White Cannibal

In the late 70's and early 80's no artist represented the heart and soul of the No Wave/New Wave movement as clearly as James Chance. His James Chance and the Contortions and (alter-ego) James White and the Blacks were media stars all over the U.S.A. and Europe, heralding a new movement of Jazz/Punk/Funk. He was a prime time creator, leader, catalyst and motivating force. His early Brian Eno produced cuts on No New York (Antilles 1978) followed by two full vinyl albums on Mikal Zilkha's Ze Records launched a career that seemed to be like a shooting star across the musical firmament.

In 1981, ROIR then a cassette-only Company, released James Chance And The Contortions "Live In New York" as its first release. Many regard it as James' best work. Recorded in late 1980 and early '81, live at The 80's Club and Peppermint Lounge NYC, it is now 20 years later an essential document of New Wave history. We are now finally releasing it again, but this time digitally remastered, and renamed "White Cannibal"- fittingly so as James devours himself, his lyrics, his band and the audience! It sounds better today than ever.



reviews


"Go For It! Flaunts his hellacious funk. Runs the gamut of snakecharming cool to implosive punk/funk rage...His band sounds like a punky cross between Miles Davis" "Bitches Brew" and the JB's. He Be Punk Funk Brother Number One!" - Melody Maker UK

"Captures the funkmeister with his all black back-up band, including Ornette Coleman guitarist Bern Nix and Defunkt trombonist Joe Bowie, at his creepy crawly pomadoured best." - Roy Trakin Musician Magazine

"The White Godson of Soul. Chance pretty much invented the punk/funk genre." - NY Rocker

"Arriving from Milwaukee with a saxophone on his knee, James Chance quickly became the linchpin of the budding New York No Wave movement. Almost everyone of any importance in the New York art-rock scene was in his band." - Trouser Press Record Guide

"An excellent document of James' best band so far. Unequivocally recommended." - Glenn O'Brien- Interview

"James Chance took elements from James Brown as well as the Velvet Underground and Roxy Music to create his funk lounge act." - James Lien- CMJ

"Chance is Doubly Hip." - ZigZag UK

"This recording sees Chance working with probably his best outfit. The playing throughout is superb. Dislocating! Dancemaking! Snarling hard boiled lyrics for big cities and ugly times." - Record Mirror UK

"A collision of punk and harmolodic jazz. An unholy combo of Captain Beefheart and Maceo Parker. He ingested punk with a brittle energy that was unmatched." - Guinness Who's Who of Indie New Wave

"Most of the tapes excitement is generated by the leaders ceaseless swagger and his calling of all the shots, but the importance of his quintet & on some tracks aided by Defunkt trombonist Joe Bowie and the Discolitas backup singers should not be underestimated. Their playing is Great." - Chris Bohn- NME UK

AND NOW!

"An unholy racket banished to the dustbin of dance 20 years ago, punk funk rises again to become the coolest sound in clubland. (Punk funk, the brash and quirky culture clash between white post-punk and black industrial funk, is back in the UK clubs after a 20-year absence!)" - The Face UK- July 2000