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Bass Culture UK - How Bass Music Shaped British Culture
Bass Culture UK - How Bass Music Shaped British Culture

Bass Culture UK - How Bass Music Shaped British Culture

Bass Culture UK is the Black Music Research Unit at the University of Westminster, an academic research project exploring the impact of Jamaican and Jamaican-influenced music on British culture. Covering the period from the 1960s to the present day, with an initial focus on London and a particular interest in the years 1976 – 1981. We explore the impact of Bass Culture through the explosion of Jamaican genres like ska, reggae and dub in the UK to the development of distinct British variants like dub poetry, two-tone and lovers rock. We examine how and why this music’s influence has and continues to transform British pop from Susan Cadogan or The Clash to Stormzy. We also explore Bass Culture as a creative practice, an independent economy and a source of alternative philosophical and political ideas. This podcast is a collection of interviews with the people both behind the scenes and in the limelight of British Black Music.

Available Episodes 10

“Culture lives culture moves culture changes. It mutates. It’s restless.“
In this 2-part episode revered historian and academic Paul Gilroy reflects on his scholarly work as a translator as well as the many nuisances of Black British identity. Gilroy also reflects on his personal experience of growing up Black in Britain and his passion for music, providing much insight into the widening gap between reggae with the rising influence of soul music.
Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @bassculturedukbasscultureduk.com
Interviews conducted by Jacqueline Springer.Recorded by Matthew Brown. Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak. 

In this 2-part episode revered historian and academic Paul Gilroy reflects on his scholarly work as a translator as well as the many nuisances of Black British identity. Gilroy also reflects on his personal experience of growing up Black in Britain and his passion for music, providing much insight into the widening gap between reggae with the rising influence of soul music.

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @basscultureduk 
basscultureduk.com

Interview conducted by Jacqueline Springer.
Recorded by Matthew Brown. 
Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

Respected radio broadcaster Ras Kwame shares the experiences that shaped him from co-running a record shop and music production to the rave culture scenes of acid house, jungle, soul and hip-hop. 
Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @bassculturedukbasscultureduk.com
Interviews conducted by Mykaell Riley.Recorded by Matthew Brown. Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

"Coxsone is a traditional Jamaican sound that play Jamaican music and dub... and a sound like Saxon was a young English sound that kinda represented different. It was more emcees and a different kind of energy - more ragga-docious."
MC veteran Rodney P reminisces on sound systems highlighting the continuity between traditional sound systems into what would eventually become new emerging genres from UK hip-hop to jungle.  
Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @bassculturedukbasscultureduk.com
Interviews conducted by Mykaell Riley.Recorded by Matthew Brown. Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

This episode reflects on Dennis Bovell's music career as a bassist, and later record producer, as well as reflecting on running his Sufferer sound system which sometimes caused tensions between police during these dances. Part of our Bass Culture podcast series.

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @basscultureduk 
basscultureduk.com

Interviews conducted by Mykaell Riley.
Recorded by Matthew Brown. 
Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

"We could identify what the concrete jungle was over here living in these housing estates... Brixton was a ghetto back in those days"

In this enlightening and frank podcast Linton Kwesi Johnson reflects on his upbringing and the beginning of his journey as a renowned and pioneering dub poet.

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @basscultureduk
basscultureduk.com

Interviews conducted by Mykaell Riley.
Recorded by Matthew Brown. 
Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

In this podcast Don Letts considers his time as a DJ at the Roxy during the rising of punk-music in the UK. He also delves into his involvement with BAD (Big Audio Dynamite) and his cinematic approach to making music.
 Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @basscultureduk 
basscultureduk.com

Interviews conducted by Mykaell Riley.
Recorded by Matthew Brown. 
Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

In this honest and reflective podcast the lovers rock legend shares her experiences of arriving in the industry as a young budding singer and the many ambivalent twists and turns of the music industry. 

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @basscultureduk 
basscultureduk.com

Interviews conducted by Mykaell Riley.
Recorded by Matthew Brown. 
Co-produced by Sara El Harrak and Youness El Harrak.

Pioneering music promoter Wilfred Walker gives a rare interview.

Before Sir Lloyd Coxsone ruled UK sound system culture, here is his story.