I think it’s a safe bet that, if you’re sitting here reading this, you’re probably nodding in agreement (as you sip your shitty coffee from the corner booth of the very same McDonald’s we’re both stealing wifi from right now) that Fela Kuti’s music is both timeless and badass. And it’s no secret that the Knitting Factory label thinks so too, as they’ve been steadfastly releasing vinyl box set reissues of classic Fela Kuti material (while possibly also stealing their internet from a fast food restaurant) for a hot minute or two now. One was curated by ?uestlove; another by Ginger Baker. Pretty badass dudes in their own right.
But now, as Pitchfork reports, the whole concept of timeless-badassery is about to be entrusted to none other than… Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno?
Yep, it’s true. The man whose full name is about as long as a Fela Kuti song has recently been announced as the third curator of a brand-new Fela Kuti vinyl box! His chosen albums include 1971’s London Scene, 1972’s Shakara, 1973’s Gentleman, 1973’s Afrodisiac, 1976’s Zombie, 1976’s Upside Down, and 1980’s I.T.T.. Hey, aren’t those are the same years everyone thought Eno ruled? Anyway, the box will also sport “a 12-page booklet with a foreword by Eno, song lyrics, and in-depth commentaries by Afrobeat historian Chris May.” Killer-diller!
The box set is out September 30 and can be pre-ordered here, and peep Eno’s thoughts on Fela’s influence down below. Hey! Then you can go hunt through his entire discography looking for Afrobeat signifiers, like I’m about to do!
• Fela Kuti: http://felakuti.bandcamp.com
• Knitting Factory: http://www.knittingfactoryrecords.com
• Brian Eno: http://brian-eno.net
