Missy Elliott (along with Timbaland) meets The Quietus’ benchmark for genius, not necessarily via the route of producing three all time great albums in a row but as someone who changed popular music decisively, twice. And it is the exemplification of the second of these occasions, the stupendous Miss E… So Addictive album from 2001, which creates the Low Culture conversational glue of this months’ podcast. John and Luke consider the scenius of late 80s early 90s Virginia (compared to Oslo in the same period!) and the years of hard graft that eventually made Missy Elliott and Timbaland’s talent look so effortlessly achieved. There is some talk of an overdue reckoning with hip hop’s long occluded roots in disco, some disbelief at the origin myth of ‘Get Ur Freak On’ which comes across compositionally as more like the work of Magma or Herbie Hancock than a bored beat maker whacking a keyboard because he wants to go home for his tea. Check out this melodic transcription, discussed on the pod, for evidence.
There’s also a heartfelt plea for more anthems about male sexual inadequacy. Pour yourself a cuppa, retire to your most comfortable chair and prepare to go on a journey with your 43-minute men, John and Luke.
Thanks to our producer Alannah Chance for putting this together, and all of you our subscribers for helping tQ survive. Subscribers can listen to the podcast below, or via their usual podcast platforms.
