Prima di Rage Against The Machine e Korn, prima delle tante amenità venute dopo con l'inutile 'nu-metal' ci furono gruppi che definirono le coordinate di quel crossover musicale creatura onnivora capace d'inglobare rock, metal, funk, psichedelia e melodia pop al finire dei controversi '80: grandi band quali RHCP, Faith No More e, appunto, i fin troppo sottovalutati Living Colour.

I quattro di NYC avevano una peculiarità di cui erano, giustamente, parecchio orgogliosi; quella di essere la prima VERA hard/rock band composta esclusivamente da musicisti di colore, e che musicisti... Infatti, se i Bad Brains furono già precursori in tal senso (ma nell'ambito, però, del punk/hardcore) Vernon Reid e compagni agivano su di un loro personale e ben più ampio schema musicale, che poteva includere tanto l'hard/blues dei Zeppelin quanto una sezione ritmica memore delle lessons d 'funky-drummer' del padrino soul Mr. James Brown, oppure i ricordi di certa new wave newyorkese di TH e il metal coniato dai californiani Metallica a inizio decennio. Reid era un typetto mica male, un guitar-man capace di partire dal dio Hendrix, attraversare le note con un assolo geometrico à la Fripp e finire con le ricamature funky di un Ed Hazel dei Funkadelic. Non meno dotati gli altri componenti, dalla mostruosa versatilità del batterista Will Calhoun (uno capace di suonare 'Battery' e poi, magari, 'Contusion') alle corde virtuose del basso di Muzz Skillings e, per finire, il cantato intriso di rabbia e passione soul del frontman Corey Glover.
Così, dal 1985 anno di nascita della 'Black rock coalition' si realizza finalmente il sogno del deus-ex machina Reid e tre anni dopo, sotto i buoni auspici dell'estimatore Jagger folgorato da un loro incendiario set live al CBGB's, questo sogno ha per nome 'Vivid'; 'vivido', palpitante di energia rock proprio come la musica che contiene. E forse rimane il caso più clamoroso di riappropriazione del verbo Rock mutuato dalle proprie radici culturali blues da parte di afroamericani, un pò come andare a Graceland e pisciare allegramente davanti l'enorme cancello (perché lo sappiamo, da tempo 'Elvis is dead'...). Introdotto dalla voce di Malcom X, il riff granitico di 'Cult of personality' anticipa le liriche politiche consapevoli e disilluse di Glover: 'I know your anger, i know your dreams -I've been everything you wanna be... I'm the cult of personality. Like Mussolini and Kennedy... Neon lights, Nobel Prize -When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies...'. Dopo la memorabile opener, 'I want to know' abbina potenza e orecchiabilità in un riuscito impasto che termina con la chitarra di Reid in evidenza mentre l'hendrixiana 'Middle man' resta impressa per il testo amaro di un uomo a metà, ai margini del contesto sociale U.S.A. di fine Ottanta incarnati dal governo Reagan, glamour, successo a tutti i costi e yuppismo del cazzo. E i poveri, le classi più deboli di neri, ispanici etc. che popolano i ghetti statunitensi? Che si fottano, io devo uscire con la mia nuova giacca Armani a bere un drink Martini... 'Desperate people' parla di quest'illusione sociale, dei media promotori di falsi modelli di vita che dalla tv, come una droga ipnotica vuole farci credere che 'Everything is possibile...' - But nothing is real, aggiungo io e Tom Morello le note rabbiose di questa canzone deve averle ben stampate in testa, sicuro. 'Open letter (to a landlord)' fin dal titolo esplica l'utopico impegno dei LC con una melodia incisiva sostenuta dal basso vitale di Skillings: 'Now you can tear a building down, but you can't erase a memory. These houses may look all run down, but they have a value you can't see...' - Capirà, il 'landlord'? 'Funny vibe' è una mazzata funk/heavy supersonica (con tanto di cameo dei Public Enemy) che basta e avanza per umiliare i Chili Peppers dell'epoca, mentre la vibrante cover di 'Memories can't wait' ristabilisce il legame con la New York dei Talking Heads, e dimostra una volta ancora come i nostri si divertano a rimescolare le carte delle loro variegate influenze. 'Glamour boys' fu il singolo ultramelodico spaccaclassifiche, li fece conoscere e tanto basta. Lo stesso Mick Jagger s'impegnò a produrre (e a suonare l'armonica) nella ballad 'Broken hearts' e nel finale tra Led Zeppelin e Sly Stone di 'Which way to America': da vecchia volpe aveva capito il potenziale dei quattro, che esploderà letteralmente nel 1990 grazie allo strepitoso e innovativo 'Time's up'.

...WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOUR, BABY?!

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   Cult of Personality (04:54)

(And during the few moments that we have left
We want to talk right down to earth in a language
That everybody here can easily understand...)

Look in my eyes, what do you see?
The Cult of Personality
I know your anger
I know your dreams
I've been everything you want to be
I'm the Cult of Personality
Like Mussolini and Kennedy
I'm the Cult of Personality
The Cult of Personality
The Cult of Personality

Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies
You won't have to follow me
Only you can set me free

I sell the things you need to be
I'm the smiling face on your T.V.
I'm the Cult of Personality
I exploit you
Still you love me
I tell you one and one makes three
I'm the Cult of Personality

Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi
I'm the Cult of Personality
The Cult of Personality
The Cult of Personality

Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
When a leader speaks, that leader dies
You won't have to follow me
Only you can set you free

You gave me fortune
You gave me fame
You gave me power in your God's name
I'm every person you need to be
I'm!
The!
Cult!
Of!
Per!
Son!
Al!
Ity!
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
I'm the Cult of
Personality!

(Ask not what your country can do for you...)

(The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!)

02   I Want to Know (04:24)

03   Middle Man (03:47)

�Middle man'

I don't have a need to be the best
Don't want to be just like the rest
Just stay who I am
Just an ordinary middle man

Give me the happy medium
Don't want to be the one whose leading them
I've got no master plan
Just a simple Middle man

Standing on a fine line between this and that
Just biding my time waiting for a sign
to tell me that I'm something special

My ideas are mine alone
Not yours, not theirs, but I care
I hurt for you, but not with you
I love that thing that's inside you
but I'm not your fan
I'm a stranger in a strange land
I'm your middle man

But I'm not your fan
I'm a stranger in a strange land
I am your middle man

Middle man yeah, yeah
I'm not your fan
I'm just a middle man
yours, theirs, but I care
I've got no master plan
Just stay who I am
Just a middle man

04   Desperate People (05:36)

05   Open Letter (to a Landlord) (05:32)

�Open letter (to a landlord)�

Now you can tear a building down
But you can't erase a memory
These houses may look all run down
But they have a value you can't see...

This is my neighborhood
This is where I come from
I call this place my home
You call this place a slum
You wanna run all the people out
This is what you're all about
Treat poor people just like trash
Turn around and make big cash

chorus:
Now you can tear a building down
but you can't erase a memory
These houses may look all run down
but they have a value you can't see

Last moth there was a fire
I saw seven children die
you sent flowers to their family
But your simpathy�s a lie
Cause every building that you burn
is more blood money that you earn
We are force to relocate
from the pain that you create

Chorus

We live here for so many years
Now this house is full of fear
For a profit you will take control
Where will all the older people go?
There used to be when kids could play
Without the scourge of drug�s decay
Now our kids are living dead
They crack and blow their lives away

Chorus

You've got to fight
You've got to fight
you've got to fight for your neighborhood...

You've got to fight
For your neighbor.

06   Funny Vibe (04:20)

(V. Reid)

No, I'm not gonna rob you
No, I'm not gonna beat you
No, I'm not gonna rape you
So why you want to give me that
Funny Vibe!

No, I'm not gonna hurt you
No, I'm not gonna harm you
And I try not to hate you
So why you want to give me that
Funny Vibe!

07   Memories Can't Wait (04:30)

08   Broken Hearts (04:50)

09   Glamour Boys (03:39)

The glamour boys swear they are a diva
The glamour boys have it all under control
Always dancing and always laughing
The glamour boys are playing the role

The glamour boys never have no money
The glamour boys wear the most expensive clothes
The glamour boys are always at the party
Where the money comes from heaven only knows

I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy - ooh
I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy

The glamour boys live off their ambition
The glamour boys have it all figured out
A very, very dubious position
When you got no clout

The glamour boys' whole life is a gamble
They might get over or fall flat on their face
But if one does, there's no need to worry
Another G-Boy will take his place

I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy - ooh
I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy

The glamour boys don't think about tomorrow
The glamour boys just need tonight to play
But just like things you can't afford on credit
Time catches up and you have to pay

The glamour boys are always on the guest list
You'll always find them in the hottest spots in town
They'll be your friend if you have fame or fortune
If you don't they won't be hanging 'round.

I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy - ooh
I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy

I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy - ooh
I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce
I ain't no glamour boy - no no!

(What do you mean my credit's no good?)

10   What's Your Favorite Color? (Theme Song) (03:56)

11   Which Way to America? (03:41)

(V. Reid)

I look at the T.V.
Your America's doing well
I look out the window
My America's catching hell

I just want to know which way do I go to get to your America?
I just want to know which way do I go to get to your America?

I change the channel
Your America's doing fine
I read the headlines
My America's doing time

I just want to know which way do I go to get to your America?
I just want to know which way do I go to get to your America?

Go west young, go west young man

Don't want to crossover
But how do I keep from going under?

Where is my picket fence?
My long, tall glass of lemonade?
Where is my VCR, my stereo, my T.V. show?

I look at the T.V.
I don't see your America
I look out the window
I don't see your America

I want to know how to get to your America
I want to know how to get to your America
America

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Altre recensioni

Di  Rooftrampler92

 Vernon Reid in Cult of Personality è superbo nel gestire la sua chitarra incendiaria, sfociando in un assolo tra i più importanti della storia del rock.

 Un funk sporco e strafottente; i Living Colour saranno tra gli esponenti principali della prima ondata del crossover.