Black & red heavy weight hand-crafted 45 RPM vinyl, housed in a single-pocket LP-sleeve with additional visual enrichment on cover. Includes: 8-page 12" coloured booklet, a CD edition with two bonus tracks (Radio Edits), and an additional download code for Bandcamp.
Published by Interstellar Smoke Records (#ISR011)
Includes unlimited streaming of Troublemaker
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... a rock revolution happened. In the 1970s the young republic of Zambia, which had just freed itself from the stranglehold of British colonialism and lay upon thriving copper mines, cheerfully awaited modernisation and prosperity. Alas, the bright future never came: the global copper market crashed, and Zambia soon descended into isolation, poverty, and dictatorship.
The political, social, and economic turmoil spawned its own soundtrack: Zamrock. This ingenious fusion of traditional African folk music, funky beats, and psychedelic fuzzed-out guitars was inspired by British and American artists, but the weed-smoking Zamrockers, who sported Afros, bell-bottoms, and platform shoes, were by no means copycats. They created their own, powerful musical tale, which impeccably reflected the troublesome Zeitgeist.
The Zamrock scene was untimely erased by the country’s economic and political collapse, piracy, changing musical trends, and the AIDS epidemic. Many musicians died, others left the business to make a living. After a couple of decades, the long-forgotten genre was rediscovered and found global exposure. Several classic albums were reissued by boutique foreign record labels, and the story of Zamrock and its role in the socio-economic, political and cultural evolution of the country was recounted in numerous books and documentaries. We also wanted to chip in a little bit.
The Sabbathesque “Trouble Maker” is a fuzzed-out, lo-fi anthem featured on “My Ancestors” (1974), the album by Chrissy Zebby Tembo and Ngozi Family. We’ve added on a couple of crazy overdubbed guitar solos and wacky choral singing. Lead vocals were laid by our drummer, Maciek, whose larynx proved to be the most African of us all. Fun fact: Chrissy Zebby Tembo was a singing drummer too. Synchronicity again?
lyrics
When you new way you went
Why did you tell me
The pirates are looking for you
The curtain is after you
You're now a trouble maker
You're now a trouble maker
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