Last week, Definitive Jux announced that it is reissuing Company Flow’s 1996 masterpiece Funcrusher Plus on May 5.
Longtime Plug One readers will note that the revised Funcrusher Plus was originally scheduled for 2007, which would have marked the 10th anniversary of its 1997 release on El-P’s Official Recordings and Rawkus Records. (El-P re-acquired the masters from Rawkus in 2005.) It was slated to include a DVD of the group’s final concert on March 29, 2001 as well as new tracks from El-P, Big Juss and Mr. Len. Although the reissue didn’t come out back then, the group still commemorated Funcrusher Plus’ 10th anniversary with a surprise reunion performance at Definitive Jux’s CMJ showcase that fall.
If the new press release is any indicator, however, the DVD won’t be part of the upcoming package. And during a recent Pitchfork interview, the group didn’t note that they worked on tracks for several months. (How do I know? Big Juss mentioned it during a 2007 concert in Atlanta. He also mentioned it in interviews.) Perhaps the sessions didn’t live up to Company Flow’s track record?
“I thought the best way to go about things would be to do a couple of new songs,” Big Juss said during the interview. “I think the validity of what we’ve done is already secured. People already know what we’re doing separately, but I’m personally throwing it out there to the guys that I’d love to do new material. I still have the same love in my heart for cats.”
When asked if the group had plans to record new music together, El-P said, “Nah. We’ve always said that one day we’ll get together to do some new songs but it’s just dirty to think of it in any other way. I don’t feel like planning to do it and being like, ‘We’re releasing a record!’ is the way to go. I love how we came in and fucking destroyed shit and then dipped. It was painful at the time but I don’t regret it. As far as music and art goes, motherfuckers are dope artists, so you can never close that door.”
The track listing for the Funcrusher Plus reissue hasn’t been released yet, so it’s possible that the aforementioned treats will be included. What’s certain is that will feature Company Flow’s final single, “D.P.A. (As Seen On TV)”; their first single, “Juvenile Techniques”; and one of the genre’s seminal works.
