My KUTX: Brownout

Photo by Cecile Fusco Photography

Since starting as an offshoot of Grupo Fantasma close to two decades ago, Austin’s Brownout has served as a funkier cousin to Grupo’s cumbia-inspired workouts. An album ago, Brownout even transformed the Black Sabbath catalog into some truly gnarly brilliance, and this year they’re taking on another foundational influence: Public Enemy. Part of the greatness of PE (and a lot of hip-hop) is how they helped reintroduce a new generation to ’70s funk and soul through their inventive sampling. Fear Of A Brown Planet finds Brownout in effect resampling the samples, adding a Texas twist to these hard-hitting political anthems (how timely!).

This week on My KUTX, Brownout guitarists Adrian Quesada and Beto Martinez play an hour of all things Public Enemy, from their favorite tracks and deep cuts to the original source material–consider this a funk excavation. Hear My KUTX on Saturday, May 26, 6 to 7 p.m. or anytime at the bottom of the page. And celebrate with Brownout at the Mohawk on Saturday, June 2.

–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX

Playlist:

[intro music: Brownout – “Louder Than A Bomb”]

1. Public Enemy – “Countdown To Armageddon”

2. Mandrill – “Two Sisters Of Mystery”

3. Kool & The Gang – “Who’s Gonna Take The Weight?”

4. The Jackson 5 – “Walk On/The Love You Save”

5. Slayer – “Angel of Death”

6. Anthrax – “Bring The Noise” (feat. Public Enemy)

7. James Brown – “I Got Ants In My Pants (And I Want To Dance)”

8. Public Enemy – “Shut Em Down” (Pete Rock remix)

9. The Temptations – “Psychedelic Shack”

10. James Brown – “Funky Drummer”

11. Queen – “Flash’s Theme”

12. Marva Whitney – “It’s My Thing (You Can’t Tell Me Who To Sock It To)”

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