So after a long sabbatical The Soul Guru is back…why did I go quiet ? It's a long story…..but as the state of British " Urban/Soul/Black Music " sank to lower depths I found it hard to summon the enthusiasm to continue…….
Now British Black/Urban whatever has sunk so low that Ed Sheeran has just been named the most important artist in British Black and Urban by 1xtra ( as if they have any taste ) it's time for some to stand up and be counted and ask this question …….what the FUCK is going on with music in this country .
I have nothing against Ed Sheeran…being ginger and from Suffolk apart ...that's a joke ok .
When I fell in LOVE with SOUL in the 70's I loved Boz Scaggs, Average White Band,Frankie Miller,Kokomo,Hall & Oates etc..they were called " Blue-Eyed Soul "….their colour was irrelevant..they made great SOUL music .
So what's my problem ?
My problem is that apart from a very few artists such as Laura Mvulu no-one is making SOUL music here anymore..maybe Michael Kiwanuka
Without wishing to sound arrogant and boring ( I'm both incidentally ) I signed Soul II Soul, Maxi Priest ,Loose Ends ,I-Level so I'm qualified to comment…to anyone who say " who is this old fart " ? I've got a simple answer….I sold 30 million albums…what have you sold ?
I'm weary of A&R guys who work for major labels telling me how hard their jobs are…my Dad worked in a factory all his life…THAT'S hard work so stop complaining and do something about it .
Re Ed Sheeran…guess who's on his first single ? Pharrell of course …cut to major label A&R meeting :
A&R Man " artist X isn't really any good "
MD " call Pharrell then you moron and pay him $ 200,000 for a verse of mind-numbing stupidity
Trust me ,it's true
SOUL music has been my life since 1974….I'm NOT going down without a fight…it's too important to me ……
Marvin Gaye is my hero…my idol…my inspiration…….
So how about this ?
For me it's always been about the artist NOT the Songwriters….I NEVER signed an artist that didn't write their own songs ( apart from MN8 and they were great )
If you keep using the same Producers ( all ALL A&R guys do ) guess what the tracks will sound like ?
I've just started a new indie label dedicated to great BRITISH SOUL music…I promise you great music because I AM The Soul Guru
July 2014
Now British Black/Urban whatever has sunk so low that Ed Sheeran has just been named the most important artist in British Black and Urban by 1xtra ( as if they have any taste ) it's time for some to stand up and be counted and ask this question …….what the FUCK is going on with music in this country .
I have nothing against Ed Sheeran…being ginger and from Suffolk apart ...that's a joke ok .
When I fell in LOVE with SOUL in the 70's I loved Boz Scaggs, Average White Band,Frankie Miller,Kokomo,Hall & Oates etc..they were called " Blue-Eyed Soul "….their colour was irrelevant..they made great SOUL music .
So what's my problem ?
My problem is that apart from a very few artists such as Laura Mvulu no-one is making SOUL music here anymore..maybe Michael Kiwanuka
Without wishing to sound arrogant and boring ( I'm both incidentally ) I signed Soul II Soul, Maxi Priest ,Loose Ends ,I-Level so I'm qualified to comment…to anyone who say " who is this old fart " ? I've got a simple answer….I sold 30 million albums…what have you sold ?
I'm weary of A&R guys who work for major labels telling me how hard their jobs are…my Dad worked in a factory all his life…THAT'S hard work so stop complaining and do something about it .
Re Ed Sheeran…guess who's on his first single ? Pharrell of course …cut to major label A&R meeting :
A&R Man " artist X isn't really any good "
MD " call Pharrell then you moron and pay him $ 200,000 for a verse of mind-numbing stupidity
Trust me ,it's true
SOUL music has been my life since 1974….I'm NOT going down without a fight…it's too important to me ……
Marvin Gaye is my hero…my idol…my inspiration…….
So how about this ?
For me it's always been about the artist NOT the Songwriters….I NEVER signed an artist that didn't write their own songs ( apart from MN8 and they were great )
If you keep using the same Producers ( all ALL A&R guys do ) guess what the tracks will sound like ?
I've just started a new indie label dedicated to great BRITISH SOUL music…I promise you great music because I AM The Soul Guru
July 2014
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