
BLOWUP SCHOOL FUNK BAND
2 TURNTABLES AND A MICROPHONE...? TRY FOUR TURNTABLES, THREE MICROPHONES, SAMPLES, SCRATCHES AND A LIVE THREE PIECE BAND THAT WILL MELT YOUR WATCH. WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BLOWUP SCHOOL. IN TODAYS MUSICAL CLIMATE IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HEAR ROCK, HIP HOP, JAZZ AND OTHER STYLES CUT AND PASTED TOGETHER IN ONE BANDS REPERTOIRE. THIS HAS MAINLY BEEN ACHIEVED THROUGH SAMPLING AND IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY A RECORDING STUDIO PROCESS THAT IS PREFORMED LIVE WITH A MINIMAL USE OF REAL MUSICIANS. UNTILL NOW THAT IS. THE BLOWUP SCHOOL IS A 7 PIECE BAND THAT FUSES 70'S ANALOG FUNK WITH 90'S DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE A NEW LOOPY HYBRID. THE BAND IS FRONTED BY THE THREE MAN CREW OF SEFO CAPONE, MELUN AND AND B SMOOV. WORDS AND PHRASES ARE EFFORTLESSLY JUGGLED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM AS EACH INJECTS HIS OWN STYLE INTO THE MIX. THIER LYRICAL EXCURSIONS SPAN FROM BONG BLISS TO HOOP SHOOTIN ALIENS AND COMIC BOOK ICONS. ONLY IN THIER EARLY 20'S THE THREE POSSESS A STAR QUALITY AND MUSICAL SOPHISTICATION THAT COMES FROM A 10 YEAR BOND AS L.O.D. POSSE. ALONG WITH DJ YOUNGS, THEY HONED THEIR SKILL AND WORE OUT AUDIENCES AND 4-TRACK RECORDERS IN THE PROCESS. DESIRING TO BREAK OUT OF THE CONFINES OF HIP HOP, THEY SOUGHT TO EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS WITH A LIVE BAND. IN FEBRUARY 96 AFTER WEEKS OF TAPE TRADING THEY GOT TOGETHER WITH THREE MUSICIANS THAT WERE LOOKING TO PUT TOGETHER AN OUTFIT WITH ONE PURPOSE, ENTERTAINMENT. TOGETHER, THEY WERE COMING FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES BUT WITH ONE COMMON DIRECTION. DRUMMER TIM FOGERTY, COMBINES ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC DRUMS ALONG WITH EXOTIC PERCUSSION TO MANUVER THROUGH THE MOSAIC OF STYLES IN THE BLOWUP SCHOOLS MUSIC. HIS PLAYING PROPELS THE MUSIC AND LETS THE SONG BREATHE WITHOUT EVER LOSING THE HIP SWAYING, HEAD BOUNCING GROOVE. GEORGE LOVE IS A FUNK BASS PLAYER IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD. SCHOOLED BY LEGENDARY LOUIS JOHNSON AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ANTI-PUNK TRIO "POTHOLDER", GEORGE LOVE BOBS AND WEAVES IN AND AROUND THE MUSICAL FRAMEWORK TO PROVIDE LO-FI, LOW FREQUENCY BASS HOOKS. GUITARIST ED SKERO BLENDS ISAAC HAYES STYLE WAH WORK WITH JAZZ CHORD VOICING AND ZAPPAESQUE JAMMING TO LOCK WITH GEORGE AND TIM, WHILE ROLLING THE MELODY ALL OVER THE MAP. SAMPLES, SCRATCHES AND CUTS ARE SERVED UP COURTESY OF MELUN AND DJ YOUNGS, A 10 YEAR VETERAN OF THE TURNTABLES. LIVE THE BLOWUP SCHOOL IS A SHOW STEALING, CROWD PLEASING ONSTAGE SPECTACLE. PHAT-FOOTED BEATS AND BOOTZILLA BASSLINES ARE THE PERFECT SOUNDTRACK FOR THE ONSTAGE MADNESS OF SEFO, MELUN AND B SMOOV. THE WHOLE THING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WATCH WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE ACTION. THE BLOWUP SCHOOL HANGS IN THERE WITH OTHER WHITE BOY, STYLE BLENDERS LIKE BECK AND THE BEASTIE BOYS AND DEFINITELY UP THE ANTE ON THE PITTSBURGH SCENE.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
IN FEBRUARY 96 AFTER WEEKS OF TAPE TRADING L.O.D. POSSE GOT TOGETHER WITH THREE MUSICIANS THAT WERE LOOKING TO PUT TOGETHER AN OUTFIT WITH ONE PURPOSE, ENTERTAINMENT. TOGETHER, THEY WERE COMING FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES BUT WITH ONE COMMON DIRECTION, THE KINDA MUSIC YOU WOULD LOVE TO HEAR!!
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
YES
LAGA
GRAFITTI
LUCIANOS
METROPOL
ILUUSIONS
PEABODY,S DOWNUNDER
DELMANTE'S
CHELSEA TERRACE
SCOOBY'S
SHOOTER'S
THE THEATRE
ELECTRIC BANANNA
BUTLER FAIRGROUNDS
What equipment do you use?
4 TECHNIQUES TURNTABLES
PEAVEY SPEAKERS-4 15'S
STRAT-MARSHALL STACK
SWINGERLAND DRUMS
FENDER JAZZ-TRACE ELLIOT STACK
3 SURE MICS
Anything else?
CHECK OUT OTHER BLOWUP SCHOOL RELATED ARTIST BY
CLICKING THE BLUE "BUS ASS RECORDS" LINK,TO THE RIGHT UNDER THE PICTURE.