I, unfortunately, recently read of the demise of one of the best groups that you've probably never heard of - The Beta Band.
These four guys from Edinburgh - vocalist Stephen Mason, drummer Robin Jones, DJ/sampler John Maclean, and bassist Richard Greentree - had a sound that can't be pigeon-holed into a single genre. Think ambient breakbeat acid jazz funk. Before questioning whether they pulled it off, consider that they opened for Radiohead during the 2001 summer tour. Not a bad vote of confidence.
Their best known song has to be Dry the Rain from The Three E.P.'s. Some writer in Hollywood must have really dug it as they wrote an entire scene around it in the John Cusack film, High Fidelity.
Rob Gordon: I will now sell four copies of "The Three EPs" by The Beta Band.
Dick: Go for it.
[Rob plays the record]
Beta Band Customer: Who is this?
Rob Gordon: The Beta Band.
Beta Band Customer: It's good.
Rob Gordon: I know.
Rob Gordon was right - The Beta Band was really good. It's a shame that they didn't achieve greater commercial success, perhaps they'd have stuck together. Regardless, they left behind a few albums of great music that are all worthy of being in your collection. I guarantee that if you play a few tracks during your next party, someone will ask you "who is this?"
Comments