Altho it was recorded late 1990, I remember it as a long hot summer, seeing Marco and Femi sitting at the mixing consul in Paul Weller's Solid Bond Studios.
I remember not hearing anything at all 'til it came out.
It was probably against station regulations to play anything that long, but the week of it's release Patrick Forge played the Freedom Suite one evening on Kiss FM. The whole thing; uninterrupted.
It was hard to imagine that these two kids, guys I'd go clubbing with, hang out with, do parties with, discuss clothes with had created something so stunningly beautiful. But there it was.
And here it is.
Still sounds radical, still sounds uncompromising, still sounds as inspiring as it did when it was released twenty years ago this year.
It was A&Red by Gilles Petereson, Norman Jay and Paul Martin. Images by Chris Clunn. Sleeve design by Swifty. Guest appearances from MC Mell'O, IG Culture, Masta Ace and Outlaw Posse. Keys - Mick Talbot. Co production, Demus, Steve White and Maxton G Beesley Jnr drums, brass from Maceo, Fred and Pee Wee.
Talk about A-team.
Rumour has it the US label bosses didn't understand it. Thought it wasn't finished. Maybe they couldn't get their heads around the reduced production style; maybe they didn't like the social consciousness of the lyrics; maybe they didn't understand the racial make-up of the band (was it R&B, Hip Hop or Pop?). No one could question Carleen Anderson's' amazing vocals, surely?
Whatever the reason, only sussed underground heads and some college radio stations got switched on to the LP in the States. People like Maxwell, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Mary J and The Fugees would later build on the foundations laid by the Young Disciples and change the shape of R&B, Hip Hop and Pop for ever.
Like Marvin's What's Going On, Stevie's Songs In The Key of Life and Otis Blue, it's one of those LP's no collection is complete without.
Femi Williams and Marco Nelson are still two of the coolest, creatively influential people I know.
