Search This Blog

Monday 23 August 2021

MonoMono Monday

Today's post is the first of two featuring the work of Joni Haastrup, one of the unsung heroes of the Nigerian afro-rock and funk scene of the 1970s and a man who in his time has played with the likes of Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker. 

On Wednesday we'll feature his 1978 solo album "Wake Up Your Mind", but first we have "Give The Beggar A Chance", the album he made in 1971 as the lead singer and keyboard player with MonoMono - not just because it came first chronologically but because "MonoMono Monday" works better as a title than "MonoMono Wednesday".

As well as being a fine piece of music, the title track of the album poses one of the great philosophical questions of our time: "What do you want from a leper who ain't got no hands to scratch his butt?".

"Give The Beggar A Chance" - MonoMono

"Kenimania" - MonoMono

Interesting fact: A few years after it was released, Mickie Most tried to buy the rights to "Kenimania" so he could rework it as the first single for a new band he was trying to promote as rivals to the Bay City Rollers. Joni wouldn't play ball, so Mickie had to use this instead:

3 comments:

  1. Splendid tracks. Splendid shoehorning of 79s glam-pop tune. The MonoMono album is abailable from a well-known online store, but not Bandcamp

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is on Bandcamp but credited to Joni "Monomono" Haastrup. Can also get their other LP "Dawn of Awareness" there. Link is:
      https://monomono.bandcamp.com/album/give-the-beggar-a-chance

      What you can't get there is his solo album that I'll be featuring later in the week. To get that you will have go to:
      https://tummytouchrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wake-up-your-mind

      Delete
    2. Thanks, and I will see if I can get a Kenny album too

      Delete