A forensic investigation into a single LP: Dr. John, the night tripper's Gris-gris. Two-Headed Doctor is a forensic investigation into a single LP: Dr. John, the night tripper's
Gris-gris. Though released in 1968 to poor sales and a minimum of critical attention,
Gris-gris has accumulated legendary status over subsequent decades for its strangeness, hybridity, and innovative production. It formed the launch pad for Dr. John's image and lengthy career and the ghostly presence of its so-called voodoo atmosphere hovers over numerous cover versions, samples, and re-invocations. Despite the respect given to the record, its making is shrouded in mystery, misunderstandings, and false conclusions. The persona of Dr. John, loosely based on dubious literary accounts of a notorious voodooist and freed slave, a nineteenth-century New Orleans resident known as Doctor John, provided Malcolm "Mac" Rebennack with a lifelong mask through which to transform himself from session musician in order to construct a solo career.
Somewhere between puzzle, experimental rhythm, blues disguised as rock, and elaborate hoax,
Gris-gris was a collaborative project between Rebennack and producer/arranger Harold Battiste (at the time musical director for Sonny & Cher). A few brief sessions held at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles brought together many of New Orleans' finest musicians, including Shirley Goodman, John Boudreaux, Plas Johnson, Jessie Hill, Ernest McLean, and Tami Lynn. Along with their complex histories, the cast of characters implicated in the story includes Ornette Coleman, Lafcadio Hearn, Zora Neale Hurston, Cher, Sonny Bono, Sam Cooke, Ishmael Reed, Black Herman, Prince La La, and many others. The story details in discursive style the historical context of the music, how it came together, its literary sources, production and arrangements, and the nature of the recording studio as dream state, but also examines as a disturbing undercurrent the volatile issue of race in twentieth-century music, the way in which it doomed relationships and ambitious projects, exploited great talents, and distorted the cultural landscape.
一項針對單曲專輯的法醫調查：Dr. John，夜行者的《Gris-gris》。
《Two-Headed Doctor》是一項針對單曲專輯的法醫調查：Dr. John，夜行者的《Gris-gris》。雖然該專輯於1968年發行時銷售不佳，且幾乎未受到評論界的關注，但《Gris-gris》在隨後幾十年中因其奇特性、混合性和創新製作而獲得了傳奇地位。它為Dr. John的形象和漫長的職業生涯奠定了基礎，而其所謂的巫毒氛圍的幽靈般存在則籠罩在無數的翻唱版本、樣本和重新詮釋之上。儘管這張專輯受到尊重，但其製作過程卻籠罩在神秘、誤解和錯誤結論之中。Dr. John的人物形象，鬆散地基於對一位臭名昭著的巫毒師和解放奴隸的可疑文學描述，這位十九世紀的新奧爾良居民被稱為Doctor John，為Malcolm 'Mac' Rebennack提供了一個終生的面具，讓他能夠從錄音室音樂家轉變為獨立音樂人，建立自己的個人事業。
《Gris-gris》在拼圖、實驗節奏、偽裝成搖滾的藍調和精心設計的騙局之間，實際上是Rebennack與製作人/編曲家Harold Battiste（當時是Sonny & Cher的音樂總監）之間的合作項目。在洛杉磯的Gold Star Studios舉行的幾次簡短錄音會議中，聚集了許多新奧爾良最優秀的音樂家，包括Shirley Goodman、John Boudreaux、Plas Johnson、Jessie Hill、Ernest McLean和Tami Lynn。除了他們複雜的歷史外，故事中涉及的人物還包括Ornette Coleman、Lafcadio Hearn、Zora Neale Hurston、Cher、Sonny Bono、Sam Cooke、Ishmael Reed、Black Herman、Prince La La等許多人。這個故事以散文風格詳細描述了音樂的歷史背景、如何形成、其文學來源、製作和編曲，以及錄音室作為夢境狀態的本質，但也作為一種令人不安的潛流，檢視了二十世紀音樂中種族的動盪議題，這種議題如何毀掉了關係和雄心勃勃的項目，剝削了偉大的才華，並扭曲了文化景觀。
David Toop is a musician, curator and Emeritus Professor at University of the Arts London, and the author of acclaimed books such as Rap Attack, Ocean of Sound, Sinister Resonance, and Into the Maelstrom.
