Superstonic Sound: The Rebel Dread Doc on Don Letts

Although this trailer views like a mishmash of archvial (but still great) footage, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this new doc on Don Letts, Superstonic Sound.

And, as you already know, I'm a fanatic for all things Don Letts.

DREAD AT THE CONTROL

(WARNING: I feel a multi-day, Clash-themed tangent coming. So here's the first of several to come...)

I first learned about Mikey Dread after seeing a casual portrait of Don Letts made by Bob Gruen. Letts was donning a great, partially obscured graphic on his t-shirt that really caught my eye. Then, I noticed Strummer wearing an identical shirt (that's him and Futura playing Ms. Pac Man above) in several other Gruen photos;  'Dread at the Controls,' it read. At first, I just figured it was the name of Letts' radio show or something. I asked a friend about it and proceed to do some research online. I also dug deeply into some of my other Clash periodicals/reference books. Mikey Dread was a Jamaican musician/producer who first worked with the Clash in 1980, assisting with production and backing vocals on 'Bankrobber.' (I definitely put 'Bankrobber' in my top 10 favorite Clash songs). As it turned out, 'Dread at the Controls' was not name of Letts' show, but of Dreads' Jamaican-based radio show. Letts was really at the forefront of sharing and importing Jamaican roots music into London in the late 70's...

I had also heard the phrase, 'Dread at the Controls' as in lyric in 'Radio One.' It's is an obscure Clash recording, actually written by and led by Mikey Dread on vocals (and maybe Simonon on bass); released as a B-Side in 1981. I clearly concluded that I had to "bootleg" this graphic. 

I have made about 3 or 4 of these, and given most of them away to friends. I kept the execution pretty simple, just hand-cut, Bristol board stencils and some high quality aerosol. What's a little bit of work to make a 'legit' bootleg that I love to wear? (To date, nobody has 'recognized' the origin/reference of the graphic. Either my fellow Clash aren't as fanatic as I thought or I need to get out of the house more often. Maybe both.)

Unfortunately, Mikey Dread passed away earlier this year, so RIP and thanks for the inspiration; Dread at the Controls!

Don Letts

The legendary Don Letts interviewed and sharing some inspiring words about music, self-empowerment, Punky Reggae Party, the Roxy, the state of contemporary hip hop and more.


Brilliant.

REBEL TRUCE

There's a short clip of Rebel Truce circulating on the interwebs. It's the latest biopic of the only band that mattered, The Clash. It features a lot of footage from Don Letts' archives, but besides that, I don't know much about the film.

I can't wait to see it in it's entirety....

BAD

Big Audio Dynamite played a secret show in Los Angeles last night as an unofficial part of the post MOCA/Art in the Streets exhibit...great to see Mick Jones, Don Letts and the rest of the crew rock a packed house.

WHO KILLED BAMBI?

I guess someone is putting out a new film on the infamous life and death of Sid and Nancy...gonna be tough to top Gary Oldman, in my mind at least. Regardless, the trailer is fairly well-done and it's always great to see interviews with the legendary Don Letts.