Customer Reviews

Mind of Gil Scott-Heron

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"The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron" is a compilation of spoken word pieces by one of the true masters of the form. Scott-Heron, inspired in his own words by Amiri Baraka and Oscar Brown, Jr., is probably best known for his spoken word piece, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", and while his music by-and-large was founded more in jazz then simply spoken word, this collection nonetheless provides a fine overview of a critical aspect of Scott-Heron's music.

This release contains seven tracks (one more than the original issue)-- three tracks were previously released-- "H2OGate Blues" (from "Winter in America"), "We Beg Your Pardon (Pardon Our Analysis)" (from "The First Minute of a New Day") and "Bicentennial Blues (from "It's Your World"). The remaining four tracks are all available nowhere else. What the pieces do is paint a picture of the political climate durin ghte 1970s. Scott-Heron is relentless in his attack on his belief that the government and legal system, as an organization of people, is suspectible to corruption and, as the disasterous second Nixon administration illustrates, is often in fact corrupt. His fire and passion is obvious and his performances are stunning.

What's perhaps most frightening is that with a few name changes, it seems as if Scott-Heron could be talking about modern politics rather than '70s politics. Gil Scott-Heron is well missed, this serves as a reminder of who he was and allows us to hope that he'll come back to music to share his wisdom.

I held an original LP copy of this release in my hands and DIDN'T BUY IT. Now ... finally ... I may be redeemed. Thanks to TVT for re-releasing most of GSH's back catalog. This record is not, IMHO, the right place to start for listeners not already steeped in the creative juggernaut that is/was/is again Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson. I highly recommend starting with both The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and From South Africa to South Carolina. And like a fellow reviewer here, I highly recommend the latter-day GSH releases such as Secrets, 1980 and Real Eyes. Nevertheless, The Mind Of... captures Gil in his element doing spoken word (which in another context was once called talking blues) over funky, jazz-inspired music. GSH's live shows in the day (the freaky 1970s) were filled with interludes and extensions, interpolations and extrapolations featuring Gil's spontaneous inventions and deeply spirtual politically explosive exhortations. This is music and language that should not be missed.

What an entertaining historical document!

'The Ghetto Code' is alone worth the price of this great collection of poetry and music. H2O Gate Blues is a close second.

Like Bill Hicks' (later) point of view, Gil Scott-Heron humurously cautions us not to become 'sheep', but dare to question everything.

Pure genius.

Brilliant, simply brilliant.Let me correct myself, powerful and thought provoking also. A great history lesson, a great life lesson.

My Father introduced me to Gil Scott-Heron early in my teens and it had a profound affect on my sense of ethnicity and socio-political thinking. Gil Scott-Heron is one of the voise that infuenced the consciouness of Hip-Hop! The poignant poetry is frighteningly accurate even in today's time. The situations are the same; only the names have changed.

Released in 1978, this collection of 'poetic doings' expanded his repertoire with legendary live and studio tracks. Tracks include 'The H20gate (Watergate) Blues', 'The Ghetto Code' and 'Space Shuttle' a bonus track from the '80's featuring Paul Weller of the Jam on guitar. The title 'Godfather Of Rap' evolved from these poems with music.

Gil Scott is a public intellectual and social commentator who is a gifted poet. Gil Scott keeps it real and doesn't bite his tongue when talking about the power structure and its exploitative policies. The only problem with the album is that Gil Scott is feeling himself a little too much in the intro in almost everyone of his pieces. What I mean is that you will have to fast forward 20 - 30 seconds into each piece to really get the beginning of that piece because the first 20-30 seconds is just an artist flapping his gums. Most of these pieces were recorded live, so you kind of get that stuff at live shows.

THIS IS NOT MUCH OF A REVIEW BUT IT MUST BE SAID I DON'T THINK THAT THIER'S AN ARTIS OUT THIER THAT CAN MATCH THE MIND OF GILL SCOTT-HERON IN TOTAL DEPTH. HIS WORK IS SIMPLY UNTOUCHABLE IT'S NO WONDER I COULDN'T FIND A LOT OF THIS STUFF.KEEP ME POSTED ON UP COMING WORK.

I want to let all gil scott heron/brian jackson fans know about the wounderful album called Secrets. I can't find it on cd but i do have the 1978 lp and it's the bomb. it still has me singing and dancing around my house.songs like angle dust,third world revolution and Three miles dowm are gil scott at his best. a must have for any serious gil scott and brian jackson collector.