African Headcharge It always seemed that Adrian Sherwood's future-proof labelling of his early eighties On-U Sound albums, as for example - "another 1992 on-u sound production", was an affectation at best and mild megalomania at worst. Listening back to that work now the arrogant young producer's artistic licence can be acknowledged as precociously well founded, especially when applied to the work of the unit known as African Head Charge (AHC). This virtual band coalesced around the percussion talents of Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, Bonjo to you and me, subsequent to the demise of Creation Rebel, a real time band who had been subject to the rigours, disciplines and boredom ("Lows & Highs) that recording, rehearsing, touring and playing inevitably bring.
Environmental Studies
The album "Environmental Studies" was originally released in the UK via On-U Sound Records in September of 1982, as a follow-up to the previous year's groundbreaking "My life in a hole in the ground". Apparently the set was so titled because of the producer's vague interest in a school subject of the same name - this goes to prove that most On-U albums could just be called "Everything happens" volumes 1, 2, 3, 4..... etc! According to Adrian, "Environmental Studies" was less thought out than its predecessor, which after all was the debut for Bonjo as AHC; however, there was a very real sense of experimentation in the approach to the album's individual tracks which is evidenced by the pedigree of the players involved and the use of the studio as an instrument.
The album was recorded and mixed with the producer being very much influenced by, and wanting to be a part of, that musical avant-garde which was possessed by no country, or even continent, of origin, yet took influences from wherever and whenever it wished. Occupying this territory, although both coming from slightly different directions from Sherwood, were the likes of Brian Eno and Connie Plank. The producer recalls talking to Geoff Travis of Rough Trade and David Thomas, from the band Pere Ubu, about water noises and other ambient sounds playing "louder" than the band (perhaps it was no coincidence, given the veteran Jamaican producer's love of water, that Sherwood would later link up with Scratch the Upsetter, literally a boyhood hero!)
The sound of "Environmental Studies" could only been have achieved in the studios at Berry Street, located in the heart of the City of London. It was there that Adrian had produced some tracks for the Fall's classic "Slates" set. The studios had an old style reverb plate just waiting to be used and abused - inna King Tubby style, a mainly stone-built toilet where Adrian stacked big speakers with an auxilliary microphones to obtain the sound of distant drums (sic), and most importantly a bunch of stacked-up free time in which to record some tunes! The players included Benbow on drums, who was in the UK with Prince Far I after Style Scott had been seduced by the Roots Radics, George Oban lately of Aswad, Bruce Smith ex-Slit and Rip Rig and Panicker, Eskimo Fox as Mus'come, Nick Plytas previously with Roogalator and the future leader of Jonathan Ross' house band, Crucial Tony as "Fuse", a white London jazz-player Dave Wright as "Flash", on sax the great Deadly Headly (watch out for the forthcoming re-issue in this series of his rare and classic On-U album "35 years from Alpha"), and the multi-talented Steve Beresford who cropped up on so many early On-U affairs.
All the album's tracks were built from Bonjo's percussion and the assembled contributions from the four drummers involved. Opening with "Crocodile hand luggage" which is a filmic affair, followed by "Dinosaur's lament" - about as majestic and processional as AHC got. "Beriberi" can only be a tribute to Berry Street itself, the track provides a fine showcase for Deadly Headley who blows a triumphant sax recalling the ballad standard "Lover". By comparison to the three earlier tracks "Snakeskin tracksuit" is almost a straight, but quality, relief. On the original vinyl release "High protein snack" opened side two and was as near as the album got to a jazz-style workout. "In a trap" captured the sense of its title perfectly - paraniod nyabinghi!, whereas "Breeding space" should have been retitled "Speeding space"! "Primitive" is the albums darkest track and approaches what can only be described as a moody psychedelia - is this what attracted all those old hippies to On-u? With the albums closer "Latin temperament" one would expect something almost opposite to what pops up - a bouncy sci-fi tune with the set's most brittle percussion from Bonjo.
Talking to Bonjo recently he has little recollection of the sessions that constituted this and other early AHC albums none of which he owns in any format! This is not necessarily due to the ingestion of any mind altering substances during that period or since, but more to do with the time that has passed and the music made between then and now. As Bonjo says "I man just here for the music......!"
Steve Barker - On the Wire
September 1997
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