Their first major hit as Coldcut was the house-inflected People Hold On, featuring a then-unknown Lisa Stansfield. The single took the U.K. by a storm, and the subsequent album featured such luminaries as Junior Reid (on the single "Stop This Crazy Thing") and Queen Latifah.
In 1991 they started their own record label, Ninja Tune, which continues to release groundbreaking and extremely diverse music by a small army of like-minded artists. In 1997 the duo unveiled their own real time video manipulation software, VJamm. Coldcut's current live and DJ sets rely on video as much as records, taking the concept of multimedia performance into largely uncharted territory.
Conceptually, Coldcut owes as much to the ideas of beat writer and cut-up theorist William S. Burroughs, 1970s art / industrial group Throbbing Gristle, and the religious writings of J. R. "Bob" Dobbs as much as to hip-hop originators like Grandmaster Flash or later innovators Double D and Steinski.
Recognizing the power inherent in Burroughs' cut-up technique and its presence in hip hop music, More and Black have relentlessly pushed the D.I.Y. ethic and an understanding of play as a means of fostering greater interaction with and understanding of the world around you. The similarities between this ethos and that of hacking need hardly be stated. Ninja Tune uses a corporate facade to communicate via the marketplace itself, an idea first implemented by Throbbing Gristle via their own Industrial Records imprint.
One of the key aspects of the Ninja Tune ethos, Stealth, implies that their following of DJs and listeners are "agents" in a Burroughsian sense, propagating the D.I.Y. ethic of play as an essentially subversive act by replaying and manipulating media under the radar of mainstream culture. Nowadays Coldcut reach a worldwide audience through their syndicated radio show Solid Steel. Black has recently (2003) worked with Penny Rimbaud (ex Crass) on Crass Agenda's Savage Utopia project.
In 2006, Coldcut released their fifth album, Sound Mirrors. single True Skool featured rapper Roots Manuva and featured an Indian sample from a cult Bollywood era, making the track popular on the bhangra and desi scene and with most of the British Asian urban nation.
Music 4 No Musicians
Coldcut Lyrics
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The methods don't escalate the hostility
Don't escalate the uhh... The anger
Control your mind
Control your mind.
The lyrics to Coldcut's song "Music 4 No Musicians" convey a message of peace and control in a world that often incites hostility and anger. The line "And the original phrase seemed to rise up out of the streets" implies that the idea of this message came from the very people who inhabit the world of chaos in which it is needed the most. The following lines, "The methods don't escalate the hostility, Don't escalate the uhh... The anger," suggest a need for peaceful conflict resolution, rather than fueling anger and aggression. The repetition of the phrase "Control your mind" emphasizes the power of mindfulness in controlling one's thoughts and actions, and ultimately, creating a more peaceful world.
Overall, the lyrics of "Music 4 No Musicians" promote a message of peace, control, and mindfulness. The focus is on creating a world where hostile situations can be diffused before they escalate and perpetuate more anger and aggression. By placing an emphasis on the power of positive thinking and self-control, Coldcut encourages listeners to be agents of change in creating a more peaceful world.
Line by Line Meaning
And the original phrase seemed to rise up out of the streets
The origins of this phrase can be traced back to the streets.
The methods don't escalate the hostility
The methods used here won't increase aggression and hostility.
Don't escalate the uhh... The anger
We must avoid fueling the anger or any negative emotions.
Control your mind
It is crucial to have control over one's thoughts and emotions.
Control your mind.
This point is so important it is reiterated as a reminder.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JONATHAN MORE, MATT BLACK, PAUL BROOK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind