In Issue 41, Peanut Butter Wolf switches up our regular “Record Rundown” and instead talks about some of his favorite music videos and performances caught on tape. Check out some of the mind-blowing visuals and classic live moments that influenced Wolf’s own shows.

Yellow Magic Orchestra “Computer Games”

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Courtesy of Knitting Factory Records

You can hear the sonic ripples of Fela Kuti’s legacy anywhere in the world. But to appreciate the explosive power of the man as a musician, a bandleader, and a booming voice for social justice, the tale becomes a Nigerian story, an African story. Rikki Stein was Fela’s manager and close friend, a veteran of management and event production, and the author of Fela’s obituary, but equally able to articulate the future promise of the music. Just getting that music heard could be a challenge, requiring everything from face-offs with police to DIY PA systems. read more »

Busta Rhymes (in hat) and John Carraro (at the turntable).

It is no small privilege to have been invited to share with you the story of New York’s legendary record conventions that were held at Manhattan’s Roosevelt Hotel located at E. 45th Street. It may be by sheer coincidence or destiny itself, but this seems to be the appropriate time for ruminations and memories to be resurrected. read more »

Reprinted from Issue 37.

When DJs become musicians, two outcomes are possible: (1) their record sounds like a best effort to recreate fetishized musical styles and production techniques, or (2) they channel their musical influences into a unique blend that transcends their crates. The ten-person-strong Phenomenal Handclap Band, helmed by two underground New York DJs, Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand, generates a sound that is greater than the sum of their record collections. read more »

In an age in which robotic vocals have become cliche, the most important thing to know about the talk box is that it’s not a vocoder. read more »