The Winstons – Amen Brother
From a traditional song to a unique piece of music history
The B side
The Winstons was an Amerikan Funk/Soul/R&B band from Washington DC. With a religious background and musicians of various descent and colour.
In 1969 music group The Winstons released a historic seven inch single.
A-side of single “Colour Him Father” is unimportant, it is all about the other side. On there is “Amen, Brother” and that song contains THE DRUMBREAK.
Listen to The Winstons – Amen, Brother: the whole track
The drum break sounds like this:
Listen to The Winstons – Amen, Brother: drumbreak
Eight bars with no other instruments. Some people claim that drummer Gregory C. Coleman almost made a mistake and recovered that in an inimitable way. Others state that the solo piece was planned.
Everybody now agrees that it is a unique piece of music as it is acknowledged as a master drum break, both in the original speed and slowed down. Slowed down? Yes, follow the story for info.
Dutch pressing
The first copy in my collection is a Dutch release, one of the releases with a picture sleeve and the only release with a band picture on it.
Image: The Winstons “Amen, Brother” seven inch – NG 509 1969 original
US pressing
‘In 2023 on a trip to New York I found a seven inch copy of ‘Amen, Brother’ at the famous ‘Human Head’ record shop in Brooklyn for $8,-. With the labels reversed it makes a special single in my collection.
Image: The Winstons “Amen, Brother” seven inch – MMS-117 1969 original
One of the most used drum breaks ever
Image: Ultimate Breaks & Beats Street Beat Records – SBR 501 1996 reissue
Ultimate Breaks And Beats producers Leonard “Breakbeat Lenny” and Louis “Breakbeat Lou” released collections of tracks with from breaks on the illegal label Octopus Breaks. From 1986, the mechanical copyrights were obtained and the gentlemen started Streetbeat Records. On the first relaease they slowed down the drum break of The Winston’s “Amen, Brother” from 45 to 33 1/3 RPM.
Listen to The Winstons – Amen, Brother: drumbreak slowed down
Image: Ultimate Breaks & Beats Street Beat Records – SBR 501 2003 reissue, double vinyl
The drum break slowed down gained attention. DJ’s and producers started to use it.
Before samplers the DJ had to play two copies of the same drum break together. You find the location of the drum break and ‘loop’ that part of the record, play the selection after each other in sync. That technique is called ‘backspinning’.
Image: Ultimate Breaks & Beats Street Beat Records – SBR 501 2003 reissue label with misprint layout on the third song “Amen, Brother”
In that period the first samplers came on the market. The Korg SDD-2000 (1985), the E-mu SP-1200 (1987) and the Akai MPC60 (1988) made their entry in the music production world.
First use on vinyl release
Though one cannot be sure, more sources state that “I desire” – Salt & Pepa might be the first track released with the use of the Amen break. The release was on December 8, 1986. The more famous tracks “Watch Me Now” by Ultramagnetic MC’s, “King Of The Beats” by Mantronix and “Straight Outta Compton” by N.W.A all were made in 1988.
Original speed break
The new breed of electronic music musicians and producers took the original and sampled the drumbreak at the original tempo. The drum break became point of departure for the starting of Jungle & Breakbeat music.
Coverversion and sample
The song”Amen, Brother” is a centuries old religious song. The interpretation of this specific execution shows great similarities with “We’re A Winner” by The Impressions. Gregory C. Coleman played drums in both formations.
