Peanut Butter Wolf Interview with Bona Fide

• David Kane
• Bona Fide
• April 11, 2009

This interview was originally published in Bona Fide Magazine from UK. Great magazine & website which you can check out here www.bonafideuk.com

Chris Manak adopted his recording moniker towards the late 1980s’, after finding out that his then girlfriend’s younger brother had a morbid fear of the ‘Peanut Butter Wolf Monster’. Joining forces with the more traditionally named Charizma, the pair were part of an adventurous West coast underground scene challenging New York’s rap hegemony. The duo eventually signed a deal with the Walt Disney owned Hollywood Basic label but a difficult relationship ended without an album even being released. And worse was to come after Charizma was tragically killed, aged just 23.

After a brief and understandable departure from making music, Wolf came back with a newfound determination to get his and Charizma’s songs heard. To complement this he also released the Peanut Butter Breaks instrumental album, record de rigueur to any self-respecting turntablists collection. As well as producing for the likes of Kool Keith and gaining notable inclusions in The Return of The DJ compilation series. In short Wolf was gaining industry props and decided to do something with them: start up Stones Throw records.

Early releases include Rasco’s ‘The Unassisted’, Lootpack’s ‘Soundpieces: Da Antidote’ LP and Charizma’s posthumous 12” ‘My World Premier’, a song with drums so tough they could take out a small army. Wolf posits the release of Quasimoto’s ‘The Unseen’ as a pivotal moment; “When I put out the first Quasimoto album I started really enjoying it…and at that point I felt freer to express what I liked.” It was through that album Stones Throw’s inimitable identity began to fully emerge. A loose collection of musical misfits, brought together by an encyclopaedic knowledge of Hip hop and an incessant drive for originality.

You are over here on tour, helping to promote James Pants, can you tell us a bit about him?

He came to see me DJ in Texas after his prom, he introduced himself and offered to take me record shopping the next day. He showed me some good spots and we kept in touch ever since. That was about 10 years ago now, I had no idea he was making music at the time. He then interned with us but I never really saw him, although I vaguely remember him coming to a Gary Wilson video shoot.

The Percee-P LP was released at the start of this year, with Guilty Simpsons album out at the end of the month. Are you pleased with how they have both turned out?

When the artists are pleased then I’m always pleased. Percee’s took a while to finish; Madlib was heavily involved with the beats. I think Percee is one of the only people I’ve worked with to have a record out before I did. I think his first (record) was 1988, he’s definitely from the old school. It’s funny seeing him trade verses with a really young DMX, Fat Joe and Eminem on Youtube. He’s also really engaging live. As for Guilty’s album (‘Ode To The Ghetto’), I think it’ s one of the best Hip hop albums I’ve heard in recent times.

For you, what has been the defining moment of Stones Throw’s success?

I’ve always enjoyed doing it, but when I put out the first Quasimoto album I started really enjoying it. I began to feel like I was hitting my stride and at that point I felt freer to express what I liked. Even going as far back as the Homeliss Derelix stuff, the ‘In The Mix’ 12” is among my favourite records we’ve released but a lot of people overlooked it.

How have you personally handled the balance between creativity and the business side of running a record label?

My creative input as far as making music is concerned has really been sucked out. I’m not sure why or how, but it has. But I still have deejaying, live shows, the theme mixtapes and even some videos, which allows me a creative release.

Vinyl and the overall packaging of records seem to be a strong part of both your own and Stones Throw’s musical lineage. How are you dealing with the digital revolution that’s affecting the music industry?

How are we paying the bills? For one thing we are making everything directly available through the label’s website. Before it (the website) was competing with retail stores and we wanted to respect that, but now they’re going under so in order to survive we are selling everything through stonesthrow.com. We’re hoping to make more per unit that way. When you sell it to the store you have to pay $3 US per unit and that may only go in a small miscellaneous section, like ‘P’ for Peanut Butter Wolf. If you wanted to have an album at the front of the store then you’d have to pay thousands of dollars. The good thing for us is that it’s over now and you can, or will be able to buy everything either digitally or on vinyl and CD directly from the website.

I’ve read that you’re into, or use to be into, English groups like Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire. Do you still check for any English acts?

Not really new stuff, but that’s not just English music either, just general. I mainly check for stuff from the 60s, 70s and 80s. I’ll probably discover any good modern music in 20 years time. I suppose I’m just in my own world musically, listening to like 300 James Pants singles.

We’ve spoken a bit about James’ and Guilty’s albums, a lot of people are also getting really excited about the ‘Madvillainy’ follow up. Can you tell us much about the new LP?

I haven’t heard anything but I got a text message from Doom on New Years saying ‘Happy New Year bro, the albums coming along.’ The fi rst album came along really casually and after that we tried to really chase them for a second album and enforce these rules and deadlines but it didn’t work. Now I’m more crossing my fi ngers. We have a very friendly relationship, he (Doom) is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet. I mean I’m still waiting to do ‘My vinyl weighs a ton’ part 2 for myself and if I can’t motivate myself to go into the studio how can I expect anyone else to do it?

So it’s very much pending? This question could be expendable…

Well that’s kind of how Quasimoto number 2 (‘The Further Adventures of Lord Quas’) happened. We gave him deadlines and we kind of gave up after they kept passing. Then all of a sudden, one Monday he comes in and says here’s number 2. Those two remind me a lot each other; they are both really nice guys and are both out of their minds musically.

A lot of people over here seem to be getting down about Hip hop, but I think this is a pretty good period for underground rap, it’s just the mainstream has never been worse – bar the end of the 90s, puffy/jiggy era. Would you agree with that statement?..

I know when Southern Bounce and even Hyphy got popular in the mainstream, it became exciting for me again. I mean I’m sure there’s still good stuff but I haven’t been seeking it out recently. 3 or 4 years ago I joined a record pool in the US for mainstream releases because it was starting to feel like something different, while all the indie Hip hop stuff was complaining about how good it was back in the 80s and 90s, whilst not saying anything new. Edan and Kidtronic are underground guys that excite me a lot, we’re considering putting out a Kidtronic record.