November 2017. I'd been invited to be a guest on a podcast being made for UK streetwear and trainer chain, Size?. The chain was in the midst of a high class marketing effort that included Spaces In-between magazine, that I wrote a story on the DTRA for and Dimitri Coste was on the cover of (see it here) and a podcast hosted by culture clash legend, video maker, documentarian, musician and DJ, Don Letts. My miek Mike Fordham was heading it all up for London creative agency TCOL. Where do I sign up?
The podcast was recorded in the Don's 'man cave', his rasta room, his dub dungeon. I turned up with a Big Audio Dynamite enamel pin badge, that I'd owned for 30 years. B.A.D. were my favourite band when I was 16, 17. They were Mick Jones' first proper band after leaving The Clash, and actually introduced me to The Clash (and much more including The Happy Mondays, Esquerita, engineer boots, the art of Futura 2000...). They helped define a personal style I still return to now. The badge broke the ice, hugs all-round.
I was one of two guests, the other being Gemma from VC London. Don starts the podcast by saying he knows nothing about bikes and that's fine, because ot's a podcast about culture and lifestyles and he doesn't need to be the expert, just to have an interest. He's a great host, so friendly with no discernible ego, not afraid to admit he doesn't know much about the subject, but then pleased when he connects. This was recorded 2,.5 years ago, and was buried when budgets were cut, only recently seeing the light of day.
You can listen to it online through Spotify by clicking Joining the Dots podcast
Or searching for Joining the Dots with Don Letts wherever you get podcasts.
The Rebel Dread. Not skull and cross bone slippers.
Young Don and Bob Marley. He helped Bob find ganja when the reggae megastar first played in London.
Don was instrumental in marrying punk and dub reggae to shape The Clash sound.
E=MC (squared) was Big Audio Dynamite's first single, from 1985. So Fresh back then, the the cut and pasted film samples.