Let’s face it. Any time we hear that a classic is being remade our inner cynics come rumbling up from within and spew from the mouth via syntax like “no friggin’ way dude!” or “It’s gonna’ suck.”
Indeed it was just yesterday that I received an E-mail from a friend urging me to sign a petition that sought to halt a remake of the 70’s, NYC film staple, The Warriors. While it is often the case that letting our pre-judgmental sides get the best of us is the right thing to do, we must not forget the exceptions that shade our predispositions to dicto-simpliciters. I would enter into evidence the Echo And The Bunnymen remake of The Doors “People are Strange” for example.
Mayfield Remixed falls almost squarely in the middle of this timeless debate. While a few of the tracks on the album might have you grinding your teeth and wishing for a return to the original, most offer a fitting tribute to the man whose music provided the funk for cult film Superfly as well as numerous skate-vid parts.
Grandmaster Flash teams up with Mayfield’s former Impressions band mates for a hip-hop fused version of “We’re A Winner” while legendary club DJ, Little Louie Vega, takes “Superfly”, the song, to a new albeit parallel level. Eric Baez, Eric Kupper and Ashley Beedle all take a “spin” at other popular Mayfield tunes but the standout effort on this album is Mixmaster Mike’s head bobbing re-thinking of the oft sampled “Pusherman.” The Beastie Boys resident DJ has done what few have been able to do before him. He has taken something that was not broken and fixed it –the song, as well as our preconceived notions of how bad a remake should be.