Fionn Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) If you haven't seen this before, fans of early Jamiroquai / Stuart Zender might want to check out this concert, recorded at Club Citta, Japan, in 1993. Absolutely classic stuff, the band at their very best, good recording too. The concert breaks down into chapters so easy to jump to the tunes that you particularly want to hear. Enjoy, funksters ... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhC-hhavnYg[/media] Edited August 17, 2013 by Fionn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 To my ears , they were never the same band after the digeridoo player left . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) good call Fionn. really classic stuff. i remember when i first heard Too Young to Die, was in a club in Cheltenham. naive as he was back then, him and his band made some killer records.. great drumming, great percussion, and some great bass playing from Stuart. hes a fantastic bassist. Mr X's bass playing on the 12' space cowboy is still way better than stuarts mind. just imo. Edited August 17, 2013 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I absolutely love this recording of Blow Your Mind....the rest is great too, Zender's groove is so so good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I saw them play live back in '93 and they were great . They had the World at their feet in those days , and more women than Russel Brand and Harry Styles combined . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 this bass playing from mr X is just amazing.. i still think its Randy HOPE Taylor from Incognito. just sounds so much like him. im prob totally wrong mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYVODHgKY0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest markinthegreen Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 (edited) I can put this one to bed for many of you. Mr X or other wise known as Mr Exe was a solo artist, bass player, vocalist and composer signed to Acid Jazz records during the 90's. He did a tune with Mica Paris years ago. Really good player, and you can hear the similarities in the vid" http://youtu.be/1h8DX5-_eVU Edited August 17, 2013 by markinthegreen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest markinthegreen Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Oh and I know this coz I had a chat with him years ago, I was about 16! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I still can't get past the hats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowender Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Tight. Great grooves, great playing. But the songs lack to me. I'm just not hearing any hooks. No strong melodies. One can say James Brown is just tight grooves too. But James Brown is singing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1376763216' post='2178885'] this bass playing from mr X is just amazing.. i still think its Randy HOPE Taylor from Incognito. just sounds so much like him. im prob totally wrong mind. [/quote] He's said that it wasn't him, also Jamiroquai have all said that the bloke who played was full of his own self-importance and they didn't like him - RHT has since played with Jamiroquai on Dynamite so I guess it's unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1376763216' post='2178885'] this bass playing from mr X is just amazing.. i still think its Randy HOPE Taylor from Incognito. just sounds so much like him. im prob totally wrong mind. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYVODHgKY0[/media] [/quote] Aye, sweet playing ... whoever it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Never liked the Mr X version. Totally lacks both the groove and the focus. Plus that tone....yechhhhh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 (edited) oh how different we are , i so dig Stuarts playing on that track, hes got a real groove but Mr X's fills and general traveling around the bass line is way more inventive, its alot more laid back as a track but man is the bass line more busy, in the best way. this is not taking anything away from Zenders bass line because its awsome, the difference is Stuarts bass line keeps me in the groove, Mr X's does that, but takes me on a journey. there is a huge difference for me. Edited August 24, 2013 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I'm confused here. The Mr. X version you mention is stated as being the album version on that vid, and it sounds like the one I know and love from the album. Why wouldn't Stu Zender, who was a full time member for the second album, be playing on the album's title track? Weird. But, I suppose saying that it's amazing how little he actually recorded for the first album. A few sessioners laid most if it down before he got the job I believe, including Andrew Levy from the Brand New Heavies. This is the only version of Space Cowboy I've ever heard. Anyone got a link to the one Stu Zender did play on? Would love to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1377324039' post='2186170'] oh how different we are , i so dig Stuarts playing on that track, hes got a real groove but Mr X's fills and general traveling around the bass line is way more inventive, its alot more laid back as a track but man is the bass line more busy, in the best way. this is not taking anything away from Zenders bass line because its awsome, the difference is Stuarts bass line keeps me in the groove, Mr X's does that, but takes me on a journey. there is a huge difference for me. [/quote] You see to me it just sounds like he's noodling, in the sort of way I would if I was just jamming along with the track and thinking more about the bass than the song. It doesn't sound IMO like he's really thinking about what works best for the track. To me it just sounds unfocussed, and I'm normally a fan of busy (as anyone who knows me and my playing will attest ). Each to their own, but I'll happily stick with Stu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lizard Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 I don't really like the version with Mr "X" on it. Stuart Zender's bassline grooves perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1377329231' post='2186207'] I'm confused here. The Mr. X version you mention is stated as being the album version on that vid, and it sounds like the one I know and love from the album. Why wouldn't Stu Zender, who was a full time member for the second album, be playing on the album's title track? Weird. But, I suppose saying that it's amazing how little he actually recorded for the first album. A few sessioners laid most if it down before he got the job I believe, including Andrew Levy from the Brand New Heavies. This is the only version of Space Cowboy I've ever heard. Anyone got a link to the one Stu Zender did play on? Would love to check it out. [/quote] I think Stu was away IIRC, and when he came back they'd done it without him. He explained it in an interview once but I can't remember the exact details. I imagine he wasn't best pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Stu Zender played on the released single so if you ever hear it on the radio that will be his version. Essentially the chorus bassline is totally different. I personally prefer Zenders version, as others have said it just seems more focused and tight with a better groove. I think that he played on everything but this version of Space Cowboy on their 2nd album it was Emergency On Planet Earth that had Andrew Levy and others on it. [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1377329231' post='2186207'] I'm confused here. The Mr. X version you mention is stated as being the album version on that vid, and it sounds like the one I know and love from the album. Why wouldn't Stu Zender, who was a full time member for the second album, be playing on the album's title track? Weird. But, I suppose saying that it's amazing how little he actually recorded for the first album. A few sessioners laid most if it down before he got the job I believe, including Andrew Levy from the Brand New Heavies. This is the only version of Space Cowboy I've ever heard. Anyone got a link to the one Stu Zender did play on? Would love to check it out. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted August 24, 2013 Author Share Posted August 24, 2013 I like both versions, in different ways ... I like the "journey" of the Mr.X bassline that Bubinga5 pointed out, although I prefer the Zender line as it's more focused and edgy. Zender missed the recording of the track because he had to rush to Paris to save his relationship with Mila Jovovic. Personally, I would have missed the whole album for an opportunity like that ... she hot! grrrrrrrrr!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1377329231' post='2186207'] I'm confused here. The Mr. X version you mention is stated as being the album version on that vid, and it sounds like the one I know and love from the album. Why wouldn't Stu Zender, who was a full time member for the second album, be playing on the album's title track? Weird. But, I suppose saying that it's amazing how little he actually recorded for the first album. A few sessioners laid most if it down before he got the job I believe, including Andrew Levy from the Brand New Heavies. This is the only version of Space Cowboy I've ever heard. Anyone got a link to the one Stu Zender did play on? Would love to check it out. [/quote] That's not right, Stuart Zender played on every single track of Emergency On Planet Earth, Return Of The Space Cowboy and Travelling Without Moving apart from two songs, 'When You Gonna Learn' (Andrew Levy, Stuart wasn't even in the band at this stage as far as I'm aware) and the [b]album [/b]version of Space Cowboy. He did play on the single version and every single song on the rest of the first three albums, no session players were brought in. The latter track wasn't played on by Zender because he had taken time out of the studio to sort out his breakup with his then girlfriend. When he came back it turned out that Jay had gotten someone else to fill in for him. Zender was not too pleased. Zender even played on most of the tracks for the 4th album Synkronized but when he was finally given the boot/left the band his tracks were erased or shelved and Nick Fyffe was brought into replace him. Some of the tracks were available a long time ago to listen to Zender's original recordings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted August 24, 2013 Author Share Posted August 24, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1377340274' post='2186402'] Some of the tracks were available a long time ago to listen to Zender's original recordings. [/quote] What? from Synkronized? You got any more info? I'd love to hear those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
booboo Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Great band, all outrageously talented guys despite the tragic headgear. One thing I've never been able to get pat with JK is the whole environmentalist/right-on thing with the Emergency on Planet Earth album followed by using his ethically sourced planet saving album money to amass a large collection of the worlds most gas guzzling supercars. Fairplay to the bloke for his talent and success, but no one likes a Hypocrite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 [quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1377341516' post='2186427'] What? from Synkronized? You got any more info? I'd love to hear those! [/quote] I wouldn't have any idea where to get hold of them now, I used to be part of the Zender forum when I was younger and they did the rounds. Can't remember exact details! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1377340274' post='2186402'] That's not right, Stuart Zender played on every single track of Emergency On Planet Earth, Return Of The Space Cowboy and Travelling Without Moving apart from two songs, 'When You Gonna Learn' (Andrew Levy, Stuart wasn't even in the band at this stage as far as I'm aware) and the [b]album [/b]version of Space Cowboy. He did play on the single version and every single song on the rest of the first three albums, no session players were brought in. The latter track wasn't played on by Zender because he had taken time out of the studio to sort out his breakup with his then girlfriend. When he came back it turned out that Jay had gotten someone else to fill in for him. Zender was not too pleased. Zender even played on most of the tracks for the 4th album Synkronized but when he was finally given the boot/left the band his tracks were erased or shelved and Nick Fyffe was brought into replace him. Some of the tracks were available a long time ago to listen to Zender's original recordings. [/quote] Yep you are totally correct there... I remember being surprised and disappointed years ago when I read that Zender only played on Too Young To Die. I remember now reading his interview in BGM (the one with his sig SZ Warwick in) and he laughed at similar suggestions, even going so far as to say he would show the royalties invoices from Sony for "Emergency". So yeah, my bad. Forgot about that earlier. Would LOVE to hear his Synkronised basslines! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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