Welcome to the Last FM page of t… Read Full Bio ↴http://www.thecorrespondents.co.uk/
Welcome to the Last FM page of the swing-hop duo, The Correspondents. MC Mr Bruce and DJ/Producer Mr Chuckles collaborate to make Hip Hop for the 1930s, Big Band music for the 00s. Splicing swing samples with squelchy synths over dusty drum loops they’ve depicted a modern day journey into time of rogues, lust, affordable clowns and foot-tapping toe curling "get your brogues on" dance floor swing beat.
The Correspondents started out in November 2007, when old friends, Mr Bruce and Mr Chuckles, returned to London after a firm schooling at their respective Universities. In Leeds Mr Chuckles had been tinkering with the sounds of Hip Hop, Jazz and Dance music for several years, meanwhile further North in Edinburgh Mr Bruce exerted his vocal dexterity over Drum 'n' Bass, Breaks & Funk. The unlikely pair cut their teeth at a few parties and decided to cement the live performance relationship in their makeshift recording studio. Since then tracks have been recorded, stages have been stomped and knees have hit nipples.
The Correspondents have shared stages with the likes (or unlikes) of Florence & The Machine, Lilly Allen, Mika, Little Boots, VV Brown, Bat For Lashes, Lazy Habits, Daedalus, Bassment Jaxx, Rob Da Bank, Rusko, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Cuban Brothers, Brass Roots, Jocelyn Brown, Dub Pistols etc... etc...
You might have seen them at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Bestival, Shambala Festival, Lovebox Weekender, The Big Chill Festival, Camden Crawl, Innocent Village Fete, Scala Amersham Arms, Bungalow 8, Soho Revue Bar, Vibe Bar, Concord 2, Bloomsbury Bowls, Art Car Boot Fair, Last Days Of Decadance, Madame Jojo's, Notting Hill Arts Club, Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, 33 Portland Place, Shepard's Bush Pavillion, 5 Cavendish Sq, Corsica Studios, Proud Camden, Village Underground, The Cobden Club, The Battersea Arts Centre, The Colony Rooms, and Selfridge's.
www.myspace.com/thecorrespondentsmusic
"The Correspondents aren't the first group you'd expect to see at a South London dubstep/fidget house night and yet their performance at Corsica Studios over a year ago had everyone quickly switching their allegience from wobbly basslines to beats over samples from 'The Jungle Book'. The skin-tight trouser clad MC Mr Bruce strode to the stage and began shaking his impossibly long legs to the beats put down by his DJ, Chuckles, and from that point on, everyone was a convert." NME.COM
“Pop also-ran Frankmusik was far more exciting, revealing his 'great voice for a white boy' but also the overly perfect future pop that's thus far prevented him finding fame with a mass audience. One duo who could, however, are the Correspondents, who filled in between sets throughout the weekend. With fast-spit rhymes over twenties flapper tunes, and MC Mr Brogues a gangly enthusiastic dancer with natty threads to match, these two deserve a stage all themselves.” INTHENEWS.CO.UK – BESTIVAL REVIEW
“My fear for the contents of my wallet and the softer parts of my anatomy were quickly replaced by joy at the sights and sounds of The Correspondents. These two dapper purveyors of swing-hop derring-do pretty much stole the show. I’m proper feeling the vaudeville approach to hip-hop (cfThe Anomalies, Krugers passim), and The Correspondents are amongst the most charming to take that approach. Everyone had a sing-a-long with them. Aww. Find them on MySpazz – you’ll be glad you did (and relieved MySpazz still has its uses).” KRUGERS MAGAZINE – DAEDALUS @ CORSICA STUDIOS REVIEW
"A stark contrast with the reaction received by The Correspondents, the Wandsworth duo who wander onto the Great Stage in the middle of the hottest day of the year and through the skatting, scratching and infectious dancing of the Mask-a-like Mr Bruce, managed to persuade everyone to forget their heat induced woes and dance like they had some serious itch to scratch. Forced back on to the stage by a fiery and pumped up crowd demanding more, Mr Bruce and compatriot DJ Chuckles then do it all over again, much to the amazement of them and their newly acquired groupies. Which goes to show the wonder that is Secret Garden Party. Hierarchies are toppled and the unknown underdogs are taken into the bosoms of the crowd while the headlining 80s superstars are made to look like, well, bosoms." LOUD AND QUIET MAGAZINE - SECRET GARDEN PARTY REVIEW
"Sunday starts with a beautifully bizarre moment, as Wandsworth swing-hip-hop duo The Correspondents enthral an unfeasibly huge midday main stage crowd with a rendition of 'I Wanna Be Like You' from The Jungle Book. After that we’re delirious putty in their capable hands and the stunned pair are summoned back for a giddy encore." WWW.VIRTUALFESTIVALS.COM - SECRET GARDEN PARTY REVIEW
Well Measured Vice
The Correspondents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can smell a scum that's spreading like dry rot
Mounted on high horses here they come
On their very own newly written rules of thumb
From the ladies in the strip clubs
To the men who sell you porn
The puritanical thugs are out to shoot you down with scorn
It makes no sense to push the real display away.
What is life, what is life, without well measured vice?
Sweep it away, you'll pay the price.
Your rights and wrongs are decided for you,
They will pity and deplore you
And assume that you are goods that
Have been damaged in your journey
As you traveled into sin, but the body
As the site of sin is really wearing thin.
Push it underground, what a surprise
Be witness to a darker demise
Into the hands of crooks who feed on bribes
Be witness to a darker demise
When will the politics of envy end?
The moral police are out to cleanse, cleanse, cleanse.
Say gay cabaret that might offend,
So they'll grab another law which they can bend.
At first I chose simply to ignore
The many changes that they had in store,
But now a cleanup operation's put in place,
Well my friends this is one thing we must face.
What is life, what is life, without well measured vice?
Sweep it away, you'll pay the price.
What is life, what is life, without well measured vice?
Sweep it away, you'll pay the price.
The song "Well Measured Vice" by The Correspondents speaks against the puritanical and moralist attitudes of some politicians and individuals who seek to suppress or eliminate all forms of vice from society. The lyrics suggest that such attitudes are based on hypocrisy and unrealistic ideals, and that they lead to negative consequences, such as repression, corruption, and poverty.
In the first verse, the singer describes the high-handed behavior of those who think they have the authority to dictate how people should behave or live their lives. He notes that they are often judgmental and intolerant of those who do not conform to their narrow standards of decency. He also suggests that their moralistic views are at odds with the natural human desire to express oneself freely and openly.
In the chorus, the singer poses a rhetorical question about the value of vice in life. He implies that a life without well-measured vice is dull, repressive, and joyless. He suggests that suppressing vice is not only futile but also dangerous, as it can lead to underground activities, crime, and social decay.
Overall, the song promotes a liberal and tolerant view of human nature, recognizing that people are not perfect, but that they should be allowed to enjoy their lives within reasonable limits. It also criticizes those who seek to impose their own moral standards on others, without regard for the complexities and diversity of human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
A political man, I am not
I am not a politically affiliated person.
But I can smell a scum that's spreading like dry rot
I can sense the presence of something corrupt and deceitful.
Mounted on high horses here they come
They arrive with arrogance and conceit.
On their very own newly written rules of thumb
They have created their own arbitrary standards.
From the ladies in the strip clubs
Referring to women who work in strip clubs.
To the men who sell you porn
Referring to individuals who sell pornography.
The puritanical thugs are out to shoot you down with scorn
Hypocritical individuals criticize others for their vices.
So much desire on display day to day
There is a lot of temptation present in everyday life.
It makes no sense to push the real display away.
There is no logical reason to hide or reject these temptations.
What is life, what is life, without well measured vice?
A life free of controlled indulgence lacks excitement and fulfillment.
Sweep it away, you'll pay the price.
Attempting to remove all indulgence from life will result in negative consequences.
Your rights and wrongs are decided for you,
Others make decisions about what is right and wrong for you.
They will pity and deplore you
They have sympathy for you.
And assume that you are goods that
They believe they have authority over your actions.
Have been damaged in your journey
They assume that your behavior is a result of your past experiences.
As you traveled into sin, but the body
They believe that indulgence is sinful.
As the site of sin is really wearing thin.
Their argument is becoming less effective.
Push it underground, what a surprise
Attempt to hide indulgence will have unexpected negative consequences.
Be witness to a darker demise
The attempt to hide these acts will have harmful, unintended consequences.
Into the hands of crooks who feed on bribes
Unscrupulous individuals will take advantage of the situation for personal gain.
Be witness to a darker demise
The attempt to hide these acts will have harmful, unintended consequences.
When will the politics of envy end?
When will the negative attitude towards indulgence stop?
The moral police are out to cleanse, cleanse, cleanse.
Individuals enforcing their moral beliefs are attempting to eliminate anything they deem impure.
Say gay cabaret that might offend,
Referencing a type of show that may be considered controversial by some.
So they'll grab another law which they can bend.
Individuals enforcing morality will manipulate the law to support their beliefs.
At first I chose simply to ignore
Initially, the singer chose to ignore the situation.
The many changes that they had in store,
The proposed changes were numerous and far-reaching.
But now a cleanup operation's put in place,
An organized effort is being implemented to hide indulgence.
Well my friends this is one thing we must face.
It is time to confront the situation and take action.
What is life, what is life, without well measured vice?
A life free of controlled indulgence lacks excitement and fulfillment.
Sweep it away, you'll pay the price.
Attempting to remove all indulgence from life will result in negative consequences.
What is life, what is life, without well measured vice?
A life free of controlled indulgence lacks excitement and fulfillment.
Sweep it away, you'll pay the price.
Attempting to remove all indulgence from life will result in negative consequences.
Contributed by Luke G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.