To all my fellow Ducklings across the pond and worldwide, I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this question: how did you come to love UD? I find it very interesting that UD has such a global reach, given the limited reach they seem to have in the US.
That's not a dig at UD; I would love for them to be the top rap crew that everyone in America loves, but they just don't have the following of other acts. But it feels like the UK UD scene, or the Japanese UD scene, is just absolutely popping. Maybe that is just a misguided sense, and there is a comparably sized following in other countries?
I have many theories about why some crews do better in the UK than in the US, but they're probably nonsense. However, one reason in UD's case is almost certainly the refreshing lack of bullshit.
The did a live session on a national radio station back at the end of the 90s, maybe 2000. I was listening already when my best mate text me and said 'have you heard these guys on Radio 1?". The rest is history.
I have to say that they're not exactly mainstream over here. I don't remember them getting any radio support since 'Get Ready'.
All credit to the guys for continuing to tour! So many acts will do three dates and call it a UK tour. London, Manchester and Glasgow are all a long way from me! I think because UD take the time to visit so many cities, heads take the time to go to the shows, buy the records and wear the t-shirts.
When I got bored with rap I was listening to at the time (anything that was on mtv basically) I started looking through tons of albums on amazon just looking for something else, listening to the 30 second samples, Came across the Journey To Anywhere album and loved what I heard from the samples.
I bought Journey To Anywhere and Blazing Arrow by Blackalicious at the same time. What a day that was, What a day! I havent looked back since!
i got into UD while i was checkin' some new LPs at my record dealer back in '99. i love comics and comic art, so i found that UD LP really interesting (just talking bout the cover) and i bought it without listening to it. at home i had such a blast, which held on until today. after i've bought the first record blind, i've never listened to a new UD release before i've bought it! it's just great to come home and put that thing on the player, don't know what's coming... but you can expect one thing, that's for sure: best quality!
I first got into UD a couple of years ago by chance. They were doing a set locally to me and my good friend illlogickill invited me to go see them. Had such a good night and ended up chatting to Andy after the show.
A friend of mine at the time had the Meat Shake CD and played it to death, then a few years later I found out UD were playing Stratford-Upon-Avon, so grabbed a few friends and headed out to the show and I haven't looked back since. I still need to expand my UD CD collection, I hope UD are bringing some CD's/T-shirts to the UK tour.
I used to skateboard day in day out and I bought an issue of 411vm which is a skateboarding DVD mag from the states. I think it was a Bam Margera issue? Anyway one of the tracks used on it was Energy Drink and Taste the Secret was listed as the album taken from. The artwork stuck in my head as I thought it was a clever look and concept for an album. Was in my local record shop browsing through the tiny hip hop section and found taste the secret with the leftovers cd too, bought it, banged it and loved it.
Went to Cardiff to watch them play with Gaint Panda (another group I hadn't heard of put fell in love with) and my mate was too wrecked and couldn't get in. He snuck in via roofs of the uni bar and ended up in there backstage room smashed out his head! I believe he called Andy a pussy as he refused to get him in! I happened to stay correct and enjoyed the whole night! Year later I took my mate along again to see UD in bournemouth, he apologised to Andy for his actions and got his Bang for the buck CD signed " To Pussy from Andy ".
I find UD to be down to earth and easily one of the best acts to see live. They respect there fans and make what I like to call Happy Hip Hop which always reminds me of great memory's and times had by me and my mates.
Can't honestly remember where/when I heard UD first.. but what I do know is that it kind of feels 'by the fans.. for the fans.. for the love of the music'.. rather than 'follow the latest trend to make the money'.. the whole UD set-up, to me, is everything that I came to love about hip-hop.. rather than what's it's become in the mainstream ( I lost heart when hip-hop went gangster and every actor got involved in the game... where did the skills go?!!)
armchair.pimp wrote: Can't honestly remember where/when I heard UD first.. but what I do know is that it kind of feels 'by the fans.. for the fans.. for the love of the music'.. rather than 'follow the latest trend to make the money'.. the whole UD set-up, to me, is everything that I came to love about hip-hop.. rather than what's it's become in the mainstream ( I lost heart when hip-hop went gangster and every actor got involved in the game... where did the skills go?!!)
My dad put me on to UD strangely enough. I think "eye on the gold chain" must have had some plays on xfm or something, I remember him having a copy of "journey to anywhere" LOVED IT! still one of my favourite records. Definitely one of my favourite acts to see live too. can't wait for october.
Glad to see so many replies! I suppose I did have this image in my head that UD was huge outside the States, almost on par with Top 40 hitmakers. But dope to see that they get fans abroad the same way they get fans back home.
read a review of their first album in jockey slut(sadly now defunct) uk magazine when straight out and bought it and that was that
I first came across UD back in the 90's, i was given a tape that had come from the U.S. with the song "Einstein's taking off" in a mix, but no tack listing so 5 days and about £20 in calls (playing the tune down the phone to people) i found Ugly Duckling and the rest is ... well another story
they had a review in an old uk magazine called jockey slut for 'journey to anywhere' and the journalist nalied their sound so well that i had to hear them , back then it was all gangsta horseshit and UD were a breath of fresh air