Redemption In Crapness: Sleaford Mod Jason Williamson's Inspiration LPs | Page 14 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

13. The StreetsOriginal Pirate Material

I liked the intro really, it was so inspiring. "I’m forty-fifth generation Roman," where did he come up with that?!

Hip hop is massive in Nottingham. There’s a massive black community, it’s a multicultural city and people just mingle, you know, and share ideas. People were not sure about this idea of a white guy rapping. Even white guys were not sure about it. He’s not rapping really – well he is, but he isn’t. But you couldn’t deny it really, it’s all great.

The second track, ‘Has It Come To This’, that kind of dubstep, garage thing. I never even listened to the second album. White people rapping, it needs to be done well. No offense to the guy, but I wouldn’t view Professor Green as the same thing, it’s more Americanised. Jake Bugg tried to do it on his last album and it just sounded terrible, what was he doing? I can understand him being inspired by stuff, but he needs to check himself.

I liked the dry high street observations on this album, the stuff about eating a fry up in a greasy spoon. The stuff that would warm you to him straight away – fried tomatoes, scrambled eggs. That conversation he has with his dad: "Hold it down son…" We all do it, "No, I’m going to be alright, it will work out."

I listened to this when it came out. I was still doing folky and acoustic stuff at this time, it wasn’t very good. It took years for me to think about doing something like this. For a long time I thought it was out of my reach, I thought I couldn’t do it.

Selected in other Baker’s Dozens: Hurts
Previous

Don’t Miss The Quietus Digest

Start each weekend with our free email newsletter.

Help Support The Quietus in 2025

If you’ve read something you love on our site today, please consider becoming a tQ subscriber – our journalism is mostly funded this way. We’ve got some bonus perks waiting for you too.

Subscribe Now