Goldie Lookin Chain are a direct
result of the coming together of several of Newport’s most twisted minds.
The concepts and ideas have been constantly banded around in various guises
since as far back as 1983. Early experiments carried out by founder member
Chon Ben-Wa Balls aka Mr. Love Eggs involved the use of ‘Studio Recorder
60™’, a portable tape recorder to record favourite dialogue from television
shows which was then overdubbed using a myriad of Eggsie’s favourite swear
words.
Thirteen
years later, co-founder and beatmeister extraordinaire Dwayne Xain Zedong
began creating electronic music with his ‘Rave Generator’. This device enabled
Dwayne to master the principles of sequencing beats and soon a collaboration
of the two minds came to pass after a chance meeting in the car park of
a deserted college.
Five years later, the GLC began to come into its own. By this time another 21 fully grown adult males had also become inspired enough by this cultural phenomenon to want to add their own personal styles and rhythms to the fast-expanding collection of urban poetry. The eight piece core of the crew consists of: Eggsie (Mr. Love Eggs), Xain (Dwayne Xain Xedong), Adam Hussain, Two-Hats, Mike Balls (Hardest Man in Soccer Violence), Billy Webb, Mystikal and the Maggot. Other footsoldiers no less celebrated include: DCI Burnside, Leeroy Fashions, Lloyd Ganja 9T9, 38DD Killa, BBJ (Big Baby Jesus), Eugene the Genius, Mr. Compact, MC Flatpress, Cannsie-T, Dipper Nan, Mac Dad, One-Step Down, Will Dionysus and Adam’s Nan.
After a series of homemade CD-R releases, the band finally decided to perform live for the first time and the summer of 2003 saw the dawn of Goldie Lookin Chain as a live expression of the band’s thoughts and emotions. The majority of this popularity seems to have sprung from the successful website created by the Chain’s resident alchemist and technological dabbler, Mystikal: “It’s wicked, it’s everything a website should be and much more. To date we’ve had around 800,000 hits and we’re still counting. We’ve got music, muck, madness and mayhem. To think it all started as a front for my online sex cult ‘The Church of the Hidden Truth’ is really quite astounding…”
It’s taken Goldie Lookin Chain 21 years to create this monster. Sit back,
relax and enjoy the delights we have to offer… your life will never be the
same….
Their debut album ‘Goldie Lookin Chain’s Greatest Hits’ was released in the UK on September 13th 2004, and has since gone on to sell over 200,000 in the UK alone.
Picture this: A recording studio
far, far away... within this heavily defended compound, dark forces are
at work as eight social misfits prepare to unlock the secrets of the universe
via the gift of urban poetry and swearing. Gather your senses, come closer
and welcome to the world of the Goldie Lookin Chain.
Their best laid plans a mystery, their intentions unknown, who could ever fathom what unpredictable schemes this Newport-based rap phenomenon could come out with next....? We asked Billy Webb aka Tim Westcountry of the band whose response caused some to nod in sage agreement and others to scratch their heads: "I don't know what it is mate" he mumbled on his way off to the chip shop.
Certain things we can be sure of. 2004 was a make or break year for those
involved in the Goldie Lookin Chain. Sellout UK and European tours were
a familiar sight. Eyewitnesses claim that these 'shadowy figures of chaos'
were seen at all the top festivals including Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading,
V2004, T in the Park and the Coventry Godiva Festival and Country Fete.
Their website grew to include both a high and low-tec version at www.youknowsit.co.uk
and fan sites such as www.glcforum.com can be seen eagerly discussing the
antics of their hip-hop heroes. In September of last year, Goldie Lookin
Chain's album 'Greatest Hits' was released to critical acclaim, entering
the UK charts at Number 5. When we enquired as to the nature of the title,
the Maggot (Tallest Man in Hip-Hop) replied, "I'm very much into the
works of Freddie Mercury. When Queen released an album called 'Greatest
Hits', it did very well so we thought we'd have a go". He wasn't wrong.
200,000 copies have been sold in the UK alone, the album already spawning
four hit singles, with great expectations set for the rest of the world
and anyone currently residing in this dimension.
So, what now....? Well, without hard evidence, all we can rely on are rumours, gossip and conjecture. According to those in the know, visits to Japan and the States are on the Goldie Lookin Chain's agenda of madness. That along with the UK-based 'Road to Rehab Tour' in February, a highly anticipated second album and another Summer of Adventure mean that this band's future is most certainly Goldie Lookin, if not assuredly 24-carat.
For further information please
contact Nienke Klop at All Press on 020 8969 3636
Or at nienke.klop@all-press.co.uk
Check out the band’s website on www.youknowsit.co.uk
Pictures of GLC are available on www.image.net
Please contact the Crow Point team with any enquiries.
Links in this section include:
Click the following summary for more ...
04 Sept 2006
From the semi-natural ancient woodlands of Coed Wen and Plas Machen to the meadows at Llanmartin and the wet pastures and reen systems of the Levels, Newport has a wealth of habitats and wildlife. You can find out more by meetingNewport's Countryside Team at Crow Point Festival.
One thing you shouldn't miss if you come to the festival by bike is the Newport Wetlands Reserve. The Reserve was created as compensation for the loss of habitat caused by the building of the barrage in Cardiff Bay. Reedbeds, lowland wet grassland, saline lagoons, and saltmarsh have been created over 438.6 ha between Uskmouth and Goldcliff.
04 Sept 2006
After a hearing on Monday 4th September Crow Point Festival has a full licence for the 16th and 17th September. Crow Point is the first large scale event of its sort to get a licence in Newport since the new licensing act was introduced.
The festival organisers are delighted to have received this piece of good news. We would like to remind the public that no cars are allowed on site and that last entrance on both days will be at 7.30pm. For more information on opening times and admission requirements please click here. Enjoy the free festival!!
18 Sept 2006
Over the weekend of Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September close to 14,000 attended the free attractions in Coronation Park. After a delayed start we saw 5,300 on Saturday and a further 8,500 on Sunday. More information will appear on the website over the next weekend. In the meantime Crow Point organisers would like to thank our team of workers, our sponsors and supporters, our traders and the public of Newport for making this such a great event.
04 Sept 2006
On Saturday 16th September the festival programme includes a late-season produce show. This the first horticultural and produce show in the centre of Newport for many years.
The produce show marks and supports the renewed interest in gardening and healthy eating in the City. The schedule of competition classes, which are aimed at both novice and expert growers, is now available to download by clicking here . For further information contact Sara Walsh on 01633 665989 (evenings) or at saras.garden@ntlworld.com .
31st July 2006
Crow Point will be one of the fundraising events to support Mayor Miqdad Al-Nuaimi's two chosen charities: Growing Space and the Campaign to Restore St Woolos Cathedral.
Crow Point will help these two causes by giving them the excluive rights to collect money at the festival. Please click here for more.
