In the 1970s and 1980s. Reggae was both a vital precursor and a key inspiration for the UK Punk movement. The chugging rhythm was obviously a different beast to that of the 'three-chord wonders' but these two musical genres were ignited from a shared sense of being excluded from the 'system'.
It doesn't take too much imagination to understand why stories of slavery, corruption and oppression in Africa should strike a chord with the downtrodden black communities struggling to find employment, equal rights and justice under the iron rule of Thatcher's government.
"Finally, it's time to shine the spotlight on some of the lesser known acts", announce the good folk of Reggae Archive Records whose ambition is to place Birmingham firmly on the map as the UK's first city of reggae.
A key objective is to showcase some of the unreleased and barely known musical gems and this is certainly the case with Eclipse's Blood Fi Dem, a single in 1981 and even more so for Iganda, a band whose long career only produced one 7” single released in 1979: “Slow Down.
However, the label's laudable aim to give space to the forgotten few is confused by the superfluous inclusion of Benjamin Zephaniah's Unite Handsworth. It is also a little odd that the first two tracks turn out to be from Steel Pulse, one of the better known acts from the city although, in fairness, these are rarities which have never been released on LP or CD before.
The 15 track compilation opens with Kibudu – Mansatta - Abuku, Steel Pulse's first single from 1976, two years before their debut album Handsworth Revolutuion. We also get to hear the B-side which is confusingly billed as an instrumental even though it has vocals!
Another more familiar name is Musical Youth, although here again Political is a relatively obscure track. It is the band's first release originally issued on a small Birmingham label.
These sounds did not exist in a vacuum so the political and social background is both significant and self evident. Black Symbol were important inspirations for Steel Pulse; and In The Name of Jah highlights the spiritual dimension to this band's sound.
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A spin-off group from Black Symbol were Oneness, and they provide one of the highlights of this album with an extended dub version of Rome, a track previously only available as a 12” single.
Black Symbol also provided the opportunity for many other Handsworth artists like Man From The Hills (Redemption Day) and Sceptre (Ancestors Calling) to record their music.
Widening the brief beyond the Handsworth epicentre, this album also includes Midland bands from Leicester and Wolverhampton - Groundation and Capital Letters respectively.
The latter didn't achieve the same level of crossover success and I Will Never is a previously unreleased slow tempo declaration of loyalty as well as being a celebration of faith in Jah.
Meanwhile, the determined momentum of Groundation's 8 minute Fa-Ward has a more urgent momentum that more than holds its own against Mr. Workhard a pulsating seven minute number from Handsworth's Carnastoan.
With sleeve notes from Birmingham musician Jim Weir, this compilation is the first in a series and a companion piece to 'Black Symbol Presents The Complete Handsworth Revolution', also out on Reggae Archives Records.
These releases should ensure not only that the music is remembered but also that the geographical roots for this influential UK reggae scene is not forgotten.
Reggae Archives' website
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