BLACK HISTORY MONTH (UK) - OCTOBER [Archive]

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 07:47 AM

BLACK HISTORY MONTH-An overview by Simon Hinds:

T here's a lot to black history...

When the Empire Windrush docked in London in June 1948, it began black people's mass migration to Britain. Yet this was not the first time large numbers of black people had settled in Britain.

In fact, some researchers believe that people of African descent built the ancient monument, Stonehenge. they argue that mainstream historians have missed this and other aspects of black history. Such claims have sparked off heated debate. This debate, and the academic discipline of black history, is most advanced in the United States where the discipline is called black or African world studies. It is all about piecing together the writings of sometimes little known researchers from the past and present, discovering other evidence and using it all to construct one interpretation of history. Some of this black past is tragic but it can also be impressive, fascinating and fun. One way the public has come to know more about it is through Black History Month.

What's it all about?

Black History Month in Britain began as a way of developing black teenagers' cultural identity. Obviously, Britain shapes their identity but their parents, like many ethnic minority parents, regard their country of origin as vital. Black Britons, therefore, have a double, cultural heritage.

the month of October was chosen and in the past ten years, it has been a festival of education and entertainment known as 'edutainment'. It not only looks at the past but also presents experience and future aspirations. It occurs throughout the country, wherever people find funds to put on events.

there is something for everyone: serious debates and conferences, book launches, performance arts and popular music, workshops, exhibitions, oral history between the generations and also learning events for schools.

It recognises the global contributions black people have made. Yet at the same time, the Month is not exclusive. Irish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian events are also included.

the Month as a whole has involved some renowned names. the late Sally Mugabe, former wife of the Zimbabwean president, opened events that grew to become Black History Month. Glenys Kinnock and Bernie Grant MP opened the first actual Month. Nobel prize winner, Wole Soyinka, has given talks. While leading, black U.S. academics, such as Professor John Henrik Clarke, who lectures at Hunter College, New York City, and Dr Maulana Karenga, who is at the University of Southern California, have spoken in conferences.

the way it is:

Nottingham had fifteen separate events in 1997 and can serve as an example of the Month.

Talks

* Noted Jamaican writer, Richard Hart talked about Jamaican national hero, Paul Bogle. * Legendary sound man, Count Skylark Bop, recalled playing Jamaican popular music in Britain in the Fifties and Sixties. * Two ex-servicemen spoke of their war experiences. * Two factory workers talked about life on the shop floor for West Indian workers. * Nubian Link hosted an evening of debate and education.

Drama and poetry

* 'Streets paved with gold' recreated one man's experience of immigration to 'ghetto life' in England. * the Black theatre Co-op staged 'Iced' at the Nottingham Playhouse and held a writing workshop. * Popular poet, Levi Tafari performed. * 'Sister to Sister' offered spirituality, literature and top black comic Felicity Ethnic. Performance

* Community leader Eric Irons OBE opened the Month with jazz, folk and gospel, and an exhibition. * the church, the Assemblies of the First Born, held a gospel concert. * the finale saw more jazz and gospel.

Workshops

* there were two 'african family days' that involving arts based on African and Caribbean folk tales. * A workshop aimed at schools included pottery, carving, poetry and story telling.

Exhibition

* the life of George Africanus, who owned a Nottingham factory from the 1770s was displayed.

Making History

the Month began in the race unit of Greater London Council and its special projects officer Akyaaba Addai-Sebo. After talking to black teenagers, he discovered that they had a great reluctance to have any identity with Africa - the continent that spawned them. He put this down to the many negative images about Africa's past and present.

He was helped by having worked in the arts at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, USA. He saw that the U.S. held a Black History Month in February. Black historian Carter G Woodson started it all in the early 1900s. Big companies, like Coca Cola, eventually financially supported it and it has become an institution that brings the black community alive.

So in 1986 and 1987, with the backing of many other people, Addai-Sebo organised two events that set the trend for Britain's Month. Serious debates about the African contribution to civilisation took place with leading U.S. historians such as Clarke. International musicians like Hugh Masakela and Abdul Ibrahim demonstrated the black input into global music. While, the events were made cross-cultural through holding Asian and Irish performances. the events were a success that attracted admiration from around the country.

the year 1987 marked 150 years of the end of slavery. It also saw the race unit move to the London Strategic Policy Unit. Before the demise of the GLC, councillors passed a declaration that put Black History Month in October. London councils became committed to financially supporting the Month every year after the declaration was agreed by London council associations. Local councils around the country then embraced this declaration.

For the last eight years, Black History Month has taken place on a borough basis. Individuals, black and other organisations have approached their local councils, library departments and education authorities and requested grants in order to put on events.

In Britain, there are few places where undergraduate African world studies are taught. Nonetheless, there is a growing number of publishers who are producing books on black history and studies. the number of people who know about this history has been growing since the Seventies. This history may not be believed by many people - but it is out there...

SOURCE: = http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/books/windrush/blackhistory.shtml

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 08:56 AM

http://www.musicclub.it/ottobre2000/images/aguycall.edg.jpg
A Guy Called Gerald has been at the forefront of dance music from the beginning. He chats to a guy called Colin Carlisle about his secret technologies
Coming out of The Hit Squad and 808 State, Gerald Simpson's first solo release 'Voodoo Ray' in 1989 shocked everyone with the effectiveness of the sampler. He took a simple female vocal hook, the words "voodoo ray" and a devastating house beat. Sculpting them until they were completely his own.

He got to number 12 in the British charts and the notoriety brought him under fire from the rock traditionalists. "I got so much stick from live musicians saying, 'You're killing music doing this' that I thought, 'Oh well, I'll retaliate, I'll hate all live music and do my own stuff.' I like using live instruments - but sampling them and totally distorting them."

I met A Guy Called Gerald at a Thames side cafe, round the corner from his DIY multimedia studio-cum-bedroom. He's a relaxed man who enjoys simple pleasures; sunshine, fresh fruit, the view of the river, and the absence of guns in the area.

His aversion to live music has mellowed. A planned tour this autumn will include singers and players, but the drum and bass will remain strictly electronic. He just wishes there were such things as brain plugs so he could hook his musicians up together. Gerald's hatred has moved on to the house he helped to build, though it's more a frustration that others can't progress and change at his frenetic pace. In the last few years he has manoeuvred beyond hardcore drum and bass - the gangster jungle sound.

He's completely outpaced house and techno beats and as for his early pioneering work 'Voodoo Ray': "To tell you the truth I can't stand the track. Seriously! It was cool in them days, but now it's over, it's old. Eighties. This is the nineties, looking toward the year 2000. For me that's where it all starts. There's going to be some pure shit going on."

the vocal hook hangs like a ghost in the junglist's machine
But whilst waiting for the new millenium, and under pressure from the industry, A Guy Called Gerald has remixed his old classic. Out went almost everything. The words "voodoo ray" are now a jarring stretch that distorts into "voodoo rage", but the vocal hook hangs like a ghost in the junglist's machine. It has neither changed over time, as Gerald has, nor has it changed in time, while his other samples warp, stretch and reverse.

Gerald did not relish the task of a remix. "All the way through from 1988 until now , every time I've gone near the track it's been trouble for me. Getting ripped off, record companies going bust, managers disappearing with money. And now they want it to go out again, so I said: 'Take it, do what you want with it, but on your head be it because I think that record's cursed. So I called it 'The Curse of Voodoo Ray'."

Gerald does not seem jinxed. We've just seen the release of the 4 Hero remixes of 'Finley's Rainbow' on his own Juice Box Records, as well as his remix of Flora Purim's 'What You See' on B&W. Not an easy project given his respect for both her and her husband Airto. "I think one of the first records I got was Joe Sample's LP Burning up the Carnival. Looking on the back sleeve, I saw the vocalist was Flora Purim. I found a few of her records, and the percussionist was Airto Moreira. From there, I got totally hooked on Chick Corea's music. I'd just go down to the local library and steal records."

Stealing sounds by this method was short-lived. He moved on to intellectual robbery, such as looping Herbie Hancock's 'Rocket' in the mid Eighties. By the Nineties, Gerald was deep in the lawless terrain of jungle, where theft is as fast as the beats.

"I started off doing the really hardcore stuff, out of the rave thing. I did a tune called '28 Gun Badboy' and did these mad snare drums on it. I kept hearing it on all these different tracks, so I started sampling bits and pieces from other people. With the Hardcore style it got really repetitive. Not as in the music, but you'd do something and it would get sampled, torn apart and used and used and used."

'24 Gun Bad Boy' became the title track of jungle's first solo album, and last February's album Black Secret Technology was the first major jazz jungle infusion. Strangely titled, because he never once mentioned ethnicity in the interview, but was keen to give away the tricks of his trade.

He uses denatured technology to pattern beats too fast and precise for the human hand
In the sleeve notes he talks of the secret rhythms of nature. "I believe that some of these trance like rhythms reflect my frustration with trying to find out the Truth about my ancestors who talked with drums."

Yet his method of recapturing these beats seems quite perverse - always forward looking, never back. He uses denatured technology to pattern beats too fast and precise for the human hand. But it works. In and out of his tracks African polyrhythms swirl. I asked him where they came from.

"Africa! ha ha. No. It's all subliminal innit? Taking breakbeats from old funk drumming and changing them round and making them sound more African, which isn't hard to do, strangely enough. And just adding different textures to them. Putting heavier bass lines with them or heavier drums. It feels like the most natural thing to dance to. Whatever rocks me, I'll use."

sampled, torn apart and used and used and used
For me, it's new ways of writing; new sounds, new textures in the sound, the movement of what's in it. Perhaps in a couple of years, they'll pick up on what I'm doing now and say 'Yeah that's really cool - do it again!' **** off!"

I asked him about the future. He intends to hook up with a Cuban he met in Paris and make Salsa. Whatever comes of it, A Guy Called Gerald will be the first to move on to the next phase.

http://www.wfmu.org/Playlists/Doug/doug.980227gerald.gif

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 09:02 AM

Kid Batchelor

Bang the party

This London-based techno duo were responsible for putting kinky sex on the agenda of the deep house scene. A forerunner of the cybersex, virtual-reality revolution, Bang The Party, comprising DJ Kid Batchelor (Keith Franklyn) and Bullet, broke through with their 1990 hit, "Bang Bang You're Dead", which introduced its approach with the line: "It's basically using music as an everyday stimulant to your heart." The single was typical of their craft, syncopated, almost hypnotic, rhythms aimed firmly at producing a sensual atmosphere. Franklyn went on to join Azuli artists KCC.

Releases:

In Effect, 12" (Not On Label)
I Feel Good All Over / Jacques Theme, 12" (Warriors Dance)
Release Your Body, 12" (Warriors Dance)
Release Your Body, 12" (Transmat)
Bang Bang You're Mine, 12" (Warriors Dance)
Bang, Bang - Attitude Rap, 12" (Warriors Dance)
Release It 90, 12" (Warriors Dance)
Back To Prison, LP (Warriors Dance)
Bang-Bang You're Mine, 12" (Warriors Dance)
Bang Bang You're Mine, 12" (Classic)
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Bang_The_Party

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 10:00 AM

Colin Dale

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Rarely do you find djs that are able to stay top of the tree for 20 years and still be cutting edge and forward thinking….Colin Dale is such a dj.

Whether it's been broadcasting the "Abstrakt Dance" on the Internet as far back as 1993 or being first to expose listeners to the likes of Aphex Twin or Prodigy (both give thanks on their albums) Colin has always been a visionary.

It all began back in 1980 when Colin then employed by Barclays Bank began to be immersed in London nightlife Early days saw Colin playing New York disco and early electro classics such as Afrika Bambaataa's - "Planet Rock" with Hop hop don Tim Westwood who gave the budding dj his first break at Soho's Gossips.

About 1985 Colin started work at Mi Price record store in Croydon…the first store in the U.K to really get into House music thanks to the likes of staff such as Jazzy M, Luke Slater, Richie Rich and even Carl Cox…….it was also around this time that Colin got together with a group of young ,fresh London djs who went on to form the now legendary "Kiss F.M".

The Abstrakt Dance radio show ran weekly on Kiss F.M for 15 years and had almost religious devotion from thousands of listeners worldwide. During the early 90s Dale and Faver were as well know and loved for preaching Techno as Fabio and Grooverider were for spreading drum and bass. Along with Brenda Russell they turned mid-week London clubbing a must with "Knowledge". Some Wednesday nights saw 900 faithfuls and luminaries such as Sven Vath, Carl Cox, Underground Resistance, Derek May and Laurent Garnier take to the decks and the club is still regularly featured in all-time club charts. Around 1993 Colin began to get heavily involved in the Internet and along with Chris H began broadcasting The "Abstrakt Dance" radio show and won a award for number 5 web-site in the whole of the U.K from Yell.

In 2000 after many accolades and awards Colin left Kiss F.M to join Groovetech Internet radio…"I'd been at Kiss for 15 years and honestly felt there was nothing new to do" Colin is now broadcasting the show exclusively on the Internet via www.abstraktdance.com (http://www.abstraktdance.com) where you can find exclusive new tracks and news of all Abstrakt Dance related topics. Production-wise Colin has been very busy in the studio with current releases on Access 58, London Housing Benefit, Visitor, Sensei and a forth-coming long player under the guise of "Kleeer" with partner Haris C as well as tracks recorded in New York…..also watch this space for a killer 12" in collaboration with new vocalist sensation Shelley Slater

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 11:17 AM

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Biography...

Shaun Escoffery is a twenty four year old home grown talent who recently signed an album deal with Oyster Music in the UK.

This remarkable young man is a singer/songwriter and a confident, charismatic live performer whose influences include Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. And yet though Shaun admires these great artists, his own vocal ability is powerful and distinctive.

Last year he wrote a song with Geoffrey Williams entitled, 'Space Rider. This unreleased track was immediately scooped up and played by Trevor Nelson on the radio one for seven weeks in a row. This became a focal point for interest in this young burgeoning artist.

Though as yet unsigned at the time, Shaun was solicited to perform live for BBC's music programme 'Pure Naughty' (presented by Mel B) and 'Soul Music' for Carlton Television. His performances were both successful and well received enhancing his reputation even further as a live performer.

Shaun has continued to write songs towards his album with such accredited writers as Pete Gleister, Howard New, Geoffrey Williams, Matt Schwartz among others. He is due to begin recording with Bacon and Quarmby (Finley Quaye) shortly with a scheduled album of early next year.

SOURCE = http://www.dutchpot.co.uk/uk/artists/Shaun_Escoffery/biography.htm

http://www.thesituation.co.uk/ukartists/shaun_escoffery/escoffery_main.jpg Shaun Escoffery

Shaun Escoffery is a talented singer/songwriter whose debut self-entitled album has recently been released and is in stores now. Pitched as the new Seal / Omar, twenty six-year-old Shaun, is embarking on the rocky path to fame and fortune determined to fly the British flag and reach the top.

Having had a presence in the music industry for sometime, Shaun has somewhat lacked exposure, however all that is about to change. Sitting across from him in a quiet West End bar, his honey-dipped complexion seems to glow when he smiles, recalling the birth of his musical journey. Born and bred in East London, the sounds of Motown and Reggae flooded the Escoffery household. His mother was a singer and his dad a DJ, which were fertile grounds for the growth of a star. Aware of the difficulty in achieving success within the music industry, his parents encouraged him to follow a more academic career path.
"They wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor, you know what I mean. But did I have the brains for it No (laughs)! They were convinced that's what I was going to be, even though I was always singing down the house."

From an early age, Shaun's interest in music grew, and when, during his early teens, his aunt, a struggling singer, asked him to sing some backing vocals for her, he jumped at the chance. Impressed at his own voice on the final product, Shaun began writing and recording tracks for himself and others during his time at college. He was even able to secure a part in the West End musical, 'Mum I Wanna Sing' featuring Chakka Khan, though he yearned for something more.
"I was always kind of doing stuff that I wasn't really comfortable with or I didn't really want to do it at the time. The Chaka khan thing, was good, I mean I learnt my trade, I learnt to sing and control my voice, but what I really wanted to do was make my own music."

Fast forward, four years of painful lows and rejected demo tapes. Shaun's luck eventually became wheels in motion when the Indie label 'Oyster Music', began showing an interest in his independently released track, 'Space Rider', subsequently signing him in 2001. Re-releasing the single, that same year, the track and it's follow up single, 'Days Like This', quickly gained underground cult success and was played by the likes of the Dreem Team and MTV presenter/DJ Trevor Nelson.
"The thing that first appealed to me about Space Ryder was that people couldn't really define which genre it was. And I like that. I wanted the album to be left of centre."
Listening to it, you'll most certainly agree that he has fufilled his objective. Shaun Escoffery has a unique sound that cannot be pigeonholed to one genre or era, rather it is a mix of soul, jazz, funk, hip hop and R 'n' B, which bares testament to Shaun's varied influences. "It [The album] kind of stems back to my influences growing up, on the whole soul and Brit pop thing. It was all kind of exposed to me. On the album, you have broken beats, you’ve got a slight Hip Hop thing in there, a slight garage thing, so it just encompasses all of my influences."

Determined for recognition, as a unique British artist, Shaun sought and collaborated with top studio talent, 4 Hero, Geoffrey Williams, Jonny Bull, as well as garage producers MJ Cole and Ed Case.
"People often ask me why the album has been so long coming and I tell em it's because I've been trying to get it right. I was trying to get it British sounding. I love America, but I'm from East London: I don't know about the Ghetto fabulous thing."
In the initially stages of seeking a record deal, Shaun found that record labels assumed that being young, black and from East London, his musical preference would rare more towards commercial R 'n' B, than the retro and experimental material that he now has the opportunity to make."Why should I be in a box? Music is bigger than I am; it's bigger than everybody, I don't want to limit myself in anyway whatsoever. I'm quite lucky because my record company has given me a lot of space for me to create. So they've basically left me alone. I'll come to them with a few tracks and they'll just say which one they like. I'm really left to my own devices. I think it's because I put out Space Rider and a couple of other bits and pieces before I got signed, so they thought, we love what he's doing and let me just get on with it."
When asked why he self entitled his album, he replied,
"It's my first album. 'Shaun Escoffery' was nice and simple, it let people know my name, that this is me, I've landed, this is my time."

Describing himself in two words as a 'passionate nutter', Shaun sips at his cup of coffee, looks down at the floor, as if to be thinking about his life and experiences, chuckles, and then explains, "I'm passionate about my music and my performances, music is my baby. It's the things that I like doing, the diving off cliffs, the bungee jumps, the martial arts, that make me a nutter (laughs)." Despite being skilled in Thai Boxing, Karate and Gracie Jujitsu, Shaun admits he does not float like a butterfly on the dance floor, bluntly stating: "I'm not a dancer. I don't dance! I just want my voice and my music to tell the story. Not everyone has to jump up and down." He continued, "I was watching the Bob Marley, 'Rainbow' video from the seventies and he was doing his thing, skanking with his locks flowing and it was a spiritual thing, but he weren't dancing. He never had a routine". Having sang the National Anthem at the Lewis and Tyson fight last year, Shaun has since performed with Erykah Badu and Angie Stone.

Gaining recognition for his alternative approach to music, Shaun is being spoken of as Britain's next significant breakthrough artist. If you haven't seen him yet, you can catch him performing with his live band at London's Jazz Café on the 27th & 28th of March 03. If you haven't heard him yet, then buy his album. You know the name.

By Annika Allen

SOURCE = http://www.thesituation.co.uk/ukartists/shaun_escoffery/shaun_escoffery.html

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 11:20 AM

http://www.rude-awakening.com/images/gallery/pics/frankie-valentine.jpg

FRANKIE VALENTINE - BIOGRAPHY

Frankie Valentine is a wellknown artist & producer – but informations about this person have been one of the best kept secrets in musicbiz so far! With his relase of his forthcoming album “sounds of the hourglass” this point in his history is goin to change. Having been in the house music/dance scene for ages, London born dj and producer Frankie Valentine still loves his house records and playing them to people. He actually got into house music in 1983 with the Prelude record "Visuals & Music's Got Me".

It must have been the famous summer of love, when not only the house music scene in England started to get some kind of audience, but also Frankie himself: "Then in '88, Evenson Allen used to do illegal warehouse parties with a few other djs and myself, where we went around playing in warehouses and then moving on to Sunrise and other major events. That was when I started to get regular work".

Meanwhile he`s deejaying over 20 years and has been producing for 11 years. His hometown London has given him many opportunities to show his range of different styles in dance music, from uptempo to downtempo making him one of the most in demand deejays & producer from London.

Since then, Frankie has not only played most clubs up and down the U.K., but has also lived at such exotic places like Japan and Iceland, where he used to go into the studio with friends as well. As a deejay he has played in most major Cities around the globe at some time or another.

Frankie has also managed to deejay, on a regular base, at Berlin's famous club Tresor: For a long time Frankie kept coming back to this legendary venue where he was always given the possibility to built up the night in his very own way by playing for hours and hours. The clubbers were floating around in waves of grooves, funky beats and some rare stuff Frankie has collected over the years and likes bringing back to the people. In 1993 he had alongside the legendary Dave Angel his own clubnight in London, which was called “Rotary Club”. The night had it`s main aspect on house & techy sounds – but always on the funky & groovy side of their music!

1995 Frankie had the great honour to support as the first UK deejay the worldfamous Underground Resistance Squad, from Detroit, on their first tour in Japan!

He likes coming back to the clubs he has already played, but he is even more excited about going to places anywhere in the world he has never been to before: "I am ready to go out there and bring my music to anybody who has not heard it before." As for his dj name, Frankie has "picked it to represent something I thought was true of myself. It was the nearest I could get to being able to describe something I loved, that I could put my name to and make something of it."

As a producer Frankie recorded on countless labels around the globe – as Estereo Records, Icon Rec. Iceland, Exelexcis Rec. Greece, File Rec. Japan, Auto Extension London, Scien Rec. Japan, Kooky Grooves, Recawa Sounds Italy and many more…………….

For Frankie “good music is always good music whether it comes from America, London or Australia. I think good music is something you can feel. I don't think it comes from any particular place. Maybe the style of the music may be different but good music is always good music. But his favorite music is silence, and my favorite singer must be natural sounds, such as the wind and the rain. To me that is music but some people don't see that way, that is basically it.

Now Frankie is about to release his long awaited debut album “sounds from the hourglass” on Sunshine Enterprises Vienna, which is for a lot of people something like a little sensation and a dream come true for Frankie!!

Now we lifted a bit the long time secret of Frankie Valentine`s history – watch out for him as he`s taking the next step in his remarkable carriere!!!

SOURCE = http://www.backroom-entertainment.de/roster/valentine.htm

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 11:24 AM

I’m in the footsteps of people like Eddie Grant, you know, Cy Munday, Loose Ends, Junior Gisk and David Joseph, High Tension, the Icognito, Gosh the list endless. There were so many before us which we must always pay our respects to, and in understanding how in the latter days we’re moving on-those are the ones who gave me the inspiration to go on. Hooking up with all the people that helped to develop and make Soul II Soul are people who have now transcended their careers to go on to other great and wonderful things. Jazzie B

http://ichbiah.online.fr/music/electro/jazzieb.jpg Jazzie B (middle)

Soul II Soul put something called Black British Music on the international map. They-- Jazzie B and Dadde Harvey, and Aitch B-- created a totally British black 'funki dred' sound based on an eclectic mix of soul, reggae, funk and European music. Perhaps Soul II Soul’s great contribution was their initiative in creating an assertive new sound, not a traceable copy of something that black Americans had done, which was set at the time against an exciting backdrop of new black British film, theatre, and writing.

Jazzie B was the progenitor of Soul II Soul. He was born and raised in Hornsey Rise, North London. His sole ambition-- to be the best DJ, and a producer of music—was realized by the late 80's. Jazzie B with a musical outfit, which would remain a sort of sound system cum group, signed to Virgin10 records after being heard at his the historic Africa Centre, his regular Dee-jaying spot. Their debut track Fairplay, featuring Rose Windross, became a dance classic. The group released their second single 'Feel Free' with singer Do'Reen which went to number one on the dance charts. However, their third single 'Keep On Movin' featuring the amazing singer Caron Wheeler, zoomed straight into the national charts at number 5 and was played internationally. 'Back To Life' the follow up single shot to Number one in every chart.

The Sound System has won many awards including Soul Train Awards, Grammy's, and various Dance Awards, plus numerous Gold and Platinum awards worldwide in recognition of massive record sales. Jazzie B is also respected for his production talents working as a producer and remixing for artistes like Wookie, James Brown, Cheryl Lynn, Monie Love, The Chimes, Fine Young Cannibals, Family Stand and Alyson Williams.

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Martin Red

10-06-2003, 11:44 AM

;)
http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/drc800/c808/c80818f9gw3.jpg

http://www.centralcali.com/ftk/upperplayground/pics/rp_slick_rick_run.jpg

b. Richard Walters, 14 January 1965, South Wimbledon, London, England. Of Jamaican parentage, Walters moved to the USA at the age of 11, going on to attend New York's High School of Music & Art. By the time his solo career started, Slick had

already enjoyed his five minutes of rap fame (as MC Ricky D) by backing Doug E. Fresh on his 1985 masterpiece, "The Show". Not the most enlightened of hip-hop's rappers, as "Treat Her Like A Prostitute" on his debut album confirmed, Slick Rick does, however, live up to his name on his more impressive numbers. These included his standard, "The Ruler". It was also impossible to argue with the superb production by Rich himself alongside Jam Master Jay (Run DMC) and Hank Shocklee and Eric Sadler (the Bomb Squad). His second album was recorded in just three weeks while he was out of jail on bail, and facing up to ten years for attempted murder (shooting his cousin and his friend, then undergoing a high speed car chase which ended in both him and his girlfriend breaking legs). It continued the jazzy rhythms of his debut, which would attain platinum status in his adopted US homeland. However, Rick was subsequently jailed for the above offence, eventually serving six years of his sentence before being released in 1996. Despite being behind bars, Rick's confident, efficient half-sung delivery proved a powerful influence on subsequent rappers, including Snoop Doggy Dogg. He made his eagerly anticipated return in 1999 with the US Top 10 album, The Art Of Storytelling.

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jimmymack-2000

10-06-2003, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
the Prelude record "Visuals & Music's Got Me".Yes, well... :rolleyes:

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by jimmymack-2000:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Martin Red:
the Prelude record "Visuals & Music's Got Me".Yes, well... :rolleyes: [/QUOTE]graemlins/conf44.gif

SOURCE = http://www.backroom-entertainment.de/roster/valentine.htm

Martin Red

10-06-2003, 12:15 PM

http://i3.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b5/cd/08_1.JPG

Can't find much info at the moment, anyone got any links ? ;)

Brut by Faberge

10-06-2003, 12:33 PM

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martin...what about ms dexter pray tell? smile.gif

greg wilson

10-06-2003, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
http://i3.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b5/cd/08_1.JPG

Can't find much info at the moment, anyone got any links ? ;) David Joseph was a former member of the British Funk band Hi Tension: http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Hi%20Tension.html

When I demonstrated mixing live on C4's The Tube in Feb '83, I used 2 copies of 'You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me)'. The programme went direct from me mixing in Newcastle (where the studio was) to Camden Palace in London, where David performed the track live.

'You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me)' reached no 13 on the UK chart.

Larry Levan remixed the track for the US market.

David Joseph had a further top 30 UK hit in '83, 'Let's Live It Up (Nite People)', and two minor hits in '84, 'Joy Of Life' (#61) and '86, 'Expansions '86 (Expand Your Mind)' (#58).

imported_Gman

10-06-2003, 02:34 PM

smile.gif @ this thread

Leslie

10-06-2003, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by greg wilson:

'You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me)' reached no 13 on the UK chart.

Larry Levan remixed the track for the US market.

I can't even express how much I love this song.

Also, they show repeats of Lenny Henry's Chef on PBS, I love that show - especially when he goes into his tirades.

Okay, dude from Eastenders is FINE! Damn I need to start watchng those back to back episodes againg on PBS.

[ October 06, 2003, 03:45 PM: Message edited by: Leslie ]

mhd

10-06-2003, 03:18 PM

Originally posted by Gman:
smile.gif @ this thread word, tight post martin

music

10-06-2003, 04:17 PM

thanks very much martin red for history i now know.

Rodney Ransom

10-07-2003, 01:14 AM

Originally posted by music:
thanks very much martin red for history i now know. very informative post......nice work martin biggrinangel.gif

one what about LOOSE ENDS? Group from the 80's

Insert pseudonym here

10-07-2003, 02:13 AM

Great Post MRed!

I saw all the posters for Black History month and I downloaded some of the events that are being held at the neighbourhood libraries.

I was wondering if they are going to have a street festival or something to that effect maybe in Victoria Square?

Lata'
~Efab

nev m

10-07-2003, 02:42 AM

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/clap.gif

Best read today mate!

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 05:35 AM

Originally posted by Insert pseudonym here:
Great Post MRed!

I saw all the posters for Black History month and I downloaded some of the events that are being held at the neighbourhood libraries.

I was wondering if they are going to have a street festival or something to that effect maybe in Victoria Square?

Lata'
~Efab I think it may be worth popping to The Drum at some point, The Jam House also, may have something on. I think they should have something large for everyone to recognise. I doubt there will be any parties outside at the moment though, hasn't it gone cold. brrrrrrrrrr.

Originally posted by RodneyRansom:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by music:
thanks very much martin red for history i now know. very informative post......nice work martin biggrinangel.gif

one what about LOOSE ENDS? Group from the 80's [/QUOTE]One of my favourites, and the best to come out of UK IMHO.

http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/%A5Artist%20GIF%20Images/Loose%20Ends.jpg
Loose Ends

"Formed in 1982 by Jane Eugene, Steve Nichol and Carl McIntosh, Loose End (as they were originally known) were the first all-black British band to be signed to the Virgin Records label. After several unsuccessful singles

they changed their name to Loose Ends, enlisted producer Nick Martinelli, and started to make an impression on the soul/dance scene with a series of excellent releases. Their major breakthrough came with the Top 20 singles "Hangin' On A String (Contemplating)" and "Magic Touch", and their second album So Where Are You, featuring backing vocals by American singer Joanna Gardner. Subsequent singles and albums were not as successful, but they developed a busy sideline as songwriters and producers (Juliet Roberts, Five Star, Lavine Hudson). Following the disbandment of the original line-up, McIntosh returned in 1990 with new members Linda Carriere and Sunay Suleyman, breaking into the Top 20 with "Don't Be A Fool".

source = http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/loose_ends/bio.jhtml

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 05:52 AM

Originally posted by THX-1138:
http://www.juliedexter.com/photos/biopage.jpg

martin...what about ms dexter pray tell? smile.gif smile.gif

http://www.originalmediagroup.com/images/juliedexterbio.jpg

Singer, songwriter and composer Julie Dexter is considered by many to be one of the most important vocalists of her generation and has been dubbed by her fans as "The UK’s Queen of Soul." Born and raised in Birmingham, England, of Jamaican parents, Julie developed her craft as a live performer and songwriter in the European jazz community. As a young girl, she played classical clarinet, violin and piano, and originally planned to be a music teacher. She obtained a degree in classical music from Middlesex University in London.

Mentored by jazz pioneer Gary Crosby, Julie teamed up with members of the London jazz group, Tomorrow’s Warriors, and later formed J-Life along with Jason Yarde. As the lead vocalist, Julie stunned audiences with her vocal mastery and passionate stage presence. In 1997, J-Life became the first group of Black musicians to ever win the prestigious IJF European Jazz competition. Due to its universal appeal, J-Life was asked by the British Council to serve as one of Great Britain’s official ambassadors of music and envoy of the British Council from 1997-1999.

After working alongside such British pioneers as Courtney Pine and IG Culture, Julie realized her musical vision was too broad to be confined to Europe. In 2000, Julie moved to the United States, and independently released her first solo project, a 24-minute EP entitled Peace of Mind. Following its release, Peace of Mind sales remained in the top 20 for 16 consecutive weeks at Tower Records in Atlanta, reaching as high as #3 on their weekly sales charts.

Deeply influenced by legends such as Billie Holiday, Nancy Wilson, and Nina Simone as well as popular icons such as Bob Marley, Omar and Sade, this British diva is giving the world her own unique brand of music, which she simply describes as "soul steeped in roots reggae and jazz." Already, her music has struck a chord deep within America’s Burgeoning soul music scene, gaining the attention other artists of R&B, Acid Jazz, Reggae, and Hip-Hop. Julie has opened for Fertile Ground and Amel Larrieux, and has performed on The Black Lilly Stage with The Smokin' Grooves Tour alongside of Lauryn Hill, Outkast and the Roots.

Julie Dexter’s latest creative gem and first full album is entitled, Dexterity. Infusing the fundamental elements of soul, reggae and classical jazz, Dexterity represents a heartfelt journey towards a musical destination that feels both sublime and accessible. It is a journey into the mind of a woman who shares her vulnerabilities as well as her will to overcome-- universal emotions that connect humanity and inspire the individual.

Dexterity’s first release, "Ketch a Vibe," is about self-discovery, finding inspiration, and then holding on to it. The song is an upbeat melody supported by a subtle drum-and-bass track with Julie’s voice smoothed over the top, like syrup. Other tracks include "Faith," an autobiographical and personal recount of Julie’s journey from shy music student to confident sojourner who leaves home to pursue her dreams. "How Can You Feel," offers a reggae vibe and invokes sentiments of space and travel, whereas "I Dream," brings a Latin feel.

Whether it be love, heartbreak, inspiration or freedom, Julie Dexter’s music possesses the rare quality of being uniquely personal, yet selfless and sincere. As one stunned audience member stated after a recent performance in New York City, "listening to Julie Dexter is like falling in love."

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 06:15 AM

http://i4.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b6/f3/ba_1.JPG

http://i18.ebayimg.com/02/i/00/7e/7d/2e_1.JPG

http://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b9/42/27_1.JPG

1981
As a tribute to John Lennon and "Imagine" IMAGINATION was formed.
"Body Talk" released May - "In and out of love" released September - "Flashback" released November
"Body Talk" album released October. Album achieves Double Gold status and remains on charts for 51 weeks.
1982
"Just an illusion" released March - Diamond Award winner for sales in excess of 1 million copies.
"Music and lights" released June - "In the heat of the night" released September - "Changes" released December.
"In the heat of the night" album released September. Double Gold.
First European Tour with all 22 UK shows sold out.
1983
"Nightdubbing" album released May. Double Gold.
"Looking at midnight" released June - "New dimension" released November.
"Scandalous" album released November. Double Gold.
LEEE secures a place in TV history by getting lead role of Mancel in now cult programme Dr. Who.
1984
"State of love" released May.
Huge demand for TV appearances this year: from Tiswas to Des O'Conner, BBC Breakfast Time to No.73.
LEEE hosts 8 week Malibu World Disco Dance Championships.
1985
2nd major European Tour. Sold out.
1986
5th Anniversary year. Celebrated in style with a capacity audience at the Royal Albert Hall, London and the
smash hit single "Thank you my love".
1987
Imagination sign to RCA records and leave for USA to record the album "Closer" with Arthur Baker,
Nick Martinelli, Preston Glass, Ron Kersey and Robert Kraft. Errol Kennedy leaves group and is replaced
by Peter Royer.
1988
Achieved Number 1 spot in American Billboard Dance Chart with "Instinctual", caused uproar in New York
when x-rated version of "Instinctual" video was shown on cable TV by mistake.
1989
"Like it is" album reaches Number 4 in UK charts in 4 weeks. Double Gold status in just 12 weeks. Album
stays in the charts into the 1990's, 44 weeks in all.
Imagination closed the 1980's on December 17th with their Christmas Show, the last of an 18 date sell-out tour at Hammersmith Odeon, 105 weeks on the UK singles chart and 108 weeks on the UK album chart.

[ October 07, 2003, 07:20 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 06:42 AM

Hi Martin: How about the acts that paved the way for black artists in this country. People like:

GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND
THE FOUNDATIONS
THE EQUALS
BLUE MINK
HOT CHOCOLATE
SWEET SENSATION
THE REAL THING
and others

None of these bands got a mention on Trevor Nelson's controversial 'Soul Nation' series, yet they all deserve our respect for helping create the conditions where black music could finally begin to thrive in this country.

Mah'chew

10-07-2003, 06:54 AM

Nightmares On Wax - Leeds, U.K.
http://www.frecuenciaelectronica.com/giras/9.17/now_2.jpg

Based in Leeds, England, Nightmares On Wax began as a duo of George Evelyn (DJ EASE) and Kevin Harper. In the early 80s, Evelyn spent time breakdancing with the Soul City Rockers, alongside future members of Unique 3, and as Nightmares On Wax he began DJing with Harper at parties and then clubs in the mid-80s. At they same time they recorded three tracks, "Let It Roll", "Stating A Fact" and "Dextrous", which they consequently sent out as a demo to various record companies in the UK and New York. Having been turned down, they released "Let It Roll" on their own Positive Records which went on to sell 2,000 copies. In the meantime, they had met Steve Beckett who asked them to join Warp Records, who made "Dextrous" their second release in 1989. Together with the work of acts such as LFO, Unique 3 and the Forgemasters, this track and "Aftermath" (a UK Top 40 hit in 1990) helped to create the sound known as bleep. "Aftermath" was unique in that its rhythms, although built on a solid four-on-the-floor foundation, sound like an embryonic drum 'n' bass track. Their next release, "A Case Of Funk" (1991), was a successful club hit.

According to many, their debut A Word Of Science created a blueprint for the trip-hop movement of the 90s as it merged funk and hip-hop rhythms with stark electronics, but at the time of its release it seemed to confuse those who had eagerly consumed their straight dance music singles. Subsequent releases, including "Set Me Free" and "Happiness", continued to gain critical applause. In 1992, Harper left to concentrate on his career as a DJ. Evelyn spent several years collecting samples, recording demos and co-running the club Headz in Leeds and released a few jazzy house tracks on the Warp subsidiary Nucleus. He eventually made his comeback as Nightmares On Wax in 1995 with the album Smoker's Delight, on which he worked with a guitarist, bass player, keyboard-player, rapper and singer. This low-tempoed abstract hip-hop album took in a broad range of influences, including funk, soul, jazz and dub, and even touched on country music. The following year Evelyn released "Still Smokin'" and in 1997 remixed Omar's "Sayin' Nothin'". He returned to the studio for 1999's Carboot Soul, another highly enjoyable and eclectic collection of warped electronica.

Nice thread, hope you didn't mind some input :D

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 07:09 AM

Originally posted by Mah'chew:

Nice thread, hope you didn't mind some input :D graemlins/thumbsup.gif That's exactly what i was after smile.gif

Mah'chew

10-07-2003, 07:10 AM

Lucas Radebe, Football.

http://www.suntimes.co.za/2002/05/26/sport/soccer/28-s26lucas.jpg

Lucas Radebe was South Africa's first football superstar, a household name from Soweto to South Yorkshire, and beyond. Having begun his professional career with Johannesburg's Kaizer Chiefs, he went on to captain Leeds United in the English Premier League and Bafana Bafana in the African Nations Cup and the World Cup. Radebe's career developed against the backdrop of two inextricably linked transitions: South Africa's democratic revolution and its emergence, for the first time, as a credible force in world football.
Lucas Radebe was born in Soweto's Diepkloof in 1969, growing up in a four-room house with ten brothers and sisters. His family took an active interest in sports: his mother, Emily, was a keen basketball player and his older brother Abraham, a talented footballer who earned a reputation with local teams such as the Scientists. Indeed, Radebe has commented that, given the same opportunities, Abraham would have excelled as a professional player.

Radebe's childhood and teens coincided with the most traumatic period in South African history as the anti-apartheid struggle intensified and violence in the townships escalated. He attended Bopasenatla High School in Diepkloof, although disruptions were frequent owing to the activities of both the security forces and local gangs.
As a teenager, Radebe became involved in the student movement and participated in direct action. This ranged from preventing people going to work to puncturing the tyres of buses to hijacking government cars. He was also involved in the so-called 'disciplinary committee' which dispensed vigilante justice, in the absence of an effective police force.

Out of concern for their son's safety and his future in this troubled environment, Radebe's parents sent him away to Bophuthatswana, one of the pseudo-independent homelands in the northwest of the country. There Radebe was to train to be a teacher but he quickly became bored by his studies and by his rural surroundings. To pass the time and to distract himself, he joined a local football team, first playing as a goalkeeper and later as a defender.

While playing in Bophuthatswana, Radebe was spotted by the legendary Patrick 'Ace' Ntsoelengoe, who was then working for the Kaizer Chiefs. Following an offer from the Johannesburg team, Radebe shelved his plans to be a teacher and decided to pursue football professionally. He made his debut for the Kaizer Chiefs in 1989.
Only a couple of years into his tenure with the team, however, Radebe's career was almost ended by the sort of violence he had originally left behind as a teenager. Driving his car to a local store on an errand for his parents, he was shot in the back. One of his brothers, who was also in the car, took the wheel and drove to a nearby hospital. Despite suffering temporary paralysis in his right leg and losing a considerable amount of blood, Radebe escaped long-term injury. Those responsible for the attack were never apprehended and a motive never established, although at the time there were several cases of players being shot in reprisal for their transferring to other teams. While recovering from his gunshot wound, Radebe started to take his life and his career more seriously and began to think about leaving South Africa to play in Europe.

In the meantime, following the end of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela, a unified South African side returned to international competition with a series of three home matches against Cameroon in July 1992. (South Africa had been suspended by FIFA in 1964 and then expelled in 1976.) Radebe, by now completely recovered, was selected for the team; the historic opening match saw the Indomitable Lions vanquished by a goal to nil in Durban.

An opportunity to realise his ambition of playing abroad presented itself in the summer of 1994 when the English Premier League side Leeds United (then under the management of Howard Wilkinson) offered Kaizer Chiefs 250,000 pounds for Radebe. The Yorkshire club also signed fellow Chiefs player Philemon 'Chippa' Masinga and the pair joined Leeds at the start of the 1994-5 season.
Although Radebe made his debut in a League Cup game against Mansfield Town that September, his time at Leeds began poorly. He did not enjoy an especially productive relationship with Wilkinson and struggled to secure a place in the first team, making only nine starting appearances in the league in his first season. To make matters worse, a serious knee injury eventually sidelined him for nine months. These problems were only compounded when Radebe's work permit was revoked since he had not played the amount required to satisfy British Home Office regulations. Making the case that Radebe had been injured and had not, therefore, been available for first-team selection, Leeds managed to get the decision overturned and his work permit was renewed.
Radebe's injury problems extended into the 1995-96 season, but he was fit again for the 1996 African Nations Cup, hosted by South Africa in January and February. Bafana Bafana's 2-0 defeat of Tunisia in the final, on home soil, remains Radebe's proudest achievement. Like the Rugby World Cup the previous year, this was a pivotal event in sporting and political terms. It marked another significant chapter in South Africa's return to international sport after years of isolation and contributed to a symbolic sense of nation-building. Despite the fact that football had historically been considered a black sport (with rugby and cricket traditionally the preserve of whites), the tournament drew black and white fans alike and the South African team itself was the most integrated international sports team in the country's history.
In stark contrast, back at Leeds, Radebe was still struggling. During the 1995-1996 season he again only started in nine league games. With the team finishing a lacklustre 13th in the Premiership, Wilkinson was replaced by George Graham. This proved to be a turning point for Radebe. Graham boosted his confidence enormously and the South African benefited from the new manager's focus on the defensive side of Leeds' game. Consequently, Radebe came into his own during the 1996-7 season, making 28 starting appearances in the league.
Radebe was the first player to be offered a new contract after George Graham took over, something that apparently prompted jokes around the club that Radebe was Graham's long-lost son. Under Graham, Radebe developed into one of the Premiership's strongest centre-backs and became a firm favourite among fans at Elland Road, who dubbed him 'The Chief.'
The 1997-98 campaign proved even more successful for Leeds and for Radebe. The club finished fifth in the Premiership and qualified for the UEFA Cup. Radebe also scored his first goal for the team (in an FA Cup game against Oxford United in January 1998). During the season, Radebe took over the South African captaincy from Neil Tovey and led the team in the Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia in December 1997. Unfortunately, this was an unsuccessful tournament for South Africa, who finished at the bottom of their group, behind the United Arab Emirates.
Despite their poor performance in the Middle East, under Radebe's captaincy Bafana Bafana quickly redeemed themselves two months later in the 1998 African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso. South Africa lost the final to Egypt (0-2), but their performance in the tournament boded well for the forthcoming World Cup in France.
France '98 was another landmark event for South Africa since it was the first time the team had reached the finals of the competition. Radebe continued as captain for the tournament and although Bafana Bafana failed to make it past the group stage, they still asserted themselves as an emerging football power: they drew with Denmark and Saudi Arabia, losing only to the host nation (who would go on to win the tournament).
Radebe returned to Leeds to discover that Graham had appointed him captain for the 1998-99 season, thereby making him the first South African to skipper a major English club. In October, however, the manager left for Tottenham Hotspur and Radebe briefly considered moving on with him to London. Just as Graham had made it a priority to keep Radebe at Elland Road, the new manager David O'Leary followed suit. On arriving, he let the board know that he considered it imperative to keep Radebe at Leeds and signed him to a new contract in December 1998. This made him the highest paid South African player ever. The club ended the season in fourth place, qualifying for the UEFA Cup once more.

With Radebe at the helm and unhindered by serious injury, Leeds went from strength to strength. The 1999-2000 season was especially successful for the club as they reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, finished third in the Premier League and qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Midway through the season, in January and February, Radebe again led South Africa in the Cup of Nations, hosted by Ghana and Nigeria. They reached the semi-finals, only to lose to Nigeria in Lagos, and eventually secured third place in the play-off against Tunisia.

In December 2000, Radebe won FIFA's Fair Play Award. In his appraisal of the player at the presentation ceremony, Chairman Antonio Matarrese described the Leeds and Bafana Bafana captain as one of the best defenders in the world and emphasised his work with children in Soweto and elsewhere in South Africa, particularly with the organisation SOS Children's Villages. Radebe's efforts as a campaigner against racism on and off the field and his work with various anti-racism initiatives also influenced FIFA's decision to grant him the award. In conclusion, Matarrese noted: 'Lucas Radebe is not only a fantastic and fair player on the field, but also a great personality off the pitch with a big heart for the children in the world. He is a real ambassador of Fair Play for our youth and all footballers.' Also in December 2000, Radebe signed a new contract with Leeds that would keep him at Elland Road until the end of his career.
In 2000-2001, although Leeds finished fourth in the league and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, Radebe's season ended prematurely. Playing against Sunderland in March 2001, Radebe suffered a major knee injury that kept him out of the side for more than a year. As a result, he missed the 2001-2002 Premier League season and the 2002 Cup of Nations in Mali and looked doubtful to make the South African team for the World Cup in Korea-Japan. Nevertheless, he regained his fitness toward the end of the Premiership season and was included by Bafana Bafana manager Jomo Sono in the 23-man squad to travel to the Far East. There Radebe played his first full game for 15 months (a pre-tournament match against Scotland) and was named captain for the tournament.
At 33, Radebe was the only player remaining from the side that played against Cameroon in July 1992. South Africa's World Cup performance was memorable as they drew with Paraguay, defeated Slovenia and narrowly lost 3-2 to Spain, a game that saw a rare Radebe goal. Radebe left Korea-Japan the most capped South Africa player, with 69 appearances to his name.
Despite his success in the Far East, the 2002-2003 season began frustratingly for Radebe. Prior to the World Cup, he had been caught up in rows between the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Leeds United over international duty. In October 2002, the controversy continued as he became embroiled in another club-versus-country row. South Africa coach Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba labelled Radebe 'dishonest' and accused him of ignoring a call-up to play in a Nations Cup qualifier against Burundi. Radebe, however, claimed that Leeds had not informed him of the call-up. He was subsequently omitted from a November game against Senegal and the end of his international career seemed imminent. Indeed, by the end of 2002, Radebe himself was talking about international retirement in order to focus on his club football.

[ October 07, 2003, 08:15 AM: Message edited by: Mah'chew ]

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 07:19 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
Hi Martin: How about the acts that paved the way for black artists in this country. People like:

GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND
THE FOUNDATIONS
THE EQUALS
BLUE MINK
HOT CHOCOLATE
SWEET SENSATION
THE REAL THING
and others

None of these bands got a mention on Trevor Nelson's controversial 'Soul Nation' series, yet they all deserve our respect for helping create the conditions where black music could finally begin to thrive in this country. I agree Greg, I am not familiar with all the people you mentioned, feel free, you will have knowledge or at least links that I would love to read.

I saw the real thing in concert about 1986 at the Irish Centre, Digbeth , Birmingham. smile.gif

I was going out with this girl that bred boxer dogs a few years afterwards, and the lead singer was at Crufts dog show. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

THE EQUALS
BLUE MINK
graemlins/conf44.gif

P.S: Re: you earlier post on this page: The Tube was one of the best (if not the best) music show on TV, I like it raw and live. ;)

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 07:39 AM

http://i21.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b0/04/60_1.JPG

http://i2.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b2/7e/59_1.JPG

Smiley Culture

b. David Emmanuel, London, England. The son of a Jamaican father and South American mother, Smiley Culture gained his nickname at school, where his method of chatting up girls was simply to ask for a smile. He served his apprenticeship with a number

of local sounds before hitting the big time with south London's Saxon sound system, the home of a formidable amount of British reggae talent, including Maxi Priest, Tippa Irie and Phillip Papa Levi. His live reputation attracted the attention of record producers and his first recording for Fashion Records, "Cockney Translation", featuring Smiley slipping effortlessly from Jamaican patois to a south London accent, touched a nerve and sold an unprecedented 40,000 copies. His follow-up, "Police Officer", again featuring the cockney and "yardy" voices, did even better and reached the national Top 20 in early 1985. Appearances on BBC Television's Top Of The Pops followed - a first for a reggae DJ - and Smiley became a "star". A major recording contract with Polydor Records followed. As well as hosting his own Channel 4 television show, Club Mix, Smiley also found time for a cameo appearance in the movie Absolute Beginners, singing Miles Davis' "So What". He continued to record, including some interesting collaborations with American hip-hop artists, before setting up his own management company and working extensively in advertising.
Smiley Culture is important in that he was among the first UK-based reggae artists to challenge the Jamaicans and succeed. The British public also took him to their hearts, while the lyrics of "Cockney Translation" have been used by teachers and lecturers to illustrate the effects and influence of immigration on the English language.

http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/smiley_culture/bio.jhtml

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 08:00 AM

Delegation

Formed 1975 in Birmingham, England

Group Members Ricky Bailey Bruce Dunbar Ray Patterson

http://www.khazaria.com/savvysite/eaudeviecover.jpg

Ricky Balley founded Delegation in the United Kingdom in 1975, a three-man group who changed members frequently with Balley the only constant. Balley, a native of Jamaica, moved to Britain with his parents as a teen, settling in Birmingham where he formed his first group, the Five Star Cadets. The short-lived group provided invaluable experience and helped Balley when he was putting Delegation (Balley, Len Coley, and Roddy Harris) together. They caught the ears of songwriter/producer Ken Gold who masterminded The Real Thing. Gold got them a deal with State Records, their first release "The Promise Of Love," in 1976, flopped despite receiving excellent reviews and airplay. A second release "Where Is The Love" found its way onto the charts and the group started crisscrossing Europe gigging constantly. They hit again with "You've Been Doing Me Wrong," but Harris quit, his place taken by Ray Patterson.
The years 1978 and 1979 showed promise, they hit with a remake of Ray Parker's "Honey I'm Rich," "Oh Honey," and released their first LP, The Promise Of Love. More changes occurred when Coley left and was replaced by Bruce Dunbar. They hit a dry spell in England, but in 1979 "Oh Honey" soared to #5 on the R&B chart in the States, and charted Pop. A change of labels found them with Ariola who released Eau De Vie a good seller in Europe. Delegation came out in 1981 and spawned two more hits; a third album Dueces High appeared in 1982.

Personnel continued to change, Dunbar quit and Kathy Bryant joined, becoming Delegation's first female member. They changed labels, releasing It's Your Turn, on Epic which stiffed everywhere but France. They release The Mix on Scorpio Records, a segue compilation of five of their biggest hits. The band soldiered on until the early 90's. Rap artists Coolio and The Ghetto Boys sampled "Oh Honey" which helps keep the Delegation's name alive. Balley and Gold formed Euro-Jam Records to repackaged Delegation recordings and record up and coming artists. Collectables Records has release Golden Classics Edition, a greatest hits compilation

by Andrew Hamilton

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?P=amg&sql=Delegation&opt1=1

[ October 07, 2003, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Brut by Faberge

10-07-2003, 08:07 AM

Originally posted by nev m:
http://deephousepage.com/smilies/clap.gif

Best read today mate! definitely! i wish more of these artists had a more popular "crossover" to US R&B fans. I think that could open up minds like nothing else...a different spin on soul. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 08:12 AM

http://i4.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/bc/29/a1_1.JPG

http://www.tigersushi.com/site/content/disc/cover/2530_2.jpg

Any more info on Hi Tension appreciated smile.gif

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:

THE EQUALS
..arrgh, I think I remember these now, "baby come back" (covered by UB40) was that them Greg ? Eddy Grants band

NB:- Not born in the UK, but was part of UK pop charts ;)

Eddy Grant

http://i22.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/ba/67/61_1.JPG

Many people call themselves 'solo artists,' but few fit the tag as well as Eddy Grant. Since the 1970’s, this gifted performer has released several albums on which he wrote and performed every note of the music, in addition to recording it in his own studio and issuing it on his own record label. The totally-personalized music Grant made was a deft blend of pop songwriting, dance rhythms and colorful international elements, making him an international hit-maker during the 1980’s.

Eddy Grant got his start as a member of The Equals. Grant functioned as the main singer, guitarist and songwriter for this band, which scored many hits in the U.K. with their Caribbean-styled pop. When that group disbanded, Grant founded his own studio and record label. During the 1970’s he holed up in the studio and began developing a new style of music called ‘soca’ that blended pop, soul, calypso and African rhythms into a unique and colorful sound. He soon began scoring hits in the U.K. and Europe with his songs, including several where he played all the instruments and sang all the vocals by himself.

In 1982, Eddy Grant moved to Barbados and built the Blue Wave studio complex. It was there that he recorded his breakthrough album, Killer On The Rampage. This record blended social-commentary-themed lyrics with a complex but pop-friendly sound that deftly mixed international influences and pop hooks. It became a hit when the song “Electric Avenue” was released as a single. This danceable tune talked about tensions in the streets over a pulsating instrumental track that mixed new-wave synthesizers and a funky groove. It became a #2 hit and made its parent album a worldwide success.

In 1984, Eddy Grant entered the world of film soundtracks when he wrote the theme song for the hit adventure film, Romancing The Stone. This Top-30 hit was a typically eclectic blend of pop and reggae elements that also included a wailing, rock-style guitar solo. Meanwhile, his Blue Wave studio complex soon became a popular destination for rock stars like Elvis Costello and The Rolling Stones (who used it to prepare for their 1989 “Steel Wheels” tour).

After an absence of four years, Eddy Grant returned to the international pop scene with 1988 with “Gimme Hope, Jo’Anna.” This song cleverly put across an anti-apartheid message by wrapping it in a funky, catchy reggae-pop melody, becoming an international success. In 1991, Grant hosted the first annual Carribean Music Awards at the Harlem’s Apollo Theater in New York City. In recent years, he has also purchased a number of calypso recordings for his record label and has created the world’s largest collection of calypso music in the process.

Eddy Grant’s classic work remains as popular as ever today and has been covered by artists as diverse as The Clash and Pato Banton. Although he is mainly focused on his work as a studio owner and a record label head, Grant still performs on occasion and periodically issues recordings. Most recently, he released a collection of calypso music cover versions entitled Soca Baptism. In addition to these activities, Grant also finds time to produce world-music artists like Calypso Rose and Duke. Whether as a businessman or a performer, Eddy Grant will continue to be an important part of the international music scene for a long time

http://www.reggaetrain.com/bioegrant.asp

http://i24.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/9a/92/f4_1.JPG

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 09:11 AM

http://digilander.libero.it/maraton/discoball.gif

Any info anywhere out there on Lynx, I remember the band but it's a Lynx void out in www. land

David Grant

http://i3.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b6/07/1d_1.JPG

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 09:49 AM

Benjamin Zachariah

A poet and writer from the West Midlands, could find any info on him either ?

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 10:22 AM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by greg wilson:
Hi Martin: How about the acts that paved the way for black artists in this country. People like:

GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND
THE FOUNDATIONS
THE EQUALS
BLUE MINK
HOT CHOCOLATE
SWEET SENSATION
THE REAL THING
and others

None of these bands got a mention on Trevor Nelson's controversial 'Soul Nation' series, yet they all deserve our respect for helping create the conditions where black music could finally begin to thrive in this country. I agree Greg, I am not familiar with all the people you mentioned, feel free, you will have knowledge or at least links that I would love to read.
[/QUOTE]I don't know how to put the photos up but if I dig some links out maybe you could do this?

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 10:54 AM

GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND
http://www.artists2events.co.uk/artists/GenoWashington.html
http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/whatson/wo20031017.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/entertainment/music/blackhistory_music.shtml

Major live force in 60's UK and onwards (still playing today!).

Had 2 British Top 10 albums in the 60's (both on Piccadilly Records):
'Hand Clappin' - Foot Stompin' - Funky Butt - Live' (entered chart Dec 66, peaked at #5, stayed on chart for 38 weeks)
'Hipsters, Flipsters, And Finger Poppin' Daddies' (entered chart Sept 67, peaked at #8, stayed on chart for 13 weeks).

Geno Washington had a #1 single named after him by a band from your neck of the woods Martin, Dexy's Midnight Runners - 'Geno' (1980).

BTW Dexy's Midnight Runners were named after dexedrine pills, a favourite with 60's Mods, many of whom would have fond memories of watching Geno Washington play live (my older brother included).

Geno most recently surfaced guesting with my old mate Kermit (Ruthless Rap Assassins, Black Grape, Manmade, Big Dog) on a track called 'The Right Thing' (included on the 2001 Big Dog album 'Solid Nourishment'). Here's what Kermit told NME at the time: "Do The Right Thing' is a duet with Geno Washington - the man himself. He's one of my heroes, he's so ****ing cool. He got hold of the track and he liked it and he came down. He was ****ing firing in that vocal booth. We was bouncing off each other - and he's deep. ****ing hell, he's deep...he knows his ****ing shit and he's a gentleman".

Check out a young Geno (from 62) on the third link (maybe you could post this pic Martin). The photo was taken by Dezo Hoffman, who would later find fame via his photographs of The Beatles.

[ October 07, 2003, 11:55 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

julian_kelly

10-07-2003, 11:10 AM

Thanks everyone from posting...I'm learing a lot

julian kelly

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 11:12 AM

http://i6.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b3/af/64_1.JPG

THE EQUALS
http://www.roctober.com/roctober/greatness/equals.html
http://home.swipnet.se/skroff/equals.html

As you realised Martin, this is Eddy Grant's band before he found fame and fortune in his own right.

The Equals had a run of British hits between 68-71 including the #1 'Baby Come Back' and two further Top 10 entries, 'Viva Bobby Joe' and 'Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys'.

See Eddy Grant for further info.

[ October 13, 2003, 07:36 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 12:12 PM

http://www.songwriters.4t.com/images/07_blue_mink.jpg

BLUE MINK
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/b/B165.HTM
http://www.madelinebell.com/biography.html

Fronted by Madeline Bell, Blue Mink recorded a string of hits between 69-73 written by British songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway.

Their best known song, 'Melting Pot', which reached #3 on the UK chart following its Nov 69 release, promoted racial harmony.

Blue Mink's bass player was Herbie Flowers, who would appear on countless hits throughout the years. His most famous recording would have to be Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wild Side', which gained a further lease of life via 'Can I Kick It' by A Tribe Called Quest.

http://www.soulmusic.com/bluemink.jpg

[ October 13, 2003, 07:44 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 12:17 PM

GENO WASHINGTON PICS smile.gif

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/entertainment/images/music/genowashington300.jpgGeno Washington and the Ram Jam Band in 1962... (Photo: Dezo Hoffman/Rex Features

http://www.artists2events.co.uk/artistsimages/genoWashington/Geno-Washington.jpg
http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/images/whatson/wo20031117_geno_washington.jpg
http://www.qleap.co.uk/acatalog/GENOVC01.gif
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/1899344446.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

kara

10-07-2003, 12:21 PM

http://www.biography.com/images/database_images/23018.b.jpg

Dorothy Dandridge

http://www.biography.com/images/database_images/15984.a.jpg

Lena Horne

Aretha Franklin

http://www.ninasimone.com/images/NS_Necklase_Smaller_jpg.jpg

Nina Simone

Diana Ross

http://www.wic.org/pic/pbailey.gif

Pearl Bailey

[ October 07, 2003, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: kara ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 12:45 PM

http://i2.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b9/3b/25_1.JPG
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/h/H151.HTM
http://www.errolbrown.com/biog.htm
http://caribbean.halloffame.tripod.com/Errol_Brown.html

London-based Jamaican born vocalist Errol Brown and bass player, Tony Wilson, from Trinidad, approached The Beatles' label, Apple, in 1969, requesting permission to alter the lyrics to 'Give Peace A Chance', which they wanted to record. John Lennon agreed to the changes and suggested they record it for Apple, which they did under the name The Hot Chocolate Band. They would also support Lennon's Plastic Ono Supergroup at the Lyceum in London in December '69.

After the demise of Apple they moved to RAK Records and would become massively popular in the UK. Hot Chocolate had at least one hit every year between 1970 and 1984.

Their most famous single, 'You Sexy Thing', is the only song to make the British Top 10 in the 70's, 80's and 90's!

They went to #1 in 1977 with 'So You Win Again', with a further 11 singles reaching the Top 10 (13 if you include the 2 re-issues of 'You Sexy Thing').

http://www.mitscher.de/records/906/016.jpg

[ October 13, 2003, 07:59 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 12:46 PM

http://www.vh1.com/shared/media/images/artist/s/seal/canon/15858_426x104.jpg

Seal

Also Known As: Sealhenry Olumide Samuel

Nationality: English
Occupation: Pop singer, Songwriter

PERSONAL
Born Sealhenry Olumide Samuel, February 19, 1963, In London, England; son of Francis (a plumber and interior decorator) and Bisi (a homemaker) Samuel; raised by father and stepmother Joyce. Education: Received degree in architecture. Addresses: Record Company--ZTT/Sire, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908. Fan Club--PO Box 102, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 2PY, England.

CAREER
Recording and performing artist, c. late 1980s--. Joined first band, Stay Brave, at age 15; worked as designer of leather clothing and as an electrical engineer; toured Japan with member of funk group Push; sand with blues band in Thailand; released Killer, a collaboration with Adam "Adamski" Tinley, 1990; signed with ZTT records and released debut album Seal, 1991; collaborated with Jeff Beck on contribution to Jimi Hendrix tribute album Stone Free, 1993.

AWARDS
Q award for Best New Act, 1991; Brit Awards for Best Album, Best Male Artist and Best Video, 1992; Grammy Award nomination for album of the year, 1995 for Seal.
.... http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/singerUnid/EF48F8D0C64B6923482568950029333A

http://photo.sing365.com/music/picture.nsf/SingerPicUnid/48256C71003578A2482568950029B515/$file/seal.jpg

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 12:54 PM

http://www.rshow.com/images/coolnotesa.gif

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 01:05 PM

UK BLACK
Three weeks from Tuesday, 9th September 2033-2130
Presented by Courtney Pine

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/images/presenters/cpine210.jpg
Courtney Pine tells the neglected story of the British black music scene, from the front rooms of Caribbean settlers to the multi-million pound music industry it has become today.

LINK - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/documentaries/ukblack.shtml

Multi-award winning saxophonist and OBE honouree, Courtney Pine has over 10 years experience on the black music scene. Courtney charts the successes, the struggles and the failures, and adds his own, and many other people's personal stories to this three part investigative and entertaining series complemented by a soundtrack of the UK's best Black music.

It is a story of exploitation and prejudices; but also, one of hope, ambition and creativity, personified by the presenter, himself. The Black British music scene is now a huge money making business, with its own awards ceremony, but this wasn't always the case.

Programme One

This programme examines the roots of the Black British music scene, and starts with a look back in history as to why their story has been hidden.

During the Second World War and throughout the 50's, West Indians came to Britain - first to serve in the armed forces and then to take up jobs in the service industries. This was to have a major influence on the development of popular music in this country. The musicians among them brought new blood to jazz, fused with their Caribbean inheritance. They continued the various islands' musical traditions; including Calypso music which became very popular in the 1950's and later, Jamaican Ska, rock steady and then reggae.

In the 60's and 70's, Britain played a major role in ensuring reggae's success world-wide. London became the reggae capital of the world with major record distributors like Jetstar, Trojan and Island importing Jamaican reggae to sell to their UK-based cousins. Several artists relocated to Britain during this time including Jimmy Cliff, Millie Small, Alton Ellis and Desmond Dekker. Black music was rarely seen or heard on the main stream media outlets and began life in the various clubs across the UK - the black R & B music of America blended perfectly with the vibrant sounds emanating from the Caribbean.

Courtney recounts the personal story of his parents' experiences in the UK, and how music helped to bond and provide unity in times of discrimination, racism and isolation. From overcrowded living conditions, unscrupulous landlords and the parties held in tiny living spaces it was the music that brought a community together

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/entertainment/pine2.jpg
biography link - http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/entertainment/pine.htm

[ October 07, 2003, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 01:17 PM

http://biochem.chem.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~endo/Fela-BM3.GIF
The British magazine Black Music reports Kalakuta Republic attacked by Nigerian Army

http://biochem.chem.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~endo/africa.html

[ October 07, 2003, 02:25 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 01:33 PM

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/slavery/dance_record2.jpg

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/slavery/parish.jpg

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/slavery/blackboy_lane_thumb.jpg Street sign with historical roots.

link = http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/history.htm

Black People in Britain
Before the Windrush by Jeffrey Green.

Jeffrey Green argues that to ignore the diverse black presence in Britain prior to the 1940s is to perpetuate a distorted view of British history.`

How do we explain the widespread ignorance of the presence of people of African and Caribbean origin in British history? Black men and women appear, for example, in Pepys’s diaries; in eighteenth-century portaits; sailing with Captain Cook on the Endeavour; not to mention the stories of Thackeray, Trollope, Dornford Yates, W.S. Gilbert, Laurie Lee and Evelyn Waugh. Yet there is a general misapprehension th at people of African descent were absent from Britain until very recently. This misconception has been nurtured by a belief that apparent exceptions can be ignored.

There is a further mistaken belief that those black people who do appear were temporary residents – and often worked in unskilled occupations – and this added to the notion that they made little contribution to British society. In 1998 celebrations were held of the half-century anniversary of the arrival in England of the immigrant ship Empire Windrush from Jamaica, but these often merely re-confirmed the prejudice that the black presence in Britain was recent, alien and working-class.

However, a study of the historic evidence reveals that people of African birth and descent lived in Britain four centuries before the Windrush reached Tilbury.
........more - http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/historical/jeff_green.htm

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 01:34 PM

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/entertainment/bassey.jpg
Shirley Bassey

Shirley Bassey has indeed risen from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest female performers in the world today.

Shirley Veronica Bassey was born on January 8, 1937, the youngest of seven children. She grew up in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales, the daughter of a ship's fireman, Henry Bassey, and his wife Eliza Jane. In 1952, Shirley left school to work in the packing department of a sausage factory, all the while singing at local clubs which catered to working men.

It wasn't long before Shirley turned professional, In 1955, Shirley appeared at the Astor Club in London, and the world began to take notice of her incredible talent.

Her first single was "Burn My Candle", but her first real hit was "Banana Boat Song". Her debut album, "Born to Sing the Blues", was released in 1958. Hit after hit soon followed, with "As I Love You" and "Kiss Me, Honey, Honey, Kiss Me" appearing on record charts simultaneously. Shirley's first big international hit was 1964's "Goldfinger", from the James Bond film of the same name.

In 1998, this seemingly ageless grandmother became a "disco diva", with the release of "History Repeating", performed with The Propellerheads. This song is included in the soundtrack of the current video "There's Something About Mary". Shirley's waxwork body double was recently installed at Madame Tussaud's in London. Shirley's reaction? "You look good!".

Shirley Bassey has recently completed her sold-out "Millennium Tour", and she has been named a Dame of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Countless awards and accolades have been bestowed upon her, but Shirley just keeps on doing what she does best; performing for her fans around the world! We can only look forward to more magic from this gifted artist in the years to come!

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/entertainment/bassey.htm

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 01:36 PM

During World War II abut 300 West Indian enlisted in the RAF for aircrew duties and some 5500 volunteered for ground duties.

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/armed/gunner_lynch.jpgThis Picture (left) shows Sgt L.O Lynch from Jamaica, winner of the Air Gunner's Trophy for 1944.

As Well as the thousands of Black American GI's in the country there were also many Caribbean troops serving in the British Armed Forces.

Jamaican Sappers practice
building mobile bridges.

The Colour Bar
By 1942 there were about 8,000 West Indian troops in Britain and 10,000 Black GIs a number that would soon swell to 100,000 at its pinnacle. Black GIs had to live under rule of segregation back in the US, and although there was no official segregation practiced in Britain the colour bar was beginning to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Some White GIs objected to the way that blacks in this country integrated with white people.

under armed forces - link = http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/history.htm

[ October 07, 2003, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 02:11 PM

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00002511N.02.LZZZZZZZ

THE FOUNDATIONS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/artists/f/foundations/located/page1.shtml
http://www.marstalent.com/bio_clem_curtis.htm
http://members.tripod.com/rant58/id465.htm

COPIED FROM 3rd LINK:
Riding on the tails of the British soul boom that had began around 1965 with the arrival of Motown and Stax/Volt Amercian R&B artists who were touring the U.K., The Foundations, along with The Spencer Davis Group and Traffic were eventually hailed as the first British bands to introduce an authentic soul sound. Formed in early '67, The Foundations consisted of Trinidad born former boxer turned vocalist Clem Curtis, Londoner's Alan Warner (guitars), Peter Macbeth (bass) and Tim Harris (drums). Sri Lankan keyboardist Tony Gomez as well as a brass section which included Mike Elliot, Pat Burke and Eric Allendale (all from the West Indies) rounded out the group's sound. Record dealer Barry Class became their manager after seeing one of their performances, after which, Class would introduce them to then producer/songwriter for Pye Records Tony Macauley. With his song writing partner, John Macleod, Macauley penned Baby Now That I've Found You which would go on to chart at #1 in the U.K. in '67 (it would chart at #11 stateside) eventually selling more than three million copies worldwide. By the summer of '67, the group would find themselves playing along side with the likes of Janis Joplin, The Byrds and The Fifth Dimension. After their follow up single, Back On My Feet Again failed to make the Top Twenty, disagreements over songs manifested itself as the band wasn't permitted to record any of their original material. In '68, Curtis quit to pursue a solo career, and was replaced by vocalist Colin Young. The first single featuring Young, Build Me Up Buttercup (written by Macauley and Manfred Mann guitarist/vocalist Michael D'Abo) would peak at #2 in the U.K. and #1 in the U.S. in early '69. The downward spiral would seem to happen following their Top Ten single In The Bad Bad Old Days as songwriter Macauley left Pye Records (Macauley would later reveal that he received no royalties for his songs). The group would carry on until their break up in 1970. During the 70's, original vocalist Clem Curtis and latter day vocalist Colin Young formed their own versions of the group which would result in a lawsuit. Curtis would get the rights to the original name as Young was allowed to use The New Foundations. Curtis' Foundations still perform at various club acts (Curtis would also act on stage playing the lion of the London stage production of The Wiz). Both Curtis and guitarist Alan Warner have recorded new versions of the groups classic hits. In '99, Warner and Young reformed The New Foundations.

[ October 07, 2003, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 02:14 PM

Hi Martin: Thanks for the tip on how to cut 'n' paste the images. You learn something new everyday!

Martin Red

10-07-2003, 02:29 PM

graemlins/thumbsup.gif Greg

and there's still a fair bit of October left smile.gif

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 04:45 PM

SWEET SENSATION
In 1974, Manchester Soul band, Sweet Sensation, went all the way to number 1 with a song called 'Sad Sweet Dreamer'.

I always found it to be haunting song, with a definite edge of melancholy. It was sung by a young teenager who would have been around my own age (14 at the time) called Marcel King.

No doubt Marcel would have heard many times that he was going to be the British Michael Jackson (Jackson was still the young Motown star back then), but after just one more hit, 'Purely By Coincidence', a few months later, which peaked at #11, Sweet Sensation descended into obscurity just as quickly as they'd arrived with a bang.

This must have been soul destroying for Marcel, as though the rug had been pulled from under his feet just as a glittering career awaited him.

I saw Sweet Sensation appear in cabaret, playing the same club for a week, some nights to hardly any customers, in 1976 (strangely enough this was the club, in Birkenhead, where I met Lenny Henry - see post earlier in this thread). I can't remember speaking to Marcel or anything, but I do remember the band performing, finishing their set, of course, with 'Sad Sweet Dreamer'. I also remember being aware that Marcel's voice was changing and his performance of the song no longer had the youthful charm of the recording.

He must have almost become a prisoner to that song, and the older he became the less he could live up to it. Eventually he left Sweet Sensation, even though they continued to work on the cabaret circuit with another Manchester singer, the flamboyant Ricki Patrick, replacing him.

Some years later, when I was deejaying at Legend in Manchester, Marcel would sometimes be in the club. Again, I can't remember talking to him, but people would mention the guy from Sweet Sensation, he still held a degree of local celebrity.

In 1984 he released a solo single on Factory called 'Reach For Love' (Shaun Ryder has since described it as his favourite single on the label), and he sung it on the TV show The Tube, which, for one week only, came live from The Hacienda. I remember this perfectly because Broken Glass, the Manchester breakdance crew I then managed (which included Kermit), also appeared, dancing as Marcel performed the track. It was a particularly famous edition of The Tube (with hindsight) because Madonna, then an unknown, was making her UK debut. Also in attendance was a guy we'd met in Brighton a couple of months earlier called Quentin, who had travelled up for the show and was crashing over at Kermit's (Quentin would later re-emerge as Norman Cook).

It never really worked out for Marcel with Factory, the word was that he was very difficult to be around, so 'Reach For Love' was just a one-off and the comeback failed to materialize. Marcel got deeper into drugs and was pretty much viewed as his own worst enemy. He died of a brain haemorrhage in 1995.

Only last month I was speaking to Gee Bello about Marcel. Gee went on to make his own mark in the music world, as part of the highly respected British Funk band Light Of The World. Gee grew up in Manchester and is someone else I got to know at Legend. He's a few years younger than Marcel and used to really look up to him. Marcel was a major inspiration for Gee and he told me that the sadness still cuts deep everytime he thinks of how Marcel's life turned out.

I almost felt compelled to get all this down, the reason being that when I did a search on the net for Sweet Sensation and Marcel, I came up with next to nothing! I'd wanted to put up a post similar to the ones I've done for Geno Washington, The Equals, Blue Mink, Hot Chocolate and The Foundations, with link options, but this wasn't possible.

The only thing of interest I did find was info about the recent compilation album 'Cool As Ice', which features Dance mixes of some of the lesser-known Factory releases, including 'Reach For Love'. There was also a small picture of Marcel, the only one I could find on the net.

http://www.ltmpub.freeserve.co.uk/images/mkingsmall.jpg

This thread is about the UK's Black History Month, yet here's someone who's place in the history of British black music is barely represented at all, so I'm glad I'm able to at least draw on my own memories. At one point in time he was a youngster at the summit of the chart, with the world, as they say, his oyster. It must have been a long way down for Marcel, and that melancholy song he sang must have haunted him daily.

[ October 07, 2003, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 06:47 PM

http://loadofold.com/boots/real_thing.jpg

THE REAL THING
http://loadofold.com/boots/amoo.html
http://loadofold.com/boots/real_thing.html
http://www.onestopents.com/thereal.htm
http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/r/REAL_THI.HTM

UK #1
‘You To Me Are Everything’ (1976)

UK TOP 10
‘Can’t Get By Without You’ (1976)
‘Can You Feel The Force’ (1979)
‘You To Me Are Everything’ – remix (1986)
‘Can’t Get By Without You’ – remix (1986)

COPIED FROM FIRST LINK:
You don't get a more credible start to your career than Eddie Amoo; his band, The Chants, made their debut appearance at The Cavern in Liverpool, playing three songs in the middle of a Beatles gig. That was 1962. Fourteen years later Eddie finally had his first hit, as a member of The Real Thing, Britain's first disco band.

Like everyone else in Liverpool, The Chants got a record deal during the Merseybeat explosion of 1963/64, in their case with Pye, but - as Eddie points out - 'they had no idea what to do with a black doo-wop group, they just had no idea.' Over the next decade they released a string of singles, some of them - 'Man Without A Face' and 'Trying Trying' - very good indeed, but all of them unsuccessful.

By the early 70s The Chants were wedded firmly to the cabaret circuit, and Eddie was looking outside the group to satisfy his creativity. He began writing songs with his younger brother, Chris Amoo, and these songs became the basis of the material performed by Chris' group The Real Thing.

The Real Thing appeared on Opportunity Knocks and Top of the Pops, were managed by British showbiz legend Tony Hall, and were critical favourites on both sides of the Atlantic - even so they went through a succession of record companies and flop singles before they finally made it. When they did, it was because of a variety of factors. Firstly, David Essex used them as backing vocalists on his 1975 album All The Fun of the Fair, and on his subsequent tour, for which they were also the support act in their own right. Then the rise of disco made the idea of black British bands more acceptable to the broadcast media and the record industry. And finally they were given a perfect pop song by writer Ken Gold: 'You To Me Are Everything'.

The combination took The Real Thing to #1 in Britain in 1976 and Eddie Amoo - who had finally wound up The Chants and joined his brother's band at the end of the previous year - got his first decent break. The fact that 'You To Me' and some of the subsequent releases were more pop than soul may have typecast the group somewhat unfairly, but there were some heavier records as well; Eddie would particularly like to draw your attention to Four From Eight, their 1977 album that comes close to the socio-soul of their hero Curtis Mayfield. (The 'Eight' in the title refers to Liverpool Eight, the district where the band lived.) It also contains their greatest recorded moment, 'Children of the Ghetto'.

The Real Thing are still working on the live circuit and still feature Chris and Eddie Amoo. Go see them, partly because you need to pay respect to Britain's disco pioneers, and partly because they're damn good.

COPIED FROM SECOND LINK:
Jimmy James:
The Real Thing were like Britain's answer to The Temptations, Britain's answer to The Four Tops. That's the sort of stuff they were out there doing live. But put it on record, and it never happened here.

Eddie Amoo:
I remember there was Clem Curtis and the Foundations - Clem's still around - and they had a lot of hits. But basically they used to record them type of bands like white bands. If you turned on the radio and you heard an Equals record or a Clem Curtis and the Foundations record, you'd think you were listening to a white pop band. Eddy Grant didn't really develop his real serious music identity until quite a while after The Equals, and then he really came into his own. But in that era - late 60s, the very early 70s - most black bands in this country that were recorded were recorded like white bands, and they sounded like white bands. They used to record The Chants like a white pop band, which we weren't. We weren't musically adept enough in them days to establish what we really wanted ourselves - we weren't musicians then.

Ken Gold:
['You To Me Are Everything'] was really my first big success in England. I signed my first publishing deal in '71 and I had had a fair degree of success in the US before The Real Thing - I'd had songs recorded by Aretha Franklin, Jackie Wilson and Eugene Record.
The Real Thing was the only competent group around doing that kind of stuff. So I got to know their manager, Tony Hall, very well, and started taking songs to him, most of which he liked and he was always very constructive. I kind of appreciated his advice.

Eddie Amoo:
The Real Thing started out with three people, then went to five, then they dropped two out and by 1975 they'd become a trio - Ray, Dave and Chris. But by then Chris [Amoo] and I had started to write together. I wrote the first three Real Thing singles. I was still with The Chants, but I was writing for The Real Thing, because The Chants were no longer a vehicle for the songs I was writing - The Chants were doing cabaret, and The Real Thing were able to play these songs live, so I was writing and giving the songs to

Chris.
I wrote 'Vicious Circle', then 'Plastic Man', which almost made it, and then a song called 'Daddy Dear', and they're all heavy songs - if you listen to them lyrically, they're all really heavy. And the fourth one that I wrote was called 'Joe McGinty'; really it was called 'Civil War', but our manager made me change the lyric and the title of the song, but basically it was about Ireland. They weren't soul records, but they weren't rock records - they were somewhere inbetween. I think the best way you could put it is they were too original, too different for the mainstream. Now round about this time the record company said: 'Look, you guys have got to have a hit, you've got to give us something we can sell.' And that's how come we recorded 'Stone Cold Love Affair'.

Ron Roker:
Tony Hall said, 'Look, can you get a song for The Real Thing?' Gerry [Shury] had done the 'Plastic Man' arrangement and said they were great singers, which I knew cos I'd seen them. We wrote 'Stone Cold Love Affair' and said, 'Can we produce it?' So we produced that one song. We got a turntable success and a lot of radio plays. And the next person to come into it was Ken Gold and he came up with that fantastic song, and that was their sound.

Eddie Amoo:
We met up with this guy called Ken Gold, who'd been trying to flog 'You To Me Are Everything' all over London and been knocked back all over the place. And when we heard it, we thought: this is a quasi-Barry White song, this'll keep them off our backs. What happened with Ken was for the first time we worked with somebody who didn't just allow us to throw our voices on the way we wanted to. He wanted it done in a certain way, which caused a little bit of friction in the studio, but it worked.

Ken Gold:
I took the song into Tony Hall and he loved it. He said, 'I wish I could play it to Chris [Amoo]' and about ten minutes later Chris walked in the door - he just happened to be in London - and Tony said, 'Listen to this, it's a smash.' And Chris loved it, so Tony said, 'I love what you've done on the demo, do you want to produce it?' So I sat in his office that afternoon, it was a Friday, and started to book the studio and the musicians, and we were in the studio the following Tuesday recording the backing-track.

Pip Williams:
I remember sending Tony Hall a telegram, I was so overjoyed, when 'You To Me Are Everything' was a hit, because I actually thought that was a great record.

Ken Gold:
Radio just took to it from the day of release, and they were playing it to death, Radio One, and it caught the public's imagination.

Eddie Amoo:
For a British soul group to have a hit in England in the 70s, it had to be a quasi-soul record. It had to sound like a soul record but have a very very strong pop overtone - i.e. 'You To Me Are Everything'.

Ken Gold:
It's that kind of blend of soul/pop and those kind of things for some reason always seem to do well In Britain.

Ron Roker:
'You To Me Are Everything' was very sweet. What Gerry and I were trying to do with 'Stone Cold Love Afair' was to get a commercial song, but also we tried to go to what we thought were the group's roots, which were going towards Levi Stubbs and The Temptations. Our melody and the idea lyrically was to try to echo American soul, but these are British soul singers. You just fell in love with his voice - great voice, gargled in glass and stuff. That song was probably in its approach more soulful than the one they followed it with, which was the better song because everyone could play it.

Eddie Amoo:
'You To Me Are Everything', 'Can't Get by Without You', 'Never Know What You're Missing', 'Love's Such a Wonderful Thing' - they were all sort of aimed completely at radio. They did happen in the clubs, but they were aimed at radio. Which was how everyone was going and making records then.

Ken Gold:
The problem always with The Real Thing themselves was the fact that they really wanted to be a little more hard, a funk group. Which is all well and good, but then they shouldn't really have done 'You To Me Are Everything' because it's a straight pop/r&b track - there's no pretensions about what it is.
I always knew that deep in their hearts they weren't really doing what they wanted to do, even though they'd done 'You To Me Are Everything' and it got to #1. It had given them the success they wanted, but they wanted really to have that success with another type of song. Something a bit less pop.

Eddie Amoo:
Sooner or later a serious black group had to come along and break through, a serious black group that was sellable to a huge white audience. And we were just lucky to be at the right place at the right time.

[ October 07, 2003, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-07-2003, 07:02 PM

http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/james_jimmy_sockittoe_101b.jpg

JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS
http://loadofold.com/boots/james.html
http://www.theiceberg.com/artist/12603/jimmy_james.html

FROM FIRST LINK:
One of the legends of British soul, Jimmy James and his band The Vagabonds were rivalled only by Geno Washington's Ram Jam Band as a live club attraction in the 60s. And like Geno, he found his record sales spectacularly failed to match his reputation and status, scoring just one hit in the whole decade - an uncharacteristic version of Neil Diamond's 'Red Red Wine'.

Even so, Jimmy remembers the era with considerable affection, and is particularly enthusiastic about The Who; on one occasion the Vagabonds had all their equipment stolen, and it was Pete Townsend - a big admirer of the band - who helped them out, buying an entire new set of amps, instruments and p.a. Apparently he's a very very nice man.

In the early 70s Jimmy signed up to Biddu's production company - as a solo artist, though the name Jimmy James & The Vagabonds was preserved - and began making records more deliberately aimed at the charts. The first to become a hit was 'I'll Go Where The Music Takes Me,' one of the best disco-pop records of the time, but one which was never quite as big as it should have been. The problem, according to Jimmy, was that its success took the record company by surprise - since no one had much faith in him ever really making it - and all their energies were concentrated on churning out vast quantities of The Brotherhood of Man's 'Save Your Kisses For Me', which had just won the Eurovision Song Contest; consequently the supply didn't exist to meet the demand.

The follow-up 'Now Is The Time' was actually more successful, though not as well remembered, partly because it's just not very danceable and partly because it's anti-radical sloganeering ('Revolution is no solution') just ain't what people want from their 70s black music. In fact even at the time, as former Vagabond turned arranger Pip Williams remembers, Jimmy came in for a lot of criticism from soul purists for selling out and making radio-friendly records. Which seems a little unfair really - you can't begrudge a man for making a living surely?

Anyway some of the records he made with Biddu are genuinely good stuff. The album before 'I'll Go' was You Don't Stand A Chance (If You Can't Dance) which is still sounding wonderful. And he did release one of the best-titled singles ever with 'If You Think This Funk Is Junk, You're Drunk'. (The other side of that, incidentally, was 'Let's Go Disco', which The Real Thing also recorded with Biddu.)

Nowadays Jimmy is still appearing in cabaret, doing an unashamedly crowd-pleasing set that presumably really pisses off any soul purists who happen to wander in. For the rest of us, it's not a bad thing occasionally to check out a proper old-fashioned entertainer who's more concerned with enjoying himself than posing.

And

10-07-2003, 07:32 PM

graemlins/thumbsup.gif @ thread Martin

Lots to learn and many interesting facts I didn't know.
Slick Rick born in Wimbledon? - Lived there in the 70s. Musical youth is right on. I remember learning this song about Capt. Cook and the Endeavour: "Captain Cook the sailor, spoke out (?) one summer's day, let's all aboard the ship that's moored in yonder plymouth bay, let's all aboard Endeavour, and whistle for a breeze, I'll sail with you my trusted crew, I'll sail the seven seas ... anchors aweigh, anchors aweigh ... " Learnt that one at the Lee Church of England school ... aaaah the memories.
-----
Again, nice thread. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Mah'chew

10-07-2003, 09:42 PM

Craig Charles,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/910000/images/_913064_charles300.jpg

Born in Liverpool on 11th July 1964, Craig Charles is known as an actor, poet, writer, presenter and comedian.

A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he won the 'Guardian’s Poetry Award' at the age of 12, beating many of his older and more experienced contemporaries, the runner-up was 32 years old!!!

Charles' early forays into comedy saw him appearing as the warm-up act for bands in Liverpool, however, in 1988 he landed the role of Dave Lister in Red Dwarf and his varied career has never looked back.

Initially approached by the writers of Red Dwarf to give his opinion on whether the role of Cat was racist, he commented that he wouldn't mind reading for the role of Lister, and the rest, as they say, is History.

Building on the success of Red Dwarf, Charles soon turned to presenting, and has guest presented on Channel 4's breakfast show "The Big Breakfast" and even the chat show "Wogan". Charles also presented the popular TV competition series "Robot Wars" and "Ripley's Believe it or Not"

In addition to presenting and comedy, Craig Charles has also had numerous drama roles, including that of Eugene Buffy in Linda LaPlante's acclaimed drama "The Governor", and minor roles in TV series "The Bill" and "Eastenders"

However, Charles has never turned his back on Live performances and his irreverent wit, keen observation and social comment have made him one of the most popular performance poets and stand-up comedians of his generation. Craig’s one man stand-up show, 'Craig Charles – Live On Earth' began it’s run in 1995 at the 'Duke of York Theatre' in London’s West End, with four sell-out nights, and was followed by three sell-out national tours in the space of eighteen months. He has also appeared in comedy festivals in Edinburgh, Melbourne and Norway.

He has also released two books published by Penguin: 'The Log- A Dwarfers Guide To Everything' and 'No Other Blue' a graphic book of poetry which sees the first ever publication of his wide ranging poetic skills.

He continues to front his own band, The Eye and has a Funk show on BBC Radio.

Listen to him interview the likes of Fred Wesley and Spike Lee at http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/presenters/craig_charles/bio.shtml

First record you ever bought?
Led Zeppelin IV.

First gig?
Thin Lizzy at the Liverpool Empire.

Best Gig (who and where)?
Bootsy Collins in New York City.

Gig you wish you'd been at?
Any George Clinton show.

A record that reminds you of school or college discos?
Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water and Heatwave's Always And Forever.

Soundtrack for a long car journey?
Tower Of Power.

CD you'd rescue if your house was on fire?
Ain't That A Bitch by Johnny Guitar Watson.

I remember him touring alongside, Attila The Stockbroker on the Red Wedge tours in the 80's.

He made Red Dwarf a comedy classic, "Smeg'Ed" :D

Martin Red

10-08-2003, 02:21 AM

http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating26.jpg
Tregear’s black jokes may have been popular at the time, but their focus today is unclear. This one may have been a satirical caricature of the English aristocracy.

http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating28.jpg
Many people came from the Caribbean after World War II to help rebuild Britain. There was a shortage of labour and, during the late 1940s and 1950s, London Transport and the NHS actively recruited workers from the West Indies and West Africa. It is estimated that over 125,000 people settled in Britain between 1945 and 1958.

Martin Red

10-08-2003, 02:28 AM

Execution of the Cato Street Conspirators, 1820

http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating11.jpg Abolitionists like Equiano inspired other members of the black community to become involved in the wider struggle for human rights. William Davidson was one of five men executed for his part in one of the most audacious political plots in Britain’s history - to remove the entire cabinet and declare a People’s Parliament.

Detail from the execution at Newgate, showing William Davidson, 1820
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating12.jpg
Born in Jamaica, and educated in Edinburgh before coming to London, Davidson can be identified here by his black face beneath the blindfold. The execution attracted a huge crowd, most of whom regarded the reformers as heroes. A public subscription raised money to provide for Davidson’s wife and children, who lived in Marylebone.

[ October 08, 2003, 03:31 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-08-2003, 03:02 AM

THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating16.jpg
Abducted and brought to London in 1810, this young South African girl was put on display at pubs, fairs, museums and universities because of her ‘unusual’ physical appearance. A debate ensued between abolitionists and those who wanted to study her from a scientific point of view. She died at the age of 25, and her skeleton remains in a Paris museum.

Sara Baartman, the Hottentot Venus, 1810
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating17.jpg
A documentary film of her life was made in 1998 by a young South African film maker, Zola Maseko: The Life and Times of Sara Baartman - The Hottentot Venus. Although what was done to Sara was unforgiveable it was not an issue of race or colour. ‘Freak’ shows were a feature of life at the time, with Tom Thumb and Daniel Lambert also being popular exhibits.

Slaves in bondage, 1830
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating18.jpg
Although slavery in Britain was abolished in 1807, the slave trade continued until 1833. It is not clear whether this image in a satirical magazine was attacking the pro-slavery claim that slaves had a good life on the plantations, or a jibe at the anti-slavery movement.

Detail from the Piccadilly Nuisance, 1818
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating19.jpg
By 1800 there were an estimated 15,000 black people living in London, making up about 10% of the population. Black faces can be seen in many prints and drawings because they were part of the contemporary scene, like this cartoon protesting about traffic conditions!

Detail from the Piccadilly Nuisance, 1818
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating20.jpg
The man seen here looks happy and prosperous, a reminder that black people were part of the community at every level of society. Many black people in London in the 18th century built up their own businesses and had their own clubs, many of which centred around music.

http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/archives/blackpresence/21.cfm

[ October 08, 2003, 04:13 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-08-2003, 03:04 AM

http://www.aambh.org.uk/images/kidsoptimised/carnival.jpg
Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is one of the most splendid and spectacular events of the year. Now the largest street festival in Europe it started in 1959 as a much smaller event partly organised through the West Indian Gazette. The roots of Carnival are fascinating and hark back to a time when slaves in the Caribbean would use costume, masquerade and dance to express their creativity and political resistance to their masters.

Photo by Sam Walker (1995)

Mah'chew

10-08-2003, 03:15 AM

Consort of George III and Queen Victoria's grandmother, Queen Charlotte.
http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/art/r/ramsay/charlott.jpg

Queen Charlotte, wife of the English King George III (1738-1820), was directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black branch of the Portuguese Royal House. The riddle of Queen Charlotte's African ancestry was solved as a result of an earlier investigation into the black magi featured in 15th century Flemish paintings. Two art historians had suggested that the black magiC must have been portraits of actual contemporary people (since the artist, without seeing them, would not have been aware of the subtleties in colouring and facial bone structure of quadroons or octoroons which these figures invariably represented) Enough evidence was accumulated to propose that the models for the black magi were, in all probability, members of the Portuguese de Sousa family.

Six different lines can be traced from English Queen Charlotte back to Margarita de Castro y Sousa, in a gene pool which because of royal inbreeding was already minuscule, thus explaining the Queen's unmistakable African appearance.

The Negroid characteristics of the Queen's portraits certainly had political significance since artists of that period were expected to play down, soften or even obliterate "undesirable" features in a subject's face. Sir Allan Ramsay was the artist responsible for the majority of the paintings of the Queen and his representations of her were the most decidedly African of all her portraits. Ramsey was an anti-slavery intellectual of his day. He also married the niece of Lord Mansfield, the English judge whose 1772 decision was the first in a series of rulings that finally ended slavery in the British Empire. It should be noted too that by the time Sir Ramsay was commissioned to do his first portrait of the Queen, he was already, by marriage, uncle to Dido Elizabeth Lindsay.

Thus, from just a cursory look at the social awareness and political activism at that level of English society, it would be surprising if the Queen's Negroid physiognomy was of no significance to the Abolitionist movement.

Perhaps the most literary of these allusions to her African appearance, however, can be found in the poem penned to her on the occasion of her wedding to George III and the Coronation celebration that immediately followed.

Descended from the warlike Vandal race, she still preserves that title in her face. Tho' shone their triumphs o'er Numidia's plain, And Alusian fields their name retain; they but subdued the southern world with arms, She conquers still with her triumphant charms, O! born for rule, - to whose victorious brow The greatest monarch of the north must bow!

Cordell

10-08-2003, 04:09 AM

There so much stuff here about UK's history that i never knew anything about. Very nice & important thread.

Martin Red

10-08-2003, 12:08 PM

http://shadyatbest.8m.com/Beatgirl.gif
Ska was Jamaica’s first own style of music. With horn sections and swinging instrumentals, ska has captivated thousands over the past four decades.
In the 1950’s the traditional sounds of Jamaica, such as mento, Calypso, and ya-ya were beginning to combine themselves with the American sounds of jazz, and R&B. Soon, a new style of music emerged called the Shuffle.
To help get the music to the people, dance halls’ sound systems were the way to go. Three men in particular were primarily responsible for the sound systems and the music that they played (and later and more specifically, Ska). The three men were Duke Reid, Cecil Bustamente Campbell, and Clement Seymore Dodd. Reid owned and operated Trojan Records (the Trojan derived from the Trojan flatbed truck that his sound system was mounted on).
http://shadyatbest.8m.com/bustershack.gif
Cecil Bustamente Campbell, better known as "Prince Buster", created his "Voice of the People" sound system after he left working with Dodd. Campbell also developed a technique that is one of the cornerstones of ska music. In the early 1960’s, looking for a new sound, he had his guitarist Jah Jerry accentuate the afterbeat as opposed to the downbeat. Some "Skalars" cite this as ska’s creation.

The bands that were backed by Dodd, proprietor of the Sir Coxsone Downbeat sound system, laid down the first ska tracks, which sounded like a combination of mento, Calypso, Jazz, R&B, Latin, Soul, and Caribbean music to name a few . Dodd backed perhaps the most influential ska band of the 1960’s, the nine musicians of (the then-soon-to-be known as) Skatalites. He also backed a group with very likely the most famous musician to ever come out of Jamaica. The Wailing Wailers included Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Bob Marley.
http://shadyatbest.8m.com/wailers.gif
At this point the music of ska was there, but a name was lacking. Bassist Cluet Johnson (AKA Clue J) had been a part of this new sound. He ran "the hardest driving dance and recording band" in Jamaica (at least he said so). Clue J began to greet his friends saying "Love Skavoovie". This greeting was naturally shortened into "ska", and the new style had found a name.
The early days of ska were quite competitive, and soon, two other record labels had been were competing for the ska. Island records, founded by white Jamaican Chris Blackwell, and England’s Bluebeat Records, set up by Melodisc Records (More on England and Bluebeat later). Sound system DJ’s started to spin their vinyl without the labels on them, as to not let others know their music selection, and then later steal their whole livelihood. Competitors actually resorted to sending Dance Hall Crashers to another sound system to cause problems. These young toughs were part of a breed of Jamaican who lived slightly outside of the law (sometimes involved with Jamaica’s seemingly limitless ganja trade). These people, garbed in black suits and ties, sunglasses, and pork pie (trilby) hats went down forever as ska icons. These "Rude Boys" (rude used for a slang word similar to "cool") were immortalized in many a ska tune, one of the most notable being Desmond Dekker’s classic "007 (Shanty Town)", which climbed up to number 12 in the 1967 UK charts…

And speaking of the United Kingdom, after limiting its immigration from the Commonwealth in 1962 England saw much fewer Jamaicans coming in. A few of the ones who did, though, brought over music from the motherland. One of these people was the Cuban-born Laurel Aiken, the "Godfather of ska". With Bluebeat Records already there, Island Records moved to a different island. The Bluebeat label proved so popular, that for a time in England, ska itself was referred to as the Bluebeat. There, ska touched a nerve with many of Great Britain’s subcultures. People like the Mods and the early Skinheads danced the ska like it was their own. The original Skinheads weren’t racist or neo-nazi at all (in fact most Skinheads now aren’t racist either (quite the opposite in fact ), and the few who are, are shunned by their Skinhead peers ). Actually, they got the idea of shaving their heads from the black Jamaicans. In Jamaica’s sweltering heat, they found it much more comfortable and convenient to dance the ska with a bald head. And even none other than Bob Marley found it better with a bare scalp, as opposed to thick heavy dreadlocks (for the time being at least). With England conquered, ska moved to its next target, the United States of America.
1964 was a banner year for ska. It was featured in Jamaica’s Exhibition at the World’s Fair that year.

http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGPORTRAITS/music/portrait200/drp100/p164/p16443ea3ky.jpg
Millie Small made the world notice, with her smash hit single, "My Boy Lollipop". In that world was the US, where ska was pronounced "the newest sound and dance craze", and proclaimed to be "bigger than the twist" and "the Bossa Nova". Epic Records had legend Curtis Mayfield produce the Real Jamaica Ska featuring Jimmy Cliff. Ska was endorsed frequently on Lloyd Thaxton’s music and variety show, backed up by Decca Records. The summer of 1964 in Jamaica was a particularly hot one. In the unbearably hot weather, ska musicians found it much more easier, and comforting to play their music at a slower tempo. The music slowed down so much that ska was transformed into something different. Ska, the official "national dance and music" of Jamaica for years, was threatened by a newcomer, Rock Steady. Despite the new sound, ska still ran strong for most of the decade, but around 1968 or so, ska was running out of steam. What came to be known as "the fist wave" of ska was eclipsed by Rock Steady (and later Reggae, then Dub, then Dancehall, and numerous other incarnations).
"Traditional ska" as it has come to be known, is now played with conviction by many bands in this the third wave of ska (the second wave was the two-tone era of the1980’s, which strongly influenced the New Wave of the mid 80’s). Bands such as Hepcat, Ocean 11, , Jump with Joey, and Let’s Go Bowling carry the torch passed on from the originators of ska. Many of the original artists of Jamaica are still musically active. Artists like Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker, Laurel Aiken, and members of the Skatalites frequently produce or play in tracks for many ska bands today.
Ska has proven itself resilient to fads or trends throughout its more than thirty year history. And when it lives on in the hearts of listeners and those who care for it, the national dance and music of Jamaica will never die.

source = http://shadyatbest.8m.com/skahistory.html

_________________________________________________

Unlike many of the genres of music which have been causing notice in the underground music scene, SKA music has deep roots that are traced back to 1950's Jamiaca, but actually go further back....
Ska was born in Jamaica in the late 50's, when one of the musiciams in Coxsone Dodd's studio team, Cluet Johnson, came up with the word 'SKA'. The sound of the ska was not born in a vacuum: it took plenty of American R&B and Soul --- the bedrock of the original ska is the same bedrock of rock 'n' roll --- Sam Cooke and Arthur Alexander, the New Orleans sound and Professor Longhair, Ruth Brown and Ray Charles, Doo Wop, Big-Band, Jazz, and Swing. It all could be heard in broadcasts over the ocean gap from Florida.

A literal sonic boom was created by master musicians such as the Skatalites, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker, the Maytals and the Wailers, as well as their genius producers, Coxsone and Leslie Kong. The early 60's in Jamaica was the time of Ska, a manic dance explosion that was shaped by its surroundings --- a new independence from the English commonwealth and a positive outlook. A changing political climate and economy soon altered the mood of the culture and musical expression, and the slowed-down, more vocally-oriented, less horn-oriented Rock Steady was upon them. (it was this path that led to reggae, which today enjoys world-wide, mainstream acceptance.)

It was Jamaica's poor ecomony that led many Jamaicans to come to england before, during and after the Ska period. England was injected with a big dose of 'riddim'. Jamaican music was presented by the mighty Trojan Records and embraced by Skinheads and Rudeboys i the late 60's and early 70's, guaranteeing it a place in the English charts ("Israelites" by Desmond Dekker and "Liquidator" by Harry J Allstars were two big hits) and a place in the British collective conscious.

Punk was starting to evolve into New Wave, and music started to seem toothless again. Jerry Dammers saw that it was time to put the musical boot in. By fusing the Punk DIY spirit and attitude with the unstoppable dance rhythm of Ska, the 2Tone movement was born. Antiracist by example and fun by definition, bands like the Specials, Madness, the Selecter and the (English) Beat dominated the British charts and the imaginations of the country's youth at the turn of the decade.

And by 1981, it was over. The ebb and flow of the fickle British taste (and the build 'em up, tear 'em down British music industry) stamped its own sell-by date on Ska. The 2Tone spirit was not destroyed, and proving its musical credibility, it moved underground rather than shriveling up. It was in 1981 that Rob 'Bucket' Hingley moved from his native England to New York City, only to find a total and utter absence of anything Ska. Bucket mates, and the Toaster' East-Side Beat was born. Over in California, the 2Tone influence saw the rise of bands like Fishbone and the Untouchables. In the midwest, Heavy Manners raised the ska banner. In England, Bad Manners falied to break up and kept on chuggin' --- and excellent but critically-ignored bands like the UK's Potato kept on keepin' on.... link = http://www.angelfire.com/nj/CreepingDirectory/skafaq.html
_________________________________________________

[ October 08, 2003, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-08-2003, 12:21 PM

http://www.dol.net/~smith/winwood/images/millie.jpg
Millie's singing career began at around the time she entered her teens. She rapidly became a popular artist in the West Indies and was one of the few female performers to be involved in the branch of R&B music that grew in those islands- 'Ska'. In fact her early local successes were made as half of a duet called 'Roy And Millie'- the other half was Roy Panton. She also recorded as half of 'Owen & Millie' (Owen Gray) and 'Jackie & Millie' (Jackie Edwards). These record releases were on labels like 'Studio One', 'Island' and the legendary 'Blue Beat'. In fact she was to become known in the West Indies as the 'Blue Beat Girl' and 'Ska' is still known by many people as 'blue beat'. There were so many parallel releases on these labels in the West Indies and the UK that it is difficult to unravel a true UK discography for many West Indian artists, Millie is no exception.

Millie Small was brought to Britain during 1963 by Chris Blackwell, who later did much to promote Reggae in the UK. Her first UK release 'Don't You Know' owed rather less to her Ska background, being accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Lord Rockingham's Harry Robinson. It didn't sell too badly but Millie's unique high pitched style wasn't enough to get it into the chart. However, her second release was a stronger song and was based more closely to the West Indian rhythms she was accustomed to. It became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic reaching #2 in the U.S. chart as well as in Britain. Sadly, despite the great success of the record, it did not set a new musical style in people's awareness. 'My Boy Lollipop' was simply regarded by most record buyers at the time as an item of delightful, but lightweight, 'pop' . (Incidentally the record is alleged by some to have a young 'Rod Stewart' on harmonica). Although she had a couple of further minor hits, she never managed to consolidate her famous smash. She remained in the public conscience for a long time and was also regarded by many as a role model; something with which the charming lady was never entirely comfortable.

Ska became popular on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching its peak in the UK during the late 1960s. Its popularity was more enduring in the UK than in the US, probably because of West Indian emigrees that went to Britain taking their musical enthusiasm with them. Ska gradually evolved into reggae, but was revived during the 1970s and 1980s by UK groups like the 'Specials'

1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography
Fontana TF425 1963 Don't You Know/ Until You're Mine
Fontana TF449 1964 My Boy Lollipop/ Something's Gotta Be Done #2
Fontana TF479 1964 Sweet William/ Oh Henry #30
Fontana TF502 1964 I Love The Way You Love/ Bring It On Home To Me
Fontana TF515 1965 I've Fallen In Love With A Snowman/ What Am I Living For
Fontana TF529 1965 See You Later Alligator/ Chilly Kisses
Fontana TF591 1965 My Street/ It's Too Late
Fontana TF617 1965 Bloodshot Eyes/ Tongue Tied #48
Fontana TF740 1966 Killer Joe/ Carry Go Bring Come
Fontana TF796 1967 Chicken Feed/ Wings Of A Dove
Fontana TF948 1968 When I Dance With You/ Hey Mr. Love
Decca F12948 1969 Readin' Writin' Arithmetic/ I Want You Never To Stop
Brit WI 1002 1966 My Street/ A Mixed Up Fickle Moody Self Centred, Spoiled Kind Of Boy
Island WIP 6021 1967 You Better Forget/ I Am In Love
Millie's issues after TF617 were credited to 'Millie Small' as were most of her US and West Indian releases
link= http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirm/millie.htm

http://www.dol.net/~smith/winwood/images/millie7.jpg

Millie Small: "Killer Joe" / "I'm Blue (Gong Gong Song)" (1967) - Resolved!

Selected discography:
7" / Qualiton / SP 392 / Hungary
The Story of Millie - CD / Jump-O-Rama / JUMP 1022 / Germany (10/21/1996)

Background: This is the same Millie who scored the first Jamaican international hit with "My Boy Lollipop" in 1964. She is also the "fill" singer on the Spencer Davis Group's "I'm Blue (Gong Gong Song)", which appears on this very obscure Hungarian single. The A-side features Millie's rendition of "Killer Joe". The single's billing reads exactly as follows on both sides:

MILLIE SMALL (ének)
The Spencer Davis Group

This billing has led to confusion, since it implies that The Spencer Davis Group performed on "Killer Joe". Based on listening to the track and comparison to other Millie recordings, though, the performing unit is clearly not the Spencer Davis Group.
LINK= http://www.dol.net/~smith/winwood/deswan2.htm

nev m

10-08-2003, 01:38 PM

http://www.trevort.vispa.com/images/portrait3.jpg

Trevor T of Musical Youth. Now DJ, and entertainer plays all over the World.

Played at the same gig as him once, and got blown out of the water as he can sing,play drums, and trumpet whilst mixing tunes!

Leslie

10-08-2003, 01:53 PM

I suppose it goes without saying that this one belongs in the "Best Of" once the month is over. The information has been amazing.

greg wilson

10-08-2003, 02:28 PM

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/itwasnt2.jpg

AND IT WASN'T A DREAM
(HINDS/LEVERIDGE/HINDS)
Mum is looking tired, Dad's feeling old
They've been here thirty years, still ain't seen no streets of gold
Mum packed her cases at the age of nineteen
She was gonna go to England, she would live like a Queen
She would build her own house, she would raise 'nuff kids
Sometimes I know she wishes that she never did
But what's done is done, what's past is past
The only questions now - how long can she last?
There's little future for the children in a world they never made
So tell me where's the future for the middle aged
Mum's gotta put her future in the hands of the Lord
Hope she goes to heaven for her final reward
Worked her finger to the bone to make her life better
Tried to be a citizen, they wouldn't let her
Residential areas gave a message to Mum
You were O.K. in the jungle you'll be fine in the slum
But in the slum there were houses little better than shacks
Signs in the window - 'No Irish - No Blacks'
Wife and husband with nowhere to go
Winter coming on and they'd never seen snow
They sat that life isn't easy, then you die
But you can't give up you have to give it a try
When there's youth there's hope no matter how bad it seems
They knew that one day soon they would achieve their dreams.

When Dad was a lad he was bad
But check him out now it's kinda sad
He came here to England he thought he'd do well
He knew more about the English than they knew 'bout themselves
Question him on Africa, he'd give you some crap
About the place across the sea where all the people are black
Where they lived in grass houses where they didn't wear clothes
Where every last person had a bone through their nose
But what did he care, he was in the U.K.
Where people co-existed in a civilised way
With this kind of thinking his brainwashed mind
Couldn't cope, he lost hope and now he's lost and blind
Forget about the future he's just living for now
He tried to succeed but didn't know
To deal with rejection at the sight of his face
All the isms and schisms concerning his race
He would stay here for ten, twenty years at the most
Take his family home and live high post
When Daddy arrived that was his master plan
His wife was the woman and he was the man
But life was so hard it near destroyed their souls
Some couples went mad some reversed their roles
Young gifted and black they were a perfect team
And now they can't go back they lost it all for a dream.

WIDELY ACCLAIMED AS THE BEST EVER LYRIC BY A BRITISH RAP CREW ON ITS RELEASE BY MANCHESTER'S RUTHLESS RAP ASSASSINS IN 1990.

FOR FURTHER INFO ON THE RAP ASSASSINS:
http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/

Rob.J

10-08-2003, 02:35 PM

Let us not forget :

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/lotw/rndbak.gif

http://www.lightoftheworld.co.uk ( full details )

who are Light of the World?

Light of the World (LOTW) are a British Jazz-Funk (Brit-Funk) group formed in the late 70's by Jean-Paul (Bluey) Maunick (from Incognito fame). Since then there have been many changes to the lineup and many groups formed by ex-LOTW members. But one thing remains, the MUSIC.

how can you sum up their music?

The kicking PHAT bassline, wah-wah rhythm guitar, jazz piano and the BIG horn section plus gutsy vocals all make up the sound of LOTW. No wonder, they grew up listening to Kool & The Gang (whose album they obtained their title from) and Earth, Wind & Fire. A great combination of jazz and funk and they are British, hence they were part of the Brit-Funk era of the early 80's.

what about the stage show?

Light of the World were reknown for their stage show. With eight members of the team (plus backing) their show was enormous and very energetic. They could certainly ROCK DA HOUSE.

where are they now?

Jean-Paul (Bluey) Maunick is totally involved with Incognito nowadays. But Kennie, Baps, Nat & Breeze have now reformed the band with new member Frank Felix on bass and with Gee & Stepper also helping out.

what now?

LOTW have released a new album called Inner Voices on Sanctuary Records (CD ARTS 01). This is the first album for over a decade and it sounds very much like the Light of the World we all know and love, back where they started from.

cheers

rob

[ October 08, 2003, 03:38 PM: Message edited by: Rob.J ]

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 04:23 AM

http://slovoto.orbitel.bg/litvestnik/228/incognito.jpg

Incognito does not have a recognised line-up of members; Incognito is essentially one man's dream, namely Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick.

Since the inception of Incognito in 1981, many musicians have been involved in creating the music of Incognito. Rather than focusing on individuals, equal credit is given for their contributions. This approach, to quote Bluey himself, "promotes and encourages the talents of the musicians and in turn teaches all of us humility and a sense of sharing that is not usually present in most other bands".

In putting together the credits for the "No time like the future" sleeve notes, Bluey took an unconventional approach by listing the musicians as "The Incognito Family"; a decision that initially caused confusion and is clarified on this web site by the man himself.

In keeping with this philosophy, the people who have contributed to Incognito over the years are listed below in alphabetical order and grouped by their 'primary' role in the band.

Thanks to Chris Jones for doing a lot of research!

Lead vocals
Christopher Ballin, Chyna, Imaani, Dianna Joseph, Jocelyn Brown, Joy Malcolm, Karen Bernod, Kelli Sae, Linda Muriel, Mark Anthoni, Maysa Leak, Pamela Anderson, Xavier Barnett

Background vocals
Barry Stewart, Bernita Turner, Charlise Rockwood, Claudia Fontaine, Elizabeth Gray, Elizabeth Troy, Lennox Cameron, Ogadinma Umelo, Paul Lewis, Ray Simpson, Sarah Brown, Sophia Jones, Valerie Etienne, Veronique DeMargary

Guitars
Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick

Bass
Alpheus Little, Julian Crampton, Paul 'Tubbs' Williams, Randy Hope-Taylor

Keyboards
Gary Sanctuary, Graham Harvey, Jim Watson, Michael Gorman, Peter Hinds, Ski Oakenfull

Drums
Andy Gangadeen, Gavin Harrison, Matthew Stuart, Richard Bailey

Percussion
Chris Joris, Daniel Sadownick, Karl Vandenbossche, Louis Jardin, Maxton 'Gig' Beesley Jr., Snowboy, Thomas Dyani-Akuru

Trumpet
Alexander Pope Norris, Anthony Kadleck, Basilo Marquez, Dominic Glover, Donald Downs, Duncan McKay, Gerard Presencer, Greg Gisbert, Julio Enrique Padron, Kevin Robinson, Tim Hagans

Sax
Adrian Ravell, Bud Beadle, Chris DeMargary, Denys Babtiste, Ed Jones, Irving Acao, Jason Yarde, Patrick Clahar, Ray Carless, Roman Filiu, Ronnie Cuber, Snake Davies, Tim Ries

Flutes
Ken Hitchcock, Ed Xiques, Rowland Sutherland

Trombone
Adrian Fry, Avi Lebo Leibovich, Charles Gordon, Fayyaz Virji, Jimmy Bosch, Mark Nightingale, Matt Coleman, Michael Davies, Richard Edwards, Winston Rollins

Programming
Alex Rizzo, Daniel 'Venom' Maunick, Ray Hayden, Richard Bull, Simon Cotsworth, Tyrrell

Strings
Aaron Stowlow, Alexander Vselensky, Barry Finclair, Diane Monroe, Ellen Blair, Elliot Rosoff, Ivan Hussey, Jean Ingraham, Kurt Briggs, Kurt Coble, Marion Pinheiro, Marshall Coid, Ming Yeh, Myra Segal, Paul Woodiel, Rebekah Johnson, Rudy Perrault, Sandra Billingslea, Sanford Allen, Sara Loewenthal, Sheila Reinhold, Stanley Hunte, Stephen Hussey, Winterton Garvey, Xin Zhao, Yolisa Phale, Yuri Vodovoz

Voices
Carlos 'Soul Slinger', Claudia Rey, People of the Earth

Source: http://incognito.org.uk/family/

http://photo.sing365.com/music/picture.nsf/SingerPicUnid/48256C71003578A248256A8F00095929/$file/Incognito.jpg

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 08:59 AM

http://www.spaine-music.co.uk/The_Stars/Junior_Giscombe/juniorgiscombe.gif Junior Giscombe
Born in London of Jamaican parentage, Junior first began singing in a local band at the age of 14, encouraged by the sounds of doo-wop, early Motown , soul and reggae. As the years passed, however, the 'hobby' became a full-time musical career, and Junior realised that his talents lay in writing and performing his own music.
Initially signing to Phonogram Records, 1982 saw Junior hit the chart heights with the infectious anthem 'Mama Used To Say' which became a Top 10 transatlantic hit, prompting Junior's appearance as the first black British artist on Soul Train and gaining him Billboard's 'Best Newcomer Award'.

Junior's second album spawned the US hit 'Communication Breakdown' and whilst travelling throughout the US for promotion Junior teamed up with renowned producer Arif Mardin, who later contributed to Junior's third album which yeilded the R & B charting singles 'Somebody', 'Oh Louise' and 'Not Tonight'. That same year Junior wrote 'Do You Really Want My Love?' for the multi-platinum selling Beverley Cops Soundtrack album subsequently enjoying success as a songwritier with his compositions recorded by artists such as Phyllis Hyman and Sheena Easton.

In 1987 Junior had his biggest European hit 'Another Step', a duet with Kim Wilde which reached no. 6 in the UK charts and led to a tour with Wilde including opening for Michael Jackson on his UK dates.

Since then Junior has released two more albums and concentrated on his songwriting skills, penning tracks for a number of artists, including Maxi Priest, Penny Ford, Amy Stewart, Bern, Nu Colours, Jane Eugene, The Marvellettes and The Tramps.

http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/bc/a4/6a_1.JPG

Apr 1982............................Mama Used To Say (No.7)
Jul 1982..............................Too Late (No.20)
Sep 1982............................Let Me Know/I Can't Help You (No.53)
Apr 1983............................Communication Breakdown (No.57)
Sep 1984............................Somebody (No.64)
Feb 1985............................Do You Really (Want My Love) (No.47)
Nov 1985............................Oh Louise (No.74)
Apr 1987............................Another Step Closer To You (No.6)
Aug 1990............................Step Off (No.63)
Aug 1992............................Then Came You (No.32)
Oct 1992............................All Over The World (No.74)

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 09:01 AM

Junior giscombe (above) is Richard Blackwoods (below) uncle.

http://www.richardblackwood.fsnet.co.uk/images/background2.gif
Born: Clapham, South London

Age: 28

DOB: 15th May 1972

Eyes: Brown

Height: 5ft 11"

Feet: Size 10

Love: Currently in a relationship

Lives: Plush pad in Docklands

Family:

His dad owns a cab firm and used to be married to Naomi Campbell's mum. His uncle an 80’s star had a number one hit in the USA and in the UK. Richard was brought up by his grandparents.

Where To Find Him:

Raving at "Twice As Nice" AKA The End on a Sunday.

In the Gym, Pinnacle in Norbury, London SW16.

Eating out and mixing with celebrities at trendy eateries in the West End.

Inspirations:

Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock.

Quotes:

"You've heard of Beverly Hills Cop - well I want to do a Brixton Hills Cop"

"I'd describe myself as intelligent, kind, stubborn(ish), friendly, trustworthy, bluntly honest and terrible at saving"

"My quick comedy skills were born on the school bus, I'd sometimes get stick from other boys. I learnt to deal with it by cutting down anybody that took me on. That's when I knew I wanted to get into comedy"

"It's flattering being compared to Will Smith because he's successful and brilliant at what he does and he's a nice and funny guy. But at the end of the day, I want to be known as Richard Blackwood"

"My clothing budget has gone through the roof. Shop assistants just go to town on me"

Football Team:

Manchester United

Other Interesting Facts:

He is a Catholic, his grandmother gave him a cross when he was young, and he keeps it above his bed and each night he kneels down and does the sign of the cross before he goes to sleep.

When Richard Blackwood is feeling low, he listens to 'Don't You Worry About A Thing' by Stevie Wonder to make himself feel better .

He doesn’t smoke, drink or take drugs...

Career:

Richard Blackwood claims that he always wanted to be a performer, but he did the sensible thing and took a business degree course. After he graduated he did a one off gig at "The Spot" in Covent Garden and from there he's popularity grew. He also did guest spots on BBC2’s late night black entertainment programme "The A-Force" as well as sketches on "The Real McCoy" and "Five Night Stand".

His hard work paid off and he was picked up by MTV, where for the past two years he has been the host of MTV "Select". Viewers phone in with video requests and Richard Blackwood keeps them entertained at the same time. He also hosts "Singled Out" with Sara Cawood, which was originally made for MTV and is now screened on Channel 5.

Channel 5 was the first TV station to realise his true potential as a comic host and gave him his own comedy "Club Class", making him only the second British black comedian to be given his own show to host.

Richard Blackwood has always written his own material, however after a six-year period Planet 24 offered him his own chat show, and he had to collaborate with writers. His show was a success and had audiences eating out of his hands. Each episode finished with Richard Blackwood showing his lyrical rapping talent.

Richard Blackwood says of himself “I can go on TV and be very articulate and there are times when I’ll go on and speak in street slang, 'cos I appreciate that everyone watches my show, and I’m trying to tap into everyone.”

He also says that the possible reason why he is doing so well is because his show is distinguished from others in it’s field, as it is fronted by a black British male, whose audience can really relate to the host.

Next aim Hollywood…

http://www.richardblackwood.fsnet.co.uk/biography.htm

kara

10-09-2003, 09:37 AM

sorry if this is a repeat,

http://www.gedup.com/articles/mayfield/
FROM THE ABOVE LINK

http://www.gedup.com/articles/mayfield/img/curtis_old.jpg

http://www.gedup.com/articles/mayfield/img/lp_superfly.gif http://www.gedup.com/articles/mayfield/img/lp_curtis.jpg

The main thing that separates Curtis Mayfield from the majority of artists is the words he put in his music. He was fantastic songwriter. He could keep it simple but still create poetry. Listen to a song like We the people who are darker than blue and you will know what I mean.

Curtis was always aware and sensitive to the situation around him. His lyrics often carried social messages and discussed topics like racism, injustice, poverty, politics, war and pollution. His main concern was the situation for black people and the poor. He pointed out things that were wrong, asked questions and even provided the answers.

I can only guess the impact his songs We're a winner and This is my country had during the civil rights movement. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind and his criticism could be tough, but never aggressive.

When turning directly to his own people, the key words were often pride, love and unity. The self-destructive ways in the black society bothered Curtis.

"There's the joker in the street, loving one brother and killing the other. When the time comes and we are really free, there'll be no brothers left, you see." (We the people who are darker than blue)

Curtis understood that problems could not be changed without a change in the minds of people of all races. He believed that love, respect and consideration for each other was the answer. His music was encouraging, positive and had a shimmer of optimism and a never-give-up feeling.

An admirable side of Curtis was his way to approach the listeners. There was never any ego, always down-to-earth and he never performed as a self-appointed preacher. He simply shared his thoughts and let people make up their own minds.

"Why don't you check out your mind? It's been with you all the time." (Check out your mind)

[ October 10, 2003, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: kara ]

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 11:23 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND

Geno Washington had a #1 single named after him by a band from your neck of the woods Martin, Dexy's Midnight Runners - 'Geno' (1980).

BTW Dexy's Midnight Runners were named after dexedrine pills, a favourite with 60's Mods, many of whom would have fond memories of watching Geno Washington play live (my older brother included).
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno

Lyrics.

Back in '68 in a sweaty club (Oh Geno)
Before Jimmy's Machine and The Rocksteady Rub (Oh Geno)

On a night when flowers didn't suit my shoes
After a week of flunking and bunking school
The lowest head in the crowd that night
Just practicing steps and keeping out of the fights

Academic inspiration, you gave me none
But you were Michael the lover, the fighter that won
And now just look at me as I'm looking down on you
No I'm not being flash, it's what I'm built to do

That man took the stage, his towel was swinging high (Oh Geno)
This man was my bombers, my Dexy's, my high (Oh Geno)

The crowd, they all hailed you and chanted your name
But they never knew like we knew me and you were the same
And now you're all over, your song is so tame
You fed me, you bred me, I'll remember your name

Academic inspiration, you gave me none
But you were Michael the lover, the fighter that won
And now just look at me as I'm looking down on you
No I'm not being flash, it's what I'm built to do

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 12:10 PM

FILM:- Babylon

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/graphics/column.jpg http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/graphics/shack.jpg

I cannot find much (certainly no proper still pics) about the film Babylon: -

"It was made in 1978 and purports to document the beginning of the Reggae movement in the UK, explaining what Reggae stands for and describes the idea of Rastafari and Sound System and shows how the influence of England made itself felt on the music.
Well, that's what the sleeve of the video says I'm told.

It features Steel Pulse, as well as the following:
Jimmy Lindsay - It's Not Our Wish That We Should Fight
15,16,17 - Black Skin Boy
Matumbi - Rock
Alton Ellis - Diverse Doctrine
Jimmy Lindsay - Easy
Steel Pulse - Klu Klux Klan
Steel Pulse - Prodigal Son

1977 and 1978 were the two years where British Reggae really took off with a stack of groups making their mark. Steel Pulse stood out alongwith Aswad, Misty and Matumbi as the most successful but there were lots more like Tradition, Black Slate, Reggae Regular and Brimstone."

source = http://pub90.ezboard.com/fandybrouwerscambodiacommunityfrm4.showMessage?top icID=119.topic

Personally I love this film and first caught it when it was on UK TV. It has many brilliant scenes, all the characters are great including, Beefy and Karl Howman

http://members.lycos.co.uk/nostalgiacentraluk/80stv/1986/pic3.jpg Karl Howman - as Jacko from Brush Strokes (sitcom) also known for floor cleaner adverts.

I love many scenes , one off the top of my head.
Scene where they send Karl Howmans character to answer the door to a local resident, she moaning about loudness of the sound System they are testing.

"Turn that jungle bunny music off"

"What you talking about, we've only got a little portable radio, speakers only that big (gestures to indicate 4" radio speaker whilst the boys inside the lock up are pissing themselves)

[ October 09, 2003, 01:29 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 12:33 PM

graemlins/OLA.gif Found some info.

Reggae in the reel worId
Babylon

Directed by Franco Rosso Starring Brinsley Forde and Karl Howman (Osiris)

RHYTHMS swarm and pound through Babylon: the warrior charge sound of Aswad, the voltage punch of sound systems, the collision and crash of different cultures, the inhibited body blows of prejudice, the beat of fleeing. fighting and freedom.

Superficially, Babylon is the story of a South London reggae sound system and its battle for survival and success. But its themes extend and embrace wider and deeper - as might be expected of Franco Rosso, a director renowned for an unflinching attitude toward questions of racial culture and racial ignorance; recall the BBC ban slapped on his Linton Kwesi Johnson Dread, Beat And Blood documentary before the last election.

Rosso is an Italian who grew up in London - an upbringing that probably accounts for his acute empathy with (displaced) black culture, and his ability to prise open British politics at their bloodiest and most personal base without any hint of hack dialectic. Babylon succeeds on three distinct but, crucially, always interlocking levels: as a movie, as movie about a specific subject, and as a movie about being young and British in 1980. it succeeds where other recent attempts failed miserably (Jubilee, the execrable Rude Boy, Breaking Glass).

The word ‘babylon’ is a mnemonic for oppression, in all its manifestations, spiralling down from a monetarist, middle-class government, through SUSpicious police patrol cars, intolerant and unduly violent members of the community to something as glum as a docked wage packet. Babylon isn’t undergoing (the) recession - it’s enjoying enforcing it.

Babylon gets that atmosphere. Ital Lion is the film’s ‘fictional’ sound system, run by a group of friends in South London. The speakers are saved for, stolen, home made - records bartered for. Dreadhead (Archie Pool) is the father figure who directs - well dressed and cool. Blue (Brinsley Forde of Aswad) and his white mate Ronnie (Karl Howman) work in a garage (whose owner is played by Mel Smith of Not The Nine O’Clock News) by day, and put everything into Ital Lion by night. As they progress toward a battle with Jah Shaka (real life Number One sound in London) trouble and strife with employment, sex, money, family and community have to be faced. After a night during which he is picked up on SUS, his girlfriend leaves him and he is an unwilling party to a brutal mugging, Blue returns to the garage where Ital Lions store their gear only to find the lock forced, the system trashed and the interior smirched with racist graffiti. When the others arrive and the discovery sinks in, the anger so far contained finds its irrational locus in Ronnie - the most emotionally charged, jarring, honest and perhaps even pessimistic scene in the film.

All the gut contradictions and problems of racial fear and racial sympathy gell and splinter: just how do we go on from here? Rosso, however, misses being overtly moralistic by miles.. Prejudice, helplessness and hopeless ire are all put firmly in contextually determined places. No one is guilty perse - everyone is a product of a variety of influences, of subtle propaganda.

The film’s conclusions are yours to see and feel - its penultimate progress is urgently moving and that movement of meanings cannot be ignored. Babylon must be seen.

Ian Penman, NME November 8th 1980

"Caught a little awkwardly between drama-doc and melodrama, but otherwise a powerful and pretty intelligent account of the problems facing young unemployed blacks in Britain today ... what distinguishes the film as a whole is the way it sharply depicts the details of its characters' lives: the importance of reggae, the gulf between parents and offspring, and a precise sense of location and community. And Aswad's Forde is excellent as Blue."

Time Out 23-29 May 1985 (quoted in Bourne S (ed) Black in the British Frame, Black People in British Film and Television 1896-1996, pub Cassell 1998)

"If there are funds for the making of such films as Babylon, should they not be awarded to black film-makers? Or, could non-black film-makers work more closely at the conceptual level with black artists and intellectuals who know their people better and who can define their own reality more truthfully? This is not to argue that culture runs in genes but to say that it is necessary to know a people's emotional life from within to produce authentic works of art about such people. And the barriers are not racial: they are cultural, psychological, and emotional."

Molara Ogundipe-Leslie, Guardian 7 January 1981 (quoted in Bourne S (ed) Black in the British Frame, Black People in British Film and Television 1896-1996, pub Cassell 1998)

"For Babylon Franco Rosso received the 1981 Evening Standard Film Award for Most Promising Film-maker" (quoted in Bourne S (ed) Black in the British Frame, Black People in British Film and Television 1896-1996, pub Cassell 1998)

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/reviews.html

__________________________________________________
CAST

BLUE - BRINSLEY FORDE

RONNIE - KARL HOWMAN

BEEFY - TREVOR LAIRD

SPARK - BRIAN BOVELL

LOVER - VICTOR ROMERO EVANS

ERROL - DAVID N. HAYNES

DREADHEAD - ARCHIE POOL

WESLEY - T. BONE WILSON

BRINSELY FORDE plays ‘BLUE’

Like ‘Blue’ - the character he portrays in ‘Babylon’ -Brinsley is a Londoner. Like ‘Blue’ he spends much of his time playing reggae and wears the natty locks of a Rasta. But there the obvious similarity ends because Brinsley (26) already has a successful dual career — as an actor and as lead vocalist and guitarist with Aswad, a reggae band whose work on stage and on disc has gained wide respect in the U.K. The name Aswad, incidentally, was carefully chosen. It means ‘black’ in Amharic, the ancient language of Ethiopia.

Born in North London of immigrant parents, Brinsley went to local schools in Willesden which he didn’t enjoy very much, until, at the age of 13, he "wandered into acting. I went to evening classes and eventually got professional parts out of school. Anything was great away from school". His work at that time included parts in ‘The Magnificent 6 1/2’, a film for the Children’s Film Foundation, and ‘Please Sir’. He was one of the leads in the TV serial. ‘Double Deckers’ along with Peter Firth, and had a role in the feature film ‘Leo the Last’. From acting he progressed into playing music.

Leaving school, he took a variety of jobs while he pursued his careers. "There was no point in going to a regular drama school because there was only about one part I could have played - ‘Othello’ - and that’s about it". Instead his jobs ranged from a spell at Grunwicks, the Willesden factory which hit the headlines over its prolonged strike, driving for a paper-mill factory and a day and a half at a plastic mould factory. "They sacked me on the second day. I didn’t fancy spending the rest of my life with plastic moulds".

Musically, he started writing his own reggae songs around this time. "I was frustrated playing reggae from Jamaica which had little relevance to my own life, here in Britain. There were four or, five of us who felt the same way at the same time and that’s how Aswad came into being". Their first album was released in 1975. Dissatisfied with the distribution and promotion, they formed their own record company "Grove Music". "The trouble", says Brinsley, "was that no-one knew quite how to place us. British reggae was entirely new, so how to promote it was a key question. For a while they tried to align us with the Punks, but that wasn’t what we’re about at all".

As it was they went on tour with Eddie and the Hotrods. "Touring Scotland in a minibus was not one of my most comfortable experiences, but we were getting the exposure we needed. And most of the audience we played to were predominantly white. Until then our brand of reggae had been confined to our own clubs and sound-systems". Nowadays British reggae has been recognised by the music press and Aswad figure high on the list of any reggae programme.

Brinsley lives in Ladbroke Grove an area with which he feels a strong bond: "It’s great down there. There is a true community spirit".

KARL HOWMAN plays Ronnie

For KARL HOWMAN ‘Babylon’ was an entirely new experience. Already established as one of England’s brighter young acting talents, he had never before encountered anything like the ‘Babylon’ situation. He went into the film knowing precious little about West Indians living in London, Rastafan, sound-systems, or reggae for that matter; he came out of it enthused about each and every one of them.

Born in 1953, Karl grew up in Lewisham, and came into the theatre by way of the Picardy Boys School and the National Youth Theatre. "I was lucky. I played the lead in the N.Y.T. ‘s production of ‘Zigga Zagga’, David Puttnam saw me and gave me a role in his company’s film ‘That’ll be the Day’. He also had a leading role in ‘Stardust’ for the same company. Other credits include leading TV roles in series like ‘The Sweeney’, ‘Porridge’, ‘Van de Valk’ and ‘Armchair Theatre On the stage he starred in ‘Inch’ and ‘Teeth and Smiles’ which started at the Royal Court and transferred to Wyndhams in the West End. Filmwise he has recently starred in ‘Fox’ for Euston Films, and ‘S.O.S. Titanic’.

TREVOR LAIRD plays Beefy

Born in Islington in 1957, TREVOR LAIRD decided to become an actor after doing three years of an apprenticeship in electronics. He was trained at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington. His TV work includes ‘Playthings’ with Stephen Frears, ‘Waterloo Sunset’, ‘Victims of Apartheid’ and ‘Vanishing Army’ He is one of the founder members of the Black Theatre Co-operative and played the part of Zippy in their production of ‘Welcome Home Jacko’. Films include ‘Quadrophenia , The Last Good Friday’ and now ‘Babylon’

SOUND SYSTEMS

JAH SHAKA

MIGHTY OBSERVER

ROOTSMAN HI Fl AS ITAL LION

Special music recorded and produced for the movie by Denis Bovell in association with Morcut Records Ltd.

ITAL LION Dubs by ASWAD

"WARRIOR CHARGE"

"HEY JAH CHILDREN"

Other music

"DELIVER ME FROM MY ENEMIES" Yabba U [sic]

"BABYLON" John [sic] Clark played by JAH SHAKA

"WHA PN BAP N" I ROY

"YOU DID" Cassandra

LBC Theme Jeff Wayne Music

"CAN’T GIVE IT UP" Janet Kay

"TURN ME LOOSE" Michael Profit [sic

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/cast.html

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 12:41 PM

A S W A D

http://mapage.noos.fr/franoiss/photos2%20jpg/aswad.jpg

Aswad, meaning black in Arabic is also the name of the UK's finest Reggae outfit. No strangers to national chart success they achieved their first number one in the British Charts with "Don't Turn Around" in March 1988. Their success was testimony to Aswad's enduring qualities: for the past decade they have been one of the world's finest reggae bands. Twenty years on Aswad have released some of the finest reggae material of our time and now come fresh for '97 with a brand new album, 'BIG UP', released this month on the Mesa label part of the Atlantic Record Group.

The band's formation in 1975 and their full emergence in 1976, when they were snapped up by Island Records, marked a significant point in Reggae history because they were the first UK band to be signed by a major company. Not only was Aswad's sound authentic and militant but positively original, unlike many of their Jamaican counterparts.

Aswad's first single was released in 1976. "Back To Africa", featuring a cool, rock-steady rhythm and crisp rim shots from Drummie, it was a soaring vocal cry for a return to their homeland. The dub side was a wicked bass and drum scorcher giving scope to those aching harmonies and. like the vocal mix, proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that good reggae could be made right here in Britain. The proof of their acceptance by reggae purists was when "Back To Africa" rocketed to Number One in the reggae charts. The band's debut album, simply entitled "Aswad" confirmed their remarkable talent and originality. From the lovers-rock inspired "Irie Woman" through to such beautiful dub passages as "Ethiopian Rhapsody" the music reflected the experience of British blacks. This was particularly evident on their second single, "Three Babylon", released in 1976. The song struck out against the continual harassment of young blacks by the police.

Aswad eventually broke away from Island to release "It's not Our Wish", "It's not our wish that we should fight but it's our wish that we should be free, equal rights stands for all, equal rights that's all we want". They got involved in 'Rock Against Racism', touring the West coast of Africa eventually going to Jamaica to work on new material.

1979 saw the release of their second album "Hulet", the last three years had seen a dramatic change in their music. their sound had matured and benefited form other musical influences, particularly jazz fusion's. After releasing several move respected singles the end of 1980 saw Aswad move to CBS Records with who they released two albums "New Chapter" and "Not Satisfied", together with a brilliant single called "Finger Style Gun". The dub of "New Chapter" appeared on the band's own Simba label via Island.

The CBS years, however, were not the greatest period in the band's history. The "Not Satisfied" album edged into the national charts but it was a time when the band was consolidating, rather than progressing. They quit the label at the end of 1982 and released the single "Roots Rockin", on Samba the following year before re-signing to Island.

Aswad's recognition as one of the worlds finest reggae bands came after the release of their first live album "Live & Direct", recorded at The Nottinghill Carnival in '83. The band soon began work on a new album "Rebel Souls", recorded in both Jamaica and London the first single released from the album "Chasing For The Breeze" gave the band it's first chart hit. The albums release came at the end of October 1984 coinciding with Aswad's most extensive tour of Britain ending at London's Dominion Theatre.

By '87 Aswad were Brinsley Forde, Tony Gad and Drummie Zeb they recorded a new album called 'Distant Thunder' and as a prelude to the album's release the "Don't Turn Around" single hit the shops in early February entering the British pop charts st No:1! the albums release followed this success by reaching number 10 in the album charts. The second single "Give A Little Love", made the top 30 followed by "Set Them Free" the song Aswad performed at the Nelson Mandela concert at Wembley Stadium.

Aswad's next single "On and On" entered the top twenty in July '89 after which the band flew to Jamaica to begin work on their new LP. Produced by Gusie Clark and mixed by Stephen Stanley and Drummie, the album saw a return to their harder reggae sound. Special guests include Jamaican reggae star Shabba Ranks and hot new percussionists Steely and Clevie.

In between studio work Aswad returned to Britain for Nelson Mandela Day in May, and were received by an almost ecstatic crowd, while the same atmosphere prevailed when they headlined the Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica a month later.

http://www.hiponline.com/artist/music/a/aswad/
and
http://www.reggaetrain.com/bioaswad.asp

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 12:46 PM

Carnival to give Brum break to young talent
When reggae band Rasites are topping the charts, Carnival-goers in Birmingham will be able to say "I was there" when they play their city debut on Sunday 5 August during Carnival day.

Rasites comprise of four young lads who are aiming to make their mark playing contemporary reggae music.

The lads write and play their own material and a group of this talent has not emerged since the likes of ASWAD and STEEL PULSE. It's a lot to live up to, but Hugh Francis of Jet Star Music, who signed them up, thinks that they are stars of the future:

"They are delighted to be playing at Birmingham Carnival," said Hugh, "We have heard great things about the audiences and their appreciation of young talent. I truly believe that Rasites will be a household name in a few years. Although their career has only just started, I think it is a matter of time before the wider public will catch sight of their compelling stage presence."

Rasites were born and raised in North and East London and their musical skills were spotted at a talent competition at the Hackney Empire. They won first prize and caught the attention of Jet Star who signed them to their record label in 1999.

The band have performed at major concerts at home and in Europe but this will be their first visit to Birmingham. They are currently in the recording studio putting the finishing touches to their debut album.

The Line Up: Drums: OTIS (aged 16) Lead Vocs/ Bass Guitar JAHMEL (aged 18) Keyboards CYRUS (aged 18) Lead Vocs/ Guitar KASHTA (aged 19)

-Ends-
http://www.birminghamcarnival.co.uk/carnival2001/pr/bigbreak.html

Martin Red

10-09-2003, 12:53 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/jamaican-gallery/jamaica-party-13.jpg
Carnival dancers jiggin' at the BBC party

On Friday 2 August we co-hosted a party with our neighbour site BBC Birmingham and with BBC WM.

Limbo dancing at the party
We invited people from Birmingham and Coventry to join the party, including representatives from Coventry's West Indian Community Association.

We also had Aswad in a live webchat
joined by three ladies who run an organisation called Sister Tree in Birmingham.

Ruby Turner at the party
They were asked questions about traditional Jamaican food and described their favourites, like a drink called sexy juice that they drink for Independence Day.

In Jamaica, Independence Day is as big a celebration as Christmas is in the UK. Many go to the National Heroes park as part of the celebrations.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/jamaican-gallery/jamaica-party-11.jpg
Representatives from the Coventry West Indian Community Association

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/jamaican-gallery/jamaica-party24.jpg
Patricia Wright interviewing the chef from Mangos

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/jamaican-gallery/jamaica-party26.jpg
The amazing fire-eating belly dancer Natasha Marie

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/jamaican-gallery/jamaica-party-17.jpg
Sister Tree enjoying the punch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/jamaican-gallery/jamaica-party8.jpg
Dee Dee K with Emeth and Beresford Dawkins at the BBC Jamaican Independence Day party

SOURCE = http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/features/stories/west_indian/bbc-jamaican-independence-party.shtml

nev m

10-09-2003, 01:41 PM

SYLVESTER THE SOCA MASTER.

Birmingham, if not the U.Ks premier soca DJ hence the Soca Master.

Although he is now a DJ he started out as a proffesional musician, and played drums with Delagation (aforementioned), and J.A.L.N Band both of which had top twenty hits.

I had the great pleasure of working with him in the early nineties on Radio Harmony which was the first station of it's kind being completely multi cultural. It had very diverse programming, and a general World music policy.

Sylvester currently resides on Galaxy 102.2 doing the Soca programme. He is doing things all over the city for Black History Month. He's a lovely bloke, and a credit to the great city of Birmingham.

(Sorry I've not got a photo).

greg wilson

10-09-2003, 01:49 PM

http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/j/Covers/jaln_ban.jpg

J.A.L.N BAND
http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/j/JALN_BAN.HTM

FROM ABOVE LINK:
UK home-grown black music band from the 1970's. Dabbled in disco / funk / reggae in the mid to late 1970's - and became very popular in the UK. Biggest hit was "Disco music (I like it)" which is very good (it was also the first 12" single on the Magnet label). Listen for their Parliament-styled p-funk tracks; along "Life is a fight", their version of Fatback's "Street dance", and "Get up".
J.A.L.N. stands for "Just another lonely night".

Disco music (I like it) / (same) (Magnet 12" [UK] MAG 73, 1976)
I got to sing / Say say say (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 97, 1977)
Get up / Got things to do (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 118, 1978)
Universal love (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 131, 1978)
Movin' city high / Mockin' bird hill (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 137, 1978)

Life is a fight (Magnet LP [UK], 1976)
Movin' City High (Magnet LP [UK], 1977)

Street dance (Magnet 7" [UK], 1975)
Life is a fight (Magnet 7" [UK], 1976)

greg wilson

10-09-2003, 01:52 PM

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39277000/jpg/_39277265_wharton203.jpg

ARTHUR WHARTON
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/3066639.stm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
The life of the world's first black professional footballer is being celebrated at the National Football Museum in Lancashire.
The exhibition detailing the life and career of Arthur Wharton is due to be opened on Tuesday by Viv Anderson - the first black player to be a full member of the England squad.

Wharton was one of the leading goalkeepers of his time, in a career which spanned 16 years between 1886 and 1902.

During that time he played for Preston North End, Stockport County, Sheffield United and Rotherham Town.

Speaking ahead of the launch, at the Preston museum, Mr Anderson said: "It is an incredible story.

"The accounts of the day say that Wharton should have played in goal for his country, but the administrators at the FA only selected white, English gentlemen to play for the national side."

Skilled keeper

Wharton came to England from Africa's Gold Coast, now Ghana, but never played for his adopted homeland.

Many contemporary newspaper reports testified to his skill between the sticks.

But others used the racist language of the day, often comparing him to an animal in the way he moved between the posts.

The museum's curator Mark Bushell said: "Many people think black players only began to play the game in this country in the 1960s and 70s.

"Fans are genuinely amazed when they find out there was a black player in the late 1880s.

"It's unbelievable that it took almost 100 years for a black player to break through at international level when, finally, Viv represented his country against Czechoslovakia in 1978."

nev m

10-09-2003, 01:58 PM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/j/Covers/jaln_ban.jpg

J.A.L.N BAND
http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/j/JALN_BAN.HTM

FROM ABOVE LINK:
UK home-grown black music band from the 1970's. Dabbled in disco / funk / reggae in the mid to late 1970's - and became very popular in the UK. Biggest hit was "Disco music (I like it)" which is very good (it was also the first 12" single on the Magnet label). Listen for their Parliament-styled p-funk tracks; along "Life is a fight", their version of Fatback's "Street dance", and "Get up".
J.A.L.N. stands for "Just another lonely night".

Disco music (I like it) / (same) (Magnet 12" [UK] MAG 73, 1976)
I got to sing / Say say say (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 97, 1977)
Get up / Got things to do (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 118, 1978)
Universal love (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 131, 1978)
Movin' city high / Mockin' bird hill (Magnet 12" [UK] 12 MAG 137, 1978)

Life is a fight (Magnet LP [UK], 1976)
Movin' City High (Magnet LP [UK], 1977)

Street dance (Magnet 7" [UK], 1975)
Life is a fight (Magnet 7" [UK], 1976) Nice one Greg! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Friday

10-09-2003, 02:17 PM

Wonderful thread Martin! graemlins/cheering.gif Here is my contribution. To SIr with Love, starring Sydney Pointer. Although he is American, this movie had such an impact, espeacially on me. Wonderful film to come out of England!

http://tosirwithlove.co.uk/oldsite/images/Image1_png_jpg.jpg

http://tosirwithlove.co.uk/oldsite/images/Image9_png_jpg.jpg

greg wilson

10-09-2003, 02:34 PM

http://www.iol.ie/~beatlesireland/irish/images/awx5.jpg

LORD WOODBINE
The above photograph was taken on The Beatles first trip to Hamburg in 1960, at the war memorial in Arnhem, Holland. Although you can't make it out here, on a clearer copy of this photograph you can see that the memorial is inscribed with the words "Their Name Liveth For Evermore.", which is somewhat prophetic given The Beatles phenomenal rise to worldwide fame within a matter of years. 'The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away' is Allan Williams, who managed the band at this point. Lord Woodbine was his friend and sometimes business associate, and is sat down in the picture. He died in 2000.

Lord Woodbine's Death A Shock

Paul, George & Ringo expressed their shock over the death of Harold Phillips. The 72-year-old, who was given the nickname Lord Woodbine due to his earlier love of the cigarette of the same name, died tragically along with his wife when their home was engulfed by fire. He was one of the first promoters to book the group when they were still known as the Silver Beetles and he drove them to Hamburg. He was very much-liked gentleman, who will be sadly missed.

http://www.geocities.com/gwriteink/July2001/lordwoodbine.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
Lord Woodbine, the Trinidad-born panman and concert promoter who played a crucial role in the making of the international pop phenomenon called the Beatles, died one year ago this month, in a house fire in England. He was 72.

Lord Woodbine was not inscribed in the British peerage. Truth be told, this native of Trinidad and Tobago “lorded” himself after the Woodbine cigarettes that he chained smoked.

Harold Phillips, the man who would become Lord Woodbine, was one of four hundred and ninety West Indians who arrived in England aboard the Empire Windrush on Tuesday, June 22, 1948; West Indians celebrate this date as the “birthday of the West Indian community in Britain.”

Young Harold Phillips stepped out of the Windrush with a plan in his pocket and soon thereafter, he took up residence in the city of Liverpool believing that that city held out the best prospects for his success in “the cold”. Liverpool has a Black community going all the way back to the eighteenth century when the city was “king of the British slave trade”.

In his book titled From Columbus to Castro Eric Williams (1911-1981) tells us: “In 1774 half of Liverpool’s sailors were engaged in the slave trade, which by 1783 was estimated to bring the town a clear annual profit of three hundred thousand pounds”. Williams also reminds us that Liverpool’s Customs House was “blazoned with Negro heads… eloquent testimony to the origins of Liverpool’s rise by 1783 to the position of one of the most famous- or infamous, depending on the point of view- towns in the world of commerce”.

In 1981,Toxteth, Liverpool’s Black community, was the scene of one of the fiercest race riots in British history.

Harold Phillips had scarcely established roots in Liverpool when he opened his own nightclub, the Colony Club. As a club owner Woodbine became widely known for his use of a well set cutlass to tame rowdy patrons; it is said that the flash of Woodbine’s “gilpin” was always enough to restore peace to the dancehall.

In Liverpool, too, Woodbine founded the Royal Caribbean Steel Orchestra, following pan pioneer Winston Spree Simon’s 1957 visit to England. The Royal Caribbean was the first steel orchestra formed in England.

Phillips’ pan side played all over Liverpool and wherever he played Phillips was shadowed by a posse of loyal fans, including John Lennon and Paul McCartney. John and Paul loved to listen to steelband music. In fact, John often took his guitar to the pan concerts so that he could jam along with the man they called “Woody.”

But the Lennon and McCartney association with Harold Phillips went beyond the steelband concerts. The two future pop greats and their band played Woody’s club on a regular basis. Woody liked the youngsters’ music and so when German cabaret owner Bruno Koshminder called to ask for a “good British band” Woody picked the Beatles and went on to drive the then five-man group (John Lennon, Paul Mc Cartney, Pete Best, Stuart Sutcliffe and George Harrison) from the Netherlands to Germany in a “mash up” Volkswagen van.

This is how the Beatles historic Hamburg concert happened and Lord Woodbine (Harold Phillips) was at the centre of it all.

Paul McCartney paid tribute to Woodbine in a 1995 Anthology television series.

Harold Phillips (Lord Woodbine) was born at Lavantille, Trinidad, in 1928 to a Grenadian mother and a father who was born in Venezuela.

[ October 09, 2003, 10:22 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Mah'chew

10-10-2003, 05:42 AM

http://www.leftalliance.org.uk/images/welman.gif

The Mandela Centre
Chapeltown Road - Leeds 7
The Mandela Centre offers a full programme of activities for more details,
Tel: 262 2816
SPORT
RECREATION
EDUCATION
CULTURE
ENTERTAINMENT

Mandela Gardens, Leeds

Mr. Nelson Mandela was made an Honorary Freeman of the City of Leeds on the 30th April 2001.
The ceremony took place in Leeds Civic Hall before Mr. Mandela re-dedicated the nearby Mandela Garden and attending an open-air show featuring top South African artistes on the city’s new Millennium Square.

Mr. Mandela has numerous links and honours from the City of Leeds, inclusing his being elected as Honorary President of the Leeds University Students Union in 1965. The 'Mandela Centre' opened in Chapeltown in 1984.

The new Mandela Gardens includes a cascading water feature and a 16ft high bronze sculpture of outstretched hands, by the Leeds-born sculptor Kenneth Armitage.

Take the 360 degree tour here:

http://www.vrleeds.co.uk/java-tour/source/mandelagardens0501.html

http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/hannah/carnival/chapeltown_road.jpg

http://www.leeds365.co.uk/images/Nelson1.jpg

Mah'chew

10-10-2003, 06:13 AM

DEADMEAT by Q, Novel & Digital Opera

http://www.deadmeat.com/indexflash.html

http://www.thei.aust.com/books97/images98/btlrvdeadmeat.jpg

Q whipped up a storm in the press last year, when he ‘remixed’ his novel Deadmeat into a stage version for the West Yorkshire Playhouse – ‘play’ doesn’t even begin to describe the show he and Playhouse director Jude Kelly created.
Internet access, virtual actors on huge video screens, a live band, DJs and audience interaction were all worked into the narrative.
“When I agreed to adapt the novel for the stage, I knew I didn’t want to use a conventional theatre. I wanted to make it more like the club-land experience.“We took the chairs out of the venue, and had an H-shaped catwalk built instead of a stage. And the actors mingled with the audience.” The show revolutionised the theatrical experience. And, if his latest project – a 13-minute short film, entitled www.deadmeat.com (http://www.deadmeat.com) – takes off as he expects it to, then he’ll do the same to the cinematic experience.
To trace the humble beginnings of the ever-developing Deadmeat project, you have to go back to 1990.
Leaving school at 17, Q managed to get work as an actor. But the dearth of decent parts for black actors prompted a colleague to advise him to write his own.
He began writing his murder mystery internet thriller soon afterwards.
When he had finished this self-taught, self-financed novel, he sold 4,000 copies – personally, by hand, around London’s clubs and markets.
“When I went to publishers as a young black writer 10 years ago, they were more interested in established writers – nowadays they will snap your hands off – but this was before Yardie or Courttia Newland’s Society Within.
“A lot of my friends are involved in the music business. So I just observed how they were trying to get on in an underground/indie scale – pressing demos of their singles and trying to get DJs to play them in clubs.
“That’s the way Wu Tang Clan and LL Cool J started, selling records in their neighbourhoods from the back of their cars.
“I decided it could work for books as well.”
Even in those early days, he sold Deadmeat as a multi-media project, offering it in two parts and including audio and video tapes with the second instalment.

Overlap
“Young clubbers don’t read very much and, if they do, it’s magazines or newspapers. So I thought I’d more likely catch them with music. Then I thought that even music wasn’t enough. We live in a visual age, so I included a video as well.
“There is a lot of overlap between media these days. The Charlie’s Angels movie is being sold in conjunction with the Destiny’s Child song.
“But none of this has ever been done by design. I didn’t sit down and say I’m going to do this, this and this.
“It all comes back to the consumer. People who read the first part said, ‘Why don’t you include some music?’ They made me update my product.”
The Deadmeat stage show was the next step. And, when he enlightens you about some of the innovative fusions between media, it’s not difficult to believe Q’s assertion that he always envisaged Deadmeat as a film.
Renowned thespian Ian McKellen became involved in the stage show. But, as he was unable to turn up and perform every night, he was transformed into a virtual actor. His lines were videoed and shown on giant screens, running alongside the live action, to provide synchronicity between the virtual and ‘on-stage’ action.
Computer terminals were set up in the theatre foyer to allow punters to leave messages on the Deadmeat website, and these were later added to the show’s text.
Moreover, when the murderer’s identity was revealed, the audience was invited to vote on whether or not the culprit should be turned over to the police.
“I always wanted it to be a film, even before it became a play. It doesn’t matter that it has taken seven years to achieve my goal because I’ve been learning all the time.”
Delays to the project were due primarily to lack of funding. Q received approaches from film companies eager to turn the story into a movie, but they all wanted to prise his ideas away from him.

Author Q is a Londoner and part of the new breed of raw Jamaican writers who refuse to be stifled by tradition or publishing etiquette. His debut story first appeared in The Fred, followed by his contribution to the Disco Biscuits anthology, and his self-published version of Deadmeat was sold in instalments throughout London markets and clubs. He has also recently recorded a single with Monkey 5 for the
forthcoming Q & Monkey 5 album, 'Future Primitive'.

Q is a glaringly obvious exception to most rules that govern daily life and that's what makes him a refreshing, compelling and ultra realistic creative auteur who has managed to infiltrate the British publishing scene, a fact which can only be put down to his resourceful nature. There is much that he should inspire in all budding writers; a style that is synonymous with the crystalline licks of drum'n'bass, a plot that shifts urgently between crime, love, sex, music, obsession, multi media, a Cyber Vigilante Serial Killer, family loyalty, the cold and ruthless art world, predators, culture and the lilting tongue of the urban Caribbean male.

Where many of the Scottish chemical writers rely on a mixture of brutal language and violence, Q's Deadmeat retains an air of bruised romanticism and emotion whilst taking you on a midnight stroll through the inner sanctum of London life, and there remains throughout a nagging sensation that much of what he has laid down between the pages of Deadmeat is autobiographical.

Deadmeat is the story of Clarkie, a 20-something Jamaican who has recently been released from prison after doing time for a crime that his brother Bones committed. Clarkie is the fall guy in many ways, an empathetic creature who is sensitive to, and a product of his surroundings. Walking the beat of the London street he discovers much has changed; the dirges of drum'n'bass now greet his ears, drugs such as plug and crack flow like rivers, his parents are happily ensconced in a house that his brother purchased, long term friendships continue and above all, a multi media haven has arisen with his brother as its overlord.

Bones is a contradiction and a genius; an artist, a multi-media baron, a club owner, a Net head who relies on his quick and exploitative eye to make money. Froggy, his second-in-command is the manipulative manager who would sell his grandmother to the highest bidder. Clarkie and Froggy are distrustful of each other's motives and therefore spend most of their time eyeing each other suspiciously. Add into the equation the icy and sexually predatorial Melanie, the barrister who represented Clarkie in court and the woman who Bones has pledged his love to and a serial killer on the loose, and you've got the outline for a damn good story.

"Bones was a man on a mission, he was at the front end of it all. He was in the right place at the right time but he was deserving," Clarkie observes. "There was something in his personality that people found uncomfortable, the only way I can describe it is like an earthquake, a fire or a tornado. They felt something bigger was threatening them. Technology was helping him do more complicated things quickly and he loved that. His work was intuitive not linear, it was serious but not sterile. The people who worked a regular 9 to 5 for corporate companies picked up their pay cheque at the end of the month. If Bones didn't sell paintings in the early days he didn't eat and he had to be original to survive."

The cutting edge provides a springboard on which all of Deadmeat's characters soar into different spheres, but all are wedded by the common knowledge that technology is the only way to progress. They all live off their raw nerves and are forced to be resourceful even when confronted by danger.

The Cyber Vigilante quickens the pace with a spate of killings and Bones, Clarkie and Froggy all gradually become entwined in his/her web. Clarkie eternally seeks a place to fit in, his obsession with boxing and going straight making it extremely difficult for a transition to occur and with financial motivations spurring Froggy and Bones onwards the stakes suddenly become a lot higher.

There is much to recommend about Deadmeat and if there is a flaw in the plot then it comes with the identity of the Cyber Vigilante and a twist that seems all too convenient. Q insists on wrapping up this fast-paced and alluring tale with the heavy-handedness of a removalist racing against the clock to beat the rush hour traffic and ruins what is essentially a balanced and surprising journey.

This is not the kind of book that the literary establishment is likely to fawn over as it relies on a coquettish mixture of street talk, Jamaican dialogue and urban irreverence, and there's is a lack of intellectualism which possibly is the reason why Q is likely to garner a healthy fan-base within his immediate locale.

With the advent of the internet, self-publishing threatens to spill into many orifices and possibly will continue to spawn raw talents such as Q. With the emphasis placed on imagination, guts and vision it is also a powerful medium that should be used to encourage aspiring writers from all walks of life, free of binding book contracts and the sometimes safe eyes of staid and unadventurous Commissioning Book Editors.

Deadmeat is both a credit to its author and to his steely determination to write the kind of book that future street poets can use as a signpost and a symbol of self-expression.

THE QUESTION OF Q
The year is 1991, electronic music is rapidly gaining momentum and there is a young writer who turns up at the club you're at, and tries to sell you a copy of his book. The next night you see him reading extracts from his book to the sounds of a DJ. You pick up the book and begin to read it. As you turn each page, you are startled by the revelation at hand; the characters, the environments they inhabit and the music they are listening to, is familiar to you. You can understand and relate to them. His book titled, 'Deadmeat' has been inspired by a culture that is currently enveloping you. This writer is known to you by only one initial - Q.

Little is known about the elusive Q. His biography in the back of Disco Biscuits simply consists of two sentences - "Q is a Londoner. His first novel Deadmeat was published in 1997". Simple, straight to the point, without revealing anything that may give us an insight into Q's mind. He has aided in fuelling this mystery, refusing to reveal his real name.

For the majority of Britain's epic electronic music followers, Q was first brought to light via the highly publicised 'Disco Biscuits'. This collection of short stories written about club culture, featuring the likes of Irvine Welsh, Jeff Noon and Nicholas Blincoe, was instrumental in creating a new wave of 'chemical inspired' literature. For 'Disco Biscuits', Q constructed the ominous, 'The Sparrow'. This poetic tale of the new urban drug wars sweeping London's dance scene, was a highlight. "The DJ has them in her hands they are lambs being led to slaughter".

Q has always been light years ahead of his colleagues, pioneering avenues in which to publish his work, setting a precedent for others, including Irvine Welsh, to follow. He says this innovative approach to book publishing resulted because of the existing constraints in the publishing world. "By serialising it, doing it like a record, taking it into clubs and selling it like a white label; I was actually letting the audience decide. The way the publishing industry was structured before, they would just pick up a big major act and would determine if they were a success. At that time they weren't really gearing the market to a younger audience".

It was precisely this attitude that first led Q to pursue writing, saying that his choice of career developed from need, rather than notions of grandeur. This 'need' provided the subject matter for his first novel, 'Deadmeat'. "That's what the whole Deadmeat lifestyle is about. If I didn't do what I did for myself, I wouldn't be here now and I refused to be Deadmeat" he says. "I refused to let someone else decide my fate".

Q is a strong advocate for the way technology has rapidly reshaped our society. It is one of the issues he feels passionate about, suggesting that it has helped spearhead yet another movement in history. He sees enormous potential for young people to utilise technology, particularly the internet. "The internet is like electronic literature, electronic film. Once you allow technology to get into people's lives, it means that people who are disadvantaged can pick up on the tools and overcome prejudice, racism, oligopolies all the different structures".

It's not surprising then, that the man known by only one letter, has once again applied his forward thinking approach to taking Deadmeat to the world. He is back in clubland, complete with a travelling roadshow of dancers, singers.... and a Rock 'n Roll band. "I've put loops into Deadmeat, like 'soul, soul soul, you've got to have soul soul soul'. It's very simple, they can either be playing a Drum n' Bass beat, a Rock 'n Roll beat and then I just do the same stuff with it. I beam in my website which means the place I am in becomes the Chameleon Club. Which is the club I talk about in my book, so basically it is virtual fiction. It doesn't matter where I am in the world I can always beam in that club and therefore the people in the club become part of the book".

greg wilson

10-10-2003, 12:44 PM

http://www.benjireid.com/images/g1.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g2.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g3.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g4.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g8.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g7.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g6.jpg http://www.benjireid.com/images/g5.jpg

BRITISH B BOYS
(photo: Broken Glass - Manchester)
http://www.benjireid.com/breaking_cycles.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
With the release of Malcolm McLaren's 'Buffalo Girls' video, the UK got it's first glimpse of break dancing. When it was first screened on Top of the Pops a whole generation was turned-on to this new dance form. At school, kids were breaking their necks to get the moves! B-boys everywhere were destroying their mothers' kitchens and ripping up the lino. Carpet shops were raided for lino. Street crews were poppin' up everything. Broken Glass, Street Machine, Soul Sonic Rocker, Birmingham B-boys, Rock City Breakers, London Allstars, Live to Break, Look Twice. A whole new movement was in the making.

MY OWN PIECE, 'NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS HERE'S THE BRONX', ABOUT THE IMPACT OF 'BUFFALO GALS' AND THE ROOTS OF THE BRITISH HIP HOP MOVEMENT, CAN BE SEEN HERE:
http://www.electroempire.com/bollox.htm

[ October 10, 2003, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-10-2003, 01:12 PM

smile.gif Nice one Greg.

I will be back to comment on the other post when I have I time to put it down.

Originally posted by greg wilson:
Carpet shops were raided for lino. I remember we stole a roll from outside a carpet shop.

Difficult, as you can't get a 9' roll under your jacket.
graemlins/rofl.gif

greg wilson

10-10-2003, 06:00 PM

THIS WASN'T YOU WAS IT MARTIN?

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2002/06june/02harry18.shtml

FROM LINK ABOVE:
The Mail's advertising columns have become a constant source of amusement for me.

It never ceases to amaze me the sort of stuff that people sell in our free ads.

But this week I was chuckling my head off when I read an advert someone had placed in our lost and found.

You can read the advert for yourself but your guess is as good as mine as to why a roll of lino was left unattended on a busy thoroughfare.

Our youngest reporter Caroline Neill reckons she has an idea. Caroline thinks it's been left by a breakdancer.

Her theory is based on the fact that a few years ago she was friendly with a young man who was keen a break dancer and always carried a roll of lino under his arm.

Caroline, who's more interested in skateboarding these days, tells us that the lad often felt the urge to breakdance and when he did he just rolled out the lino and got down to it.

The lady who placed the advert in the paper didn't want any publicity but she's promised to let us know if anyone claims the lost lino.

I hope we get to the bottom of this. Me and thousands of Mail readers are intrigued.

If it's your lino please let me know.

http://www.secondhandrose.com/linol/images/store.jpg

[ October 10, 2003, 07:19 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-10-2003, 06:44 PM

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~litjen/wpapers/tone.JPG http://ska.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2F nj%2Fskagrrl%2Ftone.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
2Tone: The Music Label that United Not Divided
"2Tone" if looked up in an encyclopedia would reveal that it was a late 70's British record label. But it was much more than just a group of musicians and businessmen trying to make a profit off of United Kingdom's youth. 2Tone raised a positive and constructive movement of racial unity, in a country full of prejudices. When this ska music label began in 1979 by Jerry Dammers, no one expected that this label would be one of the main reasons for understanding on the club dance floors.

The main reason why ska was introduced in England was because of the unlimited immigration policy of the commonwealth in 1962. Many Jamaicans came to Britain and along with their cultural baggage came ska music. Ska is the predecessor of reggae music, which in England first attracted a group of middle class working British youth (mods, later skinheads). They would go down to the docks and listen to ska music in small Jamaican dance clubs. In the late 70's, ska had spread out to the point where creating a record label dedicated to that type of music in did not seem like such a radical idea. Jerry Dammers, creator of the 2Tone label and member of the ska band The Specials, began signing up British ska bands, many of which were racially integrated : The English Beat, The Selecter, Bodysnatchers, etc.

With the new record label, Dammers created a logo that is still well known today in the ska world, "Walt Jabsco". It is a drawing of a man dressed in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, pork pie hat, white socks, and black loafers. This use of the colors black and white became the symbol of racial UNITY. Which was also put as a checkered black and white design. One can quickly understand how on a checkered design the colors black and white are tightly woven together with no breaks and both colors equally distributed on the design. As the title of my webpage says,"Ska is not a fashion, it's a way of life."The black and white dichotomy is an ideology which is much deeper in social meaning than Madonna's wearing of a Christian cross. Despite the many racial confrontations in England at the time due to the National Front(a white supremacist group which reached a peak in the early 80's), the black and white clothing worn by the rude boys and rude girls of the ska scene, promoted racial unity. This music scene brought blacks and whites peacefully together on the dance floor where they could finally share something in common...their love for ska music.

The 2Tone ska bands used political and social issues in their lyrics to make Britain's youth understand the trials and tribulations of modern society. For example the song, "Too Much, Too Young" by The Specials, discusses about unprotected sex and unwanted pregnancies. Another song from The Selecter ,"I Want Justice" goes into depth about breaking down narrow minded walls of thought. Music has always served as a messenger to all adolescents who refuse to listen to the "growing pains" lectures their parents dictate to them. In England, during that period the peoples' poets were 2Tone bands. These bands showed youths that alcoholism, idleness, fighting, prejudice and many other social plagues of our modern world can be avoided by simple common sense and moderation. These issues are still quite prominent at the end of the millennium and so these songs can still serve a purpose in sending affirmative action messages to society.

Many of 2Tone's singles went to Britain's Top 10 Music Charts. The song "Ghost Town" from The Specials, sold a million copies. But fame and fortune made 2Tone's bands more distant. The Selecter left 2Tone after great deal of stressful touring around the world. Madness found a big corporate record label , "Virgin" and so they abandoned their old roster. The Specials were becoming very dissonant with each other and quickly fell apart. And to top it all Dammers was in monetary debt to 2Tone's record partner, Chrysalis records in New York City. So Dammers had no choice but to shut down 2Tone. This action did not cause very much of a riot in the ska scene, since the scene had become less and less popular.

The downfall could be simply explained by a few adjectives: greed, corporate media and newer trends. Even though 2Tone records is now non-existent, a lot of ska fans today still listen to 2Tone bands. Some of the old bands have reformed, for example The Selecter are presently touring North America. One may say that as long as there is ska there will always be "Walt Jabsco" as an image of understanding and unity. 2Tone was one of ska history's stepping stones, which was well needed to continue on the Jamaican tradition. This era lasted for 6 years, yet it created a foundation for ska bands of today to follow and expand their musical venues while continuing the tradition of bringing harmony in a society plundered by redundant disco music and unjustified racism.

http://2-tone.info/lgsa/thisare2tone_us_front.jpg

[ October 10, 2003, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

kelvy

10-11-2003, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
GENO WASHINGTON PICS smile.gif

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/entertainment/images/music/genowashington300.jpgGeno Washington and the Ram Jam Band in 1962... (Photo: Dezo Hoffman/Rex Features

http://www.artists2events.co.uk/artistsimages/genoWashington/Geno-Washington.jpg
http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/images/whatson/wo20031117_geno_washington.jpg
http://www.qleap.co.uk/acatalog/GENOVC01.gif
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/1899344446.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg Geno Washington released a solo album in 1979 on the DJM label (dist. by Phonogram/Mercury if my memory serves right) called "That's Why Hollywood Loves Me" (second picture on the post in black and white)...the title track was kind of synth-heavy in the vein of Amii Stewart's rendition of "Knock On Wood"...i really love the one minute or so part where he sings the refrain "i'm so glad to be in hollywood"...plus anothe good song in there called "get some bad"...

this is a fantastic post Martin..i hail.gif graemlins/respekt.gif didn't even know about Geno's involvement with Ram Jam until you brought this post....this is definetly one for the archives!

speaking about Black History Month in the UK...

Projection -- "Lovestruck"/"Don't Fake My Love"
Beverli Brown
Phil Fearon & Galaxy -- "Dancing Tight"
UK Players -- "You Make Me Feel"/"Love's Gonna Get You"
Central Line -- "Walking Into Sunshine"/"Don't Tell Me"/"You've Said Enough" (one of the groups that started my lifelong love for the music)
Kadenza -- "Let's Do It"/"Let's Stay Together"/"Living In A Backstreet"
Second Image -- "Starting Again"/"Special Lady"/"Lights Out"
Total Contrast -- "Takes A Little Time"
Juliet Roberts -- "Caught In The Middle"
Ochi Brown -- "Whenever You Need Somebody"/"100% Pure Pain"
Princess -- "Say I'm Your #1"
Haywoode
The Walkers -- "Whatever Happened To The Party Groove"
Jaki Graham -- "Victim Of Emotion"

kudos!

[ October 12, 2003, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: kelvy ]

Cookiehead Jenkins

10-11-2003, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
;)
http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/drc800/c808/c80818f9gw3.jpg

Memories. This was my joint BITD

nev m

10-12-2003, 06:27 AM

That Two Tone post has reminded me that Neville Staples (great name Neville) from The Specials is currently Djing in a Ska styli around Birmingham.

I'm not sure how often he plays but he was advertised as playing at The Drum in Aston about 3 weeks ago. I would love to go to a Ska disco with a load of "no longer spring chickens" and shake it. Dig out them sta-press!!

greg wilson

10-12-2003, 07:13 AM

http://www.johnconteh.co.uk/images/jc-wbc-border.gif

JOHN CONTEH
http://www.johnconteh.co.uk/

FROM ABOVE SITE:
At the age of 23, John Conteh of Liverpool became
the first British boxer to hold the World Light Heavyweight Championship for a quarter of a century.

In fact, the first British champion to hold a world title for 13 years. His arrival marked the beginning of a new era for British boxing.

For six years, Conteh soared to great heights and now, 29 years after beating the Argentinean Jorge Ahumada at Wembley - and with 39 professional fights behind him John is now one of the most popular speakers on the after dinner circuit.
He also is heavily involved in fund raising for the Variety Club of Great Britain.

greg wilson

10-12-2003, 06:12 PM

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/layout/mainbanner2.jpg

JUST COME ACROSS THIS SITE.

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/index.htm

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 04:42 AM

http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/B/bookbox/authors/zephaniah/images/pic1.gif
Benjamin Zephaniah

Born: - Birmingham UK 1958

One of Nelson MAndela's favorite poets. Recorded with the legendary Wailers.

Benjamin Zephaniah is a twin (he has a sister). He was born in Birmingham but spent much of his childhood in Jamaica. He can't remember a time when he wasn't creating poetry. He never enjoyed school - partly because nobody at the time recognised that he is dyslexic.

Benjamin writes poems which are funny but which have a serious message as well. He is a passionate vegan and many of his poems are about animal rights. He is also concerned about racial and social issues, and is a pacifist.

Audiences so loved Benjamin's performances that his poems began to be published in anthologies. Collections such as Funky Chickens and Talking Turkeys broke through cultural, social and racial barriers and established Benjamin as one of the foremost poets of his day.

More recently, Benjamin has begun to write novels that explore new subjects in simple and refreshingly different ways.

He now does a lot of work with charities, including the Hackney Empire Theatre and the Umoja Housing Co-operative. He is often on tour and broadcasts frequently on radio and TV.

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 04:54 AM

HAILE SELASSIE

1892: Haile Selassie is born near Harar

1928: He ascends to the throne of Shoa

1930: He ascends to the imperial throne and is crowned emperor of Ethiopia

1936: Mussolini invades Ethiopia and Haile Selassie escapes to England

1941: he returns to Addis Ababa

1974: He is deposed by Mengistu

1975: Dies while in custody

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series2/images/haile_200.jpg
KING OF KINGS| A figurehead of African independence, but what are his West Midland's connections?

Inside Out charts the remarkable history of ruler, Haile Selassie, from his Ethiopian empire to the rolling countryside of Malvern in the West Midlands.

Haile Selassie came to power in 1930 and his royal line can be traced back as far as King Solomon and The Queen of Sheba

He was viewed by many as the figurehead of African independence, whilst he became a central figure in the Rastafarian movement.

Benjamin Zephaniah tells us, "African people looked to Ethiopia for a black Christ and for many, Haile Selassie was they one they had been waiting for."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series2/images/haile_old_footage_150.jpg
A royal welcome? Haile Selassie slotted quietly into Malvern life

Royal connections

In 1936, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia and the empire was crushed. Haile Selassie fled to England, first to London and then to Malvern. And it is here that Inside Out picks up the trail.

We sent Poet and Rastafarian, Benjamin Zephaniah, in search of Haile Selassie’s West Midlands legacy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series2/images/haile_presenter_150.jpg
Benjamin unlowingly spent his summer holidays in a town with close connections to the emperor

A quick jaunt around the town of Malvern is revealing. It seems that few locals are aware of their town’s royal connections. However a tip off sends Benjamin to the Abbey Hotel and the very room where Haile Selassie stayed.

It is in the Winter Gardens, that Benjamin finds two Malvern locals for whom Haile Selassie is not such a distant memory.

For times of quite reflection and prayer, Haile Selassie could be found in Holy Trinity Church.

"He always rejected the view that he was the second Christ," explains the Reverend of Holy Trinity. "He always remained a Christian."

Haile Selassie may have been a Malvern local, yet his memory still appears a little vague and distance - but there is a place where his legacy lives on.

Legacy

Handsworth - the location of ‘The Peace Patrol’, a Rastafarian group that works in conjunction with the police, helping to bridge the divide.

Here, Haile Selassie’s beliefs and teachings are practised, as Peace Officer, Clive Asher explains:

"The youth of today are the men of tomorrow and his majesty has always stipulated that we must boost the education of the youths."

So whilst many of Malvern’s locals remain unaware of the town’s majestic past, there are a many other West Midlanders doing their utmost to ensure that Haile Selassie’s legacy is alive and kicking in Birmingham.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series2/haile_selassie_malvern.shtml

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 05:15 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/images/banner.jpg
The Crouches - BBC ONE Tuesdays 10.35pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/images/promo_table.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_roly.jpg
Robbie Gee
(Roly Crouch): Robbie's career has seen him tread the boards with the Royal Shakespeare Company and perform at the Royal National Theatre. He is probably best known for The Real McCoy and his role as Lee aka ‘The Peckham Prince’ in Desmond’s. His film credits include Snatch and Mike Bassett: England Manager. Trivia: Robbie is a skilled footballer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_natalie.jpg
Jo Martin (Natalie Crouch): As well as performing in the theatre - most notably at the RSC - Jo has worked on TV and radio (credits include Chef! and The Little Big Woman Radio Show). Trivia: Jo is also a writer and director who is well known for her work at the renowned Theatre Royal Stratford East. She is a Taurus.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_langley.jpg
Rudolph Walker (Grandpa): Rudolph is no stranger to television, theatre or film with a multitude of credits to his name - The Thin Blue Line, The Ice Man Cometh, Black Silk and Love Thy Neighbour to name but a few. He is currently on our screens in EastEnders as Patrick Trueman. Trivia: Rudolph was born and raised in Trinidad. He’s passionate about cricket. In 2002 Rudolph won the Emma Best Actor award. Also in 2002 Rudolph learnt to play the steel pans (something he’d always wanted to do) for a storyline in EastEnders.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_sylvia.jpg
Mona Hammond (Grandma): Mona has become a familiar face on our screens having starred in Babyfather, White Teeth, EastEnders, and Storm Damage, while Macbeth and King Lear are among her theatre credits. Mona is also to appear in the upcoming Hollywood movie The Life And Death of Peter Sellers. Trivia: Mona originally hails from Clarendon in Jamaica. In 1985 she helped to establish the Talawa Theatre Company, Britain’s leading black theatre company alongside Yvonne Brewster OBE, Carmen Munroe and Inigo Espejel

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 05:16 AM

The Crouches- cont..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_adele.jpg
Ony Uhiara (Adele Crouch): Ony trained at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has appeared in Waking The Dead, The Vice and MIT. She has also starred in Fallout at The Royal Court Theatre. Trivia: Ony likes to customise her clothes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_aiden.jpg
Akemnji Ndifornyen (Aiden Crouch): Akemnji has worked in the theatre and made a stunning TV debut, starring in Dominic Savage’s award-winning 2002 improvised drama, Out of Control. Trivia: During the making of the series, Akemnji was studying for and taking his GCSE exams. He was the Lead Child Voice for the Original London Sightseeing Tour commentary. He is a Scorpio.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_bailey.jpg
Don Warrington (Bailey): Don can boast another very impressive CV - Hamlet, Baby Mother and Eight And A Half Women are just a few of his big screen credits. He has been on our TV screens most recently in Manchild, though he is probably most fondly remembered for the role of Philip in Rising Damp. Trivia: Don was born in Trinidad and was raised in Newcastle Upon Tyne. His Geordie accent became the smooth RP voice we all know after he joined his local rep theatre at the age of 17.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_ed.jpg
Danny John-Jules (Ed): Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Blade II are among Danny’s screen appearances, but he’s best known for his role as Cat in Red Dwarf. Trivia: Danny started his TV career as a dancer on BBC variety shows in the 1970s.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_lindy.jpg
Llewella Gideon (Lindy): The Real McCoy, Absolutely Fabulous, Bob The Builder and TLC are among her numerous screen credits. Trivia: Llewella is co-writer and performer of Radio Four's The Little Big Woman Radio Show. She has also written for the theatre and television.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/profiles/images/profile_dennis.jpg
Jimmy Akingbola (Dennis): Jimmy has appeared in numerous productions at The National Theatre, Birmingham Rep and Theatre Royal Stratford East to name a few. Jimmy has also worked on radio and screen and recently appeared in Roger Roger. Trivia: Jimmy trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London. He is an Aries.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/images/promogif_white.gif

Clips of the series - http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/crouches/

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 05:21 AM

THE FOSTERS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fostersthe_1299001183.shtml

FROM ABOVE LINK:
Although best remembered today as a major stepping-stone to fame for a young Lenny Henry (he was 17 and had 'arrived' on TV in 1975 in the talent show New Faces), The Fosters holds a place in the annals of British television all its own: it was the first sitcom written for and starring blacks. Stories centred around the lives of one family: feisty Mum (Pearl), easy-going Dad (Samuel), both immigrants from Guyana, and their three British-born children, Sonny, Shirley and Benjamin. They are undeniably poor but Sam ekes the best living he can in a white man's country and they all live together high up in Flat 131 in a tower block on a south London housing estate. The other main character was Vilma, Pearl's friend and near neighbour from Flat 139.

The series was the British adaptation of an American sitcom, Good Times (133 episodes, CBS, 1974-79, set in Chicago and depicting the Evans family), which was itself spun-off from Maude, a spin-off from All In The Family which was the US version of Till Death Us Do Part This is not to say that The Fosters was in any way controversial like its ancestors; in fact, it failed to make much of an impact even with black audiences and, once the 'colour' novelty had worn off, it came to an end. One reason for this could be that, under the contractual arrangement which allowed the US-to-UK crossover, The Fosters was compelled to utilise the American Good Times scripts. Even allowing for some anglicising by Jon Watkins, to watch an episode of The Fosters was like looking at a US sitcom - and only an adequate one at that.

Lenny Henry, of course, put down his floppy hat and his easel (in The Fosters he was a budding artist) and went on to a glorious future. Norman Beaton went on to appear in the BBC's black soap Empire Road (which was vaguely comedic but more of a drama) and the C4 sitcom Desmond's where he again appeared alongside Carmen Munro/Munroe. (She changed the spelling of her surname over the years.)

Cast
Norman Beaton - Samuel Foster
Isabelle Lucas - Pearl Foster
Lenny Henry - Sonny Foster
Sharon Rosita - Shirley Foster
Lawrie Mark - Benjamin Foster
Carmen Munro - Vilma

Crew
Jack Elinson - Original US Writer
Norman Paul - Original US Writer
Roland Wolpert - Original US Writer
Lou Derman - Original US Writer
William Davenport - Original US Writer
John Donley - Original US Writer
Kurt B Taylor - Original US Writer
Michael Morris - Original US Writer
Larry Siegel - Original US Writer
Bob Shayne - Original US Writer
Eric Cohen - Original US Writer
Allan Manings - Original US Writer
Bob Peete - Original US Writer
Eric Monte - Original US Writer and others
Jon Watkins - Us Scripts Adapter
Stuart Allen - Director / Producer

Transmission Details
Number of episodes: 27 Length: 30 mins
Series One (13) 9 Apr-2 July 1976 · Fri 7.30pm then 8.30pm
Special New Year With The Fosters 1 Jan 1977 · Sat 10.30pm
Series Two (13) 16 Apr-9 July 1977 · Sat around 7.15pm

[ October 13, 2003, 06:27 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 05:26 AM

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/beatonnorma/beatonnormaIMAGE/beatonnorma.jpg

NORMAN BEATON
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/beatonnorma/beatonnorma.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
Norman Beaton was one of those unique actors who managed to scale classical roles, yet excel in light comedies. From 1989-94 he enjoyed nationwide popularity on British television with Channel 4's highly successful situation comedy series Desmond's. This show was once described as an African-Caribbean equivalent of America's The Cosby Show. With sharp scripts by young black writer Trix Worrell, Beaton gave a brilliant performance as the manic owner of a South London barbershop.

Born in Guyana (then British Guiana), Beaton came to Britain in 1960. His reputation as an actor grew steadily. He progressed from regional theater to leading roles at the Old Vic, The National Theatre (where he played Angelo in a black- cast version of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure in 1981) and The Royal Court Theatre. Apart from Shakespeare, his theater roles also encompassed Pinter, Beckett, Gilbert and Sullivan, Brecht, Moliere, and pantomime. In 1974 he established the Black Theatre of Brixton, which was instrumental in developing black theater in Britain. During this period he also became one of Britain's leading television actors, and among his biggest successes were dramatic roles in Afternoon Dancing (1974); Black Christmas (1977); Empire Road (1978-79), Britain's first all-black soap opera; Play for Today's "Easy Money" (1981); Nice (1984); Dead Head ( 1986); Playing Away (1986); Big George is Dead (1987); When Love Dies (1990); and Little Napoleons (1993). He was also interviewed in the documentary Black and White in Colour (1992), a history of black people in British television.

Alongside Lenny Henry, Norman Beaton was the star of British television's first black situation comedy series, The Fosters, which ran for two series in 1976-77. But the actor will be best remembered for Desmond's. As a result of its popularity, African-American television star Bill Cosby invited him in 1991 to make a couple of guest appearances in The Cosby Show. Beaton readily accepted a role as a cricket-loving doctor, and Cosby was so taken by the actor that he wore Beaton's gift of a Desmond's baseball cap in the show. Shortly after he died in 1994 at the age of 60, Channel 4 aired Shooting Stars with a memorable appearance by Beaton reading a sonnet by Shakespeare.

-Stephen Bourne

NORMAN BEATON. Born Norman Lugard Beaton in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), 31 October 1934. Attended local schools in Georgetown. Married and divorced three times; children: Jeremy, Norman, Jayme and Kim. Made debut as actor while at teacher training college, 1956; enjoyed success as singer and recording artist, becoming Guyana Calypso Champion, 1956; settled in the U.K., 1960, and worked as teacher in Liverpool; appeared in repertory theatre in Liverpool, Bristol and Worthing in the late 1960s, made television debut, 1966; subsequently established reputation as stage, television and radio performer. Chairman: Black Theatre of Brixton, 1975; events subcommittee (U.K.), World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, 1976; Minorities Arts Advisory Service, 1979. Artistic director, Ira Aldridge Memorial Theatre Company, 1983. Member: Consultative Committee for the Arts Britain Ignores, 1975; Afro-Asian subcommittee, British Actors Equity, 1979; West Midlands Arts and Drama Advisory Panel, 1979. Recipient: Variety Club of Great Britain Film Actor of the Year Award, 1978; Caribbean Post Golden Sunshine Award, 1978. Died 13 December 1994.

TELEVISION SERIES
1976-77 The Fosters
1978-79 Empire Road
1985 Dead Head
1989-94 Desmond's
1994 Little Napoleons

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 05:28 AM

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/D/htmlD/desmonds/desmonsIMAGE/desmonds.jpg
DESMOND'S

British Situation Comedy

Produced by Charlie Hanson and Humphrey Barclay, Desmond's was first broadcast on Channel Four in 1989 and finally came to an end in December 1995, a short time before its leading star, Norman Beaton, died. The half hour weekly program has often been referred to as an "ethnic sitcom", in the sense that it featured a Black family and their predominantly Black friends. However, the series managed to reach a mainstream audience and thus appeal to viewers of all ages and cultures in Britain. It has also been popular in the Caribbean and in the United States where it is broadcast on Black Entertainment Television.

Desmond's was also distinguished by its West Indian writer, Trix Worrell, a graduate from the National Film And Television School in Britain previously an actor. Although Worrell went on to direct Desmond's, the series was initially co-produced and directed by Charlie Hanson. Hanson had previously co-devised and produced No Problem!, Channel 4's first "Black comedy" (1982-85). Many have argued that the Desmond's comic formula was more successful than previous "ethnic sitcoms". Although the series has often been compared to The Cosby Show, it has been seen as the first light entertainment programme to fully embrace the Black community within a British context.

The series was based in "Desmond's", a barber shop in Peckham. A core group of characters used the shop as a social meeting place. Norman Beaton played Desmond, a West Indian traditionalist, and Carmen Munroe played his loving and supportive wife, Shirley. Together they ran the South East London barbershop, where their children and friends would often congregate. The couple's children were Gloria (Kim Walker), Sean (Justin Pickett) and Michael (Geff Francis). The dynamics and relationships between these various characters formed the basis of the comedy.

The setting of the programme was unique in that it was a Black sitcom based in the workplace. The series' antecedents such as No Problem! and The Fosters tended to focus on Black family relationships within the family home. The cast of Desmonds were not passive characters in a stagnant setting, but socially mobile people in multiracial Britain. In this context the comedy introduced new types of protagonists such as Desmond, the Black entrepreneur and his two sons, one an aspiring bank employee and the other a bright student. The characters in Desmond's were quite distinct types but at the same time, neither caricatures nor stereotypes. Worrell was very keen to emphasise the differences within the African-Caribbean diaspora and so the audience was witness to racism and prejudice between for example, Matthew (Gyearbuor Asante), the African eternal student and the West Indians characters. The series depicted a myriad of types, spanning across generations, lifestyles and politics and thus deconstructed any notion of there being an essential black British subject. Indeed, generational and other differences among characters them often triggered the hilarity

Desmond's had its own unique method of team writing. To some extent, it became a training-ground for young, multicultural, creative talent. Many aspiring writers, producers, directors and production staff gained experience on the programme by learning how to create a long-running fresh situation comedy. Although the series lasted for five years on British television, those involved in the production often mentioned the pressures of producing what was generally perceived as a black comedy. Worrell and Hanson have both spoken of the expectations placed on them, simply because there were so few other black comedies on television. In the 1992 television documentary Black and White in Colour Hanson commented that "Black situation comedy comes under the microscope far more than any other situation comedy on television." At the same time, the programme marked a progression in that most black British sitcoms have tended to focus on dysfunctional families and social problems. Carmen Munroe sees Desmonds as a landmark programme and in Black and White in Colour noted that "we have successfully created a space for ourselves, where we can just be a real, honest, loving family, with problems like lots of people, and we can present that with some degree of truth and still not lose the comedy."

-Sarita Malik

CAST

Desmond .........................................Norman Beaton Shirley........................................... .. Carmen Munroe Gloria .................................................. ..Kim Walker Sean .................................................. Justin Pickett Michael........................................... ...... Geff Francis Matthew........................................ Gyearbuor Asante

PRODUCERS
Charlie Hanson, Humphrey Barclay

PROGRAMMING HISTORY

Channel 4
1989-1995

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 05:33 AM

BLACK BRITISH FILM AND TELEVISION

http://www.bfi.org.uk/nationallibrary/collections/alevel/black_british_film_tv.pdf

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 05:37 AM

100 GREAT BLACK BRITONS
http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/home.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
The creation of "100 Great Black Britons" nomination list will give national attention to the history of the black community in Britain over the last 1000+ years.

This list and the debate that it will generate is a long awaited celebration - a great celebration of the unsung heroes who helped change and shape the political, social and cultural landscape of Britain. It is a celebration of not only the talents and greatness of the past but an opportunity to celebrate current and well-known black individuals.

Patrick Vernon
"The aim of "100 Great Black Britons" is to educate all cultures and to impress upon people the rich and diverse historical background of Black Britain. This event reflects and showcases the positive black culture and history, which is often overlooked and neglected.

FULL LIST:
George of Lydda
Queen Charlotte
Septimus Severus
Mary Seacole
Queen Phillipa
Olaudah Equiano
Stephen Lawrence
Harold Moody
Mary Prince
Bernie Grant
Niger Val Dub
Paul Boateng
Lord Learie Constantine
Lennox Lewis
Trevor Phillips
Baroness Valerie Amos
William Cuffay
John Archer
Henry Sylvester Williams
Lord David Pitt
Sir Bill Morris
David Lammy
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Robert Wedderman
Claudia Jones
John Edmonstone
Baroness Roselind Patricia Howells
Val McCalla
Herman Ousley
Diane Abbott
Dame Jocelyn Barrow
Professor Stuart Hall
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Lord John Taylor
Baroness Patricia Scotland
Oona King/Jennette Arnold
Dame Shirley Bassey
Cleo Laine
George Bridgetower
Jazzie B
Ira Aldridge
Ottobah Cuguano
Francis Barber
Daley Thompson
Craig David
Ms Dynamite
Mike Fuller
John Barnes
Ellery Hanley
Ian Wright
Martin Offiah
Trevor MacDonald
Moira Stewart
Linford Christie
Ignatious Sancho
Bruce Oldfield
Yvonne Brewster CBE
David Chase
Tessa Sanderson
Lee Jasper
Colin Jackson
Willard White
Sade
Phil Lynot
Joan Armatrading
Seal
Des'ree
Errol Brown
Peter Herbert
Lenny Henry
Rudolph Walker
Gabrielle/Naomi Campbell
Goldie
Mica Paris
Angie Le Mar
Beverly Knight
Oswald Boateng
Courtney Pine
Zadie Smith
Ben Okri
Floella Benjamin
Denise Lewis
Kanya King/Al Hamilton
Jeremy Guscott/Chris Offili
Paul Ince
Frank Bruno
John Conteh
Viv Anderson
Benjamin Zephaniah
Janet Kay/Carol Thompson
Desmond Douglas
Patrick Berry
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Dounne Alexander
Brendan Batson
Randolph Turpin/Julius Soubise
Nigel Benn/Chris Eubanks
Nana Bonsu/Len Garrison
Bishop Wilfred Wood/Dr OA Lyseight
Arthur Wharton/Andrew Watson

[ October 13, 2003, 06:46 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 05:38 AM

1970's programme no longer on TV

http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/lovethy/ltn03.jpg

Eddie Booth (Jack Smethurst) is a racist bigot who's always going on about "sambos" and "nignogs".

He lives fairly happily in a quiet street with his wife Joan (Kate Williams) until the day new neighbours Bill (Rudolph Walker) and Barbie Reynolds (Nina Baden-Semper) move in.

The new neighbours are West Indians, so it isn't long before Eddie's prejudices begin to cause problems.

http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/lovethy/

[ October 13, 2003, 06:43 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 05:55 AM

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/10.20.99/gifs/lkj-9942.jpg

LINTON KWESI JOHNSON
http://lister.ultrakohl.com/homepage/Lkj/lkj.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
Linton Kwesi Johnson was born on 24 August 1952 in Chapelton, a small town in the rural parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. He came to London in 1963, went to Tulse Hill secondary school and later studied Sociology at Goldsmiths' College, University of London.
Whilst still at school he joined the Black Panthers, helped to organize a poetry workshop within the movement and developed his work with Rasta Love, a group of poets and drummers. In 1977 he was awarded a C Day Lewis Fellowship, becoming the writer-in-residence for the London Borough of Lambeth for that year. He went on to work as the Library Resources and Education Officer at the Keskidee Centre, the first home of Black theatre and art.

Johnson's poems first appeared in the journal Race Today. In 1974 Race Today published his first collection of poetry, Voices of the Living and the Dead. Dread Beat An ' Blood, his second collection, was published in 1975 by Bogle-L'Ouverture and was also the title of his first LP,, released by Virgin in 1978. That year also saw the release of the film Dread BeatAn ' Blood, a documentary on Johnson's work. In 1980 Race Today published his third book, Inglan Is A Bitch and there were four more albums on the Island label: Forces of Victory (1979), Bass Culture (1980), LKJ in Dub (1981) and Making History (1983).

LKJ, Johnson's own record label, was launched in 1981 with two singles by the Jamaican poet Michael Smith, MI Cyan Believe It and Roots. During the 1980s he became immersed in journalism, working closely with the
Brixton-based Race Today collective. His10-part radio series on Jamaican popular music, From Mento to Lovers Rock, went out on BBC Radio 1 in 1982 and was repeated in 1983. From 1985-88 he was a reporter on Channel 4's The Bandung File. He also toured regularly with the Dennis Bovell Dub Band and produced albums by the writer Jean Binta Breeze and by jazz trumpeter Shake Keane.
Recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, the album LKJ Live in Concert with the Dub Band was released independently in 1985. This was followed by Tings An' Times in1991, also the title of his Selected Poems co-published by Bloodaxe Books and LKJ Music Publishers the same year. In 1992 Linton Kwesi Johnson and Dennis Bovell collaborated to produce LKJ in Dub: Volume Two. In 1996 the album LKJ Presents was released, a compilation of various artists including Linton Kwesi Johnson. His most recent album is LKJ A Capella Live, a collection of 14 poems including some unpublished works.

Linton Kwesi Johnson has been made an Associate Fellow of Warwick University (1985),an Honorary Fellow of Wolverhampton Polytechnic (1987) and received an award at the XIII Premo Internazionale Ultimo Novecento from the city of Pisa for his contribution to poetry and popular music (1990). He has toured the world from Japan to the new South Africa, from Europe to Brazil and his work has been translated into Italian and German: unsurprisingly, he is known and revered as the world's first dub poet.

http://www.yourpricemusic.com/acatalog/Linton%20Kwesi%20Johnson%20in%20dub%20vol%203.jpg

http://covers2.virtualave.net/j/johnsonlk01l.gif

[ October 13, 2003, 06:57 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 06:11 AM

http://www.soulmusic.com/b&s439.jpg

http://i15.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/bf/c3/82_1.JPG

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 06:17 AM

http://ubl.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGPORTRAITS/music/portrait200/drp100/p173/p17373vlx6c.jpg
British house/R&B vocalist Gabrielle began her career singing for free in London West End clubs whilst temping in offices during the day. Her big break came when she recorded a demo, called "Dreams," based around Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," which subsequently fell into the hands of an A&R man at London's Go! Beat records. The track was re-recorded without the Chapman sample and ended up in the -Guinness Book of Hit Singles as the highest U.K. chart entry for a debut female act, topping the charts for three weeks. With the hit came a head-turning image, complete with kiss curls and sequined eye patch as Gabrielle's right eye has a drooped lid. Ignoring cosmetic surgery, she turned what might have been seen an image setback into a virtue that set her apart from the pack.

Her debut album, Find Your Way, sold over a million copies worldwide, and paved the way for her sophomore, self-titled album, released in 1996 and produced by the Boilerhouse Boys. In three short years, those two albums and nine singles -- five of which were Top Ten -- established Gabrielle as the U.K.'s premiere soul vocalist, full of classic soul connotations (Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Bobby Womack) but also influenced by early-'80s British pop (Soul II Soul, Lisa Stansfield, Mantronix).

In 2000, Gabrielle followed up with her appropriately titled third album, Rise, which followed a difficult time for her personally and creatively. Widely publicized reports concerning her ex-partner's criminal conviction threatened to overshadow her musical accomplishments, not to mention her creative potential. The songs on Rise spoke of optimism, romanticism, devotion, and a keen survival instinct. The lead single, "Sunshine," was a spirited thank you to those friends you have on hand to boost your confidence when you're low. The album's title track samples Bob Dylan's classic "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" with his rare seal of approval. 2001's world-wide hit "Out of Reach" was the feature track from the Bridget Jones's Diary soundtrack. ~ Ed Nimmervoll, All Music Guide

http://ubl.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,537384,00.html?artist=Gabrielle

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 06:27 AM

http://www.ministryofsound.com/NR/rdonlyres/3E9BFCF9-C778-4616-9212-3A306C74010E/0/LTJBukem_120.jpg

Just who is LTJ Bukem?

Ground breaking DJ? Inspirational musician? Record label entrepreneur? Club visionary, perhaps? In truth LTJ Bukem is all of the above. From running sound systems to cutting up breaks at raves, from relocating the heart of break beat culture to redefining drum and bass, the man known to his friends as Danny Williamson has sat at the forefront of the break beat evolution.

As a child, Bukem was introduced to the world of jazz fusion and in the mid eighties, at the age of seventeen, Bukem discovered the joys of clubbing. As a keen record buyer he soon became interested in the idea of putting over his own version of the club soundtrack and before long he got involved with a sound system. DJing was his main thing and by 1987 he gained something of a reputation for his sets. In 1990, LTJ Bukem got his first big break at Raindance in front of 10,000 people, it was the first true test of his skills and from the first track he ripped it up.

Around this time Bukem had also ventured into the studio to record a track, 'Logical Progression' which surfaced on the newly formed Vinyl Mania imprint. By the time of his follow up to 'Logical Progression' Bukem had set up his own imprint christened Good Looking and its debut offering came in the shape of 'Demon's Theme'. Bukem's also released 'Apollo' in 92, however his biggest breakthrough came with his next releases 'Music' and 'Horizons'which coincided with the opening of the legendary "Speed" at the Mars Bar off the Charing Cross Road in London.

Typically for Bukem he made the most of the situation to forward his vision and the label licensed a compilation to London Records called 'Logical Progression' that featured exclusive cuts from the roster alongside old tracks and is still one of the highest selling drum 'n' bass compilations to have been released. Bukem's own music never took a back seat. There were remixes (including astounding reworks of Jodeci's 'Feenin' and Michelle Gayle's 'Sweetness'), his own addition to the label compilations and a collaboration with David Arnold on the infamous James Bond theme to 'Thunderball'.

In the middle of all of this rampant activity Bukem also managed to release the 'Mystical Realms EP' in March 98. Bukem went further and continued to produce and mix some of the World's best Drum 'n' Bass and crossover compilations that have ever been put out. Titles such as Progression Sessions, Earth and further instalments of Logical Progression series have become notorious the exciting directions that Bukem has always strived to take, but without losing sight of his original musical roots and all the things that inspired him in the beginning.

The beginning of the 21st century saw LTJ Bukem continuing his extraordinary music with his long awaited solo album Journey Inwards. A diverse and multi directional album of Drum 'n' Bass, Soul, Downbeat and house tracks. He has also added to his impressive remixing portfolio with his interpretation of 'The Essence' by jazz legend Herbie Hancock. On top of this he has continued the Progression Sessions series, with a storming live performance from the USA captured on CD, compiled the highly acclaimed Soulfood and Soul Addiction compilations, released not one but two Producer CDs, and continued to set the venues of the world alight with his stunning DJ sets.

http://www.ministryofsound.com/Music/DJFeatures/LTJBukem-LTJBukemBiography.htm

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 06:34 AM

http://www.burntblue.com/l/djartists/ashleybeedle/ashley_beadle_pic2_main.jpg
Ashley Beedle: Biography

Music came at Ashley Beedle from all angles: radio, school, friends, parents, everywhere. By the age of 16 he was already becoming a music connoisseur, listening to everything from Al Green to Big Youth to David Bowie.

He then saw people like Norman Jay and Paul Anderson and was bitten by the Club bug. All his hard earned money went into fuelling his ‘soul boy’ image and alongside his friends he founded ‘Shock’ sound System.

From 84’ ‘Shock’ made their name in Powis Square at the Notting Hill Carnival and popularized house music at Carnival. “We started playing a lot of the really early house records because to us, they had the same rawness as the reggae records.”

Ashley started hitting all the big UK Weekenders as well as the Jazz Funk Circuit.

He was instrumental in the Garage scene, producing one of the first UKG tracks ‘Give me back my love’ by Boy’s in Shock’. His studio reputation was cemented with the classic, ‘Where were you’ by Black Science Orchestra.

X-PRESS 2 was an explosive DJ trio of Ashley Beedle, Rocky and Diesel. They first burst on to the club scene in 93’ with the smash ‘Muzik Express.’ It was played by DJ’s globally from Pete Tong to Junior Vasquez and soon secured anthem status. Not bad for a collaboration that started at Blackmarket Records where Ashley was manager.

Over a decade later X-PRESS 2 legecy continues, sending crowds wild world wide. Reunited with ‘Talking Heads’ front man David Byrne, they has had a massive hit last year with ‘Lazy’. They are currently working on a new album.

Ashley also took time out to compile the first in Strut’s Grass Roots series, a brilliant compilation of music that had influenced him as both DJ and collector. Taking in everything from Patrick Adams’ produced ‘My Baby’s Got ESP’ to the awesome Stan Ivory and his Ominificent Orchestra.

Look out solo album coming soon……… “I’m going to be doing an Ashley Beedle solo album…..I have to do it, because it’s been in me for so long now.”

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 06:44 AM

Jossett came to Birmingham from Jamaica in 1966, when she was 29, to meet up with her fiance, Owen, who was already working here. She talks about some of her first impressions.

Jean was born in 1943 and was brought up in Acocks Green. Life in the 1950s in her area was rather drab, and so going to the cinema provided a bit of glamour in her life.

SOUNDCLIPS = http://www.millennibrum.org/oralhistory/oralhist_01.html

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 07:04 AM

http://www.epolitix.com/Images/picstore/people/Bill-Morris.jpg
Sir Bill Morris
general secretary TGWU

Morris on Labour and the Unions
Question: This week's TUC conference is coming at a time of disengagement between the government, the unions and the party's grassroots. How would you characterise in policy terms, the relationship between government and the trade unions?

Sir Bill Morris: We have to look at the relationship currently in the context of a second term Labour government in office. In the first term of office it concentrated on the economic priorities. First we were working within the spending limits which were inherited from the previous administration.

We achieved, some would say, a significant improvement in terms of economic stability. Low inflation, sustained growth, interest rates coming down to parallel other economies in Europe.

We created a trust factor with the electorate and changed the whole regime of government as business-friendly, a government which understands the importance of balancing economic prosperity with social justice.

Moving into the second term there were obviously high expectations. The government decided to switch its priority to focus on the public services and put in place the policies to deliver sustained growth in spending over the economic cycle.

Of course the government is very sensitive about having to raise taxation, the national insurance for example, rightly make the case that investment must be linked to reform. That, naturally, brings about a certain degree of uncertainty among the people who work in the public services.

But for the last six months or so, the government focus has been more external, more international, with Europe, the constitutional debate about Europe, the euro debate here, and, of course, Iraq.

I wouldn't subscribe to the fact that people - the party, the trade unions, the electorate - have got suddenly totally disengaged. I think it's a cyclical mood which we are experiencing here.

But there is no doubt that it is affecting, particularly, the external issues, the trust factor. So there is a lot of remedial work to be done in terms of getting everybody back on side and committed to the significant change which we need...

[ October 13, 2003, 08:05 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 07:39 AM

EVERYONE MUST BE YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL: DEF II REVISITED
Part Two: She Bangs The Drums by Ian Jones

For half a dozen years at the end of the 1980s and start of the '90s the DEF II strand remained a BBC2 schedule fixture. That in itself is some achievement, occurring at a point in history when various factors - an economic recession, major upheavals within the television industry, and numerous pieces of radical media legislation - conspired to challenge both short and long certainties about the direction British TV was heading.

Perhaps this staying power was down to the way DEF II was quickly perceived as "useful" by various people of influence for a variety of reasons. For instance, DEF II was a convenient flag for the BBC to wave whenever necessary (to say: "look, here's where the Beeb is experimenting, providing choice, and pioneering"). In a practical sense it helped keep up the Corporation's quota of independently produced programming. It also generated distinctive, original output that fulfilled various remits, which pleased the BBC Governors and senior management.

While its two chief benefactors remained in positions of comfortable authority - Alan Yentob (as BBC2 Controller) and Janet Street-Porter (Head of Youth Programming) - its immediate future seemed safe. But over time the strand increasingly resembled a rather ill worn crucible in which disparate programme ideas, formats and personalities were assembled, broken up, then reassembled with scant regard for ratings and sustaining viewer interest. Sometimes the experiments worked and had impressive results. Other times one botched show replaced another. What began promising much ended delivering almost nothing at all. How did DEF II get away with it for so long?

The strand had been conceived to comprise a mixture of long-running, returning series, together with ongoing new commissions - some of which were inevitably destined for immediate extinction, but others, it was hoped, would take off. This strategy was no doubt practical: the returning series' provided a safety net to cushion experimentation elsewhere. But it was also flawed. It risked the strand becoming over-reliant on its warhorses, which themselves could easily become stale and unpopular - and what then? Indeed, for all Janet Street-Porter believed in innovation and diversification, DEF II did only ever boast three proper long-term, bedrock series: Reportage, Rapido, and Rough Guides. And one of them was an import.

Reportage made its greatest impact thanks to its longevity. Quite simply, it always seemed to be on. The first series ended in March 1989, but a second followed just eight months later, sticking to the same format and with an enlarged presenting team - thanks to new recruits Brenda Emmanus and Tyler Brule. After another whopping 16 week run the show was rested, reappearing in January 1991 in a new guise and with a proper "main" presenter. This was journalist Aminatta Forna, previously of BBC2's Ebony and Public Eye, and who had been brought in on suggestion of series editor Sebastian Scott. The "interactive" elements were toned down and the mixed line-up swapped for programmes focusing on one major issue, such as video surveillance, youth crime, or unemployment. It felt like a step backwards, but remained the house style for three further series right through to 1994. Competently made - latterly under the stewardship of Tony Moss - Reportage survived as long as it did perhaps more down to what it symbolised in a wider context ("current affairs for yoof") than its numerous campaigns, polls and exposés.

Rapido transferred to BBC2 in March 1989. Cheap - the BBC funded 35% of this transcontinental package - always entertaining and with good access to both major and upcoming musical acts, it had an obvious place in DEF II. A legal battle in 1990 over who owned the name kept the series off the air until the end of October, when it reappeared briefly, before resuming regularly in the new year and continuing into 1991 and '92. Antoine De Caunes remained a capable host, his patter - including regular "Chunnel progress reports" - fresh and amusing.

But easily the most successful of the three was Rough Guides, thanks to its evolution into a distinctive, renewable franchise. The Rough Guide to Careers ran for five series over five years, profiling both the glamorous - the worlds of advertising, the music business, fashion and television - and the vocational: catering, environment and conservation, health, tourism (with the help of Richard Branson), and sport and leisure. The final series, this time titled Rough Guide to Careers: 50 Inspiring Ideas, rounded up half a hundred job opportunities across the UK from chocolate designers to milliners and included a guest appearance from John Major.

Meanwhile the original travel show format mutated through a number of guises. Rough Guide to the World (summer 1989 and '90) and Rough Guide to the World's Journeys (autumn 1991) sent hosts Sankha Guha and Magenta De Vine on epic voyages as far afield as Mexico, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and Southern USA; while Rough Guide to the World's Islands (autumn 1992) and ... to the Americas (autumn 1993) saw Magenta paired with new cohort Rajan Datar (Sankha having joined ITN). Consistently interesting and appealing, Rough Guides did more than any other show to keep DEF II's "infotainment" reputation alive.

But this trio of long-running series were obviously not nearly enough to sustain the entire strand. Complementing them were a raft of further commissions, all, in their own way, notable, if only for (occasionally) ending up so dreadful. Some were new, some ongoing, some caught on and were spun out to four and even five further series; some lasted just a matter of weeks.

That Was Then ... This Is Now was an example of the latter, running for just one further series in summer 1989, despite being reformatted to revolve around extended interviews conducted by (at the time) freelance journalist and broadcaster Stuart Cosgrove. Open to Question survived for longer, returning in April 1989 for its third series with Krishnan Guru-Murphy still the host and guests including Pamela Stephenson, Roy Hattersley and Janet Street-Porter herself, snapping back at the kids picking holes at "their programming". After a long break one final series ran through spring 1992, now hosted by John Kelly, and featuring guests such as Justin Fashanu and Robbie Coltrane. A cousin of Open to Question was the short-lived Words Apart (summer 1990), a seven part debating series chaired by Kirsty Wark and John Holdsworth that displayed a perhaps over-earnest obsession with issues rather than personalities.

It was a long while until DEF II found its proper next big series. Awkward gaps in the schedules continued to be plugged by repeated Scene documentaries or one-off regional films. Indeed, Scene celebrated its 25th anniversary in autumn 1993, a chance for an even longer run of repeats - but this was actually quite interesting as a number of archive episodes were screened, including the 1969 drama "Terry" starring Dennis Waterman. The summer months of 1989, when not disrupted by sport, entertained such fare as BBC Scotland compilations of live music from the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness, and the optimistically-titled Open to Question Classics. The autumn saw the debut of Gimme 8 (1989 - 91), a selection of repackaged youth TV from around the world. A rather unpromising affair, it ran for three series and was hosted for a time by Lisa I'Anson. One of the featured shows, the US fly-on-the-wall series Yearbook set in a Chicago high school, was later broadcast in its entirety during May and June 1992. There was also a sister series, Extra (autumn 1990) made up of clips from solely European shows.

The A-Z of Belief earned a second series in spring 1990 and included Simon Booth from the band Working Week discussing Communism and The Thompson Twins painstakingly explaining Green politics. Behind the Beat returned for a third series in October 1989, and Snub also reappeared for two more series (spring 1990 and '91), yet despite Janet's supposed approval both these efforts were officially dropped in July 1991. Plans were now afoot for a new, single, music show to replace all previous efforts. It took some time - and what a wait, as during the summer of 1990 the strand disappeared completely for far longer than ever before - but come October DEF II at long last found its next big hit.

Dance Energy (1990 - 93) was a wholly welcome burst of noise, disorder and fun and became a fixture on Monday nights for an impressive six series. Our host was one Norman Anderson, aka Normski, a former photographer, whose role initially was simply to introduce a sequence of rap and dance acts while surrounded by his jostling Dance Squad Posse. From within a plain white studio Normski battled to keep control of his hyper crowd - including a vogueing Geri Halliwell - and developed a string of memorable catchphrases ("Let 'arf!" "The livin'...!"). Easily the most charismatic host to grace DEF II, the man soon became something of a style icon (and, for a time, Mr Janet Street-Porter) rubbing shoulders with Antoine De Caunes in a Rapido special on the history of hip hop (June 1991) and even providing continuity announcements on BBC2.

But Dance Energy had a tortuous history. The first series, produced by Jaswinder Bancil - one of Janet's protégés - ran for 10 editions, together with 10 minute spin-offs titled Dance Energy Updates featuring the results of a video vote, a mix from the DJ of the week and the updated dance chart. The show was thought to have promise, and a second, shorter series followed (summer 1991). However a third run was almost lost due to behind-the-scenes rows. Dance Energy was not an in-house BBC production; instead it was made by Activate, a small London-based company that was overseen by Toru Uehara, a former Japanese pop star with experience of music programming, and was itself part of the huge Fujisankei Communications International empire. Relations between Activate and the BBC had never been smooth and a crisis point was reached in summer 1991. Unhappy with the show's ratings, Janet eventually forced Activate to work via Diverse Productions (who made Rough Guides) and adopt various changes to its format.

With new personnel on board - Tim Byrne, ex-music buyer for Motormouth, The Word and Paramount City, and Lindsay Shapero, a former executive producer at BSB's The Power Station and head of news at MTV - the show developed into a more ambitious affair. While the third series (autumn 1991) looked much the same a huge change occurred for the fourth and fifth series (spring and autumn 1992): nothing less than a new name, Dance Energy House Party, with the show coming from inside Normski's "house". A much broader music policy was introduced mixing chart acts with indie bands and dance groups. Normski and mates poked fun at the general public's appalling dress sense in "Style Squad"; aspiring bands could win a record deal in the Lift Off competition (ultimately won by the immediately forgettable Streamline); and most notable of all there was comedy from Vas Blackwood, who "moved" into Normski's "house" in the first show.

It had been Janet's idea to add the humour. She'd become gripped by the potential comedy had to revolutionise youth entertainment, and her excitement led to another classic Street-Porter soundbite. Complaining how contemporary music shows only played "Music to change babies' nappies to," she argued: "we need to rethink the current chart shows to cater to the young, with witty, cultish programmes for under-18s, which have their own in-jokes. Comedy has much more appeal than music to a young audience. When we introduced comedy to Dance Energy the ratings shot up. Music programmes will have to include comedy if they are to be successful." She concluded with that legendary statement, "Comedy is the rock'n'roll of the 1990s."

It was a perceptive outburst, coming at the height of post-Mary Whitehouse Experience, pre-Fist of Fun mania. A pity, then, that her precious comedy was promptly dropped from Dance Energy - for when the sixth and final series eventually appeared (autumn 1993) it was re-titled - inexplicably - D Energy, still with the broad music selection, but no sketches. It also ran concurrently with a 30-minute sister show on Radio 1, but this was confusingly still called Dance Energy, though also presented by Normski. This was a sadly messy end for one of DEF II's longest-running and most infectious creations; and no similar music show ever replaced it.

Meanwhile some other additions to the schedules came in the form of new black US comedy series. First up was New Attitude (autumn 1990), a show set in a beauty salon starring Morris Day, famous from Prince's Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge movies. Dropped from the American networks after just five episodes, all eight were shown in this country. Far more substantial, however, was what followed in January 1991: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. This made a great impact and quickly became a DEF II staple, continuing throughout - and well beyond - the strand's lifetime.

Other shorter, throwaway series also continued appearing. 283 Useful Ideas From Japan (spring 1991) was a five-part study on Japanese culture and technology reflecting Janet Street-Porter's obsession with the Far East. Slightly more substantial was Liquid TV (summer 1991, autumn 1992), a joint production between the BBC and MTV involving experimental and surreal animation. It was predictably patchy, though certainly diverse. "Stick Figure Theatre", "The Invisible Hands", "The Specialists" (three cartoon private investigators) and "Dog Boy" - "taking Max Headroom one stage further - it's like the Comic Strip," proclaimed Janet - were highlights.

After another sparse summer of Wednesday night-only repeats, the autumn 1991 season boasted DEF II's next - but also its last - major new, long-term series: Standing Room Only. TV's first proper football fanzine was hosted by Simon O'Brien and featured a broad mix of interviews, profiles and issues coverage plus a cartoon strip from The Guardian's Steve Bell. David Baddiel and Rob Newman appeared each week with comic observations in "Footy Shorts"; various legendary footballers - such as Pele and George Best - talked about their favourite goals and best matches; and features ranged from a day in the life of John Motson, Simon visiting Glenn Hoddle's house to watch an England v. Germany match, to an attempt at pioneering various new laws such as bigger goals, no offsides and four quarters of 25 minutes - experiments only tried out in Wales as the English FA refused any of its clubs to take part.

As with Dance Energy however, Standing Room Only had a rather erratic history, despite also running for six series. Rory Bremner was added for the second series (spring 1992); then everything was changed for the third and fourth series (autumn 1992, summer 1993). All previous features and contributors were ditched and a new host - Kevin Allen, actor and presenter of a 1990 World Cup Video Diary - was joined by Shelley Webb, wife of Man Utd.'s Neil Webb, who provided news and gossip updates; then Simon O'Brien came back for two final series (autumn 1993, summer 1994). Still, it survived longer than most of its fellow DEF II stablemates, was a decent, entertaining effort and had a profound influence on the look and content of mid-late 1990s sports shows (not least the Street-Porter commissioned Fantasy Football League).

Standing Room Only was DEF II's last big success. Subsequent programmes tried hard but always failed. Artrageous (spring 1992) was an arts magazine designed to be the DEF II equivalent of The Late Show. It promised a lot and producer Lindsay Shapero sounded keen: "It's an attempt to get away from the traditional coverage of the arts. It not only looks at what's happening for young people culturally, but also celebrates their creativity." Janet was completely behind it, but unfortunately her enthusiasm led her to make another one of her more rash decisions: personally recruiting jazz pianist (and TV novice) Jason Rebello after spotting him performing one night. "I wanted someone creative to present the show, and as an accomplished performer he personifies everything Artrageous is trying to get across," she countered. Naïve but honest, Jason conceded: "I'm not that knowledgeable about some of the stuff we're covering so I'll be learning a lot myself." Unfortunately the resulting show was abominable. Jason had no screen presence, while the line-up was too perverse: features on the radio station XFM appeared alongside reports on contemporary sculpture and poetry. The series lasted for six editions, then was quietly dropped.

This debacle coincided with increasing confusion and instability behind the scenes. In March 1992 Tony Moss, editor of Reportage, was promoted to oversee the entire output of the newly expanded youth department (Bill Hilary, Janet's former assistant, having left to become the new commissioning editor for youth programmes at Channel 4) while Janet was made head of youth programmes and entertainment features, with less overall input into DEF II. She was also moved to Manchester permanently, a controversial decision that prompted her to remark if anyone saw her crying they were "tears of joy".

Trying to gauge the success or otherwise of DEF II proved difficult within the newly expanded department, at least judging by ratings. The record was not good. Behind the Beat, over its three series, had dropped from an average of 1.14m viewers to 1.26m, then to 0.92m. That Was Then ... This Is Now had fallen from 1.08m all the way down to 0.52m. But Dance Energy went up from a first series average of 0.79m to 1.59m for its fourth - though annoyingly the fifth series fell again to 0.91m. Gimme 8 had hung around the same point - 0.70m - while Snub had gone from 0.45m down to 0.38m, then up to 0.69m, only for it to be axed.

With Janet having less of a hands-on role, was there the same desire and commitment to see DEF II succeed? Omens were not good. The strand went on holiday again in summer 1992, with a few repeats added later from the Teenage Video Diaries series, edited and revised for content and language, including the classic "In Bed With Chris Needham". Several episodes of Wayne's World also joined the usual fare to pad out autumn evenings. But while the various returning series propped up the strand - Dance Energy, Reportage, Rough Guides, Standing Room Only - nothing new of note was being produced. DEF II's obsession with archive cult programming had also not let up. Back in 1989 Buck Rogers had replaced Mission Impossible, which in turn was succeeded by The Invisible Man and then Star Trek: The Next Generation (though this, and its replacement - the original Star Trek - were curiously never billed as being part of DEF II).

The next attempt at something new was the dreadful Cyberzone (spring 1993). Craig Charles hosted this "virtual reality" game show, based in a not unfamiliar cyber-punk studio setting. Two celebrities competed against two ordinary folk in a round of computer-generated challenges involving the virtual worlds of the Medieval Citadel and the futuristic Technotraz. Thesp (James Grout), essentially a Gamesmaster-type character "living" inside the computer world, introduced games and shouted "One minute warning! One minute!" from time to time. The first guests were John Fashanu (who stole Craig Charles' catchphrase - "Awooga!" - for his own personal use on Gladiators) and John Barnes versus two members of the Dangerous Club. Other unlikely battles included Jonny and Greg Searle against some Ranger Girl Guides, and Tessa Sanderson and Colin Jackson versus the Manchester fire service. Undoubtedly innovative in theory, in practice the series was laughably limited in its ability to reproduce proper virtual reality worlds either in the studio or on screens.

DEF II was seriously flagging. Alan Yentob's departure to BBC1 in March 1993 robbed DEF II of its godfather. All output disappeared for its longest ever "break" in the summer: after Monday 17 May no shows of any kind turned up until 6 September, an unprecedented gap of almost 16 weeks. Autumn 1993 offered up one promising new series: The Ronson Mission wherein the Time Out/Select journalist embarked on various silly "quests" and challenges such as to get naked people on national television, to organise a pop concert to stamp out crime, and perhaps most memorably "What Have People In Britain Done To Stop The War In Bosnia?" in which he tackled Samantha Fox and a Swiss weatherman. Not so memorable was Les Lives: five-minute wordless sketches featuring the famous assistant from Vic Reeves' Big Night Out. Repeats of The Real McCoy and the grotesque Newman And Baddiel on the Road to Wembley "tour film" showed up ahead of Christmas.

What was to become the last DEF II season began in January 1994. Reportage and Standing Room Only continued for one last series each, joined by the cartoon Ren and Stimpy and repeats of the comedy drama Goggle Eyes. Telling Tales, a series profiling the lifestyles of some young people in contemporary Britain, initially began outside DEF II but got co-opted into it after Easter. Spaced Out was a BBC2 sci-fi strand that ran throughout late spring 1994. In its DEF II guise it comprised a cult/classic sci-fi film - including When Worlds Collide and Invaders From Mars - introduced by, yes, Craig Charles, who also starred in a related comedy sketch or interview.

Then the strand simply petered out. While two Standing Room Only spin-offs aired in June ("The Platinum Parrots" - an "awards" show - and "Soccer, Stars and Strips" on the World Cup) the last time the DEF II name appeared was on Monday 23 May 1994. Unbeknown to viewers at the time, it was the end. Backstage manoeuvres had replaced Janet Street-Porter (now head of independent production, entertainment group) with John Whiston, and powers that be moved to enact a major overhaul of all BBC2 youth output. Why, and to what end? Why had other recent youth-orientated shows such as 100 Per Cent and The Living Soap been run on Friday nights instead of within DEF II where they so obviously belonged? And why was there this distinct impression of the strand being simply left to wither and die through late 1993 and early 1994, starved of attention, money and support?

The world in which DEF II slowly faded away was completely different from that into which it had been pitched in 1988. Context had always played a vital role in what was expected, what was permitted, of youth television: whether as something to react against, challenge, and subvert - or to work with, to compromise, and co-opt. To truly understand the significance of DEF II it's necessary to look beyond it and take stock of more general, far-reaching changes in youth TV - both during the strand's lifetime, and also on through the 1990s.

[ October 13, 2003, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 07:43 AM

DANCE ENERGY (1990-3)
STREET-PORTER'S DEF II slot managed to come up with some fairly credible music programmes during its run - SNUB TV, BEHIND THE BEAT, and so on. It also came up with this. Yet it was much more fun than any of the others and a real Monday night institution. The ever-popular NORMSKI presented throughout, with a whole host of Ali G-style catchphrases ("Let 'arf!" "The livin' ...!") and an array of stupid haircuts and clothes. The first few series came from a plain white studio ("with loads of affictions to the walls to make it look even more happening!" - Normski) and followed a fairly straightforward mix of a few live acts (The Beloved, Bass-O-Matic, etc.), stupid dancing by the audience (including a vogueing GERI HALLIWELL Before She Was Famous), and some news reports about De La Soul read by Lisa I'Anson. But the fourth series saw a real change, with the title changing to DANCE ENERGY HOUSE PARTY, and the action relocating to - yes! - Normski's "house"! VAS BLACKWOOD, star of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Spatz, was drafted in as comic relief, and it was all loads better than before, with a baffling array of bands in the kitchen, Number 73 style (The Charlatans were on it once, for a start). There was also the Lift Off competition, where each week we'd see a set of videos of some Staines Massive kids pissing around with a Yamaha. And there was a "fashion" segment as well, where Norm would go out and laugh at some punters in the street and their crap outfits. The final series changed it's name to D Energy, lost the house, lost Vas and lost all its viewers, before pointlessly transferring to Radio One. Normski was last seen pitching a chat show to Channel Five where he'd interview guests on a skateboard.

REASON FOR INCLUSION - His real name was Norman Anderson, you know...
TO BE EXHUMED WHEN - Later with The Dreem Teem comes to BBC2.

SOURCE = http://tv.cream.org/90s/ark90s1.htm

http://www.lexiconmag.co.uk/issue005/images/normski1.jpg
For most of us Normski will be remembered for the raucous and wildly energetic Monday night institution that was BBC 2's Dance Energy shown throughout the early nineties. The original Ali-G style - "Let 'arf!" and "The Livin'!" - catchphrases started right here. The show was also a base for some hugely successful stars of today including on-screen room-mate Vas Blackwood (who later went on to play the loony herb dealer in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and not to mention first ever TV appearances for Geri Halliwell and Lisa I'Anson.

But the real star of the show was Normski surrounded by the uncontrollable youthful and vibrant crowd and the cool moves of the bustling 'Dance Squad Posse'. Normski's exuberance and energy shined through and immediately took away those Monday blues, not least the part of the show where he took to the streets ridiculing people's fashion sense in the side-splitting 'Style Police'.

The auspicious start to his media career landed more and more high profile work such as hosting the documentary on the history of rap for Rapido TV and the Michael Jackson feature 'Dangerous' as well as numerous radio shows on Radio One, Kiss and Radio 5. His return to TV in the late nineties was by means of Britain's first snowboarding show entitled Board Stupid. This new show achieved massive acclaim worldwide for the excellent production and Normski's charismatic presenting skills.

He too has been intrinsically involved in the music industry for the entire time. D&B heads may remember Normski acting as master of ceremony to A Guy Called Gerald's DJ sets in the late 90's, seen him spinning soulful house sets at select events, hosting Ministry's US house nights or even the Movement Live nights down at Cargo in Shoreditch.

Normski's humble beginnings in music began when he learnt to play Ken Booth's "I Would Do Anything For You" on his junior keyboard, a Christmas present when he was 7. The traditional playing of the recorder whilst at school developed into taking up the violin, then playing the trombone in a brass band and also discovering the drums at the age of 13.

Between the ages of 15 and 16 Normski was employed as tea boy at The London Rock Shop, one of the first shops to introduce MIDI to the city. When a company called Fostex brought out the first compacted portable recording studio they asked a young boy known then as Norman Anderson to model for their promotional brochure. Sitting on the top of Primrose Hill Park in Kilburn with trumpet in one hand and the 'Porta 1' in the other this would prove another stepping stone to his media career. Before long he was the proud owner of one which provided endless experimentation for Normski and was his first introduction to making music.

Growing up in the '70s Normski remembers that pretty much every TV programme was music led, citing the 'Super Wombles' album having a big effect on his life in these early years. With Normski's family being of Jamaican origin he was always surrounded by a huge extended family and was exposed to a lot of music not least the likes of Bob Marley, Al Green, James Brown, Uptown and Studio One.

"I grew up in Camden during the '70s in a multi-cultural environment and I was definitely into lots of different music like rock & roll, punk, I was into all of it… the attitude, everything. If there is one person that can say they have written an original track in the last ten years I will personally give you one of my collector's item records! My first proper job was working on a stall in Dingwall's market. People like Sting and Stuart Copeland from the Police, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart would walk through the market and it would be no big thing, they were just musicians and were to become huge later."

The transition between having an interest in the music and making it as a career started to become apparent when one of Normski's other hobbies, photography, was taken to concerts and live gigs. One of the first occasions arose at the now London Apollo, where Miles Davis was performing. One of the few black people in the British music industry at that time, Ray Edwards, was organising the event and approached Normski to take pictures at other events he promoted, gave him a lot of support along the way and encouraged him to sell his pictures to the press.

"Before I knew it I was one of the leading live photographers for Record Mirror, then I started to expand by doing work for Number One, Smash Hits, Music Technology and then later I.D. I did the first photo shoot for Soul II Soul, a year later they became the biggest thing in the world. I didn't make the transition, the transition took me aboard!"

Normski's first entrance on to our screen's was by pure chance when driving through Camden with his step-dad he noticed HB from Soul II Soul walking by. He jumped out to greet him and was then informed that the rest of the band were being interviewed on the Clothes Show just down the road. Sporting his well trendy Louis Viton tracksuit fresh from New York he caught up with Jazzy B and the rest of the family who were giving their thoughts on the tracksuit culture of the time. Jazzy B introduced him as a 'top photographer' and the rest as they say is history.

"People kept saying I recognise your voice and that was because everyone was watching the Clothes Show in those days. Later on as I developed through the industry it was just a matter of time before someone would suggest 'you should go for this interview because a new programme has been developed'. I was on every video shoot as a stills photographer, name a tune that was a landmark and I was there, except for 'Voodoo Ray'. But that didn't matter because all them years later I ended up on tour with 'A Guy Called Gerald' anyway!"

From the presenting beginning in TV Normski has his sights set further at the moment. "A lot of people have TV ideas and I seem to be right in between them and the channels but now I'm working and talking with people who develop channels and they want me on board to help. I've been asking for jobs since 'Board Stupid', the last one was in 1994/95. I can't understand what is wrong with these TV people, what are you scared of? Why won't you give me a job? I am still out here and your TV shows look crap without me and people keep telling me that so just give me a job!"

In the past couple of years Normski has taken to a different kind of presenting, acting as host to Ministry of Sound's house nights and the Movement Live jams. Although his involvement with the first club has now ended, he did a fine job in changing the face of the 'super club' and injecting some personality into it.

"I love funky house music and always have, I was born in the generation of disco music and that was all about the disc turning on the turntable and all the people in the same room sharing the vibe. I was out in Detroit in '87 and I met people like Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Eddie Flashing Folkes, I met them all." Normski states in no uncertain terms that he is into every type of music and to illustrate his point spends some time reeling off a list of every genre and sub-genre imaginable.

"Listen to the funky house stuff now which is dropping, it sounds like some old music but what's good about it is that it's played on a brand new system and you can really push it. What I love is when someone makes a record and they actually put a scratch sound into it… it's amazing when people pay that attention to detail to do stuff like that now. I think that's brilliant, I think that's definitely someone who is thinking about what they're doing."

When asked about what he perceives to be the highlight of his colourful career Normski deflects from the question. Instead he praises his family for the support they have given him throughout and also states that he feels blessed to have had a great life . This leads on to a particular incident on TV where Normski decided to entertain the viewers of wacky TV programme Banzai by giving everyone an unprovoked shot of his manhood. He excitedly tells me how he sat down and watched the video afterwards in the front room of his house with his mum and step-dad. "Most people are like 'how could you do that?' and I was like 'I don't know, but at least it's real and not made of plastic. At least I've got skills! If anyone should be embarrassed it should be me, not my mum, because she saw it when I came out!"

Book writing will figure a lot in the future for Normski, a start has been made on an auto-biography, then expect to see an illustration of his photographic work amongst other things in the pipeline. As mentioned a little earlier he is in talks currently about moving into an executive producing and creative directing role for a television production company, the programmes in question will take on an urban, art, literature and music theme base.

Again turning back to the music aspects of his life just the day before the interview took place Normski was in a meeting with Kila Kella. After talks he is set to feature on the UK beat-boxer's new EP, as well as this Normski has just finished a electro-funk track for possible use in the new Smart Car advert and will be looking to compile a compilation of his own work and tracks he likes in the not too distant future. Normski is also the newest guest writer for Lexicon covering all things deep and soulful on the house tip.

Normski would like to thank all the people who have believed in him over the years and the following companies: "Sony because they were there at the beginning to help my creative and visual side, Apple Macintosh, Pioneer, Stanton, BMW for helping me get around, I would like to thank Red Bull for keeping the energy real as well as letting me present some of their incredible events, Stussy tribe, Technics because after 30 years of DJ culture you brought me in to be the project consultant, Smart Cars, Blackmarket Records, City Sounds, Sarah (Ammunition), Souljah, Zinc, ELB, big up all the crew representing a new era of beats and breaks, 4hero, Dego, Alex down at Velvet and Area in Watford.

http://www.lexiconmag.co.uk/issue005/normski.html

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 10:39 AM

Black History Month - Face the Camera

A 1980 project which allowed residents of Handsworth to capture their own moment in the camera lens is at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery for Black History Month.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/your_birmingham/2002/10/images/faces-270.jpg
A Black family that captured their history on camera

http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/realmedia/face.ram

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 10:54 AM

http://www.travelbritain.com/england/merseyside/uk_map_liverpool.gif

1981 'Toxteth riots' Liverpool

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/gallery/liverpoolpics/riot1.jpeg
Lodge Lane: remains of supermarket and bank

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/gallery/liverpoolpics/riot3.jpeg http://www.bwpics.co.uk/gallery/liverpoolpics/riot2.jpeg
Lodge Lane (left) and Upper Parliament Street (right)

......

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 10:55 AM

Toxteth Riots, Liverpool cont...

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/gallery/liverpoolpics/riotcard.jpeg
A locally-produced satirical postcard of the period

http://www.stthomasu.ca/~pmccorm/research/image041.jpg
As many as 1,000 police officers may have been injured

Twenty years ago violence erupted on the streets of Toxteth, Liverpool. BBC News Online's Finlo Rohrer talks to those who remember the nine days of rioting.
Leroy Alphonse Cooper's arrest on Selbourne Street, near Toxteth's infamous Granby Street, was watched by an angry crowd.

It is said every riot has a spark, and the chaos and destruction of Liverpool's Toxteth riots were no exception. The Merseyside officers' treatment of 20-year-old Mr Cooper on the evening of Friday 3 July 1981 led to a fracas in which three policemen were injured.

But instead of dying away over the weekend, disturbances rapidly turned into full-blown riots with pitched battles between police officers and youths throwing petrol bombs and paving stones.

In the run up to the anarchy of July 1981, tensions had been rising in the inner-city area of Liverpool. The Merseyside force of the time had a particularly bad reputation in the area for stopping and searching black youths under the infamous 'sus' laws.

Resentment

Officers were accused of planting drugs on youths in a practice known locally as "agriculture" or "going farming".

Gideon Ben-Tovim, a member of the Community Relations Council at the time, remembers the backdrop to the 1981 riots.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1415000/images/_1419981_police.jpgThe police response was "utterly inadequate"

Derek Murray, a black businessman in 1981 and now making a television documentary about the riots, says he saw police harassment first hand.

But despite being stopped and searched on average once a week, he did not fully believe the stories circulating about random beatings meted out by police to black men.

Harassment

"The best tactic was to recognise their power and doff your cap."

His attitude changed when he was arrested and taken to the station for a minor parking offence in 1981.

"One of the guys held [my jacket] down around my arms as to go and hit me in the face full with his fist. That was what his intention was."

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The Rialto: "The cupola roof was glowing"

Mr Murray believes only the mention of a senior police officer who was a customer prevented an attack.

Once unleashed, the ferocity of the disturbances overwhelmed the authorities. Rioters attacked supermarkets, firebombed a bank and numerous other businesses, as well as looting art from a "gentleman's club" before destroying it.

Wally Brown, a prominent black community leader mediating at the time of the riots, vividly remembers the burning of the Rialto, a complex of buildings around an old ballroom.

"It had a cupola roof which must have been made of copper and was glowing."

Overwhelmed

Mr Brown says the rioters were gaining the upper hand: "The police were being pushed back. That was the night they fired the CS gas."

The use of these tear gas "ferret" rounds remains controversial, with the police accused of firing them directly at rioters.

Jacquie Hardy, today secretary of Granby Residents Association, remembers the terror of the riots: "Things were out of hand and the police must have had some fear as well."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1415000/images/_1419981_weapons.jpg
Police said "thieves and vagabonds" were to blame

Ms Hardy witnessed officers attempting to make arrests. "The police were grabbing people. I thought my brother had been grabbed by a policeman. Everyone's nerves were gone. I just attacked this policeman. I ended up swinging on this guy's back and realised he didn't have my brother."

The initial mayhem lasted for nine days and spread throughout the city with disgruntled white youths from other neighbourhoods joining the battles and starting disturbances elsewhere.

Police reinforcements were called from as far away as Cumbria, the West Midlands and even Devon in a desperate effort to control the burning streets.

Man killed

Later disturbances saw one man struck and killed by a police Land Rover and another injured as police attempted to disperse crowds.

After the first week of rioting, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Kenneth Oxford tallied the damage done.

He said 468 police officers had been injured, 500 people arrested and at least 70 buildings demolished.

The chief constable said it was the work of "thieves and vagabonds" who needed no excuse for violence and destruction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1415000/images/_1419981_burn.jpg

But he admitted the police's response to large-scale rioting had been "totally and utterly inadequate".

Later estimates suggested up to 1,000 police were injured and doubled the number of buildings destroyed.

Lady Margaret Simey was chair of the police authority during the riots and clashed with the chief constable over his alleged failure to acknowledge the possibility social issues were behind the violence.

It was widely argued that police harassment had exacerbated chronic unemployment, racism, bad housing and poor education in an area with a large population of black and mixed-race residents.

Lady Simey was herself the subject of criticism. She supposedly remarked that in the face of such conditions Toxteth's people would have been "apathetic fools" if they had not rioted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1419981.stm

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 11:05 AM

BRIXTON RIOTS, London

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The scene outside Brixton tube in 1981

Brixton Riots 1981
How smouldering tension erupted to set Brixton aflame
(From The Guardian's historical website www.guardiancentury.co.uk) (http://www.guardiancentury.co.uk))

The timetable of events which turned part of London into a battleground of burning buildings and looted shops Monday April 13, 1981.

On Friday afternoon, a police patrol in Brixton stopped to help a black youth who had been stabbed in the back. The incident marked the beginning of a build-up of police strength and a confrontation began which erupted into violence on Saturday afternoon when a black youth was arrested outside a minicab office.

http://www.urban75.org/brixton/history/images/riot4.jpg
A police car blazes on the corner of Atlantic Road and Brixton Road

Police and firemen, called to deal with fires started by Molotov cocktails, came under barrages of missiles.

Cars and buildings burned and shops were looted as the battle raged. Lindsay Mackie and Mike Phillips trace the sequence of events which led to what a Methodist minister described as a "fireball of anger".

The build-up of tension which exploded on Saturday evening in the heart of Brixton began on Friday afternoon, when a police car patrol spotted a young black wandering along Railton Road with a stab wound in his back.

The police officers approached the man, intending to take him to hospital. An ambulance was called and police were bandaging the youth in the car when a group of young blacks attacked it.

The ambulance arrived and the injured youth was taken to hospital. A second police car arrived as a crowd of black youths was building up. Bottles were thrown through the police vehicles' windscreens.

This incident ended when police reinforcements arrived, but the build-up of police patrols in the area continued through the rest of the night and into Saturday.

One white woman who lives in Spenser Road said that when she returned home on Friday evening at 6pm, Dulwich Road, parallel to Railton Road, was "filled with police and sirens and vehicles. There were so many I thought they were on some sort of exercise."

On Saturday, she said "there were no signs of them keeping a low profile." A similar description was given by Mrs May Dan, a black woman who lives in Railton Road.

"At 9am on Saturday morning, I thought there must be some trouble today because the police were in twos all the way down Railton Road, Atlantic Road and Coldharbour Lane." Groups of young blacks gathered all afternoon and there were tense confrontations.

At 4.45 a young black was arrested outside a minicab office in Atlantic Road after a scuffle with a plain clothes police officer. The young man was taken off in a van by uniformed police and missiles thrown at the van broke some of its windows. Police reinforcements were called and the battle of Brixton had begun.

5pm: An abandoned police car is set on fire in Atlantic Road, jewellery and clothing stores are broken into in the road and several police officers are hurt by flying bricks.

5.30: Fighting continues in Atlantic Road and spreads into Railton Road and Mayall Road. Police get out riot shields and form cordons at the east end of Railton Road.

6.30: The first petrol bombs are thrown, setting fire to police and private cars in Railton and Leeson roads.

6.40: Fire brigade summoned to the area to cope with petrol bomb attacks but are unable to get through because their vehicles are stoned. By the end of the night, eight fire engines had been damaged, four badly. Thirteen firemen are injured by missiles.

7.40: A fire engine turntable set alight in Railton Road. Minutes later, youths commandeered a fire engine which they then drove up and down Railton Road.

7.45: A petrol bomb sets fire to the Windsor Castle pub in Leeson Road which is completely destroyed by 9.30pm. At the same time, the George public house in Railton Road is petrol bombed.

An eye witness said: "There were whites as well as blacks doing it. The windows were knocked in and a long-haired white woman was doing a lot."

A white couple with two young children living just off Railton Road in a mixed street have their door kicked in by a group of eight black youths armed with knives who threaten them for money.

A black family across the road try to dissuade the youths but fail.

Black crowds drive police down Railton Road towards Atlantic Road with missiles. Police group in Mayall Road and try to push the rioters back.

Then a lull occurs. Buildings, including the post office, a car spares business, a plumber's shop, an off-licence and a school in Effra Road all burn during this period. Serious looting begins.

9.30: The Windsor Castle pub collapses and electricity fails along Mayall Road.

10.00: Police begin to regain control of the area but fire brigade unable to resume normal duty until 9.0 yesterday morning.

Throughout the night, 14 properties were destroyed or damaged by fire, gas mains were damaged and 22 vehicles were set alight.

Mr Declan Butler, fire brigade Divisional Officer, said yesterday: "When we got our first call at around 5pm on Saturday, we were not able to get beyond Saltoun Road and we then began to get reports of other fires we couldn't attend to.

Every time we tried to attend to a fire we were attacked. We've never had this sort of disturbance before."

http://www.urban75.org/brixton/history/images/riot5.jpg

The director of the Abeng Centre, a West Indian venue opposite Brixton police station, said yesterday: "It's been coming a long time. I don't think it's a setback for race relations in this area.

A lot of us have been saying this would happen for years and no one has been paying attention."

Edward, a black youth, who did not wish to give his full name, said that he saw trouble break out in Kellett Road in the late afternoon. "I was expecting it. Police had been annoying us all day and everybody was getting jumpy.

When it started the youths just picked up whatever they could find, bottles and bricks. We were fighting back."

Estimates spoke of 5,000 people being involved - concentrated in Railton Road with forays into Brixton Road to loot stores and the market.

From The Guardian's historical website www.guardiancentury.co.uk (http://www.guardiancentury.co.uk)
source = http://www.urban75.org/brixton/history/riot1.html
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Martin Red

10-13-2003, 11:06 AM

Brixton video -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/38524000/rm/_38524327_6894_12-04-81_56ka1_vi.ram

1981: Brixton ablaze after race riot
The arrest of a black man has led to hundreds of youths rampaging through the streets of Brixton in south London.
They hurled petrol bombs at police, burnt cars and looted shops in an outbreak of violence which started in the early evening.

A school and two pubs have been set alight and firefighters have been unable to reach some other fires due to the threat of attacks.

More than 50 police officers have been injured and at least 20 people have been arrested.

The rioting broke out in the area of Railton Road and Atlantic Road in central Brixton, where police and black youths had already clashed on Friday night.

That disturbance was soon stamped out but the trouble on Saturday evening - which began after the arrest of a young black man - quickly spiralled out of control.

When other officers arrived and tried to make more arrests the ever-increasing crowd started throwing bottles and bricks.

Missiles

Reinforcements from other police areas were called in but in the 30 minutes it took for them to arrive the violence had escalated sharply.

A charge by about 200 officers with riot shields and batons down Atlantic Road misfired when they were forced to retreat under a hail of missiles.

Many local people are blaming a special police operation carried out last week for helping spark unrest.

During Operation Swamp, police stopped and questioned people supposedly at random in an attempt to crack down on street crime.

However, many young black men felt they were being unjustly singled out by officers, causing widespread resentment.

Two months ago the local council published a report about the state of police/community relations in Brixton - it said many black people believed they were targeted by the police purely on racial lines.

In Context
Nearly 400 people, including 150 police officers, were injured during three days of rioting in Brixton.

After an inquiry headed by Lord Scarman, major changes were implemented in policing.

They included an end to the hated "Sus" law which allowed officers to arrest anyone they suspected of loitering with intent - young black men said officers used it to unfairly target them.

The Scarman report also led to the setting up of the Police Complaints Authority.

In 1985 there were further riots in Brixton after a black woman was accidentally shot and wounded during a police raid on her home.

More serious disturbances occurred 10 years later after a young black man died in police custody.

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 11:40 AM

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Handsworth Riots, Birmingham.

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1985 Riot in Handsworth (Birmingham) two shopkeepers die in fire

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Level 5 : "War Inna Babylon"
1st, 2nd, third generation: due to the colonization process, the Jamaican community was largely present in England. On meeting with Western Europe, Reggae music took on an urban character. The rhythm became faster and the sounds more "rock". Steel Pulse, Aswad and Black Uhuru symbolized this amazing period. Sly & Robbie and Roots Radics should be mentioned here. They were constantly in the studio and participated in many productions. The Roots Radics duo made many dub albums too: they were extremely, with no blank time: "The summit", "Taxi gang". Out of the necessary drum & bass duo, many bands started functioning as a tandum: Steelie & Cleevie, Mafia & Fluxy. But there were ghettos in the urban jungle. Rastas were confronted with Babylon! Riots were spreading throughout England. They didn't have much to envy to the struggle of the German autonomists, for instance. Handsworth revolution!

source = http://www.wtm-paris.com/art_dubve.html

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 11:41 AM

Race - Trickles of Blood
by Madawc Williams (April 1987)

A short time back, there was a wave of soccer hooliganism. Those involved were predominantly white, though some blacks were involved. More recently we have had a wave of anti-police riots. Those involved have been predominantly black; for the most part children of people who came here from the West Indies in the 1950s and 1960s. Inevitably, this second round of violence has been seen as indicating a "race problem". To what extent is this true?

We must also ask if the recent round of rioting is likely to prove profitable to the black community. Was it the start of a revolution? Or was it "reformist rioting" - rioting that is likely to force the government to do more for the black minority?

Or again, were we seeing the start of a destructive round of riot and repression? Will we see black communities urged to take an ever more alienated position by those well out of "the front line" - and then left in the lurch if serious repression should start?

These questions will be looked at in detail. But first, let's look at the history of the problem.

Immigration and Enoch Powell.

Britain acquired its racial minorities in a fit of absent-minded smugness by its rulers. During the 1950s, Macmillan's claim that "you've never had it so good" seemed to be absolutely true. Keynesianism seemed to have cured unemployment once and for all; indeed there was a labour shortage in some sectors. In these circumstances it seemed natural to try to find new workers from parts of the newly-freed empire.

In most other European countries (and most other parts of the world, for that matter) there is a definite idea of citizenship. No one receives citizenship automatically. You can live and work in a country for a long time without gaining the right to stay there indefinitely. Citizenship is only awarded after a series of quite strict tests and checks, if at all. None of those countries acquire minorities by accident or oversight. Most of them are very ruthless with illegal immigrants.

In the last few years, for instance, several of the West African countries have expelled huge numbers of illegal immigrants from other West African countries. Since it was black people throwing out other black people, the matter received far less attention than it deserved. Better remembered (because Britain was directly affected) was the expulsion of Asians from Kenya and Uganda.

In Britain, there was no such thing as citizenship. We were all "subjects of the crown", whether we lived in the United Kingdom or in the Commonwealth. In the case of immigrants from India or Pakistan, this meant that people could arrive with no knowledge of British culture or of the English language. And it was not up to anyone in particular to help them to settle down.

More importantly, there was no particular limit to the number of people who might choose to come and live in Britain. It had never mattered before - there had been small numbers of non-white immigrants for a very long time, and this had caused no particular problems.

But suddenly the numbers were no longer small, and it did begin to matter. Britain could absorb a few hundred thousand immigrants without much trouble, but how many more would want to come? A million? Two million? Five million? Twenty million?

Moreover, immigration did not occur evenly across the whole society. People like to make their home close to friends and relations, naturally enough. This meant that huge numbers of immigrants would arrive in a particular area in the course of a few short years. Suddenly Brixton became a West Indian area, Southall an Asian area, etc.

Naturally, this was upsetting to people who had lived there all their lives. Racism began to spread among the white community, as non-white immigrants ceased to be an interesting rarity. There were the Notting Hill riots in 1958, in which whites led by fascists and racists attacked the immigrants. It became clear that unrestricted immigration would lead to the growth of a powerful racist right with support in the white working class, and to an ever greater cycle of violence.

In this context, restrictions on immigration began to be introduced. Some Liberals and Leftists called these measures racist, but in fact they were only bringing Britain into line with other nation-states, none of which allowed unlimited immigration. Moreover, these curbs were the only way of preventing the growth of real racism among the white majority.

It was in this context that Enoch Powell began to talk about race and, in 1968, to warn of "rivers of blood". At first he called for curbs on immigration - but curbs were already being introduced. On the other hand, it was plain that all those who had arrived before the curbs were here to stay. And their children would grow up knowing no other home.

In the face of this, Powell became disorientated. Even though no more immigrants were coming in, those who were already here spoiled his notion of what Britain ought to be. Had he been the sort of racist/fascist that many people accused him of being, he would then have gone on to found a far-right party based on nationalism and racism. He could have build on the widespread popular support he had at that time, winning support both from right-wing conservatives and from racially-prejudiced workers who would normally vote Labour.

Powell did nothing of the sort. Powell was and is a Tory and a nationalist of the old-fashioned sort. He will not break the rules of parliamentary democracy, because those rules are part of the British tradition that he cherishes.

Finding himself unable to make progress within the Tory party, he migrated to Northern Ireland, joining the more moderate of the two main Unionist parties. In two critical General Elections, he urged support for the Labour party. (He saw Labour as the best defence against the EEC)

Powell's only new contribution to the race issue was a weak proposal for voluntary repatriation. He repeated this call after the first riots in Handsworth. But he seems to lack any strong belief in this "remedy". (In fact, it seems that a system of voluntary repatriation already exists. It is not given much publicity, and few people choose to make use of it).

Powell probably knows that his solution is no solution. But he can find no other answer, without breaking with traditions in which he has a deep belief.

Powell and Fascism.

Powell is not a racist, in the strict meaning of the term. He is a nationalist, seeing certain British traditions as being supremely important. He does not see race as such as being a problem - he has gone on record as saying that had the immigrants been Germans, say, this might have caused even greater problems. Powell is not a Fascist either. The mainstream of British politics has utterly rejected Fascism as it existed in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

In the 1930s, there were elements in the political mainstream who admired Hitler and/or urged appeasement. I don't think Powell was one of these; in any case, that whole tradition failed and was rejected. Right joined Centre and Left in the war against Hitler. And they did so under the leadership of Churchill, the arch-imperialist, the man who was responsible for Tonypandy (generally regarded as the worst thing any British government has done in mainland Britain since the Peterloo Massacre of 1816).

British politics since 1939 has had no place for Fascism of the Hitler or Mussolini variety. And Powell was not the man to break with such a tradition. He was against immigration, against the Left, against a great deal of what was happening in the society, but he wanted nothing to do with the fascist-led National Front. He advised voters not to reject democracy in the hope of finding something better in the gutter. The comparison is of course very unfair to gutters, which have a useful social function; but at least Powell made his meaning plain.

Rejected by Powell, the National Front made a brief showing on the stage of national politics. At one moment they looked like becoming a major political force. But they didn't last long. Their strongest and most effective elements turned out to be Fascists of a very crude Hitler-worshipping sort.

This crude fascism made them obnoxious to right-wing Tories. Racially-prejudiced workers who might have supported them turned away in disgust from such Hitler-worshippers. Both groups regarded the war against Hitler as Britain's "finest hour". Besides, immigration was clearly coming to an end. And it was generally agreed that those who were already lawfully in the country had a right to remain.

The National Front has split and lost support. It has gone back to being a nasty but not very dangerous fringe movement. At the moment, the far-right seem to be concentrating on making random racist attacks on those who can't easily hit back at them. At no time, not even at the peak of their power, have they risked serious conflicts with any of the far-left groups.

Today, there is no sign of the far-right benefiting from the recent round of riots. The riots were in any case anti-police (and occasionally anti-Asian), not anti-white. The white majority, despite being a minority in some of the areas where rioting takes place, has not been a target and has not seen itself as such. The very opposite has happened; white youths have joined in the riots. An intelligent far-right organisation might have been able to exploit the situation. Fortunately, no such thing seems to exist.

Racist Britain.

Is Britain racist? There's no denying that British society is vaguely racist. Some degree of racism has always been there. Or rather, there has always been a vague dislike of foreigners. Non-white foreigners, being more obviously and recognisably different, have usually got a worse dose of such dislike.

Does this mean that Britain is racist in the same way as South Africa is today, or that the USA used to be? By no means. People often talk about racism as one and inadvisable. Any trace of racism, however obscure, is identified with out-and-out blind prejudice. This is both foolish and dangerous. It is wrong to look at just the common element - discrimination according to race - and to ignore the different strengths of feeling.

There are degrees of racism. Britain has never had extremes of racism, and seems to be progressing slowly towards a general absence of racism. Large numbers of people may feel a little bit prejudiced, but are not likely to go to extremes.

A survey for Weekend World found that a majority of blacks felt that they personally had never been discriminated against over jobs. On the other hand, a large minority had experienced discrimination, and a majority felt that there were employers who would discriminate.

If racism in Britain is seen as part of a traditional prejudice against all foreigners, black or white, then it becomes clear that we're making progress. Typically, there is prejudice and hostility whenever large numbers of foreigners come into the country. They are seen as a threat. Thus it was with the Irish in the 19th century, with the Jewish immigrants around the turn of the century, and with the refugees from Hitler before World War Two. (During the first months of the war, many foreigners, including some dedicated antifascists, were rounded up as a threat and put in detention camps. Only later were they let out again and allowed to do their bit to defeat Hitler).

Colour, of course, adds to the problem. Were it not for the colour of their skins, the children of West Indian immigrants would tend to blend invisibly with the rest of the society (as have the children of earlier waves of immigrants). But the fact that they can be identified, and can identify themselves as a group, makes their position harder.

Even so, on the whole integration has occurred. A few "ghetto" areas get a lot of attention, but they are not typical. Inner-city streets are for the most part quite unlike areas such as Brixton or estates like Broadwater Farm. In general, black and white coexist fairly peacefully. Even the riots were not black against white. They have been blacks plus a few whites against the police and firemen.

A style in rioting.

Some people have been asking if we have been seeing something like the riots in Northern Ireland, which led on to the present IRA campaign. Many seem to fear this; a few even seem to be hoping for it. In fact, what happened in Northern Ireland was very different. Riots there were highly structured, and followed a strict code of conduct.

Looting was rare or unknown. Arson was used fairly selectively (although the burning of buses caused bus services to cease in some parts of the city). Rape was unknown - had rapes occurred, as they did during the Brixton riot, this would have been regarded as an absolute disgrace, and probably dealt with quite swiftly and ruthlessly.

The northern Catholics who rioted had a clear end in view, one which they had held for many decades - they wanted a United Ireland. Protestant rioters had an equally clear aim - to prevent this.

The IRA re-appeared on the scene much in the same way as tulips appear in the spring. They had lain dormant since their last campaign, waiting for another chance. When the chance came, they had plenty of contacts and trained people able to take advantage of it. They organised and trained those who had rioted, and were able to start their war once again. For several years they made progress; since the mid-1970s they have been in decline, although they still have considerable strength left.

The riots in Handsworth, Brixton and Tottenham have been noticeably structureless. The rioters have burned and looted in their own areas; they seemed to be treating the whole thing as just a way to have fun. In each case, it has been a local incident that has sparked things off. The accidental shooting of a woman in Brixton caused a riot in Brixton, and only in Brixton. Each incident has been local, and has had local results.

Moreover, in each case it has been police attempts to curb drug dealing that seems to have raised tensions before the actual explosion. Thieves and drug dealers have played a major role in all the riots. Nothing stronger or more coherent seems to lie behind it.

The Left and the Police.

Riots are often encouraged and applauded by people who would themselves never dream of getting involved. A mindless hostility to the police has been encouraged. The police are seen as an enemy who must be attacked on all possible occasions.

This has been done at an intellectual level by people who mostly risk nothing at all - neither life nor limb, nor income, nor liberty. Naturally, discontented young men are likely to follow such a lead, to take the propaganda seriously.

It is reasonable enough to work for a better police force. Left to themselves, police may become corrupt or brutal, or both. They do plenty of things that deserve criticism.

But such criticism should be aimed at producing a better police force, rather than simply attacking what exists. By world standards, we have quite a good police force. In almost every other country, the police regularly carry guns. People from overseas, with experience of their own police, find British police far less violent and less likely to break the rules. The police are certainly imperfect, but any other police force is likely to be a great deal more imperfect.

Criticism of the police must be specific and detailed if it is to be useful. When public transport is criticised, for instance, one can point to many other countries where higher subsidies produce a very much better system. Some people say our businessmen should be more like the Japanese. Others would like to change our military/defence system to neutrality and a Citizen's Army, on the Swiss or Swedish model.

But which other police force should we be looking to as a model? In the particular respect of recruiting minority groups, it would be good to learn from the USA. But hardly in other respects.

In fact, most criticism of the police is in terms of an ideal which has never existed, and which no one claims ever to have existed. The police are expected to arrest all the murderers, burglars, rapists, heroin dealers, violent racists etc. On the other hand, police must never stop or search anyone who turns out to be innocent (or whose guilt can not be proved). The police must be blamed for everything that goes wrong, and never given credit for anything they get right.

Of course, there are those who say a revolution is what they are after. The police are part of the old system that they want to overthrow. To be replaced by something like the police in the Soviet Union, perhaps?

No society can operate without some means of enforcing the law. Policemen may not on the whole be particularly likeable people. But the alternative would be something a great deal rougher, more violent and more likely to punish unjustly. The IRA in Northern Ireland has run such a system. Liberals and wet leftists in Britain have been careful to turn a blind eye to it. In the Lebanon, we have an even more drastic example of what happens when each local community tries to enforce its own law and order.

Reactions to the conviction of three men for the murder of PC Blakelock have been quite predictable. The cry goes up "Winston Silcott is innocent". Winston Silcott would seem to be an unlucky bloke - to be wrongly convicted of two quite separate and unrelated murders! It is true that some of those accused were set free, at the judges direction's. But someone can be as guilty as hell, and still be quite properly set free due to flawed procedures or suspect evidence. In Northern Ireland, the late Gerard Steensone, alias "Doctor Death", was held on suspicion of no less that six killings, and had to be released when a "supergrass" was discredited. His rivals in the INLA feud had no such problems; they held him responsible for the killing of their friends, and had no need to prove this to a jury!

It could be that the Blakelock verdict would have been different had the circumstance been different. Juries do take notice of the social context, even though judges tell them not to. For instance, in 19th century Australia, juries acquitted those involved in the "Eureka Stockade", even though no one doubted that they had done just what the prosecution said they had done. But in that case, it had been the rioters who had been massacred by the police and army. The juries felt that they had already paid the price. In the case of PC Blakelock, it seems that about 30 people were involved in killing him. At least 27 of these got away with it. That's the jury system - and it usually works against the police and for the defendants.

If we didn't have the police...

Supposing Margaret Thatcher were to hold a press conference and declare "we've just decided on a wonderful new solution to prison overcrowding. Instead of putting offenders in prison, we're going to shoot them in the legs!" Even the most right-wing Tory would stand aghast at such an idea. Nor is it remotely likely that Thatcher would suggest it.

Yet the IRA has been doing just that for many years, and with surprisingly few protests. There are people on the Left who see no contradiction between protesting at police brutality and applauding the IRA. Maiming and mutilation ceased to be legal punishments in Western Europe a long time ago; the death penalty, too, has been widely abolished. Yet the IRA, which regards itself as the army of an alternative state, can maim, mutilate and kill without protests from Amnesty International or the National Council for Civil Liberties.

To be fair, the IRA would find it hard to operate in any other way. It cannot let the regular police and security forces operate freely in the areas it controls. But crime does not cease to exist in the absence of the police. To avoid a total criminal anarchy, the IRA has to enforce its own law and order.

To run prisons of its own would hardly be practical; nor could it give each case a proper judicial investigation. In practice, it has had no choice. If it is to carry on its war against the state, it must kill or maim those who seem probably to have done something to deserve it.

In the absence of the police, we would not have anarchy. Rather, we would have something like the IRA's system of criminal justice. (Indeed, we might have something a great deal worse. The IRA has had a long tradition of handling such matters).

A truly revolting alternative.

A few groups on the Left have actually tried living up to their words, treating the rioting as some sort of revolution. One of these is an odd bunch of anarchists who call themselves "Class War". As far as I can tell, their membership is mostly young, white and punkish. A number of them got involved in the Brixton rioting. They say "We fully admit that many of us were there and took an active part in the proceedings... only a handful of us actually live in the area". (Class War, 5th page, 3rd column. The newspaper has neither date nor issue-number, but has a large picture of a black petrol-bomber on the front).

"Class War" express pleasure at what happened to the police. Reporting a small riot in Toxteth, they say "...unfortunately, only one pig was injured..." (Ibid., 2nd page 3rd column).

About attacks on firemen, they prefer to say nothing at all. They could hardly applaud such attacks - after all, firemen are without doubt workers, not very well paid workers. They do a difficult, dangerous and very necessary job. They are trade unionists - many of us will remember the last firemen's strike. Any of us might need the fire service at any time of night or day, literally as a matter of life or death. That the rioters should have attacked firemen shows how mindless and short-sighted the violence really was. "Class War", like many others on the Left, prefer to ignore the matter.

On the other hand the "Class Warmongers" have no qualms about supporting looting. Thus "As for the looting, Labour might, along with the rest of the Left, prattle on about the redistribution of wealth. The looters are actually practising it. **** all this shit about working class shops, there's no such thing, it's a contradiction in terms. Such things are inevitable in the early stages of a revolution. And it kept the cops busy too". (Ibid., 5th page 1st column).

Actually, the rioters do not seem to have looted at random. In Brixton, at least, food shops were left alone - these were not the hungry mobs of earlier generations. Shops were looted if they had valuable goods in them - or, in some cases, if they belonged to Asians. And there is no sharp line that can be drawn between ordinary shopkeepers and other working people.

"Class War" think they know just what they'd do if they could push out the police. They speak with enthusiasm about a bit of popular justice done in Toxteth. Police pressure on the Croxteth area of Liverpool had driven out a lot of heroin dealers. Some of them tried to shift their trade from Croxteth to Toxteth. Reacting against this "...a gang of 150 youths besieged two houses.... Both were the homes of known heroin dealers. Later in the week the gang, now 250 strong and calling itself "the anti-Smack Squad", trashed two more houses; the pushers were attacked and one hospitalised". (Ibid., 2nd page 1st column).

No one feels any sympathy for heroin dealers, of course. But supposing it had turned out they'd got the wrong people? That sort of thing does tend to happen, when an angry crowd is judge, jury and executioner. On name for it is Lynch Law - and, of course, it quite often gets people who are as guilty as hell. At present, it may be easy for local black youths to find and deal with the heroin dealers. The local pot dealers probably pointed them out - and quite possibly organised the whole thing. (Alongside the article is the slogan "This is Toxteth not Croxteth. Strictly Ganja! No H").

But supposing another band of popular vigilantes were to decide they didn't want pot sold either? Is cocaine OK? Should glue-sniffing be rooted out? Just who decided what the rules are, and who has the right to enforce the rules? To get anywhere, you would need something like the IRA's system in Northern Ireland, where it is the IRA's Army Council that lays down what is and is not allowed. I really don't expect anything like that to develop in Toxteth.

"Class War" are honest in their opinions. They are also ignorant and short-sighted. Their idea of state repression is unarmed policemen occasionally hitting the wrong people (or else hitting the right people who aren't doing anything at that particular moment). They want to take things to extremes, but have no idea of what serious repression by an authoritarian state would be like. They probably think they've been through it all already.

For their sakes, and for ours, let us hope that they never see the real thing. Their minds do not stretch to the sort of repression that ripped apart the Left in Argentina. And the Argentine armed forces that did the ripping were themselves ripped apart and broken by the British military in the Falklands War. Do "Class War" have any idea of what they might be starting?

Black Power?

Is there a black community in Britain? There are plenty of black people here, certainly. But what do they really have in common, apart from the accident of skin colour? Asians (including Sri Lankans) are Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or Sikhs. They come from four separate states, which have fought wars with each other and may do so again. They speak several quite different languages.

West Indians are very different from Asians, and not all that similar to each other. They come from a great diversity of separate and sovereign islands or island groups. Both their ancestry and their culture are as much European as African. They are Protestants or Catholics or Rastafarians. West Indian unity exists only for playing cricket. (And cricket, of course, is a legacy of colonialism).

Their African ancestry comes almost entirely from western Africa. West Africa itself consists of many different peoples, with quite different languages and cultures. None of them, however, greatly resemble West Indians.

At present, black people in Britain are represented by self-appointed "community spokesmen". Some of these are good people; others are not. Some outright swindlers and gangsters can be found among them. The late Michael Abdul Malik (Michael X) was an example of the bad sort of "community spokesman". For a time, he did very well out of playing on white guilt-feelings. Later he returned to Trinidad, murdered one of his own followers and was hanged for it. There are people around at the moment who are little better.

The trouble is, ordinary black people get little chance to say who does or does not represent them. It tends to be white politicians who choose who the "real" representatives are. They may get it right, but not always. There are black "spokesmen" who make a good living out of playing on the guilt feelings of the white establishment.

What is to be done?

The riots are a problem for society, not a crisis. If nothing at all is done, it is possible that riots could become a part of urban life. We could learn to live with them. People in Belfast have learned to live with much higher levels of violence, most of it orchestrated by a well-organised underground army that is committed to overthrowing the state.

And yet life goes on in Belfast. It was even drifting slowly back to something more normal, before the Anglo-Irish Agreement stirred things up once again. London itself carried on through the worst days of the Blitz, and has since rebuilt itself. There will be no race-war, and no rivers of blood. Trickles of blood, at worst.

Still, anything that can reduce riots is worth doing. There is racism in the society, - mostly not extreme or virulent racism, but it would be better to be rid of it completely. Even though most of the immigrants and children of immigrants have settled down quite nicely, it is bad that some have not. Things that could be done include:

(1) Recruiting more Blacks and Asians to the police. The police have made some efforts to do this, but more could be done. It would be wise not to insist on paper qualifications. There is a surplus of white police recruits, so they might as well take those with the best exam results. But there is hardly a surplus of non-white recruits. And success in exams has little to do with the qualities that make for good policing.

(2) It should be accepted that the police can go in hard when rioters start using guns or petrol bombs. A riot where lethal weapons are used deserves to be treated differently. A petrol bomb is not only a lethal weapon; it is deadly enough to be used in regular warfare. The Finns used them against the Russians in 1939-40 - which was the source of the name "Molotov Cocktail". Correctly used, petrol bombs can destroy armoured vehicles and tanks. When petrol bombs are being used, it would be absurd to deny the police the right to use plastic bullets. (There are strong indications that the police do intend to go in hard, next time there is a riot of the Brixton or Broadwater Farm type. This may be the reason why there have been no more such riots so far.)

(3) On the other hand, police should be far more careful about carrying guns. If they have to go after an armed suspect, why not send in police with full bullet-proof protection, instead of armed but vulnerable?

(4) The present half-legal status of marijuana is a constant source of friction. It would be desirable to prohibit it completely, but it does not seem remotely possible. In practice, use and sale in certain areas is not interfered with. It would be logical to formalise this - its sale should be licences in the same way as alcohol, but with public use still banned. Resources could then be concentrated on other much more dangerous drugs.

(5) Architectural disasters like Broadwater Farm must be made less bleak and inhuman. Ugly slabs of concrete could be painted, for instance. Instead of endless mazes of interconnected walkways, gates should be installed to create clusters of flats with just one or two ways in or out.

(6) Various schemes should be set up to let unemployed workers be employed making our cities less dirty and more civilised and safe. Some schemes exist already, but many more are needed. They would cost money, but so does keeping people on the dole. A real system of social accounting should be set up, to support schemes that are profitable and economic from the viewpoint of the society as a whole.

source = http://members.aol.com/BevinSoc/L2race.htm

[ October 13, 2003, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 11:44 AM

http://www.search.digitalhandsworth.org.uk/content/images/5/18/Resource/2325-0.jpg

1987

Many first generation black Christians journeyed from the West Indies only to find racial discrimination and rejection by Anglican churches. This led them to establish churches and forms of worship that met both their spiritual and cultural needs.

http://www.search.digitalhandsworth.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=269&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault%2Easp&page=&records=&direction=&pointer=2&text=0&resource=23 25 (http://www.search.digitalhandsworth.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=269&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault%2Easp&page=&records=&direction=&pointer=2&text=0&resource=2325)

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 11:45 AM

10 key moments in UK race relations

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1515000/images/_1517672_racism_300.jpg

To mark the start of the UN World Conference Against Racism, we look at 10 seminal moments in UK race relations, and ask you to suggest others.
Since before slavery, black people have been living in Britain. But only in the last 50 years have blacks and Asians settled in these shores within any great number. Today they make up more than 5% of the British population.

In the intervening years, British race relations have come to be seen as perhaps the most important aspect in helping to forge a peaceful and fair society.........

link = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1517672.stm

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 11:56 AM

http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/greyhound~~_blackwhit_101b.jpg

GREYHOUND
http://www.reggae-vibes.com/rev_sin/blackand.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
One of the most commercially succesful UK reggae groups of the early 70s was the London based band called Greyhound. The started out in the mid 60s when singer Freddie Notes teamed up with several London based musicians to form Freddie Notes & The Rudies. In the autumn of 1970 they achieved moderate national chart success when their version of Bobby Bloom's 'Montego Bay' reached number 45. When Freddie Notes left the band they changed the name to Greyhound, and started exploring different musical styles. After having performed at the wedding reception of Mick and Bianca Jagger they cut their first single Black And White b/w Sand In Your Shoes. The record entered the charts where it peaked at number 6, spending a total of 13 weeks in the Top 50. Their second hit was the group's upbeat interpretation of Henry Mancini's Moon River, from the movie 'Breakfats At Tiffany's'. I Am What I Am peaked at number 20 but proved to be their last major commercial success.

[ October 13, 2003, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 12:08 PM

http://www.allthingsdeep.com/Images/orunners.jpg

OLYMPIC RUNNERS
http://www.allthingsdeep.com/dge/olympic.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
A great lost British funk band, the Olympic Runners were led by George Chandler on vocals and their producer Mike Vernon, who also ran their label London records. Other members were Pete Wingfield (keys), Glen LeFleur (drums), DeLisle Harper (bass) and Joe Jammer (guitar).
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is spotlights them at their funkiest, before they adopted a more discofied approach as time wore on. "Whatever It Takes" and "Don't Let Up" are the peaks of their later material. They did the theme for the disco exploitation flick The Bitch in 1979 and broke up shortly thereafter, with the group members making a steady check from session work.

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 12:16 PM

http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/r/Covers/rokotto2.jpg

ROKOTTO
http://www.disco-funk.co.uk/r/ROKOTTO.HTM

FROM ABOVE LINK:
Good, but much neglected UK disco-funk band. Good tracks to listen for are "Funk theory" and "Get on down". But give "Boogie on up" a miss - it's not as good as its title.

Funk theory / Get on down (State [UK] 12" STAT 62, 1977)
Boogie on up / Jungle fever (State [UK] 12" STAT 80, 1978)

Rokotto (State [UK] LP, 1978)

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 01:16 PM

http://i18.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/bb/cb/1d_1.JPG

http://i11.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/c1/5f/59_1.JPG

Linx

Although now little more than a footnote in the annals of music history, Linx played an important role in the development of the British soul movement of the 1980s, helping to pave the way for Loose Ends, Incognito and Imagination. The duo of David Grant and Sketch made a big splash with their debut single "You're Lying," a crafty piece of jazz/funk that they hawked themselves after being rejected by labels. Once the song blew up, the same labels made a stampede to their door and the act settled on Chrysalis primarily because of their lack of a black music division, which they interpreted as a symbol that they wouldn't be pressured to conform to preconceived notions of black music. Lynx enjoyed a run of success through the mid 1980s before artistic differences forced their dissolution. Grant has had some minor solo stardom while Sketch joined the British collective 23 Skidoo.
Linx's Deepest Groove

Intuition (Chysalis, 1980)
Besides the hit "You're Lying," "Count On Me" and "Together We Can Shine" are featured.

David Grant - The Anxious Edge (4th and Broadway, 1990)
The only Grant album to be released in the US, "Keep It Together" got some video airtime. The mood of the album was a portend of what Ephraim Lewis was to do a few years later.

Copyright ©2001 B.Graff. All rights reserved.

Inc Linx sample: You're Lying

SOURCE - http://www.allthingsdeep.com/dge/linx.htm
-------------------------------------------------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fameacademy/images/tutor_profile/david_grant_112x76.jpg

Name David Grant

Position Vocal Coach

Style Driven, methodical, relaxed

Skills Singer, Presenter

The new term begins with a new teacher. Vocal Coach David Grant is not only experienced in tackling the tonsil troubles of celebs like Gareth Gates, Will Young and Jessica Garlick - he's Carrie's husband too. Chilled out David is patient and thorough, but he won't hesitate to set students straight if they get too big for their designer boots!

Chart star in the early 1980s with Brit-funk duo Linx. David teamed up with Jaki Graham in 1985 for the Top 5 single Could It Be I'm Falling In Love.

Worked as a session singer with the likes of Diana Ross, Al Jarreau, Lighthouse Family and Fatboy Slim

Co-founded ten-piece multi-racial group United Colours of Sound which were featured in a 50-minute BBC TV documentary, "The Quest." Band performed on Will Young and Gareth Gates' No 1 single "Evergreen" and sang on the 2002 Eurovision entry, the hit single "Come Back" by Jessica Garlick.

Alongside Carrie, David was presented with the MOBO Award for Best Gospel Act in 1998 after achieving success with their Watching And Waiting album

--------------------------------------------------

[ October 13, 2003, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 01:35 PM

http://photos.empics.com/raid/vol1/block30/145248.jpg
CYRIL REGIS, WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Picture by Peter Robinson
Date 1980-08-16

Cyril Regis first appeared for England as a substitute in the 4-0 victory over Northern Ireland at Wembley on 23 February 1982.

Martin Red

10-13-2003, 01:43 PM

BBC 4's Black Flash: celebrating Black British history
Simon Woolley, 01 Sep 2003

In the last 30 years Black male identity in the UK has been defined by sport. In a world that too often demonised, brutalised and belittled the Black man it was only sport and perhaps music that offered a platform in which he could be momentarily unshackled and excel.

I'm sure there is no Black man or women alive that wasn't consumed with pride when the fast talking Muhammad Ali burst on the world stage to proclaim his brilliance, whilst refusing to cow-tow to white oppression. Or at watching Brazil, the world's greatest football team, and the greatest player, Pele, gracefully, and effortlessly beat the rest of the white world in the 1970 World cup finals.

Given the prominence of these world-beaters, imagine the joy, as child, being called Pele by your white schoolmates, not necessarily because you played like him, but rather because, like him, you were Black.

BBC 4's wonderful documentary Black Flash - a history of Black British footballers - illuminates an overlooked era in which Black footballers gave Black Britons a well needed fillet of self-worth. But even more than that how their participation at the highest level of the game, in many ways, also contributed to breaking down some of the worst aspects of racism.

Digging in the archives historian Phil Vasili uncovered the 'God father' of Black British football: Arthur Wharton. Wharton, one of the fastest men in the country was signed by Preston North End in 1889, not to play as an outfielder, but as goalkeeper. But Wharton played brilliantly in goal and went on to become a local hero. Other Black players such as Eddie Parris, Jack Leslie and Albert Johannson followed Wharton's success in top flight football.

But is was during the 1970s and the 80s that we witnessed the greatest transformation of English football, due to the involvement of Black players. Players such as West Ham United's centre forward Clyde Best, who courageously blazed the trail for others to follow. Best and others endured ferocious racism both on and off the pitch that would destroy many a player today. During that era, the BBC even allowed the fictional racist 'Alf Garnett' to abuse Best from the terraces if his beloved West Ham were not doing well: 'You bloody cooon. Get back on the banana boat', Garnett would scream.

The documentary Black Flash gave due attention to the West Bromwich Albion trio - Brendon Batson, Laurie Cunningham and Cyril Regis, affectionately known as the 3 Degrees. They triumphed over racism with their footballing brilliance. They won over the partisan crowd and challenged the hate-filled away-fans with their dazzling performances. Cunningham above all played the game like a Brazilian, mesmerising fans with his silky skills. Nevertheless, they all faced acute racism particularly at away matches, including being spat at, verbally abused and being pelted with bananas.

If there is a failure of the documentary, it is that it failed to adequately explore the impact that players had on the Black community.
Due to the prominence of Black players in top-flight football many Black boys up and down the country found a new sense of self worth. Their own sporting prowess meant that in the hierachy of the playground they would command respect. And although in footballing terms that meant the usually fast Black child was deemed only capable of playing as an attacker, it didn't' matter, because for the first time in British society the Black boy had an arena where he could excel. The flip-side of course, was that a generation of youngsters were encouraged to pursue sporting activities to the detriment of academic studies. Not surprisingly many who excelled at sport often left school little or no qualifications

The documentary Black Flash excelled in chronicling an uncovered history that began with Arthur Wharton and brought us almost right-up to-date looking at the outstanding careers of players such as John Fashanu, John Barnes and the irrepressible Ian Wright. 'Wrighty' was afforded a special focus by the documentary makers principally because like Muhammad Ali before him he embodied brilliance, finesse, arrogance and a raw sense of Black pride. Wright's Black pride was never more evident than when he was racially abused during a game by the then feared Manchester United goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel. Shortly after being insulted they both challenged for what was a 50/50 ball. The giant Schmeichel against the diminutive Wright appeared to all as a David versus Goliath clash. Wright threw himself, body and soul, towards the ball and the on coming Schmeichel. They both collapsed to the ground, but after a second 'Wrighty' jumped up and bore down at the crumpled Schmeichel with a look that said, 'Don't go there again, you're dealing with a proud warrior'. Wright's combination of skill, valiance and honesty would endear him to the British public long after his retirement.

Today Black footballers are common place throughout the Premiership. The country's three top teams: Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea often field more Black players than white. Multiracial, international football teams along with campaigns such as 'Lets kick racism out of Football' have ensured that racism on the terrace is, to a large extent, a thing of past. But there are still some serious challenges to face. Though Black players are now in abundance, they are nowhere to be seen either as managers or directors. There also remains a rigid mind-set that shackles British Asian talent from coming through, and despite the progress on the terraces there still prevails an undercurrent feeling of racism that puts Black people off going to football matches.

That said, the documentary rightly highlights a rich piece of British footballing history we can celebrate. We celebrate the triumph over extreme adversity, that saw our many unsung heroes pave the way for the Theiry Henrys of today.

One of those heroes - Cyril Regis - was at launch of Black Flash, and I, eager to meet a boyhood hero asked him if he realised the amount of pride he gave to Black people and if he was aware that he was making history during those glory days. He pondered the question as if a spiritual answer lay uncovered before replying with great humility: 'No man, we just loved football. We just did what we had to do'.

http://www.obv.org.uk/blackhistory/index.html

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 01:43 PM

http://62.232.35.140/files_football/ANDERSON_Viv_19880427_GH_R.jpg

VIV ANDERSON
http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/viv_anderson.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
First black footballer to represent England

Viv Anderson broke through the taboos to become the first black player to appear in a full international for England, making his senior debut against Czechoslovakia in 1978. However, this classy full-back or central defender and his excellent ball-skills deserve to be remembered for more than just that.

During a long and glittering career with some of England's leading clubs, he won everything the domestic game had to offer.

Viv won the European Cup 1979, 1980; European Supercup 1979 and played for Nottingham Forest, Arsenal, Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, and Middlesbrough during his distinguished career, before he become assistant manager to Bryan Robson at Middlesbrough.

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 01:48 PM

http://members.easyspace.com/football/hunk/ince.jpg

PAUL INCE
http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/paul_ince.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
England's first black captain

Paul Ince was born in Ilford in 1967, and grew up with his aunt in Dagenham. He was spotted by West Ham coach John Lyall when he was 12, and signed for the Hammers as a YTS trainee at 14. In 1985 he was offered professional terms.

In 1989, he moved to Manchester United, a move that many West Ham fan never forgave him for. His performances there earned him a call up to the England squad, and the captainship. Inter Milan paid £8 million for Ince in 1995. Professionally, his time at Milan was highly successful, and he returned to England in 1997 to join Liverpool. He was appointed captain, and wasted no time making himself indispensable to the team.

He has represented England on numerous occasions, including the European Cup in 1996 and 1998 World Cup Finals. After England's disappointing performance in Euro 2000, he called it a day for his international career. He currently plays for Wolves.

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 01:56 PM

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/sport/clydebest2.jpg

CLYDE BEST
http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/sport/best.htm

Nowadays there are hundreds of black professional footballers, with half the national squad being made up of black players. However, when I first got into football in the late 60's / early 70's, there was only one black player I can remember playing at the top level - this was Clyde Best.

FROM LINK ABOVE:
Clyde Best made 186 appearances for West Ham United in a six year spell at Upton Park and bagged a respectable 47 goals. He was one of the first black footballers to succeed in the Football League and paved the way for a whole generation to make their way into the professional game. Clyde moved to the United States in the 1980's and started up a cleaning business in California.

However, he gave it all up in 1997 when he returned to his native Bermuda and answered their call to take control of the national football team.' Clyde was a big, bustling centre-forward who scored goals for fun.

He took a lot of stick as one of the pioneering black footballers ( racism was rife in until the early 90's at football grounds, and still is to a degree in the lower leagues), but he was a firm favourite of most of the Hammers fans. Clyde played alongside the greats of Upton Park such as Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Trevor Brooking.

muel

10-13-2003, 06:12 PM

Wow what a great post, thanks Martin and everybody who contributed graemlins/beerchug.gif .

Keep it comming.

[ October 13, 2003, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: muel ]

Mah'chew

10-13-2003, 07:52 PM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
http://www.allthingsdeep.com/Images/orunners.jpg

OLYMPIC RUNNERS
http://www.allthingsdeep.com/dge/olympic.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
A great lost British funk band, the Olympic Runners were led by George Chandler on vocals and their producer Mike Vernon, who also ran their label London records. Other members were Pete Wingfield (keys), Glen LeFleur (drums), DeLisle Harper (bass) and Joe Jammer (guitar).
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is spotlights them at their funkiest, before they adopted a more discofied approach as time wore on. "Whatever It Takes" and "Don't Let Up" are the peaks of their later material. They did the theme for the disco exploitation flick The Bitch in 1979 and broke up shortly thereafter, with the group members making a steady check from session work. Greg,

Great choice, that's my cut, along with their excellent L.P. 'Put Your Music Where Your Mouth Is'.

Thanks Greg !!!!

Mah'chew

10-13-2003, 08:19 PM

The first Black player to appear at Wembley (England Home of Football):

Albert Johannson, (1961 - 1970), Leeds United,
(1970 - 1972), York City.

http://www.leedsfans.org.uk/leeds/images/AJohanneson1.jpg

Position: Left winger
Born: 13 Mar 1940, Johannesburg (South Africa)
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 65 kg
International Caps: none

Goals: 68

The amount of abuse that Albert had to endure from players and opposing fans was dispicable. Through this he rose to the top of the English game and was the first Black player to play at Wembley (1965).

Albert Johanneson played left wing 200 times between 1960 and 1969, scoring 67 goals. He was a black South African who moved to Yorkshire after being spotted by a scout who saw in "Hurry Hurry" Johanneson a player of enormous potential. At Leeds he was an instant hit with the crowds who rechristenind him "The Black Flash". He was the first black man ever to play in a Wembley FA Cup Final, the 1965 tie which Leeds lost 2-1 to Liverpool. But behind his stardom lay a shyness and a drink problem that would lead him to his demise as a footballer and eventually to his lonely death on September 28, 1995, aged 53.

I'll let the people who saw him play do the talking:

Paul Eubanks says:

As a seven year old black Leeds fan in 1965, my father took me to Elland Road to watch Leeds, hence that was where I watched Albert for the first time. He was amazing. As an adult I've read so many books about Leeds players and the club and it's incredible to read about his skill and ability. Unfortunately he hit the bottle, but lets remember the skill he had and how he shone, when it is documented that he brought the fans back to Elland Road in the early 60's. I have an exhibition commemorating Albert's historical career. If anyone would like their thoughts and comments added about Albert exhibited in the exhibition please send them with your name and the city/town where you live to albert.legend@ntlworld.com I'll then inform you the next time the exhibition is on display.If Albert was playing today he would be priceless.

Stewart McCartney says:

Albert was one of my childhood heroes, as I stood at the corner of the Bootham End with my mate Phil. When my mum bought me a subutteo team in Maroon in 1972 for Christmas, I immmediately painted the number 11 black in his honour. God rest his spirited and loving soul.

Albert Johannson, R.I.P.

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 08:32 PM

http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~sph2/lufc/greats/images/reaney2

PAUL REANEY
http://www.leedsfans.org.uk/leeds/players/329.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
mark says: sorry if this is an old debate but is Paul mixed race i.e of West indian or African descent? If so then surely Paul was the first 'black man' to play for England ...if Halle Berry is a Black woman or a "woman of colour" then Paul Reaney should hold that honour (for the records) and not Viv Anderson.

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 08:44 PM

Originally posted by Mah'chew:
Great choice, that's my cut, along with their excellent L.P. 'Put Your Music Where Your Mouth Is'.

Thanks Greg !!!! Hi Mah'chew: Saw an Olympic Runners gig around the time of 'Keep It Up'. They were highly respected within black music circles for their live performances. A very underrated band. Writing this I'm reminded that there were connections between the Olympic Runners and another band I got to see back then, Gonzalez.

[ October 13, 2003, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 08:57 PM

http://i4.ebayimg.com/02/i/00/41/8e/f7_1.JPG

GONZALEZ
Biography: by Steve Huey

Gonzalez was a loosely knit, British-based aggregate with a revolving-door membership of anywhere from 10 to 30 players. Their specialty was a mostly instrumental melange of funk, jazz, soul, and (later) disco, though they did employ vocalists for selected tracks on most of their albums. Their core early membership consisted of saxophonists Mick Eve, Chris Mercer, and Geoffrey "Bud" Beadle, keyboardist Roy Davies, and guitarist Gordon Hunte; collectively, their previous credits included Georgie Fame's Blue Flames, Juicy Lucy, John Mayall, Keef Hartley, and the Night-Timers, among others. First convening in 1971, Gonzalez grew to include bassist DeLisle Harper, trumpeter Ron Carthy, saxophonist Steve Gregory, drummers Richard Bailey and Glen LeFleur, and vocalist George Chandler (among others) by the time they released their self-titled debut album on EMI-Capitol in 1974. Cuts like "Funky Frith Street" and the Latin-tinged "Saoco" later became popular among connoisseurs of obscure funk. The follow-up, Our Only Weapon Is Our Music, appeared in 1975 and featured new members in guitarist/vocalist Lenny Zakatek, trombonist Colin Jacas, guitarist Robert Ahwai, bassist Larry Steele, percussionist Bobby Stignac, and singer Viola Wells. Material from Gonzalez' first two albums was later reissued on CD, both by See for Miles and Soul Brother.

The band's third album, Shipwrecked, appeared in 1977, and was produced by soul singer Gloria Jones. Two years after the fact, the band's version of Jones' "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" became a hit in the U.K., leading to the album's reissue under the title Haven't Stopped Dancin'. Jones also produced their follow-up, 1979's Move It to the Music, by which time Eve and Hunte were gone; the single "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" was an unsuccessful attempt to duplicate the wide appeal of "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet." After one more album, 1980's Watch Your Step, Gonzalez found themselves without a major-label deal; during the '80s, they recorded singles for PRT and Tooti Fruiti, with many more shifts in personnel. They finally disbanded for good in 1986 following the death of Davies.

greg wilson

10-13-2003, 08:59 PM

http://i15.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b6/0e/91_1.JPG

MAC & KATIE KISSOON
Brother and sister who released extremely poppy records.

Their first hit 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' would only make it to number 41 in 1971, whilst the rival version by Middle Of The Road was a UK #1, selling a reputed 10 million copies worldwide!

Mac and Katie did eventually score two top 10 hits of their own in 1975, 'Sugar Candy Kisses' and 'Don't Do It Baby'.

http://clapton.onecom.com/band/kissoon.JPG

KATIE KISSOON - BACKING VOCALS
http://clapton.onecom.com/band/kkissoon.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
For vocalist Katie this is an annual return to working with Eric (Clapton), as she toured Japan with him in 1997. Early in her distinguished career she established her name as one half of the brother-sister duo Mac and Katie Kissoon. Since then she has appeared in concert or recorded with many outstanding artist, including Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Annie Lennox, Dusty Springfield, Roger Waters, The Pet Shop Boys, Jimmy Ray, Bonnie Tyler, Van Morrison, Tina Turner, Take That, Elton John, Tom Jones, Jamiroquai, Michael Owen, George Michael and Chris Rea. Her recent projects include work on the latest albums by Van Morrison and Jamiroquai, and a return to recording with her brother Mac.

[ October 13, 2003, 10:32 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Mah'chew

10-13-2003, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Mah'chew:
Great choice, that's my cut, along with their excellent L.P. 'Put Your Music Where Your Mouth Is'.

Thanks Greg !!!! Hi Mah'chew: Saw an Olympic Runners gig around the time of 'Keep It Up'. They were highly respected within black music circles for their live performances. A very underrated band [/QUOTE]With all the current interest in bands like Manzel, they deserve some props, I love their productions - thanks once again graemlins/beerchug.gif

http://kochiken.hp.infoseek.co.jp/simon/images/olympic.jpg

great, and completely underrated British funk band, Olympic Runners were led by vocalist George Chandler and producer Mike Vernon, here extending his talents to percussion. Famed as the brains behind the legendary Blue Horizon label, Vernon was also producer of early Fleetwood Mac, Focus, and more. The pair were joined in this new venture by ex-Arrival drummer Glen LeFleur and guitarist Joe Jammer, who had already racked up credits with Caesar and Chili Charles, among others. Adding to the rich brew were bassist DeLisle Harper, fresh from a stint with Rebop Kwaku Baah, plus vocalist Pete Wingfield, who himself had worked with Vernon as a member of early-'70s blues band Jellybread, and was also leading a parallel solo career at Island Records.Signed to London Records, Olympic Runners' debut album, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, arrived in 1974. Well-received on both American and British dancefloors, it was nevertheless completely overshadowed when Wingfield's solo single "Eighteen With a Bullet" became a monstrous worldwide hit, reaching number seven U.K. in Spring 1975, and breaching the U.S. Top 20 in August. Recorded with fellow Olympic Runners Harper and LeFleur, Wingfield followed through with the album Breakfast Special, before returning to the band for their sophomore album, Out in Front, that same year. And, setting their bar for the future, Olympic Runners — temporarily without Wingfield — released a third LP, Don't Let Up, that same year. A handful of singles accompanied the two, including "Drag It Over Here," "Grab It," and "Sproutin' Out." 1976 then saw the band follow through with their finest album, the brilliant Hot to Trot LP; an event which not only marked the end of their time at London Records, but also sign posted the beginnings of a change that would bring them from classic funk to a more disco-fied sound by the end of the decade. Throughout the remainder of the decade, Olympic Runners maintained a ferocious pace, unleashing a series of albums and singles that would prove their most successful yet. With the membership now floating around the availability of individual members, 1978's Keepin' it Up and Puttin' It on Ya were both massive, with the latter spinning off the dancefloor sensations "Get It While You Can" and "Sir Dancealot" — U.K. Top 40 hits at the end of the year. 1979 then brought Out of the Ground and It's a Bitch, with their own attendant hits, "Whatever It Takes" and "The Bitch." The latter song would gain further momentum as the title track for the 1978 film The Bitch, written by Jackie Collins and starring Joan Collins. Despite such successes, however, Olympic Runners had run out of time, and disbanded during 1979. Vernon and Wingfield went on to success as members of doo-wop revivalists Rocky Sharpe & the Replays; their bandmates continued on where they'd entered the scene, as prolific session musicians.

[ October 13, 2003, 10:25 PM: Message edited by: Mah'chew ]

Mah'chew

10-13-2003, 09:35 PM

Omar
http://services.windowsmedia.com/artistpic/P10539LCBGV.jpg

b. Omar Lye Fook, 1969, Canterbury, Kent, England.

Omar was born the son of a Chinese Jamaican father and an Indian Jamaican mother. A former principle percussionist of the Kent Youth Orchestra, he later graduated from the Guildhall School of Music in London. His debut singles were "Mr Postman" and "You And Me' (featuring backing vocals from Caron Wheeler), before his debut album was released, via Harlesden's Black Music Association's Kongo Dance label, on a slender budget. Nevertheless, it reached the Top 60. In its wake, Omar's name suddenly began to crop up everywhere, be it as a singer, writer or producer. Following a high-profile Hammersmith Odeon concert in December 1990, Gilles Peterson of Talkin' Loud Records persuaded financial backers Phonogram to open their wallets.

The debut album was slightly remixed and re-released, the title track having already earned its stripes as a club favourite and a UK Top 20 breakthough. Although by definition a soul artist, Omar's use of reggae, ragga and particularly hip-hop endeared him to a wide cross-section of the dance music community.

RCA Records won the scramble to sign Omar after departing from Talkin" Loud in January 1993. Since then, he has continued to collaborate with a number of premier R&B artists - songwriter Lamont Dozier, keyboard player David Frank (famed for his contribution to Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You"), bass player Derek Bramble (ex-Heatwave), Leon Ware (arranger for Marvin Gaye) and no less than Stevie Wonder himself, who contacted Omar after hearing his "Music" cut. He failed to achieve the same commercial success, despite constructing excellent "nu soul' albums such as 1994"s For Pleasure, and was subsequently dropped by RCA. Omar has continued to plow his own stylish path through soul music, and continues to attract big names such as Erykah Badu to contribute to his recordings.

Discography:

There's Nothing Like This (Kongo Dance 1990)***, Music (Talkin' Loud 1992)***, For Pleasure (RCA 1994)****, This Is Not A Love Song (RCA 1997)***, Best By Far (Oyster 2000)***.

Martin Red

10-14-2003, 04:37 AM

Lennox Lewis of Great Britain shows off his IBO, WBC and WBA title belts during a feature shoot in London.

http://www.ec-shopping.com/mall/c101/s25736/images/lewis_Bio1.gif

Lennox Lewis: Professional Career Record
Born: 2, September 1965, London, England
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 247 lbs
Managed By: Adrian Ogun
Record: Fights 43 - Wins 40 Losses 2 - Draw1 - KO 31

Lennox Lewis of Great Britain shows off his IBO, WBC and WBA title belts during a feature shoot in London.
On June 8th, 2002 Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson met at The Pyramid Arena in Memphis. It was the biggest fight in the history of boxing. Lennox Lewis seized on this opportunity with an eight round KO demolishing of Tyson. His legacy continues...
Lennox was born in England and moved to Canada at the age of 12 and took up the art of pugilism where Arnie Boehm his coach, friend and father figure overlooked his amateur career of 95-9 (52 by stoppage). He always avenged his defeats when presented with the opportunity.
At High School, Lennox excelled at many sports including basketball, volleyball, track and field, American football, soccer and of course boxing. After losing a football game at school Lennox said, “I refuse to cry – I’ve got bigger things to come. There’s a lot more for me to achieve in life than this little high-school championship.” He knows exactly what he wants and how he is going to get it, says his long-time friend and physical conditioner Courtney Shand.
Lennox is a diligent vigorous trainer of the sweet science of boxing and big things started with his first gold medal win at the World Junior Championship in 1983 and in 1984 won silver medal at the Olympics. A tremendous athlete, he rejected the financial temptations to ascend to gold medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Turning professional in 1989, he went on to win the European title in 1990 against Jean Chanet and followed this up with the British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship in 1992 against Derek Williams.

Lennox Lewis holds his trophy after winning Boxing award at the 2000 World Sports Awards ceremony at The Royal Albert Hall, London
Lennox Lewis was officially crowned WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World on 14th January 1993 when he also became the first British Heavyweight World Champion this Century!
Lennox has successfully defended his title against the American No. 1 challenger 'Tony Tucker' in Las Vegas and stopped the Briton 'Frank Bruno' in seven rounds at Cardiff Arms Park, Wales, in the same fashion that Mike Tyson had done a year earlier. In September 1994 Lennox unexpectedly lost his WBC Title to what many experts have called a lucky punch thrown by Oliver McCall of the USA at Wembley Stadium in London.
On 7th February 1997, Lennox Lewis became the first British boxer to regain the world title when he defeated Oliver McCall, for the World Boxing Council Heavyweight Title. Taking on all comers with defences against Andrew Golota, Tommy Morrison, Henry Akinwande, Evander Holyfield, Frans Botha and David Tua to name a few.
The Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World, Lennox Lewis, rung out in the auditorium after the rematch with Evander Holyfield in November 1999. The first fight was a draw; an outright ‘robbery’ but the dignified way in which Lennox dealt with it won him worldwide media attention and new fans on both sides of the Atlantic. This proved to be a defining moment in Lennox's career.
In April 2001, South Africa witnessed the fall of Lennox Lewis when he faced Hasim Rahman only to rise from the ashes. This was merely a trip and he turned the world around on its head by avenging the loss to Hasim ‘Has-Been’ Rahman. He showed great character to come back.
Lennox Lewis has taken the sport, the title, back to a world of elegance and sportsmanship –that old-fashioned world that he understands quite well. It’s all about respect. He is a beautiful champion. Lewis is 10-2-1 against men who have at one point or another in their careers held the IBF, WBA, WBC or WBO title.

http://www.ec-shopping.com/mall/c101/s25736/images/lewis_bio2.gif
Lennox Lewis holds his trophy after winning Boxing award at the 2000 World Sports Awards ceremony at The Royal Albert Hall, London

Martin Red

10-14-2003, 07:50 AM

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/sport/randolph_turpin.jpg
Randolph Turpin was born in Leamington, England in June 7 1928.

He has been described as the most exciting personality to grace the British boxing scene in the 1940s and 50s. Randolph came from a fighting family . His elder brother , Dick, was the first black boxer to fight for and win a Lonsdale belt, his other brother Jackie Turpin was also a good featherweight.

Although Randolph was not the most scientific fighter of his time his skills and punching power enabled him to take the World Middleweight Crown from Sugar Ray Robinson.

Randolph was a cook in the Royal Navy and enjoyed a successful amateur career, during which he was A.B.A welterweight champion In 1945, Randolph was 17, the following year he was Middleweight Champion. He also won a number of service titles and gained fame helping Britain beat the United States in a match at Wembley by knocking out his opponent Harold Anspach.

Four months later Randolph turned proffesional. He was to go on to win the British, European, Commonwealth and World titles.

His Brother Dick became the British champion and then lost his crown to Albert Finch. Randolph then redeemed the family honor by beating Finch in 5 rounds in 1950. He fought again, this time against the Dutchman Luc Van Dam of the Netherlands. Turpin took just 48 seconds to dispatch him. His next fight was to see him stagger the boxing fraternity by outpointing Sugar Ray Robinson. He achieved all this in the space of just nine months.

His victory was short lived though and Robinson beat him in the rematch. The money Turpin earned from the fight and the rights to the film and TV rights came to $2207,000 Dollars, he was just 23 years old.

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/images/sport/robinsonturpin.jpg

After that he returned to his winning ways. He took the British and Commonwealth light heavy titles, defended his European Middleweight title and once again became leading contender for the Vacant World crown. Turpin was to fight a Hawaiian, Carl Bobo Olsen. This was a fight that Turpin should have easily won but due to personal reasons Turpin lost the fight on points. Then he lost again in Rome to Tiberio Mitri. It seemed to be the end of the road. Randolph Stayed out of the ring for a whole year before making a comeback.

Once again he regained the British and Commonwealth light heavyweight titles which he had been forced to relinquish in order to challenge for the middleweight crown. Yet, he relinquished them again to fight for the Vacant British Middleweight crown on Nov. 26 1956. He fought and beat Alex Burton, he also successfully defended it against Arthur Howard in 1957. He retired as Champion in 1958.

He then faded from the public eye, trying his hand at various occupations including wrestling. Turpin had not handled his money well, and was hopelessly frustrated. He took his own life in in 1966 a month before his 38th birthday

source = http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/sport/turpin.htm

Martin Red

10-14-2003, 07:56 AM

Chris Eubank
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/sport/boxing/images/eubank.jpg

Chris Eubank is now a record-breaking boxer and a household name who uses his fame to promote charitable causes. But his early years saw him suspended and expelled from school many times, taken into local authority care and even living on the streets.

Eventually, at age 16, his father took him to the US. Here, he graduated from High School, started attending church and took up boxing.

Chris turned professional at 19, and returned to the UK at 22, going on to have 43 straight wins. Out of 25 World Championship fights, he has lost only five and he holds the British record for the most unbeaten World Title wins.

Chris supports many charitable organisations and is a patron of Breakthrough, the breast cancer charity. He is an ambassador for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and a spokesman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Aside from his sporting awards and charity work, Chris has also addressed many audiences, from those at Eton and Oxford and Cambridge universities to those in prison. He has twice won best-dressed man awards and, also twice, best-dressed sportsman.

http://www.soul-power.com/pix/eubank-small.jpg

He is married and has four children.

Martin Red

10-14-2003, 08:13 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1390000/images/_1392008_nigel300.jpg
Date of birth: 22/1-1964
Nationality: English
Weight division: Super middleweight
Amateur fights: 41 wins - 1 losses
Alias: The Dark Destroyer

WINS 42
LOSSES (5)
DRAWS 1
KO'S 35

FIGHTS: 1987-1996
DATES OPPONENTS PLACES RESULTS
TITLE/TITLES
28/1-1987 Graeme Ahmed Croydon TKO 2 ###
4/3-1987 Kevin Roper Basildon TKO 1 ###
22/4-1987 Rob Nieuwenhuizen London TKO 1 ###
9/5-1987 Winston Burnett Battersea TKO 4 ###
17/6-1987 Reginald Marks Kensington KO 1 ###
1/7-1987 Leon Morris Kensington KO 1 ###
9/8-1987 Eddie Smith Windsor KO 1 ###
16/9-1987 Winston Burnett Kensington TKO 3 ###
13/10-1987 Russell Barker Windsor TKO 1 ###
3/11-1987 Ronnie Yeo Bethnal KO 1 ###
24/11-1987 Ian Chantler Wisbech KO 1 ###
2/12-1987 Reggie Miller Kensington KO 7 ###
17/1-1988 Fermin Chirinos Bethnal KO 2 ###
7/2-1988 Byron Price Stafford TKO 2 ###
24/2-1988 Greg Taylor Aberavon TKO 2 ###
14/3-1988 Darren Hobson Norwich KO 1 ###
20/4-1988 Abdul Umaru Muswell Hill TKO 2 Commonwealth Middleweight
28/5-1988 Tim Williams Kensington TKO 2 ###
26/10-1988 Anthony Logan Kensington KO 2 Commonwealth Middleweight
10/12-1988 David Noel London TKO 1 Commonwealth Middleweight
8/2-1989 Mike Chilambe Kensington KO 1 Commonwealth Middleweight
28/3-1989 Wa M'Bayo Glasgow KO 2 ###
21/5-1989 Michael Watson Finsbury (KO 6) Commonwealth Middleweight
20/10-1989 Jorge Amparo Atlantic City POINT 10 ###
1/12-1989 Jose Quinones Las Vegas TKO 1 ###
14/1-1990 Sanderline Williams Atlantic City POINT 10 ###
29/4-1990 Doug De Witt Atlantic City TKO 8 WBO Middleweight
18/8-1990 Iran Barkley Las Vegas TKO 1 WBO Middleweight
18/11-1990 Chris Eubank Birmingham (TKO 9) WBO Middleweight
3/4-1991 Robbie Sims Bethnal TKO 7 ###
3/7-1991 Kid Milo Brentwood TKO 4 ###
26/10-1991 Lenzie Morgan Brentwood POINT 10 ###
7/12-1991 Hector Lezcano Manchester KO 3 ###
19/2-1992 Dan Sherry London TKO 3 ###
23/5-1992 Thulane Malinga Birmingham POINT 10 ###
3/10-1992 Mauro Galvano Marino TKO 4 WBC Super Middleweight
12/12-1992 Nick Piper London TKO 11 WBC Super Middleweight
6/3-1993 Mauro Galvano Glasgow POINT 12 WBC Super Middleweight
26/6-1993 Lou Gent London TKO 4 WBC Super Middleweight
9/10-1993 Chris Eubank Manchester DRAW 12 WBC Super Middleweight
26/2-1994 Henry Wharton London POINT 12 WBC Super Middleweight
10/9-1994 Juan Carlos Gimenez Birmingham POINT 12 WBC Super Middleweight
25/5-1995 Gerald McClellan London KO 10 WBC Super Middleweight
22/7-1995 Vincenzo Nardiello London TKO 8 WBC Super Middleweight
2/9-1995 Danny Perez Wembley KO 7 WBC Super Middleweight
2/3-1996 Thulane Malinga Newcastle (POINT 12) WBC Super Middleweight
6/7-1996 Steve Collins Manchester (TKO 4) WBO Super Middleweight
9/11-1996 Steve Collins Manchester (TKO 7) WBO Super Middleweight

[ October 14, 2003, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-14-2003, 02:25 PM

Kriss Akabusi

http://www.true-life.org.uk/images/kriss.jpg

Kriss Akabusi MBE is a man of many parts - an athlete, soldier, public speaker, student, TV Star, panto performer, preacher and lots more. Yet through it all comes that bubbly personality that irrepressible laugh, the catch phrases "All Ri-i-ight!", "Pump it up!" and so on. His personality shines through in every aspect of his diverse life.Kriss's greatest individual triumph was his gold medal in the 1990 European Championships when he also beat David Hemery's British Record which stood for 22 years, since the 1968 Olympics. However, running the last leg as Britain won gold in the 4 x 400m relay in Tokyo in 1991 was another unforgettable moment.

Kriss's athletics career has, however, not always been plain sailing. In 1986 he was at a cross-roads. He was a useful 400m runner but was frankly never going to be world class.

Two decisions in the next year dramatically changed the direction of his life. He switched events from the 400m to the 400m hurdles and became a Christian.

The switch was well thought out. Kriss noticed that Britain had a wealth of talent at 400m and that his ranking was dropping. However, there were no outstanding 400m hurdlers it seemed. Kriss then embarked on a schedule which would bring him medals at the Commonwealth, European and World Championships in the event.

At the Commonwealth Games in 1986 in Edinburgh, Kriss found a Good News New Testament in his room. He read it from cover to cover during the games. In his own words "Of course I had heard about Jesus before, but I had never realised that he had walked on earth and that he had said so many amazing things or that he had promised eternal life to anyone who believed in Him. When I realised all these things about him I just knew that I had a decision to make. I started investigating to find out if it was true what he said. A few months later I made a decision to give my life to Jesus Christ, something that I have never regretted.

And

10-14-2003, 10:10 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating16.jpg
Abducted and brought to London in 1810, this young South African girl was put on display at pubs, fairs, museums and universities because of her ‘unusual’ physical appearance. A debate ensued between abolitionists and those who wanted to study her from a scientific point of view. She died at the age of 25, and her skeleton remains in a Paris museum.

Sara Baartman, the Hottentot Venus, 1810
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating17.jpg
A documentary film of her life was made in 1998 by a young South African film maker, Zola Maseko: The Life and Times of Sara Baartman - The Hottentot Venus. Although what was done to Sara was unforgiveable it was not an issue of race or colour. ‘Freak’ shows were a feature of life at the time, with Tom Thumb and Daniel Lambert also being popular exhibits.
I remember reading about her in school ...
Thanks for the extra info ...
This is really a great Black history thread. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

kelvy

10-15-2003, 11:52 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
http://i4.ebayimg.com/02/i/00/41/8e/f7_1.JPG

GONZALEZ
Biography: by Steve Huey

Gonzalez was a loosely knit, British-based aggregate with a revolving-door membership of anywhere from 10 to 30 players. Their specialty was a mostly instrumental melange of funk, jazz, soul, and (later) disco, though they did employ vocalists for selected tracks on most of their albums. Their core early membership consisted of saxophonists Mick Eve, Chris Mercer, and Geoffrey "Bud" Beadle, keyboardist Roy Davies, and guitarist Gordon Hunte; collectively, their previous credits included Georgie Fame's Blue Flames, Juicy Lucy, John Mayall, Keef Hartley, and the Night-Timers, among others. First convening in 1971, Gonzalez grew to include bassist DeLisle Harper, trumpeter Ron Carthy, saxophonist Steve Gregory, drummers Richard Bailey and Glen LeFleur, and vocalist George Chandler (among others) by the time they released their self-titled debut album on EMI-Capitol in 1974. Cuts like "Funky Frith Street" and the Latin-tinged "Saoco" later became popular among connoisseurs of obscure funk. The follow-up, Our Only Weapon Is Our Music, appeared in 1975 and featured new members in guitarist/vocalist Lenny Zakatek, trombonist Colin Jacas, guitarist Robert Ahwai, bassist Larry Steele, percussionist Bobby Stignac, and singer Viola Wells. Material from Gonzalez' first two albums was later reissued on CD, both by See for Miles and Soul Brother.

The band's third album, Shipwrecked, appeared in 1977, and was produced by soul singer Gloria Jones. Two years after the fact, the band's version of Jones' "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" became a hit in the U.K., leading to the album's reissue under the title Haven't Stopped Dancin'. Jones also produced their follow-up, 1979's Move It to the Music, by which time Eve and Hunte were gone; the single "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" was an unsuccessful attempt to duplicate the wide appeal of "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet." After one more album, 1980's Watch Your Step, Gonzalez found themselves without a major-label deal; during the '80s, they recorded singles for PRT and Tooti Fruiti, with many more shifts in personnel. They finally disbanded for good in 1986 following the death of Davies. i remember finding the 45 to "haven't stopped dancin yet/just let it lay" on a school bus and enjoying it....i had to bring it back the next day but my parents bought me another copy of the 45 for my birthday..."just let it lay" is an underrrated b-side...i'm also fond of "people party" from their 1979 "move it to the music" album...

kelvy

10-15-2003, 11:53 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
http://i15.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/b6/0e/91_1.JPG

MAC & KATIE KISSOON
Brother and sister who released extremely poppy records.

Their first hit 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' would only make it to number 41 in 1971, whilst the rival version by Middle Of The Road was a UK #1, selling a reputed 10 million copies worldwide!

Mac and Katie did eventually score two top 10 hits of their own in 1975, 'Sugar Candy Kisses' and 'Don't Do It Baby'.

http://clapton.onecom.com/band/kissoon.JPG

KATIE KISSOON - BACKING VOCALS
http://clapton.onecom.com/band/kkissoon.htm

FROM ABOVE LINK:
For vocalist Katie this is an annual return to working with Eric (Clapton), as she toured Japan with him in 1997. Early in her distinguished career she established her name as one half of the brother-sister duo Mac and Katie Kissoon. Since then she has appeared in concert or recorded with many outstanding artist, including Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Annie Lennox, Dusty Springfield, Roger Waters, The Pet Shop Boys, Jimmy Ray, Bonnie Tyler, Van Morrison, Tina Turner, Take That, Elton John, Tom Jones, Jamiroquai, Michael Owen, George Michael and Chris Rea. Her recent projects include work on the latest albums by Van Morrison and Jamiroquai, and a return to recording with her brother Mac. her 1983 single on Jive ("You're The One...You're The Only One") is a fantasic slab of 80s rollergroove boogie that has a catchy, contagious hook... :D hail.gif

kelvy

10-15-2003, 11:56 AM

Originally posted by 6 23:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Martin Red:
THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating16.jpg
Abducted and brought to London in 1810, this young South African girl was put on display at pubs, fairs, museums and universities because of her ‘unusual’ physical appearance. A debate ensued between abolitionists and those who wanted to study her from a scientific point of view. She died at the age of 25, and her skeleton remains in a Paris museum.

Sara Baartman, the Hottentot Venus, 1810
http://www1.westminster.gov.uk/archives/images/celebrating17.jpg
A documentary film of her life was made in 1998 by a young South African film maker, Zola Maseko: The Life and Times of Sara Baartman - The Hottentot Venus. Although what was done to Sara was unforgiveable it was not an issue of race or colour. ‘Freak’ shows were a feature of life at the time, with Tom Thumb and Daniel Lambert also being popular exhibits.
I remember reading about her in school ...
Thanks for the extra info ...
This is really a great Black history thread. graemlins/thumbsup.gif [/QUOTE]Carmen Mitchell aka Princess Tam Tam has a write up on her (scroll towards midway for the article)

http://divadelight.freeservers.com/diva_delight_expression.htm

Martin Red

10-16-2003, 06:20 AM

Carl Cox

http://www.musicemissions.com/features/images/ccox.jpg
Carl Cox' story begins in Manchester, England where his family came from their native Barbados and where Carl was born. Like many born as the first generation outside their familial roots, Carl adheres not to his parents' birthplace, but more to the environment in which he was raised. The South of London was where Carl and his family settled. He spent most of his formative years surrounded by a warm environment in which his parents enjoyed throwing parties in their home for friends and family on a regular basis. It was in this social circle that Carl Cox learned to please the crowds of people and sired an intimacy with guests through the medium of sound. As Carl grew older he became a 'mobile DJ', hired to play at weddings and other events. He attributes his open-minded music policy to these modest beginnings which gave him his first experience of discovering what a crowd wants and how to deliver it with his own style.

The sounds of the 1960's brought Carl up into a free-spirited and non-discriminating pool of Jazz, Funk and Soul. Long before Jungle, Electronica or Dance was even a glimmer off the surface of his very first single (the Diana Ross classic "Love Hangover"), little Carl Cox fell in love with the sensuality of his maiden 45. However, one single was not long enough for Carl who longed for the sustained satisfaction of continuous sound, the seed of technically mastered continuity. It was this longing that was planted in his pulse.

The stylings of Jazz legend Maceo Parker further roused Carl's appreciation of the all night jam and the art of improvisation. The advent of soul giant James Brown on the scene inspired Carl's fascination with layers of harmony and endless beats to mature into a conscious discovery of soul within himself and the music. From this moment on, Carl threw his heart and ducats into what would be Carl Coxa lifetime investment. By the time he was 15 Carl's childhood practice of innocently entertaining at family parties naturally adapted into larger occasions for the community at large. With each and every party came requests for more, building up his reputation. Carl became so submerged in music that all his memories of time and place were built up through layers of sound. His childhood toying with 45's developed into a way of life and a medium of expression. Carl's musical abilities rapidly matured beyond his years matched by the speed at which his stories in sound began to resonate beyond the capacity of the standard turntable set. His technical mastering and ever-growing fan base motivated him to ascend to an unprecedented plateau of invention. By the late 70's when Hip-Hop and Technics (a force yet unrealized in the genre of Electronica), moved into the mix. The sound launched him into an unparalleled dimension of distinction. But the more widespread the Carl Cox name became, the more careful he was to elude definition by status or label.

The growth of the industry spawned numerous subgenres of Techno--Dance, Garage, Acid House. Carl was all of these combined and more. Despite his grandiose titles and rave results, Carl Cox has always remained the antithesis of the typically egotistical DJ. He actively maintains a connection with the dancers on the floor, never isolating himself from his audience. Whether at the recurrent weekly space at the Velvet Underground in London or a more exotic locale, Carl speaks the universal vernacular of sound. The crowd is his support and sounding board. He has learned to sense the distinct character of each club's crowd and introduce himself to them. Known for his genuine warmth and ready smile, Carl clearly derives great pleasureCarl Cox from using new material to entertain each different group of faces. Channeled through three turntables, his DJing reflects his open mindedness and the experiences that his world travels bring. Ambient but Jungle, techno yet trance, Carl Cox can take any given crowd on a shared journey into sound with no limits. It was just outside London back in 1988 at the Sunrise Rave when the dance community got its first real taste of the charisma and power of Carl Cox. Playing at 10:30 am, after 12 hours of reveling, Carl managed to coax 15,000 weary ravers back onto their feet to party anew. Since that day he admits that his phone "hasn't stopped ringing." Forever augmenting his repertoire through travel, Carl Cox has effectively woven together the world communities of rave.

Carl describes his music as a means by which people can be brought together from different places yet share a positive and common adventure. His international popularity is a testament to this. Carl's hectic DJing schedule has seen him perform across the world having traveled to Israel, Australia, South Africa and Japan. In July of last year, Carl played to about one million people at the most revered of all rave culture events, the legendary Love Parade in Berlin. Also in July of 1998, he gave his debut DJ performance at New York's Twilo club and drew the largest crowd that club has ever seen. The American Dance scene was slow to catch on to Carl's influence, but this phenomenal debut broke the ice not only for him, but for other DJs as well. Since then, Carl's residency at Twilo has been extended throughout 1999 consolidating his impact on the scene.

Carl's live performances have translated into hard record company currency with unprecedented success. F.A.C.T. and F.A.C.T. 2 were compilations put together by Carl that sonically blew away other dance mixes. Sales went to the top of the charts in the UK. He followed up the F.A.C.T. series with At The End Of Cliché; emerging as the final definitive testimony to all of Carl's great experiments in independent ideas and sound. Marrying old school legends to the one that has been made of him, Carl has arrived at a symbiotic relationship with the culture he has successfully inspired. Phuture 2000 is a consolidation of his varied experiences and sound intensification that no one has yet to realize until June 1999. The present state of music can be found in Carl Cox' Phuture 2000.

Carl Cox has an outlook of extreme hope and excitement inspired by and expressed through the rainbow of sound. He has a genuine love for the occupation of DJing that he has elevated into an art form and will continue to spin for as long as his enthusiasm dictates. Running a current of energy through the ears and hearts of those who hear him spin, Carl is welcomed into the community of dancers who cherish him. On a musical, personal and spiritual level, Carl Cox has reached a series of unique triumphs never before linked to the role of DJ and it is through these channels that he has earned the distinction as one of the best entertainers in the world.

http://www.musicemissions.com/features/bios/cox_carl.php

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greg wilson

10-16-2003, 10:54 AM

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PIONEERING BLACK BRITISH DJ'S:

One of my personal heroes when I was starting out in the clubs in the mid-70's was a DJ from Liverpool called Les Spaine.

It's a fallacy that it was all Northern Soul in the North of England during the 70's. Remember, the Northern Soul audience was mainly white kids into black music. The black kids generally had to make do with their own house parties or 'Blues' dances. Given the racism at that time, it was difficult to find venues in town or city centres that would cater to the black audience.

Northern Soul never gained a foothold in Liverpool, and as a result, the music played in the Merseyside clubs was of a much funkier variety.

The DJ who was playing many of these tunes first was Les Spaine. Although Liverpool blacks weren't welcome in many of the clubs, there was a part of the city where black kids, and the more adventurous white kids, would mix. This is where Les started off as a DJ, working firstly in a bar called The Masonic, before moving into a club called The Pun. However, Les is best remembered for his nights at The Timepiece.

I first attended The Timepiece in 1976 when I was 16. It was a real eye-opener for me because it was the first time I'd been in an environment where white people were in the minority. I'd been taken along by the presenter of the Soul show on Radio Merseyside, Terry Lennaine, and another local DJ, Dave Porter.

I remember the club made a huge impression on me and I resolved there and then that this was the type of audience, so knowledgeable with regards to music, that I wanted to play to. Some years later I would fulfil this aim when I worked with a similar crowd at Legend in Manchester.

Les played Funk, Soul and Disco. Bands like Parliament, Ohio Players and Brass Construction, were huge at The Timepiece.

Only recently I tracked Les down to interview him about these times. I knew that people travelled from far and wide to attend the club (and earlier nights at The Pun), especially the famous Timepiece All-Nighters, but one thing I hadn't realised is that these included many US serviceman, who were based in the UK before heading out to the war in Vietnam.

Les made many friends from the US as a result of this, and some of them would send him packages of the latest Funk tunes direct from the States. Les was also booked to DJ at various American bases throughout the country.

Some years ago there was a film called 'Coast To Coast', about a black mobile DJ (played by Lenny Henry) in Liverpool playing 60's Soul, who befriends a white US serviceman who shares his passion for Soul music. Lenny Henry's character is loosely based on Les, and a further link is provided when he later plays in a US base.

If you search for Les Spaine on the internet, you're likely to find next to nothing that refers to his time as a DJ. This is why I felt it was important that this, so far, un-written story about a part of our club culture that has yet to be acknowledged, needs to be brought to light.

There were other unsung black DJ's, like Persian, who worked at The Reno in Manchester (the frontline club in the heart of Moss Side that A Guy Called Gerald once named one of his tracks after). I'm sure that if you look into any black British community you'll find other influential DJ's from the 70's (and possibly the 60's) who have never received the respect they deserve.

Some black DJ's did gain a higher profile, like Greg Edwards in London, who presented the Soul show on Capital Radio, and Mike Shaft, whose Piccadilly Radio Soul show would provide the outlet for my own mixes in the early 80's.

Les Spaine would go on to work for Motown in the UK, being closely involved with Marvin Gaye, who was then living in London and experiencing a particularly difficult phase in his life (within a few years he'd head back to the US on the back of his return to the charts with 'Sexual Healing', only for his father to shoot him dead). After a period with Capitol Records, Les set up his own promotions company and would also become the manager of Aswad during the most successful period of their career.

He's still involved in the music business today, representing classic artists including BB King, Womack and Womack, Alexander O'Neil, Odyssey, Heatwave, Kym Mazelle, Jazzie B and George McCrae.

[ October 16, 2003, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-16-2003, 11:01 AM

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Martin Red

10-20-2003, 12:43 AM

http://www.4clubbers.net/interviews/images/paultrouble.jpg
Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson is a globally recognised DJ, producer and record label owner. But only after a stint with Tottenham FC Youth Squad did Paul Anderson decided to pursue his second love, music.

During the 1970’s he was instrumental in the London dance music scene. Global Village, The Embassy, Electric Ballroom and The Lift are some of the clubs, which made Paul a legendary figure. The 1980’s saw Paul bring his Trouble Funk sound system and a unique blend of dance music to the warehouse scene, and, with his weekly radio show on pirate station Kiss; he brought his sound to the masses. During the 1980’s he remixed Nomad’s Devotion (a UK No1), Junior Reid's One Blood (a Jamaica No.1) and remixes for Blaze, Pet Shop Boys, Soul II Soul and many more. He held a weekly dance party from The Loft, Camden Lock, London, with shows from the likes of Jocelyn Brown, Michael Watford, Arnold Jarvis and Louie Vega. His ‘Trouble's Original Mix Show’ is well respected and he has DJ residencies in Italy and has more recently remixed for Azuli and Manifesto. Lisa Loco caught up with Trouble at quality Northern venue club Non, Huddersfield to cause some mayhem…

Of course I had to ask Paul the obvious first, what was the whole Trouble tag about? “I am a Troub-lyrical man don’t you all know by now?” Trouble is always moving about with a seemingly endless energy supply, I imagine he’s got into a few situations in his time... So where are Paul’s current residencies? “Italy has been my second home for some time now” he explains, “I play several clubs there, and with Nathan Haines and the boys we do an amazing live jazz night in London, playing Roy Ayres and all that business. But all in all I’d say I am still a well kept secret!”

Paul believes that keeping his soul alive through his music has meant he’s not become the household name, “I wouldn’t begrudge anyone making a dollar but I personally will not sell my soul, it’s my music and I am very passionate about it! That’s partly why I can’t play radio shows because I don’t like playing the lists” He seems to know what he likes and how to get it.

Paul is also a poetry person and pens regularly, he is also in the process of writing a book. “Its called ‘25 Years of Music & Medicine; Trouble One Hell Of An Act To Follow’ it should be finished in about two years time, I just can’t stop writing… You have to exercise the mind as well as the body and we all have life stories”. I reckon Trouble’s story will be quite a read! He tells me his proudest productions to date have to be his children. “My boy’s fourteen now, and he’s playing football which is what I set out doing, so that’s cool really cos I get fulfil a part of myself through him. But I will never control what he does, he’s got to do his own thing just like I did”.

http://www.4clubbers.net/interviews/images/paultrouble2.jpg

I enquire about Paul’s thoughts on the future of the business and music industry and he comments, “It’s all a circle this development really. Everything seems to travel full circle before its time is right again…” So what other DJ’s make Paul dance? “I have to say myself, cos you’ve got to big-up yourself!” Having witnessed his set that night I will testify he does indeed make himself dance, he never stops moving in fact, spinning in more ways than one!

To relax away from the club scene, Paul writes stories, poetry and songs, but furthermore he is also a talented artist and loves painting. “In my management’s office in Hammersmith there’s lots of my work hung, a small gallery in fact”. Paul also speaks his own language, a man after my own heart, using a ‘Troubictionary’. As far as lessons learnt in the business he tells me the best piece of advice in this game is not to trust anyone “It’s called Trouble-Enlightenment! Don’t trust no mother ****** ” Wise words from someone who knows the score! Paul runs his own label Troubled Soul Records with acts like John Redmond and is currently at work in the studio working on his album. I asked him to define himself and he immediately fires back with “I am corrective, outspoken, articulate, artistic, majestic, mature, real, a black man but a person first!”

Paul has a worldly wisdom about himself and surroundings, a sharp answer to everything and firmly believes in getting out of something what you put in. Karma is a nice idea and the secret is set for some exposure - Paul’s got it coming around real soon!

http://www.4clubbers.net/interviews/paultroubleanderson.htm

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:01 PM

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Darcus Howe

Date of birth: No information Place of birth: Trinidad
Marital status & family: Married, children
Best known as: The Devil's Advocate
Honours & accolades: No information

Darcus Howe troublesome, outspoken writer and social commentator best known as the Devil's Advocate, which is the name of a current affairs programme he fronted for Channel 4 television in the mid-eighties.
Politically active since the 60s he writes a regular column for the magazine the New Statesman and is no stranger to controversy. Several of the television shows he has fronted for the BBC and Channel 4 have whipped up reactions -- more recently 'White Tribe' a look at Anglo-Saxon Britain.
His daughter, Tamara Howe, is a director of production for London Weekend Television (LWT).
He lives in Brixton, South London.

http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZfiles/DarkusHowe.htm

[ October 20, 2003, 03:06 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:05 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38236000/jpg/_38236610_trevor_mc300.jpg

Trevor McDonald Biography

Sir Trevor McDonald, native to Trinidad and currently living in London, is Britain's most well-known and well-respected television news presenter. His television career began in 1962 in Trinidad, where he moved into the realms of television after starting out with newspaper and radio work. His first television role involved reading the daily news each night, as well as interviewing on a current affairs programme.

In 1969, Trevor joined the BBC World Service, and joined ITV news as a reporter in 1973. 5 years later, he became their Sports Correspondent, and was involved in ITV's coverage of the 1978 Soccer World Cup, as well as many other significant sporting events.

In 1980, he became ITV News' Diplomatic Correspondent, and reported from a variety of world locations, including the USA, the Middle East, and the EC. Through the 80s, he held Diplomatic roles for Channel 4 News, eventually becoming Diplomatic Editor of the programme. Then in 1989, he became presenter of News programmes on both Channel 4 and ITV.

In 1990, he began to present the ITN News At Ten, and then from 1999-2001 he presented the ITV Evening News at 6.30pm. When News At Ten returned to British TV screens in 2001, he returned to the presenter's chair. In addition to news presenting, Trevor presents ITV's current affairs programme "Tonight With Trevor McDonald". He has also hosted his own chat show, "Trevor McDonald Meets..." which was initially only available on ITV's digital channel, but became available terrestrially also.

Trevor's roles as a presenter and reporter have covered a vast spectrum of events, and from a wide range of locations all over the world. Some of his assignments have won awards; his coverage of the Philippine Elections in 1985 won a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award for Channel 4 News.

Trevor has also conducted several important interviews during his British television career. In 1990, he carried out the first British television interviews with Nelson Mandela, in Johannesburg, as well as the first with Saddam Hussein, in Baghdad (just prior to the Gulf War).

As a result of his dedication to the British news service and his excellence, Trevor's efforts have been recognised by several universities. He has been awarded an Honourary Degree of Doctor of Letters by some of these, as well as other honours, including Chancellor of the South Bank University in 1999. He was also named Chairman of the Nuffield Foundation, following his work to encourage improved use of English in schools and the workplace.

Trevor has received more awards than any other newscaster in Britain. He has been named Newscaster Of The Year three times, and won a Royal Television Society Gold Medal in 1998, for his incredible contribution to TV news. In 1999, he also won the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award for Outstanding Contribution to Television, a highly prestigious prize. In 2001, the nation's love of Trevor was further proclaimed as he was voted 'Most Trusted TV Celebrity' in a Radio Times-comissioned poll.

In 1992, he was awarded the OBE in the New Year's Honours List, which was followed in 1999 by a Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The world's greatest newscaster has also been involved with several books. In the mid-80s, he wrote biographies of 2 West Indian cricketers, Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd. Shortly after, he co-wrote "The Queen and the Commonwealth", following his programme of the same name which was made to commemmorate the Queen's 60th birthday.

Trevor also has an autobiography, titled "Fortunate Circumstances", which was published in 1993. He is also very keen on poetry, and has published two anthologies, titled "Favourite Poems" and "Trevor McDonald's World Of Poetry", both in the late 90s.

In his free time, Trevor enjoys playing tennis and golf. He is a keen cricket fan, and is a member of Surrey County Cricket Club.

Thanks to ITV News for information for this biography.

http://trevor.skullthrone.net/bio.html

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:09 PM

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Lord Victor Adebowale

Lord Victor Adebowale. Joined Turning Point, an agency working to help people facing problems with alcohol, drugs, mental health and learning disabilities in 2001. He is Chief Executive.
He is among other things a board member of Central London Partnership, co-opted member of the NCVO Advisory Council and a member of the London Mayor's Spatial Planning Group and Patron of Rich Mix Centre Celebrating Cultural Diversity.
In 2001 Victor became one of the first group of people to be appointed as People's Peers. He was reportedly a close friend of the late Diana Princess of Wales

... he is believed to have been a close friend of the late Princess of Wales, Diana.

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:12 PM

http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZimages/LintonKwesi.jpg
Linton Kwesi

Date of birth: 24.08.52 Place of birth: Chapleton Jamaica
Marital status & family: Not known
Best known as: The father of dub poetry and 'toasting', and poem Ingland (England) Is a Bitch!
Honours & accolades: None as yet

Linton Kwesi Johnson was born in Chapleton a district of Kingston Jamaica. He says he was 'told' to come over by his parents who emigrated and settled in Brixton, South London in 1963.
Political involvement with London's young Black Panther movement -- an offshoot of the American movement -- led he says to his political and cultural awakening.
"I was a Young Panther. That's where I learned my politics, my history and my culture. I also discovered Black literature, particularly the work of DuBois, the African-American scholar. His Soul Of Black Folk inspired me to write poetry."
But Kwesi Johnson didn't stop there, his political, cultural and social awakening led to a degree in sociology at the University of London's Goldsmiths College in 1973.
He also expressed himself in print in a unique style later to be recognised and accepted as dub poetry. Books Voices Of The Living And The Dead (1974) and Dread Beat And Blood (1975) soon followed.
Kwesi Johnson became a recognised Black voice throughout the 70s and 80s, writing for both New Music Express (NME) and Melody Maker. He also made regular television and radio appearances as an authority on the emerging reggae music.
Also employed by the now defunct Greater London Council (GLC), it is widely thought that but for Johnson political and social activism he could've been bigger name on the popular music circuit.
Additional work includes albums for both Virgin and Island Records including Dread Beat An' Blood, Forces Of Victory, Tings An' Times and More Time.
Kwesi Johnson lives in south London but says: " My mother retired and went to live back in Jamaica and I do intend to retire in Jamaica."

http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZfiles/LintonKwesi.htm

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:21 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/music/music-live/images/pauline-270.jpg

Date of birth: 23 October 1953 Place of birth: Essex
Marital status & family: Married
Best known as: Enigmatic lead singer in Ska band The Selecter
Honours & accolades: No information

It may seem like an age since Pauline Black dressed in a skin tight two piece suit, with a pork-pie hat and shades bopped and belted out 'On My Radio' -- but that really depends on where you've been for the past 20 years.
Black is still seen bopping and bouncing about on the underground Ska circuit, where her form of music is thrilling a new generation.
She says: "Ska is very much underground now, but having said that there's punk ska, metal ska and even Christian ska -- So it can really be what you want it to be."
Back in the late 70s, ska music was very much the sound of protest pioneered by bands like the Specials, Black's Selecter, the Beat and only band to really achieve mainstream acceptance, Madness.
With hits like Three Minute Hero and On My Radio, Pauline Black was every Harrington Jacket wearing schoolboys poster pin-up during the days when Brixton burned and Margaret Thatcher was well and truly the 'Iron Lady'.
The anti-racist movement was overworked but Two-Tone bands playing ska led the charge against racist thugs, who ironically loved ska music.
"A skinhead came up to me recently and apologised for the behaviour of his mates back at the Hammersmith Palais well over 20 years ago," says Black. "In those days days the first 10 rows were either gobbing at you or screaming 'Sieg Heil'."
Much has changed since then and none of that prevented Black achieving relative success both musically and later as an actor.
Black who lives in the Midlands still tours and records with her band

http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZfiles/PaulineBlack.htm

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THE SELECTER

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Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:36 PM

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Gary Younge - national newspaper columnist. Younge is journalist a at The Guardian, where he has been on staff since 1994. The 33 year-old, has written from all over Europe and now writes from the United States. He is brother to the BBC's Pat Younge.

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:39 PM

http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZimages/PatrickYounge.jpg

Patrick Younge - television leading light. Patrick Younge is a former deputy-commissioning editor at Channel 4. He joined Channel 4 from the BBC, where he won a prestigious Royal Television Society Award. He started his career as a freelance journalist before joining London Weekend Television in 1991, where he worked on "The London Programme", "Crosstalk" and co-created and produced "Devil's Advocate".
Younge has written extensively for a number of national and ethnic newspapers and helms BBC Sport. He is brother to the Guardian's Gary Younge.
http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZfiles/PatrickYounge.htm

[ October 20, 2003, 03:40 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:50 PM

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The Selecter

Despite being the band that got the least press during the ska revival of the early '80s, the Selecter, while only recording one undeniably fine record, deserved better than they got. Hailing from Coventry, England, the same hometown as ska pals the Specials, the Selecter's secret weapon was lead singer Pauline Black, arguably the best lead singer of the ska revival, who gave the jumpy and jittery songs an edge that veered into haunting drama. Although they got off to a roaring start with their debut record, 1980's Too Much Pressure, the second record, Celebrate the Bullet, was a strained follow-up that led to the band's rapid demise. Black spent some time singing solo and eventually re-joined guitarist Neol Davis in a Selecter reunion in the early '90s that has seen them become dance club favorites. According to those attending Selecter shows, the vibe is strong and the music great. ~ John Dougan, All Music Guide

http://entertainment.msn.com/artist/?artist=116085

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Martin Red

10-20-2003, 02:58 PM

http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.orford/img130.gif
Justin Fashanu was brought up by foster parents and by the children's charity Barnardos. At 14 he signed schoolboy forms with Norwich City FC, where he progressed through the ranks and played for the first team when he was in his late teens. His 1980 volley against Liverpool was the goal of the season and still claims its place in football's all time great moments. The following year, he was signed by Brian Clough and joined Nottingham Forest. It was in Nottingham that he began socialising on the gay scene. However, when word of his private life filtered through to Clough, he was promptly suspended. He found a refuge under the more understanding Howard Wilkinson at Notts County.
In 1990, he used a tabloid newspaper to 'come out', receiving a fee of £80,000 for the story. He embroidered the story with untrue claims about gay flings with Tory MPs. Four years later he was forced to admit that he made up these allegations to increase the price of his story. The decision to publicly declare that he was gay was certainly a watershed in his career. Brave or foolish, it brought to the fore a deep seated predjudice in english football. Justin himself said "You have to understand that footballers are very narrow-minded people. It's the nature of the business. When you put yourself in the firing line, you are open to attack."His last British team, Hearts, sacked him in 1994 and he left to start a new life in USA, where he coached a boys team in Conyers, Georgia. It was there that, in 1998, he was (apparently maliciously and wrongly) accused of sexually assaulting a 17 year old man. He fled to London where he hanged himself from the rafters of a lock up garage under a bridge in Shoreditch, East London
http://freespace.virgin.net/kevin.orford/page36.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38470000/jpg/_38470219_justin_fashanu150.jpg
Justin Fashanu: Committed suicide in 1998

In sport, footballer Justin Fashanu faced a highly public split from his brother John, when he announced in a newspaper that he was gay. The story didn't end happily: He killed himself in 1998 after being accused of a sexual assault in the USA.

The lack of positive public figures reinforces homophobia among the young, says Mr Nelson.

"The most worrying aspect is that a lot of the homophobia in Britain is coming from young black men. There's black music with homophobic lyrics. And because it isn't challenged they think it gives them the right to be homophobic."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2468329.stm

Martin Red

10-20-2003, 03:09 PM

http://www.dacre.org/flash/www/gb400121.jpg

Young Soul Rebels
D: Isaac Julien, S: Isaac Julien und Paul Hallam, 1991, 105 Min.

The film is set in the summer of 1977, the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, and a time when British blacks began to define a style and culture of their own. Two black DJs, Caz and Chris, broadcast the soul message across London via their pirate radio station and the local club. But one thing threatens to cast a shadow over their success - an inexplicable murder in a nearby park.

http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/tabb/festival/films.html#Filmlist

imported_Gman

10-20-2003, 03:14 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
http://www.4clubbers.net/interviews/images/paultrouble.jpg
Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson is a globally recognised DJ, producer and record label owner. But only after a stint with Tottenham FC Youth Squad did Paul Anderson decided to pursue his second love, music.

During the 1970’s he was instrumental in the London dance music scene. Global Village, The Embassy, Electric Ballroom and The Lift are some of the clubs, which made Paul a legendary figure. The 1980’s saw Paul bring his Trouble Funk sound system and a unique blend of dance music to the warehouse scene, and, with his weekly radio show on pirate station Kiss; he brought his sound to the masses. During the 1980’s he remixed Nomad’s Devotion (a UK No1), Junior Reid's One Blood (a Jamaica No.1) and remixes for Blaze, Pet Shop Boys, Soul II Soul and many more. He held a weekly dance party from The Loft, Camden Lock, London, with shows from the likes of Jocelyn Brown, Michael Watford, Arnold Jarvis and Louie Vega. His ‘Trouble's Original Mix Show’ is well respected and he has DJ residencies in Italy and has more recently remixed for Azuli and Manifesto. Lisa Loco caught up with Trouble at quality Northern venue club Non, Huddersfield to cause some mayhem…

Of course I had to ask Paul the obvious first, what was the whole Trouble tag about? “I am a Troub-lyrical man don’t you all know by now?” Trouble is always moving about with a seemingly endless energy supply, I imagine he’s got into a few situations in his time... So where are Paul’s current residencies? “Italy has been my second home for some time now” he explains, “I play several clubs there, and with Nathan Haines and the boys we do an amazing live jazz night in London, playing Roy Ayres and all that business. But all in all I’d say I am still a well kept secret!”

Paul believes that keeping his soul alive through his music has meant he’s not become the household name, “I wouldn’t begrudge anyone making a dollar but I personally will not sell my soul, it’s my music and I am very passionate about it! That’s partly why I can’t play radio shows because I don’t like playing the lists” He seems to know what he likes and how to get it.

Paul is also a poetry person and pens regularly, he is also in the process of writing a book. “Its called ‘25 Years of Music & Medicine; Trouble One Hell Of An Act To Follow’ it should be finished in about two years time, I just can’t stop writing… You have to exercise the mind as well as the body and we all have life stories”. I reckon Trouble’s story will be quite a read! He tells me his proudest productions to date have to be his children. “My boy’s fourteen now, and he’s playing football which is what I set out doing, so that’s cool really cos I get fulfil a part of myself through him. But I will never control what he does, he’s got to do his own thing just like I did”.

http://www.4clubbers.net/interviews/images/paultrouble2.jpg

I enquire about Paul’s thoughts on the future of the business and music industry and he comments, “It’s all a circle this development really. Everything seems to travel full circle before its time is right again…” So what other DJ’s make Paul dance? “I have to say myself, cos you’ve got to big-up yourself!” Having witnessed his set that night I will testify he does indeed make himself dance, he never stops moving in fact, spinning in more ways than one!

To relax away from the club scene, Paul writes stories, poetry and songs, but furthermore he is also a talented artist and loves painting. “In my management’s office in Hammersmith there’s lots of my work hung, a small gallery in fact”. Paul also speaks his own language, a man after my own heart, using a ‘Troubictionary’. As far as lessons learnt in the business he tells me the best piece of advice in this game is not to trust anyone “It’s called Trouble-Enlightenment! Don’t trust no mother ****** ” Wise words from someone who knows the score! Paul runs his own label Troubled Soul Records with acts like John Redmond and is currently at work in the studio working on his album. I asked him to define himself and he immediately fires back with “I am corrective, outspoken, articulate, artistic, majestic, mature, real, a black man but a person first!”

Paul has a worldly wisdom about himself and surroundings, a sharp answer to everything and firmly believes in getting out of something what you put in. Karma is a nice idea and the secret is set for some exposure - Paul’s got it coming around real soon!

http://www.4clubbers.net/interviews/paultroubleanderson.htm Nice interview with Trouble , thanks.

greg wilson

10-20-2003, 05:42 PM

http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/zzwildbunchstoryofaso_101b.jpg

THE WILD BUNCH
http://pulse.towerrecords.com/contentStory.asp?contentId=729

FROM ABOVE LINK:

WILD BUNCH LINEAGE
The ethereal sound of trip-hop

While musicians have always shirked labels to define their music, perhaps no label has been as universally disdained as "trip-hop." The term was coined by critics trying to put a handy tag on the murky and mongrelized mix of down-tempo sounds that began to emerge from the grimy, industrial port city of Bristol, in Southwest England, during the late '80s and early '90s. For all intents and purposes, the genre's roots can be traced to the Wild Bunch, a sound system collective that began performing at warehouse parties around Bristol in the early '80s. The Wild Bunch's rotating cast of DJs, MCs, musicians, dancers and performance artists drew on a dizzying array of musical influences from Jamaican reggae (particularly dancehall and dub) and English punk to New York hip-hop and Memphis soul. After releasing a few locally successful singles, the group began to splinter. In its wake, many of trip-hop's most important early figures emerged from the incestuous Bristol scene, most notably Massive Attack, Tricky, Portishead, Smith & Mighty and producer Nellee Hooper.

Massive Attack's 1991 album Blue Lines is often credited as trip-hop's first real album, and while that's arguable, it was certainly the genre's first masterpiece. The album's seductive grooves, insidious bass lines and muffled beats are brought to life by wildly diverse voices: Shara Nelson's silky-smooth croons, Tricky's raspy rhymes, reggae legend Horace Andy's pained howl and the hushed whispers of Massive's own Grant "Daddy G" Marshall and Robert "3D" Del Naja.

Blue Lines became such a blueprint for much of what trip-hop would produce over the next five years that the most memorable records that followed it are the ones that strayed from its formula. Tricky's solo debut, Maxinquaye, and its follow-up, Pre-Millennium Tension, suggested his own vision was quite a bit more warped than Massive's, viewing trip-hop through a hazy, cracked lens that owed much to Jamaican dub pioneer Lee "Scratch" Perry. Geoff Barrow, who worked as a gofer for Massive Attack during Blue Lines, formed Portishead with torch-song chanteuse Beth Gibbons in 1994, injecting '60s spy-movie intrigue into the trip-hop equation on the group's debut, Dummy. In London, Red Snapper brought an organic, acid-jazz feel to its impressive early recordings, which are collected on 1995's Reeled and Skinned.

Wild Bunch alum Nellee Hooper had a hand in producing, mixing and engineering many early trip-hop recordings, but his most important contribution came from exporting the genre to the pop world. Producing folks like Bjork, Madonna, Soul II Soul and U2, Hooper helped bring trip-hop's slippery grooves to pop ears. As a result, the once-eerie sounds that coursed through Blue Lines and Maxinquaye became trendy mood music, more likely to be found wafting from the speakers at a high-end boutique than buzzing through the underground clubs and parties from which they originated. As such, the most interesting stories trip-hop has to tell since the mid '90s are stories of artists mixing its slow-burning grooves with elements of other genres to create more evolved sounds.

STRAIGHT OUTA BRISTOL - THE INDEPENDENT 1996:
http://members.rotfl.com/maya/bristol.html

[ October 20, 2003, 06:44 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-20-2003, 05:54 PM

http://www.obsolete.com/on-u/images/family.jpg

ON U SOUND
http://www.obsolete.com/on-u/index2.html

FROM ABOVE LINK:
On U Sound was formed (by Adrian Sherwood and Kishi Yamamoto) in the early-1980s. Initially Creation Rebel, Prince Far I, Bim Sherman, LondOn Underground and The Mothmen formed the 'crew' responsible for the first records. Having worked doing live shows for a long period, it was decided to change the emphasis to making records. This decision was due to the difficulty of making a success of any one group. It was logical, in order to make any money at all, to take memebers of various groups and create 'new' ones. This resulted in many recordings ranging from the New Age Steppers to African Head Charge, from Singer & Players to Barmy Army, Mark Stewart & Maffia, Akabu and Dr. Pablo & Dub Syndicate to name a few.

These deranged records are not exactly commercial but would be if enough people got the opportunity to hear them. Anyway, never mind. Those who have heard and continued to buy or tape On U Sound records have seldom been disappointed. Now On U Sound also bring you Pressure Sounds, an off-shoot label releasing the reggae sounds that influenced On U in the early days.

[ October 20, 2003, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-20-2003, 06:38 PM

http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_1.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_2.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_3.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_4.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_5.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_6.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_7.gif http://www.geocities.com/scottpurkiss/music/assets/images/electro_8.gif

MASTERMIND ROADSHOW

London Sound System of the early 80's led by Herbie Laidley. Morgan Khan brought in Mastermind to mix his 'Street Sounds Electro' albums (starting Oct 83). The series would be hugely successful and an inspiration for countless British kids, providing many with their introduction to underground dance music, whilst helping create the conditions from which the UK club scene would explode later in the decade.

To these Electro graduates, the name Mastermind will always be revered.

Two former Mastermind members, Max LX and Dave VJ, would later set up the Hardrock Soul Movement, releasing a number of UK Hip Hop records. They would also host the highly popular Kiss FM Rap show in London.

STREET SOUNDS ELECTRO/HIP HOP DISCOGRAPHY:
http://www.discogs.com/label/Street_Sounds

[ October 20, 2003, 07:44 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 02:07 AM

http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/images/History/berylgilroy.jpg
Beryl Gilroy (1924 - )

I want to explore the fantasies and dreams of women who change cultures. I am also interested in the perceptions of old age in different cultures, and I am keen to observe-through art and bibliotherapy-the behaviour of old people who are living in a chosen culture. I teach children suffering from developmental disorder to read without the use of drugs supplied by doctors. I write swiftly after a great deal of thinking within a "hatching period." I write from the interior lives of my characters. Beryl Gilory

Beryl Gilroy, author and educational Psychologist, was London's first black headmistress in London in 1969--a post she held until 1981. She has combined a long career as a teacher and an author for over four decades. Her eloquence and intelligent analyses of race and education as well as her memoir Black Teacher (1976), now a piece of significant history, distinguishes her as one of the few radical female voices in post-world war II black Britain.

Gilroy, born in Guyana in 1924, moved to England in 1951 fully qualified as a teacher. Between 1953-1968, Gilroy taught at various London schools before her appointment as a headmistress of a London school in 1969. That same year she also joined the Community Race Relations Board, which she served diligently until 1975, while also reviewing books for BBC’s Caribbean Services. In 1970 she began to write children's books, herself, a passion no doubt, informed by her long interest in education and as a reading therapist.

In 1976 Gilroy published Black Teacher, recounting her experiences as a teacher and Headmistress. She then wrote Frangipani House (1986), Boy Sandwich (1990), Echoes and Voice (1991), and Love in Bondage, (1991)--historical and romantic novels, which were set in the Caribbean. She is the mother of Darla and Paul Gilroy, a prominent sociologist and cultural critic.

http://blackbritain.co.uk/History/History.asp?i=20&c=biography

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 02:16 AM

Marketing and business development specialists win national business honours

17/10/2003 BLACK ENTERPRISE

http://www.blackenterprise.co.uk/images/InBusiness/godwin-satsuma-winner2003.gif
Godwin Ohajah, the Satsuma Consultancy

East London based marketing and business development specialists, the Satsuma Consultancy, won the award for ‘Emerging Company of the Year 2003’ at this years’ UK Black Enterprise Awards ceremony, held at the Institute of Directors in Central London on Friday 10th October 2003.

The awards, which are sponsored by a number of prestigious companies and organisations including Business Link, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Institute of Directors, help to recognise and celebrate the contribution and achievements of African-Caribbean businesses in the UK. The event was hosted by ITN’s Sharon Grey and the BBC’s Darren Jordon.

Godwin Ohajah, managing director of the Satsuma Consultancy commented:

"We are extremely delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious business award, and to be recognised by our peers in this way."

"It is important that more of an emphasis is placed on black people as entrepreneurs and business leaders, rather than being seen only as sports people and entertainers. There also needs to be greater recognition for the increasingly important role we are playing, and are able to play, within the fabric of the mainstream economy; the UK Black Enterprise Awards is important because it helps to highlight this."

This is the Satsuma Consultancy’s second business award, having won the award for ‘New Company 2002’ at last years’ East London & Essex Business Awards.

The Black Enterprise Award punctuates what has been a busy and exciting year for the Satsuma Consultancy; they began delivery of Start Right, a two-year SRB6 funded business support programme in Manor Park, East London, at the start of the year. That was followed by the successful launch of East meets West, a pan-London networking initiative, developed by the agency, with aim of ‘…bringing London’s businesses together’, by encouraging greater engagement between businesses in East London with those in the rest of London.

http://www.blackenterprise.co.uk/inbusiness/inbusiness.asp?i=113&c=InBusiness

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 02:47 AM

http://www.eyorks.com/hullpub/exterior/blackboy.jpgYe Olde Black Boy

Ye Olde Black Boy is the definitive genuine traditional Olde English pub.

What that means, of course, is that it's a bit grotty. There's lots of dark paintwork - either by design or through generations of tobacco staining; and the facilities leave much to be desired. Having said that, time has not stood still. Those who've not visited recently will be surprised to find that the Black Boy has sprouted two new rooms on the first floor - one with a bar - that effectively double the size of the place without detracting at all from it. Meanwhile the assorted real ales are superb; and that the atmosphere just crawls out the walls and grabs you by the throat.

According to the Local History Unit, development of the site of the Black Boy dates back to the 1330s, though the first reference to licenced premises on the site was in 1729. The site has housed a pub intermittently since. The existing building is a legacy of many changes over a long period of time; with parts of the structure dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 02:49 AM

http://www.the-sportsman.co.uk/images/blackboybannertext.jpg
http://www.the-sportsman.co.uk/images/blackboy%20b&w.gif

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 03:19 AM

Black Boy
General Information
Landlord:
Address: Warwick Road
Knowle
Solihull
West Midlands
B93 0EB

-----------------------------------------------

http://www.pubinnguide.co.uk/images/pubs/01950201.jpg
The Black Cock Inn
graemlins/lol.gif :eek: graemlins/rofl.gif

The Black Cock Inn
Green Lane
Walsall Wood
Walsall
West Midlands
WS9 9BE View Location Map

[ October 21, 2003, 05:03 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 03:59 AM

The Rev. Peter Stanford - Birmingham's first Black Minister

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=27692

Rev. Peter Stanford took delight in being called "Birmingham's Coloured Preacher". In his autobiography he entitled the last chapter "I am Pastor of an English Baptist Church, With my Good Name Vindicated Before the World".

His Early Years
Rev. Stanford was born into slavery and was nameless for much of his childhood. His father was sold before his birth and his mother's owner regarded him as an addition to his wealth. He was about three years old when the Civil War broke out between the Northern and Southern states of America. His mother was sold to the Southern traders and he was placed under the care of a Black woman. He passed three more years of his life, neglected, hungry, ragged and dirty. A few years of his life were spent among the Native Americans, who 'kidnapped' him, and under whose care he learned their language, to run, swim, fish, shoot with bow and arrow, and thus he obtained his livelihood.

At the close of the war he was left by the Native Americans in a wood but was fortunately taken charge of by the Society of Friends, who sent him to a African American Children's Shelter, in Boston, Mass. After remaining there for a year he was adopted by a Mr Stanford who gave him his name. He eventually ran away and got out of Boston in the coal box of a railway train; he became a street 'Arab', and a boot blacker, getting his first lessons at street corners and in 'doss houses' from another outcast, almost as poor and as friendless as himself. This continued until the year 1872.

His Life of Ministry Begins
In 1872 Rev. Stanford met and became friends with the Rev. Henry Highland Garnet, Pastor of Shiloah Presbyterian Church, New York who treated him very kindly. In 1875 Rev. Garnet assisted him after he had continued his studies, in gaining employment as a yard boy at Suffield College. This job eventually provided him with the opportunity to join the College classes but this was not achieved without having to fight discrimination as a result of his colour. Eventually he was accepted by everyone and instead of being referred to in the derogatory terms "Nigger Peter" he was addressed as Mr Stanford. He completed his college course in June 1881 through the kindness of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and W.E. Dodge, Esq., he was given work as a missionary to the Black community, living in Hartford, Connecticut. His lack of finances forced him to work in the foundry in the day and preach at night, taking services on Sundays.

Rev Stanford Arrives in England
The Rev. Peter Stanford arrived in Liverpool England on 14 February 14 1883. He journeyed to London on the same night of his arrival in Liverpool. After some time he left London and travelled to Leeds, Barnsley, and Keighley, in Yorkshire. In the latter part of 1885 he went to live in Bradford. However, Bradford did not prove to be a welcoming environment and he therefore moved to Birmingham, in June 1887. He found somewhere to live on Priestly Road in Sparkbrook. In Birmingham he met and married a lady from West Bromwich whom he described as one who had an "ardent zeal for Christ". They were married on 13 August 1888. He claimed that the example and affection of his wife made him a better and happier individual.

Rev Stanford's Ministry in Birmingham
Rev. Stanford attended the annual meeting of the Midland Baptist Association, held at Stafford, in June 1888, and was introduced to the Rev. Charles Joseph, pastor of the Victoria Street Baptist Chapel, Small Heath. Rev. Stanford found that members of the church in Birmingham were quite warm and accepting. In his autobiography he describes his experience of being shunned, slighted and actively opposed in his efforts to preach the Gospel of Christ by members of the Christian churches. However, Birmingham proved to be a more welcoming environment which was different from the places he had been during the previous six years he had spent in England.

On 8 May 1889,the Rev Peter Stanford received and accepted the following call from the Baptist Church, Hope Street, Birmingham:

Baptist Church, Hope Street,
Birmingham, May 8th, 1889.

To the Rev. P.T. Stanford.
Revd. and Dear Sir,

At a meeting on Wednesday, May 8th, it was unanimously decided that we, the members and congregation attending the above place of worship, invite you to become our pastor. You know our condition will not allow us to offer you a large salary, but we offer you our prayers, willing hearts, and hands. Remember, dear Brother, this call is from God, and He has promised to supply all our needs. Trusting you will see your way to accept our offer.

We are, yours faithfully,
Signed on behalf of the Church

D. BRILEY.
H. SMITH.
T. BARBER.
J. MADDOCKS.
H. GREENHILL.
HENRY RICHARDS.
JAS. CLARK, Secretary

Rev Stanford's Resilience and Determination
In spite of this request from the church the Rev Peter Stanford was not allowed to take up his position without difficulty. However, he acknowledges in his autobiography that through the grace of God, the kindness of the Rev. Chas. Joseph, and his solicitor A. T. Carr, Esq. of Birmingham, he surmounted the difficulties he faced. He once related his struggles in the columns of an evening newspaper, telling of his hard and wearing trials in his efforts to carry on the work. He was libelled, slandered, ostracised, suspected, and opposed but in spite of this he did have supportive Christian friends. He was a man of resilience and although he faced struggles he did not succumb. He was aided in his efforts by his wife along with an army of workers. Rev Stanford realised that the contribution of his wife, the Rev. C. Joseph, Rev. M.N. Hennessy, Rev. Travers Sherlock, B.A. were instrumental to his success. He gave praise to God that in spite of his birth as a slave and the colour of his skin he became a pastor in the great city of Birmingham. He remained at the Hope Street Baptist Church until the end of 1890. Under his leadership the work at the Hope Street Church grew with flourishing schools and organisations. When he retired he was presented with a valuable gold watch.

Wilberforce Memorial Church in Birmingham
Rev. Stanford succeeded in becoming minister of his own Wilberforce Memorial Church in Birmingham. This church occupied a building which was once used as a dancing academy on Priestley Road in Sparkbrook. He was placed in this building by the generosity of a friend who sympathised with him and his endeavours. However, managing this church proved to be quite a challenging task. In an effort to show the gratitude he felt towards William Wilberforce for his work on behalf of Black people he contemplated building in Birmingham a church to replace the one he was using. He decided that it would named after his present church.

Outside his ministerial duties Mr Stanford had an interest in political and social matters. He was a member of three or four of the Birmingham Friendly Societies, had a keen interest in social and philanthropic work. He was also a singer and musician. He used these talents to enhance the services at his church.

Rev Stanford's Interest in His Brothers and Sisters in Africa
Rev. Peter Stanford was chairperson at a lecture delivered by the Rev. J. Jenkin Brown, on the subject of "The Congo and its Martyrs". This lecture led him to read the book published by the Baptist Missionary Society, called "The Rise and Progress of the Work on the Congo River." The attention he gave to that subject led him to the conclusion that the wrong individuals were being sent to do the work in Africa. This created in him a burning desire to return and minister among his own people in Africa.

Rev. Stanford was a well educated man and wanted his race to benefit from the blessings of education and religion which he had himself received. He claimed that there were 7,747,990 Black people in the United States of America and Canada and that 2,300,000 of these individuals were Christians. He therefore put forward the case that these Black people should be trained for work in Africa on the grounds that they were better adapted for the climate there than any other race. He realised that in order to achieve this goal it was necessary to establish an institution to train these Black men and women. He also desired for that institution to have some connection with the English Foreign Missionary Societies. He thought that it was possible to establish an institution in Canada because it belonged to England. He wrote a letter to the Secretary of the African Baptist Association and the response he received gave him the assurance that the matter would be addressed. For twelve months he worked on preparing himself for the work of assisting his fellow Black brothers and sisters in Africa. It was necessary for at least £4,000 to be raised in order for him to accomplish his goal and he therefore seized every opportunity that presented itself to achieve this. Among those whom he approached on behalf of his "life's object" were Her Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and the Right Hon. W.E. Gladstone. However, there is no record that he actually received any financial assistance from these individuals apart from sympathetic and kindly letters.

In 1889, Rev. Peter Stanford published his autobiography, "From Bondage to Liberty" which provides a detailed account of his life in North America and England.

Further Reading
Information on the Rev Peter Stanford was gained from the following sources:

Birmingham Faces and Places vol. V1 pp 182-184
Stanford Peter (1889) From Bondage to Liberty

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/peterstanford.bcc

[ October 21, 2003, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-21-2003, 08:56 AM

First black chief constable appointed
18.57PM BST, 27 Sep 2003

http://www.itv.com/news/images/mike_fuller_sm.jpg
Senior Metropolitan police officer Mick Fuller is to become Britain's first black chief constable.

A married father-of-two, he will be officially unveiled as Chief Constable of Kent - which carries an annual salary of £120,000 - on Monday.

Mr Fuller, 44, currently a deputy assistant commissioner with Scotland Yard, has in the past been outspoken on drugs, and the glamorising of guns through music, film and television adverts.

Mr Fuller began his career with the police service as a Met Police cadet in 1975 before joining the Special Branch as a uniformed officer.

He later became a detective chief inspector and was credited with an innovative scheme to combat burglary, seen as a forerunner to the much publicised Operation Bumblebee.

Mr Fuller went on to join the Met's racist and violent crime offences force in 1998.

Two years ago, he was promoted to deputy assistant commissioner and made head of Operation Trident, a squad set up to target Jamaican gunmen.

On his promotion to chief constable, Mr Fuller said: "I am thrilled at the opportunity. I think it is a brave step by the Met. It is breaking new ground."

Current Chief Constable of Kent, Bob Ayling, said Mr Fuller's appointment had nothing to do with his ethnic background.

He said: "We realise there will be huge media interest in Mr Fuller's appointment.

"Kent Police Authority, who were responsible for the appointment, interviewed four candidates and Mr Fuller was picked.

"He is an exceptional officer. We are interested in delivering an exceptional police service to the people of Kent and Mike Fuller will share that agenda."

http://www.itv.com/news/1826370.html

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 12:31 PM

http://www.blink.org.uk/aimages/stephen_sm.jpgStephen Lawrence R.I.P

Stephen Lawrence was a bright, 18-year-old. On April 22, 1993, he was waiting at a London bus stand at 10.30 pm to go home. Suddenly, a group of about five to six youngsters descended, shouting ‘‘What, what nigger’’, and stabbed him to death. The attack was completely unprovoked. Stephen was killed just because he was black. His murderers were white.

The Metropolitan Police Service, London, conducted investigations in two phases. Names of five white young delinquents came repeatedly as prime suspects, but the police failed to unearth sufficient evidence to prosecute them. What was remarkable about the case was the huge dignity and courage Stephen’s parents displayed in pursuing the case.

Their campaign for justice finally bore fruit when an inquiry commission was appointed on July 31, 1997, under the chairmanship of Sir William Macpherson, a former high court judge. The report submitted on February 1999 was a scathing indictment of the working of the police. Many deficiencies in the investigation were delineated and the conclusion reached that ‘‘the investigation was marred by a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership by senior officers’’.

The Commission made 70 wide-ranging recommendations, including the establishing of a Ministerial Priority for all police services to increase trust and confidence in policing among minority communities. The Freedom of Information Act should generally apply to all areas of policing. Race Relations legislation should be extended to police and the chiefs should be made vicariously liable for acts and omissions of their officers. A comprehensive system of reporting and recording of all racist crimes should be created. Dedicated and trained family liaison officers must exist at local level in every police force. Training must be given to police in racism awareness at local levels and local minority ethnic communities should be involved in such training. The police force must reflect the ethnic mix of the local communities. Racist words and acts by the police should lead to disciplinary proceedings with serious complaints independently investigated. How did the police and the government in the UK react to the findings? The police admitted that their investigations were faulty. Sir Paul Condon, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, made a public apology to the parents. The report was submitted to the government on February 15, 1999 and it was discussed in the House of Commons on February 24, 1999.

What does all this reveal? A murder take place. A very reputed police force handles the investigation badly. The revelation gives a big jolt to the collective conscience of the community. No attempt is made to suppress facts. Public apologies for institutional failures are made by the head of the police force and also by the government. The existence of the problem is recognised. Solutions are suggested and implemented.

Given the unedifying record of the Gujarat government and police in the handling of the recent riots, isn’t it time that we took a leaf out of the Stephen Lawrence Case and set our own house in order?

(The writer is programme coordinator, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative)
http://www.indian-express.com/full_story.php?content_id=3719

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 12:49 PM

BURIAL: A twenty one gun salute over the grave of the reggae twelve inch single.

For over twenty years Greensleeves records has been the premier label for the release of Jamaican music in the UK.

http://www.reggaezine.co.uk/gsleeveshop.gif

In the seventies their twelve inch record sleeves featured a witty and detailed cartoon history of reggae music, starting with a mento group in brightly coloured shirts, through the advent of Rastafari with dreadlocked luminaries like Big Youth, Bob Marley and Augustus Pablo, and finishing up with Greensleeves' original shop under the Westway flyover in Shepherds Bush, London, while taking in skinheads, punks and unsmiling policemen along the way.
The Eighties saw a more dancehall orientated sleeve, featuring a DJ rocking the crowd in the near dark of a late night session, while the nineties brought total espousal of the ragga ethic, featuring a speeding car, video camera, baseball cap and a rude boy and dancehall queen flaunting a formidable array of gold chains and rings.
But no more. Last year Greensleeves simply stopped putting out reggae music on twelve inch records. So did Fashion Records. So did Gussie P. So have Stingray Records. In reggae terms, this is the abolition of the monarchy or post boxes being painted blue. Here in England the reggae twelve inch single is on the edge of extinction. "People just stopped buying them," says Chris O'Brien of Greensleeves. "With each round of new releases, sales of 12" records were going down. But when we started to release JA tunes on seven inch our sales tripled. It was an overnight success. We see no reason to go back to the twelve inch now." The reggae consumer had finally had enough.
At this point, it's worth looking back at the origin of the 12" single. What it was all about in the first place? It originated in the US as a vehicle for disco music back in the mid seventies. Disco producers liked this format because more music could be crammed on to it than onto a seven inch and with no resultant loss in sound quality. Simply, this meant more dancing time. Eight minutes or more of uninterrupted disco heaven with all the frequencies sounding out loud and clear, from those lush disco strings all the way down to that svelte dance floor bass.
JA producers, always astute and on the alert for foreign musical developments, were quick to spot the advantages for reggae, which after all is dance hall music or it is nothing.
There's some dispute as to what was the very first reggae record ever put out in the twelve inch format. TRULY by The Jays on Channel One is often put forward as the number one contender but if anyone has other ideas I'd be very glad to hear them. There is agreement however that reggae started coming out in this format in 1976. Like nearly all things in reggae this was a trend that started off in Jamaica itself although taken up with great enthusiasm by UK release labels due to their profitability. Some very early twelve inch records of distinction include BABYLON KINGDOM FALL by Vivian Jackson on Prophets, FUNNY FEELINGS by Dennis Brown on Gussie, and HISTORY by Carlton Jackson on Upsetter. Vivian Jackson, Gussie Clarke, Lee Perry; producers of this stature show just how eagerly the twelve inch format was embraced in Jamaica.

http://www.reggaezine.co.uk/blackwhite.gif
The only 12" records still put out by Greensleeves are crossover hits like Beenie Man's Who Am I, tunes which have already broken in the UK reggae community on Jamaican 7" pre and UK release 7". These are for sale in mainstream record shops like Our Price and Virgin which hoped to have seen the back of vinyl years ago anyway and only sell 12" on sufferance because the dance market keeps it alive. For these mainstream shops the 7" single has all the commercial attraction of a pre war sixpence.
http://www.reggaezine.co.uk/greensleeves.gif
Chris O'Brien feels no personal sentiment at all for the demise of the 12" single. He believes that while initially it represented a creative extension to the music, its possibilities were rarely used to their full potential and all too often degenerated into an unimaginative ripoff. From a purely pragmatic point of view, as someone with a business to run, Chris also welcomes the fact that 7" singles take up less warehouse space and cost only £1.20 to send mail order to Australia as against £3.50 for a 12" single.
Lol Bell-Brown of Dub Vendor records in South London feels that while it's too early to write off the twelve inch altogether, its command of the UK marketplace has probably gone for good. For Lol, as the initial creative promise of the twelve inch declined, the unwieldy and expensive nature of the format became ever harder to justify to the consumer. He points out however that the twelve inch is still the only singles format in the US where, in Chris O'Brien's words, "if you showed them a seven inch single they wouldn't know what it was."
So why have reggae fans turned their back on the 12"? For one thing, in case you hadn't noticed, they haven't been made in Jamaica for quite some time. They disappeared some time in the late 80's. not with a bang but a whimper, slinking away like a thief in the night. The most recent 12" single pressed in Jamaica that I own is Yammie Bolo's Free Mandela from 1986, on the Skengdon label. I don't know what the last Jamaican 12" was. If you do, let me know. Perhaps, like the extinction of a species, it's impossible to pin it down to a last single living individual. Simply, the will to make them died away.
One reason might be the decline of interest in dub music since the digital revolution. No one wants to hear dub in Jamaica anymore so why bother to put out a 12" single whose chief advantage is that seamless slide from vocal into extended dub workout? Ah, you might say, but what about the DJs? DJs are as popular now, if not more so, in Jamaica now as they ever were. Isn't that why 12" records were called discomix singles, because of the delightful merging together of the original vocal cut with its DJ version? Well, perhaps that became part of the problem for the 12". In the past a vocal would come over from JA on 7" with a DJ cut on another 7", either simultaneously or after a respectful interval of a week or two. There was something simple and logical about putting the two together on a 12" as what was then termed a discomix single. Now however, JA record producers are in the habit of putting out up to half a dozen versions of a rhythm simultaneously, some would say to flood the market before other producers have the chance to rip their rhythm off. The 12" single, like many another venerable institution, has proved unable to cope with the anarchy of the market.
At its worst the reggae twelve inch was a complete rip off. It cost twice as much as a Jamaican seven inch pre and all too often was just a big lump of plastic with the vocal on one side and the dub on the other and a lot of empty grooves to fill up the surplus vinyl, with no attempt to give anything extra to the original Jamaican pre or to justify the extra money. Top of my hit list is my own 12" copy of Johnny Osborne's NIGHTFALL on the Cha Cha label from 1981. Most of the plastic is entirely void of grooves. It offers no more music than the Jamaican pre, costs twice as much, weighs twice as much, and takes up twice as much space. The fact that it's pressed on bright blue vinyl makes the ripoff seem all the more brazen.
At its best however, the 12" could be something genuine, creative and exciting, offering opportunities for innovation beyond the reach of the seven inch. Chief among these is the ability of the twelve inch to merge seamlessly in an extended mix from vocal into dub or vocal into DJ cut. Hence the seventies term "discomix" for reggae twelve inch singles.
http://www.reggaezine.co.uk/gsleeves2.gif
However, especially in the hands of UK release specialists, the full creative potential of the twelve inch was realised only rarely. More often than not it was simply a way of parting hapless punters from their money for a decidedly inferior product.
Now those who are not devotees of reggae might well feel perplexed by all this. Why the big fuss when vinyl is such a hopeless anachronism outside Jamaica anyway? For most people, it was supplanted by the CD in the last decade, the CD itself is soon to be supplanted by the DVD, and in any case we'll all be downloading our music from the Net before long. The whole notion of 'records' will then be in the dustbin of history. Yet the reggae world has not only largely ignored all this, it is now dumping the 12", which at least is being kept alive by dance music generally, for the even more anachronistic seven inch single.
Reggae is both highly insular and highly interested in the rest of the world, deeply conservative and highly innovative, in fact rather like Jamaica itself. Reggae is also very perverse, a trait often noted, not least by Jamaicans themselves, as being a prime Jamaican characteristic. Just when the dance music DJ has become a highly paid global superstar and the 12" dance single is a hot fashion item, reggae turns its back on it and returns to the most anachronistic musical commodity of all. With the exception of the 78. Perhaps... but let's not even think about that.
Let Chris O'Brien have the last word. "We've got no plans to bring back the 12". But it can never completely be ruled out. If the music changes again, as it always does, we might find ourselves going back to it."
Geoff Parker

www.reggaezine.co.uk (http://www.reggaezine.co.uk)

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 12:53 PM

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/archivereggaeAtoZ1.jpg

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 12:57 PM

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/nsoc1.jpg
This article appeared in the UK magazine New Society in December 1970.

It is a review of the documentary film made of the Wembley Reggae Festival in 1970. Though there are a number of factual innacuracies within the text it is still a fascinating read.

The writer, Colin MacInnes, was better known for his books Absolute Beginners and City Of Spades.

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/archivenewsoc1.html

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 12:59 PM

http://mysite.freeserve.com/dancecrasher/archivewembley1.jpg
The cover for the programme of the 1st Carribean Music Festival at Wembley in 1969.

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 01:01 PM

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/6in1.jpg

A flyer for the 6-IN-1 club in Kent circa 1970. As people rarely kept items like this they are very hard to find.

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/6in1.html

Martin Red

10-22-2003, 01:10 PM

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/archivenmenov69pt1.jpg

Reggae features in the New Musical Express in November 1969. At the time of the article there were four Reggae singles in the papers top 30 charts prompting exposure such as this.

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/archivenmenov69pt2a.jpg

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/archivenmenov69pt1.html

greg wilson

10-22-2003, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/6in1.jpg

A flyer for the 6-IN-1 club in Kent circa 1970. As people rarely kept items like this they are very hard to find.

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/6in1.html TALKING OF THE MOHAWKS.

http://www.tunes.co.uk/tunes/images/mohawks_champ.jpg

Top notch funky hammond mayhem and ska grooves on this reissue of the 1968 R&B classic. The title track is an undisputed legend. The work of Alan Hawkshaw, whose illustrious career as a session musician and soundtrack composer has seen him work with the likes of Des O'Connor and Dusty Springfield. He also wrote the theme music to Grange Hill. And Countdown. Should have stuck to the Mohawks, eh?

Martin Red

10-23-2003, 01:39 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Martin Red:
http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/6in1.jpg

A flyer for the 6-IN-1 club in Kent circa 1970. As people rarely kept items like this they are very hard to find.

http://www.klix.freeserve.co.uk/6in1.html TALKING OF THE MOHAWKS.

http://www.tunes.co.uk/tunes/images/mohawks_champ.jpg

Top notch funky hammond mayhem and ska grooves on this reissue of the 1968 R&B classic. The title track is an undisputed legend. The work of Alan Hawkshaw, whose illustrious career as a session musician and soundtrack composer has seen him work with the likes of Des O'Connor and Dusty Springfield. He also wrote the theme music to Grange Hill. And Countdown. Should have stuck to the Mohawks, eh? [/QUOTE]From one of the biggest Hip Hop breaks ever to...

graemlins/grinyes.gif ... Grange Hill http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38116000/jpg/_38116163_grange_hill2_bbc.jpg

..and Countdown :eek:

Cheers Greg your a mine of info graemlins/thumbsup.gif

greg wilson

10-23-2003, 03:23 PM

ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT DARCUS!

http://www.awigp.com/images/DarcusHowe.jpg

DARCUS HOWE
http://www.awigp.com/default.asp?numcat=darcus

JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF DARCUS

Independent - January 14, 2000

Trinidad-born Darcus Howe, who left these shores for Britain back in the 1960s, is well recognised as a journalist and a Black activist in the 'Mother Country'. Darcus does some work for the BBC, and hosted a weekly feature titled 'Devil's Advocate', which ran on the station's Channel 4 for years. He is no stranger to controversy, especially here in the land of his birth.

Shortly before the 1990 attempted coup, he had done a feature on the political situation here for the BBC titled 'The Gathering Storm.' When it was shown, it drew harsh comments form nationals of this country who reside in Britain, and even from the then NAR government. The attempted coup would later prove his analysis correct.

Last year, he was contracted by the BBC to do another project: a look at the lives of ordinary Englishmen for a series titled 'White Tribes', which began its run last Thursday. The Guardian's Euan Ferguson spoke with Howe about his adventures as he went about gathering material for the series, and on racism, his pet hate

"So Bernard Manning asked me, straight up - I was the only black man in the place - where I was from, and I told him, Brixton. He smiled, and said he'd been there once, so he could be my daddy."

"And I kind of liked that. It's the same joke black people crack to each other round here. Me and Bernard, we sat and talked afterwards. Warmly. You se, it's dying out, that stuff, it's on its last legs, and I suddenly realised he had just been, all along, a working-class Mancunian telling the jokes they told. And it's over now, all over. We parted friends. I felt a little sorry for him."

Trinidad-born Darcus Howe, one-time Black Panther, has finally made his peace with Bernard Manning, one-time racist. He has also made his peace with England, the land he has grown to love since coming here from Trinidad in 1961.

He hasn't made his peace with authority, and I suspect he never will. One of the fine ironies about the fast-changing nature of England and the English is that this passionate black activist, this stern, sharp, fearless and unforgiving Devil's Advocate, has more time now for Bernard Manning than he does for Tony Blair.

England and the English are what fascinate him these days, and he's been spending the past months traveling round the country trying to find what and who they are, as the tattered flag of 'Britain' drops ever further.

Channel 4's 'White Tribes' series, which opened last Thursday, is an honourable attempt to define the 'ordinary' English person at the turn of the century, and find out what Englishness means to them.

So he travelled. Not to Henley, or Lords, or any of the totemic parts of the mythical green and pleasant land he spent his childhood in Trinidad wondering about, but to a host of ordinary, working-class places, caught in a huge upheaval of transition. "They are all at an interregnum," he says. "The old Britain is dead but nothing is yet taking its place."

He found, he believes, traces, but sad traces, of a faint rear-guard action. "The older generation are still keeping hold of an idea of England, they still believe."

"They tell me England is still the greatest country in the world. They say it spitefully, with slightly racist overtones. But that's dying. They're dying. That's not really the spirit of most of England."

What confuses me, I explain, as we sit, smoking, in the comfy hot shambles of his Brixton front room, is whether he felt they were hanging on to a myth or a reality.

"Oh, definitely a reality. There was a pride in the old England, their England, and some very good bits to it."

"Apart from the racism, of course. But there was some order, some working-class organisation, some compromise from the bourgeoisie, and a belief in the welfare state. All gave Britain a post-war prosperity, and the schooling, too, seemed to make for receptive minds. But that's over. Economics, and politics, have changed it forever."

He seems saddened, truly saddened, by some of his experiences, particularly the remnants of racism, tied implicitly to economics. "Racism was much, much worse back them, when I first came across. You couldn't walk the street at night if you were black. We have come a very long way. You should understand that when something is coming to an end, such as racism, it can be much more violent than it was in the beginning - thus Stephen Lawrence."

"I only really saw it (racism) badly in two places. I saw it in Oldham, which is now really, really poor. The white people are what they'd call in America 'white trash'."

There are also lots of young Pakistanis, and most of them are making money, wheeling and dealing, wearing the suits - and the hatred from the whites, the real, bitter, twisted hatred. I'd never come across that before. It was a violent hatred. They wanted the Pakistanis physically eliminated.

"And I saw it in Dover, where the refugee row was going on. People told me there were Albanians, Kosovars, wandering the streets smothered in gold, and stocking up at the butcher's every day with their tax money. Ha. I could hardly find any. I found three Kosovar kids, on a bench. They'd lost their father, lost everything, didn't have a hope. And the locals were throwing stones at them. I cried. I thought, "This place has the mark of the Beast."

"So racism still exists in places where the world of work has disappeared, and where there are foreigners somewhere near. In places, this is still a dangerous England. That's partly why this all fascinates me, the way it could go. I'm terrified of a racial backlash in this country. It has always been at the back of my head.

And Europe can be a very murderous place.

"But I found so many good things. This is a nice country. There are negatives about the English - the xenophobia, not racism but xenophobia; and that danger of inertia, a lack of sense of adventure, a fear of breaking barriers, being safe; and a certain anti-intellectualism. But there are so many positives. A tremendous literary tradition. Craftsmanship. The notion of work as a dignified activity. Tolerance. Eloquence.

Humour. And a great ability to enjoy themselves - if only they were allowed to.

"And it could turn out well, very well, in the future."

With the best bits of Englishness, I can see the country as some kind of huge Greek city-state - without the slavery, but with all we can do so well. Leisure, music, art, wit, creativity, dance, writing - all the things that commerce has appropriated and vulgarized. That could be the future. This is what the English people could do.

"But those in power, just now will never trust them."

Look at the Dome stuff last week! There was some stuff in the Mail congratulating the police on keeping the crowds quiet. It's a problem with modern governments.

When I first came here the country was being run by landed gentry, Macmillan and the High Tories, who had virtually reached a consensus with Labour. Then there rose a whole new caste; the office-class. Blair, Brown, Thatcher; I don't really separate them. And this new breed, as whenever you're seeking to replace a governmental caste, is not really at ease with the idea of government. And that's why we've had so much either authoritarianism or control-freakery; none of them actually trust the people they're meant to represent."

His distrust of authority will, it seems, never die; never has done since he fled Trinidad where his father was a vicar, to escape "constant constraints" and find an England that gave him freedom.

"The England that is going to come is going to give ordinary people, once more, a sense of their own power."

"The new England should be completely free of the old constraints. But if Blair thinks he can mould it with words - well the new doesn't come by declaration, never has done."

He pauses, and laughs. "You know, it's just struck me. I'm 56. I'm older than them. You know, I think I know this country more than they do."

nev m

10-24-2003, 12:50 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT DARCUS!

http://www.awigp.com/images/DarcusHowe.jpg

DARCUS HOWE
http://www.awigp.com/default.asp?numcat=darcus

JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF DARCUS

Independent - January 14, 2000

Trinidad-born Darcus Howe, who left these shores for Britain back in the 1960s, is well recognised as a journalist and a Black activist in the 'Mother Country'. Darcus does some work for the BBC, and hosted a weekly feature titled 'Devil's Advocate', which ran on the station's Channel 4 for years. He is no stranger to controversy, especially here in the land of his birth.

Shortly before the 1990 attempted coup, he had done a feature on the political situation here for the BBC titled 'The Gathering Storm.' When it was shown, it drew harsh comments form nationals of this country who reside in Britain, and even from the then NAR government. The attempted coup would later prove his analysis correct.

Last year, he was contracted by the BBC to do another project: a look at the lives of ordinary Englishmen for a series titled 'White Tribes', which began its run last Thursday. The Guardian's Euan Ferguson spoke with Howe about his adventures as he went about gathering material for the series, and on racism, his pet hate

"So Bernard Manning asked me, straight up - I was the only black man in the place - where I was from, and I told him, Brixton. He smiled, and said he'd been there once, so he could be my daddy."

"And I kind of liked that. It's the same joke black people crack to each other round here. Me and Bernard, we sat and talked afterwards. Warmly. You se, it's dying out, that stuff, it's on its last legs, and I suddenly realised he had just been, all along, a working-class Mancunian telling the jokes they told. And it's over now, all over. We parted friends. I felt a little sorry for him."

Trinidad-born Darcus Howe, one-time Black Panther, has finally made his peace with Bernard Manning, one-time racist. He has also made his peace with England, the land he has grown to love since coming here from Trinidad in 1961.

He hasn't made his peace with authority, and I suspect he never will. One of the fine ironies about the fast-changing nature of England and the English is that this passionate black activist, this stern, sharp, fearless and unforgiving Devil's Advocate, has more time now for Bernard Manning than he does for Tony Blair.

England and the English are what fascinate him these days, and he's been spending the past months traveling round the country trying to find what and who they are, as the tattered flag of 'Britain' drops ever further.

Channel 4's 'White Tribes' series, which opened last Thursday, is an honourable attempt to define the 'ordinary' English person at the turn of the century, and find out what Englishness means to them.

So he travelled. Not to Henley, or Lords, or any of the totemic parts of the mythical green and pleasant land he spent his childhood in Trinidad wondering about, but to a host of ordinary, working-class places, caught in a huge upheaval of transition. "They are all at an interregnum," he says. "The old Britain is dead but nothing is yet taking its place."

He found, he believes, traces, but sad traces, of a faint rear-guard action. "The older generation are still keeping hold of an idea of England, they still believe."

"They tell me England is still the greatest country in the world. They say it spitefully, with slightly racist overtones. But that's dying. They're dying. That's not really the spirit of most of England."

What confuses me, I explain, as we sit, smoking, in the comfy hot shambles of his Brixton front room, is whether he felt they were hanging on to a myth or a reality.

"Oh, definitely a reality. There was a pride in the old England, their England, and some very good bits to it."

"Apart from the racism, of course. But there was some order, some working-class organisation, some compromise from the bourgeoisie, and a belief in the welfare state. All gave Britain a post-war prosperity, and the schooling, too, seemed to make for receptive minds. But that's over. Economics, and politics, have changed it forever."

He seems saddened, truly saddened, by some of his experiences, particularly the remnants of racism, tied implicitly to economics. "Racism was much, much worse back them, when I first came across. You couldn't walk the street at night if you were black. We have come a very long way. You should understand that when something is coming to an end, such as racism, it can be much more violent than it was in the beginning - thus Stephen Lawrence."

"I only really saw it (racism) badly in two places. I saw it in Oldham, which is now really, really poor. The white people are what they'd call in America 'white trash'."

There are also lots of young Pakistanis, and most of them are making money, wheeling and dealing, wearing the suits - and the hatred from the whites, the real, bitter, twisted hatred. I'd never come across that before. It was a violent hatred. They wanted the Pakistanis physically eliminated.

"And I saw it in Dover, where the refugee row was going on. People told me there were Albanians, Kosovars, wandering the streets smothered in gold, and stocking up at the butcher's every day with their tax money. Ha. I could hardly find any. I found three Kosovar kids, on a bench. They'd lost their father, lost everything, didn't have a hope. And the locals were throwing stones at them. I cried. I thought, "This place has the mark of the Beast."

"So racism still exists in places where the world of work has disappeared, and where there are foreigners somewhere near. In places, this is still a dangerous England. That's partly why this all fascinates me, the way it could go. I'm terrified of a racial backlash in this country. It has always been at the back of my head.

And Europe can be a very murderous place.

"But I found so many good things. This is a nice country. There are negatives about the English - the xenophobia, not racism but xenophobia; and that danger of inertia, a lack of sense of adventure, a fear of breaking barriers, being safe; and a certain anti-intellectualism. But there are so many positives. A tremendous literary tradition. Craftsmanship. The notion of work as a dignified activity. Tolerance. Eloquence.

Humour. And a great ability to enjoy themselves - if only they were allowed to.

"And it could turn out well, very well, in the future."

With the best bits of Englishness, I can see the country as some kind of huge Greek city-state - without the slavery, but with all we can do so well. Leisure, music, art, wit, creativity, dance, writing - all the things that commerce has appropriated and vulgarized. That could be the future. This is what the English people could do.

"But those in power, just now will never trust them."

Look at the Dome stuff last week! There was some stuff in the Mail congratulating the police on keeping the crowds quiet. It's a problem with modern governments.

When I first came here the country was being run by landed gentry, Macmillan and the High Tories, who had virtually reached a consensus with Labour. Then there rose a whole new caste; the office-class. Blair, Brown, Thatcher; I don't really separate them. And this new breed, as whenever you're seeking to replace a governmental caste, is not really at ease with the idea of government. And that's why we've had so much either authoritarianism or control-freakery; none of them actually trust the people they're meant to represent."

His distrust of authority will, it seems, never die; never has done since he fled Trinidad where his father was a vicar, to escape "constant constraints" and find an England that gave him freedom.

"The England that is going to come is going to give ordinary people, once more, a sense of their own power."

"The new England should be completely free of the old constraints. But if Blair thinks he can mould it with words - well the new doesn't come by declaration, never has done."

He pauses, and laughs. "You know, it's just struck me. I'm 56. I'm older than them. You know, I think I know this country more than they do." Devils Advocate was an awesome peice of television that should still be on air IMO.

Racism is still vey much alive in this country. Only yesterday in the freezing cold at the bus stop E had a skinhead in Kings Norton Birmingham take off his top to reveal a cross of England flag accross his chest. He just stood there, and stared at her trying to freak her out in front of his mates. Didn't work though.What an idiotic peice of trash that judging by "The Secret Policeman" on BBC1 Monday night is not just confined to the bus stops, and shop doorways.

Just taken E to the bus stop, and we see a little s**t that's been calling her "a monkey"and told him we need to see his daddy. Which is most likely the origin of the problem. Another generation of racist kids. The beat goes on.

[ October 24, 2003, 01:52 AM: Message edited by: nev m ]

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 01:28 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT DARCUS!

He's a page 7 fella biggrinangel.gif

Originally posted by Martin Red:
http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZimages/DarcusHowe.jpg
Darcus Howe

graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 02:22 AM

Originally posted by nev m:

Racism is still vey much alive in this country. Only yesterday in the freezing cold at the bus stop E had a skinhead in Kings Norton Birmingham take off his top to reveal a cross of England flag accross his chest. Animals like this hate everyone that isn't kneeling to kiss The George cross or the Queens hem, not just black people, Obviously to the racist fool - they are easier to single out as above demonstrates. They hate the Irish too and the Irish are pale white and teh Scottish (especially the Catholic ones) and the Welsh - cunts hate everyone. **** this English piece of shame - He's a symbol of English that makes other move away from wanting to be accepted as English. It's English people that need to sort out English people withn the dialogue as they are this cunt-trees shame after all. He'll forget one day that not all non english are black and he'll get caught out by say... an Irish navvy and get his face pumelled in, his days are numbered, he just has to leave Northfield more often, perhaps nip into The Antelope for a few jars with his idiot friends, or pop upto the Irish Centre and explain why he would want to be a soldier in northern Ireland, that should do it. **** these English scumbags, the English flag when displayed with such vigor is a dangerous and horrible symbol, yet 100% english people don't see this usually. I find the house on the Island near the Billsley with the St Geoges cross painted across the whole front of the house smacks of some of the art work you get in northern ireland. I hope a Somalian moves in next door and paints his flag on his house, whats the english twat gonna do, nothing !, the Somalian will beat his out until gravity hurts him , after all the Somalian guy has come from a warzone - the english guy is a pussy in comparisssion. (sorry - minds running away with me). http://deephousepage.com/smilies/box.gif

I was speaking to my father about the police and the recent documentary, as he put it, nothing new, they've been beating on the Irish since the 50's, same as Black people.

...as you said Nev "the beat goes on" , remember Jason's police incident recently, even though they saw the white guy swerving all over the road (drunk), yet who did they pull over ?

[ October 24, 2003, 04:11 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 03:04 AM

[ October 24, 2003, 04:10 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Mah'chew

10-24-2003, 03:27 AM

My name's, uurrmm, Dee'cus
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1988/gallery/340/lenny.jpg
I came to this country in nineteen fifty-three.

Rob.J

10-24-2003, 03:34 AM

Morning Mr Red smile.gif

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 04:08 AM

Originally posted by Rob.J:
Morning Mr Red smile.gif Morning Rob, mah'chew

smile.gif Friday

graemlins/OLA.gif

Clarkeecat

10-24-2003, 04:23 AM

DARCUS HOWE!!!!! My Man!!!! His series 'Slave Nation' I LOVED that. Did you see the one where he visited the Egg call center?
His reaction, when he met the 'egg' people (you know, met at egg, goto the sports club the social club...) "do these people not UNDERSTAND" :D
I worked in a call center at the time. I've still got it on tape, I'm gonna watch it over the weekend.
Ta for reminding me!

Matthew

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 04:28 AM

Originally posted by 6 23:
graemlins/thumbsup.gif @ thread Martin

Lots to learn and many interesting facts I didn't know.
Slick Rick born in Wimbledon? - Lived there in the 70s. Musical youth is right on. I remember learning this song about Capt. Cook and the Endeavour: "Captain Cook the sailor, spoke out (?) one summer's day, let's all aboard the ship that's moored in yonder plymouth bay, let's all aboard Endeavour, and whistle for a breeze, I'll sail with you my trusted crew, I'll sail the seven seas ... anchors aweigh, anchors aweigh ... " Learnt that one at the Lee Church of England school ... aaaah the memories.
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Again, nice thread. graemlins/thumbsup.gif Your lived in Wimbledon too, almost as surprising as teh Slick Rick info smile.gif Musical Youth where local my mate went to school with them, shame that the one guy got into drugs so badly though.

"Dennis come back with my apple pie"

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 04:33 AM

Originally posted by greg wilson:
THIS WASN'T YOU WAS IT MARTIN?

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2002/06june/02harry18.shtml

graemlins/rofl.gif graemlins/beerchug.gif

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 04:44 AM

Originally posted by gf:
Wonderful thread Martin! graemlins/cheering.gif Here is my contribution. To SIr with Love, starring Sydney Pointer. Although he is American, this movie had such an impact, espeacially on me. Wonderful film to come out of England!

http://tosirwithlove.co.uk/oldsite/images/Image1_png_jpg.jpg

http://tosirwithlove.co.uk/oldsite/images/Image9_png_jpg.jpg Thank you for posting this, great film. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Martin Red

10-24-2003, 04:51 AM

http://photo.sing365.com/music/picture.nsf/SingerPicUnid/92D1B88F7E611FCD48256D3B00068BC9/$file/skin.jpg

Skin Biography

And now she bears this out to wondrous effect. Skunk Anansie no more, Skin has become a solo artist, and ‘Fleshwounds’ is a debut album of love songs that don't so much celebrate the emotion as mourn its passing. Recorded in two bursts - first in 2001, in Belgium, with producer David Kosten, and then a year later with Coldplay collaborator Ken Nelson - she wrote the record with her long-time writing partner Len Arran, other than ‘Lost Without You’ which was co-penned by Robbie Williams’ former musical partner, Guy Chambers. Musicians include Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie's guitarist), Cass (Skunk Anansie's bassist), and Ben Christophers on piano, while the trumpet on ‘You've Made Your Bed’ comes courtesy, believe it or not, of film director Mike Figgis. He blows a fine horn.

‘Fleshwounds’ is a truly great record that shows off a whole new depth to Skin. Its dissection of human relationships has a scalpel-like precision that renders it raw, open, quietly brutal and exquisitely sung. It is by far the best thing she has ever done.

"At the beginning of this project, my brief was to write songs, fairly traditional songs, made up of beautiful melodies and dark, searching lyrics," Skin says. "I suppose my biggest talent is lyric writing, and I really wanted to showcase that on this record. The songs of Skunk Anansie were very much about the world. This album is completely about me. It taps into an entirely new energy, and is very different to anything I have ever done before."

Skunk Anansie formed in London in 1994, at the very height of Britpop mania. They fitted into the indie-rock scene the way fat legs would into too-small shorts. Filed alongside Suede and Blur, they in fact had more in common with Asian Dub Foundation and Motörhead. Skin was everything your traditional pallid frontman wasn't. For starters, she was female. She was also bald, black and searingly intelligent. Magazine editors swooned: here, at last, was a pop star who could articulate, who could hold her own corner, who could do more than shake maracas.

Their first single, ‘Selling Jesus’, was pure musical armageddon, a temper tantrum of a song that set out their stall emphatically. Over the next six years, they would push themselves harder than The Spice Girls. "We worked harder than any pop band. We did endless promotion, played gigs almost every night, and we toured solidly. It was our decision, and it was the right one, because we knew that to get to the level we wanted, we had to do it that way. It was worth it, but it was also incredibly tiring."

They released three splenetic albums ‘Paranoid & Sunburnt’, ‘Stoosh’, and ‘Post Orgasmic Chill’ - each critically lauded and commercially successful, selling over 4 million copies across Europe. "I spent the whole of my twenties travelling the world with three great people, and I had an amazing time,” she remembers. But the work rate took its toll, ate them up and spat them out. By 2001, they'd exhausted themselves irrevocably.

"There was no one thing that contributed to the split," Skin says. "I suppose it was like a marriage. The chemistry had gone. I'd stopped enjoying myself and, unfortunately, it was no longer fun."

So Skin left, and did something she had hardly ever done throughout the previous seven years - she took some time off, got her head together, and gradually returned to songwriting and told herself, "There's no turning back. I'm starting again now, and I'm striving to create work of the very highest quality.

It's been a very difficult record to make," she admits. "The whole album is about the mental illness we call love, all its many facets and grey areas. In order to be happy in life, we put ourselves through some crazy predicaments, and I wanted to document all that. Every song revolves around three very particular relationships in my life. It's definitely a break-up album, and it helped me get a lot of things off my chest. I feel so much better now," she smiles, teeth blazing, "and I'm confident that it's my best work yet."

Her philosophy, she says, is to hold nothing back, and she hasn't. ‘Fleshwounds’ is a disarmingly honest piece of work. In its song titles alone: ‘Trashed’ (first single), ‘Lost Without You’, ‘The Trouble With Me’, Skin paints a picture that suggests she doesn't do happy very well. Maybe she doesn't. "My friends do tell me I'm very troubled," she says with an ironic smile. But its introspection makes it a wholly gripping affair. It's a dark record, yes, her voice laced with anguish, but these are beautifully sour love songs with all the love carved out of them. ‘Listen To Yourself’, with its throbbing bass and lyrics about "wet sheets", is as terrifying as a malaria fever, ‘Faithfulness’ is stark and arresting, and in the closing ‘Til Morning’, Skin sounds as fragile as bone china, as delicate as a tear.

‘Fleshwounds’ is the most heart-stopping collection of songs you'll hear all year.

Source: http://www.esounds.co.za/artists/s/skin/biog_skin.asp

http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/02/wb.pavarotti.txt/story.skin.jpg

beaniboy67

10-24-2003, 05:28 AM

i saw that film martin about 8 years ago and there was a woman in the movie her name is suzy kendall she was totally gorgeous!

http://www.dacre.org/stills/webk/Kenf707.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/36615000/jpg/_36615587_dudsuzy150.jpg

[ October 24, 2003, 06:29 AM: Message edited by: beaniboy67 ]

Martin Red

10-26-2003, 07:50 AM

http://www.grangehill.contactbox.co.uk/history/ghrulesok.jpg

Tucker and Benny were two of the first big characters on Grange Hill.

Phil Redomond created Hollyoaks and Brookside

The show been a breeding ground for TV acting talent with Todd Carty, who played Tucker, and Susan Tully - who was Suzanne Ross - going on to appear in EastEnders, while Alex Kingston later found success in the US medical drama ER.

"I think it could do with a bit more fun and a bit more comedy," said Mr Redmond.

He added: "There will be scousers in it, but they will be behind the camera. We do have to accept that Grange Hill has been established as a north London school for some time."

He said eventually Liverpool actors would appear in the show but "they just won't have the universally blessed accent".

-----------------------------------------------

http://www.grangehill.net/starfile/images/patt.jpg
Terry Sue Patt

DOB: 29 September 1964

STAR SIGN: Libra

TV: GENERAL HOSPITAL (ATV); JACKANORY (BBC); Benny Green in GRANGE HILL (BBC 1978-82); SCENE (BBC 1990s)

FILMS: THE FIRM (1985) {where he gets cut in Birmingham }
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW... Benny Green was the first Grange Hill pupil to be seen on screen. Terry got the part after being spotted playing football in the local park! Now you're all going to try it...

http://www.grangehill.net/starfile/patt.html
--------------------------------------------------

Brutal, dark and right to the bone
By John Brewin

http://www.soccernet.com/images/england/thefirm_secondsight150x200.jpg

Review of The Firm, directed by Alan Clarke
Starring Gary Oldman and Philip Davis
Football hooliganism is a real money spinner. Rifle though any bookstore's football section and there is bound to be a high proportion of hoolie books. Tales from the front line with England away and so on.

Anybody who has read these books, and I'm one of them, will usually have found themselves disatisfied. In my experience, only American author Bill Buford's 'Among the Thugs' is worth a look.

The problem with the majority of these books is retrospective trumpet-blowing. 'I am anti-violence now but look how hard I was then,' is a recurring theme. But watch 'The Firm' (not the Tom Cruise thriller from 1993) and there's no rose-tinted spectacles to view the 1980s hooligan boom through - just the kind of thing you'd expect from Alan Clarke, the man who directed borstal drama 'Scum'.

Made in 1988, this was Clarke's last film before his death and he went out with a bang. Like 'Scum' it was originally made for the BBC but was banned from broadcast by the Corporation. And just like 'Scum' and Clarke's skinhead flick 'Made in England', he shows a dark side of British culture without going down the Hollywood route of glamorisation.

The viewer is left to wonder why firm leader Bexy, played by a pre-Hollywood Gary Oldman, wants to risk his happy family life and high-flying job for the thrill of a ruck with other rival firms.

Oldman is superb throughout, the sides of his very appealing character range from being tender with his wife and baby son to being absolutely psychotic, as shown by his bullying of a youthful firm member into turning out for a major ruck with an enemy firm. Despite his flaws, his character is charismatic and it's easy to see why he's 'top boy' of the firm.

Clarke and writer Al Hunter pose searching questions about the psyche of the hooligan. The answers they come up with are that hooliganism is a primal and childish phenomena. When Bexy's wife (Lesley Manville) asks why he has to remain involved in violence, he can only reply 'I just need the buzz' - showing the completely vapid reasons behind his involvement. Bexy is very childish - he still has a memorobilia filled room at his parents' flat and he seeks approval of his exploits from his father.

The utter pointlessness of it all is shown by the ruthless slashing of Ismael (Terry Sue Patt, who played Benny in Grange Hill) by a rival firm's top boy. Revenge is served up by Oldman at the top boy's palatial home but Ismael remains scarred for life.

With little settings like the palatial home 'The Firm' reveals the lack of class barriers in hooliganism. Bexy is a succesful estate agent while other members of the firm are City boys who reside in posh Hornchurch. They're all in it for the camaraderie of beating other firms senseless and the aforementioned 'buzz'.

No mention is made of the names of the teams the firms support but it's obvious to all that Becksy's Inter-City Crew are West Ham and that arch-rival Yeti (Quadrophenia's Philip Davis) leads a firm of Millwall supporters.

Bexy's utter irresponsibility is shown when his young son cuts himself with a Stanley Knife that has been left lying around after some DIY tattooing. And even that doesn't stop Bexy's thirst for the thrill of the 'off'.

It all builds up to a typical Clarke ending, with the demise of Bexy. But this is no happy ending. The rival firms all join up to go to Euro 88 and take on the German and Dutch. Bexy remains a folk hero and he would have wanted them to fight the foreigners. Clarke shows that there is just no telling some people.

As a timepiece this film conjures some laughs. Stripey shirts, fashion braces, bad pony-tails and house-brick mobile phones reflect the late 80s yuppie culture. The yuppiedom is depicted by the firm's ownership of flashy BMWs and hot-hatch GTIs and their use of first-class train travel up to a ruck in Birmingham.

For the soap opera addict there's some early run-outs for Charlie Lawson (Jim McDonald in Coronation Street), who does a rather shouty Cockney accent (he's from Northen Ireland, overseas readers). Eastenders' Steve McFadden plays a younger, two-dimensional version of Phil Mitchell. Mickey Pearce from 'Only Fools and Horses' (Patrick Murray) even makes an appearance.

As for the film and its study of hooliganism? If you remain fascinated by the cult of the hooligan and haven't yet seen this film then see it soon. It's a damn sight better and much more enlightening than almost all of the hoolie-related rubbish which fills the bookshelves.

The Firm (certificate 18), from Second Sight video, is available from all good video stockists priced £10.99
The Firm is also available from Amazon.co.uk

[ October 26, 2003, 07:57 AM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

greg wilson

10-26-2003, 06:17 PM

http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/ebony/546/marsha-hunt-iow69-400.jpg

MARSHA HUNT

When Journalists reflect upon Marsha Hunt's music career, they usually say it began with her 1968 starring role in HAIR, though she had only two lines of dialogue and sang lead only on WHlTE BOYS, a Supremes type send-up performed by Marsha with two girls cavorting in sequins and platinum blonde wigs. She only appeared in the show for six months although it ran at the Shaftesbury Theatre for seven years. So why was she pegged as the star out of a cast of 24 which included Paul Nicholas, Tim Curry, Oliver Tobias, Elaine Paige?

Marsha claims not to know, forgetting that overnight London's top fashion photographers began lining up at her bedsit door. She went from anonymity to high visibility as a cover girl featured in high fashion magazines such as VOGUE.
King's Rd. So it's not surprising that trend setters in London's thriving music business quickly singled her out as a girl most likely to succeed. With Robert Stigwood as HAIR's
main producer, his profile as a manager of successful bands like the Bee Gees drew his competitors to the theatre's stage door, eyeing the HAIR cast for exploitable talent.
And Hunt was the first in the cast scouted by a trendy label. Although Track Records was a small independent owned and run by Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp (Terry's brother), the company was the most selective and successful of it's breed with only Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Arthur Brown and Thunderclap Newman (Something in the Air) on its roster.

Marsha was the first girl Lambert signed to record and manage, appointing Tony Visconti as her producer. And it's at this point that the fallacy about her music career
beginning with HAIR demands correction...

As a student at Berkeley during the university's heady days of student protest, Marsha hung out at a folk cafe called the Cabale Creamery where she heard blues bands like the Chambers Brothers for the first time. Otherwise she danced in psychedelic lights at the Filmore in SF, but she was actually an R 'n' B fan dating back to her Philadelphia childhood. Though nothing in her background indicated that she would make music, until she dropped out of Berkeley at 19 to arrive in London with only $1.83, a 1940's fox fur jacket, round sunglasses and a sense of humour. Money didn't matter back then: she knew she'd find a floor to sleep on. And one of them turned out to be the painter David Hockney's. That's where her music career began. In his living room on Powis Terrace.

That's where a fellow American insisted that Marsha accompany her to meet Alexis Korner who wanted who wanted a backing singer for his new band, FREE AT LAST. Hunt had been in London for a year doing odd jobs and there was no sign of her raising enough money for the return journey home. So of course when Alexis offerred her £5 a week to sing backing for him, Marsha was ecstatic. Korner was something of a blues icon, and though his popularity had waned at that point, he had established a name in the
business with Cyril Davis in Blues incorporated wing of Berkeley where she'd led a student's life among thinkers and protesters like Jerry Rubin. Singing behind Alexis attached her to the music business and all that went with it. She loved rehearsals as much as gigging and enjoyed being treated liked one of the boys. Enjoyed having things to learn as well as sounds to imitate. Being black American gave her status among musicians aching to sing like Muddy Waters or play guitar like BB King. Black had become Beautiful. One of Korner's cronies, John Mayall appeared at a FREE AT LAST rehearsal and followed Marsha back to Hockney's place where she was based. He was a lot older than she (as was Alexis) and the relationship she was to have with John would immerse her deeper into London's blues world. Mayall's band at the time included Peter Green, Aynsley Dunbar (later replaced by Mick Fleetwood) and John McVie. The Bluesbreakers. As soon as she began living with John, her life was about music night and day. It was an intense course in 12 bars, and what she couldn't learn at Alexis' gigs, she observed at John's who was in and out of Decca's recording studios putting a Bluesbreaker album together. She carefully watched how he ran his music business affairs and wrote his songs. It schooled her in how to survive the slipshod business of trying to make a living from music.

When FREE AT LAST toured with Jesse Fuller, Champion Jack Dupree and Long John Baldry, Baldry asked Hunt to leave Alexis and join Baldry. He had a backing band, Bluesology, and two vocalists: a lineup that had replaced the Steam Packet, featuring
Rod Stewart and Julie Driscoll. His offer included a liveable wage at f30 a week, which Marsha had to take despite her loyalty to Alexis. Like Mayall, Baldry gigged nightly, represented by the Gunnell Agency whose bands included Georgie Fame and the Famous Flames, Zoot Money, and Ronnie Jones and the Nightimers all of whom were the biggest draws on the English club circuit. Joining Baldry would also aid Marsha's music education. Bluesology, a four piece included Reg Dwight on electric piano. Baldry had a solo hit months after she joined him. The effect on the band was divisive: all went their separate ways with Reg Dwight changing his name to Elton John (after the band's sax player Elton Dean). Marsha nearly joined THE SOFT MACHlNE but opted for the FERRlS WHEEL another Gunnell Agency band. But they did a lot of Motown covers
and she woke up one day realizing that she hadn't defected from Berkeley to imitate Diana Ross. So she borrowed a bass from John McVie and quit FERRlS WHEEL.

That's when somebody told her about the HAlR auditions. But she'd been fifteen months on the road and the idea of being in a musical didn't appeal. She'd got used to gigs and rehearsals, a night life of driving around England in pursuit of an audience, and guys who valued their instruments above themselves. But HAlR did come into her life to change it permanently.

Since 88 Hunt's never been out of the public eye. But recording with the gentle Visconti was the first and only time she teamed with a producer who recognized her talent.

Tracks recorded by Lambert and Dudgeon on this album were good but lacked their commitment. Still this album includes classics and the talents of Marc Bolan, Pete Townsend, Ronnie Wood, Kenny Jones, Rick Wakeman, Maynard Ferguson, Doris Troy, Madeleine Bell all of whom contributed.

SOURCE - http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:yyU2-hsbMsgJ:www.marshahunt.com/gilded_splinters.html+Marsha+Hunt+music&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

greg wilson

10-26-2003, 06:30 PM

http://www.topblacks.com/images/naomi-campbell-22.jpg

NAOMI CAMPBELL

Her day started out like many others before it. A young Naomi Campbell dressed and headed out the door. Little did she know that a simple walk on a street near Covent Gardens in lower-middle-class London would set in motion a career that would land her on the covers of French and American Vogue, Time Magazine and give her the conspicuous title as the first Black woman to grace the number one American Fashion Magazine - Vogue. The catwalks were just getting started!
Naomi Campbell was born on May, 22, 1970 in London, England. She grew up in a lower-middle-class London neighborhood. During a routine walk in her neighborhood she was "discovered" by a modeling scout. He offered to take her pictures and she agreed. What happened next is fashion history! The public instantly fell in love with this young, beautiful innocent girl. After all, she was only 15 years old.

For the next two years, a young Naomi would dash from airport runways to fashion runways at an extraordinary pace. She was in the limelight and loving it. The days were long and the nights were even longer. The hard work paid off soon thereafter when she landed on the covers of Time and Vogue.

Naomi has talents that extend well beyond the catwalk. She has appeared music videos by the artists; Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Vanilla Ice. Her television and movie credits include; The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, New York Undercover, Girl 6, Miami Rhapsody, Invasion & Privacy, Destinazione Verna, Beautopia, Naomi Conquers Africa, Burn Hollywood Burn, Schansten Frauen de Welt, Unzipped, Catwalk, To Wong Foo - Thanks for Everything, Ready to Wear, The Night We Never Met, Cool as Ice, For Your Love, Absolutely Fabulous, and The Cosby Show. Multi-talented is a natural attribute for Naomi. Her vocals on her album "Baby Woman" mesmerized audiences worldwide. The single "La La La Love Song with Toshi reached international acclaim by reaching number 1 in Japan. Naomi is the author of "Swan" and the self-titled "Naomi" a photo collection with works by internationally renowned photographers Herb Ritts, Steven Meisel, Richard Avedon, Ellen Von Unwerth and Peter Lindbergh.

The proceeds from her book are being donated to the Red Cross Somalia Relief Fund, one of the many organizations supporting underprivileged children that she is a member. Naomi Campbell's fundraising activities extend worldwide via UNESCO. Her efforts are helping to build kindergartens for poor communities worldwide. The first was constructed in Jamaica, the island she considers her spiritual home.

Naomi Campbell's diversified talents and hard work keep her on top. When asked about her multi-million dollar contracts she said, "I'm worth every cent".

SOURCE - http://www.celebritywonder.com/cgi-bin/frame/frame.cgi?naomicampbell==http://www.topblacks.com/fashion/naomi-campbell.htm

greg wilson

10-26-2003, 06:48 PM

http://www.cd-bootleg.com/1burn.jpg

JIMI HENDRIX
* not British, of course, but made his breakthrough in Britain.

http://www.t001.freeserve.co.uk/guitar/jimi/blueplaque-new.jpg

Kathy Etchingham was Jimi's long-time English girlfriend. He lived here with her on and off between 1968-69. Largely due to Kathy's efforts and in recognition of Jimi's residence here, 23 Brook Street, London W1 was awarded a Blue Plaque by English Heritage in 1988.

James Marshal Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington, on November 27, 1942; a 'black' American of African, European, Cherokee Indian and Mexican descent. An unsettled home environment made Jimi spend much of his early years staying with his grandmother, a full-blooded Cherokee Indian, in Canada.

His mother died when Jimi was 15 about the same time as Jimi began to take a serious interest in music and playing the guitar. When he was 12 he got his first electric guitar - the instrument which shaped the next 16 years of his life.

At the age of 16, Jimi was thrown out of school -apparently for holding the hand of a white girl in class - and he played rock'n'roll in teenage bands before voluntarily joining the army at 17.

After 14 months as a paratrooper, learning a lot about falling and flying, he suffered an injury and was discharged. He decided to enter the music field.

The following four years were hard work touring the States playing back-up guitar for various R&B bands including Little Richard, Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, the Isley Brothers and the late King Curtis among others. The conditions were not suited to his radical temperament and eventually he was drawn to New York 's Greenwich Village where he recorded with the Isley Brothers, Curtis Knight and various other artists.

Then in late 1965 he formed his first band - Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. They worked the Village clubs where he was seen by other musicians who immediately recognized his talent, and word of this young virtuoso reached ex-Animals bassist Chas Chandler. Chas was so impressed after hearing him play he offered to become his manager and persuaded Jimi to accompany him back to England.

England at this stage - late 1966 - was musically ruled by bands such as The Who, The Beatles and Cream with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck standing alone as the three leading exponents of the electric guitar.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed with Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell behind the drums and suddenly there was this black guy on the scene doing things with his guitar that were just not possible. Respect from his peers and adoration from the crowds was instantaneous. They toured Europe, breaking attendance records at one club after another, and then signed a recording contract.

A series of singles that all gained top 10 rank, followed. 'Hey Joe', 'Purple Haze' and 'The Wind Cries Mary ' made Jimi a star in England, setting the stage for his Monterey appearance.

Jimi's spectacular performance, which he ended by holding his burning guitar above his head, at the Monterey Pop Festival, re-introduced him to a wildly receptive American audience, and instantly made him an American celebrity.

From then on his albums sold millions in America and his tours were sell-outs. That year, 1967, was his big year, with 4 singles and 2 albums in the British charts and two albums on the American charts.

However once established as an idol he was frustrated by blind audience reaction. He would smash his guitar to pieces because he felt he'd played so badly and find the crowd loving it all the more. His mood and sometimes violent temperament closed in on him with the loneliness of stardom and he became at times unapproachable to even his closest friends. During '68 he was jailed in Sweden for completely wrecking a hotel room but the records he produced during these years were decades ahead of his contemporary's work - 'Are You Experienced?' and 'Axis: Bold As Love' are still practically untouched by the passing of time.

In 1968 'Electric Ladyland', was released producing the hit 'All Along The Watchtower' and after his death 'Voodoo Chile' The album was not well received, but consists of four sides of simply amazing, technically brilliant guitar work and Jimi's startling, colorful, lyrics full of mystical imagery.

The Experience split up in 1969 and Jimi joined up with Billy Cox to play at Woodstock, where he played his politically tinted 'Star Spangled Banner' and one other tune before walking off the stage as it "wasn't coming together."

Jimi lay low for a while and then formed a short-lived group with major rock artists Buddy Miles and Billy Cox. The group recorded one album 'Band Of Gypsies' in 1970 and it became a major hit.

He returned to England in August 1970 with Mitch Mitchell back behind the drums and played at the 3rd Isle Of Wight festival with a renewed vigour, reminiscent of his earlier days, just after he had opened his own Electric Ladyland Studios.

What followed was a diary of events. Hendrix left the Isle Of Wight for a tour of Europe. Something had gone wrong during the tour and one of the band, Billy Cox - the bass player, had a nervous breakdown and was flown home to the States. The last concert on September 14 was blown out and Hendrix returned to London.

On Tuesday, 15 th, having booked himself into the Cumberland Hotel, Hendrix was due to meet with lawyers representing rival backers and managers. He didn't show. He'd stayed the night before with a German girl, Monika Nanneman at her flat in the Notting Hill area of London. Although he left to go to the business meeting, he next showed up at a flat in the Fulham Road area.

It belonged to a girl who worked in the Chelsea Drug Store, Lorraine James. How or why he chose her flat isn't known but she described his arrival: "He was obviously high on drugs and he had a lot of cannabis on him. He was in a terrible state,highly nervous". He spent several hours on a pay phone in the building. He was complaining about his backers and financial affairs. That night, Lorraine watched him spend the night with two American chicks; they were at it until five in the morning.

Wednesday was spent looking for drugs,visiting houses around London.Hendrix was "out of his mind".One guy they met was so bad,he jumped a couple of flights down a stair well.He was taken to hospital with broken legs.With all this going on,Hendrix got weird and ran around the house screaming. Thursday,like any normal person after the excess of the previous days,Hendrix was unconscious in a girlfriend's flat in the Fulham area during the day.That night,it was back to the usual routine.

The following day - Thursday, he was down to business. He called his New York attorney, spoke to Chandler about a cover design for the new record and booked a flight to New York to collect the tapes for it.

There was also a meeting arranged with one of his old managers, Ed Chaplin but Hendrix didn't turn up. There was a note in the margin: Ed Chaplin, for once having had a contract with Hendrix,was bought-off with a deal that gave him the rights to one album in the U.S.,a percentage of earnings and a million bucks!

There was another version of what had gone down.It was Monika's own account of events. Jimi arrived at her flat on Tuesday. What happened on Wednesday isn't clear but Thursday she describes as being taken up with shopping and taking photos.

They got home about 8.30 p.m. Monika prepared a meal.They shared a bottle of wine and talked and played music until 1.40 or 1.45 a.m. when Hendrix said he had to go out and see some people. They weren't friends of his - Monika could not go with him but she could take him there and bring him home.She picked him up again at the back of 3.On their return to the flat, Monika made Jimi a tuna fish sandwich.The two of them went to bed and talked until 7 a.m. when Monika took a sleeping pill and fell asleep.

Some time after,Hendrix took at least eight,possibly nine of the same tablets. Monika woke around 10.20. Hendrix was sleeping normally.She had planned to go out for cigarettes but just before leaving, she noticed vomit on Jimi's nose and mouth.She tried to wake him but couldn't and called a friend (possibly Chandler) to ask what to do. An ambulance was called.It arrived about 11.20 a.m. Hendrix was seated upright in the back with no head support.Sometime in the next twenty-five minutes before they arrived at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital,Jimi Hendrix choked on his own vomit. He was pronounced D.O.A.

The pathologist reported a large amount of Seconol in Jimi's blood but no reason to assume that suicide was the cause of death.

SOURCE - http://www.hotshotdigital.com/WellAlwaysRemember/JimiHendrixBio.html Kathy Etchingham was Jimi's long-time English girlfriend. He lived here with here on and off between 1968-69. Largely due to Kathy's efforts and in recognition of Jimi's residence here, 23 Brook Street, London W1 was awarded a Blue Plaque by English Heritage in 1988.

[ October 26, 2003, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Jolyon

10-26-2003, 07:02 PM

Bernie Grant

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1395000/images/_1399038_bernie.jpg

Bernie Grant, Parliamentarian (1944-2000)
Labour MP Bernie Grant was one of the most charismatic black political leaders of modern times. His death 8 April 2000 marked almost four decades campaigning for racial justice and minority rights. Though in life he was an outspoken maverick, in death, Bernie Grant was praised from the heights of the Establishment, from Cabinet ministers and Scotland Yard to political associates and black community leaders, and Prime Minister Tony Blair described Grant as "an inspiration to Black British communities everywhere".

From his funeral lectern, draped in the flag of Mr Grant's native Guyana, the tributes flowed. Doreen Lawrence, mother of the murdered black teenager Stephen, spoke of her respect and affection for Grant. Mr Jack Straw, Home Office Minister, praised his role in campaigning for the now famous inquiry into the Lawrence case and said: "Bernie's achievement was huge in making our society more tolerant and decent." Chief Superintendent of Police Steven James said: "Some people think it reasonable to support the view that Bernie Grant and the police were on different sides. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Early years
Born February 17, 1944 in British Guiana, now Guyana, Bernard Alexander Montgomery Grant was the son of school teachers, Eric and Lily, who named him after two generals then fighting the Second World War. Bernie came to Britain in 1963, and worked as a British Railways clerk, a National Union of Public Employees area officer, and as a partisan of the Black Trade Unionists Solidarity Movement.

A successful local politician, Grant served for a decade as local councillor in the London Borough of Haringey, of which he was elected Leader in 1985. He was the first black head of a local authority in Britain, and was responsible for the well-being of a quarter of a million people, many of them Black and ethnic minorities. Grant joined the Labour Party in 1975 and was elected as Member of Parliament for Tottenham.

Known as a firebrand and socialist advocate, he was rather conservative in other respects: being a staunch admirer of the Queen, a Euro-sceptic and advocate of old-fashioned schooling. Paul Boateng, a fellow black MP, led tributes from Grant's parliamentary colleagues saying Bernie was an untiring personality "who spoke with great authority and passion on issues that others often disagreed".

Campaigner
Bernie Grant brought to parliament a long and distinguished campaigning record. He was a founder member of the Standing Conference of Afro-Caribbean and Asian Councillors and a member of the Labour Party Black Sections. He convened major conferences of politicians, activists, researchers and academics to shape black agendas. Grant also helped tackle racism on a European wide level, in association with members of the European Parliament and anti-racist groups.

A keen internationalist and pan-Africanist, Grant served on the National Executive of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in Britain, and had a longstanding friendship with Nelson Mandela, whom he supported throughout his imprisonment and subsequent release. He maintained a keen interest in Caribbean regional affairs, Central America, Ireland and Cyprus.

Bernie's attributes were acclaimed by his obituarist Narendra Makanji, of the London Borough of Haringey local council, who said: "He united workers in industries and the public services through the Black Trade Unionist Solidarity Movement; pulled together the Labour party black section in pursuing seats in councils and in parliament; and improved the bargaining position of agriculture workers in the Caribbean."

Rebel with a cause
Grant inspired the Parliamentary Black Caucus, co-founded with his fellow "first black parliamentarians" elected in 1987 and Lord Pitt. Inspired by Congressman Ron Dellums and the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus, Grant told the PBC inaugural conference in 1989: "For far too long the black community has had no voice in Britain and we are seeking to redress that". His epitaph, he hoped would simply state "Bernie Grant - African Rebel": a fitting tribute to a man who was a powerful link between black communities in Britain and the Black nations and communities of the world.

In many ways a firebrand activist at heart, Grant courted controversy all his life and evoked mixed emotions. He once shocked royalists and socialists alike by wearing an African dashiki at the state opening of Parliament. Arguably, a controversial politician not to every ones liking, Grant claimed he was misquoted as saying "the police got a good hiding" in the 1985 Broadwater Farm racial disturbances.

To his credit, Grant's wise counsel and investigations into racism and xenophobia helped influence government actions following the murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence. Pace University, New York awarded Grant an honorary doctorate in May 1993 in recognition of his work for justice and equal rights.

As his black parliamentary colleagues rose to the heights of New Labour's centrist government - Paul Boateng to the Home Office, Keith Vaz to the Foreign Office, and Diane Abbott to top-level state committees - Grant alone continued to support old-style trade union, populist democracy and the fight for black political empowerment within the Labour Party. Lee Jasper, a staunch Grant supporter, and chair of the National Black Alliance and the campaign group Operation Black Vote, said: "Bernie will be remembered as a hugely popular man of the people that every black man and woman should aspire to emulate".

Grant continued work as an MP despite undergoing a heart bypass operation and kidney failure in 1998. In the closing year of his life, Grant addressed the House of Commons saying a just conclusion to the Stephen Lawrence case "is the last chance for British society to tackle racism."

Bernie Grant died April 8, 2000, and in what was probably the largest black funeral that Britain has ever seen, his cortege threaded its way past key sites of his life. It stopped at Haringey Civic Centre, where he was once council leader, his Tottenham offices, then paused before hundreds of onlookers for a minute's silence in the once riot-torn Broadwater Farm Estate, where he had chaired the community centre. The cortege then moved on in quiet cadence to the funeral service at Alexandra Palace, a well-known north London landmark.

Six pallbearers bore the silver-metal casket. Lance Sergeant Jason Sumner, of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, played the lament Flowers of the Forest. Among the hundreds in the congregation were Clive Lloyd, former West Indies cricket captain, and Jazzy B, founder member of the band Soul II Soul.

Mr Grant's English wife Sharon said: "In Bernie, we have lost a great fighter and a champion of justice for oppressed people." Members of his surviving family include his father Eric, brother Leyland, sisters Rosamund, Waveny and Effua, and his three sons by a former marriage, Steven, Alex and Jimmy.

Bernie Grant's achievements
1977: Elected to the Haringey borough council, north London.

1985: He became the first black leader of a local authority in Britain; and was prominent in criticising initial police actions in which Mrs. Cynthia Jarrett died.

1987: Elected as member of parliament for Tottenham.

1987: Intervened on behalf of family of Joy Gardner who died in a police immigration raid.

1987-1989: Organised the Parliamentary Black Caucus, a "natural focus for the political, economic and social advancement of Black people in Britain"; and launched the Black Parliamentarian magazine - "bringing parliament to the community".

Mid-1990s: Organised various Afro-centred organisations and movements, including the African Reparations Movement and the Global Trade Centre to link local businesses with partners in Africa and the Caribbean.

1995: Caused controversy by suggesting that a £100,000 option should be given to those wishing to return to Africa and the Caribbean, particularly the elderly who had given their working lives to Britain.

Late-1990s: Successfully fought for the release of Winston Silcott falsely convicted for the murder of a policeman during the Broadwater estate riots of 1985; supported a new centre for the Performing Arts in Tottenham; and campaigned for a statue to the Unknown Slave to be erected on a plinth in Trafalgar Square, central London. He also called for measures to end institutional racism in the police and state agencies exposed by the Stephen Lawrence inquiry report commissioned by the Home Office. He was posthumously awarded an honorary doctorate degree by Middlesex University for services to education and cultural development for young people.

[ October 26, 2003, 07:05 PM: Message edited by: Jolyon ]

Martin Red

10-27-2003, 05:38 AM

Living Colour

http://photo.sing365.com/music/picture.nsf/SingerPicUnid/48256C71003578A2482568C6002C313C/$file/LIVING+COLOUR.gif

You know Corey Glover's powerful voice. Corey was the lead singer and one fourth of the pioneering, Grammy winning, platinum selling rock band Living Colour. The steps Corey took to reach this point in his career are well known. As a founding member of Living Colour, Corey helped prove that not only could black guys kick out the jams, but that they could be embraced by a vast expanse of fans. Living Colour earned numerous industry awards including back-to-back Grammys for Best Hard Rock Performance of 1989 ('Cult of Personality') and 1990 (Time's Up) and emerged as one of the most influential rock acts of all time: regularly selling out arenas and selling millions of albums. As vocal proponents for black self-reliance and pride, they broke down more than their fair share of musical barriers and served as role models for other black bands who had their sights set on hard rock recognition.

After four Billboard charted albums, the group disbanded in 1995. Almost immediately Corey began laying the foundation for what you now hear. Hymns. The debut solo album from a rock legend. "I always wanted to do rock stuff and I did. But I've always wanted to be a loveman and sort of split the difference. I think I've done that with this album and with this band."

Alternative salty and sweet, hushed and defiant, and undeniably sexy and melodic, Hymns takes you back to the day and yet is a reminder that not all good songs were written years ago. Hymns is packed with 10 spicy, emotion filled tracks which confirms Corey Glover's place in every genre, not only rock, but alternative and soul as well. Hymns clearly has tracks for everyone, crossing all boundaries and showcasing Glover's undeniable vocal abilities.

The road to Hymns began a few years ago, when Corey hooked up with some like minded musicians, among them his current band members guitarist Mike Ciro and bassist Booker King. After adding a few more key ingredients the band began to play out and soon built up a rep as a serious live act. Anyone who's seen Corey can verify, when he steps on stage his energy and emotion are so powerful, they provide an electric performance which leaves you wanting to see him again, and again.

When it came time to take that rep and put it on tape, Corey hooked up with his old friends and fellow musical provocateurs Peter Lord and V. Jeffrey Smith. Both are members Elektra recording group The Family Stand, and are seasoned song writers and producers.

"I thought about Pete and Jeff immediately because of their songwriting expertise and because they're musicians. And like me, they had the concept of making this a real organic record. No synthesizers. To have real strings, real horns and have it played by a real, core band, live in the studio."

The first song that Corey, Jeff and Peter cooked up at their songwriting sessions was the sizzling "Hot Buttered Soul" and from there, the grooves and the ideas flowed. "The whole process from start to finish was natural," Corey says. "But at the same time, I really pushed myself as a songwriter. I was reaching into areas I never had before." By the end of the process Corey, Peter and Jeff had collaborated on four cuts, including the transcendent and sure to be legendary "April Rain", a song that Corey calls "Prince meets the apocalypse".

Then there's Hymns propulsive lead off single "Do You First, Then Do Myself". This explosive, gutsy track is an no holds barred ode, to well, doing it. "It needs no explanation beyond that!" laughs Corey. "It's a song about sex."

Among the other highlights on Hymns is "One" which finds the common musical ground between the Beatles and Stevie Wonder and the sexy, persuasive Memphis vibe of "Little Girl".

Corey describes the differences between his days with Living Colour and the music he's making today as "a natural progression from what I did back then." He explains, "Because the whole attitude and feeling behind this solo album is what my contribution was to Living Colour. Completely. The thing that has changed is that before I fit my vocals into a slot and now I don't."

If you're not familiar with Corey Glover, that is sure to change. Whether he's belting Living Colour's prize recording "Cult of Personality" or one of his new tracks from Hymns, Corey is sure to entertain you and leave you feeling good. His debut solo album Hymns is destined to be embraced by the music world today, as it's filled with skilled production, eclectic tracks and powerful vocals.

Living Colour fans will love Hymns, Alternative fans will love Hymns, Soul fans will love Hymns, Music lovers will love Hymns.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/singerUnid/510FDF2E85B31674482568C6002C3745

Martin Red

10-27-2003, 02:18 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/profiles/images/dizzeerascal_main.jpg
Born Dylan Mills.
At school he was excluded from every lesson apart from music.
Released his first track, "I Luv U", at the age of 16
Member of the East End Roll Deep Crew.
Dizzee was attacked and stabbed in Ayia Nappa this June.
Donated half of his Mercury Prize money to youth clubs so they could buy music production equipment.
He's a big fan of Nirvana.

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Dizzee Rascal

“Lately there’s been controversy around my name, But ‘f**k you’ – cos I ain’t playing your game. My attitude, my language, they ain’t used to it, But I ain’t UK garage, so get used to it.” “Vexed” by Dizzee Rascal, 2003, east London.

Young, angry, articulate and frighteningly talented: Eighteen-year-old Dizzee Rascal is the voice of brand new generation. Alongside Wiley and his fellow Roll Deep Entourage members, Dizzee has been propelled by a popular uprising to underground fame, away from the eyes of the mainstream. All this is about to change. Meet Dizzee Rascal, Britain’s most talented troublesome teenager.

Piercing and poignant, Dizzee’s voice is unmistakable. So is his rare gift. In a capital wracked by gun crime and tension, Dizzee sits MCing in the eye of the storm. Bring the noise. In fact speaking of which, what is that damn noise, booming from every other car? Oh. That’ll be Dizzee then. The Streets’ Mike Skinner was recently asked: “what’s the future?” He simply replied: “Dizzee Rascal.” Two years ago a kid went into a studio to produce “I Love You.” Dizzee came out with the biggest underground tune since Ms Dynamite’s “Boo.” Teenage pregnancy, badboy bravado, a dark ragga bassline, loose gyals and being so popular in your “manor” you don’t even answer your phone: “I Love You” has it all. What more could you want? Since “I Love You” got smashed in the raves he’s been the most in demand MC in Britain. He’s been able to be picky about his remixes, choosing The Streets and Ashanti. He produced an incendiary cut for More Fire Crew’s album and he’s working with Basement Jaxx. Together the Dizzee and Wiley have supported Jay-Z live and come with vocal anthems “Bounce” and “Roll Deep Regular.” Wiley was 2002’s biggest selling producer, remixing for So Solid Beats and Ludacris. Dizzee was voted best newcomer at the Sidewinder People’s Choice awards. The Sidewinder lot are a massive not easily impressed.

Dizzee grew up and still lives, on the streets of Bow, east London. They are rough, violent and on the edge. What didn’t kill you made you stronger – and Dizzee certainly took some hits. Troublesome and disruptive, he was chucked out of several schools until someone showed some faith in him: a music teacher. Excluded from other classes, Dizzee stowed himself away in the back of the music classroom. It was time well spent. Inspired by the ghetto glamorous sounds of US hip hop and r’n’b as well as the grimey home-grown rhymes of jungle and garage MCs, Dizzee’s new musical vision began to form. Exposed to Sham 69, The Flying Lizards and Sepultura, he soaked up new sounds like a sponge. So whether it was school, street life, new sounds or natural talent, Dizzee soon exploded into the underground, angry and with a whole pile of things to say. Life hadn’t been good to this only child and his friends. Drug dealing, teenage pregnancy, gun crime, poverty, street robbery and unemployment – for people surrounding him this is how life is. “It was a struggle as an only child. It felt like me against the world, against everyone. It didn’t feel like I had a lot of friends,” explains Dizzee. “Music rocketed me out into an angry, angry world. I came back and everyone’s angry from where I’m from as well. It’s just like that now boy.” Music has become Dizzee’s way out, his release. So when he is pensive, so is his music. When he is mellow, out comes the mellow Dizzee. And when he’s angry he’s “screwing,” just completely livid. And like Dizzee, his legions of underground fans share this passion, this release of rage and an empathy for his lyrical message. They relate to Dizzee because he’s just like them:

he’s where they’re from and tells it like it is. “We express what people can’t express, when they ain’t got no way, so they feel like ‘rah, someone relates,’” explains Dizzee. “When they’re listening to our music they’re not out causing trouble; when they’re in the rave they’re getting out their negative energy.”

Talk to Dizzee and you’ll see he’s big on balance. Sure he’s young, sure he’s angry but he sees the big picture. Hence there’s the mellow r’n’b version as well as the angry “I Love You” original. Like love and sex, there’s always more than one side to a Dizzee Rascal story. Then if you want pure energy, think “Still The Same” which Dizzee produced for More Fire Crew’s debut album. If you want contemplation check “Brand New Day,” and watch Dizzee’s original Oriental hooks sneak their way under your skin. Then watch his rhymes make his way into your brain: “we used to fight with kids from other estates/now 8mm settle debates.” Album cuts like “Live-O” or “Sitting Here” are a fresh new British sound altogether.

Most British MCs struggle to see beyond the end of Jah Rule’s microphone. Bling, bling, cash money Xerox-US rhymes et cetera yawn zzzz. NOT DIZZEE. He’s smart and articulate: gun crime, politics, balance, relationships, social comment or how to mash up a rave, Dizzee rhymes about them all.

Most producers are sheep, afraid to break the rules. Dizzee’s fearless. He heads straight for the rules, bumps right into them before giving them a slap. No one is going to tell him anything. But it’s not all violence for violence’s stake. There’s a plan here, the bigger picture again. It’s about getting out of the “gully” the streets, the ghettos of east London. And it’s about getting everyone else out too.

“We show people: ‘look, I’m from where you’re from and this is what we’ve got now. And you know what? You can do it too, everyone can do it.’ Anything that was initially bad, you can see it rise into good.”

So life on the street, or “on road” as Dizzee would put it, is hectic. Many don’t make it out. Even almost Dizzee himself. “Road gets us, road gets all of us,” explains Dizzee. “People start smoking, jacking pizzas from a pizza delivery man. Starting trouble, forgetting about things. I almost forgotabout music, man. If I wasn’t expressing myself in music, I wouldn’t havecarried on.”

But he did carry on so you better watch out for Dizzee Rascal in 2003.

London, England? Consider yourselves …warned.

Releases:
Boy In Da Corner - CD (XLCD170)
I Luv U - CD (XLS165CD)

http://www.remotecontrolrecords.com/artistDetail.asp?ArtistID=223

Martin Red

10-27-2003, 05:27 PM

Ngozi Onwurah
Black British filmmaker Ngozi Onwurah takes on the issues of time and space in her work which embraces heterogeneity and multiple sites of subjectivity. Onwurah consistently navigates and challenges the limits of narrative and ethnographic cinema by insisting that the body is the central landscape of an anti-imperialist cinematic discourse.

An accomplished director with several episodes of the top British TV drama series "Heartbeat" to her credit, Ngozi Onwurah also wrote and directed the prize-winning feature "Welcome II the Terrordome." Sometimes fierce and at others more gently humorous, Onwurah tackles the clashes and ironies of the apparent gulf separating black and white, whilst showing that under the skin, emotions are universal.
Onwurah’s films have won prizes at the Berlin Film Festival, Germany; Melbourne Film Festival, Australia; Toronto Film Festival, Canada; and at NBPC, USA.

http://www.wmm.com/Catalog/_makers/fm280.htm

Mah'chew

10-27-2003, 09:28 PM

The Pasadenas -

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/other/boss/images/cdboss4.jpg

Leee John -

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Unique 3 -

http://www.dreamwater.com/music/bradyman/images/UNIQUE.gif

Silver Bullet -

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Martin Red

10-28-2003, 03:57 AM

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/graphics/logo.jpg

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/graphics/nme1.jpg

(White Lady), "Look at you all, good for nothing, noisy, stinking filth, lazy, you're everywhere, junglebunnies. This was a lovely area before you came here, lovely... **** off back to your own country, Junglebunnies."

(Beefy), "This is my ****ing country lady and it's never been ****ing lovely, it's always been a tip for as long as I can remember, so don't ****ing tell me, right, 'cause I never done it, it wasn't me right..."

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/graphics/post1.jpg

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/com.html

http://www.uncarved.demon.co.uk/dub/babylon/rosso.html

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 04:00 AM

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 04:19 AM

Originally posted by Mah'chew:
The Pasadenas -

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/other/boss/images/cdboss4.jpg

Leee John -

http://www.leeejohn.com/LeeeLiveBig2.jpg

Unique 3 -

http://www.dreamwater.com/music/bradyman/images/UNIQUE.gif

Silver Bullet -

http://stat.discogs.com/A/7169-001.jpg graemlins/thumbsup.gif Good Choices, The theme by Unique three was a main track played at the Hummingbird Birmingham circa 89, along with 20 seconds to comply and Bring Forth the Guillotine.

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http://uk.geocities.com/atmzine/C50I1.jpg

Classic Review: Silver Bullet

Album: Bring Down The Walls…No Limit Squad Returns

Label: Parlophone 1991

Rewind to 1991. Hip hop is well on the way to being accepted as part of the mainstream, credible acts such as De La Soul having broken into the charts, Public Enemy have released their masterpiece ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’, and magazines such as Hip Hop Connection are on the rise, championing UK artists like Hijack, Blade and the Ruthless Rap Assassins. Both the American and home-grown scenes are vibrant, energised and dedicated to the cause of advancing the sound. The time is right for the bomb to drop.

After two 1989 singles on the little known Tam Tam label (‘Bring Forth the Guillotine’ and ‘20 Seconds To Comply’, receiving both underground respect and chart success) ‘Silver Bullet’ split with his label, signed to Parlophone and redefined his objectives: this time the sound was for the underground. There would be no sell-out, no record company marketing ploys, and no cheesy Norman Cook remixes. The third single, ‘Undercover Anarchist’ went Top 40 in ’91 and the long awaited LP was unleashed onto an ill-prepared British public.

‘Bring Down The Walls…No Limit Squad Returns’, the title says it all. This is hip hop without boundaries, without limits. Two angry young men with a mission, a message that has to be heard by the world.

The opener is the track that everyone has heard, ‘20 Seconds To Comply’. Rerecorded for the new label, this version is ruffer, harder, angrier. Silver’s lyrics tell of a society on the brink of collapse, Thatcher’s legacy: nuclear fallout, the criminal underground and inner cities destroyed by narcotic indulgence. The backing is impeccable…the beats roll, snares rattle, the samples, if a little predictable (“So you think you outsmart a bullet?”) fit perfectly.

Every track on the album shares this vibe: apocalyptic, determined, dark and ethereal but also brutal. The standout, for me, is the third single, ‘Undercover Anarchist’. A lonesome bleep introduces it, searching through the darkness for some kind of compatriotism. “Yo…can anybody hear me?” Silver asks. Is anyone listening? But when the tune drops, no one can ignore it. The beats, well I could listen to Silver’s breaks all day, you don’t even need the rest of the track. They roll and drive at the same time, the kick beating you into submission before the rest of the track kicks in. The bass! Hip hop is the king of bass…whereas other musicians use bass to aid the rhythm or melody, to constantly underpin the track, hip hop artists, in taking their musical styling largely from old funk and soul records understand the value of holding back. Releasing one apocalyptic note at a crucial point in the beat, stopping the rhythm dead just when you least expect it, then cutting it back again. It’s precisely the sparsity that makes it so effective, something that other musicians would do well to learn from.

The scratching, in contrast, is constant. Abstract noises chopped to **** under Silver’s flow, and DJ Mo’s scratching is always impeccable. On any track, whether cutting up familiar vocal snippets from Silver’s contemporaries or transforming sirens, they always play perfectly in the track. Never standing above the music, unlike nowadays hip hop, where scratching is no longer an element of the whole track but a solo brought in over the mundane, undeveloped backing loop. This is the decks as an integral part of the sound; they sit perfectly between the backing and the vocal. No one scratches like this anymore. Of course, in grand hip hop tradition Mo is given his chance to shine: ‘He Spins Around’, the penultimate track is solely Mo’s creation, and this is the DJ track taken to another level. Bizarre, twisted. Beginning as a mass of discordant, unresolvable loops, suddenly the beat kicks in and it all makes sense…in a way…the rhythms are locked together, but fluid, lurching and twisting beneath the break, with further layers of scratching on top. A world away from what turntablists are doing now, or have ever done since.

Of the other tracks, all are amazing, there is very little to criticise. Although they all share the same feel, there is variation in the styling. ‘Guns Of Mind Alone’ is almost moochy in comparison, (relatively) downtempo and bearing a great funk bassline with Mo’s scratching standing out as always. ‘Legions Of The Damned’ is the most contemplative track of the ten, alternating between sinister, twisting verses complete with an atypical 2-bar break loop, twinkling horror film sample (the title of which shall go unmentioned…for fear of putting people off! That said, it does fit perfectly), and the ethereal flute sample of the chorus. And the return of the apocalypse bass!

I’m hard pushed to think of many other records produced with this much passion. Two that spring to mind are the already mentioned ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’ and Manic Street Preachers’ ‘The Holy Bible’. ‘Bring Down The Walls’ shares several qualities with the latter: the precision, the tightness of the different elements working in unison; the drive, the music pulls you with it, keeping you always focussed on what’s happening now…there’s no chance to stop and consider what you’ve just heard as Silver jumps from one issue to the next with almost schizophrenic speed. And the backing too flows, overflows, with funk, attitude, aggression. I am constantly dismayed by today’s hip hop scene, the weak fare, lacking in any kind of drive, blunted on its own success in the mainstream, with no desire to challenge either the listener or themselves. What this album displays is what was defining of the hip hop of this era, but taken to another level. The complex breakbeats, the plethora of conflicting elements, bass, samples, scratches, all there not merely to give the MC a groove to work over, but as essential to the track as the vocal. Finally, the aggression, the sense of imminent apocalypse that prevents any kind of prevarication. These words cannot wait, the message has to be heard NOW. As Silver says, “Say what you got to say then get the hell out”.

Having already mentioned the Manic Street Preachers’, Silver’s lyrical tendencies often bear an uncanny resemblance to Richey Edwards’ own. The sense of style, the power of pure words alone, phrases and slogans devoid of syntax, stripped of any grammatical customs not essential to the message…a message never explicitly stated but implied within swathes of imagery. Check “Imminently influence drops ill/Full moon ordeal/The attitude concealed/For carnival revenge of course claimed” or “Don’t view stereotypes/No insight through psyche”. But always Silver’s flow is in motion, touching on one topic with barely a chance to breathe before he jumps to the next attack. The lyrical rhythms flow around the beat, stopping/starting/jumping, unpredictable. There are few MCs who share Silver’s skills. Chuck D is one who springs to mind. The tired, repetitive rhythms of modern million selling hip hop are nowhere to be found. This is rap as the new jazz, ad-libbing rhythms instead of melodies around the complex backing. In some sense the meaning is almost irrelevant, second to the hypnotic, unpredictable flow. Words strike you at random, shooting from the chaotic mass of disjointed phrases, beats, samples, bass and cuts.

One can draw comparisons to Silver Bullet’s contemporaries, Hijack, Hardnoise and 80’s Public Enemy but it doesn’t do justice. The feel is more like No U-Turn techstep, but more organic, more thoughtful and precise. I can’t think of any other album that even comes close to this. And even if Bullet’s new work has descended into current hip hop clichés, even if in ten years, hip hop has produced no one to touch on this one, barely acknowledged album (Rubberoom come close at points, but they’re not there yet) at least I gain some kind of satisfaction from the fact that the twelve’s I bought from my local store for four quid ten years ago are now changing hands on eBay for fifteen quid.

“So what’s the score/What do we do?/Authorise apocalypse, bomb I’m droppin’ it…”

http://uk.geocities.com/atmzine/C50.html

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 05:19 AM

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/images/rra_colour01.jpg

RUTHLESS RAP ASSASSINS
http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/

WHAT THE MUSIC PAPERS SAID - A REFLECTIVE SELECTION

"The Killer is like a toblerone - out on its own".
- JOHN McCREADY (THE FACE)

"We all make mistakes, right? My mistake - musically - was not listening to the word of the RRA before. Check it, other southern hip hop snobs, we've ignored what anybody north of Watford has had to say in the past, having listened to this debut, continuously for almost a month, I can state we have, through our ignorance, missed out. Thankfully it's not too late".
- SONIA POULTON (ECHOES)

"Six months into the decade, and already here is one of the most vital albums... 'The Killer' will stay inside your head, stapled to your brain".
- PENNY ANDERSON (NME)

"Undeniably a killer in every department: gorgeous beats, sharp samples, daring deck work and compelling raps... A rich, exciting album".
- STU LAMBERT (MUSIC WEEK)

"They may have sneaked it in through a back door but RRA are now sure of a warm welcome at EMI's entrance... There's no way of telling what you'll hear from one of the 14 tracks to the next".
- PUSH (MELODY MAKER)

"So here it is, the first English rap LP that no one can sniff at; one that can compare with it's US counterparts without an inferiority complex. The Assassins' debut 'Killer Album' stands as this country's first all round rap success.
- ALEX GERRY (NUMBER ONE)

"With their ass-kicking album, 'The Killer'... The Ruthless Rap Assassins will quickly emerge as the major force in home grown rhyme - or I'll eat my British Knights".
- RICHIE BLACKMORE (RECORD MIRROR)

"The Killer Album is a many-faceted LP, delivered with assurance and maturity, which paradoxically gains cohesion through it's very diversity. It's not so much a collection of 14 tracks as a single entity".
- SIMON TRASK (HIP HOP CONNECTION)

"Manchester media overkill has already extended to the dance and rap scenes, but to consider the Ruthless Rap Assassins in terms of a user-friendly Manc overview would ignore the sheer brilliance of 'Killer Album'... Kaleidoscope stuff".
- NICK TERRY (SELECT)

"The Ruthless Rap Assassins appear to have something of an identity crisis. Hailing from Manchester, they seem to want to remove themselves as far as possible from what else is coming out of that city, but are a little confused as how to do it".
- LLOYD BRADLEY (Q)

"The other side of Manchester - crunching beats, sharp attitude and inventive cheek from the North".
- RECOMMENDED RELEASES (i-D)

"This is a poet's dream... This album is only the beginning. British hip hop is now ready to stand up and be counted".
- MARK ZED (RAVE)

"Manchester's been the real British capital of black music for years now... isn't it time that people really started checking it out, starting with the Ruthless Rap Assassins - taking no mess and taking no prisoners. You'd better believe it".
- VIE MARSHALL (BLUES & SOUL)

"It's no exaggeration to say that the 'Killer Album' redefines British hip-hop".
- ANDY COWAN (HIP HOP CONNECTION)

"Swinging on a linchpin of reasoned anger, it includes manic, absurd samples that flesh out the beat and give it a depth and texture that recalls '3 Feet High...' or 'Nation of Millions...'. But it's much, much more: bold as brass, unashamed, unreconstructed Northern cheek in your face".
- MARCUS PREECE (SOUL UNDERGROUND)

"It's dismaying to find that one of the UK's most touted rap acts still rap in ersatz American and spout what can only be described as rubbish".
- PHIL CHEESEMAN (RECORD MIRROR)

"This album is the hip hop experience of the last decade as lived and breathed through British eyes and ears. Influences from all the rap greats abound but never dominate on a set where old skool and new skool collide head on... Tonka Sized".
- NICK GORDON-BROWN (MIXMAG)

"The Killer wins on all fronts: the samples are appropriate, witty and fresh; the lyrics are hard and conscious, funny and entertaining, and they have more mood shifts in one album than most bands manage in one lifetime".
- PENNY ANDERSON (NME)

"Brit hop sampling as a patchwork sculpture, the 'Killer' album is an on the spot report from 1990...This is an astonishing album".
- JOHN ROBB (SOUNDS)

"To call your album 'Killer Album' is certanly a sign of self-confidence and the borderline between self-confidence and ego is a thin one. The Ruthless Rap Assassins do not cross it".
- NICK TERRY (SELECT)

"The Assassins make music with a disarming directness and honesty, and in doing so they've created what must be the best hip hop album to come out of the UK to date. Killer Album? You bet. Kill the bullshit: speak the (home) truth".
- SIMON TRASK (HIP HOP CONNECTION)

"If I had the space, I would print out all the lyrics, because, quite simply, whether in a party or a mission mood, the Ruthless Rap Assassins know their stuff".
- SONIA POULTON (ECHOES)

WHAT THE MANCHESTER PAPERS SAID

"This album is a rich vein of heart-felt street poetry, the label hip hop or dance diminishes it. Musically it's adventurous and hard, lyrically it goes where few will dare follow... A milestone in black music in this country".
- TERRY CHRISTIAN (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS)

"It's an hour long slow exposure snapshot of a life in the day of an attitude. A continuous 14 track album of bragging, slagging, brawling, chilling, serious, frivolous (but never superfluous) rap scenarios that sample from a scrap-book of sources, a poetry of emotions and psychescape of originality... The Killer Album pushes the hip hop art to new dimensions".
- STEPHEN KINGSTON (UPTOWN)

"Listening to the album for the first time, you are surprised by the width of musical styles that have been pinched on the rewind... It's an album crammed with sound, bursting with musical ideas which occasionally spill open into raw noise. This record will not get on Radio 2".
- DEAN (CITY LIFE)

"It's been a long time coming, but tracks of this quality and social commentary make the package more mouth-watering than a Rowntrees Pastille".
- JOHN SLATER (CITY LIFE)

"Writing about a band or musician that you totally adore is pretty tough. Apologising for the piece is even worse but it's tough shit, because when it comes to the Ruthless Rap Assassins there is just no escape".
- GINA MORRIS (BOP CITY)

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/killer.jpg

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 05:30 AM

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/kermit.jpg

NORTH HULME SOUND EXCLUSIVE - KERMIT INTERVIEWED:

Several years ago now, as a first year Student, I saw the Ruthless Rap Assassins play live at Newcastle Polytechnic. As always, they were electrifying, and won a lot of converts that night. Later that evening, as Beats International played, I shyly shuffled up to their Road Manager, asked him when the second album would be released, and sloped off again. Finally, 9 years later, I plucked up enough courage to talk to Kermit himself at a recent Bentley Rhythm Ace concert. He kindly agreed to be interviewed for the Website.

This interview took place the day after that Portsmouth gig, as Kermit and the Bentleys travelled up to their next date in Cardiff. As well as the Rap Assassins, the conversation covered his work with Bentley Rhythm Ace and Shaun Ryder, the forthcoming Big Dog project, UK Hip-Hop, his Millennium Bug theories and even Eartha Kitt!

M. Starting with the Rap Assassins then, a lot of the themes and the general feel of 'The Killer Album' obviously owe a lot to the environment you were all living in at the time. Can you tell us about the North Hulme Estate in the late eighties?

K. What is there to say, you know what I mean? A lot of things was going on, you know, a lot of shady things. I was up to a lot of shady things, a lot of people around me were up to a lot of shady things. Back then it was a case of survival, man. Leading up to the time before we signed our deal and all that, it was a case of just surviving any way you could really.

M. The Rap Assassins were always one of the most exciting live acts around. What was it like to be on tour with them, what was the atmosphere like?

K. It was alright, 'cos we was all good mates. Anderson lived in the flat underneath me. Kiss AMC used to come on tour as well, and you know Kiss (Christine) was my sister. Anne-Marie and Christine (the band members of Kiss AMC) used to live down the corridoor from me. So we was always around with each other anyway, playing records and smoking weed, chilling out, going out. So we was just taking what we did at home on the road, basically.

M. What would you say each individual member of the crew brought to the Assassins as a whole?

K. Everybody brought a different thing. Anderson was more kinda like, he was sensible. Carson was young and exuberant, and I was a ****ing mad bastard, you know?! (laughs). You can tell from the tracks. You can tell by just listening to the tracks the personalities of everybody. We've all got totally different styles, but we work well with each other. That's why it was so easy to do things, you know?

Back in the early days when we didn't have much pressure on us and that things were so easy - writing, and we were just doing it for fun. And then we started doing all the college parties and we got a name for ourselves. Everybody started fearing us man (laughs)! It was fun man, you used to take on other MCs. That was back in the days, a while ago, people's outlook on things was different then. In the rap scene people were very wide eyed and innocent about certain things. Everybody was quick to drop the latest rhymes. Nowadays it's not like that, you're not hearing another man live until he's put it down on wax or something. That's the only time, not like back in the days they'd come out somewhere and like we'd be stood in one corner and another crew were stood over there and then a guy would go up and drop his lines. Nah ****ing I'd be like 'I could tear that up' and I'd go up there and do it. There's none of that now.

The only way that you get near to that is on wax nowadays. And it's sad. A bit ago, I did this radio interview, and there was some guy from London. He was supposedly a rapper, yeah? And so I'm doing this interview, and he's there as well. The guy that was interviewing started to play a record, so I just ****ing went with it. And this guy just sat there, and I felt so bad for him 'cos I could just tell he had no idea, he just couldn't do a freestyle thing. Even nowadays I do a lot of live stuff, you know, back on the road with the Bentleys and that. And I enjoy it, you know rockin' the crowd and that, that's what it's about. You know, feeling the ****in' groove man. You know what I'm saying don't ya?

(M. Yeah, and everything is so over-produced now as well, I think)

Yeah, it's all slick production nowadays. You know **** me, I could be as slick as the next mother****er. But it's not about all that for me. I like to do tracks that are personality-driven really. You put a bit of yourself into what you're doing. You know, I'm pretty sure that people that know what I do, if they heard a track that I did a vocal on, they'd go 'Oh ****ing hell, that's Kermit man'.

(M. A lot of acts now, each track they make sounds exactly the same, and that's how you know it's them. But with your stuff you got the vibe from the people and their personalities coming through)

Exactly, it's all about a ****in' vibe, man. And that's what I find is missing nowadays. It's all about, even though back in the days with fat gold chains man, but it was all a bit more tongue in cheek. People are getting shot for Rolex watches and shit, man. And there's just a lot of bad shit going on, people are very greedy. The music business nowadays, I find it populated with a lot of people that are just... there's a lot of ****in' young people that have been to like theatre school and things like that. And what they do is like go to some management company and get put into a band.

And it's so sad, there's not very many real people about, it's ****in' very rare for record companies to sign them up. It's very sad. There's a lot of guys I know that sit at home in their bedrooms crafting ****ing masterpieces. But they just don't want to bother with all the ****in' bollocks. They treat people bad man. I had a lot of shit with my last record company.

(M. 'Cos you're with Warners, aren't you?)

No, I'm out of there now! I'm out of there yeah, East West. Well, I can't say it was down to them, it was more a case of falling out with Carl (Psycho, also previously from Black Grape, and half of Manmade with Kermit) really. We just didn't see eye to eye about certain things. As things went on I found things out that I didn't like. You know what I mean, personal shit.

M. How well received were the Rap Assassins when you played down in London?

K. The thing you have to remember right, with the Rap Assassins, when it came to doing gigs and all that, we enjoyed the **** out of it! So there was this thing about Manchester and London and this and that, but we just used to come down and do our thing. And we didn't used to have any grief, and all our shows used to go alright.

M. Do you not think it put you at a disadvantage, not being part of that whole London Hip-Hop scene?

K. Nah, I didn't want to be around that click, man, you know what I mean? It was all back-stabbing man, and all that shit. I remember, I was looking through the things on the web site, and that picture that was in Hip-Hop Connection (in the Who? section) with all the ****ing UK (rapper)s. And I remember going down to do that, and I remember all the ****in' bitching and the back-stabbing it was shit, and I'll always remember that. That's what used to go on.

M. But then Manchester at that time was famous for Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and that sort of thing. Do you think that made things harder for you, from a press point of view? Everybody thought of Manchester as Madchester...

K. Yeah, but at that time, right, our heads were in a totally different world than all that. So it didn't really affect us like that. It did affect us - but at the time, where our heads were at, it didn't affect us, if you know what I mean?

M. For me, one of the great thing for the Rap Assassins was that you could make both lighter and more thought-provoking tracks. Do you think the world's any better ten years on from the album? Have any of the problems you rapped about got any better?

K. No, it's worse man (laughs), they've gotten worse!

I was speaking to Anderson the other day, actually. I'm doing a bit of work at the moment, but we're going to get together and do a track. We're going to get together and do something. You know, I'm looking forward to it, actually, 'cos it's been like ten years since the ****in album. That'll be happening pretty soon, we've just got to literally sort things out. 'Cos I've got a lot to do, and Anderson's working as well, Anderson teaches now.

M. Do you ever listen to any of the Assassins' recordings now?

K. I saw Greg (Wilson, Rap Assassins' producer) a few weeks ago, and he showed me the stuff off the web site. I was reading it, and it was like 'ten years since the Killer?'. And I put it on, I couldn't tell you the last time I'd listened to it. I put it on as I was getting ready in the morning, and I ended up playing it three times, I really ****ing enjoyed it. And now at my house it's on heavy rotation (laughs)!

M. What would you say was the best track on there?

K. On that album? ****ing hell, I could not answer that. They all remind me of different things and different times and different situations. Yeah, you know, you can't have a favourite child, can you? If they were all girls and I had one boy, yeah, you know what I mean, but they're not are they? (laughs)

M. Looking back, what - if anything - would you want to change about the album?

K. I would change the fact that I could release it now, for the first time now, instead of 10 years ago. That was the thing I reckon - a lot of people did get their heads around it, but some people didn't because of the sort of things we were trying to do. It was a bit ****in leftfield for rap at the time, you know.

(M. I was going to ask why you weren't as commercially successful as the material merited, and I think that's probably what it was. It was just ahead of its time, and everyone's just about caught up now)

Exactly, but it surprises me though. I go places and people always mention the Rap Assassins, and I think '****ing hell, man' and it really surprises me. I've just been up to Zomba records today, to meet the MD, 'cos we're probably going to be signed to them soon (Kermit's new band, Big Dog). And he was saying that he liked it a lot, and he'd got the album out the other day and was listening to it. People are always giving it props, you know what I mean, but how many of the mother****ers went out and bought it? (laughs)

M. Do you think the radio was a problem as well? It seems like maybe only John Peel supported you...

K. Yeah, John Peel, man. Yeah, that's the thing at the times as well you know, three black guys from Hulme, Moss Side and that - it's like yeah right, you know what I mean? They just weren't gonna go for it were they? And, we were being ourselves, there was none of that watered-down yankee shit. I can't stand all that bollocks and never could. That's what the London crews were doing as far as I was concerned, none of them was being real, except a couple of man here and there.

(M. If you're gonna do UK Hip-Hop, do UK Hip-Hop...)

K. That's the way I see it, you know, 'cos it's got it's own style. Certain people as far as I'm concerned ****in' do not deserve to call themselves UK Hip-Hop acts. They'll go and live in the States for a while, 'to soak up the atmosphere'. What the ****'s that? It just does my head in, it just really winds me up, you know not one real accent among the lot of them. I know who I am and where am I from. You've got to be yourself, man. What's the point in trying to put across that you're something else that you're not?

M. Would you say then that, rather than the lack of success, was it was personal problems that led to the group splitting up?

K. There was a lot of things come to the boil at the same time. It was a case of like, we all looked at each other and went 'aaaaargh!', that's what it was like man. We went off to Canada to do something, and I was well pissed off 'cos of a few things. I stayed in Canada, man for a while. When I came back Anderson was well pissed off with me, 'cos we missed a lot of gigs and things, but I needed time for myself. It just kicked off - we all went in the office, and we all left the office - disbanded, you know what I mean?

M. Were you already thinking of working with Shaun Ryder at that time, or did that come later?

K. I'd known Shaun for a long time before that, and we'd been talking about it for a while, while the Happy Mondays were still going. I remember he phoned up, asked me if I wanted to do some work on the album. I said yeah, so I went and did a couple of tracks on one of the albums. And we was talking about getting together and doing more stuff and everything. And then it happened you know, did a few demos... We both wanted to do something at the time, and then again, after that it gets to the point where you want to do other things and you have differences of opinion again with somebody. You know I've come to the conclusion that I should be doing my own shit! It's a part of growing up really.

I've been working on some stuff. You remember Ged? He used to play with Rap Assassins and Black Grape as well. And I've got him working with me now on some stuff - Big Dog (woof woof)! We've got the Bass Player, Danny, from Black Grape, he plays for St.Etienne. Danny Williams, another guy called Mark Jones. And it's ****ing fun! And I'm really enjoing it. And I really enjoy working with the Bentleys as well, I really do. We're gonna do some more stuff as well, and me and Rich from the Bentleys are gonna do a couple of tracks, the two of us as well. You know we've been talking about that.

There's a lot of things we're gonna be doing you know. What it was was that, as midnight struck, and the 21st century and all that, my mind was totally reconfigured - I caught the Millennium Bug! Everybody had it wrong, it wasn't computers that get the Millennium Bug, it was people, man! 'Cos the 21st century right, everything about it's different. The way of thought, the way of looking at things, the aesthetics of everything is different, it has to be different, because it's a different century. And my brain had been reconfigured for it. I'm ready to go! I'm serious, I'm ****in' serious! I'm ready to roll, man!

M. Do you think there are parallels between the style of music the Bentleys are doing, and the old Electro scene that you came out of?

K. Yeah, yeah, yeah! That's why I love it so much, that's why I ****in' love working with 'em so much (laughs)! You was there last night, you seen me ****in' bobbin away on the vocoder and all that! ****in' love it!

(M. Yeah, what are you saying through that? I was trying to work it out. Do you say the same thing every time, or do you just make it up as you go along?)

No, I was just rapping and, you know, getting a groove going and that. It's nice, just run the rhythms through the vocoder, and it's not cluttering the tracks with loads of lyrics, it just gets a different rhythm going, and it sounds so nice. It works though, doesn't it? It works in a live setting, man.

M. So what's the Big Dog project going to sound like? Is it like a straight up Hip-Hop thing?

K. No, no. Right, I listen to a lot of Hip-Hop and I listen to a lot of Rock, I listen to a lot of Blues and I listen to lot of Pop. I listen to ****in' everything, basically. Now that I've got a lot more control with things I'm going to do what the **** I feel like doing. Strip down any track that I do, strip it down and basically there's a Hip-Hop groove at the bottom of it, definitely. There's one track in particular - I've been going around record companies the past couple of months and they've all been freaking out about it. It's out and out Pop, out and out Pop! And I'm not ashamed to say that. There have been some great Pop records, you know? People perceive Hip-Hop and think 'ooorgh', but that's how we've been programmed man, it's popular music.

(M. It's down to how it's done, really, isn't it? You can do pop in one way or...)

Yeah, you can do it cool, or you can be very uncool. You can do S Club 7, you know (laughs)!

M. If you could work with absolutely anyone, who would it be?

K. Eartha Kitt. I'd love to do a track with Eartha Kitt. I don't know if it will happen, but I've wanted to do this for years, though. Years and years and years, I've never met her. Eartha Kitt man, I'm serious. I've got a few albums with her tracks, and I think she's got an amazing voice, man. And I reckon if her voice was as good as it was then now, put me in a studio with her, I reckon we could get some good shit out man, you know? It's just a pity the generation gap is so big, 'cos like if we was around at the same time... Have you seen her when she was young and checked her out? She was really ****in' fine man...

(M. She was in Batman wasn't she, as well?)

Yeah, she was in Batman back then as well, yeah. Yeah, yeah, Catwoman. ****in' wicked voice man, wicked voice. The whole way she went about it, lying on those furs and purring. How black is that? How savage is that? That's so dark! And, at the time, what did Orson Welles say? She was the most beguiling creature he'd ever met in his life, man.

M. Have you looked at the site?

K. I've just seen some pages, but I've got the address. My modem's ****ed! I've had pure trouble with my computer. I'm going to buy a new one, I'm gonna get a Mac, when I get off tour. I've had enough man, it's doing my head in!

M. Do you think the Internet's going to help new music to get heard, independent of record companies?

K. I think it is, if they get all this copyright stuff sorted out, this MP3 stuff. 'Cos it's a bit of a balls-up at the moment.

(M. Hopefully I won't get into trouble for having all those Rap Assassins songs up on my site...)

The way I see it man, the more people that hear it the better. EMI didn't do us any ****in' favours, releasing the stuff for us.

(M. That was really why I wanted to do the site, I wanted to get the stuff out there and heard, 'cos it really deserves to be)

Pure props man, I'm telling ya! I was looking at it, I was really surprised by how much work you've put in man. I really respect that.

Interview by Mark Balsom

SOURCE - http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/intkermit.htm

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/bgrape.jpg
KERMIT WITH BLACK GRAPE

http://www.radioactive.net/BANDS/BLACKG/album.gif

[ October 28, 2003, 05:34 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 05:38 AM

http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/ukhiphop.jpg

UK HIP HOP

UK Hip-Hop was (and indeed still is) largely dominated by London-based artists and crews. In the shot on the left, taken in 1988 by Normski, the Rap Assassins (bottom right, with Kiss-AMC - hover your mouse over the artists on the image for help!) are pictured with the Demon Boyz, Overlord X, Monie Love, the She Rockers, Top Billin' (who later became Definition of Sound), the Stereo MCs (who later sold lots of a mediocre album, having previously released two excellent ones!), MC Mell 'O' (often credited as being the UK's best MC) and Richie Rich, amongst others.

SOURCE - http://www.rapassassins.f9.co.uk/who.htm

palang

10-28-2003, 06:23 AM

graemlins/thumbsup.gif

nice one Martin - you lot have been busy - thanks for some great info: hows about...

CYMANDE

http://www.cymande.co.uk/image.htm

http://www.oldies.com/artist/view.cfm/id/125.html

DON LETTS

http://www.slate.uk.net/don_letts_cv.htm

http://www.3ammagazine.com/musicarchives/2003/jun/interview_don_letts.html

JULIE ROBERTS

BRENDON BATSON

http://www.blackinbritain.co.uk/AZfiles/BrendonBartson.htm

PLEASE NOTE: not the greatest of links, I will keep searching

[ October 28, 2003, 06:41 AM: Message edited by: niki ]

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 06:50 AM

Originally posted by niki:
graemlins/thumbsup.gif

nice one Martin - you lot have been busy - thanks for some great info: hows about...

CYMANDE

Top shout niki, shame on me for not posting this earlier! Interesting it came after the Rap Assassins post, Cymande's 'The Message' was cut-up for the backing of their best known track 'And It Wasn't A Dream' (see earlier in thread) about the experience of the older generation of British blacks who came to the UK with high expectations, only to find that the reality was quite different. Given Cymande's own background, 'The Message was seen as the ideal track to use in this context.

http://www.tigersushi.com/site/content/disc/cover/2527_2.jpg

CYMANDE
http://www.oldies.com/artist/view.cfm/id/125.html

This London, England-based band coined the phrase "nyah rock". Their musical influences included soul, afrobeat, reggae and calypso, and they were widely considered the roots alternative to Osibisa. The variable line-up centered around the duo of Patrick Patterson (guitar, organ, vocals) and Stephen Scipio (bass), who enrolled the services of like-minded individuals including Joey Dee (vocalist), Michael Rose (alto flute), Sam Kelly (drums), Pablo Gonzalez (percussion), Desmond Atwell (baritone) Derrick Gibbs (saxophone) and Jimmy Lindsay (vocals). The band released four albums but are best remembered for their 1972 hit, "The Message". The song featured on national radio as well as being included on the phenomenally successful soul compilation, Superbad. The collection was named after the disco luminary Mr. Superbad and introduced the band to a wider audience. They followed the hit with the equally popular "Bra" (brother) although the second follow-up, "Anthracite", was less successful. This overlooked song featured on Second Time Around , an album which has been widely acclaimed as one of the first to attempt a reggae/jazz fusion style. In 1974, Cymande toured the USA where, inspired by Curtis Mayfield, they recorded "Brothers On The Slide" that was featured on the release of Promised Heights. The album demonstrated an American influence although the Caribbean effect was noticeable on the reggae-tinged "Losing Ground" and "The Recluse". The band remained together for three years although by the mid-70s Lindsay had embarked on a solo career. Patterson and Scipio returned to the West Indies where they pursued careers in the legal profession. In 1988, Aswad recorded "The Message" and performed the song at The Nelson Mandela Tribute Concert, which resulted in a revived interest in the band. While they did not enjoy much commercial success in the 70s it was not until the 90s that the band members reaped the financial rewards of a career in popular music. With the increasing use of samples Cymande releases provided the foundation to a series of hip-hop hits, notably, "Dove", for the title track of the Fugees million-seller, The Score.

TRIBUTE SITE:
http://www.cymande.co.uk/index2.htm

[ October 28, 2003, 07:00 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 06:58 AM

http://www.djpenfold.btinternet.co.uk/VTDecks.jpg
Deejay Val Tyne

1986 Influenced by the likes of early Hip-Hop DJs like Chad Jackson, Ritchie Rich and DJ Red Alert mixtapes from Kiss FM NYC, started out playing at underground Hip-Hop parties in the Midlands.

1987-1988 Bought first pair of Technics and started spinning at major events with the infamous UK Soul Sound System "Import Squad" alongside the likes of house veteran Rhythm Doc.

1989-1990 First major gig warming up alongside UK rap crew, Ruthless Rap Assassins & Krispy 3.

1990-1992 Became immersed in the evolving Dance Scene and began listening and playing early break beat/ techno material at various legal and illegal warehouse raves across the UK.

1993-1997 Began promoting and deejaying @ own events (Purex Promotions) booking and performing alongside many of the Top UK DJs such as Carl Cox, Grooverider and Ellis D.

1998 Came 3rd in National Freestyle Mixing Competition @ GMEX, Manchester (hosted by NUMARK)

2001 - 2003

TECHNO
Resident deejay for Flux Recordings in London and haveplayed alongside Detroit’s DJ Bone, Suburban Knight, Octave One, Lawrence Burden, Underground Resistance & Red Planet.

SOULFUL HOUSE/ BROKEN BEATS
Current Residencies @ 110 Old St, Shoreditch E1 (Thursdays), Smolenskys, Hammersmith W6 (alternative Friday/Saturdays) and regular Guest DJ @ Cafe Marcel, Geneva Switzerland.

Musical/ Mixing Style/ Technique
Technically, I try to incorporate and display a showman edge to my mixing, through extensive use of the faders, otherwise I try to be creative and experiment with the mix as much as possible, making use of the mixer as a whole, effects, third deck, drum machine etc. Musically though, whatever I play it has to have FUNK!

Future Projections
To promote myself within UK and Worldwide and for people learn to appreciation many of the up and coming underground jocks representing the UK.
For more info. check out www.rotary-connection.com (http://www.rotary-connection.com)

http://www.djpenfold.btinternet.co.uk/ROTARY_CONNECTION_FRONT_PAGE.htm

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 07:08 AM

http://www.collectable-records.ru/images/groups_2/osibisa/heads/full_fr.jpg

http://www.collectable-records.ru/images/groups_2/osibisa/heads/full_in.jpg

http://www.rogerdean.com/forsale/images/posibisapostcard.jpg

OSIBISA
http://www.tigersushi.com/site/frameset.jsp?page=Art.jsp&ArtId=1522

Lead by Ghana-born saxophonist Teddy Osei , Osibisa was formed in London in 1969. One of the first African band to enjoy commercial and artistic recognition in Europe and the US, Osibisa is famous for its blend of High Life music, rock and roll guitars and funk-tinged horn sections with James Brown being once again an obvious source of inspiration. In Ghanian, Osibisa is short for "Osibisaba" which can be translated as "sudden joyous outburst". Such instant festive qualities are easily translated into the music as evidenced by their 1970 number one hit Afro Rock and the subsequent seventeen Osibisa releases covering a twenty year span (from 1971 and 1997). Most notorious releases include debut LP Woyaya and original motion soundtrack Super Fly TNT.

http://www.osibisa.co.uk/images/band-bio-mono4.jpg

OFFICIAL SITE:
http://www.osibisa.co.uk/home.htm

[ October 28, 2003, 07:15 AM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 07:46 AM

http://www.clubzone.gr/lib/content/djs/14.jpg
Cutmaster Swift - Technics/DMC World Mixing Champion 1988

For well over a decade, Cutmaster Swift has been one of the world's elite turntablists. A Londoner through and through, he has consistently held his own in a scene traditionally dominated by American DJs. Indeed, after being crowned UK Champion in '88, he went on to win the greatest prize of all the
following year: the Technics/DMC World Mixing Championship.

Turntablists are a rare breed; our mission was to spare no effort or expense in tracking him down for you, wherever he might be. (But, in truth, we didn't have to go far, because he actually works here at DMC, since 1996, giving classes on DJ technique and organising the World Mixing Championships.) So here it is, the Cutmaster Swift story, in his very own words. And believe you me, he can talk as fast as he cuts...

When did you first get the DJing bug?

I've always been a music lover because my Dad used to have an old reggae sound system. He used to build speakers and play out and I always wanted to be involved in what he was doing. When hip hop came along it wasn't hard for me to make the transition into it around 1982. The only trouble was the basic equipment. Because I had an inkling for electronics I modified what I could afford. But I'm the type of person who has to know how something works. I used to work for Dolby laboratories in fact - electronics would have been my occupation if the DJing thing hadn't worked out.

Were you an original b-boy?

I was! I was a full-on b-boy from the age of 14 to 16. I started off breakdancing in a crew called Crash Crew - that was how I established my name. It was hard to move into DJing and be taken seriously because at the time people were either full-time breakdancers or full-time DJs. But I was collecting the music and knew my history. Eventually I joined a DJing crew called the Imperial Mixers - the Imperial Mixer, you might remember, used to play with Tim Westwood on LWR. He was the first DJ I knew with a pair of Technics 1200s - they were very expensive at the time. From 85 to 87 we played a lot of parties together. After that, I kept it up when priorities came in the way for the other guys in the crew - I suppose I didn't have much of a life!

Were you scratching from the beginning of your DJing career?

I caught the scratching bug pretty much as soon as it started. It was Grandmaster Flash's 'Adventures on the Wheels of Steel' that did it * the concept of it. I used to use my Mum's hi-fi - though I'm glad she didn't
know at the time! - to do pause button mixes, pausing and looping the breakbeat part. Getting that accurate made it easy to move onto turntables. 'Adventures' is timeless because it's so musical. A lot of scratching today, most people just stop and watch it - but that was a party record. The trainspotters want to see you do skills and I'm up for that, but at the same time you've got to acknowledge the crowd that want to hear great music played greatly. You've got to be able to do everything to be a great DJ.

What are your trademark tricks on the turntables?

I invented the 'Copycat' in 88, demonstrating it at the DMC in '88 - it's when you cut back and repeat fragments of a phrase as the record's going forward.

How much do you practise?

It's essential to practise. You've got to practise even when you're listening to music. You've got to maintain a certain amount of hunger. When I didn't have a job I used to practise fifteen hours a day! Believe me,
there are DJs doing that now, and I still practise hard. One of the things about being a world champion is you have to maintain that world champion standard. You've got to show people why you once deserved the title.

What records have you been involved with?

My long-time friend and collaborator DJ Pogo, did The Breaks compilation on Harmless and I've done The Breaks 2 as well as my Battle Breaks series. Pogo and I were always notorious on the underground scene - we weren't originally partners but everywhere we went we were together so we ended up being a
dynamic duo, doing remixes for people like Carleen Anderson. It was he who first got involved in the DMC championship, and I followed. I've also been working on my own productions for years, starting a club night Notorious Flavour Of The Month and DJing on Choice FM in Brixton. As you know, I also
work for DMC - I see myself as an ambassador and spokesperson for the scene.

You were away from the DMC championships for some years. Why did you return
in '96?

The championship had beome quiet for a bit. I felt the UK DJs had become complacent - the real street DJs didn't seem to be involved. I took it upon myself to make a stand and start making people take notice of the UK again. I was also part of a team that won the UK team title, The En4cers, with DJ
Pogo, DJ Biznizz and Madcut - in fact, we're all currently working on some productions together.

Where are you playing at the moment?

All over. For instance I'm playing Mass in Brixton this week, before heading off to Sweden. I'm constantly on the move. I don't have any residencies - I'd rather play everywhere. That way everyone gets their own exclusive show. I pretty much give a history of hip hop - old school, new school,
instrumentals, breaks. I want to give people a hip hop party they can remember without being predictable.

What would your all-time favourite DJ line-up be?

I'm a strong fan of the old school - that's what I was brought up on and those were the pioneers, the people who made something from nothing. So Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, Jazzy Jay and then more modern DJs like Wiz Kid, DST, Cash Money, Jazzy Jeff and present greats like Roc Raider
and Q-Bert (US) and from the UK, Mastermind Roadshow, Imperial Mixer, Cosmic Jam, Quick Cut Jay, Streets Ahead and my current crew The En4cers.

What are the most outrageous turntablist tricks you've ever seen?

Well, no one will ever forget DJ David spinning on the turntables in '91 [see chart below] - at that very moment, everyone in the place was like 'Jesus Christ!'. And one time in the American heats a DJ called Bad Boy Bill actually pulled his dick out and started scratching with it!

If your house were on fire, which three records would you rescue?

My house would never be on fire! I've heard about those things happening to DJs and it's something that I won't even contemplate. They all have to go or I'm going with them!

What would your motto be?

Know what's best and stand out from the rest.

Wise words indeed. Cutmaster Swift's Battle Breaks 3 & 4 will be hitting the shops later this year. You can catch him at Flavour of the Month at The Subterania in London, and at DJ Pogo's monthly at Camden's Jazz Caf. Heats for the DMC World Championship are coming up shortly, with the finals planned for winter 2000.

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 10:58 AM

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ben.ashdown/mm/stationery/HorzPic/JAM.gif
Chris "Jam" Nelson

Co - founder of the Jam MCs alongside Tomlin, "Jam" has been pivotal in the development of Mancunian clublife since the late eighties.

He has developed his microphone skills, spinning and MC-ing worldwide.

Recently making waves with his soulful lyrical stylings on Riton's "Hungry Ghost" for Grand Central Records.

Chris has also featured on releases by Rainy City Music.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ben.ashdown/jam.htm

graemlins/OLA.gif

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ben.ashdown/mm/stationery/HorzPic/JAM.gif
Chris "Jam" Nelson

Co - founder of the Jam MCs alongside Tomlin, "Jam" has been pivotal in the development of Mancunian clublife since the late eighties.

He has developed his microphone skills, spinning and MC-ing worldwide.

Recently making waves with his soulful lyrical stylings on Riton's "Hungry Ghost" for Grand Central Records.

Chris has also featured on releases by Rainy City Music.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ben.ashdown/jam.htm

graemlins/OLA.gif Hi Martin: Good to hear Chris is doing well. Haven't seen him and Tomlin for many moons.

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 12:52 PM

http://i18.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/ce/fc/f9_1.JPG

MC BUZZ B

http://www.lowliferecords.freeserve.co.uk/images/buzz_b.gif

MC Buzz B, along with the Ruthless Rap Assassins and MC Tunes (who started out as the rapper for A Guy Called Gerald, but later scored a hit, 'The Only Rhyme That Bites', in conjunction with 808 State) was one of the main figures on the early Manchester Hip Hop scene. He released material on the local Play Hard label, before being signed to Polydor. Buzz B would later join Justin Robertson's Lionrock project.

Releases Include:

How Sleep The Brave, 12" (Play Hard)
The Sequel, 12" (Play Hard)
The Last Tree, 12" (Polydor)
Never Change, 12" (Polydor LTD)
Words Escape Me!, LP (Polydor LTD)
Words Escape Me!, CD (Polydor LTD)

http://www.global-trance.co.uk/images/wm_lr.jpg

LIONROCK
http://www.global-trance.co.uk/fr_index.html?/Lionrock.html

Lionrock is Justin Robertson, rapper M.C Buzz B and engineer Mark Stagg. Justin made fame from DJing and from a string of early singles and superb remixes including Erasure Snappy, TC1992 FunkyGuitar, The Grid Crystal Clear, The Shamen Boss Drum, Finitribe Forevergreen, React II Rhythm Intoxication, Lionrock Lionrock and Packet Of Peace.

With that little lot to his credit, and the highly acclaimed '96 debut album An Instinct For Detection, Lionrock are, and will remain, a firm favourite dance artist of mine. The titles listed below are out on the Deconstruction label.

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 01:07 PM

Greg,

jam mc's
The last time I saw them was mid nineties, they Dj'd for us in 1990. Also, 94 -95, Tomlin worked in Eastern Bloc around that time also.

Then went to see them Dj'ing in Manchester a few years later.

Hold up, Greg just posted MC Buzz B graemlins/OLA.gif graemlins/OLA.gif graemlins/OLA.gif graemlins/OLA.gif

The last tree, that song touched me , i'm going to lsiten to that now graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[ October 28, 2003, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 01:22 PM

Perhaps by posting this from "The Guardian" much less flack than if a dhp member said even something even vaguely similar ;)

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/arts/2003/07/01/0TerryChristianandTrevor.jpg
Trevor Nelson (above) and Terry Christian

Wigan? Is that in Camden?

British soul did not start in London - whatever Trevor Nelson might think, says Terry Christian

Tuesday July 1, 2003
The Guardian

Trevor Nelson has something to tell us. "It was in London," he proclaims on Channel 4's Soul Nation website, "where British soul was truly born." How remarkable. I had thought that, before 1978, all the big-selling, hit-making soul groups in the UK - with the exception of Hot Chocolate - had come from outside London. But in Nelson's personal history of British soul, none of those big-selling soul bands from outside London is even mentioned.
In the first programme of his three-part series, Nelson spent 10 minutes covering Wigan Casino and even visited a northern soul night in Wigan to discuss its legacy. (Needless to say, northern soul is very much in vogue in London today.) He more or less summed the Wigan scene up as a bunch of white blokes listening to old records. And then London came to the rescue.

Viewers weren't told that the first all-black British soul group to reach number one in the UK charts was Manchester's Sweet Sensation, with a song called Sad Sweet Dreamer in September 1974. Nor that Liverpool's the Real Thing, who had a huge hit in June 1976 with You to Me Are Everything, were the biggest-selling British black soul group of the 1970s and 1980s. We didn't hear how the Average White Band from Scotland went to number one in the US Billboard chart in 1975 with Pick Up the Pieces, the fourth biggest-selling single of that year in America, nor that their album was number one in the US charts at the same time.

In Nelson's defence, this is a "personal journey". So the second episode, dealing with the 1980s, offered a lot of nonsense about the Wag club and Sade and the Face magazine and people going to London clubs in fancy dress. In fact, the Wag club was modelled on Manchester's Berlin Club.

After travelling to Wigan for the first show and wondering what everyone was doing listening to a lot of old records , Nelson spent the second show telling us about warehouse parties in London where he listened to a lot of not-very-rare funk tracks from the 1970s. Many of these were first played at northern soul all-nighters (Gil Scott-Heron's The Bottle, for instance, and Donny Hathaway's The Ghetto). Most of them could be bought at Yanks records in Manchester for 29p (something a lot of the London lads knew only too well: they used to come up to buy loads of cheap stuff and flog it in London as rare groove). Nelson reflected on his DJ mentor Norman Jay playing Jean Knight's 1968 soul standard, Mr Big Stuff, claiming that this was a track "no one else was playing". No one, that is, apart from just about every wedding-party DJ I've ever come across.

Nelson even seemed to miss out on the big London tunes of the early 1980s. He doesn't mention Junior Giscombe, the first black British artist to appear on the US television show Soul Train with his huge hit Mama Used to Say; nor David Grant's band Linx, Freeze or Central Line. The London Nelson inhabited seems a pretty static, retro-obsessed place.

Then he tells us about Jazzie B and the Soul II Soul nights. Vocalist Caron Wheeler claims that: "Soul II Soul were hip-hop soul before Mary J Blige." Interesting. What Nelson doesn't seem to know is that Soul II Soul's "unique" sound was uncannily similar to the Wild Bunch, and in particular Smith and Mighty, from mid-1980s Bristol. Coincidentally, Nellee Hooper, the engineer with Smith and Mighty and a Bristol lad, produced Soul II Soul's album.

In Soul Nation, we clearly have a programme that can't see beyond the North Circular - that is happy to present vox pops from people who went to the Wag club but not interview such influential and innovative DJs on the national soul scene as Richard Searling, Hewan Clarke or Colin Curtis. It is so insular in its outlook that it completely ignores soul music in the rest of Britain. What next? Nelson discovers that early man came from Camden?

Soul Nation isn't the only culprit in this ministry of misinformation. Ten years ago, BBC2 broadcast a strand on the history of black British R&B. This, too, skipped all references to the many hit-making northern bands.

Could I make a documentary on punk and say that it was truly born in Manchester? Could I bang on for three one-hour episodes about the Buzzcocks, the Fall and Slaughter and the Dogs and just not mention the Sex Pistols and the Clash? If anyone criticised it, I could say it was a personal journey, and if anyone asked why I had made a statement such as, "Manchester was where punk was born", I could reply: "It's great, everyone is talking about the programme and we've had complaints, but loads of people have been calling up to say how fantastic the show was." Because that is just the response I had from Channel 4 and Diverse when I asked them that question.

On Sunday, Nelson was heard on his Radio 1 show pleading for "the anoraks" to back off, pointing out that Soul Nation is just a little introduction to soul music in Britain. The trouble is that it is an extremely poorly researched introduction with a good presenter, some decent footage and a series of lame excuses. Trevor Nelson's Soul Nation? Trevor Nelson's London mates, more like.

SOURCE - http://www.guardian.co.uk/northsouth/article/0,2763,988484,00.html

[ October 28, 2003, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Martin Red ]

Martin Red

10-28-2003, 01:29 PM

RAPPERS EXPLORE THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO INSPIRE PERFORMANCE
http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/content/images/2003_2339.JPG
Photo: the new work Slave / Teacher follows the journey of a black British brother and sister in to their family's past. Photo: Anthony Hutchinson

http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART18543.html

nev m

10-28-2003, 04:02 PM

I love the smell of lithographic print in the morning! ;)

[ October 28, 2003, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: nev m ]

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 04:30 PM

Originally posted by Martin Red:
Perhaps by posting this from "The Guardian" much less flack than if a dhp member said even something even vaguely similar ;)

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/arts/2003/07/01/0TerryChristianandTrevor.jpg
Trevor Nelson (above) and Terry Christian

Wigan? Is that in Camden?

British soul did not start in London - whatever Trevor Nelson might think, says Terry Christian

Tuesday July 1, 2003
The Guardian

Hi Martin, I wrote a piece myself on the back of all this:

SOUL CONDEMNATION

Trevor Nelson's three-part Channel 4 documentary, 'Soul Nation', has received heavy criticism, with the main complaints regarding poor research and London bias. The controversy surrounded the first two programmes in particular, and their portrayal of the development of British black music during the 70's and 80's.

The series prompted Terry Christian, ex-presenter of 'The Word', C4's infamous 90's music show, to write an article in The Guardian, entitled 'Wigan? Is That In Camden?'. The Manchester-born presenter and DJ (who currently hosts his own ITV show, 'Turn On Terry') pulled no punches in his assessment of 'Soul Nation'.

Christian quite rightly pointed out that bands like Manchester's Sweet Sensation and Liverpool's The Real Thing, who both topped the UK chart (in 1974 and 1976 respectively, opening the doors for other black performers in the UK), had been completely omitted from this 'history'. Instead, viewers who didn't know any better were led to believe that London's Hi-Tension, who arrived on the scene in '78, were at the vanguard (being proclaimed on the programme as 'the Godfathers of British Soul' is something I'm sure the band themselves are somewhat embarrassed by).

There was no mention of the origins of the British Soul scene back in the 60's; the first programme started at Wigan Casino (which opened in 1973), before moving South (where it would remain for the rest of the series) to the Soul Mafia strongholds of Canvey Island and Caister. For those of you who are interested in digging deeper I'd highly recommend Mike Ritson and Stuart Russell's excellent book, 'The In Crowd' (Bee Cool Publishing 1999).

Had the series been called something like 'Trevor Nelson's Soul Odyssey' it wouldn't have been so bad (in this way it would have been viewed as his own subjective account), but if you're going to call something 'Soul Nation', then it has to be inclusive of the wider British experience. With the exception of 12 minutes on Northern Soul at the start of the first programme, the series was completely dominated by events in and around London. No wonder there's been such an outcry.

This was perfectly illustrated when the story reached Soul II Soul, and their 'unique' sound. Christian pointed out that this was "uncannily similar to the Wild Bunch, and in particular Smith And Mighty, from mid-80's Bristol". How the Bristol scene, which, of course, included the hugely influential Massive Attack (emerging from The Wild Bunch), was totally ignored, is almost criminal! Reminding a not so clever Trevor that he hadn't done his homework, Christian continued; "Coincidently, Nellee Hooper, the engineer with Smith And Mighty and a Bristol lad, produced Soul II Soul's album".

I was especially interested to see how he handled the impact of the Electro-Funk / Hip Hop scene. I hadn't expected him to go into it in any real depth, but I was extremely surprised, and obviously disappointed, when he bypassed it completely. To say that the Sound Systems played only Reggae or Soul and Rare Grooves is to forget all about people like the Mastermind Roadshow (Herbie from Mastermind mixed Morgan Khan's massively influential Electro albums) and, once again, Bristol's Wild Bunch (who issued a retrospective compilation just last year, called 'The Story Of A Sound System' on the Strut label). By the time the programme got to Soul II Soul (described as the first Hip Hop / Soul group) there'd been no explanation whatsoever as to where this Hip Hop influence had come from in the first place!

Electro and Hip Hop would prove to be a major inspiration for Jungle, Drum And Bass, and subsequently UK Garage (plus the more recent Urban flavours), which were discussed later in the series, but once again the connection was missing. Instead, we're led to believe that all this is in some way related to acts like Imagination, Loose Ends, Sade and Simply Red, rather than the collision of cultures (West Indian and Hip Hop) that was taking shape on the underground black scenes in cities like Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and London, while Trevor Nelson was trying, unsuccessfully, to get into Soho's ultra-trendy Wag club.

I don't want to kick someone when they're down, but 'Soul Nation' delivered a kick in the teeth for so many people who played their parts, big and small, in changing British popular culture, but were denied a voice. Rather than dismissing his critics as 'anoraks', Trevor Nelson should hold his hands up and admit to some big mistakes. That would be the honourable thing to do.

What makes the series particularly damaging is that the younger generation will take 'Soul Nation' at face value, regarding it as a definitive account, and unless Channel 4 makes another series of programmes, which are this time properly researched and expertly presented, the history of the British black music scene will have been done a huge disservice.

I'm sure that when the people behind 'Soul Nation' began to put the idea together it was with the best of intentions, but these programmes are supposed to enlighten, rather than mislead us, and it shouldn't have taken someone like Terry Christian, after the event, to point out what must have been glaringly obvious to at least some of the people involved in the production.

The sad thing is that a rare opportunity to truly reflect our national love affair with Soul music, resulting in a wealth of black British culture (North, South, East and West), has been wasted. Let's hope it won't be too long before the record is set straight.

Copyright - Greg Wilson July 2003

LINKS:
Terry Christian's article in The Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,988395,00.html

Feedback to 'Soul Nation' on BBC website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/urban/reviews/nelson_soulnation.shtml

Greg Wilson's article 'Electro-Funk - What Did It All Mean?'
http://www.daveyd.com/articleelectrofunkroots.html

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 04:56 PM

http://www.benjireid.com/images/hulme_pop.gif

BENJI REID
http://www.benjireid.com/breaking_cycles.html

I have always had difficulty understanding how an individual is unable to dance. But the inability to express himself with or without music, even as an interviewee is something Benji Reid (B.R) has never experienced. In fact he can’t help but express himself, not in a boastful or obnoxious manner but simply with an aura of excitement, confidence and zestfulness.
My first B.R experience was a little while ago when he had the lead in Ragamuffin at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East - from the performance I knew this cat had marked out his territory a while back. Benji’s journey began as a young blood thirsty for flesh; his first major feast came during a battle at a spot called Trading Labour in his native Manchester. Rolling solo at that time the young pretender took on a kid that was part of the infamous Renegade Crew in a David & Goliath type scenario and won. Cutting short a lengthy list of dance floor KO’s, Benji continued eating opponents until the respected popping crew Broken Glass (BG) came knocking:

‘I had been following them for like a year and a half, they were large for a local crew and had made a record etc. So when they asked me to audition and was successful, that’s when the realisation of this [break dancing] becoming something began.’

After two years with BG (when Breakdance and Wildstyle were considered dated and promoters’ calls became infrequent) Benji’s instinct told him it was time for something new. The formula of merging the traditional with cutting edge was a skill this hip hopper had locked down from an early stage. Whilst auditioning for the respected Northern School of Contemporary Dance he entered and was on his way to becoming the UK Body-Popping Champion in 86’ – a decade later he bettered this by becoming the European Champion.

Only a few are simply blessed, but for Benji success is a goal he has had to strive for over the years - going on a world tour with Soul II Soul, performing at the Royal Opera house in Sydney Australia and establishing himself as a performance artist are results of an immense work ethic…none of which just fell into his lap: ‘Allowing the idea to gestate from your mind into a space to an audience response is that moment of success.’

He continues: ‘I wanted to be a musician, a drummer and I also wanted to be an actor, after seeing Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot, I was like I wanna do that! After seeing the film I was more inclined to act but dancing was what came more natural to me.’

With aspirations of becoming a psychiatric nurse, choosing the path of performance artist was not a choice taken lightly, particularly by his Jamaican father:
‘I almost had to break ties with my father in order to pursue my dream, coz my dad was like “I can’t or I won’t support you on your endeavours to be a performer “even though he and my mum studied ballroom dancing…so it was kinda weird, the pressure was on getting a trade and getting a good job, but I think that gave me the fighting power to try regardless of who says no.’

The irony of Benji’s story was that he comes from a Jamaican family of musicians, his parents and one of his sisters played piano, and his other sister played the flute and was a tap dancer. So even though they had the potential to do the ‘Jacksons/Osmonds’ thing none of the siblings were allowed to pursue their passion for the arts as a career.

Benji’s father signifies the determined work ethic of the Wind Rush generation, although probably influenced by it Benji’s perseverance led to the fond memory of when it was soon melted. Recalling the proud moment of performing in Australia Benji said: ‘I told my dad “you’re placed in the Opera House, say something!” and he had to say well done but then when I joined Soul II Soul the first thing he said was “don’t take no drugs!”’

Amongst many tags and titles thrown at him like “body-popping king”, “master of movement-based theatre”, “UK’s answer to…” Benji identifies himself as a performance artist. Although this title appears basic, his body of work is everything but that. Examples such as his first full-length piece Paper Jackets, Style 4 Free and The Holiday, captivate the calibre of a positive talent born in the notorious Moss Side district of Greater Manchester.

B.R’s craving for new challenges and the desire to express has made The Pugilist and 13 Mics a reality, which will manifest at the renowned Lyric Theatre Hammersmith from October this year.

A passion for the sport of boxing and a writer named Jack London were the main influences behind The Pugilist. Benji explains: ‘What I wanted to do was just try and tie in the concept of Jack London’s age vs. youth with an inner city story with half of it being autobiographical.’

He adds: ‘also I loved the physicality of boxing and you can animate it by body popping and snapping and slow motion and you can treat the whole piece almost as if it’s a dance exercise.’

Unlike The Pugilist, (spawned from the love of boxing Benji and his father shared) 13 Mics must give thanks to a much more spiritual experience:

‘13 Mics came to me in a dream, which is really weird. When I woke up in the morning I had this really strong image of me surrounded by all these microphones but I didn’t know what it was about.’

With the help of close friends Wayne Simmons and Jonzi D, the concept of 13 Mics began to take shape. It is evident that creativity juices were flowing when it’s discovered that the piece includes the genres of Jazz and Hip Hop as caricatures discussing their experiences and growth patterns.

It would be naïve to believe that it was just fate that brought Benji and Jonzi together…in fact damn right foolish! The duo first linked in a classic UK hip hop spot known as the Borderline hosted by veteran DJ 279. In a similar fashion as when a martial art expert meets his match, a mutual respect developed between the two during battle. They later began to work together producing sublime material such as Aeroplane Man, which Benji co-directed.

Keeping his material fresh and appealing to hip hop’s latest generation holds particular and personal importance to Benji:

‘Creating work that my 18-year-old daughter can relate to and likes is my goal. I’m opening up her worldview and showing her there’s other stuff, yeah dig your TLC, Jay-Z and Beyonce but throw in a cool J-Live in the mix as well...its all about the balance being addressed.’

For those born and bred in the “big smoke” the anxiety of moving to the crazy capital can be something hard to comprehend or something you’re even oblivious to. On the other hand for B.R moving to London from the north in the late 80s’, when hip hop was going through a burst of popularity, was something of an indifferent experience. He explains: ‘the first year was wicked because it was 89’ the year of De La and Tribe were just coming out…but it was a little topsy turvy after Soul II Soul as I had decided I didn’t wanna do anymore pop work and I wanted to deal with creating art.’ Benji continues: ‘That was when it became a little more difficult to convince people I could act, that was a whole new journey…’

Although Benji had outgrown his northern fish bowl, London’s tank was much bigger and he still had dues to pay:
‘At this time I was working in American Classics in Covent Garden, which was right near Pineapple dance studios where I used to do all my pop videos.’ After doing about ten videos and television adverts Benji’s major blessing revealed itself in the shape of the funky dred motif:

‘When I got the audition for Soul II Soul that was like some next level shit, and when they dropped I was like “Wow!” This is like big league now.’

The excitement is understandable, especially as the Soul II Soul experience involved appearing on Arsenio Hall Show, playing at the Soul Train Awards, meeting legends like Quincy Jones and the small matter of a world tour that hit all four corners of the globe.

Since the heyday of Do The Right Thing, PE, Eric B & Rakim and NWA the hip hop experience has evolved and transformed into something many early followers no longer identify with – a state of mind Benji identifies with: ‘I’m going to hip hop jams all over the UK and sometimes I’m the one getting looked at strange, like what the hell you doing here, black backpacker!?! Daaaammmnn!’
He continues: ‘And you know sometimes I’m at screaming point, kinda going “My God!” it seems as if we have completely turned our back on our own culture.’

Paying particular attention to the British hip hop circus…I mean circuit Benji states: ‘I’m sorry to say but 90% of the hip hop promoters in the north are white…it’s not about bashing white hip hop heads, it’s about us [black people] taking part. So I’m bashing the heads that want things to happen that aren’t making it happen!’

He adds: ‘If your ideas are dying in your head then you aren’t part of that success story, and if you wanna see a different type of hip hop night where you’re playing really nice chilled ill beats but with a cool conscious vibe then create that, you can’t wait for someone else to create that and that’s what’s missing…it’s almost becoming one dimensional.’

Now in a phase of fatherhood and late thirties, (a period when most hip hoppers would be slowing down and expecting delivery of their gold watch for good service) b-boy Benji has maintained. He still carries the enthusiasm to get down when hitting the clubs and even battles regardless of who the opponent maybe.

‘I battle all the time, I even go to jams injured and still have to battle. I’ll go there in fresh sneakers and be like I can’t dance in these and they’ll come back the most scuffed up. I’m nearly 40 years old and its just part of my nature.

‘Just the other day I’m in a jam in Liverpool, there’s this nine-year-old kid who did a little back slide, the crowd went crazy - he then threw his hat like MJ and from there it was on! …he was only nine!?!…but he had to get taken out! There is a part of me that will always be is a straight up b-boy that will never leave me…and that fun element is what keeps the art alive.’

On meeting and reasoning with Benji you’re left a little baffled, what is the best way of describing him? Break dancer, choreographer, theatre director/actor, b-boy, artist …the best answer is to step out of the box and simply say all of the above…

By Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa

SOURCE - http://www.amplified-online.co.uk/interview_benji.htm?featureno=6

Appearing at the Opera House Studio March 25-29 2003

For five unforgettable nights in March the master of movement-based theatre, Benji Reid, brings his unique blend of body-popping, b-boy style and poetic text to Australia for the first time.

Based in Manchester, Benji Reid is renowned for his cross-art form display of music and dance-fuelled manipulation of the mind, body and soul with a layering of contemporary vision and classic inspiration. Often linked to breakdancing, body-popping is an 'illusionary' style of dance with wild and unpredictable moves that give the impression that the dancer is under the control of supernatural forces.

For his Sydney Opera House debut season, Benji will present a triple bill program. The Holiday is a funny and compelling piece with body-popping, stuttered poetry and rhythm, accompanied by Jim Parris on double bass. The Pugilist follows the path of two men, a boxer slipping towards his retirement and his ring-side confidante. Both men travel the same journey as they try to overcome their fears and truly live as free men without the trappings of success. Style 4 Free is an improvisation inspired by hip hop and jazz, danced like a slapstick puppet with disjointed text over muffled beats. With sampling from kung-fu movies, cartoons and The Olympics, nothing is sacred!

Benji, who used to entertain with Michael Jackson-style dancing at weddings, initially took up dance as a way to silence school bullies. Like many young people in the UK at that time, Benji became immersed in robot dancing, body-popping and later, breakdancing. He trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and left to work with TAG theatre and Dundee Rep where he collaborated on a production of The Tempest. Benji then performed with Soul II Soul as the main dancer and co-choreographer on a worldwide tour. He won the European body-popping championship in 1996 and was also ranked second in the World Dance Championships.

Benji Reid’s Australian debut is supported by British Council Australia as part of its 2003 arts program designed to build partnerships between emerging UK and Australian artists.

SOURCE - http://www1.britishcouncil.org/au/au-arts-culture/au-arts-music-and-dance/au-arts-music-benji-reid.htm

BENJI REID'S OWN SITE:
www.benjireid.com (http://www.benjireid.com)

[ October 28, 2003, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: greg wilson ]

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 05:05 PM

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JONZI D

Jonzi D has been actively involved in British Hip Hop culture, rapping and b-boying in clubs and on street since it's inception in the early eighties. After graduating from The London Contemporary Dance School in '92, he performed in Tel Aviv, and at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusets, US. As an MC and poet, Jonzi's collaborators include 'The Roots', MC Mell'o', DJ Pogo, The Young Disciples, Courtney Pine and Lenny Henry. He featured on the "One Hell of a Storm" poetry album and "The Rebirth of the Cool" compilation CD. TV credits include The South Bank Show¹s "Looking for the Perfect Beat", and "Different Voices", part of the 'Ba Ba Zee', Channel 4.

Jonzi has performed his work all over Europe, Southern Africa and America, along with educational programs in youth centres, prisons and schools including Howard University DC, and LCDS. He has been commisioned to create work with Phoenix Dance, Soweto Dance Theatre, as well as the "40 Degrees" fashion show at Earls Court.

SOURCE - http://www.jonzi-d.com/biog.htm

greg wilson

10-28-2003, 05:17 PM

http://www.57productions.com/artists/images/sissay.jpg

LEMN SISSAY

The poet & recording artist. Lemn's performances are legion - fusing the lyrical & the polemical, up-beat humour & deadly seriousness - demonstrating rare vocal virtuosity & dynamism. His books are published by Bloodaxe, Bogle L'Ouverture & Payback. His recording work includes collaborations with a number of jazz-fusion outfits including Working Week, Byron Wallen, David Murray, Left Field & Dis Jam. A.s.o. BBC2's 'Jazz 606' Spring 2000 sees the launch of Lemn's new selected spoken-works CD - Different Drums - from 57 Productions.

SOURCE - http://www.57productions.com/artists/art_sissay.shtml

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0862417392.02.LZZZZZZZ
A COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY BLACK BRITISH POETS (EDITED BY LEMN SISSAY)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0862417392/qid%3D1017859122/sr%3D1-1/ref%3Dsr%5F1%5F0%5F1/202-5900955-0419063

Mah'chew

10-28-2003, 07:01 PM

The Jam MC's are great, I've seen them play lots of times at Konspiracy & Back to Basics. MC Buzz B as well, man there's some good stuff on here.. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Dave Angel
http://www.aimless.demon.co.uk/em/images/tong/angel2.gif

I was born in Chelsea in 1966. My mother was a housewife and my father was a jazz musician, so music was in my veins since birth really! My first musical instrument was a drum at the noisy age of eight. I didn’t get on well with school, and spent little time there, preferring truancy to chemistry and the music room to the classroom.

My uncle had a reggae sound system, so I was always into the one-turntable side of DJing. I must have been around 11 or 12 years old. When I was around 15, a group of friends and myself got together our own little sound system, playing mainly for free at little parties.

When I was 20 I auditioned for Phase1 radio, who were one of the leading pirates stations at the time of the acid house explosion, and I was really excited when I got the slot. I was a real radio DJ! Before that, my father had given me the first turntable that I ever had; it was a Garrard belt-drive thing, so it was no good for mixing. I didn’t know anything about mixing at that time anyway so I was happy plugging away pretending to be a radio DJ, with my one Garrard deck.

A few years later it broke, so my then girlfriend, who is now my wife, bought me a Technics 1210. At this point I wanted to learn how to mix, so I traded my favourite leather jacket for a Marantz turntable. It wasn’t great but at least it had a pitch control! I spent endless hours practising by myself until I got it right. Sweet Dreams come true. Everything went mad with the technology around 1987 and I started producing. My first production was a remix of the Eurythmics track “Sweet Dreams”. There was no specific strategy behind me doing that track, I had beats and a bassline and a riff, and then I looked through my records and pulled out that track. When I bootlegged it, the track got so much attention that the next minute I had lawyers from BMG out looking for me. But thankfully I got put into a real recording studio with Dave Dorrell and the “Sweet Dreams Nightmare Mix” was made.

I got a nice cheque and suddenly I was a producer as well as a DJ. It did pretty well in the charts – number 23, my highest so far – but I have never made a record just to be a hit. I make records because I love it but yeah it is about you getting paid. I haven't bootlegged another track since and now I know the proper channels I wouldn’t do it again. But saying that, for anyone else who doesn’t know the right channels; I say do anything once, ha ha ha!! That success gave me the drive and confidence to start producing bolder tracks and that set me on the path to defining my own sound. It’s true, the whole Atkins/May/Saunderson Detroit thing has certainly been an influence, but it’s by no means restricted me to one vibe.

I’ve had singles and EPs out on Polydor/Love, OuterRythum, FNAC, R+S, Outrage and Apollo imprints, all of which have sold well and received decent critical acclaim. Later, I made the “Sea of Tranquillity EP” which went down really well with the heads. Sea Of Tranquillity achieved what I was trying to do – i.e. to establish my Rotation Records imprint with good quality music. I always knew that that release in particular was pretty special.

I’ve put my hand to a fair few remixes too, for bands and producers like Underworld, Orbital, Carl Cox, Robert Armani, The R+S Project, Juan Atkins, Spooky, Echobelly, James, Sun Electric and others. The list goes on and on but you can find the rest in my discography! To me remixing and producing are just the same; if I remix a track I’m injecting my production into it, sometimes it is all my own production with mainly one sample from the original.I signed up with Island Records with releases such as “In-flight entertainment” (1994), and “Handle with Care” (1995).

I put my first album out through Island in 1995 - “Tales of the Unexpected”. That one went down well with the media: “Angel concocted an album which will stand the test of time”, commented the Guardian. “Where techno went wrong in 1995, heaven certainly sent an Angel”. It’s really great to get flattery like that, but I always think of myself as a perfectionist and I always want a little more from myself. With this album I was trying to express myself musically because the album was totally sample-free apart from a few vocals. Everything was produced and mixed by me. I also wanted to show people that I am more than just a techno artist, that my musical talents go further. Everyday life influenced me on that album; my family, the problems with the world, past and present situations and things happening around me.

I released my second album, “Globetrotting” for Island Records with tracks that were more dancefloor-orientated but still quite cutting edge. This album was designed to be more club-orientated which enabled me to take the album on live tours; I was very pleased with it. It took me around six months to complete – but I was being rushed by the label!! Funky as f**k.

After three long years, Island Records and I parted company and I started working on tracks to put out through Rotation, my own label. Splitting with Island also enabled me to work for other cool labels who I’d been making promises to for years, but been held back by the Island exclusive contract. This left me wondering whether to sign to another major or to freelance for a while. The freelance option sounded better so I went back in the studio and got on with it.

In 1998 I finished off what was to become “39 Flavours of Tech-Funk” on React and it received wicked reviews across the globe, including a particularly flattering quote from Upfront Magazine; “Dave Angel has been at the forefront of Techno for nearly a decade”. This comp had the cool but hectic effect of clogging up my diary with bookings, which meant more time in airports and even more time in the passenger seat of my driver’s car. Not that I’m complaining though!!

The kind of music I think I play is, in a nutshell, ‘funky’. Sometimes I get a better opportunity to go through my collection in a bit more depth – like when I play for LTJ Bukem at Cookin’ At The End in London where I can just do whatever I feel – but no matter what, it is always funky.
'Technical Knockout, The Knockout EP' was a production we put out in 1999 – I made it with Jamie Anderson. I got the idea for the name from playing a video game called Knockout Kings on the Playstation and I thought it would be a good theme. I was really happy with this release; 'Body Punch Funk' was really popular and got licensed all over the place. I first met Jamie when he contacted me to do a mix for his label. I had known about his Artform imprint for some time, and I liked his sound, so I obliged and said that I would do the mix. We’ve been good friends ever since, doing stuff for each other’s labels. My office manages his DJ bookings too. Jamie was on my second Knockout release called 'The Rematch' (2000), and we’re working on future projects.

I love playing in England as I don’t have to fly – which I hate!But to me a good gig is when you have a good sound system with a really up-for-it crowd. The downside to it all is lots of late nights and a messed-up body clock. When I’m on the road I tend to stay in my hotel room with my laptop chopping up loops and using them as scratchpads or templates for new tracks. This is my relaxation.
My future plans are to continue spreading my sound globally, so I’ll see you out there!!

DISCOGRAPHY:

1st Voyage R+S Records
2nd Voyage R+S Records
3rd Voyage R+S Records
Family EP R+S Records
Outrageous Angel R+S records
Classics Album R+S Records
Rolling Thunder OuterRhythum Records
Never Leave / Joie De Vivre Love/Polydor Records Atmosphere Love/Polydor Records Original Man Aura
Records
New Orchestrations Fnac Records
Royal Techno EP Rotation Records
Seas Of Tranquillity Rotation Records
Sound Enforcer 3: The Missing Link Phuture Trax
Sound Enforcer : The 2nd series Island Records
Sound Enforcer : Flys and cows of Coldharbour Lane. Kickin Records
Sound Enforcer : Icons EP Island Records
Law , Order and Sound Enforcement Primate Records
InFlight Entertainment EP Island Records
Handle With Care Island Records
Tales Of The Unexpected Island Records Timeless "The Remixes" Island Records Disco "The Remixes" Island Records
Tokyo Stealth Bomber "The Remixes"Island Records Globetrotting (Album) Island Records
Funk Music "The remixes" Island Records
Richard Sent Me Mayday Records
Insights EP Rotation Records Excursions Jericho Records
Sky The End Recordings Knockout EP Rotation Records Knockout EP, The Rematch Rotation records
Myths Ep, Gorgon Rotation
Ocean Dwellers Rotation
Brothers V rec