Review of Greatest Hits Album by Goldie Lookin Chain

Goldie Looking Chain

GLC - Greatest Hits album To released On September 13 2004 - album review

Having already enjoyed a taste of chart success Wales’ answer to the Wu-Tang Clan release their first long player stupidly named Greatest Hits. With their latest single ‘Guns Don’t Kill people, Rappers Do’, going Top 3 and debut single ‘Half man, Half Machine’ making a respectable 32 this dope deranged group of childhood mates drag you further into their parallel universe of chav culture.

Goldie Lookin Chain are a direct result of the coming together of several of Newport’s most twisted minds. The concepts and ideas have been constantly banded around in various guises since as far back as 1983. Early experiments carried out by founder member Chon Ben-Wa Balls aka Mr. Love Eggs involved the use of ‘Studio Recorder 60™’, a portable tape recorder to record favourite dialogue from television shows which was then overdubbed using a myriad of Eggsie’s favourite swear words.

Thirteen years later, co-founder and beatmeister extraordinaire Dwayne Xain Zedong began creating electronic music with his ‘Rave Generator’. This device enabled Dwayne to master the principles of sequencing beats and soon a collaboration of the two minds came to pass after a chance meeting in the car park of a deserted college

Five years later, the GLC began to come into its own. By this time another 21 fully grown adult males had also become inspired enough by this cultural phenomenon to want to add their own personal styles and rhythms to the fast-expanding collection of urban poetry. The eight piece core of the crew consists of: Eggsie (Mr. Love Eggs), Xain (Dwayne Xain Xedong), Adam Hussein, Two-Hats, Mike Balls (Hardest Man in Soccer Violence), Billy Webb, Mystikal and the Maggot. Other

GLC - Greatest Hits album To released On September 13 2004 - album review
GLC - Greatest Hits album To released On September 13 2004 - album review
GLC - Greatest Hits album To released On September 13 2004 - album review

footsoldiers no less celebrated include: DCI Burnside, Leeroy Fashions, Lloyd Ganja 9T9, 38DD Killa, BBJ (Big Baby Jesus), Eugene the Genius, Mr. Compact, MC Flatpress, Cannsie-T, Dipper Nan, Mac Dad, One-Step Down, Will Dionysus and Adam’s Nan.

It’s taken Goldie Lookin Chain 21 years to create this monster. Sit back, relax and enjoy the delights they have to offer… your life will never be the same….

Track listing:

1.The Manifesto/ 2.Self Suicide / 3.Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do / 4.Half Man Half Machine / 5.Rollerdisco / 6.Soap Bar / 7.Billy Webb's Lament / 8.Your Mother's Got A Penis / 9.The Maggot / 10.You Knows I Loves You / 11.Leeroy Fashions' Lament / 12. 21 Ounces / 13.Time To Make A Change

So there is all the info - what you probably want to know is “yeah the joke is funny, but can it stand up for a whole album” well the simple answer is yes. You think the singles are risky, just wait until you here some of the other tracks – if you grew up in the eighties – was influenced by electro/hip hop then this record is sure to bring back great memories – if you are too young to remember that stuff then be ready to be swept away into the world of the GLC and a strangely honest and hilarious world it is.

Goldie Lookin Chain are set to embark on their ‘ An Ounce Don’t Come For Free’ UK tour in October. The dates start in Cardiff on October 2nd and finish in London on October 22nd.

www.youknowsit.co.uk

Goldie Lookin' Chain -Greatest hits Album Review 2

In 1983, a team of crack, draw, enthusiasts, created a master plan, a design for the way of living so revolution so ground breaking that its very concept posed a threat to the fabric of society.

And that about sums it up, the intro could not provide the story of the tracksuit wearing, and alleged weed smoking eight better. Eggsie, Xain, Adam Hussain, Two Hats, Mike Balls, Billy Webb, Mystikal and The Maggot met in a car park and that was that. Just as they brought together their personal styles, and creative flares, they bring together 13 fresh and witty tracks for their welcomed greatest hits, a varied mixture of urban poetry.

Packing a punch with their zany, mish mash of styles, including electro, disco, and a plethora of samples, and GLC provide the starters of what proves to be an interesting recipe. The icing on the cake is the cleverly funny and often controversial nature of the rap lyricists. Who cannot laugh at rap over a corrie style theme, and robbing a store with a space hopper? The nature of Self Suicide would be more suited to Eastenders, as GLC address, corporate suicide, referring to Kurt Cobain, Michael Hut hence and Jim Morrison, as victims of moneymaking schemes.

GLC use wit to convey messages, that underneath have a deeper meaning, current single, Gun's Don't Kill People, Rappers Do is a clever take on the governments view on rap and gun culture:

Guns don't kill people, rappers do, Ask any politician and they'll tell you it's true

Definite highlight is Half men Half Machine, an electro tinged offering, featuring a robot voiced rapper, who goes to the shops to buy ten fags, with tin foil on their head. Underneath, GLC address the hum drum of every day routine, and how it can send you mad.

The entire album is devoted to GLC's favourite decade, and Roller Disco is no exception. Eighties disco gone mad, think Dead Or Alive style beats, and there you have it. GLC transport you back to your youth, dancing to Thriller, and watching Grange Hill, but convey the message of discovering drugs and what they can do to you underneath, not one to be serious about a serious issue, they leave that to the government, and prefer to use wit.

You can't help be entertained by the interestingly humorous, You're Mothers Got A Penis, and the amusing So Solid Crew Parody, 21 Ounces To Blow.

GLC's it's funny because it's true nature, and meaningful, but lightly covered messages have meant successful festival stints, and will likely mean successful headline dates on their upcoming (watch out The Streets) An Ounce Don't Come For Free tour.

Contactmusic