parody by nacrowe
AMY WINEHOUSE was such a RAW and POWERFUL SONGWRITER.
her passing was DEVASTATING to me in a way that few CELEBRITY DEATHS have ever been. part of that was just the nature of her MUSIC, which was so brutally HONEST and EMOTIVE yet DELICATE and preternaturally MELODIC. that DICHOTOMY pulled you in as a listener and never let go. when CELEBRITIES PASS AWAY, i try to be mindful of the fact that this person had a FAMILY and circle of FRIENDS that loved and cared for them irrespective of their GIFT. i recognize that my appreciation of them is a REFLECTION of me PROJECTING VALUES, AMBITIONS and IDEALS to their ART and PERSONA that is entirely separate from them as a PERSON. that when they PASS ON, that spark they initiated grows dimmer as well. that being said, i can count the amount of CELEBRITY DEATHS that really effected me on one hand, those being that of CHRIS FARLEY, LAYNE STALEY (ALICE IN CHAINS), OL' DIRTY BASTARD (WU-TANG CLAN) and WINEHOUSE. part of it is undoubtedly that sense of PROJECTING i already described, but beyond that there is a clear SELFISH sense (on my part) that they had UNREALIZED potential and FUTURE ART left on the table to the COLLECTIVE LOSS of EVERYONE. their PAIN and their SUFFERING and their LOSS equated to a diminish of my QUALITY OF LIFE is what it comes down to i guess. again, pretty SHALLOW and SELF-CENTERED but TRUE. most CELEBRITY DEATHS we acknowledge as individuals but dont necessarily grieve. these individuals i honestly can say i did so as their ART deeply resonated with me. FARLEY, STALEY, the ODB and WINEHOUSE all had in common the TRAGIC fact that they were immensely TALENTED ARTISTS, that publicly SUFFERED and senselessly succumbed to their ADDICTIONS in spite of much psychic effort to transcend such by them, their FAMILIES and their LOVED ONES. another thread is that WINEHOUSE was only a few months older than me and her PASSING in a very REAL sense was a STARK and PALPABLE reminder of my own MORTALITY. similar markers of such over the years include watching LEBRON JAMES' prolific basketball career or reading about MARK ZUCKERBERG's rise to power (and the TRAGIC unforeseen societal repercussions of such) or witnessing in REAL-TIME the HORROR that is ELISE STEFANIK's CRAVEN political capitulations to one AGENT ORANGE. all are within a year of my age. i didnt know WINEHOUSE other than her MUSIC. i didnt bear witness to her DREAMS, FLAWS, HOPES, INSECURITIES or AMBITIONS outside of what she choset to present to the world on vinyl, on stage or in interviews. being a fan is a PASSIVE activity at heart. you are the receptacle in an UNRECIPROCATED arrangement that clearly only goes one way. yet somewhat counterintuitively the POWER of ART is one of RESONANCE and SELF-IDENTIFICATION where the viewer/listener completes the circuit so to speak. it makes sense that one feels a sense of LOSS when the other link is denied in that bond through the very real and very human process surrounding MORTALITY. the situation surrounding WINEHOUSE is emblematic of such and permanently colors our opinion of her art in a similar manner to other PERSONALITIES and SONGWRITERS that arguably DIED prematurely at their creative peak like KURT COBAIN (NIRVANA), BUDDY HOLLY, TUPAC SHAKUR, HANK WILLIAMS, IAN CURTIS (JOY DIVISION), JANIS JOPLIN (BIG BROTHER & THE HOLDING COMPANY), THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., DUANE ALLMAN (THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, DEREK & THE DOMINOS), PATSY CLINE, BRAD NOWELL (SUBLIME) or JIMI HENDRIX among way too many others. RIP AMY WINEHOUSE embedded below is a recent DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes a playlist celebrating THRASH METAL. enjoy!
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photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
TIM ARMSTRONG really does not need any introduction. or further publicity from blogs like this for that matter.
he has long been a MODERN PUNK ROCK legend. this was his legacy even before his much-CELEBRATED long-term band RANCID got off the ground in 1991 due to his previous participation in the likewise ICONIC SKA PUNK outfit OPERATION IVY. much like his peers in GREEN DAY, BAD RELIGION, NOFX, PENNYWISE, SUBLIME and THE OFFSPRING (maybe), the personal narrative of ARMSTRONG is arguably synonymous with the narrative of the genre itself. that being said, ARMSTRONG's TIM TIMEBOMB & FRIENDS project is a USEFUL vehicle that allows him to temporarily park the ambitions of his legacy project in RANCID and deep-dive into his eclectic appreciation of REGGAE, FOLK, ROCKABILLY, NEW WAVE, COUNTRY, DUB, CLASSIC ROCK, AMERICANA, and all things SKA, as well as outside projects such as his musical ROCKNROLL THEATRE film series. it also allows him the ability and freedom to collaborate with outside musicians. at this stage in the game ARMSTRONG is such a BELOVED SONGWRITER, no doubt due to his penchant for MELODY and the deeply PERSONAL / AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL nature of his LYRICAL CONTENT, that a project vehicle that allows him to branch out of his pocket and further develop his artistic potential sans the self-imposed genre confinements of PUNK ROCK feels like a WELCOME and APPROPRIATE thing. and much DESERVED. much like every RANCID release has delivered the goods, i likewise look forward to TIM TIMEBOMB & FRIENDS releases since it provides a perspective on where his heart is at during the current moment. definitely worth checking out. photo & text by nacrowe
a REGGAE LED ZEPPELIN cover band fronted by an ELVIS impersonator. i feel like the concept sells itself.
and somehow JIMMY PAGE, ROBERT PLANT and the rest of the estate agreed making DREAD ZEPPELIN the only sanctioned LED ZEPPELIN cover band known in existence (or at least to my knowledge). it is a well-known industry fact that the LED ZEPPELIN estate jealously guards their interests and has been known to get quite litigious in the past in order to protect their catalogue, making the very fact that DREAD ZEPPELIN exists on an widely distributed record a minor miracle in and of itself. i first learned of the band through their UN-LED-ED (I.R.S., 1990) debut album that my father played for me as a child, usually after listening to LED ZEPPELIN proper. its the same dynamic at play when he introduced my brother and i to MEL BROOKS' CLASSIC SPACEBALLS (MGM/UA, 1987) FARCE only after making us watch the original STAR WARS trilogy back around the same time. one works only after intimate knowledge of the other. it is obviously impossible to divorce the LED ZEPPELIN and DREAD ZEPPELIN from one other, since all the SERIOUSNESS and EXPANSIVE GRANDEUR evoked by the former is basically turned on its head and PARODIED mercilessly by the latter. my personal FAVORITE recorded moment is on their cover of "MOBY DICK," which finds frontman TORTELVIS reading the introduction to the famously INTRICATE and OPAQUE HERMAN MELVILLE novel to a light skank (courtesy of the guitarist with BEYOND-GENIUS alias, JAH PAUL JO), before stopping abruptly and complaining that he's read it a thousand times and still has no idea what the hell the author is talking about. first time i heard that i was basically in LOVE with the band. same with the GENIUS hybrid "BLACK DOG / HOUND DOG" abomination. it just totally takes the piss out of everything involved (with a little classic "BATMAN THEME" from the CHEESY 60's television show through in). how do you not love that." again, same with the "HEARTBREAKER" and "HEART BREAK HOTEL" hybrid track, its all GENIUS. other STANDOUT tracks include their covers of "WHOLE LOTTA LOVE," "I CAN'T QUIT YOU BABY," "YOUR TIME IS GONNA COME" and "IMMIGRANT SONG." again, the fact that these PARODIES exist on record really makes me rethink the PUBLIC IMAGE of LED ZEPPELIN as a bunch of IMAGE-CONSCIOUS auteurs that make music meant to evocatively express the EXPANSIVE and ELUSIVE literary and sonic grandeur of ALBION's FOLK traditions. DREAD ZEPPELIN dismantles such by making music that RE-CONTEXTUALIZES and undercuts those ELEVATED ambitions and renders such as the target of light MOCKERY. they effectively make LED ZEPPELIN appear SILLY. kudos to PAGE, PLANT, JOHN PAUL JONES and the estate for allowing this to happen, because the beneficiary is everyone. ELVIS PRESLEY, REGGAE and LED ZEPPELIN fans alike. i view UN-LED-ED as ESSENTIAL. definitely worth checking out.
parody by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the late LEGENDARY BRITISH singer-songwriter AMY WINEHOUSE!
​ ​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo & text by nacrowe
i feel like i can still smell that dank aroma of weed coming from countless neighboring dormitory rooms in both college and high school (i went to a boarding school) with EXODUS (ISLAND, 1977) by the BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS blaring from somewhere in the mix. on that account alone i should probably detest this record but it is a testament to its songwriting and production that i cant help but be intoxicated by its charms as this is arguably the DEFINITIVE album that cemented the REPUTATION and LEGACY of MARLEY as a FIRST-RATE musician and EMERGING GLOBAL ICON.
EXODUS was recorded in the UNITED KINGDOM in the year following the assassination attempt on MARLEY's life in JAMAICA, so its themes are very much centered around personal as well as RELIGIOUS and POLITICAL LIBERATION. in the RASTAFARIAN religion there is much consternation focused on JAMAICA's past as a former colonial possession of the great modern day BABYLON in ENGLAND. as a the mixed son of a BRITISH plantation overseer, who later gained worldwide acclaim and attention in BRITAIN, MARLEY is very much the physical embodiment of this cultural tension between the two island nations. so when you listen to a song like "EXODUS," it works on a multitude of levels, not least of which is a commentary on the previous year's national elections in JAMAICA. "JAMMING" in spite of its being entirely coopted as mindless background music by AMERICAN retail and local beach supply shops and restaurants worldwide, the song is very much about the PERSONAL LIBERATION found in community and living a RIGHTEOUS LIFESTYLE. the idea that your ability to psychically separate yourself from your oppressor is not only a POLITICAL and CULTURAL DISSOCIATION but also a MENTAL one as well. on a deeper level it is a vital necessity that one must LIBERATE their mind from the worldview of those that persecute them, which is much more INSIDIOUS and DIFFICULT to achieve. "JAMMING" seems to be very much about that establishment of a new culture and sense of SOCIAL COHESION and STABILITY around an EMERGING COMMUNITY. more explicitly this same sentiment is seen on the "ONE LOVE / PEOPLE GET READY" medley, although despite its UBIQUITY in recent decades, i consider it one of the weaker tracks on the album. my favorite track bar none from EXODUS is "WAITING IN VAIN," which is reportedly about his extra-marital affair with CANADIAN-JAMAICAN model and former miss world CINDY BREAKSPEARE, whom he fathered DAMIAN MARLEY with before passing at age 36 from cancer. the song is very much about the BITTERSWEET and TORMENTED feeling of romantic limbo when LOVE is hinted at but not explicitly reciprocated. with its LILTING melody and GENTLE upbeat momentum it is very difficult to listen to that song on a sonic level and not be swept up with that UPLIFTING yet paradoxically FOREBODING emotion, even before hearing any lyrics. in my opinion it is quite the achievement and really showcases MARLEY's power as a songwriter as it is the perfect encapsulation of the potential for LIBERATION through interpersonal CONNECTION, LOVE and one's SEXUALITY. if you are unfamiliar with MARLEY, EXODUS is no doubt a very good place to start. like much of his post-LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY catalogue, MARLEY at his peak created a HYBRID sound that kept the VIBE and POLITICS of his earlier ROOTS REGGAE material while also incorporating the clean production and TRADITIONAL song structures that made his music accessible to the sensibilities of a BRITISH and later AMERICAN and WORLDWIDE public. the GRACE he walked that line with is arguably why he is still such an ICON in world culture on the ELEVATED plane of ELVIS PRESLEY, JOHN LENNON or MICHAEL JACKSON. required listening in my opinion. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
not gonna lie, watching the recent documentary WHITE RIOT (SMOKING BEAR, 2019) about the inner-workings of the ROCK AGAINST RACISM movement in late 1970s BRITAIN, it echoed and reminded me quite a bit about the outright LUNACY of the modern day MALICIOUSLY MISINFORMED BREXIT crowd and even FLORIDA's culture war against education, specifically AFRICAN-AMERICAN history and GENDER / LGBTQ STUDIES. it all feels the same.
ROCK AGAINST RACISM was a group initiated as part of a DIY cultural reaction against growing widespread BRITISH ANTI-IMMIGRANT sentiment during that late 70s period (famously spearheaded by notorious bigot MP ENOCH POWELL of NORTHERN IRELAND) and the subsequent rise of the NATIONAL FRONT. much like TED NUGENT, LIL WAYNE, KID ROCK, LIL PUMP and KANYE WEST provided cultural air cover for DONALD TRUMP during his DISASTROUS regime, ERIC CLAPTON, ROD STEWART and even DAVID BOWIE did the same during this period with regards to POWELL and his RACIST public declarations advocating for the forcible repatriation of generations of immigrants (i.e. THE WINDRUSH GENERATION) and their defendants back to their ethnic nation of origin, irregardless of their visa or citizenship status. in recent years CLAPTON has been outed publicly for his history of VILE RACISM and ETHNO-NATIONALISM, which is truly BIZARRE given the effort and extent to which such was covered up and looked past for decades. i mean the dude literally was globally celebrated for being a SAVANT BLUES guitarist of the first order, a musical form with deep roots in the AFRICAN-AMERICAN struggle against slavery. for him to be a WHITE NATIONALIST is still head-scratching in terms of its sheer audacity. CLAPTON is always will be a phony to be ridiculed and pitied. the NATIONAL FRONT was essentially a REVANCHIST, FASCIST movement that preyed on the FEARS of the WORKING-CLASS WHITE men who felt emasculated in the wake of the fall of the empire and the perceived weakening of the UNITED KINGDOM's global standing. this movement sought to reimpose an ETHNIC PURITY to the nation and establish exclusive economic ties with the likes of APARTHEID regimes in RHODESIA and SOUTH AFRICA as well as other satellite nations in AFRICA and SOUTH EAST ASIA. much like modern PUTIN wishes to reimpose the territorial and economic claims of the fallen USSR, the NATIONAL FRONT sought to reimpose COLONIALISM at home and abroad. and in terms of growing WHITE membership and waging FEAR through VIOLENCE against minority groups, for a period they were successful. such is the backdrop to a famous concert in the heart of the NATIONAL FRONT's stronghold in EAST LONDON at VICTORIA PARK that included the likes of X-RAY SPECS, STEEL PULSE, the TOM ROBINSON BAND and THE CLASH. such a show was the capstone event after a day of protests through the streets that showcased the SILENT majority of BRITISH citizens from across the nation who showed up in droves to protest not only the NATIONAL FRONT, but the COMPLICITY of the police and political classes in tolerating such HATRED and ANTI-DEMOCRATIC SENTIMENT. the fact that the COUNTER-CULTURAL movement represented by ROCK AGAINST RACISM as well as the ANTI-NAZI LEAGUE, as well as the music press (NME, MELODY MAKER, etc) that adopted and actively promoted its political objectives, worked is an INCREDIBLE achievement. makes me wonder how such would work now in a world rife with digital platforms that perpetuate MISINFORMATION and state initiated DISINFORMATION campaigns at a PERVASIVE clip even GEORGE ORWELL could never have imagined. modern FASCISTS now like governor RON DESANTIS of FLORIDA are attacking the education architecture that underlies INDEPENDENT THOUGHT in his state. if voters keep reelecting him despite such ANTI-DEMOCRATIC tactics, where is the opposition going to come from with an equal and identifiably massive force. today feels different, but maybe it shouldnt. WHITE RIOT seems to be a clarion call for today's youth to get involved and push back, whatever the odds or sacrifice. it is a genuinely UPLIFTING film that i highly recommend.
parodies by nacrowe
i was thinking the other day about WHITEWASHING in AMERICAN culture over the years. how ELVIS PRESLEY unfairly gained undue adulation with the general public that was probably more appropriately due to LITTLE RICHARD and CHUCK BERRY. same dynamic could be argued with EMINEM, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, BENNY GOODMAN, BEASTIE BOYS and so on. seems to be a bit of a tradition that a genre or style only gains mainstream acceptance and critical recognition once a white musician does it with some competency. i dont know about BENNY GOODMAN (whose music i am not a fan of at all - much prefer DUKE ELLINGTON), but the majority of these artists were all steeped in the musical traditions that they pursued and had the utmost respect for the artists that came before. for EMINEM this means explicit shoutouts on tracks mentioning the likes of celebrated lyricists like RAKIM, 2PAC, NAS, ANDRE 3000, JAY-Z, REDMAN, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., LL COOL J and ICE CUBE among others. my problem is not with the artists but with the general public's COLLECTIVE AMNESIA towards and HISTORIC DISREGARD towards BLACK CULTURE until a white body inhabits such. its bullshit.
this led me to thinking about the 2-TONE SKA movement out of the UNITED KINGDOM in the late 1970s at the height of THATCHERISM and the VILE, RACIST, ANTI-IMMIGRANT perspective that her government embodied. since the post war era there had been a massive influx of immigrants from THE CARIBBEAN, known as the WINDRUSH GENERATION, who worked in northern factories alongside their CAUCASIAN counterparts and grew to establish a similar working class lifestyle. this close racial proximity in both living and work contexts saw cultural and musical innovations from JAMAICA, part of THE COMMONWEALTH, find active listenership in ENGLAND from both their descendants and their white counterparts. SKA, ROCKSTEADY and later REGGAE became a facet of BRITISH culture not dissimilar from other inherited artifacts like tea (INDIA), polo (IRAN), baked beans (UNITED STATES), ST. GEORGE (SYRIA), tennis (BASQUE), penny farthings (FRANCE), marmalade (PORTUGAL), pubs (ANCIENT ROME) and fish and chips (SPAIN). that penchant for CULTURAL APPROPRIATION is a distinctly BRITISH tradition in my opinion. whats cool about 2-TONE SKA is how it explicitly indicates in its names its roots as the common meeting point between two cultures and musical traditions. in the face of the AUSTERE domestic and seething ANTI-IMMIGRANT policies employed by MARGARET THATCHER and the rising tide of RACISM that such engendered in the larger culture and body politic, these musicians showcased an ALTERNATIVE vision that valued INCLUSION, COOPERATION and celebrating DIVERSITY. these bands include iconic BRITISH multi-ethnic acts such as THE SPECIALS, THE BEAT, THE SELECTER, BAD MANNERS and THE BODYSNATCHERS as well as aligned all-CAUCASIAN acts like MADNESS among others. it is nearly impossible to not see 2-TONE SKA as a distinctly POLITICAL act within the BRITISH context it was birthed under. i think people today, especially in the UNITED STATES, just see it in retrospect as derivative dance music that takes its cues from JAMAICAN culture. they dont see the intent or evolution of a sound. dont believe me, just listen to third-wave AMERICAN ska bands from the 1990s (like LESS THAN JAKE, REEL BIG FISH, CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES, BUCK-O-NINE, VOODOO GLOWSKULLS and THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES) that took the sound but none of the politics and made something VIBRANT, SOPHISTICATED and INTOXICATINGLY ENGAGING to something BLAND and easily DISPENSABLE. of course there are a number of bands that thoughtfully (like EMINEM) paid homage to the history of the form and felt comfortable further INNOVATING on top of such. i want to give a shoutout to the modern bands i feel are in keeping with the true legacy of 2-TONE SKA such as the FISHBONE, DANCE HALL CRASHERS, THE SUICIDE MACHINES, NO DOUBT, THE SLACKERS, THE AQUABATS, GOLDFINGER, STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO, CATCH 22, THE AGGRO-LITES, THE INTERRUPTERS and SAVE FERRIS among others. i just wish AMERICAN audiences would care more about issues related to CULTURAL APPROPRIATION and WHITEWASHING. maybe as our country becomes less white this unfortunate dynamic will shift in a generation or two. here's hoping! embedded below is a DEER GOD RADIO episode from the fall of 2019 on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC dedicated to 2-TONE SKA and the thoughtful hybrid bands that came thereafter. enjoy! ​RIP TERRY HALL. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
i recently came across the documentary WHEN BOB MARLEY CAME TO BRITAIN (WISE OWL, 2020) on BBC2 that outlines the MASSIVE impact ENGLAND had on the art and career of the ICONIC JAMAICAN ROOTS REGGAE musician. given that he was born the mixed son of a white ENGLISH plantation overseer (who formerly was a captain in the BRITISH ARMED FORCES with previous stints in CUBA and NIGERIA) and a local teenage JAMAICAN woman, by definition BOB MARLEY had a COMPLICATED relationship with the UNITED KINGDOM.
the same could be said about the island nation's relationship to its former colonial authority. in the aftermath of WORLD WAR II, there was a significant influx of immigrants from around the commonwealth that relocated to ENGLAND to assist with the need for low income workers in the many factories being built at the time, especially in the north. this incredible inflow of immigration from the CARIBBEAN specifically from 1948 through 1971 was known as the WINDRUSH GENERATION. when MARLEY came to ENGLAND for the first time in 1972 as part of a tour revue for JOHNNY NASH, nobody could know that in a few short years he would become the spokesman for the second generation of WINDRUSH immigrants would were asserting their ECONOMIC, POLITICAL and CULTURAL power on a ENGLISH culture unprepared for such. MARLEY proved to be nothing less than TRANSFORMATIVE and REVOLUTIONARY in this regard through his music and personality. being signed to the major label ISLAND RECORDS, which had roots in JAMAICAN culture via label founder CHRIS BLACKWELL, by the time CATCH A FIRE (ISLAND, 1973) was released there was a considerable push that found the group on the OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST program on the BBC that put a face to his music and proved to be influential. it also introduced his music to a ROCK N ROLL audience and a mostly white college circuit that permanently shifted and expanded his audience. this was key to his INTERNATIONAL success and positioned him as a cultural ambassador of JAMAICA, a moniker that has not altered some 40+ years after his death from cancer in 1981. the most compelling aspect of this documentary are the testimonials that speak to MARLEY's transformative impact on the way children of the WINDRUSH GENERATION self-identified. interviews with DJ/musician/film director DON LETTS and musicians BRINSLEY FORDE (ASWAD), MYKAELL RILEY (STEEL PULSE) and LOCKSLEY GISHIE (THE CIMARONS) all attest to his influence during his stay in ENGLAND. all knew him personally when he lived locally as a CELEBRATED international musician attempting to break ENGLAND. they speak of the time he had for his fans and locals alike, quickly becoming a part of the fabric of the local community. former schoolchildren speak about a pre-BRITISH fame MARLEY and NASH giving a concert at a nearby school at the behest of a local art teacher, singing unaccompanied acoustic versions of classics like "STIR CRAZY" and "I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW" no less. decades later the pride in that event is still palpable for these MULTI-RACIAL former classmates. and i feel like that sense of unity is the ethos of the persona and music of MARLEY. he was more than a musician, but a prophet of a FUTURE UTOPIA that we all could imagine and touch via his songs. even today his music cannot be ruined by all the lame college burnouts and wannabe privileged caucasian RAS TRENTS that have attempted to culturally appropriate and weaken his legacy with all their lame attempts at proselytizing and supposedly living an identity they dont understand or have any connection to. ok maybe that last bit was about my experiences around idiots at university, but his music transcends those modern associations. his message of unity cannot be tied down to any group or creed. it cant be debased even by his own progeny actively invoking his name while palling around with the racist likes of CANDICE OWENS and KANYE WEST. MARLEY was quite simply a gift to the world and its interesting to know that such really gained initial traction in BABYLON, i.e. BRITAIN,and used such a spark to spread his light around globe. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
narrated by celebrated RANCID/OPERATION IVY frontman and modern PUNK ROCK icon TIM ARMSTRONG, the NOISEY series UNDER THE INFLUENCE was a short-lived documentary series on their YOUTUBE channel that investigated three influential 20th century music scenes.
what stands out about this series to me is the loving care the producers took to more or less let the participants of the scene take control of the narrative, where ARMSTRONG's voice drops in from time to time to clarify or connect a few points. his famed marbled-mouthed voice is both JARRING and UNCONVENTIONAL, yet works its magic as it forces you to actively listen to his words. obviously with regards to RANCID, the NYHC and 2-TONE SKA scenes are two essential ingredients to their sound and it is interesting to get a sense of the HISTORY and POLITICS, both within the five boroughs as well as the receding sunset of the BRITISH EMPIRE, that informed how these musical forms and communities came about. in the case of NYHC and 2-TONE SKA it was a clash of cultures, an amalgamation of styles that created evolution. with KRAUTROCK you had a whole post-WWII generation of WEST GERMANS that wanted a collective CULTURAL YEAR ZERO. they wanted new forms that indebted NOTHING to the previous GERMANIC culture that had been pilfered and bastardized by the NAZIS. a new sound for a new WEST GERMANY. whats also cool is how they connect these past scenes to RIGHT NOW. its not academic so much as it is prologue for vital CREATIVITY currently happening. these segments are just as INVIGORATING and UNEXPECTED as the original scenes themselves. definitely check out these three episodes. they are beyond INFORMATIVE and well-produced and are definitely worth your time.
parodies by nacrowe
having lived abroad in NIGERIA as a kid has undoubtedly opened me up to the global influence of AFRICAN MUSIC. and specifically WEST AFRICA. just that innate feel for RHYTHMIC COMPLEXITY and layered POLYRHYTHMS, as well as lyrical themes revolving around issues of IDENTITY amidst surviving in a world that unfortunately refuses to abdicate from defining you through a COLONIALIST perspective.
the parallels are there in the musical traditions of the UNITED STATES (JAZZ, BLUES, ROCK AND ROLL, HIP-HOP) as well as all over LATIN AMERICA (SAMBA, CUMBIA, RUMBA, SON). its been one of the real gifts of my life to have experienced such music when i did since it has only enriched my appreciation for other countries i've visited since including BRASIL, COLOMBIA, CUBA and VENEZUELA. but i havent made it to JAMAICA (yet!). for me it is so interesting that such an island nation could have such a profound effect on global musical culture with its ever-evolving genres (DANCEHALL, SKA and REGGAE). the HISTORICAL, POLITICAL and RELIGIOUS underpinnings of REGGAE and resonate strong with the subjugated and DISENFRANCHISED the world over. in many ways, its righteously REBELLIOUS message against OPPRESSION found fertile soil within the youth of BRITAIN and laid the foundation for the likes of PUNK ROCK. there is an absolute cultural through-line between REGGAE and most WESTERN EXPERIMENTAL and POLITICALLY vocal and strident music that followed. doing an episode on ROOTS REGGAE artists was one of the highlights of the show insofar. i look forward to doing many others on similar AFRICAN-influenced genres from throughout the DIASPORA. definitely check it out if you are so inclined. photo manipulation by nacrowe
the mythical figure of LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY for me was always this seemingly inscrutable, opaque persona where in interviews he would constantly speak in terms of PROPHECY and claims of DIVINE PROVIDENCE that got in the way of me deciphering a route of connection and understanding to a producer that created some of the most compelling music of the 20th century.
as the documentary THE UPSETTER: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF LEE SCRATCH PERRY (PERMANENT MARKS, 2008) illustrates, he is largely responsible for the transition of SKA into REGGAE and was instrumental in the careers of many of JAMAICA's most famous cultural exports, including BOB MARLEY. to some extent he took a back seat in terms of his public persona, preferring to be a behind-the-scenes figure who controlled the boards and the contracts. in the documentary he speaks of MARLEY as "the king" and himself as "the prophet," which is as apt an analogue to the relationship between artist and producer that ive ever come across. what i found particularly interesting was how his relationship with REGGAE and the community around it broke down. essentially he was being harassed by the police and the local community on a daily occurrence for money at the legendary home studio, the BLACK ARK, that he worked out of. being of generous heart, his home was largely open to the public given his optimistic outlook on people's motives given his RASTAFARIAN beliefs. this was a mistake and he lost everything, his studio, his wife and his connection to a community. the unhinged and impenetrable public persona he carried with him largely until his passing was his guard against intimacy in a sense. if people thought of him as a madman and left him alone, then that is what he wished to be. its a pretty sad story given that one of the celebrated touchstone talents the elevated JAMAICAN music to a worldwide audience saw such notoriety and fame as something to be feared within the context of his local community. at the time before he burned the BLACK ARK and was being extorted by the police, he had to hire soldiers to provide him security. he was a literal prisoner. there is a moment in this documentary when an unnamed off-camera interviewer in the early 1980s asks him he felt about the passing of his former collaborator MARLEY and his response was that now he was free. he was free from being extorted by his entourage and his fame. he was free from the community that sprang up around his music and depended on him for sustenance and work. its a pretty heart-wrenching sad state of affairs that fame equals being a target for extortion by both familial and power structures in JAMAICA, but such is the case. it makes total sense to me how FELA KUTI in NIGERIA built a literal armed compound (KALAKUTA REPUBLIC) in LAGOS to guard against outsiders and the police while he was working in his home recording studio inside. same sad state of affairs. watching this film definitely helped me better understand the history of an enigmatic cultural figure whose music ive long cherished. i dont think it is essential to understand one's biography to appreciate their music, but with the case of LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY and his idiosyncratic public persona i think it doesnt hurt. it was seemingly a deliberate smokescreen to ensure his personal safety and to push away those that sought to exploit him. THE UPSETTER: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF LEE SCRATCH PERRY is worth investigating for anyone interested in REGGAE and the history of JAMAICAN music. highly recommended. photo manipulation by nacrowe
the title a reference to a former BRIXTON sound-system enjoyed long ago by JAMAICAN WINDRUSH GENERATION immigrants, SUPERSTONIC SOUND: THE REBEL DREAD (3FILMGROUP, 2010) is a film about famed director and PUNK ROCK icon DON LETTS and the CULTURAL and PERSONAL HISTORY of BASS over three generations of his family in BRITAIN. its an interesting topic criminally overlooked, especially since, as DON states, "bass is JAMAICA's gift to the planet."
the film is a dialogue of sorts with his son JET, who is an upcoming DUBSTEP producer, which interestingly continues a family legacy that was started with DON's father ST LEGER who set up a small sound-system on the steps of a church after service. in a sense, this intermingling of RELIGION and MUSIC was what got that first generation of immigrants through ECONOMIC, POLITICAL and CULTURAL racism from a new home country that rejected them. what i found interesting about the film was the interplay between ROOTS REGGAE and the beginnings of BRITISH PUNK ROCK in the late 1970s and how such carried over to NYC HIP HOP in the early 1980s. the through-line between such seems obvious in retrospect (REBELLION, PERSONAL FREEDOM, UNINHIBITED CREATIVE EXPRESSION), but the seeming recognition and collective interest of such at the time by active participants in each scene is pretty remarkable. it also provides an explanation for the formation of BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE (of which DON co-fronted), which was a band i never completely understood after being raised on THE CLASH. i also found it remarkable how levelheaded JET was about the legacy of his father, how he doesnt feel a need to live up to some outside expectation, but nonetheless appreciates to learn what he can from him. and his father in return sees value in his evolution and appreciation for the use of BASS in his music. it is pretty remarkable. of course this film was recorded long before the catastrophe of BREXIT and the UNITED KINGDOM's fall back into state-sanctioned RACISM and rampant XENOPHOBIA that led the way for TRUMP and globally ascendent authoritarians worldwide. i can only imagine what this film would look and sound like just 6 years later. my sense is that a common love of BASS would nourish that family's soul and provide a respite just as it did during the post-WORLD WAR II period with the WINDRUSH GENERATION. scary to think about.
parodies by nacrowe
click HERE for this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating ROOTS REGGAE and all its beautiful rebellious glory!
​ past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo manipulation by nacrowe
its really cool the stuff that is being released on YOUTUBE these days. since 1987 the DUTCH television live performance series 2 METER SESSIONS has been film/recording/mixing one session a week of upcoming musical talent. as you can imagine, the variety and scope of these recordings has grown immeasurably over the years and there has been a slow trickle via their YOUTUBE channel releasing the more memorable performances.
everything from BURNING SPEAR, BECK and YEASAYER to SEPULTURA, NADA SURF and even NIRVANA. definitely look these vintage performances up if you have the inclination. definitely worth the effort.
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE a special episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist dedicated to modern PUNK ROCK icons RANCID, especially the creative work of main songwriter TIM ARMSTRONG who throughout his career has shown a prowess for deftly integrating THE CLASH-style PUNK ROCK with DANCEHALL, SKA & HIP HOP elements into his seamless compositions. dude is criminally underrated.
​ past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo manipulation by nacrowe
as an AMERICAN it is difficult to hear the story of the spread of JAMAICAN music (SKA, ROCKSTEADY and REGGAE) in BRITAIN and not hear echos of the role AFRICAN-AMERICAN music held in the UNITED STATES (JAZZ, BLUES, R&B, ROCK AND ROLL, SOUL, FUNK, HIP HOP) in demanding both respect and representation from an oppressive white power structure that sought to exploit them for their labor, uninterested in their culture (or so they thought). its just too similar a narrative not to mention. AMERICAN music is BLACK MUSIC. likewise, JAMAICAN music influenced everything it touched in the UNITED KINGDOM (FASHION, POLITICS, ATTITUDE).
the recent documentary RUDEBOY: THE STORY OF TROJAN RECORDS (PULSE FILMS, 2018) outlines this compelling narrative from both a JAMAICAN and BRITISH perspective, as the two are deeply intertwined with one another. it does this through interviews with the musicians (TOOTS HIBBERT, DERRICK MORGAN, DANDY LIVINGSTONE, MARCIA GRIFFITHS, ROY ELLIS, KEN BOOTHE, FREDDIE NOTES, GEORGE DEKKER, DAVE BARKER, NEVILLE STAPLE, PAULINE BLACK), producers (BUNNY "STIKER" LEE, LLOYD COXSONE & LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY) and former TROJAN RECORDS officials (LEE GOPTHAL, ROB BELL & DAVID BETTERIDGE) that participated in bringing JAMAICAN music to the UNITED KINGDOM as well as writer NOEL HAWKS, filmmaker DON LETTS and most impressively of all, original JAMAICAN soundman KING EDWARDS THE GIANT. the film also has some superbly choreographed reenactments with exceptionally visceral cinematography. the result is that we are taken into the streets of mid-century KINGSTON and the immigrant basement parties in 1960s ENGLISH council estates as the musical form and its audience developed. all this while the main participants act almost as voice-over narrators. really cool stuff that results in a highly immersive viewer experience. as i've covered in other documentaries on the same topic (i.e. ROOTS, REGGAE, REBELLION and THE STORY OF SKINHEAD) the basic background is that the BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT OF 1948 gave BRITISH citizenship to all members of the commonwealth and the right to settle in BRITAIN, which led to a population boom of roughly 150,000 CARIBBEAN immigrants between 1951-1961 known as the WINDRUSH GENERATION. this had ramifications both culturally and politically.
LEE GOPTHAL was a BRITISH entrepreneur of INDIAN descent (who immigrated from JAMAICA) that owned a small string of record stores aimed at the burgeoning youth market represented by the children of the WINDRUSH GENERATION. at some point he realized he could sell imported 45s of JAMAICAN music to this growing second-generation immigrant population. he could not keep up with demand. in the late 1960s he established TROJAN RECORDS in partnership with CHRIS BLACKWELL's ISLAND RECORDS, which had connections to JAMAICA (thus its name). once they started churning out records for the ENGLISH market, a funny thing happened: it caught on with the children and young adults of the working-class WHITE population. this led to the SKINHEAD movement of largely WHITE enthusiasts of JAMAICAN-imported music, fashion and attitude. essentially they wanted to look like the RUDEBOYS. their parents tolerance for this upstart youth culture was another story entirely sad to say. what is super interesting is how some participants of this documentary, PAULINE BLACK of 2-TONE SKA upstarts THE SELECTER and filmmaker DON LETTS (both second-generation immigrants), essentially were introduced to music of their ancestral homeland vis-a-vis the SKINHEAD movement. at that point in the late 1960s, it could be argued that the music had become another facet of BRITISH popular culture. it even started getting regular airplay on BBC radio after years of being confined to offshore pirate radio stations. the intransigence and outright racism of radio programmers and gatekeepers on television was essentially nullified by the power of the collective popular appetite for this music. now a distinctly BRITISH sound rooted in its former colonies. i have no doubt that subsequent musical traditions rooted in immigrant populations in SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA and the INDIAN SUBCONTINENT no doubt gained entry to the ENGLISH radio-sphere through the efforts of TROJAN RECORDS and their audience demanding representation during this period.
TROJAN RECORDS is just a record label. it sought to expose and profit from music they believed in that was not exploited in the marketplace. they created that market and the culture that organically rose up around it in BRITAIN is still there today decades later after the label went bust in 1975 after not being able cover costs and taxes after it produced too many records. it created a musical and cultural dialogue that linked the UNITED KINGDOM with its former colony and made it reconsider its role in a newly multi-cultural society. i don't think BRITAIN was ready at the time, as evidenced with BRITISH MP ENOCH POWELL's xenophobic 1968 "RIVERS OF BLOOD" speech in which he stated that "in this country in 15 or 20 years' time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man" and the subsequent rise of the NATIONAL FRONT. to BRITISH music lovers the legacy of TROJAN RECORDS is that of being a crucial preliminary step in the nation's hopeful progress towards INCLUSION, DIVERSITY and MULTICULTURALISM. yes there are setbacks (look no further than the xenophobic madness of BREXIT) and a brutal history (not unlike that of the UNITED STATES or GERMANY) defined by slavery and colonialism. one would hope recognizing the good in another's culture is the first step towards abandoning a shallow nativist stance and myopic, nationalist view of the world. one can only hope. great documentary worth checking out with superb cinematography and storytelling. photo manipulation by nacrowe
the cultural roots of the SKINHEAD subculture are rather fascinating. the fact that in our modern nomenclature the term has a dark, far right-wing, xenophobic connotation ironically belies its origins in a cultural moment that brought a diverse confluence of cultures and styles together. its a term with many embedded identities that is at war with itself. its a subculture that is complicated and serves as the perfect metaphor for the UNITED KINGDOM's complicated relationship with its former commonwealth and itself.
DON LETTS' film THE STORY OF SKINHEAD (BBC, 2016) explores the SKINHEAD subculture and its inherent contradictions. the story begins with the UNITED KINGDOM's policy in the wake of WORLD WAR II of allowing inhabitants of its greater commonwealth entry and work visas to work in the island's borders. this set off shortly thereafter beginning in the 1940s what is now known as the WINDRUSH GENERATION, former inhabitants of the CARIBBEAN (JAMAICA, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, etc) that begin working in ENGLISH factories and living in council estates. DON LETTS hones this narrative squarely with his own, as he was raised in SOUTH LONDON on a council estate by JAMAICAN-immingrant parents from this generation. what happened was that despite their parents closeted racism, white kids on these council estates in LONDON began to adopt the style and music of their JAMAICAN counterparts. poor white urban identity in some circles became intwined with CARIBBEAN immigrant culture. eventually this movement, which didnt have a name, but later got deemed SKINHEAD by outsiders, was largely innocuous as it was mainly a subculture based around white appropriation of black culture. the fact that eyes were raised by an older white generation didn't stop these kids, and its debatable whether or not they shared in their parents XENOPHOBIC-leaning views. it must be said that racial jokes about PAKISTANI immigrants were common on the radio at the time and the education system was far from progressive, with educators often being explicitly derogatory towards the dress, speech, mannerisms and culture of immigrant children. racism was in the air and open on some level during this time in BRITAIN. eventually shops emerged to cater to this subculture and it spread north. by the 1970s haircuts and fashions changed as the original SKINHEAD culture merged with northern football culture. this new identity helped solidify a new uniform for the emerging football hooligan and their street gangs of fellow team supporters. violence and gang-mentality entered the picture as these squads with face off against rival supporters, but the ethos was still tentatively not explicitly race driven. again, its complicated. definitely some cognitive dissonance going on here. it may be that some elements that had far right-wing sympathies based on those that preexisted in the northern white working class population itself, but none that were rooted in the SKINHEAD subculture per se. enter the NATIONAL FRONT. this WHITE NATIONALIST political party used football (as well as youth events, dancehall parties, self-published newspapers, etc) as a means of attempting to convert young men to their side in the late 1970s and early 1980s. those that embraced their XENOPHOBIC, RACIST views forever altered the meaning of the SKINHEAD subculture. it been infiltrated a segment of poor northern white kids. but culture shifted again. this time to PUNK ROCK which largely embraced REGGAE and its bedrock political messages wholeheartedly. but it wasn't a good fit for the SKINHEAD kids that went to their shows. too artsy. too posh. SHAM 69 bridged that gap. but unfortunately their gigs were infiltrated by NATIONAL FRONT SKINHEADS that caused SHAM 69 frontman JIM PURSEY to abandon the band and move on.
the 2 TONE SKA and OI PUNK movements of the early 1980s that came next didnt fair much better. famously they couldnt find gigs because of the fear around their following, which absurdly included NATIONAL FRONT SKINHEADS. this was much to their chagrin, since they named the movement 2 TONE as a means of delineating that they were on the side of multiculturalism and racial equality. OI PUNK was just a newer, more aggressive form of PUNK ROCK that placated to a generation of militaristic SKINHEADS looking for a community. again the NATIONAL FRONT infiltrated both to the point that it rendered them dysfunctional. this was especially the case after the SOUTHALL RIOTS OF 1979, in which SKINHEAD youth burned a pub in SOUTH LONDON in a largely asian community. OI was banned by MARGARET THATCHER and most of the bigger (non-racist) bands folded up, leaving only those funded by the NATIONAL FRONT in their wake. it was a coup for the ultra right-wing. this in turn led to the SHARP SKINHEAD bands who were a reaction to these NATIONAL FRONT funded racist SKINHEAD bands. the SHARPS were explicitly anti-racist and that movement continues to this day. its super interesting how this youth culture got hijacked and its "uniform" which was based on JAMAICAN style from the 1950s is now synonymous with WHITE NATIONALIST and NEO-FASCIST movements from POLAND, GERMANY, the UNITED STATES and even MALAYSIA. i even saw this in THAILAND where they sold NAZI paraphernalia in common markets with "SKINHEAD" gear. its truely bizarre and endlessly fascinating. i have one other thing to add. this contradiction of "loving" the music but "hating" the people is something that is not unique to the NATIONAL FRONT infiltration of certain segments of SKINHEAD culture. i've heard that contradiction by white AMERICANS my whole life. its a form of cognitive dissonance rooted in a potent cocktail of hubris and ignorance. the idea that you understand a people and a culture better than they do. its very AMERICAN and it deprives minority populations of controlling their own identity, which was probably the point in the first place. but what do i know, im only a former teacher. i saw this shit firsthand. great documentary that brilliantly raises some unnerving issues about cultural appropriation and how hate can be used to subvert and infiltrate youth culture. endlessly fascinating. parodies by nacrowe
join us tonight at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC as we explore the politics, history and music of ROOTS REGGAE. gonna be a fun show.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo manipulation by nacrowe
hosted by BRITISH rapper and poet AKALA, ROOTS, REGGAE, REBELLION (BBC, 2016) is a welcome introductory documentary about the political and religious history of the RASTAFARI movement and its influence on ROOTS REGGAE music and identity of JAMAICANS both home and abroad.
much like the AMERICAN SOUTH, the CARIBBEAN island of JAMAICA was heavily involved with the MIDDLE PASSAGE to satiate its plantations when it was SPANISH and later a BRITISH colony. slaves on plantations were treated cruelly and made to adopt the religion of their oppressor, CHRISTIANITY. the RASTAFARI movement can be seen historically as a means of the local population rebuilding a culture that had been stripped of them by their BRITISH colonial oppressors. a means of connecting with their AFRICAN past and celebrating their heritage and owning their own identity. obviously this put them in opposition to powers that be, before and after gaining independence from the UNITED KINGDOM in 1962. the music that rose from this counter culture promoted empowering ideals of PAN-AFRICANISM, peace, self-sufficiency and liberation. and for me that is the legacy of ROOTS REGGAE music, its ability to empower the listener. being a BRITISH documentary, it expands the influence of ROOTS REGGAE to the DIASPORA of immigrants in BRITAIN in the 1960s and 1970s and how it helped provided a sense of identity and unity to a disenfranchised community that bore the brunt of systematic racist practices and routine brutality at the hands of the police, not to mention the rise of the NATIONAL FRONT. ROOTS REGGAE galvanized this population, as well as strange allies in the concurrent PUNK ROCK movement, to fight oppression and seek strength in their community. I and I indeed. at its core, ROOTS REGGAE by definition is subversive, which most people forget. one other compelling feature of this documentary was a brief interview with SLY & ROBBIE, the production dup and legendary rhythm section that worked with PETER TOSH and BURNING SPEAR among many others. they basically breakdown the difference between the basic percussion and bass patterns common in SKA, ROCKSTEADY and REGGAE. essentially SKA and ROCKSTEADY have a similar groove that is heavily accented with a high-hat on an off beat. SKA has a relatively fast tempo and ROCKSTEADY is pulled way back. they are very similar and focused compositionally around the drums. REGGAE on the other hand is wholly based structurally around bass parts with the drums following it. its an entirely different animal structurally and has a very different effect. its one thing to write about it, but this documentary has the duo actually play them. touches like this make this a great introductory film for the layman unfamiliar with this incredible genre of music that shows the enduring power of music from the AFRICAN DIASPORA. a great entry point to a bigger conversation about global culture and the power of music. all from this small island nation. incredible. photo manipulation by nacrowe
when people consider the PUNK ROCK movement that swelled up on both sides of the ATLANTIC in the late 1970s, the bands that usually come to mind are iconic acts like THE RAMONES, SEX PISTOLS, THE CLASH and THE DAMNED. whats interesting about those bands is that in many ways they are rather conservative in their approach, basically recycling CHUCK BERRY riffs and taking back ROCK AND ROLL in essence back to its core 1950s origins with ROCKABILLY legacy acts like ELVIS PRESLEY, EDDIE COCHRAN, GENE VINCENT, CARL PERKINS and the like. i find it one of the great ironies that a cultural movement so celebrated for being transgressive was actually quite traditionalist in a sonic sense, at worst even nostalgic.
such was not the case with two bands of that period, X-RAY SPEX and especially THE SLITS. the documentary HERE TO BE HEARD: THE STORY OF THE SLITS (HEAD GEAR FILMS, 2017) interview surviving members (and former members) TESSA POLLITT, VIV ALBERTINE, PALMOLIVE and NENA CHERRY about their experience during that period. the recently deceased ARI UP (R.I.P.) appears in archival interview and performance footage. my big takeaway from that film was how truly revolutionary THE SLITS were in context, both musically and socially. musically they blazed the way forward towards POST-PUNK by incorporating WEST INDIAN and AFRICAN rhythms into an aggressive yet sophisticated sound which sonically reinforced confrontational lyrics dealing with the VICTORIAN ideals of womanhood. and if you thought these famous male PUNK bands were supportive of their female brethren you'd be surprised. apparently while on tour with THE CLASH on their WHITE RIOT TOUR in 1977 across BRITAIN, the bus driver needed to be bribed in order to allow THE SLITS on the bus. such was the stigma against female musicians in this effective boys' club. this resulted in THE SLITS developing a sense that other bands and their manager's became extensions of the establishment. think about that. THE SLITS were outcasts within a subculture defined by their outcast status. its quite remarkable and really puts those other bands in proper focus, since the revolution advocated at least initially had no place for women outside of traditional roles. it is almost absurd how truly conventional those bands were and how authentically subversive THE SLITS were during their prime. and it doesn't stop there either. founding member and powerhouse drummer PALMOLIVE (later of THE RAINCOATS) was dismissed because the PUNK ROCK ethos of the band couldn't square itself with her CATHOLICISM. so even within the internal realm of a band that was the outcast within a scene of outcasts, a CHRISTIAN found herself to be the most isolated of all. if anything, her example is to follow your convictions despite societal or peer group pressure, which is by definition the essence of PUNK ROCK. funny how life works sometimes. the larger aim of this documentary is to present THE SLITS and ARI UP (in fact, this film fulfills part of her final will) to a new generation of music fans that may be unaware of them and their influence not only on the experimental POST-PUNK scene but also perhaps on the RIOT GRRRL scene that flourished 20 years after. THE SLITS due to the misogyny of rock critics from major BRITISH and AMERICAN publications alike have been dismissed from the greater narrative of PUNK ROCK as nothing being a footnote or curiosity. this documentary helps shed light on their proper place as an equal (and perhaps maybe a little more equal than other bands) creative force in a storied, influential scene. |
NICHOLAS ARCHIVES
March 2024
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