Comments on: ESG: The famous band you've never heard about

ESG: The famous band you've never heard about

moonbird — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:57:00 -0800

For almost thirty years, the female post-punk/neo-hip-hop all-sister band ESG from the South Bronx has been influencing your favorite music [mp3 direct link]. You've probably heard them sampled recently, and sampling credits don't pay the bills. After three decades of quietly making a big noise, they are hanging it up to enjoy their golden years. Long live ESG.

By: tremspeed

tremspeed — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:24:28 -0800

nah, i've heard about em.

By: Item

Item — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:35:29 -0800

Me too. What are you trying to pull here, moonbird?

By: chillmost

chillmost — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:20:09 -0800

Although a lot of people have heard of them, it should have been more. I found them to be quite well known in Paris.

By: fandango_matt

fandango_matt — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:23:24 -0800

Eh. So? Goodbye.

By: basicchannel

basicchannel — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:25:44 -0800

One of the coolest bands ever. This is bittersweet.

By: landis

landis — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:19:56 -0800

Sampling credits may not pay the bills, but Worker's Comp fraud can, for a while.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 01:50:01 -0800

Wow! She can drum and drive a bus! Well, I mean, with that bum arm, she can't really drive a bus, but... uh... Thirteen thousand dollars in workman's comp? Plus the Euro-tour revenues? Damn, that ain't bad!

By: progosk

progosk — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:29:13 -0800

Mood(y) video.

By: PHINC

PHINC — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:30:43 -0800

I love ESG, they're like Gang of Four and Bootys Collins had a baby together. I've heard two versions of that 'UFO' song, one fast and one slow. I prefer the slower, it's got an ominous feel, but haven't figured out which album the slower version is from. These ladies are badass.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:28:34 -0800

Saw them live in '81 and '01. Their cool minimalism really needs to be seen as well as heard. Even back then, there seemed to be something cleverly post-modern in their minimalistic reduction and distillation of pop music. Is my T-shirt worth something now?

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:33:44 -0800

I found them to be quite well known in Paris. I was first alerted to them in the '80s by a Parisian music journalist.

By: sidereal

sidereal — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:37:25 -0800

Somehow I don't think they've been influencing my favorite music. From the second link: The band consists of four sisters; Maria Scroggins (congas, vocals), Renee Scroggins (guitar, vocals), and Valerie Scroggins (drums). Inside joke or something? YFBS.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 04:46:53 -0800

The band consists of four sisters; I never knew about the sister part, but the original band was 3 people: drums, bass, vocals, no guitar. They later added a guitar.

By: bullitt 5

bullitt 5 — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:55:50 -0800

Wow, hadn't heard of them. Thxs.

By: pantufla

pantufla — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:22:53 -0800

PHINC, "UFO" was released on 45 rpm (the fast version) but djs played it at 33 rpm which created the heavy sounding slower version you mention. "ESG's greatest notoriety comes from "UFO" – the spaced-out intro of which, slowed to 33 1/3 rpm, has been sampled at least 54 times by such luminaries as Public Enemy, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, Basement Jaxx, Nine Inch Nails, and N.W.A, for openers." (la city beat)

By: sleepy pete

sleepy pete — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:17:13 -0800

I had no idea they were still around... of course now it looks like they aren't. I loved that version of Moody, moonbird. They looked like they were having so much fun playing it. Thanks for the post.

By: PHINC

PHINC — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:32:07 -0800

Thanks pantufla.

By: The Great Big Mulp

The Great Big Mulp — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:05:35 -0800

I've not previously heard of this band. Looks like it's time to buy some new music.

By: Skygazer

Skygazer — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:11:16 -0800

A really cool and unique pocket of music that came out of NYC in the late 70s, that sorta post punky, proto-Rap sound with killer funky bass lines and African beats. These guys, the Bush Tetras and the Talking Heads were all mining that interesting vein. Maybe Liquid Liquid and APB could also be included in that list and the aforementioned Gang of Four who went more towards the funky abrasive side to spectacular results on Entertainment! and the other stuff they did in that period. ESG was such a unique musical outfit. Unrest did a cool lo-fi cover of "UFO' in the early 90s.

By: Skygazer

Skygazer — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:29:02 -0800

Dang. I Done killed that thread right Dead with a capital D. Dead. I hope everyone has gone away to dig up some Bush Tetras, APB and Liquid Liquid. LL wrote one of the funkiest phantasmal-tastic songs ever with Cavern which later was heavily sampled by Melle Mel for the excellent White Lines. BASS!

By: Skygazer

Skygazer — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:39:48 -0800

Holy funky beats batman!! ESG, the Bush Tetras and Liquid Liquid all recorded for the same label! NYC's 99 Records!! I had absolutely no idea when I wrote that comment. Cool and freaky. Yes, It's fun to talk to yourself on a community blog.