But Darling I WAS a punk.

Did anyone catch Don Letts' doco "Punk Attitude"? It's playing on (I think) BRAVO.
It's very good,

I saw that doc. Luv Don Letts ... Think what I loved about that era in Blighty was that punks listened to loads of reggae and there was all this cross over which doesn't seem to happen these days....

I just saw the tail end of that Don Letts docu! will def be watching it again on the rerun.
Don was always one of the nicest, most sensible and even-keeled guys in those days-- often in the midst of total mayhem.

And yes the reggae cross-over those days-- all the punk clubs played it, every band that could attempt that backbeat had a reggae-inspired song (the Ramones couldn't, bless 'em). And we loved the political content. This was before the homophobia became in-your-face.

When will we get to see the BBC-1 piece here, Anna-- can we get one of your Jimmys to burn a DVD for us?

Reggae (the deep dub stuff) was VERY influential back then.
It was the first thing that brought the worlds of "Disco/Club" and "Punk/Rock" together.

For example...
I came out of the whole Downtown, CBGB, Punk, No Wave, Art Rock thing.
But I used to go to Discos like The Paradise Garage etc. and these were always two totally different worlds.
UNTIL Dub Reggae.

I was DJing at Danceteria by then and for the first time the 2 worlds came together musically.
The sound was deep, dark, druggy & trippy.
I was playing Larry Levan "Garage Dubs" by The "Peach Boys" and "Grace Jones" and Larry Levan was playing things like "The Clash" and "ESG". Both were Danceteria bands.
The two worlds REALLY came together when New Order (another Danceteria band) played at The Garage. (Chi Chi, a Danceteria bartender, worked that night at the Garage. Another family crossover).
"Danceteria bands" like ESG became "Paradise Garage Bands". There were many other cross-overs as well, all having "Dub" in common. Island Records really worked both worlds having Grace Jones and The NYC Peach Boys. In fact, Mark Kamins (the main Danceteria DJ) worked at Island Records and was also a big Paradise Garage fan as was Chris Blackwell (head of Island Records).

I know I'm jumping the gun a little because by now (early eighties), bands like "The Clash", "New Order", "Fun Boy Three" etc. aren't really punk anymore but I guess my point is when Dub Reggae came in it changed everything.

Sorry to ramble.

And Hattie,
I agree, Don Letts is one of the nicest guys in the world.
And so smart!

I just find everything so segregated nowerdays.
I think it was that turning when black folk in the music industry decided to become gangsters and all about bitches and bling. Which was idolized by white folk in the sticks. I think that was the real downfall on the mix of music and people.
Thank God I remember those dub days too. (I moved the Notting Hill at the tail end of that).
I miss the lovers rock reggae and the ole school dub.

Agreed, music is currently put into too many boxes and categories, never to mix.

I'm probably a bit too optimistic, but, it seems that the whole mash-up scene is exposing a lot of influences and trying to bring back music into a neutral zone where innovation can really happen.

I just wish that there was more of a national scene for it vs a bunch of people playing with tracks and software in isolation...

XXXOOO
Satori

I wish sometimes for DJs that mix up the styles they play, like mixing something like New Order, with a bit of house , followed by some crazy experimental shit that the dancers on the floor don't know what to do with the music, and then some thing totally different after that and it doesn't have to make sense, like a Burroughs cut-up type thing. Or at less play some old school stuff in with the newer music, and show the kids where the ideas and early stuff that really make DJ culture what it is. They should have a night at some club somewhere called Anything Goes. Are there clubs like this anywhere?

and yes music genres too segregated, and its really the media's fault. let the different genres merge and co-habitate together and get their freak on you know?

I have to say that I listen to BBC Radio 2 online www.bbc.co.uk while i work as for my age group ahem they play such a wide selection of era's and genre's - I find it tough to find that kind of radio station here.

Andrea, I understand your wish for DJs but what you are asking is totally unorthadox.
It's scandalous.
It's... It's...
PUNK!!!

American radio is shit anyways, unless you have XM Radio or some equivalent thereof. Also too many DJs (not the Soulwax guys)play one type of music and one type of music only. Unfortunately I wasn't there at the Garage (born in the wrong decade I guess!) By the way those 2 many Djs discs are mad! Talk about types of music that don't go together! I mean mad in a good way. New Order and the Clash are punk and they aren't. the Clash became more mainstream as they dragged on and New Order was punk...when they were Joy Division, early New Order was most punk/goth, then there was the Hacienda club in Manchester and England would never be the same! And these new "punk" bands should give New Order, Depeche Mode Pet Shop Boys, Moroder, and Kraftwerk their props. The Killers just steal everything, They took their name from the name of the fictional band in their video for the song Crystal, And NOW they'r trying to be Queen and U2---I say find your own goddamn sound! JEEZ! I am tellin' you! as Kim Cooper says in the Club 69 track DIVA

By the way the Killers took the name of the fictional band in New Order's video for Crystal. I have the video collection I should know! But that doesn't make me superior to any of you!