Future Shock (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Future Shock
Future Shock cover
Studio album by Herbie Hancock
Released January 1, 1983
Recorded 1982
Genre Jazz fusion, Electro, Jazz-funk
Length 37:58 (original release) / 47:52 (remastered edition with bonus track)
Label Columbia Records
CK-38814
Producer Material
Herbie Hancock
Professional reviews
Herbie Hancock chronology
Quartet
(1982)		 Future Shock
(1983)		 Sound-System
(1984)

Future Shock is Herbie Hancock's thirty-fifth album and the first of his Electro-jazz era.

Contents

[edit] About the Album

Composed in 1983, Hancock enlisted avant-garde bassist and record producer Bill Laswell to record an album that would go towards a post-modern direction, instead of his usual straight-ahead jazz. The result was a hip-hop influenced album, which combined Hancock's keyboard mastery with Laswell's innovative arrangements and Grand Mixer DXT's turntablism. According to 1999 re-issue's liner notes, when Laswell went to buy speakers at a music equipment store he would insist on testing them by playing the demos of "Rockit" and "Earth Beat". While those songs were played through the speakers, passing by customers apparently liked what they heard and danced to the music. Soon after Laswell let Hancock know about the incident, eventually telling him: "We got something good here."

"Rockit", the album's big hit, was accompanied by one of the most successful music videos ever. The video, directed by Godley and Creme, featured dancing robots, moving around to the beat of the music and the turntable scratching. Hancock won several MTV Music Video awards in 1983, as well as the Grammy award for best R&B performance.

[edit] Trivia

Hancock performed the song "Rockit", at the 1985 Grammy Awards in a synthesizer jam with fellow synthesizer masters Howard Jones, Stevie Wonder and Thomas Dolby.

Hancock also performed "Rockit" at the 1984 Grammy Awards with his band. Hancock later received a grammy for the song.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Hancock/Laswell/Beinhorn (except where noted).

  1. "Rockit" - 5:22
  2. "Future Shock" (Curtis Mayfield) - 8:02
  3. "TFS" - 5:15
  4. "Earth Beat" - 5:10
  5. "Autodrive" - 6:25
  6. "Rough" - 6:57
  7. "Rockit (mega mix)" - 6:18 (remastered CD only)

[edit] Production Credits

[edit] Producers

[edit] Musicians