Classical Instrumental Music

Formed in 1980, 23 Skidoo were a North London quartet, comprising Fritz Catlin on drums, Sam Mills on guitar, Johnny Turnbull on guitar and Patrick Griffiths on bass.

Often describes as one of the most electrifying and creative post-punk band of all time, 23 Skidoo ‘veered ambitiously between brittle Miles-style funk, tape look experimentation, sound-sound reportage and Martin Denny-inspired exotica.

But they were much more than that. Oh yes. They are often accredited with being one of the first bands to incorporate African-rhythms and percussions to their sound, which was often described as ‘sinister etho-funk industrial-dub’. Lovely. Anyway, today’s SOTD, ‘Coup’ was released in 1984 and is a blazing and warped record. Roping in Aswad’s horn section and using samples from Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, the ‘Skidoo created a collage of thrilling noise set to an incredible funky bassline. A bassline so memorable and unique, that the Chemical Brothers would nick it for their 1997 smash hit ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’ (allegedly). Bah. Nevermind, eh?