, Updated 25 May 2021, 11:58 BST
In his new autobiography,
There and Black Again, legendary DJ Don Letts documents the arc of his life, from his childhood as the Brixton-born son of Jamaican parents to his friendships with punk and reggae heavyweights including Joe Strummer and Bob Marley.
Photograph by Don Letts
When the dub-reggae scene collided with the punk in 1970s London, a new subculture was born whose influence has reverberated through the city to this day. And filmmaker and DJ Don Letts is widely credited as one of its pioneering figureheads.
In his own words, bass and reggae are “Jamaica’s greatest gifts to the world”. It’s a gift that Don a punk fanatic, too famously brought to London through his regular sets, mashing together the contrasting sounds at the then-eminent Covent Garden nightclub, The Roxy. The venue, an icon of the 1970s punk scene, witnessed the coming together of a marginalised white and Black youth a celebratory “cultural clash�
Each show will welcome live audiences in line with the current government roadmap out of lockdown. The opening programme of socially distanced gigs kicks off with BBC Folk Awards Best Duo nominees, Belshazzer’s Feast on Thursday, May 27. Other programme highlights include Mercury Prize nominee and I Am Kloot frontman John Bramwell, who takes to the stage on Friday 28 May, performing tracks from his debut solo album and Kloot classics. Director, DJ, author and broadcaster Don Letts looks back on his exceptional life on Saturday 29 May, as part of his There and Black Again book tour. With tales of befriending Bob Marley after sneaking into his hotel room and touring with The Clash, Don discusses Black Lives Matter, his new book and treading his own path.
(Photo: The Met/Facebook) THE PANDEMIC brought the world to a standstill and many events, gigs and concerts had to be cancelled or rescheduled last year. However, lockdown restrictions are gradually easing and live music and theatre will return in May, but only “if strict conditions are met”. Today, (22 April) The Met on Market Street, Bury announced plans for shows with live audiences, in line with the current government roadmap out of lockdown.
What shows are lined up at The Met? (Facebook/@metbury) The opening programme of socially distanced gigs kicks off with BBC Folk Awards Best Duo nominees, Belshazzer’s Feast on Thursday 27 May.