Rolf Harris + 808 State - Sun Arise

Recovered Super 8 film of Rolf Harris recording with 808 State.
FON Studios, Sheffield 1992.

808 State had burned an experimental path through the first five years of British Rave culture. Late night brainstorming resulted in a phone call to Rolf Harris.
A plan was hatched to re-record Rolf's masterwork Sun Arise from scratch with an analogue synthesizer approach, heavy on the Moogs.
At the time, the recording was intended as a 12 inch vinyl release, until the realisation that a 3/4 time signature was a tough nut to crack for most club DJs at the time. So the project was shelved.
The session was recorded at FON studios in Sheffield and shot on 16mm film but due to the stalled release, the negative was never processed.
Almost as an afterthought, I also shot some Super 8, from which this clip was edited.
The studio owners agreed that Rolf could execute a mural on the side of the building in the car park. The Rolf/808 Painting still exists as a graffiti wall and features on many websites including that of Sheffield council who granted it a preservation order.
The project was then revived by Rolf's label EMI in 1997, and new mixes were undertaken by 808 State at PWL studios in Manchester. This time a looser, dubby approach was favoured and is represented here. The original FON recordings remain unheard in the 808 State Archive.

Photo : Dave Ball. Copyright Sheffield Hallam University

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Rolf
• Harris
• 808State
• Sun
• Arise
• FON
• Studios
• anologue
• synth
• Howard
• Walmsley
• Sheffield
• Mural
• Graffiti

[Rikkyhardo]

Wow ... that was very interesting Howard, never expected that when I clicked the link.

I am afraid I am going to have to share this ... good on yer cobber

[HowardWalmsley]

@Rikkyhardo ... and those rolls were lying around in a drawer for years...

[Marcsafon]

That made me happy!

[lucifersam79]

That was fantastic! 

[indydaisy1]

Love rolf

[Spike80808]

I've actually got the original Rolf/808 versions on tape... Bloody good too...

[thehouseofrock]

The self portrait is still there on the wall though it is a little faded now.

[technoturnip1]

rolf the genius nighthood on way?

[Rikkyhardo]

@HowardWalmsley

Yeh ... I thought it was a scam at first but obviously not

By 'eck, who'd believe the things you find in drawers.

[AndyBoy63]

Thanks for the share - Rikkyhardo