Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy – In Session – 1992 – Past Daily Morning Soundbooth

gordonskene

June 21

Disposable-Heroes-Of-Hiphoprisy-session-Andy-Kershaw-May-19-1992.mp3

Early Hip-Hop to end the week with Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy. A session for Andy Kershaw at BBC Radio 1 on May 19, 1992. Really together for a relatively short period of time, but in that time released two albums that were critically acclaimed but didn't sell well (ahead of their time).

The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy were active during the early 1990s, formed in 1990 by Michael Franti (vocals, production, misc. instruments) and Rono Tse (drums, percussion, programming), who had worked together in The Beatnigs.

Their first live performance was on August 23, 1991 at the Kennel Club in San Francisco.[3]

The group was associated with contemporary bands, including House of Pain and Pop Will Eat Itself. They also were somewhat reminiscent of Gil Scott-Heron due to the half-spoken vocal styles of Franti and the up-front political messages in the music. The Disposable Heroes played many concerts, sometimes opening the bill for more well-known acts such as U2 (on their landmark Zoo TV Tour), Rage Against the Machine, Nirvana and Arrested Development. Guitarist Charlie Hunter made his recording debut with the Disposable Heroes before earning fame in jazz.

Among their contemporaries, the band had strong artistic, political, and personal ties to both Meat Beat Manifesto and Consolidated. The recording of Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury was co-produced by Consolidated's Mark Pistel, and prolific Meat Beat Manifesto frontman Jack Dangers assisted with mixing.

In 1993, Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy worked with William S. Burroughs, recording music for a collaborative album entitled Spare Ass Annie and Other Tales. This album diverged greatly from the style of the band's previous work, as they were largely providing musical background and accompaniment to Burroughs' spoken readings from several of his books. The Disposable Heroes split up shortly after.

Peter Jenner, who had managed Pink Floyd and The Clash, managed the group.

Michael Franti later formed Spearhead, while Tse worked with the Mystik Journeymen. In 1995, Franti said of Spearhead "The big problem with Disposable Heroes was that it was a record people listened to because it was good for them - kind of like broccoli. I want Spearhead to be more like sweet potatoes."

The style of turntablism developed by the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy was influential on DJ Product©1969, who credited his work, including as a member of the rap rock band Hed PE, as being influenced by Disposable Heroes.

"Television, the Drug of The Nation" was listed at number 401 on NME's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2014.

Now, to trigger a few memories and get you ready for the weekend, Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy and their first (and I think only) session for Andy Kershaw in May 1992.