Anyways.......

So, how's the tour been goin' , man  ?

I just missed U  @  " SXSW"  

VAN HUNT :

Well.... it was fun, while it lasted.

Oh Shit...what happened ?

 

 VAN HUNT :  I don't like being rushed off the stage !!

Especially, when the crowd and I are "Both" into it.

we played shortened sets both nights.

photo : John Carrico

Yea, Man ...

U know what , doe ?

Just Leave Em' Wanting More

 

 VAN HUNT :  I get so into making a "Complete Statement" with the performance....

it's startling to be interrupted.         But, I think we made our point. 

Ha ha ha.

I'm gonna ask U the "SMARTALECMUSIC" Burning Question :

"Videos" 

Necessary Evil    or   Whatever's gonna get the message across..?

VAN HUNT :    Videos....as an entity unto themselves can be beautiful !

                           ( not to mention integral in getting artists in front of an audience )

But, if the video sucks  or  you can't get anyone to play it.....it aint helping nobody !!

So, I  say: "If you're business aint proper, don't waste your money" 

 

You can't find a good director....don't waste your money. 

If you can reach your audience through another, less expensive means ?

 

Shiiittt.....   Do it !!!

 

Do Dat shit , Do Dat Shit.....c'mon 

I'm gonna  throw some names @ Ya ....

( respond as U wish )

 

Rahsaan Pattersonphoto : MCA

Best male singer around !!!

PERIOD.

His range is incredible.

 

Wendy & Lisa 

VAN HUNT :

Wendy is one of my favorite rhythm guitarists.

she understands tone , and placement.

Beautiful person.

and, remember : There was Prince... before Wendy & Lisa.

                And, there was Prince..... "after" Wendy & Lisa.

Some would say, they were the reason for each other , actually....

I can't front ...when "The Girls" left ?

So did THAT sound !!

 

And, quite frankly.... I've found that :   Sometimes ( more often than NOT )  artists like a "Prince"

who are percieved as being a "Mozart" etc.

It's not always necessarily true , in terms of where those "Ideas"  are *really* coming  from !!

When somebody like a Prince writes un-inspired music ?

That's EXACTLY what the problem is :   "THEY ARE NOT GETTING FED" 

 

NOBODY 's  an Island !!

You are what U eat ....Musically  & "otherwise" 

 

So, Kats like THAT ......

they actually NEED to be around people that inspire them ....   to  " Cop"  shit  from !!

 

 

Stevie Wonder  

VAN HUNT :    The Best "All Around" recording artist !!

Meaning :

from "Song Idea"

to "Pen & Pad"

to "Arrangement"

to "Performance"  ( on any instrument  ) 

THE  BEST !!

 

I  agree.

"Blame it on the Sun ?!?"

VAN HUNT :   People copy his sound, but they always forget about the songs.

Damn.....

VAN :   That's because you can't substitute anything for the education he got from the school of motown !

 Growing up around & learning from 

"The Funk Bros."  

Berry Gordy....

Smokey Robinson....

Norman Whitfield....

Henry Cosby....

Paul Laurence....

Paul Riser....

Holland-Dozier-Holland ...

 

"Forget about it"

 

WHAT ?!?!?!

 

 

DJ  Rogers   

VAN HUNT :

Don't know much about him.

I admit ,  I had to do some research....

Ha ha ha....right ?

VAN HUNT :

But, from what I hear.... there's a lot of OLD gospel up in him !!

Which , for me ?     Is the only kind of gospel !

Ya heard ?

Everytime , I hear "Charlie Wilson"   .....I see DJ Rogers face ?!?!

 

 

Rance Allen 

VAN HUNT :   An incredible, dynamic vocalist. I would have loved to have seen him in the secular world! ( just for a minute) it might have had the same impact that sam cooke's leap of (from) faith did...maybe.

yep...

but, I think Rance's influence on "Prince" was Enuff to bring his Style into light !

*Prince KNOWS*

Rance Allen actually took a ALOT of shit,  for crossing over before it was cool....

"Mary Mary" , "Kirk Franklin"  All of them exist.... cause of RANCE !

( Tryin' to bring dem "Secular" folks in.... cost him a little bit back then )

 

 

 

Johnny Taylor  

VAN HUNT :

My Man !

He's got that "Texas Soul" that I love !!

Soul Stirrers....

Al Green....

Tyrone Davis.....

"Its September"  is one of my favorites.

 

WHEW  !!!

"Anytime you go against your OWN Mother....let's me know,U believe in me" -----Johnny Taylor 

 

VAN HUNT :  "Thought I had your mind right....'cause that's what you led me to believe"--------Tyrone davis

" Now that's pimpin' ! " 

Whew.....Texas-Stylee !!!

 

 

Jackie Wilson 

VAN HUNT :

The "original" R&B entertainer (along with Willie John) a big influence on "James Brown"

Oh Shit !!

WHATCHU KNOW ABOUT  "LITTLE" WILLIE JOHN  !?!?!?     

   

In terms of vocal layering & Styles ( only )

No Willie John ....No Marvin.

No Marvin.....No Prince.

No Prince.....No D'Angelo.

And, so on .....& so on !

VAN HUNT : [He] was to soul what chuck berry was to rock 'n' roll.

Aiiiiiiight ?!?!

 

 

 

Marvin Gaye   

VAN HUNT :

In my opinion....

The Greatest ''Sex'' soul singer.

( there's a lot of him in D'angelo.  )

he [Marvin] took Smokey Robinson's vocal style....

threw in some Nat King Cole..... and sold his brand of  "Melodic sex"

 

Yeah...man !!

"Straighten Up & Fly Right"  -------Marvin Gaye

 

 

 

Prince    photo : R-2 D-2

VAN HUNT :

"Grandson" of Ray Charles....

 "Son" of Sly......

 and a "Father" to me.

Whoooo.....and MY Big Brother.....

 

 

VAN HUNT :  [ Prince ] mastered the art of "Balancing Art & Commerce".  Pioneered a shift in the direction of emerging "Black & pop" culture.... and, did it all with courage and style.

Tell it , Van...Tell it !

And, the best thing that  a muthafucka could come up with is  :  " PRINCE FELL OFF  ?!?! "

Fell off ....of  WHAT  ?!?!

 

 

 

Aiiight , Cool........Let's play the "Either  OR  Game"

 

North  OR  South

VAN HUNT :

'Cause there's nowhere to go.... but UP.

Ha ha ha.

The " Northern"  Star .....Right ?!?!?

 

East  OR  West

VAN HUNT :

EAST !

It's grimy, working-class, overcast & honest.

Money -Makin'  Manhattan ?!?!

WHAT ?!?!

 

I think that's what's wrong with L.A.

Even "the Weather"   .... is FAKE ?!?

 

'Cause, I think with it being "Sunny"  er'day,  muthafuckas'  perception of  "Reality"  gets a little Twisted !!

Yea , Van.... I  Agree 1000 %  !!!

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder.... is somthin' that L.A. could Use !!

 

VAN HUNT :  Yeah.   I'm actually thinking of puttin' together my next record in the motor city. 

I Feel U...

VAN HUNT :  I love the "we play to eat-not pose" mentality of the city.

Ya Heard ?

 

 

Up  OR  Down

VAN HUNT :

DOWN.

My grandmother used to say "if you stay down there too long, you'll be hitting rock bottom with a shovel." but, I've always loved it down here.

Ha ha ha...

I think the beauty of being DOWN  is :

The "Optimism" of gettin'  UP  !!

(  even if it's just for the sake of  "CHANGE" ?!?!  )

 

In  OR  Out

VAN HUNT :

No one likes the shock of the electric fence. it's better to be unrestrained . 

Aaaaaw, man....... Van U ain't Never Lied

VAN HUNT : You can practice restraint.  it's hard to practice freedom.

Okay ?!?!? 

Freedom can ONLY be Practiced..... when ONE knows.....

What  "FREEDOM"  is  to begin with ?!?

It's like FINALLY  gettin'  "Peace of Mind" ?!?

Once U attain it ....NOBODY  ( including the person in question )   can take it away from U  !!

'Cause it's  SO HARD TO GET !!!

Unfortunately....all people really want is a  "Piece of Mine"

 

*Homonyms gone bad ......Next on Maury*

 

VAN HUNT :  You're Right !

I'm not trying to get all ''Zen'' on nobody.....

BUT , the best performances come from the "Un-Inhibited."

 What ?!?!

 

VAN HUNT :  You'll find yourself doing the craziest things just to get a taste of it , from inside the electric fence.

Okay ?!?!

The "Spritual" Matrix .....

 

 

Hot   OR   Cold

VAN HUNT :

 Hot !

if there's a hell below,  it must be cold!

And, we're ALL Gonna Go !!!!

The "Core" of  thangz ....WHAT ?!?!?

VAN HUNT :

Man, I terrorize my people in the studio. 

'cause I got it Burnin' Up in there. 

Damn...Ha ha ha ha!!

 

VAN HUNT : I like leanin' over my guitar-sweatin'!! 

 I'm lookin' at them like :  " What ?!? " 

"Ya'll better come up with some HOT shit, if you wanna get outta this mothafucka !!

Ha ha ha ha...

 

Spring  OR  Fall

VAN HUNT :

Spring !!!

I can't get enough of the faint smell of "Sex in Bloom".

Damn, Van  ?!?!

Ha ha ha ha.... 

"The Sexual Optimist"  ?!?!?

VAN HUNT :    If you've ever spent time in georgia, in april.....

                                            then, you know what i'm sayin'.

 

 

 

 

Stevie   OR   Prince

VAN HUNT :

I've often debated this myself. 

"Sly & Neil Young" actually came the closest to defining "the sound & the song" for me.

Yes , Yes...indeed  !

VAN HUNT :  But, to answer your question : Stevie Wonder had a greatest hits album BEFORE the shit that the world knows him for. 

Ha ha ha.....Yep !

VAN HUNT : Prince had NINE albums before anyone even thought about saying :  

" Uhhh, I don't know about that one "

Aiiiiiight ?!?

 

 VAN HUNT :  These are men who took the information given them & turned it into some incredible music. Ella [ Fitzgerald ] & Donny [ Hathaway ]  in Stevie's case,  and Little Richard & James Brown, for Prince.

Say word...

 VAN HUNT : I'm gonna give the nod to Prince !!  Only because, the son is supposed to be better than his father. But, NO ONE put more consistently good albums together than stevie ....except, maybe :  Prince ?!?

Damn!   That was a hard one!

U know how I Do......    *he he he*

What would U like to see happen in your life, in the next 10 yrs. ?

VAN HUNT :

3 more albums.....   A Greatest hits......   A Blues record.......

A Compositional Jazz record   &     A  "Pure Funk" record !!!  

                      "All Raw & Uncut" 

And , then I'll concentrate on writing , architecture :

 "The re-Building of the Black Community,  and education"

 

It's safe to that they won't find U on "MTV (Rented) Cribs" ,

unless, it was just purchased for a family THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS IT !!

VAN HUNT :  or....  "I fucked upon a castle"

                                               like my man, Russell Simmons.

 

 

Damn....

VAN ,  I can't tell U how important your record is for the industry, right now

Thanks, for all the Love.... Van !

We'll hit em up , shortly  WHAT ?!?!

VAN HUNT :

I want to "Thank You" for this. 

I LOVE talkin' MUSIC !!

Keep Smilin' &  giving the world that "Wonderful Energy" ,  you carry around with you.

* I have No words *

Thank you , Van....

I'm tryin' man ....but, it's like "Wendy & Lisa"  said :  

" It only gets HARDER ?!?" 

 

2004 .....Right ?!?!

VAN HUNT :   And , BEYOND .......

 

YES !

2004.....

"Rugged , RAW.....Kickin' Down ya Gott Damn Door !!! "     

                                                            -------Meth

                                           

 

 

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