By Kieran Hadfield
Time Out said: “Doc Brown was a total star… an utter joy” and Mark Ronson labelled The Haggis Horns as “The best horn section in the world”. These two acts have swept away audiences and artists alike with their electric and captivating live shows.
After eight years of taking the live comedy, film and television industry by storm, Doc Brown is getting back to his roots, returning to the world of real rap with an intoxicating new live show and an arsenal of future classics. A full decade since his last release, the legendary London MC is back doing what he does best. With killer lines, infectious hooks and barnstorming beats, Doc is sounding fresher and hungrier than ever, and this tour will be one of the first chances fans have to watch the MC performing material from his highly anticipated new album Stemma, in the live environment.
No stranger to the live music scene, Doc has toured with De La Soul and Busta Rhymes, and was Mark Ronson’s rapper in his band set-up alongside Amy Winehouse from 2005-2007. Despite a long, but hugely successful, hiatus in film and television, a return to serious music has proved too much of a pull.
As Doc himself says: “It’s the ultimate in unfinished business for me. Music was the dream when I was a kid. This is where I started.”
The infamous Haggis Horns hardly need any introduction, after announcing themselves to the nation in triumphant style on the legendary album Keb Darge presents The New Mastersounds, there is no denying that the group have been at the forefront of the UK funk scene for the past decade. The band now has three funk-fuelled albums under their belts, Hot Damn! (2007), Keep On Movin (2009) and What Comes To Mind (2015), which all contain elements of their trademark distinctive northern funk sound; a winning combination of infectious breakbeats, afrobeat, soul and hip hop.
The members of The Haggis Horns have performed with the likes of Jamiroquai, John Legend & The Roots, Amy Winehouse, Morcheeba, Roots Manuva, Lou Donaldson, Elbow, Nightmares On Wax, Dennis Coffey, Adele, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mark Ronson, Robbie Williams, Duran Duran, Kano, Estelle and Lily Allen.
Doc Brown and The Haggis Horns released a collaborative single on June 9 titled ‘Take It Back’. The track more than delivers, with Doc Brown issuing some blistering and impactful flows over some irresistibly funky trumpet-heavy hooks provided by The Haggis Horns, and both elements manage to effortlessly fuse together to create a fresh and uncompromising sound.