aleem

[midas]

this group was one of my favoretes,
i checked them out at allmusic.com
and i did like their Similar Artists section.


Similar Artists: The Egyptian Lover The World Class Wreckin' Cru L.A. Dream Team Trinere Vikki Love Grandmaster Flash Shannon The Jonzun Crew Newcleus Planet Patrol Afrika Bambaataa D Train

more from almusic:
Comprised of two brothers who can trace their music business roots back to the late-'60s Greenwich Village scene (where they shared an apartment with Jimi Hendrix), the Aleems are most noted for forming Nia Records in the early '80s. The label became home to such notable rappers as Marley Marl and MC Shan and helped develop the careers of MCs such as Sparky D. After Nia folded, the Aleems recorded an album for Atlantic Records, Casually Formal, before opening up their own recording studio in the late '80s. — Steve Kurutz

didnt they also work with arthur baker??
vikki love and nuance, i loved their 12"mixes.
anyway...definatly my kinda music...

[Forrrce]

I was quite into the Aleems some time ago. I've yet to find any Hendrix recordings they're credited on, though they're supposed to have played percussion for him during his Band Of Gypsys period. They (Tunde-Ra & Taharqa) were known then as the Allen Twins (probably their birth name) and performed as The Ghetto Fighters.

They had a single on Warner Brothers in 1976 as Prana People, called 'Is Your Life A Party', which sounds like a slightly discofied Funkadelic. The following year it appeared on their self-titled LP for Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe's Pretty Pearl label, in conjunction with Prelude. It's a bit of a strange affair, with slighty Star Trek-y disco fusion(!) ranging through to straight-up Bobby Womack influenced soul. It takes a little getting used to! Also worth noting that the aforementioned Monroe would later sign a young Curtis Hairston and release his debut 12", 'Summertime' - which was co-written and produced by the then 'Fantastic' Aleems, who, with the same backing track (probably played by themselves) and with Leroy Burgess on vocals, released their own version on Nia in 1980 as High Frequency.

They started Nia ("purpose") in 1979 and their first single for the label was 'Hooked On Your Love', which they obviously had a lot of faith in because I can think of no other record from the disco period which was re-mixed so many times - there are something like 5 mixes in total, largely by John Morales and there was an RCA issue which was mixed by Rick Gianatos.

Later came 'Shake' as Alias, followed by a remixed, revoiced version ('Moving To The Beat') as The Fantastic Aleems, feat. Corky Hodges. In 1982, they released one of their most popular records, 'Get Down Friday Night' - another contender for the multi-mix award. This title provided the first remix opportunites for John Morales and Sergio Munzabai as the team, 'M&M'. This song was followed by an album of African percussion. Around this time, the brothers provided backing vocals for a gospel single by Billy Jones, whom they would later sign to Nia for the very Burgess influenced 'I Can't Wait To Break'.

The rest of the '80s saw the rise and fall of Nia in the hip hop/electro arena (though it re-emerged as Konkrete in the early '90s) and the release on two further Aleem LPs, though both were fairly unsuccessful.

I recently read that the brothers had signed a deal with Tuff City, though I have no idea whether it involves their back catalogue, new product or both.

[QUINNY]

So they were on Kenny Delt & Prana - Conquer All?
Forrrce: You have an amazing amount of info to hand. You ought to write it all down before its too late.
How did the gigette go? Any good?

[Forrrce]

So they were on Kenny Delt & Prana - Conquer All?
Forrrce: You have an amazing amount of info to hand. You ought to write it all down before its too late.
How did the gigette go? Any good?

I don't think Kenny Delt was involved with the Fantastic Aleems, Quinny, though it would probably make sense in some ways. I know nothing about K.D. but his singles were co-produced by Maurice Commander, which would indicate a Chigaco origin.

I arrived to play at a party last week and the DJ before me got loads of gyp for playing disco and some progressive, quite funky new sounds. A Ministry Of Sound Ibiza CD got the zombies dancing...
I had an 11th hour re-think last night and decided to blow the party out. I was one of about five guests (DJs) so I doubt I was missed!

The Forrrce mental archive spews forth all manner of drivel in sleeve notes and the occasional article!

[NickNack]

I arrived to play at a party last week and the DJ before me got loads of gyp for playing disco and some progressive, quite funky new sounds.

"loads of 'gyp'" :-? . Is that good or bad --- can't tell but it doesn't sound like a compliment.

[QUINNY]

[quote="Forrrce"]

So they were on Kenny Delt & Prana - Conquer All?

I don't think Kenny Delt was involved with the Fantastic Aleems, Quinny, though it would probably make sense in some ways. I know nothing about K.D. but his singles were co-produced by Maurice Commander, which would indicate a Chigaco origin.

I reckon it's got to be them don't you? Otherwise how could he nick an existing name without having his ass sued or something?

[Forrrce]

Nick Nack:
To 'gyp' is no annoy, or play up. It's a rather old fashioned term ("my tooth is giving me gyp") but I'm a pretty old-fashioned youngster!!! :o

Quinny:
Who knows? You could be right, though the Aleems' Prana People against plain old Prana could be enough to avoid the lawmen. And while we're on the subject...

Ladies and gentlemen - I bring you, Prana!

"Prana is a Sanskrit word meaning the all-pervading vital energy of the universe, a universal primal principle of vitality similar to what the ancient Greeks referred to as 'pneuma'. This energy animates human beings both in a state of health as well as in illness; it determines their feelings and performs the body's vital functions. When prana is missing, death overcomes the living organism which then decomposes into its chemical components. This vital energy doesn't flow only inside the body, but also surrounds it in the form of an 'aura' - which can be photographed by means of the Kirlian-camera. It is by and through the 'aura' that the healer interacts with the subject's being, helping to resolve possible disharmony that on the physical level manifests as illness and dysfunction."

Amen...and this probably explains why our heroes don leotards on the LP cover...

[Giovanni]

I was quite into the Aleems some time ago..........

WOW! you know your thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the kind of post I go crazy for
Thank you Forrrce for sharing your education with us

by the way, the Prana People album (so hard to find today!)includes the great track "Pranian man"

[Forrrce]

Well, Giovanni, there was something I always found a bit fascinating about them and I thought the gimmick of (the twins) being telepathic was quite a good one! A couple of years ago, an American guy spotted me browsing a Hendrix video in Virgin and raved about it being the best concert ever. I mentioned the Aleem brothers to him and he said, 'Oh, the Allen Twins? I know them - they're from my neighbourhood!' So the Allen/Ghetto Fighters info was courtesty of the mystery stranger..! :D

[Forrrce]

The boys are back, with 3 re-issue 12"s featuring previously unreleased material. I've yet to find them in shops, though they seem to readily available by mail order.

Details are on the Tuff City web site.



http://www.tuffcity.com/

[K-Bee]

This is very good news indeed. I'll have to hunt this down ASAP :)

[midas]

hi boys,
my favorete song is "confusion",
i bougth that 12 " in Luxembourg
no text on the cover , just one picture
of a topp-less girl.
good looking (black) girl.

hope im not affending any1 with my
"black" comment.
if so please guide me for further
messages.

im from iceland!
and i remember when R&B charts
was BLACKmusic in billboard.
and that was the list i was interested in.

[K-Bee]

hi boys,
my favorete song is "confusion",
i bougth that 12 " in Luxembourg
no text on the cover , just one picture
of a topp-less girl.
good looking (black) girl.

hope im not affending any1 with my
"black" comment.
if so please guide me for further
messages.

im from iceland!
and i remember when R&B charts
was BLACKmusic in billboard.
and that was the list i was interested in.

Midas, I have that 12" by Aleem as well. I just love the 11:03 loooooong remix on it.
That 12" was released by the german TSR label (short for TrendSetteR), and I bought it in berlin in 1987. Apparantly TSR were responsible for releasing a lot of the Solar records stuff in germany, But TSR were also had record Pool services and even released some of the classic KISS FM mastermixes.