How West Africa Went Psychedelic

[@bglrj]

My roommate was from Nigeria. He told me that the music he knew and liked could never be found in the United States. Then he heard Turn On Your Love Light on Live Dead by the Grateful Dead. He broke into my room demanding to know where I got the Nigerian music from. He called it High Life. It took me a while to convince him that it was not from Africa. I took him and his brother to see the Grateful Dead and they destroyed their seats. They even recognized their tribal drum on the stage. 1979.

[@CoolCrescent186]

Remember the show?

[@emarkjacobs]

another tale of the stolen

[@NnamdiNw]

Just listened to the song you’re talking about. That doesn’t sound like the highlife I grew up to. Even the bass line is more akin to what you’ll hear in calypso rhythms. Sorry but your roommate most likely didn’t know what they are talking about especially the fact that you had to convince him it’s not highlife.😅

[@bglrj]

@@CoolCrescent186 Kansas City 1979 or 1980

[@bglrj]

@@NnamdiNw This was 1979. He played King Sunny Ade and other high life records for me. I could hear it. The Dead drummers were very close friends with Babatunde Olatunji, who opened for them. They were huge fans of West African music. Another friend was there who was a classical music buff and said they reminded her of Bach...these things are purely subjective.

[@MrDukeSilverr]

Africa is so rich in music, its nuts, people like Ebo Taylor, Pasteur Lappe, taking western musical concepts and fusing them to african rythms and melodies and you get this music that just makes you smile

[@MrDukeSilverr]

Oh also Middle Eastern psychedelic music is wild aswell, I can only recommend Kourosh Yaghmaei, even Nas sampled one of his songs

[@garethfitzpatrick3932]

It’s a very rich vein to mine. You can go down the rabbit hole forever

[@Popjaksound]

and the whole ethio-jazz music is phenomenal. Also highly recc Cambodian & Thai rock from the 60s/70s. I dunno how the history compares, but the fusion with traditional sounds again is similar.

[@mississippijohnfahey7175]

Psychedelic rock is originally American. Rock itself is already a Creole music, pioneered by black Americans ✌️

[@renedo141]

true but also blues/jazz rlly originated from west and north africa where in rock is a derivative of blues, so the opposite is also kind of true, though of course psychedelic rock is mostly from america and uk

[@MedlifeCrisis]

Fascinating!

[@SolidTryThough]

I love learning about all this amazing rock music from Africa. After playing guitar for so many years you begin to think that there is nothing new to hear. Then you start rethinking the way you approach your instrument and what's possible.

[@CantTellYou]

I follow this one dude on here (Nigerian) and he can’t be much older than 18 but plays super gracefully yet in the most unorthodox fingerpicking style I’ve ever seen & the way he rocks his fretting hand you’d never think it could possibly sound good or be comfortable yet it sounds as good as any professional, more traditional player who plays rhythm & lead parts simultaneously

[@mateuszbachowiak6899]

​@@CantTellYou Damn and you didn't even drop his name?

[@marydarko3380]

I’m West African and love the psychedelic music of the 60s/70s, this introduced me to a whole different side of the music I grew up with, so thank you for this video. Genuinely.

[@Rurush7]

This is my favorite kind of music. When I listened to Tinariwin then Fela Kuti, I kept discovering more and I stumbled upon the best Guinean and Nigerian songs.

[@markheller8646]

I was introduced to African music in the 60’s by my History teacher who somehow brought an African band to our junior high school. Mr Zoia you are awesome Some days the name comes back to me…they were world renowned as I later found them…even on the internet. Today is not a good memory day. I later became a fan of King Sunny. Teachers can be such a huge positive influence….just not today. Peace

[@CutYourBangs9]

No, teachers still are often a positive influence. As someone who just graduated highschool a couple years ago, I had teachers that left me with great lessons and continue to have professors that have a positive impact on me. That much hasn't changed. :) Have a great day

[@sophiaedmunds3744]

Music history channels on youtube are usually so US centric. I love how you make a point to highlight music from all over the world. I've been exposed to so much good music I wouldn't have been aware of otherwise due to your videos. Keep up the good work:)

[@Burning_Babylon]

Such a dumb comment

[@roxy_badass]

Congratulations for the documentary. I'm from Brazil and I'm in love with African music. Applauses

[@Ratkill]

Another amazing find. I'm always a sucker for jam session inertia and confident technical proficiency.

[@janhunter360]

I've been listening to Zani Diabate and a lot of that music since the early-90's. I discovered them going through old LP's in used record stores. Nice to see them get recognized.

[@drychaf]

Orchestra Gold! Only two minutes in to your video, and I was off on a half hour discovery of this band! I already have a great collection of West African music, but this video lead me to further riches. What a great video. There's a lot of Wassoulou sound in these groups. I recommend the late Sali Sidibe's work (and her soukou player Zoumana Tereta). There's a great video introducing her... 'Sali Sidibe - Waraning juguling. 1985'

[@jimbennett834]

Orchestra Gold is amazing!

[@OrchestraGold]

@@jimbennett834 ahhh shucks, we thank you kindly Jim

[@royconway8700]

Great job on this video, love it! Quick note on the Cream and Ginger Baker- Ginger traveled to Africa in the 70's, met with Fela Kuti and started a band with him. He had always been drawn to African drumming, and he brought some psych and rock sensibilities over to Africa I'm sure. He started and played in other bands there and even had a family, but he was a very complicated man and there is a lot more to the story. You could certainly make a whole video just on him. Keep up the great work..

[@Bandsplaining]

Thank you! Believe it or not we actually already made this video. It was the very first video on this channel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j33YiIx6a9h5rdE A warning though -- we've come a long way since then!

[@royconway8700]

@@Bandsplaining Look at me, I'm mansplaining to bandsplaining 🤐 Obviously, I need to go back further in your catalog. I'm glad there is so much content to catch up on .

[@markheller8646]

Ginger Baker was one of a kind and Cream was a shooting star lighting up the sky….brief but brilliant.

[@retro1937]

Well done for the great job, Please make a video of Nigerian Psychedelic Rock bands of the 70s like Ofege, Wrinkars Experience, Founders15, Semi Colon, The Apostles, Sweet Breeze... etc. Thanks

[@retro1937]

@@Bandsplaining @Bandsplaining , Well done for the grest job you are doing, Please make a video of Nigerian Psychedelic Rock bands of the 70s like Ofege, Wrinkars Experience, Founders15, Semi Colon, The Apostles, Sweet Breeze... etc. Thanks

[@Bandsplaining]

Mr. Bandsplaining and our editor Aldo will be on Discord voice chat talking about the new video. Hop in at discord.gg/zZ7VZfUVse

[@db9885]

It’s a certain frequency… it doesn’t necessarily have to be embedded within polyrhythms of African origin, but it does almost always. It makes one’s soul scream.

[@NRG2]

You’re speaking in religious terms… while it does make one’s souls scream. Ideas about these “energies” being “African” rather than “human” is a flawed perspective.

[@db9885]

@@NRG2 terrible take. try again.

[@denzellsmall7598]

@@NRG2the point went right over your head

[@hendrix24]

Thank you for including a playlist of all these songs. This stuff is incredible. I will feast upon this.

[@OrchestraGold]

YES!! This is so epic, thank you for another awesome video!

[@richteffekt]

Thank you for enlightening us a bit. And thank you for being out there researching the richness of our musical heritage with these crazy great players you keep finding. ❤

[@peterdonoso2975]

Great compilation and chronology of western influences in synthesis with traditional African music. Considering your emphasis on the infusion of "psychadellic" aspects into African bands, I'm at a loss for how you managed to overlook the tremendous influence and impact the awesome Ghanaian "psychadellic" band Osibisa made, which emerged in the late 60s to rock the entire world music scene on their debut album of the same name with "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness."

[@Bandsplaining]

Thank you! I haven't done a full dive into Osibisa before, but they came up in our video on Zamrock. The reason they aren't mentioned in this video is simple... We made the video first, and came up with the title later. 😅 I never intended to cover any country besides Mali, and a little bit of Guinea. Basically, we just wanted to tell the story of Zani Diabate, but it's hard to find a good title when the video is about a musician and/or genre that most people haven't heard. The unfortunate reality is we have to use clickbait if we want our videos to produce any ad revenue. (That said, if anyone out there gets a flash of inspiration and wants to share their title idea, I'm all ears 😂)

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

This music makes me sooooo Happy! Thanks for the bandsplination.

[@Rivmic]

Great look at west Africa bands. Check out Ofege from Nigeria if you haven’t already, their first album is my favorite from the continent.

[@squid-squad]

I taught The Histoty of American Popular Music and started my class with, "We'd be dancing the polka if it weren't for slavery." West Africa is the grandmother of American pop, particularly rice growing in the low country of South Carolina and Georgia and the Barrier Islands down the coast. I used to play electric guitar with a soul band on Daufuskie Island when I was young. Now I look to West Africa as Grandmother. Can we talk? I truly appreciate your work here and I am looking forward to speaking with you. Great job, brother!

[@chrishenniker5944]

Africa was the grandmother, Ireland is the grandfather.

[@squid-squad]

@@chrishenniker5944 Good. Irish fiddle tunes, ballads and reels, but English pleasure gardens, Vauxhall in particular (Three Penny Opera, stuff like that), Scottish same stuff as Ireland, English broadsides, troubadours and trouveres, meistersingers from proto Germany and of course the polka. But Ireland is big cheese, so grandfather is good.

[@noble2122]

id actually love to talk to you more about this, i love music and history, i currently play keys, guitar and bass and i’ve recently been looking at ways to fuse different elements in my music and looking at people like this, bob marley, nina simone, its really giving me s beautiful landscape, do you have instagram

[@mississippijohnfahey7175]

Simplifying history into sound bites will always get you in trouble. That all sounds nice, but then you consider the influence of Latin rhythms in the development of jazz and Indian classical music in the development of psychedelic music. Plus, if it weren't for slavery, perhaps the integration of world music wouldn't be so rife with uncredited appropriation. To insight that the world's cultures would have remained stagnant if not for abominations of human rights such as slavery is to glorify such. No need to make click bait to get students' attention. The real history is interesting enough ✌️

[@kingocowata]

You have no clue what you’re talking about 😂 Typical liberal professor type ayy.. The amount of Latin influence in music which comes from Spanish and other European influences is undeniable. Tell me you’re one of those, “Africa was the beginning of civilization..they created everything..even the Viking braid we swear we created first..” without telling me 😂

[@seanf9067]

Thankyou for tbis video! So many west african bands i have now to explore!!

[@tylerlacor8116]

I’ve been really really digging west African psychedelic music the last 5 years or so, the analogue Africa albums really got me hooked. So so so good. Glad your covering this!

[@bonbonson3328]

Damn imagine getting a gig from the government? This video essay was very fun! Thanks for this one!

[@sawbonesquad4876]

I heard part of that guitar bit during the opening title and thought it sounded like something Robert Fripp would play. Seconds later you mention King Crimson and I know I have been baited like a cat to delicious catnip.

[@Pomeray8]

Think Talking Heads (whom had Fripp guest). They popularized this music for a lot of people.

[@heatherperleberg7816]

*who ​@@Pomeray8

[@Rockin23]

For peeps looking for non-American, non European psychedelia, check out Os Mutantes from Brazil. Mind blowing sixties psychedelia! Their 1st album is a 60's treasure

[@Accou25]

that's kind of music/band I was looking for thank you for your work

[@treefittyy9731]

Saw this video, reminded me of another video about Zamrock and you were the dude who made it! Please keep up the great vids

[@slowvoltage]

my sunday continues to get better 🙌🏽 thank you 🙏🏽

[@Man_Ray78]

Great video! I've been listening to Ali Farka Touré for n20 years now but the Fela family, Ginger Baker and his collabs and so much that is so rich and adventurous! It's a bpyyomless pit but the Mali stuff is a good start!

[@musiclover01ization]

This is another great video from you, Bandsplaining. Africa has a lot of great music and I'm glad you're exposing it to many people.

[@elifishwhat]

If you want more stuff like this, Mdou Moctar is absolutely amazing, and his two albums on streaming are some of my favorite modern psych rock material to exist, with the song Afrique Victime what i would consider to be a masterpiece. great video and thank you for introducing me to more awesome bands.

[@yellowbarber]

Totally stumbled on yr video by accident. I admit, the first minute or two I was like "this cat has no clue what he's talking about" , and then you essentially admit to what you don't know, do know & actually bothered to research on the fly. Dig witnessing honest enthusiasm for a change! Was really hoping you were gonna talk about Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux (former Rail Band members), they made a serioisly trippy record that I've been breaking my brain trying to remember what it was called!

[@dakinmaher4522]

This was an awesome video! So great hearing all these variations of influence.

[@Anna-SofieBaas]

Dude, incredible video. I love the rock-jazz-folk music produced in Africa around the 60's and 70's, I was familiar with the plitical history behind it as well and this video was an incredible deep dive for me, so well thought out an presented. You put me up to some incredible records, thank you! Love from Italy

[@jeremiah2717]

Absolutely phenomenal video. I'm happy i came across it as a West African.

[@antoniiocaluso1071]

TERRIFIC vid, in every way!!! No better Music on Earth, says this ol' N. Italiano djembe/doumbek tambourista :-) Gotta LOVE it !!! [ sub'd/liked...more, more!! :-]

[@lagoonvibesgh]

This is an EXCELLENT summary/ intro to Super Djata, one of my favourite bands & guitarists! Thanks for pulling this together with all the references. The only part that poked me in the head is saying the bala is "xylophone-like" Bala came long before xylophone and the orchestral xylophones & MARIMBA are copies of the original African instruments that predate them. BUt I love listening to you reason about blues, rock etc. 3 cheers!!

[@arnowillekes7979]

Very cool little docu! And at last some attention for Zani Diabate and band!

[@simonedwards4131]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It is excellent.

[@jeremyivy2753]

This is so dope! sharing it with all my music head friends

[@ExFriendlyStuff]

Brilliant doc, thought I knew a bit but this has proved me wrong (once again!)

[@asherbeal8357]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[@yvesfrancoisritmo]

That Sylaphone label was incredible, some of the best music ever made. I love Guinean popular music of the 60's. I was friends with Issa from Senegal's Orchestre Baobob, we would sing together the songs like Sara and Diaraby. These orchestras were influenced by Honore Coppet, a Martinique Redman who Taroe hired to train the musicians. Superb how in the 70's bands in Mali, as well as Guinea and Senegal had the guitarists parts you speak of. I cannot imagine my life without this music. Franco and Sekou Djabate were two of the greatest guitarists of all time.

[@yvesfrancoisritmo]

You are totally correct that over production sadly ruins the music. I am sad the wonderful jazz cuban and psychedelic sounds - my favourite post 1950's music is African dance bands of the immediate post Colonial era. Thanks for the emphasis on the Mailian Super Djata band. What a great band

[@danielg.w5733]

I have been waiting for an episode on this subjects

[@StainlessSteelPolish]

Thank you for the wide variety of musical samples in this video. Man, it would be hype to go to a show with these guys onstage.

[@pineapplepizza8656]

Subscribed! I like this stuff! History, music, and geography mixed into one channel.

[@TheBookReader-ug9qe]

Amazing video about Psychedelic Rock from West Africa, Bandsplaining. I like the Super Djata Band too 🎸🇲🇱🎶

[@aurabalcyte9353]

ABSOLUTELY mind blowing content 🎶💥! Much appreciated to you for creation and upload of such💎💎💎about Africa's musical heritage!

[@EyeTunz]

Great info. I love finding new African music. If it’s not available on KZbin I usually upload it myself.

[@prof.nicollas519]

Great video! 😮 so much to listen, so few years to live...

[@yellodread]

Not only did France leave Guinea, taking much of their infrastructure with them, they also deliberately and cruelly destroyed and dismantled what infrastructure had already been built. I was in Conakry in 2009 and was shocked by the state of the roads, the lack of running water in most places, the near absence of a functioning sewage system and the absolute disarray of its utilities.The waters around the port of the city were a literal graveyard of rusting ships, jutting from the shallows at odd angles and had become homes to many of Conakry's most impoverished citizens. When I asked about it I was told that before leaving the French colonial government sank its entire fleet of ships in the city's harbour thereby depriving the country of a fleet of its own with which to export its many natural resources and import much needed manufactured goods. The necessity to pay foreign (European) importers meant prices for imported goods were beyond the reach of the average citizen. Most the roads around the country were jackhammered and left in pieces and many neighborhood roads were punctuated with boulder sized chunks of asphalt and concrete half buried in the dirt. The French ripped up all the telecommunication lines and cables and in some cases detonated electrical power plants or removed essential parts so that they wouldn't work and the country could neither produce such machines nor afford to buy them for many years. Guinea gained independence, yes, but the French punished them for their choice setting the country's economy and development back decades. During my stay I met guys from Dakar and from Abidjan and they too were appalled by the conditions in Guinea. The guy from Dakar told me in Senegal they had electricity 24 hours a day and running water everywhere. It was most depressing to hear about the things the French Colonialists did but I took solace in the beautiful music that seemed to be everywhere.

[@riddimchef1]

Interesting to hear the truth 🙏🏾

[@Byronic19134]

Sounds like the French wanted to leave the place the same as it was before they got there. And obviously France is going to let them just have their Navy ships lol wtf and no they are not cargo ships so they could not be used for importing or exporting goods not to mention the idea is freedom then get your own. If they wanted to use French ships they could have stayed as a colony.

[@riddimchef1]

Places like France would be little different if they hadn’t stolen the wealth from places like Guinea 😢

[@tyjhepengel5342]

​@@Byronic19134They had freedom before it was forcibly taken away and abused in order to plunder their land of wealth. Unless the French simply colonized them in order to access their 'culture'? You sound blatantly racist in the kind of punk "I'm too scared to admit it" way

[@musamsane7311]

Who asked France to colonize these African countries in the first place?

[@jkf9167]

Zani Diabate and the Super Djata Band S/T is my all-time favorite album, and footage of them looks like a lost world.

[@timscollay4770]

dude, so good. just fabulous work

[@yezzzzzd-_-b]

"what is this mathrock?" is the exact thought that led to me clicking on this video

[@oronbaba]

Great video! Pretty impressed with how richly the context for the music is drawn out!

[@ichabodnoodle9595]

I love these videos - always new bands for my playlists.

[@joshtowers6102]

This is amazing. Been influenced from so much of this music that I didn't know the exact historical origins of. If you could do an episode on Haiti that would be incredibly surprising to a lot of people how rich of a musical history Haiti has

[@Poth1223]

I was literally just going to re-watch a couple of your videos while I did homework and then this popped up lol

[@pedromatosportugal]

Loved the tour and the confusion around labels! i discovered Cape Verde's own flavour of psychedelic sounds at some point, Funana. Tulipa Negra's "Nhu Palu" for instance is quite the journey, with the vocals only entering the scene 2mins into the song and a frenetic pace throughout that is hard to stand still to!

[@gardenboydon]

I really like your videos!! It truly feels as if you're an historian of music

[@hanumanares2020]

Another great video. I learn a lot from these

[@solidsumo1976]

damn i finally caught an upload of yours at release

[@davidkuhn8106]

Great video - well researched - good stuff!

[@fishing.on.saturn9833]

Thanks for putting this together. I’ve been digging into west African music for many years now and it’s some of the most unique amazing music I’ve ever heard especially the psych stuff. I heard that some of the bands influenced by Cuban music would try to mimic the Spanish language without knowing it so it was just gibberish lyrics. I thought that was funny.

[@elihyland4781]

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!

[@Juan_lauda]

You can retire happy knowing that you helped spread this to new corners of the world mind

[@jakilode5608]

2:30 you just talked about king crimson and that's what i actually feel from the music of both genres, psychedelic

[@ricksaunders]

Outstanding report. Thanks for the work!

[@richardl.metafora4477]

This is a complete revelation. I had no idea what wonderful art what terrific music came from West Africa. I’ve got the hook now I’m gonna follow this up.

[@dbfisher]

Great job surveying such rich music and history!

[@ianking-jv4hg]

@ 15:45 talking about Cream and the Blues influence. Drummer Ginger Baker's adventure into Africa 1971, playing with Fela Kuti in Lagos was an interesting documentary.

[@Smitty753]

Man, this video was great feeling a lot of information. Especially when you say the blues goes back to Molly and the connection is so clear that how come I didn't think about it😂

[@junglie]

Been listening to salif Kieta since the mid 80's & Fela Kuti love world music .

[@zenmark42]

This is the only ad in the history of youtube where I actually felt like the ad was too short. How the hell is there a company doing niche musical style lessons? That's so cool. I don't really play anything but that's so fucking cool.

[@WorldMusicMethod]

Maybe you should

[@antoniolucas98]

i always wanted you to make a video about ghanaian and nigerian highlife. After that one my hopes are higher

[@chancehicks2839]

RAHHHHHH NEW BANDSPLAINING VIDEO JUST DROPPED

[@audiencesmember]

Welcome back! Also nice sponsor!

[@Russell.S]

Fun and informative video. I subscribed to the channel and look forward to checking out these bands from West Africa! I know there’s only so much time and so many regions to cover, but I hope someday you can do a full video on Congolese rumba, which you touched on here. Few in the US know who Franco is, let alone Tabu Ley Rochereau, Joseph Kabasele or Mbilia Bel. The historical setting is similar to West Africa, an explosion of popular music during and after colonial independence. Nigerian music tends to get the most attention, and well deserved, but there is so much more to discover. Alas, so much great music, so little time. Thank you and cheers!

[@shalabazertheboltstruck8645]

This channel is a tresure 🤘

[@adawofford2732]

Huge fan of Rail Band, cool to see someone talking about them

[@waldzz]

Best video yet

[@Kazimier101]

Just built a solid playlist after watching this!

[@pedroleal7118]

It's quiet hard to explain the variety and richness of African Music in one video. Each region, Country ethnicity has it's own, and there are many! Keep up the good work! Btw, I ended up forming a band called "Gnawa Diffusion" A mix of Western and Arabic music from the Saara desert.

[@audioslavewithamastermind]

Amazing video, man!

[@daytripper0221]

As on this video, we had invited Natinonal BALLET Mali to Japan, 2002 and 2003. I had invited Zani and his family on 2008 personally one month. Aftre going back, Zani had passed away at Paris, after recording his Last disc. He had practiced everynight with his guitar on his bed until fallen sleep.

[@feedbackdef]

OMG, this video (and the music) is awesome. Thanks for posting.

[@BavonWW]

Don't forget Central and East African countries that also had healthy psychedelic scenes featuring bands like The Witch, Musi o Tunya, Ngozi Family, Dr Footswitch, Zig Zag, The Monk's Experience, The Scorpions, and many more. Annd never forget the West African band Osibisa who were an International success during the 60s through until the 90s.

[@wesleywild-s9x]

I started playing bass and learned 90 percent of my skills from african music . Love it

[@RafaelMotilaLopez]

Fantastic video ! Really, thank you

[@mimi5769]

After this video I'm going to listen to this kind of music for weeks

[@k2a2l2]

great video👍❤️ i think way more people need to explore music from other countries. there is countless amazing artists from all over the world and from all time periods

[@alexlappano435]

I'm only a minute or so into the video but I'm already asking myself if you're gonna mention the label Analog Africa, if not, check them out cuz they're gonna blow you away. Great work!

[@anthonystrazza4586]

Awesome documentary…I’ve been listening to goat hard ever since I heard them and this is just like them but way more flow

[@appropriateinput]

Sounds oddly similar to Middle Esstern music in places. Very cool! 🎸

[@sleepynoonradio]

So amazing! Thank you!

[@jonjester]

I love your content sir. Excellent video. 👌

[@hubertsumlin9697]

Great video. Thanks man.

[@mikecaetano]

Nice! Thanks for the pointers into the music of Mali. Just wait until you hear the stuff from Dahomey. It sounds like long lost Santana and Talking Heads and Grateful Dead. T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, an early seventies Afro-funk band from Benin with a ferocious groove and an eagerness for musical experimentation. Check out their songs "Malin Kpon O", "Houe Djein Nada", "General Gowon", and "Noude Ma Gnin Tche De Me". They also dropped a sixties pop ditty titled "Je N'en Peux Plus" that to my ears sounds like The Velvet Underground with a West African French accent. Also from Benin, check out El Rego Et Ses Commandos, "Se Na Min" and "E Nan Mian Nuku". And from Nigeria, check out Monomono "Give The Beggar A Chance", "The World Might Fall Over", "Find Out", and "Kenimania" and Manu Dibango "Ba-Kuba", "Coconut", and "Lily". Good stuff!