Transpontine TV: Broadcast Two

I'm going on holiday so no more posts for a week or two. To keep you entertained here's another collection of musical South Londonism (if these don't all show on the screen above, go to the Transpontine Two playlist on Youtube to watch the whole lot).

1. Blak Twang - Thumbz Up - phew some decent UK Hip Hop from Deptford-raised rapper 'you say you a gangsta but your shirt is from ASDA'.

2. Mica Paris - You're my one temptation - from 1988, the Brockley soul diva's finest moment.

3. Gabrielle - Rise - the other great Brockley soul singer sings over a Dylan sample.

4. Shampoo - Trouble - straight outta Plumstead, they started off putting out a Manic Street Preachers fanzine and ended up big in Japan.

5. Jah Shaka at Arklow Road Deptford 18th July 1986 - Shaka ran an Arts and Craft Culture Shop in New Cross in the 1980s - anyone know where it was?

6. Papa Levi - Mi God Mi King - more sound system action from 1984 with South East London favourites Saxon Sound System featuring Papa Levi.

7. Blade - Reflection - born in Iran, he moved to New Cross in 1986 and quickly became a UK hip hop artist - 'when he visited Cavern Records in Lewisham he discovered that the owners were keen to start their own label, and wanted to use the single to kick start it. Blade agreed, and Lyrical Maniac eventually came out on Raw Bass records in 1989' (more here).

8. Klaxons - Golden Skans - the biggest thing to come out of New Cross in years need no introduction.

9. Mad Professor - Kunta Kinter dub '91 - very busy video for a great track. The Mad Professor had his Ariwa studios in Gautrey Rd SE15 from 1982 to 1986.

10. Shortwave Set - Repeat to Fade - great band from Deptford with new album out soon.

Always happy to hear any more South East Londonist information about the above - what school did they go to? where did they used to live? etc.

Transpontine TV

I’ve put together a Transpontine playlist of videos on YouTube of music and songs linked to South East London. Take a look at:

Band of Holy Joy - What the Moon Saw (1985) – gorgeous song, the band recently reformed and when I saw them at the Windmill in Brixton last year they were fantastic. Cherry Red recently released a retrospective compilation, Leaves that fall in Spring (see review at Swedish Nurse).

Test Department – Total State Machine (1984) - awesome industrial assault from their Beating the Retreat album in solidarity with striking miners.

Conflict – The Serenade is Dead – live anarcho-punk action from 1985.

(the previous three bands all had connections with Nettleton Road in New Cross)

The Violets - Mirror Mirror (2006) – current Angular favourites.

Linton Kwesi Johnson – It Dread Inna Inglan (1979) - unaccompanied reading from dub poet, ex-Goldsmiths student and long time Brixton resident – ‘no matter what they say, come what may, we are here to stay inna Inglan’.

Squeeze - Up the Junction (1979) – from Top of the Pops, ‘I never thought it would happen with me and the girl from Clapham’. The SE London band played early gigs at The Oxford Arms in Deptford (now the Birds Nest).

Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (1992) – The Only Living Boy in New Cross.

Shirley Temple (1936) – Old Kent Road – US child start goes cockney in the film Little Princess.

Brain of Morbius (2003) – I'm a Busy Bee and I'm loaded – big in New Cross and apparently massive in Hungary

June Brides (1986?) Every Conversation – live version of one of the greatest 1980s indie-pop songs. The band were based in Lewisham (lived in Courthill Road) and used to rehearse at studios off Creek Road in Deptford.