Average White Band - the 15th most sampled act in history!

[editor]

Surprised to come across this fact, but then their AWB album was an absolute corker.

They have influenced others such as the Brand New Heavies, and been sampled by various musicians including the Beastie Boys, TLC, The Beatnuts, Too Short, Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Nas, and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as Arrested Development[1] – making them the 15th most sampled act in history

Still play this tune loads too:



I never knew this:

It also prompted The J.B.'s, the backup band of the "Godfather of Soul", James Brown, to record and release a song in reply, "Pick Up the Pieces, One by One", under the name AABB (Above Average Black Band). It was both a tribute to AWB's knowledge of funk and a tongue-in-cheek play on the Scottish band's name.

Can't say it comes remotely close to matching AWB's grooving.




Average White Band - Wikipedia

 

[Sprocket.]

Without doubt one of the best bands I have ever seen. Their first album and Feel No Fret are my two most played albums on vinyl, at the front of the pile as I post this.
My cousin was fortunate enough to tour with them with his band back in the early eighties, always says how helpful and decent they all are.

 

[passenger]

Did they support Bob Marley at the Crystal palace bowl back in the 80`s ? great band and interesting fact

 

[quimcunx]

I feel that



was heavily influenced by pick up the pieces.

 

[editor]

Did they support Bob Marley at the Crystal palace bowl back in the 80`s ? great band and interesting fact

Yep!

 

[lefteri]

I never knew this:


Can't say it comes remotely close to matching AWB's grooving.

Nor me, the backing is recycled from a much better JBs track, hot pants Road I think

 

[Sprocket.]

editor, also thanks for the vid of AABB, A fellow apprentice lent me that back around 76 and today is the first time I've heard it since.

 

[hipipol]

Check out what Americsan musicians were doing at the same time - gives a proper measure of what they managed to do

saw em 5 times. really nice guys, proper team players, the made and excellent noise!!

 

[The39thStep]

Seriously underrated band and years ahead of their time

 

[ska invita]

Sorry to be a pain ,but that "15th most sampled" really doesnt sound right so had to fact check it...whosampled has them at #81 which is as best an authority as exists Most Sampled Artists | WhoSampled

The source for #15 most sampled is this interview, but theres no proof there (in fact in that piece they tallied 100+ samples, and whosampled has them at 380 odd)

 

[Kaka Tim]

Sorry to be a pain ,but that "15th most sampled" really doesnt sound right so had to fact check it...whosampled has them at #81 which is as best an authority as exists Most Sampled Artists | WhoSampled

The source for #15 most sampled is this interview, but theres no proof there

interesting list. surprised to see mostly forgotten early 70s rockers "mountain" at 44 - making them the second most most sampled white rock band after the beatles. Is there a particular reason for this?

I always liked this track of theirs when i was a kid - it was used as the theme tune for weekend world in the 70s. All those heavy chords, frenetic drums and dramatic key boards would get me all going - only to leave me sadly disappointed when the music stopped and you were left with some old fart with a comb over droning on about the IMF and the trade deficit.

 

[ska invita]

interesting list. surprised to see mostly forgotten early 70s rockers "mountain" at 44 - making them the second most most sampled white rock band after the beatles. Is there a particular reason for this?

Looks like that'll be because of this one track Long Red by Mountain on WhoSampled Long Red, with the drum break especially being a staple sample breakbeat (619 uses ID'd on whosampled there in that link

 

[ska invita]

I always liked this track of theirs when i was a kid - it was used as the theme tune for weekend world in the 70s. All those heavy chords, frenetic drums and dramatic key boards would get me all going - only to leave me sadly disappointed when the music stopped and you were left with some old fart with a comb over droning on about the IMF and the trade deficit.

brilliant! My one like that was The Money Programme - which was Carpetbaggers by Jimmy Smith



hah, good Monty Python spoof of it here (including the theme)

 

[blossie33]

I have that AWB album - great tunes.
Saw them live at Ronnie Scott's in Birmingham (no longer open) in the 90s, in fact I won the tickets from a local radio show - they were still great.

 

[editor]

Sorry to be a pain ,but that "15th most sampled" really doesnt sound right so had to fact check it...whosampled has them at #81 which is as best an authority as exists Most Sampled Artists | WhoSampled

The source for #15 most sampled is this interview, but theres no proof there (in fact in that piece they tallied 100+ samples, and whosampled has them at 380 odd)

That sounds more like it. Still a chuffing great band!

 

[Ponyutd]

Yep!

The Q Tips were Paul Youngs band. Had a dreadful record called Toast. Don't Youtube it. Seriously... don't!

 

[SpookyFrank]

Check out what Americsan musicians were doing at the same time - gives a proper measure of what they managed to do

saw em 5 times. really nice guys, proper team players, the made and excellent noise!!

Is Jimmy Smith on that by any chance?

 

[hipipol]

Is Jimmy Smith on that by any chance?

No, just a rip/nod of to the blue note album
Funk, Inc. - Wikipedia.

 

[lefteri]

Check out what Americsan musicians were doing at the same time - gives a proper measure of what they managed to do

saw em 5 times. really nice guys, proper team players, the made and excellent noise!!

I'm not sure what you're getting at really, black American musicians invented the music that AWB copied, or have I misunderstood?

 

[hipipol]

I'm not sure what you're getting at really, black American musicians invented the music that AWB copied, or have I misunderstood?

Trying to illustrate just how good band they were, wherever they were from, whatever their ethnicity, they were a stonking good outfit who got the recognition because they were good, not merely cos they were white boys playing this, ie a novelty act - at the same time they were about 10CC were doing Dreadlock Holiday, Led Zep, Stones, etc, who'll bunch o peeps slaughtered Reggae - AWB proved the stereotypical assumption of gimmicky white git by actually playing the music like they LOVED it - which they obviously did
I realise that this "cultural Imperialism" is now frowned on but they did it cos it was the music they loved

 

[lefteri]

Trying to illustrate just how good band they were, wherever they were from, whatever their ethnicity, they were a stonking good outfit who got the recognition because they were good, not merely cos they were white boys playing this, ie a novelty act - at the same time they were about 10CC were doing Dreadlock Holiday, Led Zep, Stones, etc, who'll bunch o peeps slaughtered Reggae - AWB proved the stereotypical assumption of gimmicky white git by actually playing the music like they LOVED it - which they obviously did
I realise that this "cultural Imperialism" is now frowned on but they did it cos it was the music they loved

Fair enough, yeah I got no problem with white boys playing funk as long as they're good, which they were of course

 

[hipipol]

Fair enough, yeah I got no problem with white boys playing funk as long as they're good, which they were of course

What about black people in Opera? Are you OK with that?

 

[ska invita]

can anyone name some AWB instrumentals, other than pick up the pieces?

 

[ska invita]

Fair enough, yeah I got no problem with white boys playing funk as long as they're good, which they were of course

I've got no problem with it if they're shit either

 

[lefteri]

I've got no problem with it if they're shit either

Well I have a problem if I have to listen to it

 

[hipipol]

interesting list. surprised to see mostly forgotten early 70s rockers "mountain" at 44 - making them the second most most sampled white rock band after the beatles. Is there a particular reason for this?

I always liked this track of theirs when i was a kid - it was used as the theme tune for weekend world in the 70s. All those heavy chords, frenetic drums and dramatic key boards would get me all going - only to leave me sadly disappointed when the music stopped and you were left with some old fart with a comb over droning on about the IMF and the trade deficit.

Nantucket sleigh ride is the track - they had a drummer who really attacked his kit, prob the samples are of drum breaks......

 

[hipipol]

can anyone name some AWB instrumentals, other than pick up the pieces?

They were primarily a vocal band, pick up the bits is the ONLY instrumental I have heard of theirs - not saying there isn't another vocal free track but most of their output was like this

 

[ska invita]

They were primarily a vocal band, pick up the bits is the ONLY instrumental I have heard of theirs - not saying there isn't another vocal free track but most of their output was like this

ive found one, called Oh Maceo...but I dont know their albums at all tbh. Dont mean to be critical but I think the vocals let them down just that little bit, im comparison to having someone like James Brown on the mic




thats from a 1997 album

 

[hipipol]

I think the vocals let them down just that little bit, im comparison to having someone like James Brown on the mic

Agree vocals weak but very, very few could and prob ever will, come close to J Brown Esq re vocal skills

 

[lefteri]

Agree vocals weak but very, very few could and prob ever will, come close to J Brown Esq re vocal skills

Average White vocals