The “Amen Break” - A 6-Second Drum Loop Continues to Make Music History
Check out this video clip about the famous Amen Break drum sample when you have 18 minutes to spare. Despite Nate’s monotone delivery, it’s awesome:
This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the "Amen Break," a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hiphop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music — a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures. Nate Harrison’s 2004 video is a meditation on the ownership of culture, the nature of art and creativity, and the history of a remarkable music clip.
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soooo true! I have noticed this before, but never put it together until seeing this. The break is even used in the opening of the t.v. show ” The Powerpuff Girls”
The original “Whole Lotta Love”—ironically enough—was released by Led Zeppelin in 1969, the same year “Amen, Brother” was released.
This isn’t irony at all.
very interesting and informative, even for someone like me- i thought i knew all there was to know about the Amen break! Thanks for a great link.
Seems pretty rediculous that people would even consider inventing a law forcing artists to pay for every sample they use, no matter how recognisable. How cold hearted can you get?
I Agree with you james, but if you think about it, samples can be very manipulative. All you have to do, is change one note, one beat, one rhythm. Because there are so many possibilites, these samples could really sound the same and though there are other effects to accompany the same sample or beat, it could make or break another artist and cause recalls on songs, which would lead to illegal music which would cause chaos…
Excellent clip. Thanks.