Authority Stealing

1. Authority Stealing, Pt. 1

2. Authority Stealing, Pt. 2

Authority Stealing,Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa 70,International,Africa,African Jazz,Afro-Beat,Afro-Pop,Highlife,Nigeria

Average customer rating:

V.I.P. (Vagabonds in Power)/Authority Stealing Fela Kuti Manufacturer: Wrasse Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Nigeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Beasts of No Nation/O.D.O.O. Stalemate/Fear Not for Man Everything Scatter/Noise for Vendor Mouth Roforofo Fight/Fela Singles Open & Close/Afrodisiac ASIN: B000CCZQN2 Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

1. V.I.P. (Pt. 1&2)
2. Authority Stealing, Pts. 1 & 2

Average customer rating: Very Good, But Start Elsewhere

Vip / Authority Stealing Fela Kuti Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Nigeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Yellow Fever / Na Poi Underground System Stalemate/Fear Not for Man Ikoyi Blindness/Kalakuta Show Everything Scatter/Noise for Vendor Mouth ASIN: B00000JOF2 Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

1. V.I.P. (Part 1&2)
2. Authority Stealing (Part 1&2)

Amazon.com

Fela Anikulapo Kuti's 1978 Berlin Jazz Festival appearance, here as V.I.P. (Vagabonds in Power), is one of Africa 70's finest performances. V.I.P. castigates Nigerian authority more sizably than any other Fela album for one reason: he verbally beat down the country's power structure in front of a European crowd. It was a big move for the singer (who'd lost his mother, his home, and any sense of physical security in his homeland thanks to Nigeria's thoroughly corrupt military elite). Fela certainly meant his tune to be contentious, but it cost him the very band that makes it so powerful here: a simple guitar vamp and percussive carpeting driving the horns to heights of passion unmatched on earlier Fela albums. After the Berlin gig, Fela made clear his intention to fund a presidential campaign in Nigeria with his pay from the performance. And the band walked. Not to be quashed, Fela of course found a new cast for Africa 70, and Authority Stealing (1981) shows off how well musicians could adopt the bandleader's aesthetic. The riffs are more antiphonal on Authority, both in the vocals and the instruments, creating heightened tension that peaks with Fela and the backing vocalists throwing mock accusations back and forth in a dizzying verbal display. Here you find the flowering of Fela's Afrobeat formula, riffing rhythm guitars underlaid by kit drums playing a shuffle beat enhanced by assorted percussion with vocals or horns. There are inspired pairings in the Y2K Fela reissue program (Shakara/London Scene chief among them), and V.I.P./Authority Stealing is a highlight in every way. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Details

Two Releases on One CD

Customer Reviews:

Very Good, But Start Elsewhere.......2000-07-06

"VIP/Authority Stealing" is a very good CD, but with the plethora of Fela reissues now available it is better to start somewhere else. Take your pick of "Opposite People," "Shuffering and Shmiling" or "Zombie," then if you love what your hear, pick this (and others) up.

This reissue does not get a fifth star in my opinion for two reasons. First, even though this reissue series prides itself in coupling two albums for one low price on one disc, it clocks in at only 44 minutes! The liner notes make it clear that there are more recordings from the live performance in Berlin that yielded VIP which have not been released. Why not include them here to beef up the length, or will they be reissued later -- 40 minutes this time for another $14! Second, to further eat into our lack of length, the first six minutes of VIP is spent on various political monologues by Fela and others, which is cool but wears on repeated listenings. Additionally, the live sound is good but not as rich as the sound on "Fela and Ginger Baker Live." "Authority Stealing" is from a studio session and is better soundwise, but the composition is not as strong as "VIP."

Despite these criticisms, Fela is an amazing musical force and pretty much everything he did with Afrika 70 is worth getting. Just get a few other recordings under your belt before this one.

Average customer rating:

Vip and Authority Stealing Fela Anikulapo Kuti Manufacturer: Musicrama/Koch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000DEMJV Release Date: 1999-10-13

Average customer rating:

Authority Stealing Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa 70 Manufacturer: International ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Nigeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music ASIN: B00004WQ9Y Release Date: 1980-01-01

Tracks:

1. Authority Stealing, Pt. 1
2. Authority Stealing, Pt. 2

Pop Music:

1. Barrio Nuevo: Latin Funk, Latin Rock, Latin Disco, Latin Soul
2. Batucada & Capoeira
3. Best of V.2: La Boheme [Import]
4. Classic Tranquility
5. Cuba All Stars [Import]
6. Death Is Our Eternal Friend [Live]
7. Die Zweite [Import]
8. Diga
9. Drums for Tomorrow
10. FM O Dia a Alergia Do Brasil [Import]

Pop Music