Balearic Breakfast | Episode 178 | Slave to the Rhythm...

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 178th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on June 4th 2024.

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About this show. – On Saturday, June 1st 2024, a few hours before her last Balearic Brunch show on NTS, Colleen posted our beloved "request line" on her Instagram and Facebook accounts, sharing "Good morning! After 3 weeks of pre records this coming Tuesday’s Balearic Breakfast is all about your song requests and some of the tunes I have recently picked up. What would you like to hear on the show this week? I look forward to your requests and please join me for the live stream and chat from 10am to 12pm BST on my Mixcloud Live." Boy, hapiness here, hapiness there, hapiness everywhere, laughs! The Balearic Breakfast Family joined together as one, and the requests were off the hook!

Showtime arrived, and boy, emotions here, emotions there, emotions everywhere... Each member of the family had at least one reason to be Happy (we were celebrating Bradley Circle's Birthday!), but we all agreed on one point: today's show was one of the finest Colleen ever did.

As far as the title of this post goes, it made perfect sense to me, for many reasons that I will explain in the Listening experience, to refer to that situation where, whatever you do in your life, you're somehow in the position of a follower, serving some kind of purpose you don't always understand (and of course, referring here to the profound cover made by Trevor Horn & Lady Blackbird of Grace Jones’ song)...

But before we dive into that philosophical part, let's give the mic to Colleen: "This morning’s Balearic Breakfast is now up on my Mixcloud for your listening back pleasure. Today’s show features some new and old records I have recently picked up, some new promos and as always, your requests. It was great hosting the show live and thanks to all who joined me on the Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV chat."

Listen back to the 178th episode of Balearic Breakfast:

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PLAYLIST

(2023) Yussef Dayes – Tioga Pass

(2024) Torn Sail – Consider Your Position

(1981) Leon Ware – Rockin You Eternally

(1972) Earth Wind & Fire – I'd Rather Have You

(2023) Trevor Horn (ft. Lady Blackbird) – Slave to the Rhythm

(1990) Gal Costa – Brilho de Beleza

(1972) Milton Nascimento – Tudo O Que Vocé Podia Ser

(1972) Astrud Gilberto – Take It Easy My Brother Charlie

(2024) Paul Weller – Nothing

(1980) Rodney Franklin – Felix Leo

(1981) Pieces of a Dream – Warm Weather

(2024) Shunt Voltage – Generator

(2024) Residentes Balearicos – Balearic for President

(Puerto Montt City White Sand Mix)

(1982) Satin & Green – Spectacular

(NOL) Esther Phillips – I'll Be Your Pleasure

(Extended Funtown Records Edit)

(1976) Johnny Guitar Watson – I Need It

(2023) Exo Fender – Music in My Mind (Justin Van Der Volgen Edit)

(2024) Luminodisco – Solero

(2000) Blaze (ft. Chris Herbert) – Home Is Where the Heart Is

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THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE

It is excruciatingly painful sometimes to find the right words, especially when you're experiencing Loss. We're all losing. Always. We're losing things, opportunities, and more profoundly, we lose people. But the thing we cannot bear to lose, that one thing that's so important, is losing an 'aura'. Yes, an 'aura' can be lost. It can be taken away. To me, the 'aura' is the supreme step of a 'love' relationship. Think of it: we constantly create bonds with people; we have friends, colleagues, mentors, no matter the name, the reality behind it remains the same. There is 'love' there. But not always the same kind of 'love' and this is where 'aura' comes into play. For instance, let's say you fall in 'love' with someone. Of course, you love that person for what she is, but did it ever occur to you that, somehow, there is something more in that relationship and that you also love what that person reflects about yourself? Or, let's take another example: you work with someone for a long time, so it's a professional relationship, yet you create a bond with that person, and you 'love' her for the things she brings to you and that she might even not be aware of, but somehow you receive these 'things'. I think you got it by now that 'love' is not only the direct relationship but also everything that goes around it consciously or unconsciously, and this is the 'aura' part of love, something intangible, not limited to memories, I would say something of a soul... And when someone dies, somehow, you lose something of that 'aura' that was linked to the relationship, but it’s not always dying totally though… And as I said, it can be taken away... I'm thinking here about what Colleen is going through. Not only did she lose her best friend, her mentor, but also, a part of his 'aura' that was reflected through the New York Loft Parties, and that's just painful to a point where words do not have their say...

I felt I needed to share this here as the very first minutes of today's show had a profound vibration climaxing in Trevor Horn and Lady Blackbird's rendition of "Slave to the Rhythm." Let's go back to the music and see how much today's show is about situations where all you can do is try not to let destiny swallow you whole into an unknown nothingness...

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Lost at sea, you can't see anything in front of you, and still, the wind blows, leading you somewhere. You feel the boat drifting; the undertow is there, leading you against your will... Today's show is an adventure, and Tioga Pass, with its worried feel, perfectly represents the destiny that drives us each day (speaking about the song, Yussef Dayes said: 'A family trip in the heart of Yosemite National Park, Tioga Pass was one of the views that remained clear in my mind. Rocco’s bassline and Charlie Stacey's synth instantly take me back to that moment. This is an ode to that time I guess, and to my mother who would bring us to these beautiful locations. We worked with the incredible Chineke! Orchestra for strings and the song felt complete'). This somehow lost feeling, with its twists and turns will stay present in the songs to come. Listen carefully to Torn Sail's Consider Your Position. We also have these 'currents' appearing in this song; although it has a beautiful open soundstage, it still contains these sonic elements that indicate that anything can happen, at any moment. We're expecting them to come, and they do; they're in the details, so listen closely (to read the interview I did with Delia Recordings click here)...

As always, Colleen knows what she is doing, and she beautifully keeps on building the atmosphere with Rockin' You Eternally, which starts in a darker tone before slowly evolving, we still have the same structure here, a very open soundstage and that lightly worried spirit somewhere... Keeping the rhythm steady, in a perfect beat, Colleen then plays the loving plea that is I'd rather have you, which still holds the same "scenery" within itself, perfectly fitting into the songs played beforehand, ending this set with the powerful and desperate Slave to the rhythm (click here & here to read about Grace Jones' 1985 album). Listening to the lyrics, I asked myself, what are we in this life if nothing more than just puppets trying their best not to disappear? The tears came down. I wasn't prepared for them. Of course, I cried for personal reasons, but I knew these tears were also dedicated to Colleen... Your pain is ours... I knew by then I just found today's post title and the Wow moment of today's 177th episode...

As the show went on, the feeling stayed and got bigger. I slowly felt better talking to other members of the Family on the chat and was very surprised to hear the absolutely modern-sounding Brilho de Beleza by Gal Costa! Balearic Breakfast is that moment where anything can happen, and you can share your feelings and your sorrows with friends on the chat. That's so heartwarming. Each one of us had its hard times lately; some of us lost close friends, and others experienced hearing problems but being able to share our thoughts on the chat helps the mood! Colleen kept on playing songs that resonated with us, such as the poignant Tudo O Que Vocé Podia Ser (a very interesting song – 'Everything You Could Be' in English – dealing with choices in the face of adversity and how, even when remaining silent, one can refuse to obey and stay rebellious...). When I heard Take It Easy My Brother Charlie, I understood that life was a vibe, a rhythm that was leading you, and that you had no choice but to dance along, even when crying, surrendering to the beat...

I must add here that the album Now, from which this song is taken, released in 1972, is one every music lover (and Sound aficionado) should have in his record collection. Mind you: Astrud took charge of the production herself, with Eumar Deodato arranging all the songs. The impressive line-up on Now includes Deodato on acoustic guitar, Airto Moreira on percussions, label vice-president and production mastermind Patrick Adams on bass (alongside Bob Cranshaw and Ron Carter), the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet and Jazzberry Patch band's Mike Longo on keyboards, including the incredible Billy Cobham on drums!

This peculiar moment of the show was absolutely interesting because I felt the deep meaning of the song without listening to the lyrics (and while writing this, I think about our Dear David Mancuso, for obvious reasons), which, sung both in English and in Portuguese, use the metaphor of the rose to convey a very Balearic Message... (the original version is by Brazilian musician, composer and singer Jorge Ben Jor).

As Nothing' started, I was once again struck by the musical unity Colleen proposed. The video clip is quite interesting as it unveils some of the messages found in the song's lyrics and, after all, nothingness is at the centre of today's show, isn't it?... I would like to mention also that the end of the video clip perfectly represents the emotional state we all feel when losing someone... (for the Paul Weller Fans out there, check out the Paul Weller Fan Podcast where former Radio Broadcaster Dan Jennings interviews Paul about his latest studio album 66!)

The next two songs (Felix Leo & Warm Weather), closing the first hour of today's show, are quite interesting: while they also have a worried and questioning nature, they both feel like an invitation to dance, perfectly reflecting the title of today's post!

As always, for the second hour of the show, Colleen takes us on her private dancefloor! And even if the first hour was deeper than usual, that second half of the show really take us down. The first mini mix Colleen proposes consists of Shunt Voltage's Generator / Residentes Balearicos' Balearic for President (Puerto Montt City White Sand Mix) and Satin & Green's Spectacular!

Keeping the rhythm steady, we're then drawn into the groove with Esther Phillips' I'll Be Your Pleasure / Johnny Guitar Watson's I Need It / Exo Fender's Music in My Mind (Justin Van Der Volgen Edit); this crazy dancing moment ending with Luminodisco's Solero!

Closing the show with Blaze's (ft. Chris Herbert) Home Is Where the Heart Is, Colleen proved here, once again, how much she embodies the Love Saves The Day "Moto" and how much, the Balearic Breakfast Family mean to her...

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SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM

A short story by The Lioncub

A new day was ending. Slowly, above the London houses, the sun gently prepared the indirect end of its journey... Trying to write a few last words on the blog post dedicated to Balearic Breakfast's 177th episode, I was exhausted. Everything was almost ready; I could at least publish a temporary version, which, as usual, I would finish in the coming days... – Once again, nothing was planned; life had a master plan. And it brings endless tears of joy to my eyes… I am living for moments like these, where destiny creates Perfection for you, for me and for the entire Balearic Breakfast family. Yes, nothing was planned, nor the title, nor the structure, nor… –

– Artur? 

– Yes, lion cub? 

– I'm going to see if Colleen is upstairs! 

– Ok, big guy, but don’t bother her if you see she’s working! 

– You know I would never do that!

The lion cub headed towards the stairs. I looked at the almost final result of my work when suddenly, I saw… – the image. – Everything was there in front of my eyes; the perfect union was being created once again, and I didn't see anything coming?! How was that possible?! Was life playing another game on me… Petrified with fear, I instinctively understood what was happening. Colleen! Everything but not that! I dropped my keyboard and ran through the living room, hoping to arrive...

The lion cub clumsily climbed the steps leading upstairs and was surprised by the crystal-clear silence surrounding the record room... Colleen? ... Colleen?! ... Are You here? ... An icy cold seized the four-legged spirit. God, it's so cold in here! ... It's unbelievable... he said to himself... Suddenly, he saw her and rushed to her feet... Colleen! I am so happy! How are you… ? ... Something ... Something ... He felt ... A shiver of horror ran through his body as he looked up. She stood there. Frozen.

Colleen? ... Do you hear me?... Colleen?! repeated the lion cub with tears in his eyes... He felt. He understood. The sadness of the record room suddenly crushed him. He sensed her tears, heard her cries, witnessed a hand reaching out to a vacant sky, and imagined her dignity trapped in the unyielding stone of the rejected moment. Colleen?! Not you! Not now! I refuse to believe it! Come back to me! Can you hear me?! Come back to us! Come back to Your Family! Don't cry, I beg you; don't let yourself be carried away by their smallness! 

On time... As I gazed at the static image, I realized the inevitable terror unfolding. Holding the lion cub close, I attempted to calm him:

– Calm down, calm down dear fluffy thing!! We'll find a solution, we'll bring her back!

– No! Howled the lion cub, it's too late! It’s over! I’ve been away for too long! It's my fault! 

– No, dear Lion cub! No, it's not your fault! Wait... Wait wait wait wait wait. Look! Maybe it’s just…

– An Armour?! A freaking and hideous armour?!! declared the bewildered lion cub... A damn armour representing her sadness?!! 

Tearing himself away from my embrace, the lion cub fiercely struck the hard stone. Come back! Come back, Come back Colleen!! Without you everything is useless! You are my friend, you can't abandon me! You can't leave Us all alone! I know you're in there!! You are not a slave to the rhythm, you are the rhythm itself! You are life! One shot, then two more, like in an endless chain, the lion cub kept on hitting the stone with his forehead... Do you hear me?! You are a part of my aura! I am nothing without you! Colleen! Listen to me!! We're all here for you, we're waiting!! We need you!! With each blow, in the distance, friendly faces were appearing... dozens, hundreds, finally thousands...

Unexpectedly, the stone collapsed. As the lion cub soared into a splendid Milky Way, I shouted in terror: "Lion cub!! Nooooo!!!" Plummeting endlessly, convinced his end was near, the lion cub shut his eyes and prayed fervently. ... Suddenly, a gentle voice rescued him... "And remember... Just be Balearic..."

– Colleen?!! Colleen?!! Is it you? Is it really really you?!! shouted the lost four-legged spirit...

– Yes, my dear Fluffy one, it’s definitely me! 

– Oh Colleen!!! I'm so happy to see you!! I wanted to welcome you and tell you that David is with us! Love Saves the Day!! 

The lion cub fell into Colleen's arms and burst into a continuous, unending cry... Slowly returning to their beloved musical path, Colleen was welcomed by all those who knew that love saves the day... As she went from hug to hug, Colleen stopped at the sound of a pigeon cooing there in a very Balearic manner...

– You didn't forget me at least, did you...?

– Oh Rick! Don't start! 

While everyone burst into laughter, somewhere, a phrase resonated in their eternity...

And remember... Just be Balearic...