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Roy Budd? Not that familiar? Well check the links below to Vilgilante and you’ll see jazz heads like Ben Mitchell, Russ Dewbury along with Glyn Bigga Bush’s mates The Bobby Hughes Experience are fans. In fact, Bigga plays a pivotal role in the story role as to how three lads get to release the next single on Afro Art.
And the story goes like this: a bunch of guys get watching a DVD of the classic Michael Caine 60s gangster flick, Get Carter with the obligatory beers, fags and curries. When Jock (drums and artwork), Dan (Keyboards) and Dan (the other Dan on everything else) collectively known as Peak get to the studio, Jock confesses, “I can’t get that tune out of my head.”
Jock was, of course, referring to the main theme of the film, ‘Carter takes a Train’. Caine at some point in the film has to go to Newcastle to sort out the bad guys. Forty years on and Peak get funkin’ like a train in the studio.
So you get the picture, South meets North meets Brit Ekland and a young Michael in the iconic movie of the 60s with a groovin’ tune. The Engineer in the studio says, “I’ve been in the music biz since George Martin was a tea boy and that’s the best track I’ve heard all year.” Peak then run off with the master tapes thinking they’ve a hit on their hands.
However, thoughts of getting on Top Of The Pops soon evaporate as the hardened A&R boys give it no hope of competing with boy bands, Pop Idols and the gangsta rappers of the top forty.
On the flip side of town, tune collector and floorfiller DJ, Glyn ‘Bigga’ Bush overhears the track at the Recording Studio where it’s still a big favourite with the Engineer. Bigga gets his hands on copy to play out whereupon, there’s another twist of fate in the story.
Afro Art boss and DJ Paul ‘Jazz Room’ Murphy joins Bigga at a headlining gig. Murphy finishes his set and relaxes at the bar. Glyn plays ‘Get Carter’ whereupon Paul rushes to the DJ booth to find out how he can get his hands on it himself. Glyn tells him the tale of the rejections Peak have had from the record company moguls. “How could anyone be so stupid as to not think this is worth releasing?” thinks Murphy and within a matter of weeks, Peak’s version of ‘Get Carter’ is nearly ready to spin with an Afro Art logo on it as a 7”.
Murphy (as his is want and right) has suggested this release be filed under ‘an Afro Arthouse Movie production’. Well, in reality it’s more of a mass market approach as it’s popular. Popular in a good way of cover versions, for example, like the good jazzy-soul tracks on Sexteto Electrónico Moderno. Jock’s original problem of this being a head blocker of a tune is spot on. You don’t have to be a media studies student to recognise it. Especially with that harpsichord sound, some ‘Ah, Ahhhh’ backing vocals and a rockin’ drum and bass. It really works well and someone’s going to pick it up for TV theme music – think Randal & Hopkirk (not the remake) mixed up with the Tales of the unexpected theme. Ideal for goal of the month theme on Match Of The Day (more beer and curry required).
The jazzhead breaks merchants can get down on the b-side when Murphy gives the drummer some and an Indian curry in a late night viewing. He’s not gone as psychedelic as you might think but there’s enough hallucinatory echo going on with a rock kit beat. Hey Jack, don’t pick a fight with Murphy. Heavy stuff.
This is such a cool jazzin tune, hopefully full support could lead to a 12” remix with further indo-jazz influences, perhaps Roger Beaujolais could meet up with BiggaBush on a Mathar vibe Roots dub remix?
The single will be worth getting for the cover alone, it’s enough to blow the bloody doors off your two smokin’ barrels. Jock is responsible [again] and you can see more of his work via the DCComics link below and at http://www.jockonline.co.uk (this is one talented guy).
‘Get Carter’ (the film) came out in the middle of Caine’s peak of success between the mid-sixties to the mid-seventies along with The Ipcress File, Funeral In Berlin, The Man Who Would Be King, Zulu and Sleuth. Arguably, not so hot were Alfie and the Italian Job (although my first car was a Mini, great advertising). It’s extremely rare that a film remake is anywhere near close to the original version. The relatively recent versions of Alfie (Jude Law, Renée Taylor -2004) and The Italian Job (Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron - 2003) are two fine examples of film industry remake madness. So it’s no surprise that previews of the ‘Get Carter’ remake with Sylvester Stallone as Carter for Channel 5 (Weds, 9.00pm) are not good. Caine features in this remake, why?
I’m going to watch it now just to see how bad it really is but back at Peak’s cover version of ‘Get Carter’, it’s in the vinyl shops and Internet sales sites very soon in full sixties stereo fashion. It’s goin’ to be big in the Jazz Rooms from Gateshead to the Balkans and could even surprise the charts.
‘Get Carter’ c/w ‘Get Carter’ (Paul Murphy Remix) (Afro Art) Cat. No. AFR 030, Format 7”. Release Date: Soon.
