CHARITY SHOP CLASSICS (64)
So identified have The Chemical Brothers become with “The brothers gonna work it out” refrain that it is almost forgotten that this is a sample from Blake Baxter (who in turn sampled from Willie Hutch). Today, my small effort to restore the balance from finding Blake’s 1992 track in a charity shop.
Blake Baxter hasn’t featured here before, so a short Wiki bio: Baxter first began DJing in the middle of the 1980s. His first release was issued by Chicago label DJ International, which was followed by several singles on KMS Records, run by Kevin Saunderson. He worked extensively with Underground Resistance in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and had several of his productions featured on the Techno: The New Dance Sound of Detroit compilation. Around 1990 he began recording for Incognito Records, who released his debut full-length, The Underground Lives. After moving to Berlin, he released “Brothers Gonna Work it Out”, a track based on Willie Hutch‘s 1973 eponymous release, which was later sampled by The Chemical Brothers. Additionally, he worked with Orlando Voorn as The Ghetto Brothers. After returning to Detroit, he set up the labels Mix Records and Phat Joint.
“Brothers Gonna Work it Out” was released in 1992 on Logic records, licensed from Tresor Records. This was part of the Detroit / Berlin working together thing at that time. The record was given a post-production makeover and mix by Thomas Fehlman (later of The Orb) and Moritz Von Oswald. The A side (Red Planet Mix) is a disappointing track of quite frankly weak, weedy house. The real surprise is the dark, minimal techno version (Black Planet) hidden on the B Side which sounds really contemporary. If you only download one and you’ve ever liked minimal techno, this is the one to go for.
Blake Baxter – Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Red Planet Mix)
Blake Baxter – Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Black Planet Mix)
If you want the full 12″ head over to Ripped In Glasgow or for the lovely vinyl buy here.
ACID TED 