Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation: London Invasion 1987

Starring:Public Enemy
Studio: Music Video Dist.
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

IT TAKES A NATION: LONDON INVASION 1987 DVD/CD (PUBLIC ENEMY)

Amazon.com

Before they released It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy invaded London as part of the Def Jam '87 Tour (along with L.L. Cool J and Eric B. & Rakim). The landmark recording that followed incorporates a number of concert excerpts, including, "London, England, consider yourself warned," "I like that from the people up top," and "Bass for your face, London." In case you ever wondered where those snippets came from, London Invasion '87 is the answer. Along with their exhortations to the Hammersmith Odeon's capacity crowd, this 48-minute film features live performances of early hits, like "My Uzi Weighs a Ton" (Yo! Bum Rush the Show), and soon-to-be-classics, like "Bring the Noise," along with backstage banter from Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and Professor Griff. As befits the group in their early days, this isn't a slick document, but it's an undeniably historic one. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

Where's the rest of the show?.......2007-04-29

As someone who saw Public Enemey appear live around the time this video was shot, I would say that this may be one of their best concert videos. Yes, they rapped over their own records (as did all Def Jam acts around this time--if the record skipped on the instrumental, there was no way for the artist to catch up with the beat. The teopry was who cared if you were 70 rows away--you came to SEE them, not hear) However, the picture and audio quality on this DVD is terrible, obviously dubbed from Chuck's 20 year old VHS. This is not a "home shot" video, but an actual broadcast on the BBC. An awesome time capsule, the broadcast also featured Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Whodini and LL Cool J. This is PE's full performance (it was clipped on the original show) but it's disappointing that the original masters weren't sought for this DVD. True fans should seek out the two out-of-printlongform PE VHS tapes that Sony released back in the day. They are also PE concerts but they are so overedited in an attempt to match the energy of the show that they'll give the casual watcher a seizure. Hopefully these an the other early Def Jam Videos will make it to DVD one of of these days (or even the rest of the performances filmed for this special). Until then this will have to make due.

Important historical material, but quality is poor.......2005-07-06

I am happy that I picked this item up because I am a long time public enemy fan. However, this item may not be for the casual fan.
To begin with, the 1987 material is well below what I would expect from even archival footage from the era. The dvd contains watchable, but overall poor quality footage shot on VHS. Indeed, although I doubt the mastertape is much better, it appears that the source for the dvd is probably a few copy generations removed from the original. The picture is generally blurry and the colors are terrible. I suppose the audio track must be professionally recorded, but it sounds like an audience recording. Presumably, very few mics were used, and therefore, there was no opportunity to mix and balance discreet tracks. The cd material from 1987 also suffers from poor audio quality.

I don't regret purchasing this set, but I was disappointed because I expected the dvd to have a brilliant picture and punchy sound. Not only was the material neither brilliant to look at nor punchy to the ears, it is far from what I would expect from any professionally recorded concert from the 70's, or even 60's, forward. The material is more akin to semi-pro multi-camera shot bootlegs with an audience audio tape source (if you are familiar with unreleased and amateur recordings, you probably have seen at least a few shows with that type of production).

Enjoy the great material, but don't have high recording quality expectations.

Wow. This is the best PE could do?.......2005-06-10

I'm a HUGE fan of PE. Been to four shows, backstage twice, etc etc. Thus I was really jazzed to check out this CD/DVD, since after all the greatest rap album of all time, Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, opens with the classic Hammersmith Odeon bit.
But I must say that this was very disappointing. The first four tracks on the CD appear that they played their record and didn't even rap live over the pre-recorded sounds! Miuzi is the first track that appears definitively "live." Plus, they edited the CD like a 1987 mix tape (maybe that was the "theme" intention??) You'll have abrupt fades to silence, then a new song. No mixing. Weird. You can tell that the first song and second was clumsily mixed, at best. Finally, BE WARNED: the sound quality is as if they had a mic in the audience, like a Grateful Dead show. Very weak. perhaps they culled audio from the same weak VHS video tape they used for the DVD? I must recommend you pass on this package--and that's from an old school, but sadder and wiser, fan.

An Excellent Video Documentary- way Overdue.......2005-06-07

Hip-Hop needs more video and audio documentation of concerts, especially in this era of the video superstar, where plenty of rap acts kind of become lazy to the art of live performance.. PE is one of the pioneers that helped bring respect to rap as a live phenomena, and not just a records-only experience.

When I copped mine, it was great... I wonder what sales are so far.. old school fans and younger rap fans can gain a lot from watching and listening to this..

You get to see the full 1987 concert of Public Enemy, as the opening act for LL Cool J-- watch for an extended cameo of LL!

.. loving the live concert cuts on the audio cd, 11 deep, from the YO BUM RUSH THE SHOW LP, though some were excerpted more than I expected..

The bonus cuts and remixes go from Trance to Drum N Bass to Trip Hop to Euro-House and more..

also the bonus cuts-- new cut "bass in ya face", DJ spooky's 'drums of death' trance remix of PE #1, also the Geronimo Punx dark-core remix of the same cut, johnny juice's remix of mklvfkwr, 23 skiddoo's remix of "Do You Wanna Go Our Way", also the NextMen's remix of the same cut; the brand new "bring that beat back", etc..

I guess WORLD TOUR SESSIONS is next on the menu?
or Rebirth of a Nation?

Very Poor Video Quality.... it's a ordiray 80's home video.......2005-05-31

I'm very disappointed... I'm purshased with great expectations, but it's te wost original DVD I saw ever!! very very poor video & audio quality, even with traking problems from original tape!! It's a home video, made with a ordinary and cheap camera of 80's, and viewed millions of times. The earliest Public Enemy VHS saw too much better. REALLY. I am #1 latin Public Enemy fan, and I'll always be. But this DVD sucks.

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