Any good books on Fela Kuti?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I find myself increasingly drawn into his music and moreso the legacy - i want to learn more!

― MrFollowFollow, Wednesday, 30 June 2004 10:06 (twenty-one years ago)

brief synopsis: smoked mad cheeba, fucked chicks.

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 10:18 (twenty-one years ago)

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/1403962103.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)

i have "Rule by love: rhythms & consent" by Michael Archangel (Sazimor, 1998). Haven't read it yet though!

― gaz (gaz), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 21:18 (twenty-one years ago)

that's pathetic, Velveteen. Are you someone's mom?

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry Velvet, that was too personal. We are all entitled to our own opinions and besides, my mom would never have said that. She's probably the one who told me about him in the first place, no doubt describing his good and bad sides.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Jay Babcock's Mean Magazine article is reprinted in a Da Capo Press best of music writing vol. ???

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 22:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Not a book but you can now get Music Is the Weapon on dvd I think.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael Veal's "Fela" is the definitive answer, to my mind.

― ben tausig, Wednesday, 30 June 2004 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

But Thea, he DID smoke mad cheeba, and he DID fuck chicks! (I think VB was being reductionist for humor's sake)

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

...and what I said about "someone's mom" was completely serious. (frowns)

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 23:22 (twenty-one years ago)

You must know some really cool moms.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 23:28 (twenty-one years ago)

nine years pass...

Is the Veal book still generally assumed to be the final, authoritative word on Fela? There are quite a few books out there. I enjoy Veal's music, so I'm definitely leaning that way, but I'm looking for music analysis, band biographies, that sorta thing; not so much tales of the, err, smoking mad cheeba and fucking chicks. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

― Jimmywine Dyspeptic, Saturday, 26 October 2013 12:19 (twelve years ago)

Kalakuta Notes is worth getting old of... It's not a bio, but a collection of photos and personal recollections collected by John Collins...

http://www.amazon.com/Fela-Kalakuta-Notes-John-Collins/dp/9068327488

― Stop the tape I got spittle all over my moustache. (Talcum Mucker), Saturday, 26 October 2013 17:06 (twelve years ago)

hold of... not old of....

― Stop the tape I got spittle all over my moustache. (Talcum Mucker), Saturday, 26 October 2013 17:07 (twelve years ago)

That looks good! Thanks, Talcum. Gonna buy that and the Veal book. That oughta do me.

― Jimmywine Dyspeptic, Saturday, 26 October 2013 18:20 (twelve years ago)

twelve years pass...

Ok, the new Fela podcast (Fear No Man) is great so far. Learning a lot and it's sent me back down the rabbit hole of listening and learning Tony Allen grooves.

The second ep with Sandra Izsadore, who has a book called Fela & Me, is very good (to bring it back to books).

― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 11 December 2025 18:17 (six months ago)

listening and learning Tony Allen grooves.

One of humanity’s higher purposes

― assert (matttkkkk), Thursday, 11 December 2025 20:19 (six months ago)

indeed

― budo jeru, Thursday, 11 December 2025 21:04 (six months ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.