4. CultureTwo Sevens Clash
This is one of the most joyous records I own. There’s not one duff track on this, it’s almost like reggae pop songs even though the subject matter is a bit serious in many ways. The whole way that record came together was quite cool, how the two sevens coming together referenced Marcus Garvey’s prediction that the world was coming to an end. In Jamaica they shut schools and businesses down because they heard these songs and thought, "something’s gonna happen!" Reggae and punk really went hand in hand back in the day because of the Anti-Nazi League and all of the protesting. I went on all those marches, fighting against National Front guys in London in 1977. It was an incredible year, the Silver Jubilee, the rioting, The Clash, hardly a day went by when something exciting wasn’t happening. Having this in my life is really important because it reminds me where I come from. I went pretty much every night to see a band. I could go to Ladbroke Grove where The Clash were, where reggae and punks almost walked hand in hand. I miss that a little bit about London, there isn’t the same togetherness [now].
