Green Gartside is Scritti Politti and vice versa.
I’ve always been a big Scritti fan, I guess the unusual vocal and intense syncopation just struck a chord, I just loved the ’shine’ it all had and wondered how I could make machines do stuff like that.
I suspect a significant amount of the production credit during their most successful early albums ought to go to David Gamson. But Green’s instantly recognisable vocal and the great lyrical themes were the ingredients that really set the material apart in my view.
Then there were the great players such as Alan Murphy and Marcus Miller adding clever licks and fills which somehow always seemed to sit perfectly with the programmed parts.
I had a little personal connection as well. A friend of mine was working on ‘Provision’ their third album, so I got to hear first hand the stories of an extreme attention to detail and an ability to push the technology of the day to its limits. All good stuff for a young songwriter looking to rise above the local pub circuit.
So it was quite ironic that many years later I would stroll into a grimy pub in Kilburn to watch Green perform Wood Beez! I was totally blown away with his vocal, I wasn’t sure what to expect but he’s actually a fantastic live performer which was a bit of a surprise given the ’studio band’ image Scritti had cultivated.
A different application of technology has changed the music business beyond all recognition. Nowadays I suspect that there are few record company executives who would be prepared to fund all the top studios, producers and musicians Scritti went through!
But how many British pop bands can claim to have been covered by Miles Davis or can cite Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney as fans.
You get what you pay for kids!
Spotify users can here my favourite tracks here -
When you listen to the tracks its hard to believe this year is the 25th anniversary of the release of Cupid & Psyche; a great example of how to make machines do great things.
More gigs pls Green.
