Single release for #NewMusicFriday, Friday 17 July
This is the first single release from Art Terry’s SEX MADNESS album, praised by The Wire as ‘an amazing album, jaw-dropping in its simplicity’. Art is releasing new material every Friday, and a single from the album with an accompanying video every month. He is fresh from creating the Self Isolation Songbook, for which he released a song/video every day for 52 days, charting the experience of contracting COVID-19, recovering and philosophising about the state we’re in.
Art Terry was born and brought up in Los Angeles between two worlds: Black America's gospel/folk traditions, and the hedonistic rock'n'roll culture that is the city's carnal heritage. His live performances channel these two streams, and evoke the figure of the robed and commanding gospel preacher.
Art has had a long collaboration with the artist Stew. Stew created the Passing Strange musical – which was made into a film by Spike Lee – exploring his and Art’s experiences in Europe, living in squats and art collectives and surviving on a diet of shoplifted food, hashish and freaky music. Art has played with Stew & the Negro Problem at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, Redcat in Los Angeles, the Harlem Stage, the Latitude Festival and many other venues. Art and Stew were filmed performing by Spike Lee for the director’s current Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It.
The songs on Sex Madness explore sexuality, Black politics and religion, through a lyrical fusion of psychedelic folk music and orchestrated funk. The music inhabits the space between the sacred and the profane, a place that many musicians touch upon but rarely own.
PIMP is balanced between old skool funky soul and rocking gospel, asking the pimp why he ‘needs so much to feel good?’ The pimp turns the question on its head and asks us all to take responsibility for the hurt we unknowingly inflict on each other. The video was shot in Berlin, where Art came of age as an artist.
For more information email Joe Cushley at Balling The Jack PR or call Joe at +44(0)7775 744 867
‘Los Angeles born Art Terry simply tells it like he sees it’ The Wire
‘Brings the quirky questioning funk of Sly Stone together with the provocative poetry of pathfinder Lou Reed’ Resonance FM
‘Art Terry’s playing is terrific’ New York Times
