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Baker's Dozen

Mighty Mighty Boosh Tones: Julian Barratt's Favourite LPs
Adrian Lobb , June 21st, 2017 09:00

As Julian Barratt releases 'You Can't Handcuff The Wind', a single by alter-ego Richard Thorncroft, he guides Adrian Lobb through 13 favourite albums, from Miles Davis to Zappa, Fela Kuti and the soundtracks of the Wicker Man and more

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Fela Kuti & The Afrika 70 featuring Ginger Baker – Live!
For this list, I kept thinking about albums I would put on in mixed company and not be embarrassed about. You'd need a slightly ironic filter to put War Of The Worlds on, but most of these albums I would happily play in a way of saying: “here we go!”

I stumbled on this about ten years ago. I knew Cream, my dad used to play a lot of them – I still love the sound of that band. But I didn't know much about Fela Kuti. On this album there is such an amazing sound that the band and the horns make – it has James Brown elements with an African lilt.

Did you see the Ginger Baker documentary? I didn't know he was such a nasty piece of work. Quite horrible. But him and Fela Kuti seemed to have this real energy. I don't know much about it, but if you put it on in any environment, you will not regret it. The African funk craziness is powerful stuff.