Crowd Control, Rodion G.A, Lil Obeah, Petru Birladeanu – Paradox
My proper first music mentor/ father/ „mother” was Rodion Ladislau Roșca from Cluj, Transylvania. He was the one pushing me to start my solo career after his huge experience being a solo artist, but working with many talented musicians of different generations and performing live as a band, but also through „old school workshops” by Djing off his old Tesla tapes.
Paradox, originally on the Behind the Curtain (The Lost Album) album from Rodion G.A and then from the Loud Blood Youth by Crowd Control mixtape, stands out through the balanced groove and brave guitar riff, but also through the hard rock melodic line of the voice translated by Intimidatah/ Obeah into an psychedelic shout and wail. Rodion was clearly listening to bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Butterfly in the seventies and built his tune with the same aggressive-melodic attitude. The song has also something of the Balkan nationalist pride that was shared and continues to be shared with euphoria. The dub version made by Obeah & Petru Birladeanu channels the influence of Bristol legends Massive Attack, Smith & Mighty and of course Rodion collaborator, Mark Stewart of The Pop Group.
To talk about the influence of Rodion Roșca aka Rodion G.A. on Romanian electronic music is a paradox. Because Rodion was a pioneer and pioneered many sound experiments and at the same time gave up making music, he was forgotten and rediscovered – as The Guardian called him a few years ago: Ceaușescu’s Lost Superstar.
Also for the first time in Romania and Transylvania, Rodion changed over 30 drummers and even if live Rodion G.A. was an electronic rock band, the recordings that can be heard on the Rodion GA albums are worked by the artist/producer alone in his home studio with his Tesla tapes. He overdubbed all the instruments and added effects until he was satisfied. Well versed in physics, chemistry and biology, an engineer by trade, Rodion also believed in magic and the supernatural. This helped him to think about his compositions on a macro level, with a surgical attention to detail, but also with a lot of instinct and passion. He released four albums and was preparing the fifth when he lost his battle with cancer. His daughter Isabella is trying to make the Rodion Museum in his house in Așchileu.
I dedicate this Obeah & Petru Birladeanu Remix collaboration between master Rodion G.A. & Crowd Control aka Razvan Gabar & Coshmelin Gabar + Intimidatah to my mentor’s versatility and juxtaposition of electronic, rock, ballads and compositions for film soundtracks.
I feel he left me a legacy as he blessed and wanted to remix two of my songs released with the late Nick Page aka Dub Colossus.
Rodion said since 2017: Don’t Cry If I Die! Obeah Bucureci
Remix & master by Obeah & Petru Birladeanu
Razvan Gabar – synth
Coshmelin – drums
Obeah – vocals
Fierbinteanu – production
Artwork by Cristiana Bucureci