Steel Pulse
May 2nd 2006 08:52
Steel Pulse started in 1975 in Birmingham, England with David Hinds, Basil Gabbidon and Ronnie McQueen. Rastafarian in faith, the band were from a very early age conscience in their outlook. Even in 2006, Jamaica is 80 per cent Christian and so Rastafarianism in 1975 was not necessarily embraced by the Jamaican population in Birmingham at the time and the bands conscience Rastafarian music was likewise not embraced by the community.
As punk began coming to the fore in England shortly after their arrival on the scene, they began playing with punk bands and on Rock Against Racism bills. They put out a couple of small releases before being picked up by Island Records before moving onto a number of other labels due to a number of ongoing grievances.
Steel Pulse found a lot of their success in Europe and the USA where they still continue to tour. In fact, in 1986 they picked up a Grammy Award for their album Babylon the Bandit. This is one of close to 20 albums they have put out in their time, including a number of best ofs. If you’re a vinyl collector, there are still plenty of Steel Pulse around, even in Sydney. If not, there are plenty of their CDs available online through the usual big websites.
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Comment by Skinz
It not only features David Hinds, Selwyn Brown and Steve Nisbett from Steel Pulse but Lee Scratch Perry, Augustus Pablo and Junior Delgado.
A book of photographs by Pogus Caesar celebrating Britain’s iconic black musicians is to be published next month.
The book features evocative, nostalgic and largely unpublished images of musical legends like Stevie Wonder, Grace Jones and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.
“These images record a unique period in what would come to be called black British life,” remarks author and historian Paul Gilroy.
“Pogus Caesar’s emphatically analog art is rough and full of insight. He conveys the transition between generations, mentalities and economies.”
Legendary reggae artists figures prominently, and appropriately, in the Caesar image canon – Burning Spear, The Wailers, Augustus Pablo, Rita Marley, Mighty Diamonds, Black Uhuru, Sly Dunbar etc. The photographer cites reggae itself is a significant influence, reflecting his own St Kitts background in the Eastern Caribbean.
The launch of Muzika Kinda Sweet follows an exhibition of the work at the Oom Gallery in Birmingham earlier this year.
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