| That's pretty safe: Goldie Lookin Chain |
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| "we've already been through our jazz rock fusion period. We've done that – and a ragga period – we should get round to releasing that one in 2009" |
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CMU ALBUMS OF 2005: 'Safe As Fuck'
released on 19 Sep on Warner / Atlantic
It seems a long time ago now (possibly because it is) since one of the CMU team first starting raving about a bunch of shell-suit clad Welsh rappers from Newport whose lofi comedy hip hop was doing the rounds on the world wide web. I'll be honest, I wasn't convinced there was much longevity in what Goldie Lookin Chain were making - novelty bands rarely enjoying more than a one hit wonder. What's more, the production quality of those early MP3s was pretty poor, and the jokes seemed to wear thin quite quickly. But two albums later, that certain CMU editor's early confidence in GLC seems increasingly justified - and I think there's a reason for that. Since signing that mega-bucks record deal with Warner division Atlantic via their partnership with Must Destroy, the production quality of GLC's material has increased. A lot. And that's important because while the sense of humour remains pretty childish, on both last year's 'Greatest Hits' and especially this year's 'Safe As Fuck', GLC have been making some damn good hip hop, combining catchy samples and choruses with pretty good rapping. Which means that their music isn't just funny (though the jokes do seem to be of the type that wear thin, but then become funny again), but it is something you can listen to on an entirely musical level. Which is why 'Safe As Fuck' is one of our favourite albums of 2005. I have no idea if these guys can keep on making albums of this quality, though the fact that they could follow up 'Greatest Hits' so quickly with an album this good does bode well. But either way, if the hip hop career does prove to be limited, I'm pretty sure a career in TV comedy beckons, for the core GLC team at least. So to conclude: GLC do have staying power, 'Safe As Fuck' isn't just quality because it's funny, and I should probably listen to that certain former CMU editor more often. (Though at the same time he was also raving about GLC he was raving about the then fledging The Darkness, and their second album was pretty rubbish, so perhaps not). |
I'm pretty sure scientists sometimes talk about the 'fridge door effect', though it's possible I'm making that up. But basically it describes the problem whereby it is impossible to genuinely observe something in its natural state, because the fact that you are looking means it is no longer in its natural state. So, you can never know if a fridge light is still on when the fridge door shuts, because to find out you have open the door, which means it's no longer shut. Which is where the fridge door comes into it. Anyway, I'm rambling, but I think the fridge door effect is relevant here. I am genuinely interested in the musical and comedy process behind Goldie Lookin Chain. I'd like to talk seriously about their dynamic, where their ideas come from, and how their collective ideas work as a whole. But the problem is this - part of the GLC thing is to give comedy interviews - which means fridge door effect. The fact I am doing an interview means they'll be in comedy mode, which makes it very hard to ask any serious questions.
My strategy was to capture some time with one of the less frequently interviewed members of the core GLC team mid-way through their 'world tour of Wales', to see if I could capture him off guard and get a real insight into Goldie Lookin Chain. For a brief moment it seemed to be working. I'm talking to Billy, and I ask him how the band had managed to get together a second album so quickly after 2004's 'Greatest Hits'. "Well basically, it was like this," he says. "We'd made loads of tracks, and we were signed on that basis. We picked out some of those for the first album - our 'Greatest Hits'. But while all that was going on we were still making stuff - we are always making stuff - so by the time the first album came out we'd got about half the tracks for 'Safe As Fuck' ready to go".
So far so good. Except Billy continues: "Actually, we've got ten albums in the can so far. We're about seven years ahead. Obviously we can't just release ten albums in one go. So we'll stagger them. But we've already been through our jazz rock fusion period. We've done that. And a ragga period. We should get round to releasing that one in 2009. Actually, every GLC album has already been made, it's up to the record company when they release them".
And so, Billy, like his bandmates, has slipped into comedy interview mode. To be fair, of course, that is what GLC are all about. And, like his bandmates, once he's off, Billy is damn good at maintaining his persona - "Yeah, 2005 has been alright. It's been a good year. But not as good as 1994".
Perhaps I should have tried to talk to P Xain, who, according to legend, was the founder member of Goldie Lookin Chain. It was he who got together the likes of Eggsy, Billy, Adam Hussein and Mystikal around a PC in Newport to record the early GLC tracks which began to circulate, round Newport on CD-R, but more importantly around the world on email - via a plethora of media types, and ultimately to the offices of Must Destroy and Warner Music division Atlantic Records.
"Of course we hire a writer to do it all", Billy continues, as we continue to discuss GLC's prolific output. "We have him working 24/7. We drop in every so often to add a vocal. He's very busy. There's millions of GLC tracks. We've been bred for longevity, we're going to be here for a very long time".
On that last point, of course, Billy has a point. Even those of us who rejoiced when Atlantic signed up GLC two years ago were unsure if the major label's gamble was going to pay off. In fact, even the GLC boys themselves seemed a little shell shocked after the major record deal was signed. But with debut long player 'Greatest Hits' and then this year's 'Safe As Fuck', the band proved three things. Firstly, the joke has staying power (or perhaps it is one of those bad jokes that actually becomes funnier once it has been told 100 times). Secondly, with a little financial backing, these guys can actually make good hip hop. And thirdly, GLC can churn out good and funny tunes pretty damn quickly. The secret of the band's staying power, Billy? "Viagra". Of course.
With the commercial and critical success of 'Safe As Fuck' proving quite a few critics wrong, where next for GLC? "I've got all these accumulator bets set up for 2006," Billy rambles. "Now, if I can get a lucky streak, I'm going to be quids in. I mean big time. Yeah, 2006 could be a much better year that this one".
Any collaborations, Billy? I hear you've been working with label mates The Darkness. "Actually, I'd like to collaborate with Katherine Jenkins. You know her right? She could come round to Billy's house twice a week. And make Italian food. She would bring round a bottle of wine, a really good bottle of wine. And she'd be wearing a fake fur coat, and really nice Agent Provocateur underwear, and I'd put the heating on full. Now that would be a collaboration. I'll have to get on to the label about it".
All of which possibly, actually, does give us something of an insight into GLC. What each of the boys seems to possess is the ability of put into words a mad stream of consciousness combining the surreal with the mundane with the stupid and the crude. That's the comedy and the lyrics sorted. Someone in there (I suspect P Xain) brings in an ear for a good hip hop hook, and so you have the secret to GLC's success. "It's all made up you know", Billy continues, "mainly to annoy the foreigners". He's talking about the Welsh language, but he could be talking about the band, because you do get the impression that much of what makes GLC so good comes natural to this bunch of misfits from Newport. And long may it continue to do so.
Billy from GLC's favourite artists of 2005:
"You should check out MC Mabon, he's from North Wales. And Irish protest songs. Everyone should be listening to Irish protest songs".
Billy from GLC's New Year's resolutions:
"You know how energy can only be transferred from one kind of energy to another? Well, my New Year's resolution is to find a way to turn energy into muscle. I've realized that to get on in life you need to build up an arsenal. Don't get in trouble, get a lot of muscle".
Some GLC plugging:
GLC's 'Safe As Fuck' was released on 19 Sep 2005 on Warner/Atlantic.
chris@unlimitedmedia.co.uk - published dec 2005
