Name: Coming Home
Brand: Pat Thomas

Tax rate EU

Default:19

Supplier EU

375 Media

Total Cap

Format detail

Classics 1967-1981

Colour details

Discogs ID

Limited edition

Colour

Format Music EU

Extended format

Extended format: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Download code

Download code: No

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Release date

2016-09-30

Format multiplier

Catalogue number

5134242

UPC / Barcode

730003314728

Artist

Pat Thomas

Label EU

Strut

Genre EU

African

Strut is a British independent label founded by Quinton Scott. From 1999 to 2003, Strut was at the forefront of unearthing forgotten dance music gems, covering a wide range of genres from hard funk and underground disco to Nigerian Afrobeat and old skool hip hop. Their releases not only featured killer dancefloor tracks but also provided a comprehensive context for the music, delving into the stories behind the tunes, the clubs, and the scene of that time. With meticulous attention to detail, Strut's albums were mastered from original tapes whenever possible and included extensive sleeve notes written by respected journalists, rare photographs, and memorabilia.

In January 2008, Strut was reactivated and became part of the *K7 label group. Since then, their releases have been primarily based in Europe unless there is an exclusive retailer in another territory.

Pat Thomas is an author, scholar, musician, and music producer based in San Francisco. He founded a record label in 1988 and has released five solo records from 1987 to 1997. Additionally, he was a drummer and percussionist for Absolute Grey and Mushroom. Pat has produced reissues for Water and other labels, featuring vintage recordings from notable artists such as Allen Ginsberg and Elaine Brown. His writing about music has been featured in Mojo, Crawdaddy, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian.
In his book "Listen Whitey! The Sights And Sounds Of Black Power 1965-1975," Pat Thomas delves into the forgotten history of Motown's subsidiary label Black Forum and privately pressed Black Power soul singles. Through his research in Oakland, CA, he discovered rare recordings of speeches, interviews, and music by prominent activists like Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. He also served as a consultant for Stanley Nelson's PBS documentary "The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution." Pat has lectured at various universities worldwide.
Together with [a522591], Pat curated the book "Invitation To Openness: The Jazz & Soul Photography Of Les McCann 1960-1980" in 2015. In 2017, his book "Did It ! From Yippie To Yuppie: Jerry Rubin An American Revolutionary" was published. He was also involved with [l275364] as

Newest Listed Items

Ghanaian highlife master and 'The Golden Voice Of Africa', Pat Thomas, returns with his first full career retrospective on Strut, covering his late '60s big band highlife recordings through to the 'burger highlife' movement of the early '80s. Growing up with music around him ("my uncle, King Onyina, was an important highlife musician"), Thomas was inspired to become a singer after hearing vocalist Joss Aikins: "He sang with Broadway Dance Band and Decca in Ghana chose him to sing with any group that came into their studios." When a new incarnation of Broadway Dance Band was created in '67, led by Ebo Taylor, Thomas received his first big break. "Ebo started to write new songs. I added the lyrics and sang them and it worked well." The partnership with Taylor would become one of the enduring forces in Ghanaian music during the '70s, creating a fresh, progressive new highlife sound. They played with the Blue Monks band before, in 1974, forming Sweet Beans with the backing of Ghana's Cocoa Marketing Board: "The album, 'False Lover', was the first under my own name and my first for Gapophone," Pat reflects. "Reggae was "on" at that time - Jimmy Cliff was the guy - so I tried reggae fusions and brought in some soul." The album established Thomas across Ghana. Sweet Beans disbanded but the musicians stayed together as Marijata. "The guys initially used Jewel Ackah as their vocalist but they involved me and I re-vocalled the album. This became the 'Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata' LP. At that time, I would go to George Prah at Gapophone to ask for money and he would say, 'if you want me to pay you, go and write a song!' So, tracks like 'Coming Home' came about that way, written on the spot." A second Marijata album followed before a damaging coup in Ghana in 1979. "Jerry Rawlings' "house-cleaning" was designed to stop corruption but it seriously damaged our country's music culture." Thomas left for Berlin and stayed true to his highlife roots, becoming the first Ghanaian to record highlife there. "In Ghana, people ex-pats living in Germany called themselves 'burgers', so the scene became 'burger highlife'." Thomas travelled to Togo and London, before settling in Canada: "I ended up there for ten years playing for universities, Ghanaian societies and festivals." Pat is now back with Kwashibu Area Band and touring worldwide: "Today, highlife has become the world's music and I am proud to still bring it to so many people." 2CD - Double CD features exclusive photos and a full interview with Pat Thomas. 3LP - Triple LP set with CD Version features exclusive photos and a full interview with Pat Thomas.

Coming Home

Music EU