26 REDS & A BOTTLE OF WINE

I first came in contact with Negativland about 10 years ago when I randomly bought a copy of the Over The Edge: Muriel’s Purse Fund CD. Over The Edge is Negativland’s weekly radio show. Over The Edge is exactly the sort of odd, nebulous shit I’m all about.

Anyway, there are lots of good solid reasons to love Negativland; They once labeled U2 ‘pretentious’ and proved it by being sued by U2 over a song Negativland produced called U2 (the single was made to look like a release by U2 called Negativland). They faked a scandal by spreading a rumor that their music had been involved in (if not the cause of ) a brutal mass murder. After the media swarmed the band they released an album called Helter Stupid. Oh, they also have an ongoing prank involving the invention of a new color called Squant.

So here’s what happened. For years now I’ve been bothered by a sample on a Negativland song (their songs are almost all samples). It’s been eating at me. So finally I did something about it:

ME: (wed 2:56 PM) Hey, I've been a fan for a long time. Keep up the great work. I had one question that has been bugging me for a few years. What is the song sampled at the end of The Perfect Cut (48 hours)? It's a great little track. - Thanks

(Negativland band member) Mark Hosler: (thurs 12:45 AM) Jesse- Most of the music on there is a mix of stuff we sampled, looped, and then played on top of.
Richard might know the answer to your specific question, as he picked out a lot of the basic samples we used for the music on that one... mark

Negativland band member) Dick Lyons: (thurs 2:14 PM) Well, Jesse, there's a lot of music on that track. Most of it is from TM Productions radio demos. Perhaps you could narrow it down. If you're referring to the "Now's The Time, 48 hours to switch," that would be "Keep It Comin' Love," by KC & The Sunshine Band. Feel free to let me know if I'm off base, and I'll try again. Thanks, Richard

Me: (thurs 2:48 PM) First of all, how awesome is it that you guys got back to me with my pain in the ass question in less than 24 hours? Second, yes, that is totally the sample I was thinking of, what's embarrassing is that I own that record somewhere. I was just thinking it was much more obscure. Thanks a lot guys. Jesse

I’m sure the members of Negativland have better things to do than answer ridiculous e-mails like mine. I think it’s sweet they did and I felt I should mention it here.

The worst part of this post is that I have now admitted to owning a KC and The Sunshine Band record.

Negativland – U2

UPDATE:
Got this at 5:30 this afternoon

From Dick Lyons: No obscurity here. The song peaked at #2 in 1977, and would have easily made it to #1, if not for Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life."

I've attatched an excellent quality mp3 of the song that I just picked up a few days ago. Hopefully your box will hold it. Feel free to write with any questions about our releases. If you want any other pop songs, I pretty much have them all, and it's no trouble for me to send them your way.

Thanks again,
Richard