Black Punk Rockers - Celebrating 35 years of black punk rock
Generally speaking, punk rock is still usually viewed as white-boy music. That’s all going to change in the next few months, with the release of several new films celebrating different aspects of black punk rock. This edition of the Friday Ripple is co-presented by the director of one of those films: Punk In Africa’s Keith Jones.
The title of the show, “Black Punk Rockers”, is taken from the 1981 song of the same name by South African reggae-punks National Wake, whose long -lost debut album is rereleased next month. Also coming soon: four new documentary films about different elements in the history of black punk rock! Here they are:
Punk in Africa: Three Chords, Four Countries, One Revolution
The story of African punk, from its birth as an underground movement in late-70s South Africa, to the contemporary scenes in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Kenya. This film will be released internationally in the first half of 2011 – more info here.
Superstonic Sound: The Rebel Dread Documentary
The story of Don Letts: the dub DJ at the centre of the 1970s London punk movement, The Clash’s official film-maker, a member of seminal British post-punk band Basement 5. (In the famous photo of the 1976 Notting Hill Riots which appeared on the back of The Clash’s 1977 debut album, Letts is the lone Rasta confronting the London riot police). This film is already out in Britain – watch out for a Czech release in 2011!
Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone
The 30-year history of the groundbreaking Los Angeles funk-punk group. This film is already out in America – watch out for a Czech release in 2011!
Bad Brains Documentary
Even before there was Fishbone, there was Bad Brains. The legendary Rastafarian punks and Washington DC hardcore pioneers are the subject of an upcoming documentary, currently in production – watch out for more info in 2011.
Now it’s time to load up the Radio Wave Jukebox, select Friday Ripple > 12.11.2010, and check out 35 years of black punk rock. The earliest track is a 1975 release from Detroit punks Death; the latest tracks are 2010 releases from bands in America’s by-now well-established contemporary “Afropunk” movement. The full playlist looks like this:
National Wake - Black Punk Rockers [South Africa] (DMZ)
45 Adaptors – Metropolitans [USA] (Longshot Music)
Dirtbombs - Ode To A Black Man [USA] (In the Red)
Death - Politicians In My Eyes (radio edit) [USA] (Drag City)
Basement 5 - Last White Christmas [UK] (Island)
Dubmatix feat. Don Letts - London Calling (Roots version) [UK] (Mojo Brand)
The Clash feat. Mikey Dread - Rockers Galore... UK Tour [UK/Jamaica] (Sony BMG)
Bad Brains - Rock For Light [USA] (Line Records)
Bad Brains - Let There Be Angels (Just Like You) [USA] ( Oscilloscope/Megaforce)
Fishbone - Party At Ground Zero [USA] (CBS)
Fishbone - Everyday Sunshine [USA] (Columbia)
National Wake - International News [South Africa] (DMZ)
National Wake - Wake of the Nation [South Africa] (DMZ)
Jagwa Music - Track 2 [Tanzania] (Jahazi Media)
Evicted – Mapurisa [Zimbabwe] (self-released)
Anti-Everything - I'z D Man [Trinidad] (self-released)
Supernormal - Fishnin [Trinidad] (self-released)
Koos - In Detention [South Africa] (One F Music)
Rip Rig & Panic - Go! Go! Go! (This Is It) [UK]( Virgin)
The Specials - Do the Dog [UK] (Chrysalis)
Dynamics - This Weekend [South Africa]
Rudimentals - Radio Skaweto [South Africa/Zimbabwe] (Rudimental Music)
340ml – Australopithecus [Mozambique] (340ml Music)
The Memorials - We Go To War [USA] (Bloodthirsty Unicorn)
National Wake - Walk in Africa [South Africa] (DMZ)
National Wake - Kalabash [South Africa] (DMZ)
