Opposite People

The spirited music on this release indeed heralds the calm before the storm for Fela Kuti and his ever growing Kalakuta Republic. The mood is considerably light and positive -- allowing Kuti the opportunity to make social rather than overtly political statements. The album contains a pair of extended works -- one per LP side -- epitomizing the tight instrumentation and trance-inducing Afro-funk that became synonymous with Kuti and his Africa '70. The A-side title track, "Opposite People," is an up-tempo observation on the meta messages between folks as they interact verbally and physically. The track builds in intensity with the rapid-fire call and response between Kuti and the Africa '70 until it settles into a repetitive chant of "Him go dey Shakara [read: bragging], Him go dey Katakata [read: pandemonium]." Over this Kuti weaves equally hypnotic electric piano lines eventually dominating the remainder of the track. The B-side contains "Equalisation of Trouser and Pant" -- which is set to a considerably funkier, more languid reggae-influenced tempo. Kuti's electric piano has a liquefied sound that further enhances the surreal nature of the subject matter -- a parable involving the specific usefulness in every component of the whole. The apparent moral is that each part serves a purpose when working in unison and harmony. Like the fables of Woody Guthrie, Fela is able to craft a timeless blend of native music with lessons of life experience. On February 18, 1977, his newly constructed compound was raided and destroyed by 1,000 armed Nigerian army men. The results on this unprovoked rampage varied from the fractured skull, leg, and arm of Kuti to the torture of his 82-year-old mother -- who was tossed from a window. His next release, Sorrow Tears and Blood (1977), would contain a scathing indictment of the incident. [In 2000 both long-players were coupled on a single CD as part of the Fela Originals collection. The sound is quite good despite some vinyl surface noise presumably from the source material.]