Dread,Beat & Blood; The Linton Kwesi Johnson Story

Adam Bauer
	
"But at the end of the day love transcends race. Love transcends class.  And love transcends color." ---Linton Kwesi Johnson

	Only few musicians have done as much for politics, community and music as Linton Kwesi Johnson has done.  A powerful Jamaican intellect, Linton Kwesi Johnson (LKJ) has brought the graphic messages of a life of oppression to a wide spectrum of readers and listeners.  Through poetry and music, Johnson brought the harsh realities of a life of oppression to the ears of many, including leading British organizations to battle racism in his native England.  In fact, Johnson's militant stance helped catalyze Britain's anti-racism movement.  LKJ has used the primal power of the spoken word to empower a revolution.  A free thought outlaw, Johnson let nothing get in the way of the moral truth.  "From the jump, LKJ's unique art forever flipped the script, proving to a fullness that poetry, music and politics do mix well" (Terril, 1998). The following is an examination of the life of Linton Kwesi Johnson.  His influences on reggae music and dub poetry, as well as his views on equal rights, language, Rastafari, industry, and the future of society.
The Young LKJ;	
Linton Kwesi Johnson was born on August 24, 1952 in Chapleton, a small town in the rural parish of Clarendon, Jamaica (LKJ, 64).  Linton was raised by his grandmother on her tiny farm in Jamaica.  A righteous black woman Linton's grandmother taught him racial pride, belief in the self, a fierce work ethic and to read the only book they owned; the Bible.  Inspired by the beautiful power of the Bible, Linton decided to become a writer when he was very young.  In November 1963 Linton moved to the predominately west Indian London community of Brixton, to live with his mother (LKJ, 64).  For an eleven-year-old Jamaican boy, London was quite a culture shock.  Linton recalls; "I saw a white-man on the streets.  All the white people I saw in Jamaica drove fish-tail cars and smoked cigars.  So when I saw someone, a white person, actually sweeping the streets it was a bit of a revelation" (Hargus, 1997). Linton was not used to a predominately white society, although he knew the path ahead of him would only make him stronger.  British society was in the midst of a social upheaval, labor strikes, racial/working class unrest, the rise of the anti-immigrant National Front, the Profumo sex scandal, and most important the emergence of the black power movement. (Terril, 1998)
The British Black Panther Movement
Johnson intrigued by the European culture continued to cultivate his mind studying at Tulse Hill secondary school, and later studying sociology at Goldsmith's College (University of London).  As Johnson became educated he became powerful.  LKJ joined the Black Panther Youth league in 1970, while in the league he arranged several writing workshops to encourage other black youths to voice themselves (Terril, 1998).  "That's where I learnt my politics and about my history and culture, " Johnson said.  "That's where I discovered black literature, particularly the work of W.E.B. Dubois, the Afro-American scholar who inspired me to write poetry" (Hitchcock, 4).  Linton reflects on the Black Panthers in a current interview. "It was an organization that came in to combat racial oppression, to combat police brutality, to combat injustices in the courts against black people, to combat discrimination at the place of work, to combat the mis-education of black youths and black young people."..."The Black Panther movement was not a separatist organization like Louis Farrakhan's 'Nation Of Islam'. We didn't believe in anything like that. Our slogan was 'Black Power - People's Power'..." (Ludes, 1998). When asked about the Panthers view of white society he responded;  "...and we also realized that we had to live in the same world as white people and that if we wanted to make some changes we had to win some support from the progressive section of the white population" (Ludes, 1998). Yet Linton is no racist, he is a firm believer in peace between all races and genders, although he will tolerate no form of racial injustice.  When asked what must be reconsidered when a white marries a black he responded; "I think that when there's interracial marriages there is always difficulties for both sides. Because there's sometimes resentment,- for example if it was a black and a white person. There might be resentments from some black people that the black person has married a white person and there will be resentments from the white people that the white person has married a black person. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY LOVE TRANSCENDS RACE. LOVE TRANSCENDS CLASS. AND LOVE TRANSCENDS COLOUR" (Ludes, 1998). A concept many more of us should live by.
The Beginning of "Dub Poetry"
LKJ's performance at the Brixton Keskidee Centre in June of 1973, historically marked the beginning of "dub poetry" (Terril, 1998). A phrase Johnson would coin and conquer in the following years of his life.  He began to work with a group of Rastafarian drummers called Rasta Love.  They began doing small performances, and LKJ began writing more and more powerful poetry.  Over the next five years LKJ collaborated enough poetry to release his first book of poetry.  His poems first appeared in the journal Race Today and in the 1974 Race Today brought out his first collection. Titled "Voices of the Living and the Dead" (LKJ, 64), it was this book of poetry that first portrayed the graphic lifestyle of the oppressed people.  Yet no media attention was given to LKJ's work until he released the next volume of controversial poems in 1975 entitled Dread, Beat, and Blood.  This book of poetry propelled him into national spotlight, LKJ began to read to massive crowds, appeared on BBC television and on the radio.  By 1978 LKJ released his first album entitled Dread Beat and Blood (LKJ, 64).  His poetry mixed with reggae dub music morphed into a fresh new musical style later coined "Dub-poetry".  Linton said; "Whenever I wrote I had reggae rhythm in my head." LKJ took much from the style and language of the reggae DJ lyricists like Big Youth, U Roy, Dillinger and many counterparts" (Hitchcock, 8).  Dread Beat and Blood was a beautiful mix of Linton's anger and rage filled monotone style, balanced by the smooth beats of reggae dub music.  By age 26 Linton had developed a new genre of reggae music; "dub-poetry".
A Rub-A-Dub Stylee	
When asked to define the term dub Johnson once replied; "let's say it's the art of deconstruction".  Johnson's love of the drum and bass propelled his newfound desire to perform with various reggae dub bands.  "Dub is drum and bass music.  If you want to be academic about it or technically you can say it's the deep structure of reggae.  It's the very skeleton of music."..."You have a piece of music and you take away the different elements and you're left with the drum and bass.  And then you bring in guitar, you bring in keyboard, you bring in piano, whatever...(Ludes, 1998).  Once known as simply the "remix" of a track (no vocals), dub music has evolved into a huge genre of reggae music. Perhaps the most unpredictable and unique form of reggae, dub has pushed the limits of experimentation of sounds.  "The studio engineer is the one who makes Dub.  It's the studio engineer that it most creative manipulating the rhythms of the music.  Let's say it's the art of deconstruction.  It's a deconstructive art."... "You use a lot of reverb, a lot of delays of echoes and so on, to create a kind of atmosphere which gives a kind of illusionary spacial dimension to the music which also helps enhance its danceability" (Ludes, 1998). Deemed the "Grandfather of Dub" LKJ helped push along the dub reggae movement to a new culture; a British culture.
The Switch
LKJ's new found love of dub music extremely increased his popularity.  With success encouraging him to switch to a more well-known record label, LKJ switched to Island Records in 1979.  Later the year under budgetary restraints they still managed to produce the audacious and radical island debut Forces of Victory.  Forces of Victory was "music that mercilessly took no prisoners".  "A live n' direct broadcast of riddim-intensive tales from the frontlines of black Britannica" (Terril, 1998) Brutal depictions of brutality, LKJ used his own personal experiences of police brutality to write the infamous "Sonny's Lettah".  A tragic poem a of the young rebels battle against the anti-suss laws of British society.  "My worst personal experience of racism was when I was beaten, brutalized by three police officers from Brixton Police Force in November 1972."..."Far, Leavers and Bloom were the names of the three police officers. I was brutalized by these police officers, because I saw them brutalizing some other black people and I tried to get their names and addresses so that I could inform their parents (some young people). And just because of my concern for these people I was racially abused and beaten and charged, framed by the police officers!" (Ludes, 1998)  This poem essentially encouraged a new sort of uncompromising call for a raise in consciousness in the UK youth.  
LKJ The Musician
Teaming up with Dennis Bovell, LKJ began to help arrange his own dub pieces. "I'm not really a musician but I compose the music for my albums. I write the basslines, I decide what kind of instrumentation I want to use and Dennis does all the arranging and the mixing. We always go for a good, strong drum and bass sound and a good organ and piano sound. We have to be very careful with the equalization because my voice is very bass-y and therefore we have to be careful what frequencies we feed to the other instruments because otherwise there could be a serious clash. The voice always sits on top of the music, not mixed into the music" (Ludes, 1998)
The Dynamic Duo
The next four years Bovell and Johnson would produce three successful albums, Bass Culture (1980), LKJ in Dub (1980), and Making History (1984) (LKJ, 64).  Johnson stretched the limits of the spoken word, with new orchestrated verbal melodies exploiting his efficacious monotone verbal dialect.  The new albums mixed jazz, blues, ska, rock, mento, calypso, folk and patois.  Bass Culture provided a wide variety of themes, focusing on the connections of art and experience. "It might sound very intellectual but I'm trying to understand the relationship between experience that goes into the music, into reggae music, what implication that has for the listener when he hears his own experience on record" says LKJ (Ludes, 1998). LKJ in Dub was Johnson's first dub compilation.  While venturing on the verge of a recording hiatus, Linton still toured often.  With backing tapes and a nine-piece Dennis Bovell dub band.  He changed his focus back into his poetry continuing to write in Race Today, the journal that got him started.  Between 1982-83 LKJ aired a ten-part radio series on BBC about the history and development of Jamaican popular music (Rawlinson, par. 6).  "I regard myself as a serious writer, a serious poet, and I write my poetry when I get the time and inspiration. That's why I didn't do anything for two years" says LKJ.  "I don't write very often and it gets harder every time I do it. I've always tried to make every record sound different from the one before it, but it's always difficult to transcend what you've done before" (Hargus, 1997) By the end of 1983 LKJ knew it was time to return to the recording studio.  Releasing Making History his first album in three years.
Back With More Fire
The return was a triumph one, LKJ was more radical than ever.  The title track on Making History was a celebration of the black British youths.  Other tunes on the album include Di Great Insohreckshan a poem about the 1981 summer riots in Britain and Reggae Fi Radni a tune paying tribute to the assassinated union leader Walter Rodney. Making History proved to be another LKJ masterpiece (Terril, 1998).  "Upfront in the center of the dub band's riddim maelstrom, LKJ's in peak fighting form, throwing couplet combinations, metaphor counter-punches, floatin' like a butterfly, stingin' like a bee."(Terril, 1998) The album also arguably contains LKJ's best poem he ever wrote.  New Crass Massahkah a blood chilling recollection of a racist fire bombing of a South London house party.  "It starts off with the music, goes into a prose poem and then the music comes in again and then it goes back into the prose poem and then it ends with the music. I thought I'd structure the recording according to the way the poem was written and the poem is written with a refrain. It's not really a refrain but it acts like a refrain when I'm describing the actual fire in the party. The other part of the poem is the people's reaction to it's impact in the black community. Every time I'm doing the fire in the house narrative section, I introduce the music and when I do the other section I leave the music out" (Terril, 1998). Later that year Island records remastered LKJ's version of Making History against his will, which lead to the extermination of their contract.
From 1985-88 LKJ was a reporter on Channel 4s The Bandung File.  While he continued to tour LKJ established his own record label in the process; LKJ Records.  LKJ launched two singles under LKJ records, titled My Cyaan Believe It and Roots  by the Jamaican poet Michael Smith (LKJ, 64)
	In 1985 LKJ independently released a new album entitled LKJ Live in Concert with the Dub Band (LKJ, 64). The album was recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, yet it didn't nearly began to capture LKJ's powerful live performances.  This release was followed by Tings An' Times, LKJ's 1991 album with fresh new poetry.   The album was also published into a book of strictly Linton's poems again titled Tings An' Times.   Although the Linton of the 90's had a more positive message, he began to write about solutions to the worlds problems, poems of hope and peace replaced the more graphic poetry of his earlier works.  Many literature scholars from all over the world studied his controversial "Mekkin Histri" poem.  The poem is the following;
Now tell me something
Mistah govahment man
Tell mis somting

How lang yu really feel
Yu coulda keep wi andah heel
Wen di trute done reveal
Bout how yu grab an steal
Bout how yu mek yu crooked deal
Mek yu crooked deal?

Well doun in Soutall
Where Peach did get fall
Di Asians dem faam-up a human wall
Gense di fashist an dem police sheil 
An dem show dat di Asians gat plenty zeal
				Gat plenty zeal
				Gat plenty zeal

It is noh mistri
Wi mekkin histri
It is noh mistri
Wi winnin victri

Now tell mi something
Mistah police spokesman 
Tell mis something

How long yu really tink
We would tek yu batn lick
Yu jackboot kick
Yu dutty bag a tricks
An yu racist pallyticks
Yu racist pallyticks.

Well doun in Bristal
Dey ad noh pistal
 But dem chaste di babylan away
Man yu shoulda si yu babylan
How dem really run away
Yu should si yu babylan dem dig-up dat day
				Dig-up dat day
				Dig-up dat day

It is noh mistri
Wi mekkin histri
It is noh mistri
Wi winnin victri

Now tell me something
Mistah ritewing man
Tell mi something

How lang yu really feel 
Wi woulda grovel an squeal
Wen soh much murdah canceal
Wen wi woun cyaan heal
Wen wi feel di way wi feel
Feel di way we feel?

Well dere woz Toxteth
An dere woz Moss side
An a lat a addah places
Whey di police hide
Well dare woz Brixton
And ere woz Chapeltoun
And a lat a addah place dat woz burnt to di grown
				Burnt to di grown
				Burnt to di grown

It is noh mistri
Wi mekkin histri
It is noh mistri
Wi winnin victri
---LKJ


Wicked Poetry, Patois?
In order to appreciate the writings of LKJ, one must first learn to appreciate the way Linton writes.  Linton writes using his native language of Jamaica, the language of "twisted English" called Patois.  Linton has very strong feelings about the aura surrounding his native language.  LKJ's reflection on the language called Patois; "The term ' Patois ' is unhelpful to describe the languages of the Caribbean. I prefer to use the term which the Barbadon poet Brathwaite uses which is the term NATION LANGUAGE."..." Patois really is a term which refers to broken French. It is sometimes used to describe what is spoken on the English Caribbean islands, but I think it's an unhelpful term, because it is really basically referring to the French islands" (Ludes, 1998).  The understanding of LKJ's native language is the foundation to begin to understand his poetry.  Mekkin Histri. Making History?  LKJ refers to the displacement of African/Carribean black youths living in England as they make history.  He refers to the dark chapters of our worlds history exposing the impact of forced relocation by colonial rule.  LKJ writes with righteous "rythmn of resistance", attempting to inform the youths that what happened, and what we learn as "history" was wrong.  While the poem simply asks "mistah govahment man" why he is so crooked, and when "mistah police man" will end brutality, the power of the poem transcends what is merely written.  The power of the message relates to the historical paradigm of "national purity".  The message is a wake up call and a catalyst for a human community, which is LKJ's ultimate goal in life.  While LKJ may resent "Babylon", a Rastafarian term used to describe the system, he still wishes to unite everyone, in a "one love" concept sort of way.  Although LKJ believes that history is NOT changing, but has merely been "swept under the carpet".  While LKJ is positive, he believes we are all heading in the right direction chanting down Babylon, he claims we "winnin victri".  
LKJ; Chanting Down Babylon is he Rasta?
	While LKJ is from Jamaica and fully believes in "chanting down Babylon" he is not a Rastafarian.  In response to why LKJ is not a Rasta he responds; "I'm not a Rasta, because I don't believe that Emperor Haile Selassie is God. I don't believe in the whole, say, repatriation of black people back to Africa." ..."I couldn't identify with this Selassie thing.  I just couldn't identify with that at all" (Hitchcock, 7) Yet LKJ gives great respect to the many proud Rastafarians, and believes in many of their ideals.  "But I RESPECT Rastafari. Rastafari was an important movement. People see it sometimes as a religion. But Rastafari is rooted in the anti-colonial struggle. It began as an anti-colonial movement that said we are tired of being dominated by white European cultural imperialism and political domination and so on." "So Rasta was a kind of an important antidote to fourhundred years of colonial brainwashing which made a lot of black people feel inferior about their blackness. Rasta was a POSITIVE antidote to that kind of negativity" (Ludes, 1998) Perhaps, LKJ's use of such words as "Babylon" and "dread" imply he is a believer of the Rasta revolution, although his intentions are to bring the Jamaican language to the world. 
A Word of Many Meanings
"But to give you a simple answer to your question, the language I'm writing is mostly JAMAICAN" (Ludes, 1998) LKJ has used Jamaican dialogue in many different symbolic ways.  For instance, the word "dread" has been used to describe many different things.  Normally a dread is referred to a wise Rasta elder, or someone involved in the movement yet LKJ uses it to connote a sense of crisis.  His poem "Dread in Babylon" is used to exemplify that sense of crisis whether political or cultural.  He uses dread to describe danger "because every stand against injustice invites retribution from those who see inequity as a niggling but necessary byproduct of their barbarism" (Hitchcock, p.6)  He also uses the word as a weapon of defiance, for instance in the poem "It Dread Inna Inglan".
Maggi Tatcha on di go
Wid a racist show
But a she haffi go
Kaw,
Rite now,
African 
Asian 
West Indian
An' Black British
Stan firm inna Inglan
Inna disya time yah.

Far noh mattah wat dey say,
Come wat may,
We are here to stay
Inn Inglan,
Inn disya time yah...
---LKJ "Dread Inna Inglan"

While Rasta provides oppositional politics for LKJ, his heart was never touched by the almighty.  Yet the deployment of the word dread, which is clearly apparent in his work was the influence of the overbearing childhood in England.  This is why LKJ considers himself a poet and not your typical Rastafarian reggae musician.  
Roots, Rock...Reggae?	
While reggae is essentially the backbone of all LKJ's musical works he does not consider himself a reggae artist.  He does not believe that reggae can exhaust the realities of African/Carribean cultural experiences.  LKJ's thoughts about contemporary reggae music; "Like all other popular forms of music,- Reggae,- a lot of it is about boy-girl relationship. You know, just like in rock music they sing songs about love, about,- 'girl I love you', 'boy you treat me bad' and this kind 'a thing. A lot of it is like that" (Ludes, 1998).  In 1975 a young outspoken LKJ publicly criticized Bob Marley for watering down his music and message by signing to a big label.  LKJ feared of the exploitation of his fellow brothers by money hungry record producers like Island records Chris Blackwell, refered to by LKJ as a descendant of slave masters. LKJ had this to say about Marley;
"The "image" is derived from Rastafarianism and rebellion, which are rooted in the historical experience of the oppressed of Jamaica.  It then becomes an instrument of capital to sell Marley and his music, thereby negating the power which is the cultural manifestation of this historical experience.  So though Marley is singing about "roots" and "natty", his fans know not.  Neither do they understand the meaning of the feeling of dread.  And there is really no dread in Marley's music.  The dread has been replaced by the howling rock guitar and the funky rhythm and what we get is the enigma of "roots" and rock." (LKJ, 1975 interview, Hitchcock, p.9)

I wonder what LKJ would say about Ragga, Dancehall or Rap?  While "dreads" continue to connect themselves to the capitalist society becoming what LKJ calls "commercial dreads"
Keeping it Positive
By 1992 Linton Kwesi Johnson and producer Dennis Bovell produced another dub album LKJ in Dub; Vol. Two.  Four years later LKJ produced his first compilation album titled LKJ Presents supporting other conscious MC's and slam poets.  His most recent album LKJ A Capella Live, is a collection of 14 poems including some of his unpublished works (LKJ, 64). This album takes us into LKJ's feelings on the future and where the 44-year old poet stands on current issues.  LKJ's release of More Time in 1998 marked a plateau for the dub poet musical career.  A more chipper look at confronting the evils of society, government and technology, More Time turns the once furious and radical message into a message of hope and positive action, bringing a smile to anyone's face. LKJ had this to say about the album; "Well, some of the poems are optimistic, forward looking. I'm writing about the possibilities of life. I try to make the music suit the mood of each poem. Like on Reggae Fi Bernard, a poem about the death of my nephew, I tried to conjure up the music of the Jamaican marching bands, who would traditionally form part of the funeral procession. But to an extent, you know, it's about the banishment of grief and the celebration of life, so in that sense the music might be brighter. It's a poem about how we can benefit from life" (Rawlinson, par. 11) A year later an optimistic LKJ released his first double disc anthology album titled Independent Intravenshan. The double-CD set features a variety of new and old  tracks like "Di Black Petty Booshwah," "Wat About di Workin' Class," "Di Great Insohreckshan," and "Inglan Is a Bitch," as well as a number of dubbed out Dennis Bovell tracks and 12-inch remixes (Waters, 7).  LKJ reflects on his past recordings; "It was a good period. Half of the work had been done by Virgin Records with Dread Beat and Blood and Island simply capitalized on that and developed that. Those albums I did with them are still selling. When I was with Island, it was perhaps the golden era for me as a recording artist. (Since then) The political landscape has change but the need for struggle hasn't changed" (Terril, 1998). 
The Present
Today, the still radical and conscious poet, LKJ is known as the creator of "Dub Poetry".  He has influenced many other dub poets such as Oku Onuora, Mikey Smith, Mutubaruka, Brian Meeks, Breeze and Anita Stewart, to name a few (Hitchcock, 8).  LKJ has continued to accomplish amazing achievements encouraging the importance of an education.  In 1985 he was made an Associate Fellow of Warwick University, 1987 a Associate Fellow of Wolverhampton Polytechnic and in 1990 received a prestigious award for his contribution to poetry and  popular music at the XIII Premo Internazionale Ultimo Novecento Awards (LKJ, 64).  Continuing to tour all over the world LKJ's work has been translated into various foreign languages, a message that can be understood by all.  LKJ speaks would you could say; a universal language.
Final Thoughts
One could debate whether LKJ is a good singer or a good reggae musician, but first we would have to debate whether he is a singer or reggae musician at all.  While LKJ's music touches on various genres of music such as jazz, ska, dancehall, reggae and even rap it is none of the above, it is dub poetry.  "I do worry in a sense that people might forget that I'm a poet and just get off on the music but I always like to think of it in this way, that the music articulated in a good way, and also the views are plain and clear and articulated well. But I don't want people to forget that I'm a poet" (Rawlinson, par.12). One may ask how one remains popular without morphing themselves into the pop culture that is deemed "in" by the music industry.  LKJ has not changed his message in twenty years neither has he conformed to any sort of contemporary music style.  Yet, he still continues to spread his ideals and messages.  Perhaps, it is because nothing has changed since the 26-year-old released his first album in Dread, Beat & Blood in 1978.  It is still evident that we are "mekkin histri" whether that history is positive or negative is for the individual to decipher.  Until "histri" becomes positive for everyone LKJ will continue to fight the battle for equality on center stage.  LKJ is spoken history, yet one can only begin to understand history and LKJ's message by letting themselves be engulfed by the vigorous snarl of LKJ's voice.  Whether you look at LKJ as just another poet speaking in patois and pentameters from some foreign place overseas, or you look at him as a communal voice reflecting on the issues that don't directly effect us, we must remember one important thing; LKJ speaks the truth.  "I just make my records and write my poems and I'm just grateful that somebody bothers to listen to it."  As long as the truth is spoken, we will listen.













16


17