Saturday Morning Records: #12 — Linton Kwesi Johnson’s Bass Culture

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I know Linton Kwesi Johnson as poet first and foremost. And I met him — or his work — through a documentary. I was there to learn about John Cooper Clarke (same era). But through that incredible doco I found out about Linton Kwesi Johnson. This was some 25 years ago now. And when I fell, I fell heavily.

As I said in that Vinyl Countdown piece from nearer the time, I loved almost everything about LKJ almost instantly, and it wasn’t long before I found his music, and the many poems he’d turned into reggae songs, using the form to spread his message. In turn, I learned about Dennis Bovell through LKJ, just as I’d gotten to Linton via Cooper Clarke. I love when that happens! And love spreading the word, and such stories.