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Crucial Vinyl: Dread Beat an' Blood - Poet and the Roots

Don's choices cross time, space and genre, plus his Crucial Vinyl is Dread Beat an' Blood by Poet and the Roots, aka Linton Kwesi Johnson backed by the reggae band.

Each week Don selects a piece of Crucial Vinyl from his collection. He explains why the album means so much to him and picks three tracks from it.

This week it's Dread Beat an' Blood by Poet and the Roots, which was the 1978 debut by Linton Kwesi Johnson (Poet) accompanied by a dub reggae band (the Roots) led by Dennis Bovell.

Don says,

"Released on Virgin Records under the name of Poet and the Roots, Linton Kwesi Johson's debut album was a contributing factor to me becoming a film maker - so vivid and visual was its rendition of the culture and climate in which it was made.

I'd never heard anything like it before. In fact the only thing I could compare it to was hearing America's Last Poets for the first time. Linton's social commentary took a lot of its inspiration from local events, and as we were both living in Brixton at the time, it struck an obvious chord with yours truly.

Most interestingly, along with Linton's observations, were also premonitions of what was to come - specifically the Brixton riots of 1981. His words were made all the more potent by the production and bass lines of Dennis Bovell, and it's pretty fair to say I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for this record."

As ever the Don's other selections cross time, space and genre.

2 hours

Last on

Sun 15 Mar 2015 22:00
大象传媒 Radio 6 Music

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Crucial Vinyl: Holger Czukay - Movies

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Crucial Vinyl: Malcolm McLaren - Duck Rock

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Music Played

  • Diana Ross

    Love Hangover

    • Diana Ross & The Supremes - 40 Motown.
    • Polygram Tv.

  • Lilith Al

    Yeah Yeah

    • COPYCON.

  • The Yardbirds

    For Your Love

    • For Your Love.
    • Griffin.
    • 1.

  • A Tribe Called Quest

    I Left My Wallet In El Segundo

    • (CD Single).
    • JIVE.

  • Hot Chip

    Huarache Lights

    • DOMINO RECORDING CO LTD.

  • Prince & The New Power Generation

    Walk Don't Walk

    • Diamonds and Pearls.
    • Paisley Park.
    • 8.

  • Panda Bear

    Boys Latin

    • Domino Recording Company.

  • Tapper Zukie

    M P L A

    • M P L A.
    • Virgin.
    • 2.

  • The Lemon Pipers

    Green Tambourine

    • Million Sellers Vol.11 - The Sixties.
    • Disky.

  • Betty Padgett

    Sugar Daddy Pt. 1

    • Betty Padgett.
    • Luv 'n Haight.
    • 3.

  • Ghost Culture

    Giudecca

    • Ghost Culture.
    • Phantasy.
    • 001.

  • Archie Bell & the Drells

    Here I Go Again

    • The Best Northern Soul All-Nighter (V.
    • Virgin.

  • H. Hawkline

    Moons In My Mirror

    • Heavenly Recordings.

  • J-Felix

    101 Reasons

    • 101 Reasons.
    • Tru Thoughts.
    • 1.

  • Steel Pulse

    Babylon Makes The Rules

    • Steel Pulse.
    • Island.
    • 2.

  • Romare

    Nina's Charm

    • Projections.
    • Ninja Tune.
    • 1.

  • Kate Bush

    The Sensual World

    • THE SENSUAL WORLD.
    • EMI.

  • The Delfonics

    Ready Or Not Here I Come

    • The Soul Years 1966-69 (Various).
    • Connoisseur.

  • Sinkane

    Young Trouble

  • Rob Smith aka RSD

    Ragga Muffinstyle feat. Jah Stitch

    • Original Ragga Muffin.
    • Blood and Fire.
    • 3.

  • Silk Rhodes

    Realtime

    • Silk Rhodes.
    • Stones Throw.
    • 5.

  • Hearts and Flowers

    Road To Nowhere

    • Now Is The Time For Hearts And Flowers.
    • Bam Caruso.
    • 5.

  • The Durutti Column

    Otis

    • Vini Reilly.
    • Factory.
    • 1.

  • Poet and the Roots (aka Linton Kwesi Johnson)

    Dread Beat An' Blood

    • Dread Beat An' Blood.
    • Virgin.
    • 1.

  • Poet and the Roots (aka Linton Kwesi Johnson)

    It Dread Inna Inglan

    • Dread Beat An' Blood.
    • Virgin.
    • 5.

  • Poet and the Roots (aka Linton Kwesi Johnson)

    Five Nights Of Bleeding

    • Dread Beat An' Blood.
    • Virgin.
    • 2.

  • Don Julian and the Larks

    Message From A Black Man

    • Shorty The Pimp.
    • South Bound.
    • 2.

  • Zervas & Pepper

    We Are One

    • Abstract Heart.
    • Zerodeo Records.
    • 10.

  • Sufjan Stevens

    No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross

    • ASTHMATIC KITTY RECORDS.

  • Heights of Abraham

    E.V.A.

    • Electric Hush.
    • ZTT.
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Broadcast

  • Sun 15 Mar 2015 22:00
    大象传媒 Radio 6 Music