Fantastic piece. Kicker for me seeing that clip of Barrington Levy on No. 73. That show was was cult viewing for me and my slin tinging mates. And I think whoever did the credits was in on it. Squeezing Barrington in between the Kent & Metropolitan police forces.
Something which I omitted due to space was that Sleng Teng featured on this NME tape in the summer of 1985, which was probably the 1st time a lot of indie/rock kids heard it. Notably it appears directly after Frank Sidebottom's skanky version of Anarchy In The UK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se_LBk9SsQM
Also present on NME's Tape Worm cassette alongside Wayne Smith was Champion Doug Veitch, the overlooked zydeco meets dub project produced by Mad Professor and Tony McDermott (a great musician as well as a legendary illustrator/designer) on their !DRUM! label https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgXjuiCGHAs
Great piece Tom. I thought Beth was there for the great Sleng Teng unveiling, I seem to remember her telling me, or maybe she was just in JA sometime after when it was in the air.
Well that’s where the confusion lies. The Feb 23rd clash is mentioned on the same page as the unveiling in her Dancehall book, and it’s become legend since then, but it’s not possible without a Time Machine
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Still have it.
Am I right in thinking that Andy Chislehurst is Birmingham 81?
S