808 State, interpreted through steel drums, and a brass band

February 15, 2014 1:38 PM

Last year, English conceptual artist Jeremy Deller went to Trinidad to have "Pacific State", the English dance anthem by 808 State, reworked on steel drums. He gave the project to Michelle Huggins-Watts and the Valley Harps steel pan drum group to see where they'd take it. Here is the result. Before that, he also brought a similar idea to the Williams Fairey Brass Band, and they re-arranged 808 State's "Pacific 202" (original version, for comparison).
posted by filthy light thief (16 comments total)

Wow, that's great. Pacific State is one of those songs that takes me to a particular place and time and to hear it on the steel drums is brilliant.
posted by MartinWisse at 1:52 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]

I'm not so much on steel drums, but that Williams Fairey interpretation is a thing of wonder. So lovely.
posted by mykescipark at 2:08 PM on February 15, 2014

Jeremy Deller is a wonder.
This documentary is a good illustration of that.
posted by debord at 2:19 PM on February 15, 2014 [2 favorites]

That was super. Love the way it builds.
posted by glasseyes at 2:21 PM on February 15, 2014

that Williams Fairey interpretation is a thing of wonder. So lovely.

Then you'll probably enjoy this playlist, re-sorting the tracks from the Acid Brass album.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:34 PM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

I loved that! (I wasn't the only one Chair Raving, was I?) I can't believe she arranged it and the band learnt and performed it inside two days. I love the original and it made me feel kind of choked seeing people from a different time and place hearing it for the first time and getting to own it as theirs. Seeing a little Trinidadian kid grooving to Pacific State - pure joy.
posted by billiebee at 2:48 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]

LOVE this. Thanks!
posted by scody at 3:19 PM on February 15, 2014

Oh and just noticed this is post 808 for you - excellent work!
posted by billiebee at 3:40 PM on February 15, 2014 [4 favorites]

What, that? Total coincidence.

Actually, I was tempted to do a full 808 State bio/discog post, but I didn't want to bury this video.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:17 PM on February 15, 2014 [4 favorites]

Are Pacific State and Pacific 202 two names for the same song?
posted by acb at 4:40 PM on February 15, 2014

Yes.
posted by Lazlo Nibble at 4:56 PM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

This makes me so happy. Especially since I'd forgotten the name of that 898 state track!
posted by oceanjesse at 4:57 PM on February 15, 2014

That's fucking fantastic. I love when it drops into half-time, around 4:20 in the bbc video.
posted by mannequito at 7:18 PM on February 15, 2014

Still not as epic as Gary Numan's Cars on steel drums.
posted by jonp72 at 10:12 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]

I wasn't the only one Chair Raving, was I?

Nope!

Confession: my artwank brain tries to pretend that Battle of Orgreave is my fave Deller work, but really it's this daft poster he gave away at a 'works in progress' type show in Glasgow.

It's been hanging on my wall for 8 years now, and I still giggle every time it catches my eye.
posted by jack_mo at 3:47 AM on February 16, 2014 [1 favorite]

Still not as epic as Gary Numan's Cars on steel drums

That's tremendous, thanks. Reminded me to revisit the steel version of Aphex Twin's Alberto Balsam — similarly badass.
posted by ZipRibbons at 7:17 AM on February 21, 2014 [1 favorite]