def wish cast, mad as a hatter, knights of the underground table

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Australian Rap Artists
DEF WISH CAST

TOTAL SOUND Sole Distributor

Download

MAD AS A HATTER

KNIGHTS OF THE
UNDERGROUND TABLE

AUST Video

The Def Wish Cast Story [without omissions]

Since the initial days when hip hop culture first arrived in Australia, there are many who've become obsessed with the traditional four elements; B-boying/B-Girling, Emceeing, Deejaying and Graffiti. They symbolise hip hop at its most pure and are the living embodiment of all four elements in their rawest form as each member was born from the 80's explosion. DWC embraces all the aspects and ideology but never imitates. They created something localised that was revered and is now mythologised: they are Def Wish Cast; they are Australian; they are Hip Hop. In 1990 Def Wish Cast began taking there skills to the stage. Every show was an experience. Already at this early period in their career they were perfecting stage techniques and crowd interactions that hadn't been witnessed previously by local crowds. Def Wish Cast championed the importance of representing oneself by having a very identifiable style and sounding distinctly Australian. Late 1991 DWC under contract to "Random records" recorded the 500 limited four track vinyl "Mad as a Hatter" EP and was eagerly snapped up. The EP was produced and engineered by Geoffrey M. Laing at "Total Sound" recording studio in Australia, the beats for many of the tracks created by Robert Bleeker. The cover artwork was co-created by Sereck (SirWreck) and Def Wish, the cover designed by Robert Bleeker and became an instant collectors item (an original pressing recently went on eBay to a German bidder for more than AU$430, proving that even years later their importance is still recognised by many fans). DWC became known around the underground scene of Scandinavian countries. Def Wish's lightning speed and dextrous wordplay impressed many as the track Proppa Ragga Style became popular here and abroad. Coming in at number 2 on Norway's Rainbow FM HipHop show (Tommy Tee) it was the first Australian hiphop track to break into international recognition. Come 1992, DWC released one of the hallmarks by which all Australian hip hop would be judged. Again contracted to "Random Records" which was later bought by "Total Sound", the 15 track "Knights of the Underground Table" was finally unleashed, engineered by Geoffrey M. Laing at "Total Sound" recording studio in Australia, who also created the cover layout [Sereck (SirWreck) and Def Wish created the logos supplied the cover photo and cover artwork. The unrelenting music contained within the Knights CD and single cassette only release encapsulated everything that they had displayed on stage, It was intense, layered and polished. It was an instant classic and the first real album from an Australian hip hop crew. With this The Cast started getting support acts for international artists such as the Beastie Boys, Helmet, Young Black Teenagers, Wrecks n' Effect, etc........ DWC ventured into a new realm by recording the first non commercial Australian hip hop film clip for A.U.S.T again produced and financed by "Random records" with the help of film students and their friends. The clip clearly cemented the tracks position as the official song to express patriotism wrapped in a blanket of fortitude. It was 1995 and the Cast had just completed hundreds of hardcore shows and DWC recorded [on license from Random Records and again at Total Sound] for the prolific San Francisco label, Bomb Records, for the international compilation Bomb Worldwide (Feat: at the time a young Dilated Peoples/Swollen Members etc). The track "Hear My Raw" indicated a different style, yet not long after when their contract with "Random Records" expired the crew disbanded amicably, to pursue other ventures.

This is the only legal source of purchase for these original DWC tracks.