7.28.2008



OK, so everyone has heard the break from the Incredible Bongo Band's version of "Apache." Well, I decided to do a little of the google version of research.

Some local research turned up a used copy of said reissue CD, that I rescued over my lunch hour.

The Mighty (mighty?) NYTimes ran an article a couple of years back when a legit reissue came out of the album, that seemed to be right on the money. (I also borrowed the graphics above from the article.)

I have read that the music was developed for use in the Thing With Two Heads movie, which of course starred Rosie Grier and Ray Milland. I haven't seen the film for many years, but I remember it being quite psychotronic. The 2 tracks that appeared in the film were Bongo Rock and Bongolia

Michael Viner was the man behind the music here and assembled a cast of studio musicians that would make music history and form the basis for many sample based songs in the future.

According to the NY Times article, DJ Kool Herc became aware of the Incredible Bongo Band and their version of Apache in 1972(!)

“I used that record to start what I called the Merry-Go-Round,” he explained in a telephone interview, retelling an oft-told story. “It was the segment where I played all the records I had with beats in them, one by one. I’d use it at the hypest part of the night, between 2:30 and 3 a.m. Everybody loved that part of my format.”

Once Herc collected multiple copies of records, it allowed him to extend the breaks ad infinitum, Apache contained the killer break for this exercise. He started a movement and invented an art form.


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