Arthur Baker

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Whatever happened to him? Seminal NYC dance-music producer, early '80s, all over that Tommy Boy four-disc electro/freestyle set from a few years back, remixed New Order's "Confusion" and even appeared in the video. Anyone?

― Lee G (Lee G), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

now owning a restaurant in Ladbroke Grove

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

he recently "remixed" Interpol's Obstacle1 with disasterous results. it sounds like the sort of finger on the pause button of your cassette player mixes i used to do when i was 12 (i did a really good one of Wood Beez, or so i thought at the time!)

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

owns or did own the Elbow Room in Islington too, I was told (is this true?)...

still DJs regularly - saw him back in December at the XMF Remix A-Z of DJs special which was cool. was presenting his own show on XFM called Baker's Dozen (DYS) for a while too.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

he owns several billiard bars/restaurants in london, all called the elbow room i think. absolutely disgusting food, about as bad as his recent musical efforts.

xpost

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

He does own the Elbow Room in Islington, yeah. And the one in Shoreditch. I saw his penis once when Fridge played there - fact.

― 39 Steps + 40 Winks (39 Steps + 40 Winks), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

i saw him at the boutique in septemberish and he was pretty enh

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

He got lost in a drugs haze, married a Dutch model (now divorced) and got back on his musical feet with Rennie Pilgrim. Good friends with the 2 Many DJ's guys.

― pip, Wednesday, 4 February 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah. Good to know. Both better and, in some ways, worse than I expected. Cheers.

― Lee G (Lee G), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 19:08 (twenty-two years ago)

didn't just remix Confusion, pretty much co-wrote it. Same time as Freeze's I.O.U. But he didn't disappear as immediately after all those things you mention, there was a lot questionable stuff in the mid to late 80s. And now he's back cashing in on some of the early 80s NYC retro-love. I haven't heard his recent DJ sets though, so no comment...

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 19:13 (twenty-two years ago)

so where's john rocca then?

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't heard his recent DJ sets though

bleeurgh.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

he plays nu-breaks mainly no?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:12 (twenty-two years ago)

he produced that 20 minute mogwai single a couple years ago.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 21:16 (twenty-two years ago)

no, that was Albini. Arthur Baker was credited with "inspiring" them to "cover" that particular Jewish prayer (Baker is Jewish, I believe).

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

ahh, that's right. i knew that at one point but, ya know.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, where is John Rocca? "Southern Freeze," "IOU," "Anti-Freeze" and "I Want it to be Real" are all faves, and the b-side to I Want it to be Real, "An Englishman in New York" is "dope"

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

dreadful remixer. incredibly, shockingly, hysterically, deliriously bad dj.

and, john rocca deserves 99.9999% the glory for the music that arthur has based his reputation on.

― monsterstir, Thursday, 5 February 2004 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

In defense, I liked his Blondie mix from last year and this cool Nona Hendryx 12" from '84. I probably haven't yet regretted the records I've bought with his name on 'em cause they're cheep more'n anything else.

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 5 February 2004 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

hi, twitch!

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 5 February 2004 00:57 (twenty-two years ago)

twitch, so Baker get's the beats from Rocca, add New Order and you get Confusion, and what part does John Robie play in all of this? what about getting credit for Planet Rock, or Rockers Revenge?

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan OTM.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:15 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm an idiot - i meant john robie, not john rocca.

hi lauren! due to extreme hangover i never hooked up with yr boys in glasgow. but, i'll see them in miami. you coming?

― stirmonster, Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"hi twitch!" is like lauren's iconic catchphrase or something.

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

she says it to all the boys, doncha know?

― stirmonster, Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

and boy, does it drive them wild.
hopefully i'll be in miami. you should bring your ladyfriend!

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:21 (twenty-two years ago)

sadly my ladyfriend can't afford it and i'm too cheap to bring her.

― stirmonster, Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

She must be very special to you.

Ha, 'twitch' is now a dirrty word!

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, it's not a greeting....it's a command. It's really "hi...now twitch," because that's what boys do when she's around.

back on topic, so yeah, that makes more sense giving Robie the credit, but didn't John Rocca produce "I Want it to Be Real" himself? I'll have to check. If so, he was definately learning from Robie.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan, that's exactly what I meant (after removing any possible thoughts of sexual connotations whatsoever).

Anyway, this thread is a bit of an eye opener so I'll refrain from being 'witty' for a bit.

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 5 February 2004 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Not that this has anything to do with this thread, but...
QUESTION: Which version of "Confusion" did Arthur produce? The one on Retro or the one on Substance? Which came first?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 5 February 2004 03:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Alright. First off -- his remix of Jill Jones' "Mia Bocca" is tremendous, as are (yawn) "planet Rock", "Confusion", etc. etc.

But -- and this is a really big BUT - I've had occassion to speak to the man twice now, at different times, and he's not a nice person. Rather arrogant and gaseous, actually. So there's one hero shot down big time for me.

Where are the props for John Robie (the real Wizard)?

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Thursday, 5 February 2004 07:20 (twenty-two years ago)

i want to get back to the props for John Rocca. Freeze were great! I new the electro stuff and had heard the early stuff was hot but hadn't heard it untill the Soul Jazz British Hustle UK Jazz Funk comp came out. Southern Freeze is a great, great song, definately see it's relation to Francine Mghee and the Andy Sojka/Atmosfear/Powerline school of jazz funk, but it's a great pop song as well...

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 5 February 2004 08:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw Arthur Baker DJ in Sydney a few years ago. As soon as he mixed in Where's Your Head At everyone went nuts.

― mentalist (mentalist), Thursday, 5 February 2004 10:25 (twenty-two years ago)

credit to Buxton & Ratcliffe there then ;)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 5 February 2004 11:24 (twenty-two years ago)

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