Divin Duck

[fitchmeister]

Hi Mike

Can i ask which artist/style influenced 'Divin Duck' from your King guitar album? I.e. is it Calypso. I really like that track and am interested in expanding my 'musical ear' by listening to what influenced that track.

Cheers

Roj

[Michael Messer]

Hi Roj,

A good question! - Diving Duck was influenced by mine & Ed's interest at the time in African music and its connections with the blues. This was back in 1984/85 and at that time very few people were writing or recording blues/African fusion. Our arrangement of Diving Duck, which was the title track of my first album, was inspired & influenced by early 1980s South African township music. One particular album by a band called the Malopoets (I think it was just called The Malopoets and had a picture on the front of the three band members doing...hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil) was a big influence. At that time, African music was very rootsy & had lots of guitars playing in a similar style to Ed's solo at the end of the song. These days African music is more Americanized than it was then. I could list you more of the artists I was listening to at that time. There were some really fantastic guitar-based African records being made in the early 80s. 'Lollo Lolita & Chico' was an album that influenced a lot of my stuff back then. It has some really amazing guitar playing.

Go to the mp3 page on my website, I have put an mp3 of my original recording from 1987. I am sure you will find it an interesting comparison. Same song, same artist, but 12 years earlier than the one on King Guitar. There are a few other tracks on that page you might enjoy! Baby, is a very different sound to most of my stuff and was recorded at the same session as the Diving Duck and Driving Wheel Blues songs on King Guitar.

Let me know what you think of Diving Duck circa 1987.

Shine On,
Michael.

[Michael Messer]

Roj, in addition....your observation of the song sounding Calypso'ish is very good. South American musical styles were very popular in Africa. SOCA (Soul/Calypso) music was very popular in the early 80s, it kind of drifted in with the world music boom of that period. There are some wonderful calypso records and if you are a roots reggae fan, it would be right up your street.

Shine On,
Michael.

[mirrormist]

I love the song also...it was good to contrast your two takes Michael...i really like how you broght it on. It sort of had an untertone of Blondie song...not sure of the title but something like "the tide is high"...my daughter will kill me for not knowing the title hahaha....anyway i know they are miles apart but they have the same kind of calypso feel... to my ears. at least:)

great stuff:)

best wishes

Anthony

[Michael Messer]

Thanks Anthony. I have always respected Chris Stein & Debbie Harry, so the comparison is a compliment. They are great writers and there is no doubt about their ability to craft a pop record. They are also signed to the same record label as me - it's a funny old world sometimes!

Shine On,
Michael

[mirrormist]

Hello Michael...just spoke to my daughter...you have gone up ten notches in her eyes now as she is a big fan of theirs...i think she nicked my parallel lines years ago and that got her hooked on them



So i guess King Guitar and others are gonna go walkies in the next few days...at least i will know where to find them

regards

Anthony

[Michael Messer]

Good picture Anthony!

'The World Turns to King Guitar'

Shine On,
Michael

[fitchmeister]

Hi Mike

Yeah i like the older track a lot - the delay/reverb (and Chorus?),the bassline & percussion, adds that 'african township' feel. Different versions - both cool. First one reminds me of clubbing in Kenya drinkin sugar cane rum til the sun came up. Which is what i think a good song does - takes you somewhere else.

There's quite a bit of info on the Malopoets on the web - the album you talk of is out of print but still available in vinyl so im guessin it must of been a good one for it to still be in collectors shops since 1985. Am gonna see if i can find a copy in the UK & dig the ol record player out of the loft.

Seems quite weird liking African music, but thinkin about it i loved Paul Simon's Graceland Album and Steve Tilston's Tetse fly shuffle too.

So now i got, bluegrass, old timey, blues, African roots and (thanks to Marshcat lending me a Sol Hoopi album) Hawaiian, goin on in my head. All part of the experience of learning music

Liked the Baby track too.

Cheers

Roj

[Michael Messer]

Hi Roj,

Thanks. I don't think there was any delay or chorus, just reverb, if my memory is working properly. We recorded that song sometime in 1987, a few months after the Paul Simon Graceland album was released. Graceland is a wonderful album, but in 1987 I was anti Paul Simon because of the hype and the westernization of African music, so his music was not influential at all. One year later and with some time to reflect, I recorded the Slidedance album, and the track 'Hummingbird' was definitely influenced by Paul Simon's Graceland album. Oh and I guess a nod to Ted Hawkins as we had just recorded with Ted - the 'Nowhere To Run' CD.

'Hummingbird' did pretty well, it was released as a single and all ten copies sold! A great song, written by Terry Clarke. Terry also sings the harmony vocal part at the end.

Click to hear an mp3 of Hummingbird - recorded in 1990 and released as a single and as track 2 on the Slidedance CD.
www.michaelmesser.co.uk/HUMMINGBIRD.mp3

There were many great African records in that 1980s period, especially for people who like guitar music. One album that I am sure you would enjoy and it is easy to get is by an artist called S.E. Rogie. The album is called 'Palm Wine Guitar Music (the 60s sound)' and it is a wonderful record. S.E. Rogie was a friend of mine, sadly he died 15 years ago, but he made some wonderful records. S.E was brought up in Sierra Leone and was a fan of country music, blues and all things American. It is a very enjoyable record and I have just noticed on the Cooking Vinyl website it is only £4.99. I produced some tracks with Rogie, but they are on a different CD. His last recording has the strangest title of almost any CD I can think of - it is called 'Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana' and is also a wonderful record. Well worth getting.


'Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana' -S.E. Rogie


'Palm Wine Guitar Music -(the 60s sound)' - S.E. Rogie#

Amazon are doing a deal on the two albums.

Shine On,
Michael.

[fitchmeister]

Well i had to buy an album called 'dead men dont smoke maijuana' ;D ;D

Cheers for the recommendation i really like the album - you couldn't stay wound up listening to such a chilled album. My year old daughter loves dancing to it also - big cheesy grin on her face when it came on. A few years time she'll probably be listening to whatever the Brittany Spears equivalent will be. For now she gets to doze off with Dad on the sofa listening to S.E. Rogie.

Roj

[fitchmeister]

Well i had to buy an album called 'dead men dont smoke maijuana' ;D ;D

Cheers for the recommendation i really like the album - you couldn't stay wound up listening to such a chilled album. My year old daughter loves dancing to it also - big cheesy grin on her face when it came on. A few years time she'll probably be listening to whatever the Brittany Spears equivalent will be. For now she gets to doze off with Dad on the sofa listening to S.E. Rogie.

Roj

[Michael Messer]

Hi Roj,

My first daughter was born with SE Rogie's music playing in the room, so his voice & guitar were the first sounds she ever heard!

It is a very strange title with a hidden message. Sooliman was a lovely man and a great artist. Musically a bit like an African Miss'ippi John Hurt.

Shine On,
Michael