Mardi Gras without the bells?
TheeeCasualMale
2,564 Posts
Is this it? 
TheeeCasualMale
2,564 Posts
Comments
* or are you being sarcastic?
Haha, no sarcasm. Possible mega-late pass on this one but whatevers. The intro drums (two snares + tom hit) sound 100% like Mardi Gras, but then it goes into a bell-less beat with the same garbled radio broadcast noises in the background.
First one is "God Made Me Funky" by the Headhunters
Yup... the one he starts cuttin' when the clock hits about 00:52.
Paging Phill.
And there's a different bell pattern. I'd be interested to know what this is.
The answer (from an Amazon review of the Rhino release of Wild Style):
"It's a shame really. This classic among classics would have otherwise received 10 stars from me (even without all the extras, which are great btw). But they butchered what has got to be the best part of the whole film... the scene where Grandmaster Flash is cutting records in his kitchen!!! In the original print, you see (and just as importantly, hear) Flash cutting up The Headhunters "God Made Me Funky" and then Bob James "Take Me To The Mardi Gras" while the film cuts back and forth to members of the Rock Steady Crew break dancing (For those not up on their samples, the Bob James tune was most famously used as the backing track to Run DMC's "Peter Piper").
Well, my guess is that they never cleared the song for use in the film and didn't want to pay whatever it was going to cost to clear it, so...they simply cut the audio out and REPLACED it with a track made to SOUND like "Mardi Gras"[/b] .....with HORRIBLE results. They should have, at the VERY least, had a warning written somewhere on the back of the case, letting unsuspecting buyers know that this is NOT Wild Style as it was originally shown in 1983.
I don't know how other die-hard hip hop heads out there feel about this, but to me, Rhino straight up [messed up] this film.
...Over 25 years old and hip hop STILL doesn't get it's proper respect...even when it's well deserved as in this case."
By HORRIBLE i hope they mean
Yeah, it's not bad, but I see his point. If you look closely, you can see that the audio doesn't synch perfectly with the video. Whatever. I have the Rhino version, and it doesn't really detract from my ability to enjoy the film.
That I have it on VHS instead of DVD? Now THAT detracts from my ability to enjoy the film.
For real, where the hell is THAT version available?
the original scene is one of the key scenes to me. It is actually my favourite part of the movie and I am still trying to get my vhs copy back of the tv screening on German television from 10 years back. I hate this new version. I don't even think it was bob james who intervened, it was probably some label politics. I also think there is even another version where they cut some other track from the wildstyle soundtrack over this scene. In any way, I personally find it horrible and def. not hard as f*ck. Now I want my tape back, but the exgirl of my homie still has it and so far I wasn't able to get it back. DAMN!!! I want my bells!!
Yeah... Flash cutting up Mardi Gras and Headhunters in the kitchen was definitely one of the highlights of the movie, if not THE highlight. That psuedo Mardi Gras beat is not getting it. Blame Bob James and his non-sample clearing ass.
If you can find the original VHS version it has the bells intact.
Now what I'm after is some of the Wildstyle footage that didn't make the movie. Like this "delected" scene here... was this from the dvd version or did somebody just unearth some stuff from the cutting room floor?
Bob had nothing to do with it.. It was Paul Simon who pulled the scene as he owns the rights too it. Also Phil reguarding the lost footage, they have said that it's not worth it for them, but he's maintained the whole time if someone gets a grant or whatever and is working on a project, they're more then welcome to go through the wherehouse. I can't believe nobody has, but he's defenitely said someone can go through the stuff, he just won't do it.
Right, I hear you... I'm so used to hearing stories about Bob James not clearing samples that I was thinking he was the culprit in this case, too.
I remember reading about that whole deal (was it in Wax Po or someplace?) but I forget the particulars. Wasn't it a thing where he has to pay a grip to get it out of storage or something? Otherwise, sheeeeiiiit... if it's just a matter of going to scoop the tapes up out of the warehouse I'm down to do this! Gotta be more to it, otherwise I'm sure somebody would've rescued the footage by now. Even if the stuff that didn't make the movie isn't all that hot, that schitt still should be made available just for historical purposes even if it's not worth much commercially. There's barely any footage of the original old school hip hop pioneers that even exists,
Hey phil you know a lot about that era. Let's make a documentary. How hard can it be? (besides freetime
p.s. I do have mo comic books than a muthafucka (that's from boyz in the hood btw) but there's nothing i'd rather do then get rid of them, haven't bought one in ten years. If you find a place let me know.
I don't get it though... what's the deal, does Ahearn not own the footage anymore? I can't remember the details or where I read about it at. Let me get my google on so I can see what it's all about
worrrd? i was just looking at that flick again the other day. i don't remember that line though. i don't remember much these days. could this mean i'm getting old?
That clip actually sounds pretty good - like it COULD actually be mardi gras w/out the bells.
The DVD I have uses a track from the Wild Style Breakbeat Album.
Not sure of the name, but it was the song with the bells on it.
It was edited VERY sloppily into the Flash scene.
The youtube clip here does a much better job.
Plot thickens.
EDIT:
Also:
Biz finally played me the alleged copy of the bell-less mardi gras over the phone.
I had him play it over for me a few times while I set up my Radio Shack telephone recorder.
So, I have audio proof! Although VERY low and muddled.
It still might not satisfy skeptics.
I'll see about posting it tomorrow.
do it. I'd buy it. And for my friends.
LOL! Looking forward to hearing it!
BTW, I think they took the second, not the immediate beginning of mardi grass and
phase-invert the thing. Cuz besides the bells you can also hear that other
percussion instrument. It hink its called a "tam-pan"?
And I think they used the god made me funky kick and snare to layer over the mardi grass cuz the mardigrass phase inverted sounds a bit low on volume...
Just my 2c.
Isn't there an original VHS release of Wild Style with Bob James intact?
http://www.wutang-corp.com/shared/mp3/ghostface_killah-flowers_(original)-wutangcorp.mp3
Any update?