Rewind: Bass Culture - Linton Kwesi Johnson (1980)

Bass Culture - Linton Kwesi Johnson

Island

Produced by LKJ and Dennis Bovell

Released 9th May 1980

Bass Culture was the follow up to what many think is Linton Kwesi Johnson's finest work, 1979's Island Records release Forces of Victory. Some feel that maybe Bass Culture was not quite as good but it does contain some of LKJ's finest poetry Reggae fi Peach, a tribute to Blair Peach, an Anti-Racist Protester killed whilst protesting with the Anti-Nazi League Rally against a British National Front Meeting in Southall leading up to the 1979 General Election. He died the day after being struck by a Police Officer. Another demonstrator, Clarance Baker, lead vocalist of Misty in Roots was injured at the same demonstration and spent five months in a coma (The Ruts paid tribute in their song to Clarence and sing about that terrible day on 23rd April 1979 - Jah War)! Also Inglan is a Bitch is very in your face account of being Black and British.

Whilst I really love Forces of Victory and Bass Culture the album I return to a lot is the debut album Dread Beat an' Blood released under the banner of Poet and the Roots on Virgin's Front Line label in 1978.