#jefleejohnson

[theroots-blog]

VIA @QUESTLOVE 15 years ago today #ElectricCircus scared most of y’all. Both @TheRoots & @Common were in this tandem package of underground hip hop cats allowed to play in reindeer games. Our previous offerings #ThingsFallApart (us) & #LikeWaterForChocolate (him) opened doors we’d NEVER thought would let us in. It’s almost crazy that we both decided to make departure albums at the same time too. The question was who was gonna “out crazy” the other. From how I saw it if we had made #ThingsFallApartSomeMo in 2002 there would have been no surprises and by then “that sound” (neo soul/whatever you call it) was to me played out. Not to mention you hear how Slllooowwww thhhiiinnnggss sooound on #TheRootsComeAlive? I wanted energetic material that made our live show EXCITING hence the rebellious angle #Phrenology took. These albums are practically identical twins. #JefLeeJohnson spent 40 mins on #JimiWasARockStar in studio B, then 10 mins later we running his axes to Studio A to give The Roots the same magic on our 11 min #Water. I believe the first song we made for this album @VikterDuplaix liked so much he convinced Rash (Common) to let him have it and Rash can do a verse if he likes (😱😱😱😱😱) man I was mad Rash agreed. That song was my baby. The next night I think we had the skeleton of #HeavenSomewhere done & seconds later came #BetweenYouAndMeAndLiberation because @JamesPoyser didn’t have a full kit set up in his studio I remember making a “snare” drum out of a stack of cymbals on a chair (I was too lazy tonget mine from the hallway and I didn’t think rash would take something so radical sounding. turns out he did. I have limited space here so I’ll briefly share my fav story: The week we spent at @officialpaisleypark. @Prince (on tour) he was now in big brother mode & less “our idol” he gave us run of the studio & let us use whatever we wanted. (we as in Dilla/Pino/Poyser/Me) we’d send him parts to play (#Star69 is Dilla James & Prince on Keys me on drum programming Pino on bass) most important he let us play w his covered up Oberheim synths & the Linn Drum (see the interlude AFTER 69) so magical man. So much magic