BARRACUDA
is our youngest label (founded originally in fall 1996 under the
misleading name LIP-HOT) specialising in R&B, soul and funk.
Since it is a "pop" label in the broadest sense, we cooperate with
many other companies worldwide. This means that we only have the
rights for a few countries in some cases - and the albums might be
available on other (usually major ) labels in some countries.
Label catalogue:
- HOT 8942-2 New Cut Grooves (compilation, including some
LIPSTICK artists with vocal tunes)
- HOT 8943-2 Prime Crime - Animal Rites (politically
un-correct, eclectic funk, salsa and soul)
- HOT 8944-2 Anita Carmichael - Anita
Carmichel (great UK pop-jazz saxophonist and
singer)
- HOT 8946-2 Ray Gaskins - Can't
Stop (definetely low-fi .. homerecorded original acid-jazz
album)
- HOT 8947-2 Soul Immigrants - A Healthy Vibe (soul-funk
with jazzy elements)
- HOT 8950-2 KAZDA - Finally
(melodic funk-rap with heavy guitars .. Crossover?)
- HOT 8953-2 Ray Gaskins - Shady
Lane (funk & soul, old school r&b - in Spain on
Fonomusic , in the USA available on BeanBag Records - I have seen
it in Tower , Virgin and other stores at least in New York
occassionally)
- BAR 5972-2 Anita Carmichael -
Today
- BAR 5973-2 Illegal Aliens - Time
So far the following musicians are on BARRACUDA:
- Illegal Aliens - progressive rock
from the drummer of "H-Blockx" and "Freaky Fukin' Weirdos" and
greek-born singer Artemis (who was also heard on albums by the
H-Blockx and has an incredibly versatile and energetic
voice).
- PRIME CRIME - a eclectic mixture of
salsa, funk and jazz with Remy D., Phil Perry, Paquito d'Rivera
a.o.. (Prime Crime has just appeared in paris and will be on tour
later this year).
- RAY GASKINS - singer, saxophonist
and singer from Baltimore (watch for the videoclip on VIVA, VH-1
Germany and others)
- ANITA CARMICHAEL - singer, saxophonist
from London (not available through us in the USA, Japan or
UK)
- SOUL IMMIGRANTS - a great and
original soul-group from London with rapper JC001, singer Emrys
Baird and many other great musicians. Their first single got a lot
of airplay on german hit stations and charted on the french "Black
List" (a list of the most popular songs on the french radio
stations specialising in soul, funk and r&b) - and the album
has already reached over 3.000 fans in Japan.
- KAZDA - the cosmopolitan funk group
is now on LIP-HOT with their second album. Somtimes reminiscend of
Prince - and the album contains a great cover of "Sign Of The
Times".
(click on their names to get to more information)
The label has nothing to do with some purely synthetic "R&B" - we
only work with real musicians instead of machine or computer
operators. This doesn't mean we are against drum-computers or loops -
if they are used creatively, they can be great.
We also don't work with DJs as "artists" - DJs have a valuable role
in choosing and playing music for the dancefloor, but they are
usually not trained musicians. In the creative process, they follow
even behind the interpreting musicians, which in turn follow the
composers. Today there are too many guys around who can just feel a
good groove - and think (out of purely commercial reasons or personal
arrogance) that they should be "stars". A few guys became good
musicians, but most of the DJs we heard should not make records.
While the music on BARRACUDA is based on vocals our band leaders
are always also good players on an instrument and have worked as
backing musicians for others before starting their own careers.
Click on the logos get to:
or get background information about the music business at:
www.mebis.com
Author: Alex
Merck
Last Updated: 8. September 1999