WHO DID THIS TO MY RECORD COVER?

Every once in a while, like some of you, I dip my toe into international music. It didn't used to be that way. For years I listened to western music almost exclusively, primarily rock 'n' roll, soul, blues, rockabilly, and so on. I have to give credit to the Talking Heads for broadening my taste. Though I had one album of African music as far back as high school, it was a Ginger Baker LP, recorded with Fela's band, bought just because Baker was a hot shit rock drummer. 

In the early eighties, hardcore was all the rage, at least with the people that hung around the house I lived in. But it was a big house. In one room, someone is spinning Black Flag's Damaged. In another room, the Talking Heads' Fear of Music might be playing. You could move from one room of the house, with Black Flag's "Rise Above" lessening in volume as the Talking Heads' "I Zimbra" increases. By the time you get to the other room you feel like you've entered a different world.  "I Zimbra" is a real piece of work, particularly given the vintage. No one did what the Talking Heads were doing. I'd heard African music. The Talking Heads weren't African music. But they made me want to really listen to African music. Back to the kitchen for a beer. Oh jeez, here comes Black Flag again.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Talking Heads - I Zimbra mp3 at Feel My Bicep
Black Flag - Rise Above mp3 at DK Presents
Video:
Talking Heads - I Zimra (live, 1980, Rome) at YouTube
Black Flag - Rise Above (live, 1980) at YouTube
Talking Heads - Live in Rome, 1980, entire concert at YouTube