Crate Digging: The Amen Break

The Amen Break

In 1969 a Washington soul group recorded a B side called Amen Brother. Buried in it was a four bar drum solo lasting six seconds. Two decades later that solo became the rhythmic backbone of hip hop, jungle and drum and bass, sampled on thousands of records by people who never knew the drummer's name. This is where six seconds went.

Gregory Coleman

Drummer of The Winstons. Never paid for the break.

Washington DC

Sampledon over 6000 known tracks

🥁🔁🎚️01.12.1969 – 01.11.2015

01.12.1969The Winstons cut Amen Brother as a B side. The four bar solo lasts just six seconds.

01.12.1969

01.08.1986The break lands on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats compilation and producers start chopping it.

01.08.1986

01.06.1988It powers a wave of early hip hop records from coast to coast.

01.06.1988

01.03.1992UK producers speed it up and jungle is born on the back of it.

01.03.1992

01.01.2004It underpins a generation of drum and bass and even television idents.

01.01.2004

01.11.2015Coleman has died with nothing. A crowdfunder finally raises money for the surviving bandleader.

01.11.2015

"
We never got a penny. But every time I hear it on the radio I think, that is our sound, still going.
"
Richard Spencer · bandleader of The Winstons

Hear the original six seconds

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