March 27, 2007, 10:15 pm
I’ve become a new convert to grime this year. More on that in due course but in the meantime do yourself a favour and go out and buy “Rules and Regulations” by Roll Deep and “Guns and Roses vol 2″ by Ruff Sqwad, ok?
Both of these crews were playing at Dirty Canvas on Friday so I persuaded Martin to venture down. As things turned out, our time in the pub across the road proved to be just a memorable as the gig.
Dirty Canvas has cleverly navigated the metropolitan police’s ban on grime gigs by coming from an overly cultural angle – holding events in the Whitechapel gallery and the ICA. This was in a proper venue, though, the Rhythm Factory in whitechapel, which I’d last been in to warm up the place for the UK-Dance 10th anniversary party with Paul Meme.
It was good, great in fact, to hear some of the tunes which have been the soundtrack to 2007 so far mashed up by DJs Magic and Plastician. Nice mixed crowd, hoxtonistas and hoodies rubbing along alright. Big fucking queues…
Unfortunately I had to leave at about 1:00am cos of some commitments next the next morning so I missed both Ruff Sqwad and Roll Deep… gutted is not the word, but I will be back.
Coupla photos here.
March 26, 2007, 8:47 am
“I’ve got friends all over the world… none in this country, but all over the world!”
Tony Hancock – The Radio Ham
I’ve still got mixed feelings about this, but:
http://www.myspace.com/johneden
I am currently adopting a grumpy old man policy of only adding people I have heard of before, so drop me a message if you have a wacky pseudonym.
March 22, 2007, 5:20 pm
Me, Meme and Stelfox: 15 best UK fast chat records
Now up at Pitchforkmedia.
Bonus scans here.
March 21, 2007, 5:35 pm
Dr William (Lez) Henry – What the Deejay Said: A Critique from the Street! (Nu-Beyond Ltd: Learning By Choice!, 2006) ISBN: 0955409403
Lez is the artist formerly known as Lesley Lyrics who chatted on Ghettotone soundsystem and released the classic “Blind Date / Pull Back Your Truncheon” 12″ on UK Bubblers. This book is the first about 80s UK reggae dancehall – an exciting prospect!
The book is in two parts. The “A-side” tells other people’s stories. It is an examination how soundsystem culture and that of black working class youth in the UK has been written about by others. Whilst this can be heavy going in places, it is very interesting for two reasons. Firstly Lez skillfully analyses previous commentaries and highlights the overt and covert racism which they contain. Secondly, as someone who was active in soundsystem culture himself, he is able to address inaccuracies and provide a wealth of anecdotes and recollections of those times.
This latter aspect is ramped up in the “B-side” of the book in which Lez tells his own story – and those of deejays such as Papa Levi, Asher Senator, Tippa Irie, Champion and many others who are all quoted liberally throughout the text. Lez doesn’t hold back from laying into radio DJs and labels who he feels restricted the scene by emphasising humorous lyrics at the expense of those attacking the system. Parts this book will probably make uncomfortable reading for white liberals (and quite possibly black ones).
As a massive fan of the music who was not a participant, and who is all too aware of the contradictions of writing about it and championing it, this book can only be welcomed. Indeed, I hope it is the first of many – it is clear from the quotes in the book that the deejays of that time remain committed to their vision of promoting unity and black consciousness, and attacking inequality. Oh, and making a crowd ah people bawl forward!
I ordered my copy direct from the publisher: Nubeyond. They take paypal and delivery was super quick.
March 12, 2007, 9:04 pm
another link for the answer riddim mix, by popular, and indeed international demand!
http://www.yousendit.com/download/T2dkTXRaTlE4NVUwTVE9PQ
March 1, 2007, 1:16 pm
News reaches me via the ubiquitous Boomnoise that BASH is no more.
I am very saddened by this, as it was easily one of the best clubs ever and without question the best night out in 2006.
I accept my tastes are not everyone’s, but I think if I had tried to construct a club from scratch then it probably would have looked exactly like BASH (with perhaps a tad less dubstep, ho ho!). Now it’s gone we can really begin to appreciate how special it was.
Respect to all who sailed in her, and to Kevin Martin and Loefah for organising it.
