s w e e t b e a t s
june.03.2001 - #646
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artist : Tommy Guerrero and Gadget
album : Hoy Yen Ass'n
year : 2001
label : Function 8
genre : Lo-Fi
catalogue : FER 88810-2
url : www.function8.com
quality : CD 192k HQ True Stereo
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01.Funny to Party 01:56
02.1 Ton Souperman 03:56
03.Deep Sleep 03:26
04.Comme Disait Papi (Part 1) * 01:46
05.Mechanisms (Feat John Gold) 04:05
06.Weed in the Three, Forty on the floor 03:45
07.RF Interference 04:13
08.Out of the Village 05:28
09.Jusdis' Boy 04:03
10.Comme Disiait Papi (Part 2) * 02:24
11.Seems Like Old Times 03:39
12.2 Days Later 03:26
13.Cold 04:42
14.Mechanism 04:07
14 tracks | 50:56 mins | 70,1 MB
* featuring Selavie
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If you ever owned a skateboard in the late 80s you'll probably
recognise the name Tommy Guerrero. A member of the legendary Powell
Peralta 'Bones Brigade', along with Tony Hawk and Steve Cabellero,
he was one of the forefathers of modern street skating, bombing the
hills of his native San Francisco with an amazingly smooth style.
His influence is still felt in the industry where, as co-owner of
Real Skateboards, he tries to keep true to the soul of the sport
and is greatly respected for it. He doesn't like big corporate
companies trying to get a piece of the 'Extreme' action. Skating
for him is a positive thing, an expression of personal freedom, not
a marketplace commodity that is for sale to the highest bidder.
His passion for music has always come a close second behind
skating, and with last year's solo outings, "Loose Grooves and
Bastard Blues" (Galaxia) and "A Little Bit Of Somethin'" (Mo' Wax)
catching a groove with people all over the world, here comes the
follow-up, "Hoy Yen Ass'n". The music, and Tommy's guitar playing,
from these first albums was very much like his skating -
effortlessly smooth and stylish. "Hoy Yen Ass'n" is similar but
with more of a hip hop feel to it.
When asked about the similarities between music and skating he sums
it up very well as: "Freedom from thought... focus without being
conscious of it." His songs are for anyone who can appreciate good
music, and are into the fact that there is a little bit of
everything contained within it. Soulful guitar licks, wicked hook
lines and easy vibes bring on a feeling of California dreaming and
make me forget I live in Hackney (well, for an hour at least!).
For his latest instalment of unconscious focus, "Hoy Yen Ass'n",
Tommy has teamed up with his long time friend and drinking partner
Gadget. Another product of the Californian dream, he too has lived
a hectic life, with police scrapes and all the usual shit you get
involved with when you grow up in a mad city. He ended up doing
what he was always into - music, and in a situation that echoes
Tommy's he started his own record label to release the stuff that
he wanted to make. Function 8 records is the name and so far it has
been worth the sacrifices to do what he loves to do.
Recording the album was split roughly 60/40 between live playing of
instruments and samples. The partnership between the two obviously
works well and while they say they're usually drunk while jamming
and recording, the sounds they produce together are an absolute
treat for the ears. The songs vary from jazzy hip hop to funky
blues with so much in between, and while most tracks are
instrumental, there are a couple of vocal tracks. Like smooth
French MC Selavie, a friend of Gadget's who they used for the sound
of his voice as much as for the lyrics: "It just sounded better in
French than in English, he's saying some stuff about 'how it used
to be'. We liked the talking as well so we used that on there in
places, we just thought it would give it a nice twist."
While most of the tracks are simple, they have what it takes to
hook you into the rhythm and take you on a little musical journey.
Now the album is out they've obviously learnt a lot from the
experience of recording it, but does it still represent them? Tommy
admits that he's never satisfied when it comes to music and that he
always wants to add more to a track; Gadget agrees and adds, "if
you keep changing it to sound like what you are down with each day
- then you'll never stop editing yourself. There comes a point
where you have to commit for how you felt that day. That's good
because it means you can keep growing... I call this record the end
of Round One, I'm gearing up for Round Two!"
This attitude should serve them well as they've already started
another project together which will surface sooner or later. As for
the future and what that brings - they know they both want to
concentrate on writing and producing music. Tommy wants to work
less at the skate company, so he'll have more time to actually go
skating. Hopefully he will visit London again in the summer after
he had a great time here last year doing some live shows. "Yeah, I
dig London," he says. "I met some really cool people last time I
was there." With a soundtrack like this playing, you know these
boys are going to be taking it easy wherever they are.
--knowledgemag.co.uk
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s w e e t b e a t s
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greetings to klangwerk, mgc, sour, dh, impg & sfe
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