the Madness podcast, available on streaming services everywhere.

[Lori]

Not anymore. No, we took it down.

[Scott Free]

Formerly available on streaming services everywhere.

[Lori]

It's still on YouTube, but we took it down everywhere else. Yeah. And then maybe the reason that, you know, I think that this is so sexy is the drum beat is sampled from a Barry White song.

[Scott Free]

Oh, hell yeah.

[Lori]

Yeah. I'm gonna love you just a little more, baby.

[Scott Free]

Oh, sure. Yeah, that checks out. Yeah, yeah. And then the organ comes in. This track is a dark horse for favorite on the album contender for me, unless you think that it's just totally Rob B and Cass. Coffee free. They come in at 3:15 mark to go with some Na na na Nas. Yeah, it's a great lounge of groove. I know I keep saying that, but that's because they keep doing it. So what am I going to not observe it?

[Lori]

Do. Do you have any idea why they called it chicken shake?

[Scott Free]

All right, so I was going to say that's all I have to say about that. Except that as a lead singer who sometimes has to do some auxiliary percussion, I was hoping for more actual chicken shake, which is little egg shaped maraca. That just is a little shaker and a little.

[Lori]

Do they call that a chicken shake? Really?

[Scott Free]

That is what a chicken shake is.

[Lori]

Oh, okay. Our listeners, I hope you tuned in expecting some hard hitting fact finding because that's what you're getting on accelerated culture today.

[Scott Free]

Damn right. All right, whatever. Fine. Then we move on to track 11, creation.

[C]

Talking about creation and talking about relation. I'm talking about creation. We need a combination.

[Scott Free]

All right, so this one feels like Step it Up part two.

[Lori]

Yeah, it does.

[Scott Free]

It's fine. It's not bad at all. But it does feel like a bit of a retread, I'll give you that.

[Lori]

Now the female vocalist at the very beginning, which again is probably Kath. Yeah, yeah. You know, again, I'm not doing it well, but every time I hear that, I swear it sounds like Kate Bush. Interesting, doesn't it?

[Scott Free]

Yeah, yeah. I'm willing to go with that. It does sound a little bit like Kate Bush.

[Lori]

I was half expecting to find on WhoSampled.com that it was a sample from a Kate Bush song, but it wasn't. I did find some other samples for this one.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah, what do you got?

[Lori]

The piano hook samples a song called Love doll from the 60s by Ray J and the east side Ciders.

[Scott Free]

Okay, then. Not familiar with that one, but okay.

[Lori]

That. Yeah, I guess that's the only sample I got. This one was released as the fourth single off the album Scott. Released on May 17th of 93. And like the previous single, Ground Level, it went to number 19 on the UK chart. Didn't chart here in the States. And I can kind of see why this one, I. I think it's the weakest of the four singles.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Again, it feels like a bit of a retread. If you can listen to Step it up instead, I'd go with that. I do like the flutes, though. Did mention earlier in the episode that flutes appear and this is that track, and I like the flutes, weirdly.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. You do have both Rob B. And Cass Coffey singing together. And it was this track that made me notice. Usually you have them singing separate parts, call and response, or she's singing the chorus and he's doing the verses. Here, they're singing together. And it made me realize that all of the times previously that they are singing together on this album, they don't harmonize, they just do octaves.

[Lori]

That's it. That's. That's what's bothered me about this. I couldn't put my finger on it, but that's it, right? Yeah, that's it. That's what's bothering me about this, Scott. So thank you.

[Scott Free]

All right. You know, sorry, stereo MCs. Hopefully in the interceding 32 years you've stepped your game up.

[Lori]

They've stepped. Stepped it up.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

Ah. All right.

[Scott Free]

All right.

[Lori]

The next track is called Don't Let up, featuring Micah Paris.

[C]

So what's going to happen when the fat hit the fan? How do we stop what has just began? When's a master plan to unite all land? If there is a solution can we take a stand? Now more than ever is a testing time Nothing's easy to make no reason around so jack up the march of doom from the catacomb Zoom back with a record that ain't a tomb boom I come to learn I don't let out and by the way I don't burn so don't give in the things are getting you down. It's a too much pressure. Then let your hair down. Just.

[Lori]

Just do it.

[C]

Don't lose it. Feel the power of music. If you want to move, then move it. Let the river run right through this. Don't let up now.

[Scott Free]

Okay, so this one feels a lot more like straight up 1992 hip hop, right?

[Lori]

It does, yeah.

[Scott Free]

Between the. That one beat that was like the pop. Hip hop beat that was very popular that year, the sampled and all that. Rob B. Just straight up rapping. This makes the argument for. This is a hip hop album if you haven't listened to everything else that came before it.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

Well, so one of the things I like about this song, you know, I'm a sucker for Grace Jones, and anybody that samples Grace Jones is cool in my book. They sampled the song Nipple to the Bottle by Grace Jones. That line, how youw Gon Get It? That's coming from the Grace Jones song. And then I'd never heard of Micah Paris before, but apparently she's a famous British gospel and soul singer MBE Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Yeah. So apparently she's a big deal over there. I never heard of her. Nor have I. I enjoy this song. I think that this is one of. One of the stronger ones. Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Wow. That is a little surprising to me that you're going for the full on hip hop track. It's. It's the greatest one, doesn't it?

[Lori]

No, because it's such a small part of it, Scott. That's like one little sample. But no, I mean, this has got a good groove to it. It's up tempo, but it's also kind of got a chill vibe. I don't know it. I know that seems like a contradiction.

[Scott Free]

But honestly, I think that they would have done well for themselves had they released this as the fourth single rather than Creation, because again, it feels very much like a pop hip hop track that would have been popular in 1992. A little dated by today's standards, but it is a product of its time. And the stereo MCS would go on to make plenty of music that was not quite so 1992 feeling.

[Lori]

Okay, so that brings us to lucky number 13.

[Scott Free]

Lucky number 13. It is the last track on the album and appropriately entitled the End.

[C]

As the flies of romance start to fade in the shade of the shadows of the mess we made I try to laugh but I'm all choked up? Cause there ain't nothing funny about breaking off I see a cry but I don't hurt no more Cause I don't see what we're fighting for. And I'm sad cause I know I've been bad. A world full of trouble? But I just ain't up getting mad but I ain't lost belief, I just can't find the peace. Maybe you want us who cease to be? You make it so plain, it ain't no mystery. You just want to hang with your own group of friends. Cuz you just can't hide from the fact that this is the end.

[Scott Free]

All right, so the first time I heard this one, I was like, what is that keyboard lineup? Is that like Spooky by the Classics 4 or the COVID by Dusty Springfield or whichever one was the original. I don't even know anymore. But no, what is it?

[Lori]

It's too late, baby. Now it's too late.

[Scott Free]

Right. And like, looking in the credits for the album, I saw that the End is credited to Birch Hallam. So the stereo MCs, Carol King and Tony Stern. The Carol King. I was like, what? And it is not the Carol King version of It's Too Late Baby that they sample. They sample a cover by the Stylistics, but it's that unmistakable It's Too Late groove. Right?

[Lori]

Yeah. Carole King and Tony Stern co wrote It's Too Late.

[Scott Free]

There we are. Who the hell Tony Stern was. Thank you.

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah, she. She co wrote it with Carole King. This is the one that I recognize, the ghost sample that you asked me about earlier. You thought it was, you know, talking about two different tracks. I know you were looking up some of the other samples on this one. What you got?

[Scott Free]

I mean, there are a couple other samples from Big Names. There is a bit from James Brown's the Payback.

[Lori]

You know that James Brown sample, what I recognized it from was the Information Society song Something in the Air was.

[Scott Free]

Of course you would.

[Lori]

Yeah, from their first album. So I knew it was from a James Brown song. I didn't know which. So now I've come full circle. Now I know so.

[Scott Free]

Learned so much today.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Also sampled from Benny King, Supernatural thing. But when you go and listen to those samples, man, it is minor little.

[Lori]

Snippets like a fraction of a second.

[Scott Free]

Fraction of a second. It's just barely a recognizable sound. And they could have gotten away with not using it all and not paying the royalties on that. But yeah, they. They did what they wanted to do and they did it well. I think this song really works. It has that hip hop sonic collage feel to it. And if they didn't do that, they didn't include those snippets, I suppose it would have felt less so. But hey, man, it's your money. Stereo MCs, you spend it how you like.

[Lori]

I think it's an appropriate way to end the album, you know, not just because it's called the end, but I think in terms of feel and tempo, it's, you know, it's ending on a more chill note. Right.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Although, you know, it's. It's a melancholy chill note. Just the opening lines. And this is rough. As the flowers of romance start to fade in the shade of the shadows of the mess we made I try to laugh But I'm all choked up Cuz there ain't nothing funny about breaking up I see you CR But I don't hurt no more Cuz I don't see what we're fighting for and I'm sad because I know that I've been bad A world full of troubles But I end up getting mad so I really enjoyed it at the beginning. With the flowers of romance Fade jade mess we made all that I will admit that I'm sad Because I know I've been bad A world full of troubles But I end up getting mad Kind of sucks as rhyming. Bad, mad and sad. That's just.

[Lori]

Well, you know, the Flowers of Romance was the original band name for Public Image Limited.

[Scott Free]

Yes. And a great song by Public Image Limited.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

I would think he was talking about Johnny Lydon's band Fading, though.

[Lori]

Probably not. Probably not. And I'm sure that they took it from something else. Everything old is new again, right?

[Scott Free]

Yes, there. Yes. Yes, it is. Yes. Yes, it is.

[Lori]

Okay, well, Scott, this is the end of this trip down memory lane for both of us. What is your favorite track on the album? Connected.

[Scott Free]

You know, there are a few different modes they work in on this album, and so it kind of, kind of makes me a little bit torn. I did mention a strong contender in Chicken Shake, and in a similar mode, I would go with Sketch. That said, the reason so many people bought this album was that unbelievably compelling monster single that remains the biggest one of their career. I know I do this too often choosing the big hit single, but the title track, Connected, is just so good that it would be crazy to pick something other than that. However, Sketch and Chicken Shake, strong runners up.

[Lori]

They're both good tracks.

[Scott Free]

And yours?

[Lori]

Well, I would have picked Chicken Shake myself, except for the fact that it's not really representative of the band's music. Right. It's instrumental. You don't get any Rob B in there or anything. So for that reason I'm going to go with Ground Level.

[Scott Free]

Great song. Oh man. And yeah, it so unlike all the other tracks we have put up as contenders for favorite. But it does give you it's a great example of that fast groove mode that they do. It's so spare and stripped down. It really lets Cath Coffee's voice really shine. Yeah, that's it's a great track. Great choice.

[Lori]

All right, thanks. So this is the part of the episode where we usually say where are they now?

[Scott Free]

I was thinking about that and there have been enough times in my year and a half now of collaborating with you on this podcast that we do the where are they Now? And it is a oh well, this is sad. Half the band is dead now or the lead singer has died or whatever else. And while I'm happy to report that is not the case with the stereo MCs who are alive and well and still doing the work, I do propose that we change the name of this segment from now on to and Then what Happened.

[Lori]

Okay, I can get behind that.

[Scott Free]

All right, so. So let it be done. Okay, so what happened next? Connected went huge. Relatively speaking. They did not put out another record for nine years, or at least not another record of their own music under their own name. From an article on 909 originals.com entitled Interview Originals Rob Birch, Stereo MCs released in 2019 this interview so the question posed to them after the 1992 album Connected went stratospheric, the band took a longer than expected hiatus. It took nine years for the follow up to come out. Was there too much pressure on the band at the time? To which Rob replies, it's very simple. We rode this wave of energy that a lot of people were riding, and eventually that has to come to an end. Music changes. You have to say to yourself, wow, I've realized my dreams, I've achieved my goals, but what am I going to do now? That takes a little while to figure out. You put your whole life experience into making a record and then it comes out and they say you have to say, what's next? Sometimes the answer is simple. You just have to learn more about yourself. The guys went on to do remixes for a lot of major artists, including but not limited to Madonna and U2. They toured Europe pretty much forever. Let's see here, they released a box set, I want to say 10 LPs, which is amazing considering they've only released seven or eight LPs, but a lot of extra material. And most recently they have been this very year on a US tour. It wasn't a lot of dates and it was not, near as I can tell, in Chicago, but it was in March through May of this year. Their first US tour in 24 years. One of the dates, and I believe last one of the dates they did was actually at the Cruel World Festival which you, Laurie, attended. So how were the Stereo mcs in concert?

[Lori]

I didn't. I didn't see them.

[Scott Free]

How dare you.

[Lori]

They were playing at the same time as Alison Moyer.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah, yeah. I would have treated her like she was invisible. See, because that's one of her big songs.

[Lori]

I get it, I get it, I get it. Yeah, don't you get?

[Scott Free]

Anyway, the stereo MCs are still doing their stereo MC thing and there is talk in the music press of new material, a new album possibly to be released this year. That is as much as I've seen about it, but I feel like that is something to look forward to. Their music in the interceding years and subsequent albums has evolved and become much more electronic. One cannot live in 1992 Hip hop and acid jazz forever. But I am interested to see where any new material goes. And having revisited this album so hard for this episode, I do plan on digging into their post connected album. So with this episode in the can, I have to start looking to the future and asking you, Lori, what are we doing for our next episode?

[Lori]

Okay, well, we're in 1992 and so I'm going to choose welcome to wherever you are by inxs.

[Scott Free]

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise Fight Club reference. You know, you, you are one of the biggest In Excess fans on the planet, much less one of the biggest NXS fans that I know. And if there's an in excess album in 1992 to be reviewed, oh, we're definitely going to review it. So I feel like I get to just sit back and relax on this one. It's very exciting.

[Lori]

Well, actually, I am going to give you some homework, Scott.

[Scott Free]

Oh, damn it.

[Lori]

There are a number of music videos associated with this album and your homework is going to be to watch the music videos specifically. There are two. Really? Really. I mean, there are more than two, but there are two videos that I just love so much that we're going to be talking about, so I'm into it. And also Scott, we're coming up on the third year anniversary of the podcast.

[Scott Free]

Well, well, well, how are we going to observe that anniversary? He wondered.

[Lori]

A lot by watching in excess videos.

[Scott Free]

I guess that's fine.

[Lori]

Unless you got something else.

[Scott Free]

I got nothing.

[Lori]

Okay, so two weeks, August 16th. We'll meet you back here. So it's a goodbye from me, Lori.

[Scott Free]

And for me, scot free.