Along with his brother, Budz, he realsed the album Mr Fiddler in 1990 on Elektra. His debut solo album Waltz of a Ghetto Fly was released in 2004.
The new album'Afro Strut' is the follow up to that record and a sign that his assured and open-minded approach to his own sound has engendered a stylistic leap forward, creating in the process a diverse and ambitious second album. As a man who has achieved almost every goal he has set himself, whether it be becoming a multi instrumentalist talent, joining George Clinton's Funkadelic, or developing a base for like minded musical luminaries to collaborate and create, it was always to be expected. 'Waltz...' was more of a vibe, a full stop on a long period of his life to that point and a drawing together of unfinished songs and feelings from his youth. 'Afro Strut' was to be the fresh start that sees Amp able to look further forward as well as back to his roots, and as a result has the feel of a more fully-realised vision.
The array of collaborators and contributors to the record further emphasises this approach. Opener 'Faith' sets the standard with Amp joined by Raphael Saadiq on a timelessly deep ode to spirituality of a different kind. The UK's Justin Crawford (one half of Manchester-based dj/production outfit Unabombers) is brought in for two of the standout disco-flecked cuts 'Right Where You Are' and 'Ridin'. Amp's Jazz heritage rolls to the fore on the uplifting 'If I Don't', recalling his days in doo-wop outfit The Enchantments as a teenager and laying open the musical make up of its creator.
The sadly departed Jay Dilla's group Slum Village, another product of Camp Amp, the basement recording studio at Amp's 7 Mile home that has also had local luminary Moodyman in regular residence, is represented on the bumping 'I Need You'. Tony Allen, the man accredited with creating afrobeat alongside the great Fela Kuti, provides the drums on Afro Strut and another great, Jay-Z collaborator, Grammy winning string arranger and former member of MFSB Larry Gold steps up on album closer 'Hustle.
By referencing many of the great contemporary black music movements be it Jazz, Doo-Wop, Afrobeat, soul or hip-hop, Afro Strut is, like its predecessor, without modern day comparison. The collusion of a lifetime of influences and experiences that are drawn on, used, discarded and Amp-lified across twelve rich slices of raw funk.
www.ampfiddler.com www.myspace.com/ampfiddler
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Amp Fiddler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You the one I've been dreamin' of
Baby, you've gone away
Say you'll never come back again
And I know that
If I don't think 'bout you
I'll be sad, yeah
If I don't not think about you I'll be glad
'Cause if I don't think about you
Everythin' all around is kinda blue
And boy, you know Our life is gonna change
And if you leave, leave alone
I will never call you up again
And deep inside you know that
If I don't think 'bout you I'll be sad, yeah
If I don't stop thinkin' 'bout you I'll be mad, yeah
If I don't not think 'bout you I'll be glad, yeah
Yeah, yeah, you'll be out of my life
Baby, we are in love
And if I don't
If I don't stop thinkin' 'bout you I'll lose my mind
'Cause baby, you leave me out of sight
And I'll be away from your life, movin' on
'Cause if I don't stop thinkin' about you I'll be sad, oh
If I don't stop thinkin' 'bout you I'll, I'll be mad
If I don't I'll be mad
I'll be sad
The lyrics for the song If I Don't by Amp Fiddler feat. Corinne Bailey Rae speak about the pain of lost love and the difficulty of moving on. The song is about a person who has lost someone they love, and is struggling to come to terms with their absence. The opening lines of the song, “ ‘Cause everything peeling by, our love, turn around/ You the one I’ve been dreaming of/ Baby, you’ve gone away” allude to the idea that the person has lost the one they love, and their world is falling apart. The chorus of the song speaks to the idea that if the person doesn’t think about their lost love, they will be sad, mad, or glad. The lyrics are simple but convey the pain of lost love and the struggle to move on from someone who was once a significant part of your life.
The song's melancholic, soulful melody and beautiful vocals by Corinne Bailey Rae give the song a sense of emotional intensity. The instrumentation is minimalistic, with a soft drum beat and a simple keyboard melody that accompanies the track. Despite this simplicity, the song is incredibly powerful in its ability to convey the emotions of heartbreak and love lost. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has ever experienced the agony of a failed relationship and the need to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
'Cause everythin' peelin' by, our love, turn around
Our love is falling apart and everything is changing
You the one I've been dreamin' of
You are the person I have always wanted and dreamed about
Baby, you've gone away
You have left and are no longer here with me
Say you'll never come back again
Promise me that you will not return
And I know that
I am aware of the reality
If I don't think 'bout you
I'll be sad, yeah
If I don't stop thinkin' about you I'll be mad
If I don't not think about you I'll be glad
Thinking about you makes me both sad and mad, but not thinking about you will make me happy
'Cause if I don't think about you
Everythin' all around is kinda blue
And boy, you know Our life is gonna change
If I don't think about you, my surroundings become dull and lifeless, and our life is going to be different from now on
And if you leave, leave alone
I will never call you up again
And deep inside you know that
If you leave, I will not contact you anymore, and you know this is true
Yeah, yeah, you'll be out of my life
Baby, we are in love
Even though you will be out of my life, we still love each other
And if I don't
If I don't stop thinkin' 'bout you I'll lose my mind
'Cause baby, you leave me out of sight
And I'll be away from your life, movin' on
If I can't stop thinking about you, I will go crazy, but you are leaving me and I will have to move on with my life
'Cause if I don't stop thinkin' about you I'll be sad, oh
If I don't stop thinkin' 'bout you I'll, I'll be mad
If I don't I'll be mad
I'll be sad
Not thinking about you will make me both sad and mad, but I will still have to try to move on
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOSEPH ANTHONY FIDDLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@drstew1
R.I.P Amp Fiddler. You made us all so happy. Fortunately your voice and music will stay with us for ever🙏🏾
@IRON5
I just found out sad indeed.
@beenfrank
Rip to a great man good brotha all around genuine person I had the privilege to be in the presence of and learned from 😎👑🕊💪🏾💯 All love OG
Rest Easy
You are Truly missed and never Forgotten
@jazzthing0
WTF DID HE DIE
@beenfrank
@@jazzthing0 yes unfortunately it's True
🙏🏾👑🕊
@miatalamasca3723
@@jazzthing0Hes gone.
@DjNRaider
Rest In Peace Legend 🖤🕊️🙏🏽
Thanks for all your contributions to the music 🎧🙌🏾🔥
@kaethomas5191
RIP Amp!! Fly High! 1958-2023
@MsOneFreeSpirit
Rest up Amp... I remember growing up seeing you outside riding down your block... you were doing great things back then! You will be truly missed
@deerobinson6697
We lost a real one...R.I.P. Amp