COLONEL WENGWAH

GLASS HALF FULL - COLONEL WENG WAH

Well not my glass! My glass remains pretty full most of the time hic. Just a week after Valentine’s Day and we give you our anti-love song. I know that when we wrote this Benny Boy had a lot to get off his chest concerning his love-life, so I thought I’d better let him. . Thought I’d dig up a sample that sounded like the theme from Robinson Crusoe and stick that on it… It set us on a journey to the South America’s and East africa in order to complete the picture. (It’s a hard job being us innit?.) Cigars, Cuba Libres, and me in me best vest. Always on duty. For Queen and country eh? Heh heh. What what!

Bottoms Up

HF

Manyana by Colonel Weng Wah

Directed and devised by our buddy Andrea Colomb.

Summer 2011, the summer of RAGE!?!…
Like a lot of people, the COLONEL WENG WAH team has had a frustrating summer. The promo video for ‘Theme From W.E.N.G!’ was put on hold after moral issues were raised, and half the video had to be re-shot with a different story.
The other big frustration over the summer was the WENG live show. After putting together a tight and energetic set, including visuals by South African director: Craig Moore, the June gigs were cancelled due to promoters being absolute dickheads. I wont bore you with details, but will say thank you to Andy Mac Manus for helping out.
With London at the saturation point of no return, it’s nice to meet positive new people, shame we had to deal mainly with useless idiot wankers, but that’s life.
And then there were the riots… Were you surprised? There are a lot of people out there, London 10M? UK 50M? So there must be a lot of pissed off people out there? I get pissed off but I’ve got a music project to release my stress, I’m Lucky. What about the people with no connection to anything positive, the teenagers bored shitless with nothing to do, the under privileged. If you get 4 thousand Hackney rude boys against 3 hundred WPCs it will only end one way. It just goes to show how much anger and energy is out there when kids will burn down a footlocker and loot mobile phone shops on a Sunday night in Brixton because… they can. Monkey see, monkey do… Politicians, footballers, bankers, film stars, celebrity chefs etc. take what they want with out regard for the consequences; they all look out for their own gain. When the top end of society say “I’m pushing for more, fuck every one else” there has to come a time when the bottom end start to think the same. The most disappointing aspect of the riots was that it showed us how unconnected our whole society is. It was a total embarrassment of the whole nation. You can say the police should have done more by laying into the rioters, that the politicians should have got back from holiday quicker and restored order (please), you could say the ‘parents’ should have brought up there kids up better, that GTA is turning boys into nutters… The only thing we all agree on is that “PEOPLE ARE FUCKING IDIOTS, OUR LEADERS DON’T HAVE A CLUE, AND THINGS NEED TO CHANGE OR THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN” It was nice to see the reaction from different people after, if only to get a response.
And so the re shoot for WENG promo was given a new direction. Showing the misplaced aggression that is out there and the need for that energy to be used in a positive way. Director Owynne Dawkins has had a personal journey, though a ‘heart of darkness’ to complete the job, but he has done a fantastic job and for me the video is a perfect visualization of the track. The lyrics start by stating the need to get the WENG message to the right people, what is the WENG message? Well I can’t just write it out here (I hope you can hear it on the whole WENG album) the message should come threw the music, that is what we try to do. If I was to put the WENG message into a sentence then I guess that sentence would be… “Try to be the best you can, be realistic, share your views and energy but don’t try to force them on others that are not into it.” The ‘Theme From W.E.N.G!’ contains passages from ‘The Art Of War’ an ancient Chinese military text from around 500BC, a lot of the book contains sayings that can relate to war/every day life (for some people war is an every day event) that can help you understand the best way to deal with problems. And as Bill Hicks once said, ‘there will always be problems until peace on earth rules forever’.

Behind the scenes photos by Luka Marchant

Director Owynne on the making of the WENG video promo…

“It was a tough time trying to finish this video. The original concept for the video was, as Ben said, about the power that oppression by a greater force can have on an impressionable group of society. In this instance it was the Youth of today. Of course rap music and video games and Scarface don’t turn kids into mindless, senseless hooligans but the lack of an encouraged voice and the absence of loving, guiding control (from family, teachers, or government) can lead to a feeling of emotional numbness and a removal of apathy for a society that ignores them. I am in no way condoning the violence that took place recently (and after we shot the video) and I would hate to think that this video will influence and encourage such behavior but we felt that we had to say something”.

BEN WAH raps his ass off in RIO

‘ello!

Over xmas I had 5 weeks of R&R in South America! Lucky I know…
But rest wasn’t too much on the agenda, this is the continent of samba, cocaine, macumba, football fans that make us English look Victorian, and Colonel Weng Wah had a nu-video to shoot!

1st stop, was the Brazilian capital, Brasilia. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer just 50 years ago, the place looks mental! A kind of a 60s sci-fi movie feel. We should have filmed some footage there, but I was still as pale as a sheet, and we wanted a video about life and love, Kool Keith could have made a promo for ‘I’m Seein’ Robots’ there, or anything from Dr Octagon.

Then from the middle of Brazil to the capital of Argentina. Buenos Aires is very different, it looks and sounds like an Italian city, men greeting each other with a peck on the cheek!??, elegant buildings, lots of lingerie shops (nice-HF), lovely street markets, cheap beer. But its got 70s American cars driving as fast as they can on a one way grid system, rocks flying out of them and smashing windows and macho dudes trying to be hard. Again not quite the look we wanted.

And on to Rio, a jam packed city surrounded by mountains, lush green trees (saw a Sloth and family of mini monkeys) and the Cariocas (the people of Rio) are both blessed and cursed in equal measure; they’ll curse each other, curse you, curse themselves, love themselves, love each other, love you, complain and praise you. You can always buy a R$10 wrap of coke on the street if you get bored.

New year was seen in at Copacabana Beach, 2 Million people, 30 minutes of fireworks and the ‘jumping of the 7 waves tradition’. Then a short walk to hang out on the rocks of Arpoador.

So 2011 had started in the best possible way, ‘Sick Senses’ was about to be released back home AND i’m shooting a video in Rio!

Copa isn’t the best beach in Rio, that honour would be between Ipanema or Leblon. And Leblon is were we chose to shoot sync footage for the ‘GLASSHALF-FULL’ promo that is part of a global audio visual experiment by HANS FREEKIT (who shot his bit in Zanzibar - full story to come!).

The beach at Leblon has a spectacular view of mountains to the west that fitted as a background, and so to the sea, though the waves were far less impressive then before. The track was blasted out of a 2K sound system, the sun came out, the beer was cold and it was only 10:30 in the morning! But by the time we were on the 3rd run though, we had to halt filming because too many people had come over to check it out the music and the police had arrested 2 boys for smoking weed….

(the promo for GLASSHALF-FULL should be ready for carnival - coming soon)

Hone your rapping skills with Weng Wah.

Stick on ‘SICK SENSES’, don a suitable piece of military clothing, dog-tags, vest perhaps.

Assume the position…..   

READY?…..

I get these calls in my head when I’m lying in bed.
They keep me wide awake when I think of what was said.
Just like all those little things they tell you to remember when your old.
Like when to take a hit and when to know to fold.
Sold for gold and told every thing you need to hear.
People will pollute more then just the atmosphere.
The sounds we never feel we never think are real.
I thought I made it when I signed my first deal

But things can turn out different some times different for the better.
I never thought my life might be the subject of a lawyers letter.
It’s how it happens its how it goes on.
Going round in circles going on and on and on.
And on and off and on and off…
I don’t know but I feel I’ve been lost.
It’s another story of lost dreams and lost redemption.
Thats why I’m fired up with anger and apprehension.

5 SENSES IT AINT ENOUGH THOUGH
I AINT A JEDI I’M MORE LIKE HAN SOLO
5 SENSES BUT WHERES THE NEXT ONE?
YOU WANT AN ANSWER I’M GONNA TXT 1..

.. 2, 3 its up to me, Hans Freekit making them beats.
Slip slip it under the door and come back when your ready for more.
I can’t take this I’m breaking my brain up.
Trying to find something something to chain up.
Like a Raptor busting out a cage.
I’m locked down but I’m able to rage.
I’m on the stage with the crazy Freak.
Well nice to  meet you were here all week.
You don’t like us? we don’t care.
We’ll cut off your arms and then wave them in the air.

I think I’m hearing what they say but it’s too late for today.
Tonight I’ll go again and I’ll try and run away.
Just like every other time that people tried to pin me down.
I see you smiling but you need to wear a frown.
Or put down your feeling in cold hard truth.
Don’t believe what’s written on a telephone both.
The city is just a lie under false pretense.
It thinks it’s super cool cause it holds events.
But it’s just another place were the humans live.
They try and get along with the love that they give.
Or the love they received with the things they achieved.
It could work much better but that would take greed.
So much work and rest again, work and rest again.
Moving up smooth moving up close to them.
Its a problem we all face and have to deal with.
But there’s more then just 5 that you can feel with.

5 SENSES IT AINT ENOUGH THOUGH
I AINT A JEDI I’M MORE LIKE HAN SOLO
5 SENSES BUT WHERES THE NEXT ONE?
YOU WANT AN ANSWER I’M GONNA TXT YOU ONE.

Like you could always be thinner.
Lose fat and then you’ll be a winner.
Smiling grinning ear to ear.
Now if you don’t fit in then you can’t stay here.
Cause all the movies feature size zero.
Want to be the dead girl or the hero.
The propaganda, too thick.
If you bite and you chew you will end up sick.

ITS SICK! THE STATE WERE IN!
ITS SICK TRYING TO MAKE YOURSELF THIN!
ITS SICK!

……FUN HUH?

Right, now once more…     with feeling!!!!

A massive shout out to the soldiers of fortune who dug-in and helped us make the video for ‘SICK SENSES’.

ABOVE and BEYOND  the call of duty went….

GREG FRANCIS - DIRECTOR

DARIUS NOROWZIAN - CAMERA

JAMES COPEMAN - ANIMATION

COLIN MITCHELL (peep show) - EDITOR

RICKY GRAUSIS - COLOURIST

THE MOVING PICTURE COMPANY - TELECINE

PRODUCERS - DAVE COOKE & BEN HSIUNG

AWESOME, thankyou.

COLONEL WENG WAH is a collaboration between BEN WAH and HANS FREEKIT.
They call their sound the “NU-OLD SKOOL!”

Ben Wah…  when he’s not ducking and diving as a ‘face’ around London’s SOHO - is chief rapper and vocalist for the beat combo that is COLONEL WENG WAH!

Ben hails from Camden, is half chinese (hence the ‘Weng Wah’ nickname) and realised early on that rapping was something he needed to do after seeing Rage Against The Machine perform ‘Killing In The Name Of’ on ‘The Word’!
He recalls from his old school-days that hip-hop and jungle was for the ‘rude-boys’, grunge and rock for the ‘trendies’. But with Californian bands Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Cypress Hill and Rage.. mixing rap, rock and social conscience Ben found himself firmly in the middle!
A veteran of London bands - ‘The Knights Of Hue’, S.C.U.B.A (swiss cottage underground beat association) and Shao Di Di, Ben Wah is a cool MC who vibrates with positive vibes and has something to say!



If Ben Wah provides the words on the W.E.N.G! agenda - then producer HANS FREEKIT handles the musical muscle.
Hans Freekit (real name Dave Cooke) hails from Sheffield, and is a veteran of the city’s vibrant music scene…  He started out as a guitarist, with a penchant for heavy metal, but in the early 80’s  the golden age of New York Hip Hop and electro proved too strong an influence to resist!
In the 90’s he signed his experimental rock band “V” to Warp records and more recently was  guitarist with globe-trotting sheffield friends MOLOKO.
After the five year whirlwind of MOLOKO’s global success Dave (Hans! - confused yet?) settled in London to focus on songwriting & production. 

The pair met in 2008 and hit it off right away…  Ben had loads of quirky lyrics and wouldn’t shut up! …Hans was impressed. Hans had lots of what he called ” zombie hip hop” tracks lying around unused.   …Ben was also impressed!

HANS (on Ben) - “I met this kid who said he could rap at a party, I said ‘oh yeah’ go on then.. I thought he was full of shit .. and he launched into three minutes of lyrics on the spot.
.. I thought F**kin’ hell that was alright!   I then said we should do some tunes together as i had loads of sample-y hip hop style beats knocking around which I didn’t know what to do with.”

BEN (on Hans) -  “I asked Hans to make a track for me using an acappella of a new song I had.
He came back with a completely amazing ‘Rave meets Dr. Dre meets Cypress hill’ track with the vocal pinned in there somewhere it was like a ‘wow’ moment for me when I heard it.”

Working together was a breeze, partly because they had some shared influences (Old school hip hop, rock) and partly because from the sense of liberation created by having a new direction.
The Nu- tracks followed in quick succession, each one different to the last but all having an unmistakable Identity - the W.E.N.G sound was being born.

Ben Wah & Hans Freekit are both hot live performers - so they played some East-end parties and clubs in the summer of 2009 - “just for the hell of it!”
 - the first setup being Ben on the mic, Hans on guitar, and sparse live bass heavy mixes of the tracks on tape. Which worked well and gave the shows a ‘block party’ club vibe.
BEN - “we just got everyone into having a good time, sweaty club, plenty of back and forth between us and the audience..  sometimes we’d stop the tape, do rewinds, pleasing the crowd, y’know, just having some fun with it!”

The response was so positive that the daring duo started to focus more on tightening the sound and applying the lessons learned by playing the W.E.N.G material live.
The result being an eclectic mix of funky, sample-heavy songs and jams destined to what will become the first COLONEL WENG WAH album!


In 2010 COLONEL WENG WAH caused a bit of a buzz in June after HANS FREEKIT won a prize of two tickets to England’s 1st game of the World Cup in South Africa.
Quick to spot an opportunity for blatant self-promotion the pair decided to knock up a World Cup Anthem entitled ‘WORLD CUP FEVER - I’m A Believer!’**  and shoot a loose documentary style video of their travels en-route to the England v USA game in Rustenburg!
The video turned out great, if a little lo-fi, was funny and had bags of weng-wah charm!

..A sure fire Youtube hit was only denied by England’s shocking attempt to get no further than the last 16! … getting hammered by Germany!
However before the bubble burst the  video had been championed by Heat magazine, the Daily Mirror, Promo News and was flashed around the world via countless blogs and agencies providing lots of new ‘Team WENG!’ recruits!

Inspired by the internet success of ‘World Cup Fever’, they enlisted director Greg Francis to make a proper video for their track ‘SICK SENSES’.
The vid shot in a ‘guerilla’ stlyee - was filmed in London on the tourist packed South Bank and outside the Bank Of England with the pair interacting with passers-by, skaters, mariachi bands and the city-scape..   thus echoing the ‘pros and cons of living in the city’ aspect of the song.

”SICK SENSES” will be available to download from iTUNES in January! 17.01.11


Viva Colonel Weng Wah!
 

‘World Cup Fever - (I’m A Believer)’

Soooo… the First Post on the COLONEL WENG WAH communication t’interweb blog thing!

Both ‘Colonel WENG WAH’ and I are looking forward to spilling our guts on a variety of topics…

Our tunes (obviously), Lyrics, Video’s, who did what, when, and where!!!

The first W.E.N.G offensive is being planned for the Nu-Year of our Lord, 2011!

The vid to DEBUT SINGLE “SICK SENSES” is “on the plane!”  and will ready for your viewing pleasure in early January.

“SICK SENSES” will also be available for download at  the same time.

We’ll be putting a BIOGRAPHY up soon - for everything you need to know about ‘Colonel WENG WAH’ and yours truly!

God Bless,

Hans Freekit.