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"The Drop with Danno" on GFN 광주영어방송 98.7FM in Gwangju & 93.7FM in Yeosu, Korea. An eclectic radio curation of all things musical spanning the spectrum every week. Broadcasting 8-10pm KST nightly.
April 26, 2023
The Drop with Danno
Bob Brady & The Conchords – Everybody’s Going to the Love-in
Happy Mondays – Loose Fit
GORILLAZ feat Peter Hook & Georgia – Aries
Working Men’s Club – John Cooper Clarke
AFRODEUTSCHE – Phase Two
Anz – No Harm
The Durutti Column – Otis
Bethlehem Casuals – Jesus Take The Wheel
Cul de Sac – Know We Now
Dubbul O feat Tyler Dayley – Do What You Can
Mr. Scruff feat Braintax – Vibrate
Turntable Orchestra – You’re Gonna Miss Me
I.
It is 20 hours past midnight as the dusty glory of the spring season continues here in Gwangju, and it is time to fly with The Drop tonight and back to the UK. And tonight’s program is written in a Mancunian accent as April 26, 2023. This is Danno of course as always as ever from studio 2, GFN HQ in Downtown Gwangju, how do you do? As always on Wednesdays, it’s time to fly, and last week saw us in Liverpool and we basically just should have hung about for a week and driven down the motorway but alas I do need to be back in Gwaangju in the mean time, but momentarily we fly off for the rival but related city of Manchester. As opposed to Liverpool, which I think overall is more of a folk sound overall as far as what’s become famous, Manchester has more of an edge to its sound, with hip-hop, dance music, and soul being the order of the day down Old Trafford way. And on the latter, we’ll throw down some way back Northern Soul as we go wheels up but for now, let’s boogie. This is The Drop.
Bob Brady & The Conchords – Everybody’s Going to the Love-in
The Drop has officially kicked off our show tonight on this Round Trip Wednesday. What’s up, Drop Gangsters (Korean)? Danno on the mic here in studio 2, GFN HQ, downtown Gwangju ready to head for the Salford realm.
And thus we started with our TIGHT (or) feature where Manchester musically in the modern age kind of began, that was a northern soul classic from Bob Brady & The Conchords called Everybody’s Going to the Love-in. For those unfamiliar, Northern Soul was a phenomenon that started in Manchester during the 1960’s where DJ’s would play rare and odd soul records from Chicago, Detroit & Philly which eschewed the popular Motown sound of the time. This spawned a whole movement of fashion and underground sensibilities, saving the careers of several struggling singers and bands in the US, and later in the 1970’s spawning a fast-paced dance style that could be considered a breakdancing precursor.
Of course, that’s just the very edge of the story, but one of the clubs noted as a famed birthplace of all this was the Twisted Wheel in Manchester, and interestingly later on the city would be one of the first in the world to enthusiastically embrace the house sound coming out of Chicago in the 1980’s. Of course, we’ll go through a bit of that Madchester sound later on here in the first hour as well.
#9870, @gfnthedrop, podcast details, etc.
Now, let’s into the first few cuts from artists that are actually out of Manchester proper for tonight, and we’ll start with the Happy Mondays to be followed by GORILLAZ teaming up with Peter Hook, and we’ll finish things with Working Men’s Club. This is The Drop on your Madchestah Round Trip Wednesday night.
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The Drop continues tonight after the first block on our Round Trip Wednesday. Rocking tunes from artists who have graced the past & present scene in Manchester, which is our destination tonight. Danno here after landing no problems although the movie selection on the flight was pretty weak, and let’s recap what just went up into space via the magic of radio...
Happy Mondays – Loose Fit (…for those of you not familiar with the band, they were a group formed in Salford in 1980, and are kind of considered the bridge between 1980’s indie rock in Manchester and the rave scene that dominated later in the decade & into the 1990’s. This tune can be found on the 24 Hour Party People Soundtrack as well, the story of Factory Records starring Steve Coogan from 2002.)
GORILLAZ feat Peter Hook & Georgia - Aries (…this is really such a top collaboration between Gorillaz, Peter Hook of Joy Division & later New Order, and the up-and-coming Georgia, who is actually the daughter of one of the members of Leftfield. On her own she’s been making some killer tunes, but a great representation of three generations of British music here.)
Working Men’s Club – John Cooper Clarke (…this might be the new band with the biggest buzz out of Manchester right now. This tune appeared on their self-titled album from last year.)
Moving along to the end of the first quarter, we mentioned a little house music in passing at the top of the hour, so let’s get to a couple young female producers turning heads in Manchester today. First up is AFRODEUTSCHE and a cut called Phase Two, and we’ll follow that with Anz (spelling) and this cut from 2019 to close the first fourth tonight is No Harm. THIS is The Drop on your Round Trip Wednesday night.
AFRODEUTSCHE – Phase Two
Anz – No Harm
II.
The Drop with Danno is back and still in our Manchester destination of choice for this week’s Round Trip, highlighting the oldest, latest & greatest of artists who hail from the Mancunian realm for the grand majority of the full two hours this evening. Let’s get to what just went up in the space elevator and returned for now…
The Durutti Column – Otis (…a very interesting piece of music history here, also featured in 24 Hour Party People. The band were formed in 1978 and generally had a post-punk edge to their sound, but this is truly different not only for the sonic departure, but the sample of Otis Redding’s vocals featured throughout, which is a very early example of that phenomenon which would later become ubiquitous in the hip-hop era & beyond.)
Bethlehem Casuals – Jesus Take The Wheel (…now, I’m not sure if this group takes their religious stuff super seriously or if it’s a cheeky commentary, but the stuff they play is infectiously positive and well done. The group describes themselves as groove gremlins from the back end of Manchester, so like I said, I can’t call it.)
Moving along SM, #9870, podcast let us know …
Up next we’ll get into some hip-hop & soul stylings from our destination tonight. We got Cul de Sac and we’ll circle outta that for some Dubbul O & Mr Scruff to complete the triangle. We’ll analyze all three sides on the other side of the sorcery, but for now THIS is The Drop on your Round Trip Wednesday night.
_________
Back on The Drop and we just got another flavor triangle in here on our Manchester Round Trip. Danno here, studio 2, GFN HQ, (contact, stream, etc.) Now that our shameless bit is done there, let’s get to the info kiosk and talk about what’s what with those last two cuts…
Cul de Sac – Know We Now* (…this tune appeared on 2016’s Stems EP. The group describes themselves as having that old school new school hip hop vibe that is “Big People Music.” Meaning, like an adult, you need a little patience but the payoff is great if you wait for it.)
Dubbul O feat Tyler Dayley – Do What You Can* (…another staple of the hip-hop scene in Manchester for going on a decade now is the main artist here. This cut appeared on Dubbl-O’s 2017 LP Smoka-motive, so puff puff pass and just give the rest to him, kids.)
Mr. Scruff feat Braintax – Vibrate (…a man we couldn’t help but discuss further in hour 2 is the one & only Andy Carthy, who we’ll open part 3 with tonight. This cut of working class England across the generations was put out on Mr Scruff’s sophomore album Trouser Jazz, and do note American travellers, it’s not pants.)
Now, final call to board and we started the hour with a tune from the US that inspired new sounds and styles in Manchester, and we’ll go with another that is often noted as a favorite of the glory days of The Hacienda, which was the famed club of lore in Manchester in the 80s & 90’s. We’ll close with Turntable Orchestra and You’re Gonna Miss Me, but that’s just the song title, we’ll return momentarily after the jump. THIS is The Drop on your Round Trip to Manchester.
Turntable Orchestra – You’re Gonna Miss Me
III & IV Manchester/Salford
Mr Scruff - Fish
Mint Royale – Singin in the rain
Doves - Black & White Town
Megan Dixon Hood – Alias Grace
IAMDDB – More*
The Mouse Outfit – Feeling High (Lenzman remix)*
Misha B - Rosa Parks Flow
Layfullstop – Cherries
Bugzy Malone ft Aitch – Kilos*
DRS - All Time High
Hyukoh - Tomboy
Sunset Rollercoaster feat OHHYUK - Candlelight
Mr Scruff – Fish
- From the 1999 album Keep It Unreal by the one and only true name Andy Carthy. Just one of those artists that always keeps it infectiously fun, Mr. Scruff’s cartoon series are also brilliantly simple, featuring what he dubs happy little sausage people and a world of his making.
- One of the most important artists to grace the famed Ninja Tune label back in their infancy, and glad to say both are still going strong here in 2023.
Mint Royale – Singin in the rain
- Old school joint right here, this originally in the late 1990’s being the moniker of a duo consisting of Neil Claxton and Chris Baker.
- Baker left the group in 2004 but Claxton continued to use the moniker until quitting in 2016, but recently made a return in 2020. This joint came out in 2005.
Doves - Black & White Town
- Another big bit of business from Manchester in 2005, this being from the band’s famed third album Some Cities.
- The album would become the band’s 2nd consecutive LP to top the British charts upon release.
Megan Dixon Hood – Alias Grace
- Great vocalist right here, still going strong in 2023.
- This tune dropped in 2017, and it’s been a bit of a sojourn for Hood, who just put out East Of The Sun, the artist’s debut album, last week. Do check, great voice.
IAMDDB – More
- Very popular artist based in Manchester right here, this tune dropping on the Hoodrich Vol 3 mixtape from 2017.
- The next year, the Angolan-British artist would be slotted at #3 on the BBC’s Sound of 2018.
The Mouse Outfit – Feeling High (Lenzman remix)
- This is a tune released very early on in 2019 on January 11, a remix of a previously released original.
- The Mouse Outfit is a hip-hop production collective and live band based in Manchester, with the flows here provided by KinKai over the extra smooth Rhodes chords provided by Lenzman.
Misha B - Rosa Parks Flow
- T/n Misha Bryan is a Manchester-based artist and man, the pipes are unreal.
- Bryan rose to prominence on the UK version of the X Factor in 2011 as a finalist, where eventually the artist would win 4th place. Just an amazing voice right here. This would be a standalone from 2018.
Layfullstop – Cherries
- Another great example of the powerful soul lineage of the city that draws up to the present day, this artist grew up in Birmingham but has called Manchester home for a while now.
- This standalone from 2019 is a good example of the artist’s lo-fi jazzy production.
Bugzy Malone ft Aitch – Kilos
- The main artist here is a producer and actor from Manchester who’s made quite the name over the years.
- This tune dropped in 2019, with Bugzy t/n Aaron Davies making debut back in 2010, remaining active to the present with 2 albums in the discog, the most recent from 2021.
DRS - All Time High
- The Dirty Rap Scallion right here, this would be the moniker of Delroy Pottinger. One third of the famed rap trio Broke n English, DRS in the years since has collabed with huge names like LTJ Bukem and Marcus Intalex.
- A huge influence on the drum n bass sound over the years, and glad to see Pottinger is still active.
Hyukoh - Tomboy
Sunset Rollercoaster feat OHHYUK - Candlelight
- Can’t get enough HYUKOH on the show, and especially not since Oh Hyuk and the band named backwards after him rocked their debut at Coachella recently.
- Thus, we’ll close with (recap)