Little Axe is American musician Skip McDonald (born Bernard Alexander in Da… Read Full Bio ↴Little Axe is American musician Skip McDonald (born Bernard Alexander in Dayton, Ohio, on 1 September 1949. After being part of the house band for Sugarhill Records, McDonald assumed the moniker "Little Axe" and began moving from hip hop to a form of blues that drew from an array of musical influences, including dub, R&B, gospel, and jazz.
McDonald learned to play the blues on his father's guitar from the age of 8, although by the time he was 12 years old he had opted to perform doo-wop. Having completed his high school education, he left Dayton with a band called the Ohio Hustlers, which broke up not long after relocating to New York City. His first professional work as a musician began when he formed the Entertainers who toured the east coast through to the mid-70s.
He moved on to Hartford, Connecticut, and there's when he met Doug Wimbish, who played in a band called Wood, Brass & Steel. Wood, Brass & Steel recorded a selftitled album for All Platinum Records, the label of Sylvia and Joe Robinson, in 1976. Skip and Doug played a lot of music together, in clubs and colleges around New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
In 1979, three years after the Wood, Brass & Steel album, Skip and Doug teamed up with drummer Keith LeBlanc and they became the house band for Sugarhill Records, the Robinson's new label. The trio played on some of the earliest rap hits such as The Message and White Lines (Don't Do It) with Grandmaster Flash.
While they worked at Sugar Hill, LeBlanc also freelanced at Tommy Boy Records where he first met Adrian Sherwood. LeBlanc introduced his colleagues to Sherwood and the trio were persuaded to relocate in London. Upon their entry into the On-U Sound fold, the group formed a production team and, again, a house band, this time for On-U. The three participated in dozens of records on Sherwood's label.
The partnership developed and metamorphosed into a fully-fledged band, Tackhead. Though good working relationships remain to this day, the dispersion of Tackhead in the early 1990s saw Keith and Doug pursue more of their own projects and play less often togther.
For Skip the time since has seen him work ever more closely with Sherwood, both on his own projects and as a musician or guest vocalist on many other of Adrian's On-U Sound productions - such as by Junior Delgado, Bim Sherman, Dub Syndicate and African Head Charge, sometimes along side Keith and /or Doug.
Skip has been the prime mover behind Little Axe since around 1992. Under a name inspired by Bob Marley's Small Axe and gospel singer Willmer 'Little Ax' Broadnax, the debut album Wolf That House Built was a personal take on blues and dub, and was released to critical acclaim in 1994. This had followed a partial release in Japan compiled in a slightly different form and with a different title (Never Turn Back) the previous year. The second Little Axe album, Slow Fuse, was also well received. Both albums featured tabla player Talvin Singh, for Slow Fuse the gifted voices of Kevin Gibbs and Sas Bell were added.
Then it remained silent for far too long. In 2002 Skip's third Little Axe album Hard Grind became the first release for four years on Sherwood's revived and re-launched On-U Sound label with a mixture of raw blues and reggae. While Hard Grind no doubt will also draw comparisons to Moby's Play, it was Skip who pioneered the fusion of blues and electronic music with Little Axe.
In 2006 Skip McDonald finished the fifth Little Axe album, Stone Cold Ohio, after Champagne and Grits (2004), the second record released on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. Skip still has got the blues but this time the emphasis is on the gospel, another of Skip's old loves. The production and mixing was done Adrian Sherwood; 'gospel dub' like you never heard before.
McDonald learned to play the blues on his father's guitar from the age of 8, although by the time he was 12 years old he had opted to perform doo-wop. Having completed his high school education, he left Dayton with a band called the Ohio Hustlers, which broke up not long after relocating to New York City. His first professional work as a musician began when he formed the Entertainers who toured the east coast through to the mid-70s.
He moved on to Hartford, Connecticut, and there's when he met Doug Wimbish, who played in a band called Wood, Brass & Steel. Wood, Brass & Steel recorded a selftitled album for All Platinum Records, the label of Sylvia and Joe Robinson, in 1976. Skip and Doug played a lot of music together, in clubs and colleges around New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
In 1979, three years after the Wood, Brass & Steel album, Skip and Doug teamed up with drummer Keith LeBlanc and they became the house band for Sugarhill Records, the Robinson's new label. The trio played on some of the earliest rap hits such as The Message and White Lines (Don't Do It) with Grandmaster Flash.
While they worked at Sugar Hill, LeBlanc also freelanced at Tommy Boy Records where he first met Adrian Sherwood. LeBlanc introduced his colleagues to Sherwood and the trio were persuaded to relocate in London. Upon their entry into the On-U Sound fold, the group formed a production team and, again, a house band, this time for On-U. The three participated in dozens of records on Sherwood's label.
The partnership developed and metamorphosed into a fully-fledged band, Tackhead. Though good working relationships remain to this day, the dispersion of Tackhead in the early 1990s saw Keith and Doug pursue more of their own projects and play less often togther.
For Skip the time since has seen him work ever more closely with Sherwood, both on his own projects and as a musician or guest vocalist on many other of Adrian's On-U Sound productions - such as by Junior Delgado, Bim Sherman, Dub Syndicate and African Head Charge, sometimes along side Keith and /or Doug.
Skip has been the prime mover behind Little Axe since around 1992. Under a name inspired by Bob Marley's Small Axe and gospel singer Willmer 'Little Ax' Broadnax, the debut album Wolf That House Built was a personal take on blues and dub, and was released to critical acclaim in 1994. This had followed a partial release in Japan compiled in a slightly different form and with a different title (Never Turn Back) the previous year. The second Little Axe album, Slow Fuse, was also well received. Both albums featured tabla player Talvin Singh, for Slow Fuse the gifted voices of Kevin Gibbs and Sas Bell were added.
Then it remained silent for far too long. In 2002 Skip's third Little Axe album Hard Grind became the first release for four years on Sherwood's revived and re-launched On-U Sound label with a mixture of raw blues and reggae. While Hard Grind no doubt will also draw comparisons to Moby's Play, it was Skip who pioneered the fusion of blues and electronic music with Little Axe.
In 2006 Skip McDonald finished the fifth Little Axe album, Stone Cold Ohio, after Champagne and Grits (2004), the second record released on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. Skip still has got the blues but this time the emphasis is on the gospel, another of Skip's old loves. The production and mixing was done Adrian Sherwood; 'gospel dub' like you never heard before.
Grinning
Little Axe Lyrics
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
You just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
So don't you mind people grinning in your face
Your mother will talk about you
Your sisters and your brothers too
Don't care how you trying to live
They'll talk about you still
Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't mind people grinning in your face
Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
They'll jump you up and down
They'll carry you around and round
Just as soon as your back is turned
They'll try to crush you down
Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
So don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't mind people grinning in your face
Bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
So don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
You just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
So don't you mind people grinning in your face
Your mother will talk about you
Your sisters and your brothers too
Don't care how you trying to live
Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't mind people grinning in your face
Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
They'll jump you up and down
They'll carry you around and round
Just as soon as your back is turned
They'll try to crush you down
Just bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
So don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't you mind people grinning in your face
Don't mind people grinning in your face
Bear this in mind, a true friend is hard to find
So don't you mind people grinning in your face
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERNARD ALEXANDER, SUN HOUSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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MrBillybonkers
Simply astounding. Skip is an amazing musician and singer, and this is a mesmerising performance. Glad I got to see him do his solo show in Glasgow around this time.😍
Marcos Gomes
He's pure voice, no autotune crap needed
Mark Walker
Great guitar player and singer. he really makes this song his own. What a dude!
Gordon Sparkes
This guy can turn it ON!! In his living room, or Adrian Sherwood's living room, or in the local library - look at all those childrens' books in the background .... point being, he can turn it ON!! This is masterful and magical. We saw him do this track at about the same time. A humble and generous guy. Proud to have shared whisky and hats with him!!
Rodrigo Nunes
This is some damn good blues material guys!!!!
Rob Anderson
thank you for posting this!!Skip is one of my favorite guitar players!!!!!Wow
Lox
Was in live concert in Slovenia Maribor its was the best blues concert ever in my life ...love it ;)
Sweet Каражина
It’s so so so good!❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜
Adam
Ha! I found this song again, 15 years later. Such emotion.
Daniela Amenta
Your music is peace in a time without peace. Ride on. sisters and brothers.