Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
PREFIX<br />
AUDIOFILE<br />
colossus<br />
A London giant plants beanstalks<br />
in the Bay Area.<br />
Words: toph one PHOTO: self-portrait<br />
Where DJs Call Home<br />
Back in 2002, the Bay Area became home to<br />
a 6’8” Londoner named Charlie Tate, one<br />
half of the veteran jazzfunk/ drum&bass duo<br />
King Kooba and former bass player with<br />
Neneh Cherry’s band. After four King Kooba<br />
albums for Second Skin and Om Records,<br />
Tate settled into the Oakland lifestyle like a<br />
soft couch. He started the laid-back weekly<br />
club night Slow Gin with Om’s PR man<br />
Gunnar Hissam (a.k.a. The Trout) and began<br />
cultivating friendships with old time blues<br />
players, new school MCs, and the fine folks<br />
at Kingman’s Lucky Lounge near Oakland’s<br />
Lake Merritt district.<br />
“At one of my Slow Gin evenings there<br />
was an impromptu open mic session where<br />
I met emcees Regi B and Delphi,” says Tate,<br />
who has since relocated back to the UK. “Also<br />
around this same time I was producing the<br />
first Colossus tracks and making contacts<br />
with people such as [emcee/singers] Capitol A<br />
and Azeem. Before I knew it, my idea of harnessing<br />
some of the Bay Area’s favorite artists<br />
in one colossal package was on.”<br />
After returning to London in 2004 and<br />
recording some tracks with Rodney Smith<br />
(a.k.a. Roots Manuva), the Colossus debut<br />
West Oaktown was finally complete–or so we<br />
thought. For Tate, it still wasn’t enough: “I<br />
32<br />
decided to remix the entire record… I’m not sure<br />
why–it just seemed like a good idea at the time.<br />
[But now] you get two records for the price of one!<br />
For no other reason than that I wanted to!”<br />
Lucky for us. Disc one (also available on double<br />
vinyl) is a jazzed out excursion reminiscent of<br />
those lazy, stoney Thursday nights at Slow Gin.<br />
Disc two is geared towards the clubs–or at the very<br />
least a sweaty pub on a busy night out. The first<br />
12” features two of the most jumping tracks–“The<br />
Tribute” and “Thripney Bits”–remixed by J-Boogie,<br />
Strange Fruit Project, and DJ Zeph. And after years<br />
of support gigs with legends such as James Brown<br />
and Roy Ayers, Tate is forming the Colossus band,<br />
with Tate himself on bass, cats on drums, Rhodes<br />
and turntables, and MCs Azeem, Delphi, Regi B,<br />
and Capitol A. Expect a tour of the US later this<br />
summer with possible European dates toward the<br />
end of the year–a big 2005 for the big man from<br />
London with a head full of Oaktown funk.<br />
Colossus’ debut album is out October 11 on Om Records.<br />
www.om-records.com<br />
new<br />
hardcover<br />
edtion<br />
Celebrate with us at these book release events:<br />
9/1: New York<br />
adidas Originals Store<br />
136 Wooster St<br />
New York, NY<br />
9/3: Miami<br />
adidas Originals Store<br />
226 8th St<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
This limited edition book, featuring photography by Christopher Woodcock,<br />
is available for sale at all adidas Originals Stores and at adidas.com.<br />
9/10: Chicago<br />
adidas Originals Store<br />
923 North Rush St<br />
Chicago, IL<br />
Qool DJ Marv, NY<br />
XLR8R Magazine and adidas originals are proud to announce the limited<br />
edition hardcover re-issue of Bedroom Rockers: Where DJs Call Home.<br />
9/17: Boston<br />
adidas Originals Store<br />
1270 Massachusetts Ave<br />
Cambridge, MA<br />
9/24: Berkeley<br />
adidas Originals Store<br />
2333 Telegraph Ave<br />
Berkeley, CA
Change language