GRANDGOOD

As I delve and deep dive into the archives, striving to perfect my podcast’s milieu, I present the first of what hopefully may be a small mini-series of archival conversations by either myself or my peers – that I am simply calling ‘Chronicles’. Today’s show being the latter.

From 1988 to 91 Jamieson Grillo hosted the ‘Saturday Night Rap Devastation’ show at WRBB 104.9FM at Northeastern University in Boston. During the quar’ Jamieson and I were talking on the phone while he was going through boxes of old cassettes in his office, casually he noted a 1990 X-Clan interview he’d just discovered. I inquired and he then told me of his time chasing down live interviews to be broadcast on the radio. He then mentioned doing the same with KRS-One. Soon enough he digitized those cassettes, we checked them out and he agreed to allow me to host an episode where I share these with you. They are raw, of the moment, audio captured on the fly.

At the time, Jamieson was just getting his start working in the music business. During this period, DJ Shame (later of Vinyl Reanimators) was the radio show’s DJ, he would continue the show after Jamieson’s eventual departure. I start the show with KRS-One and Jamieson, which was recorded at two different times, primarily on Tues Oct 9th, 1990. Part one was done as a phone interview from the studios of WRBB while part two was recorded live backstage at a club called The Channel (a famous spot in South Boston), shortly before KRS and D-Nice were to take the stage. I follow the KRS convo with an unreleased remix to “Dope Beat”, because he mentions it being the next single to the then brand new album Edutainment.

Then, we have the X-Clan conversation which takes place backstage at a venue called the Hub Club in Downtown Boston on Mon, Oct 22nd 1990. It’s an incredible snap shot of X-Clan fully intact who were promoting their indelible debut To The East, Blackwards. The interviewer is briefly joined by a friend who asks a few questions, as well. At a moment, the night manager of the club even attempt to kick them out near the end. I myself had a moment where I got to become friends with Professor X shortly before he passed away and gotta say, this was a pretty incredible artist. I met Brother J many years before that and have to say he has always been one of the great voices of the genre.

Now, on this same very show was the iconic DJ Clark Kent which Jamieson recorded on the handheld as well, albeit briefly. I thought I’d include here. Now, the audio isn’t the greatest but I have to thank Jerry Danielsen for his work editing and tweaking the sounds to make it better listen. The interviewer Jamieson would go on to intern for S.O.U.L. Records and then PWL and eventually Tommy Boy.

I know him even more from his Redline distribution company that has released/distro many dope records and projects PLEASE visit his store and support: redlinemusicdistribution.bigcartel.com