Handsworth Revolution In my book the best album ever – British Reggae

Back in 1977, I was listening to my favourite radio show John Peel Session, the place for anyone with musical taste the place to tune into for the best new upcoming sounds and bands but this night it was the turn of a British reggae band Steel Pulse. I was blown away with the voice of lead singer David Hinds and the overall sound of the band. Four tracks played and rare for me I rated them all.

Now I knew who they were it was a case of waiting for them to announce a release date for a single or album so I kept my eye on upcoming releases in Sounds music paper. Their first release after the Peel Session was off their new record label Island Records and the track "Ku Klux Klan", a tilt at the evils of racism, powerful stuff. I rushed to Spillers Records; renowned for being the first record shop in the world to acquire a copy of the single, but I became seduced by the shiny 12” record. It didn’t chart well just missing a top 30 spot but they were never a chart-defined band.

Five months later, their debut album “Handsworth Revolution” hit the shops and I was there buying a copy. The album was critically acclaim in the music press. There was definitely a British edge to the sound on the album, different to the reggae coming out of Jamaica and listening to Steel Pulse open the door to more British reggae. The album reached #9 on the British charts ten days after its release. The album contained strong spiritual themes linked to Rastafarians becoming more common in reggae lyrics acquiring the name roots reggae.

I would say the album was the best I had ever owned and the only time I could say hand on heart every track was great. When you buy an album you expect a few duds on their but not on “Handsworth Revolution” they are all brilliant.

Track listing

1. "Handsworth Revolution"

2. "Bad Man"

3. "Soldiers"

4. "Sound Check"

5. "Prodigal Son"

6. "Ku Klux Klan"

7. "Prediction"

Tracks like “Ku Klux Klan”, all complement one another. “Handsworth Revolution” reflected race relations in Britain were in crisis. The National Front was gathering power, immigrants lived in fear of violence, and the black and white youth united under the banner Rock against Racism. If there was a weak link to the album I would pick “Bad Man” if you talking commercially.

If I had one out and out favourite “Soldiers” would run, a close second in words I believe telling the story of the rape of Africa by the Europeans and every nation under the sun seeing the continent as easy pickings. This short segment of the song about sums it up,

We got our spears

We got our shields

But their guns were greater

Prepare for a slaughter

I love the song “Sound Check”; classic and so underrated the same can be said about “Prodigal Son” underrated no way this is Steel Pulse at their best and a great vehicle for David Hinds voice. What reggae band can’t have a salute to the herb and “Macka Splaff” is the anthem part of been a Rastafarian Feeling high, high, high.

The next track “Prediction” send shivers down my spine when I first heard it on the Peel Session, perfection from the opening cord to the last. But you have to remember you are normally listening to the raw state on Peel and once in the studio and produced its refined before its release. I was totally blown away with the opening Spanish Guitar intro on the album moving it beyond perfection.