Afro-Punk (1 Viewer)

[Rimbaud]

I remember a while back thinking(maybe i posted here about it?) if their was any African punk, or punk played by coloured/black people - besides the obvious one that comes to mind, being Bad Brains.
Being curious on this topic because alot of punk music is made by white people - and nothing kicks ass better than some sweet, sweet reggae from time to time(Fela Kuti - the Nigerian with a punk attitude...etc...)

Well, i`m delighted to come across this new film thats just been made - i hope it gets a release as the makers are in the middle of the legal crap at the moment.

WWW.AFROPUNK.COM
"Afro-Punk: the "rock n roll nigger" experience, a 66-minute documentary, explores race identity within the punk scene. More than your everyday, Behind the Music or typical "black history month" documentary this film tackles the hard questions, such as issues of loneliness, exile, inter-racial dating and
black power. We follow the lives of four people who have dedicated themselves to the punk rock lifestyle. They find themselves in situations that could only happen to some one who had to experience the duality of a person of color in a mostly white community.
The style of the documentary inter-cuts interviews from scores of black punk rockers from all over the nation with scenes from our four protagonists' lives........"

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

eamon - maybe check out 'extreme music from africa' on susan lawley (whitehouse dudes blha etc)

andrew

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

There was an incredible band from New York,possibly before Bad Brains? Called Pure Hell. They were all black and released one 7". Took me a while to find it but I did,a rockin version of These Boots are made for walkin and an original. there where tons of bands who had members who were black,Scream,Mcrad,Underdogetc and I think YDI. Still not nearly enough.

 

[Super Dexta]

I won't mention Knuckledust. I think it would be overstepping the boundaries of good taste.

 

[no_exit]

wasn't there a review of a movie called afro-punk in maximum rock n roll some months ago?

 

[swingkid]

i know her

lived in same town as her

but last i saw of her was this picture spread of her naked in the shower from VICE magazine over a year ago

cool girl!

 

[BC]

eamon - maybe check out 'extreme music from africa' on susan lawley (whitehouse dudes blha etc)

andrew

It's very hit and miss, but "dunia wanja wa fujo" by Electricity feat. Fire Eater, "no rada no rada" by Petro Loa, and "death lullaby" by Rorogwela are the best tracks from that release. Certainly worth downloading. heh.

 

[demonica]

wasn't there a review of a movie called afro-punk in maximum rock n roll some months ago?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????!!!!!!!!!!

 

[david]

i think there used to be quite a scene in south africa in the 80's-used to see the odd report in mrr back in the day.as i recall, all the bands were white (funny,that) and not too popular given their anti-apartheid sentiments. heard one or two tunes from there,none of it very notable.

and to add to mr sloan's list, there was another all-black band in the late 70's in new york called (wait for it!) the new york niggers. one or two of their tracks have turned up on some of those killed by death lp's.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

NY Niggers are awesome.Cant believe I forgot about them.

The only south African band I ever heard was powerage. Funnily enough they are on a comp 7" I got from you David. i thought they were ok,think they did a few lps as well. I also have a 7" by White Flag that is on a label from SA but thats about it. One of White Flag was black as well. I think his name was Jello B Afro.

 

[CITY BABY]

theres the tempalars as well ,well 2 out of the 3 are black skinheads, excellent oi!

 

[demonica]

nwa aswell, don't forget them .......

 

[Rimbaud]

Great stuff.
A good few names there for me to check up on.
It should add a nice finishing touch to my 1st Bumper edition zine "The Shape of Black Punk to come!" - in the shops next week!

 

[Corm]

Dude from Void too, also DK's drummer.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Richard hell and the Voidoids

One of the Down by law lineups too

 

[david]

richard hell and the voidoids...now you're fuckin talkin.
on a related but unrelated note, there's a book of (sort of) academic articles about the legacy of punk (slanting more towards the '77 variety)-i can't think of the name of it, but it's got great articles on punk's influence on comics, feminism in punk and an especially good article that shatters the myth about punk being anti-racist in its formative years. there's a few eye-openers in it. you know the kind of stuff-punk's daliance with reggae, rock against racism etc. it's even got a funny picture of skrewdriver before the went skinhead-they've got a new-wave/clockwork orange/white shirt + blacktie thing going. anyway, it's good stuff, not done from a 'fan' point of view. also lester bangs' book 'psychotic reactions and carboreteur dung' has an interesting contemporaneous article on racism in the new york/cbgbs scene. worth a look.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Another few bands to add to the list.

Impact Unit,Whipping Boy,Circle One.

Those Lester Bangs Books are great.Have you read the new one?

 

[Rimbaud]

Don Letts too...

 

[NecroSteve]

If someone made a film about the early 90s Norwegian Black Metal scene it'd be class.

 

[CITY BABY]

theres a great bit in the clash film westway to the world where their chatting to don letts and asking him about the whole scene back then ,he was tellin a storey of when he first met bob marley and he (don) was wearing his tarten bondage pants and bob marleys reaction was " hey mon ,where jah tink ya goin im dem pants climbing a mountin!"