• Billy Squier The Tale Of The Tape Rarlabs

Before Billy Squier's career exploded (albeit briefly) with 1981's Don't Say No, the ex-Piper frontman issued an overlooked debut solo outing, 1980's Tale of the Tape, which has become increasingly hard to find over the years -- especially on CD. But longtime fans have reason to rejoice, as Squier's first two solo releases were compiled together as a 'two for one' deal in the U.K. (but easily obtainable in the U.S. as an import) -- Tale of the Tape/Don't Say No. Additionally, it also doesn't hurt that these two albums were Squier's best solo outings. While not as commercially successful or renowned as, say, Emotions in Motion, Squier's solo debut contained quite a few standouts that measure up well against his later hits -- 'Rich Kid,' 'You Should Be High Love,' and 'The Music's All Right' -- and set the stage perfectly for his breakthrough sophomore effort. Undoubtedly his best solo effort, Don't Say No shows Squier going more for a heavy Led Zeppelin-esque sound on the hit title track and 'Lonely Is the Night,' but also manages to slip in quite a few melodic, pop-based tunes as well, especially the album opening 'In the Dark' and 'My Kinda Lover.' As of 2004, Tale of the Tape/Don't Say No is the only way to get Squier's first release on CD, and with a fair list price, it's just about what you'd shell out for two separate CDs anyway.

It took me a while to find a copy of this on CD but it was worth it. While Billy's second album Don't Say No really launched his career, this first outing (after leaving.

The Big Beat is a 1980 song by Billy Squier from his debut album The Tale of the Tape.^[1] While it never charted, the song has become a sampling staple in hip-hop music.^[2] As of 2017, the song has been sampled in more than 260 recordings.^[3] The 'big beat' itself was performed by drummer Bobby Chouinard.^[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Billy Squier The Tale Of The Tape Rarlabs

Dantana of Okayplayer.com said '[The Tale of the Tape] begins with 'The Big Beat', and in retrospect set Squier's career off to a flying start with the kind of chorus, vocals, and power riffs that made him famous. Much of the playing in this song, from the slide guitar to that big booming sound of Chouinard’s drums, would become Squier’s trademark sound and it is great to hear it before it became too pop.'.^[5] Deer hunter 2005 torrent crackdown.

Samples[edit]

“The Big Beat” has been sampled in:

• Beck - 'Soul Suckin' Jerk'
• Jay-Z – “99 Problems”
• Kanye West and Pusha T – “Looking for Trouble”
• Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp”
• Nas featuring Will.i.am – “Hip Hop is Dead”
• Puff Daddy – “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down”
• A Tribe Called Quest – “We Can Get Down”
• Big Daddy Kane – “Put Your Weight On It,” “Get Down,” “Ain’t No Half Steppin,” “The Beef Is On” and “3 Forties and a Bottle of Moet”
• Ice Cube – “Jackin’ for Beats”
• Alicia Keys – “Girl on Fire”
• Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – “Magic Carpet Ride”
• Whistle - I Am (1992)
• Run-D.M.C – “Here We Go”
• Unkle – “The Knock”
• UTFO - 'Roxanne, Roxanne'
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Higher Ground (X-Ecutioners Remix)'

The track opens The Prodigy's The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One mix.

References[edit]

1. ^'The Tale of the Tape - Billy Squier'. AllMusic. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
2. ^Callahan, Maureen (November 16, 2013). 'The hip-hop rebirth of Billy Squier'. New York Post.
3. ^Samples of The Big Beat by Billy Squier WhoSampled
4. ^Billy Squier - The Tale Of The Tape at Discogs
5. ^'Billy Squier'. Okayplayer.com. Retrieved 12 October 2013.

External links[edit]

• Music video on YouTube