Cult New York experimentalist Colin Julius Bobb, AKA Sensational, has died aged 51.
Regular collaborator Madteo broke the news on Instagram yesterday, August 11th. No cause of death was disclosed.
Bobb was a cult hero of the underground whose music occupied a singular space between hip-hop, noise and experimental electronics. Born in Guyana in 1974 and raised in Brooklyn, he was initially a dancer who performed as Torture, before moving to the microphone and appearing with the Jungle Brothers. Producer Bill Laswell subsequently introduced him to Spectre and the New York underground label WordSound, where Torture became Sensational—also recording as Perfection.
His 1997 debut album Loaded With Power, made largely with a four-track and drum machine, established his distinctive style of fractured beats, found sounds and unconventional flows—but his collaborations extended well beyond hip-hop...Read more on RA
Bill Laswell on the making of Public Image Ltd’s Album (1986) - first takes, unlikely sessions, and the stories that grew around it. In this long-form conversation, Bill Laswell reflects on how PiL’s Album took shape - from cutting key tracks as first takes with Tony Williams at New York’s Power Station, to bringing Ginger Baker into the sessions, to working with musicians including Steve Vai, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bernie Worrell and others. Laswell also discusses the recording approach behind the album’s distinctive sound and shares his memories of how the sessions unfolded. The interview also touches on a long-circulating story that Miles Davis appeared at the sessions. Laswell explains that Ornette Coleman briefly visited the studio but did not record. The story has circulated in different forms over the years, and John Lydon also revisits the episode in his memoir Anger Is an Energy: My Life Uncensored, where he reflects on the same period from his own perspective. As with any historical recording session, memories and perspectives can differ, and the conversation is intended as part of a broader exploration of how the record came together. This episode is part of a short run of Album-related conversations on The Ireland Podcast, including a two-part episode with Steve Vai. Chapters and links in the description. The Ireland Podcast is a record of long-form conversations. Views and recollections are those of the guest.
Chapters 00:00 Steve Vai intro + opening 00:24 Introducing Bill Laswell 01:15 “The project came into me” - how Album began 03:00 Building the record before vocals 04:47 Tony Williams - first-take recordings 07:29 Bringing Ginger Baker to New York 10:13 First takes and recording philosophy 13:33 Steve Vai joins the sessions 17:10 Recording drums in elevator shafts & car parks 21:42 Space and restraint in production 24:25 The Miles Davis / Ornette Coleman story 26:32 Recording John Lydon’s vocals 31:37 Mixing the record 33:07 Release, credits and legacy 35:28 Creating “Ease” 38:29 Writing and constructing “Rise” 41:29 South African musical influences 43:05 Studio logistics and momentum 47:28 Looking back on the record 49:07 Respect for John Lydon 51:48 Final thoughts 53:07 End
