A Not-So-Concise Chronology of African-Americans in Alternative Music
Death founds the Tryangle label and presses their own record but can't obtain radio airplay. They disband in 1977, are rediscovered in 2009 and begin touring again. The documentary "A Band Called Death" is released in 2012 and new as well as older material is put out on Tryangle and Drag City Records.
By 1974: pure hell, in the same vein February is Black History Month. Melomaniacs - aka music junkies owe African Americans a debt of gratitude for the deep, rich history of black influence and contribution to music; there is too much to list, even in the narrower confines of a single genre, but some highlights include:
as the New York Dolls, forms in Philadelphia and plays in New York along with other early CBGB acts. Like Death, the band is offered a record deal contingent with a name change but refuses to compromise their identity and integrity. Pure Hell fades but is rediscovered in 2006.
1975: don letts runs London clothing store Acme Attractions. By the mid-70s, the Acme crowd includes The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde, and Patti 1973: Inspired by MC5 and the Stooges, Bobby, David and Dannis Hackney form death in Detroit. The band is offered a record deal, but they refuse to change their name.
Smith. Letts makes "The Punk Rock Movie" in 1978. He also manages The Slits - who open for the Clash during the White Riot tour. In addition to multiple contributions in music, videos,
and film, Letts, of Jamaican descent, was also a link between reggae and punk. Many London musicians, including members of The Clash and The Sex Pistols, were heavily influenced by reggae.
were regulars at CBGB by 1982, when their first, eponymous, album was issued.
1979: fishbone, known for its eclectic mix of genres, humor, and social commentary, is formed.
1977: "Oh Bondage, Up Yours" by x-ray spex, whose vocalist poly styrene is of mixed race, is released.
1980: grace jones, former model born in Jamaica, transitions from a career in disco to new wave and reggae with the release of "Warm Leatherette." Covering songs by The Pretenders, Roxy Music, and Joy Division, Grace - with her androgynous looks, fashion, and attitude - becomes a fierce alternative icon and unapologetic inspiration. 1977: bad brains, formed in 1976 as the jazz fusion group Mind Power, is introduced to punk (and reggae.) The seminal band was "Banned in D.C." nightclubs by 1979 due to destruction caused by their fans and moved to New York City. They
1980: The Plasmatics release "New Hope for the Wretched." Multi-instrumentalist jean beauvoir, born to Haitian parents with a career in music since the age of 15, played bass for the
Plasmatics until 1984. He then worked with Kiss, Little Steven, and the Ramones. He also released solo material, formed group Crown of Thorns, wrote and produced for others, and founded (and continues to serve as CEO of) Voodoo Island Entertainment Group, Tigre Noire Music, and Hot Boy Music.
1984: Guitarist vernon reid forms living colour in New York. By 1986 he is joined by vocalist corey glover, bassist muzz skillings, and drummer will calhoun. They tour and become regulars at CBGB. In 1988 their first record, “Vivid”, is released. They issue “Time's Up” in 1990, join the first Lollapalooza, change line-up, release “Stain” in 1993, and disband in 1995. Members continue to put out additional work, then regroup and release new material in the 2000s. In addition, in 1985, reid - with journalist Greg Tate and producer
Konda Mason - founds the black rock coalition "in reaction to the constrictions that the commercial music industry places on Black artists." The BRC is "A collective of artists, writers, producers, publicists, activists and music fans assembled to maximize exposure and provide resources for Black artists who defy convention. To date, the BRC is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to the complete creative freedom of Black artists." ( https://blackrockcoalition.org/ )
1985: chuck mosley, of black, Jewish, and Native American heritage, leaves post-punk band Haircuts that Kill to join Faith No More. He is fired in 1988, largely due to erratic behavior. He joined Bad Brains from 1990 to 1992, when he then formed the band cement. Later in his life, Chuck released work under the name V.U.A. (Vanduls Ugenst Allliderasy,) sang with the band Indoria on "You'll Never Make the Six," and joined Primitive Race on "Soul Pretender." He died in 2017.
1991: "Blue Lines," the debut album by Bristol-based trip hop collective massive attack, is released. Massive Attack and its members often support and are active in political, human rights, and environmental causes. The albums "Blue Lines" and "Mezzanine" rank in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
1991: rage against the machine is formed in Los Angeles. The selftitled debut is released in 1992 to commercial success and critical acclaim, eventually earning it a spot on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Vocalist zack de la rocha, although predominantly Mexican American, is also of mixed heritage, with African, Jewish, Irish, and German ancestry.
Reading Festival, and decide to form a band. By 2003 a lineup and name are achieved: bloc party. The album "Silent Alarm" is issued in 2005. It received Album of the Year by NME.
2001: tv on the radio forms in Brooklyn, NY. Members tunde adebimpe (vocals, loops) and David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops) have extensive resumes and are joined by kyp malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and jaleel bunton (drums, bass, vocals, loops, guitars). gerard smith (bass, keyboards, loops) was a member of the band from 2005 until his death in 2011.
2003: The documentary “Afro-Punk” is released. Director james spooner and Matthew Morgan then establish the Afro-Punk Music Festival in 2005. ( https://afropunk.com/festival/broo klyn/ )
1998: kele okereke and Russell Lissack meet in London, bump into each other again at the 1999
2007: "Santogold" - blending alternative rock, new wave, and reggae - by santigold is released.
@2019: the 1865, founded by sacha jenkins with vocalist "honeychild" coleman, writes music from the perspective of a person living in post-Emancipation America. They describe their songs as "Bad Brains meets Foo Fighters in a black woman’s hair salon."
Music in system: *Bad Brains - Bad Brains *Bloc Party - Alpha Games, Hymns, Silent Alarm, A Weekend in the City *Massive Attack - Mezzanine *Santigold - 99 cents, Master of My Make-Believe, Santogold *TV on the Radio - Dear Science, Return to Cookie Mountain, Seeds
Video in system: *White Riot
Books in system: *The Secret History of Black Punk by Raeghan Buchanan * Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon by Jean Beauvoir
eBooks: *A Matter of Words: 21 Short Stories *Black Punk Now by Chris L. Terry *The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere by James Spooner *Slash They Ass Up: A Black Punk Manifesto by Yumii Thecato
eVideo/Hoopla: *Rebel Dread
*Poly Styrene: I am Cliche
See also: *Barry Adamson (Buzzcocks/Magazine, Nick Cave, Iggy Pop, Visage) *Black Pantera *ESG *Glorious Din *Ho99o9 *A.R.Kane *Bob Marley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh UXSA9w-nA Pure Hell - Noise Addiction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8 7RQiW-iEY X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours
*Janelle Monae *Rough Francis *Sister Rosetta Tharpe *Skunk Anansie *The Specials *The Veldt *Xavion
A Black Punk (And Alternative) Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be ZYjXNnT44 Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month (This has nothing to do with anything except for the title and I think it’s a cool song.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4 ZJ65oxyQQ Death - Keep on Knocking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc evVxpdPcY Death - Freaking Out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5 WkZ_M1PPQ Bad Brains - Rise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59 _FivvLXgA Fishbone - Servitude https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql HiX8-33Jw Grace Jones - Demolition Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io kyWj54ZLs Living Colour - Which Way to America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ hX8PbNUWI Faith No More - We Care A Lot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI E-A8bWJe8 24-7 Spys - Grandma Dynamite
https://youtu.be/ruTCjEboptg?si=ri QlbvWHvrnHsee5 ESG - Erase You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85 E9Q5Wx210 Massive Attack - Risingson
https://youtu.be/Yz0g7sRaJUY?si=bL ONJR0xOk0eFdIb A.R. Kane - Haunting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l zqUe1Qfec&rco=1 Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up
https://youtu.be/FuRYRjHwTvE?si=UH fw9aSq56SaE1qG Skunk Anansie - My Ugly Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42 2udgsPzgQ Bloc Party - Positive Tension
https://youtu.be/rdu8VOWk3pg?si=0c 9ZgnA19BrPSGjo The Specials - Too Much Too Young
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL pYECoWObE TV on the Radio - Playhouses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW 7WI6DjM0Y The Veldt - Everlasting Gobstopper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH rGgt1C4Qk Santigold - Go! Ft Karen O. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI 8XJ2aAT3w Suffrajett - Love Me More https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f wdVuW7Wk0 The 1865 - Get Out https://youtu.be/Y_gAVZBKoMI?si=qC HD-Pg_4BXioXHg Basement 5 - Riot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba LskXPuz0g Don Letts - No Fooling Me https://youtu.be/4wJqaCZeAVE?si=_m x21bfxTdeV5Inx Magazine - Model Worker https://youtu.be/GFtIU4k_XuY?si=f7 3RBULT4-AjcuFh Barry Adamson - I Got Clothes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im c3wr_vMM8 Jean Beauvoir - Feel the Heat
HEY THERE READER! You might find Granny Anarchy and some of the African American artists from these electronic pages NEXT MONTH IN OKLAHOMA CITY!