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HIP HOP Cypress Hill
Glasgow: Barrowland, Thu 22 Jun.
Since 1991, alternative hip hop superstars Cypress Hill have sold over 12 million albums world-wide yet, beyond hip hop's echelons, you wouldn't know them if they were drowned in your bath under a loofah-sized Camberwell Carrot.
Until this year and their biggest-ever UK single, 'Rock Superstar', a brilliant, belligerent swipe at ’the kids of today’ and their fame ’n' cash-obsessed empty values, eclipsing their early 90$ classics ’Insane In The Brain' and 'Ain't Goin' Out Like That'. ’Back in the day,’ says nasal- whinnied lead rapper 8 Real, rap-Iy, ‘when a lot of artists were starting they were only doing it for the love of the music and if the music was right, the fame and the limelight and the money would come. Kids these days, they don't love what they’re doing, they know it's a way to make money and be a star. That's the motivation. They’re attention-seekin', egotistical, greedy sons-of-bitches. Not all of ’em, though. The real music fans, they know what’s what.’
Original pioneers of Latino hip hop, Godfathers of the rap-rock hybrid and official spokesmen for America’s National Organisation for the Reform Of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the big 'n’ scary 'n' tattooed, down-
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Never have pens and the Peter Pan of pop been used to make such a ruckus
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Cypress Hill are no longer small potatoes
town LA hip hop visionaries — 8 Real, producer DJ Muggs and rap lieutenant Sen Dog — are old-skool incarnate, emerging from the gun-totin', cocaine- dealing gang-lands of mid-80$ LA (8 Real's been shot in the lung, Sen's seen best friends murdered in front of his eyes, Muggs still has friends in jail who he visits 'all the time'.) Returning after a mid-90$ lull (where they made, notes Muggs, ’the murkiest music we could make, on purpose, 'cos we didn't like all the attention'), they're back on blister~rock form, their recent shows a head-pummelling fiesta of stoner beats, metal-rawk bedlam and skirling hip hop dementia. ’For some people music is therapy,’ scoffs Muggs, witheringly, ‘our music makes you wanna do push-ups and fight. Heheh! It's fun and it's fuuuhn-eee. This is a new season for us and it’s time to go for the championship again. Rock ’n' roll is hip hop now, hip hop has infiltrated everything, movies, television, clothes, rock music, just taken over. Who the fuck would ever've thought that ten years ago, y’knowhatlmean?’
Adds Cuban born rapper Sen Dog, the man solely credited with inventing Latino hip hop itself, ’We started the last decade with a bang, and this one with a bang, so I think when you look back, people will see Cypress has been one of the most influential hip hop bands that the world has ever had.‘ Smokin'.
(Sylvia Patterson)
live music and great rock shows 'Our influences range from Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate to Simon and Garfunkel and The Beach Boys '
Where did the name come from?
'It's totally made up, but the idea came from mi><ing the word biro with Cliff Richard Don't ask me why though because we have no explanation for that ' says Ben
Been up to much?
’Rocking the Scottish toilet circ uit,' laughs vocalist Simon 'Our best gig was at T in the Park last year The tent was rammed and we had a great time '
Exposure
We bring you the brightest gems from the dark recesses of the diamond mine of pop. This issue: Biffy Clyro.
Who?
Biffy Clyro are Simon, Ben and James, three twenty year olds from Ayrshire who like making nOise and have managed to turn it into melodic rocking songs,
When did it all begin?
'Originally it was me and Simon in the band,’ explains drummer Ben Johnston 'We had another bass player but when he left it seemed obvrous to ask my twm brother James to get involved That was in 1998 ' Since then they have binlt up a strong Scottish following and anyone that sees them live is converted Havrng been influenced by a variety of bands, they are keen to keep up the tradition of
They are aim:ng for a repeat performance this year when they play the Scottish Radio PR5 Stage in Balado They have also signed a single deal With Stow College's label Elec tric. Honey and are due to release their bnlliantly titled EP 'The Children Who Pop Today Will Rock Tomorrow IKeren McKeani
“The C/ii/d/‘en Who Pop Today Will Rock Tomorrow’ is out on Mon l2 Jun The launch night for it is at King Tut’s on Wed 14 Jun
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All the scratching, matching and dispatching from the world of music
SCOTLAND'S SONG WRITING TALENT is to be commended with the Hard Rock Cafe New Talent Award. The award was launched in Edinburgh on Wednesday 7 June in conjunction with the Nordoff- Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland charity, who received £50,000 raised from last year's award. Previous winners include, bizarrely enough, Lulu, Sharleen Spiteri and Simple Minds. Shortlisted for the award this year are Belle And Sebastian, ldlewild, Mogwai, Arab Strap, Justin, Annie Christian, Geneva and the Delgados. The award will be voted for by the general public and the winner will be announced later in the year.
THE LINE UP for this year's Glasgow Jazz Festival has been announced with George Benson confirmed to top the event Running from 39 July, the festival includes Tommy Smith, Terence Blanchard and Latin Jaz7 legend Tito Puente. For a programme and free CD call 0141 400 5000.
LEFTFIELD HAVE FINALLY been announced as the headliners for the Slam tent on Sunday 9 July. Acerbic rockers At The Drive In have been announced as playing stage two on Saturday while JJ72 have been moved to the Sunday. Two more substantial acts are yet to be confirmed to complete the bill and will be announced by the end of June.
GLASGOW'S PREMIER GENRE redefining live dance Outfit, and List fav0urites, Engine have been confirmed to appear at the Radio Clyde/PR8 stage at this year's T in the Park in July,
DAVID BOWIE AND SEMISONIC are among those confirmed to play a season of live shows during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. More details when we get them.
TRAVIS ARE GIVING fans a taste of their new single 'Coming Around' on an exclusive webcast on
www switchZ net. The single is also out now to buy
JUST ANNOUNCED
EELS are set to play Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on 2l July and The Jayhawks make a welcome return, playing the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow on I August
Leatherface Venue, l 1 Jul, Leatherface The Cathouse, l2 Jul, Clutch The Cathouse, 20 Jul, Billy Bragg The Garage, 26 Jul, Lock Up and Decapitated The Cathouse, 17 Aug, Pitchshifter Venue, 22 Sep, Pitchshifter The Cathouse, 23 Sep, Camel The Garage, 9 Oct
8 22 J..l‘ 2000 THE llST 51