Urban & Turntablisim

[NorthernSoul]

The Wild Bunch V Soul II Soul Soundsystem Live on New Year's Eve 1987


"...Massive Attack's history goes back to 1983 and the Wild Bunch. The Wild Bunch were mid-'80s reggae, hip-hop and soul sound systemeers (sic), who mutated into Massive Attack. They formed around the scene that had developed at the Dug Out in 1982 or and comprised Miles Johnson, Nellee Hooper, Grant Marshall (Daddy G), Claude Williams (Wille Wee), Robert Del Naja (3D) (who joined later), and later still, Andrew Vowles (Mushroom). They were essentially an even looser collective than Massive Attack, and included anyone else who could be trusted to distribute flyers or sell a few cans of lager. One of the earliest and most successful sound system/DJ collectives in the UK, they rapidly made themselves a reputation for their mixing-up of styles and for their sound system parties, which became unmissable.

"Basically it was a reggae sound system," recalls Mushroom. "Everyone round the turntables, just taking turns on the mike." They started to DJ at the Dug Out, where Marshall was already established, every Wednesday, and became Bristol's first New York-style sound-system crew. Their performances at illegal parties, such as on the downs, where the police arrived to close them down, in 'abandoned warehouses like the Red House in St Paul's. at private parties, proper gigs like the Granary, or at St Paul's carnival - where they played till dawn - soon made them a legendary fixture of the Bristol scene, attracting a loyal following that mixed black hip-hop heads from St Paul's with Clifton trendies. The Wild Bunch would epitomise the sound (agglomation of hip-hop, rare groove, soul, reggae and rock influences) and organisation (loose affiliations of multi-media artists) of music groups in post hip-hop Britain despite only releasing one single during their five year lifespan. They are largely myth and legend to those who lived outside Bristol.

So if you want to hear to the sound of West London meeting Bristol on NYE in ‘87 then it probably doesn’t get much better than this for capturing the vibe..."

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