Birmingham super group...Steel Pulse is the most important reggae voice ever to emerge from the UK. Jimmy Cliff said it and so did Linton Kwesi Johnson whose controversial documentary Dread, Beat and Blood was banned before a general election in the UK. Fans of Steel Pulse include the late Bob Marley, Spike Lee and Sting. Arguably, in their quest to fight injustices head on, Steel Pulse is the most important reggae band to ever emerge. They rose to fame in Birmingham in the 70's with Handsworth Revolution when British reggae acts didn't stand a chance in the UK or in Jamaica. They went on to get signed by Island records releasing Ku Klux Klan and donning the hooded outfits live on stage in Middle America. Their gigs inspired Roger Rankin to say it was surprising that they never got shot. They were also the only British reggae band ever to win a Grammy for Babylon the Bandit, an album about the omission of blacks from the bible and they even filed a million dollar law suit against the New York City taxi commission for not picking up blacks. They have got a following in the four corners of the globe and after having conquered America they have relentlessly raised awareness for Africa when the British Chancellor, Gordon Brown, despite his pledge to help Africa in December 2004, had not set foot in Africa on an official visit. Listen to me talk to Steel Pulse about their latest African Holocaust album. During the next eighty minutes we go right back to the Handsworth days and share intimate moments from the past including parties with the Stranglers, touring with Bob Marley and Burning Spear, advising Benjamin Zephaniah on whether to accept the OBE and facing the critics on Jamaican Homophobia. Above Steel Pulse say sit up and listen and leave the love stuff to the likes of Usher. They have something to say and they're up there with other acts of courage like Bono's race to stop world poverty and Sir Bob Geldof's attention on Ethiopia. To have this kind of access to artists with such a history is a rare thing...have it the Introspective way.
Actors:
David Hinds, Selwyn Brown, Sidney Mills, Clifford Pusey, Jerry Johnson, Wayne Clarke, Makiesha McTaggert, Amlak Tafari, Ronald McQueen, Basil Gabbidon, Colin Gabbidon, Donovan Shaw, Steve Nisbett, Alphonso Martin, Mykaell Riley, Melvin Brown, Alvin Ewen, Tyrone Downie, Errol Reid, Yaz Alexander
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