AN ABSOLUTE stone(d) classic when it was released, up there with Massive Attack’s Blue Lines, Tricky’s Maxinquaye and Portishead’s Dummy as providing the heady downbeatz for a generation, it’s something of a shock to yours truly that Nightmares on Wax’s Smokers Delight has reached its quarter-century; but in celebration, Warp Films are premiering a 12-minute short film, inspired by NOW main man George Evelyn’s dreamscapes, at 4pm today, October 1st.
Directed by Jamie Whitby of Agile Films, the film follows Tiger, a friendly neighbourhood stoner happily stuck in a comfortable wake-and-bake routine. After he discovers that he may have unknowingly stepped through the doors of perception, he is forced to detective his way back to reality.
The ‘Smokers Delight’ film will premiere on Warp’s YouTube channel at 4PM BST today, along with a Q&A session with George and Jamie.
Interviewed in Joe Muggs’ book Bass, Mids, Tops, George expanded on his inspiration and headspace at the time of creating Smokers Delight: “It was all the things that turned me on: reggae, soul, and through sampling and digging, hip hop was the backbone. That’s why you’ve got the dub influences on there, and the lovers’ rock soulful influence in there.
“That album is the DNA of everything that turns me on musically.
“At the time people used to say to me, ‘You’ve definitely got a Nightmares sound,’ I’d be like, ‘Really, what do you mean?’. But where I am now today, I think I understand that from a vibrational and spiritual point of view.
“I’m more in tune with what my heart feels and what I’m connected to when I’m making music. I know when I’m in that zone.”
Smokers Delight was reissued by Warp earlier this year in a rather luscious gatefold coloured vinyl edition; unsurprisingly, it’s a perennial seller.
If you’re lucky, you can find the recent reissue over at Warp; but anyhow, get tuned in.
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