Live and Direct!

According to my computer it will take me 143, 160 minutes to listen to all the music saved on my it. So the challenge is set, let’s listen to each song at least once in the next year.

Why didn’t I do this during lockdown when I could have got a good start? Or the summer holiday? well, never mind, it’s  not like it’s going to be a punishment.

So to kick off, and since we were planning a lesson on the Notting Hill Carnival earlier, Aswad– Live and Direct!

Recorded in 1982 at the Notting Hill carnival, this is one of the classics of British reggae, before they went commercial, and not unreasonably, made some money in the late 80s. It’s a 45 minute dub concert, showcasing that the second and third generation of Black youths had the vibe down as good as anyone.

Live albums are rarely truly live, and even rarer catch the excitement of the performance, but this is a classic timepiece of a band at its peak and of the sound of disaffected British youth one year on from the Brixton Riots.

Stand out track: African Children.