ONE LOVE: REGGAE: Mukhthar Dar: Artist, Creative Producer, Artistic

“Yes, it's actually Steel Pulse 'Handsworth Revolution' and the reason I've chosen this is because back in the 80's when I first heard this particular album it had a huge impact upon me. The lyrics - “One hand washes Another” and the whole kind of lyrics and the musical content, but particularly the lyrics - it’s very much unique about the black British experience. It comes out of Handsworth, it talks about racism it talks about unity and it talks about a valiant cry to take up arms against injustice - against racism and that there needs to be a fundamental change in society.And Steel Pulse’s track 'Handsworth Revolution' was a seminal tune and had a huge impact. And since then becoming the Festival Director of Simmer down festival , which has now grown to become the biggest free reggae festival in UK I've been fortunate that I've been able to program many of the reggae artists and in 2015 we had Steel Pulse headline along with some of the other great Birmingham reggae legends Musical Youth and Apache Indian. We paid tribute to Birmingham’s reggae heritage and Steel Pulse headlined and it was a real honour to have them in Handsworth Park. Since then I've become very close friends with Amlak and Selwyn, members of the Steel Pulse. So that's my album and those are my reasons for choosing it.”Mukhtar Dar: The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham, 22nd January 2019Steel Pulse: Handsworth Revoluion - released 1978Simmer Down Festival - Facebook
Mukhthar Dar: Artist, Creative Producer, Artistic , Steel Pulse: Handsworth Revoluion

 

“Yes, it's actually Steel Pulse 'Handsworth Revolution' and the reason I've chosen this is because back in the 80's when I first heard this particular album it had a huge impact upon me. The lyrics - “One hand washes Another” and the whole kind of lyrics and the musical content, but particularly the lyrics - it’s very much unique about the black British experience. It comes out of Handsworth, it talks about racism it talks about unity and it talks about a valiant cry to take up arms against injustice - against racism and that there needs to be a fundamental change in society. 

And Steel Pulse’s track 'Handsworth Revolution' was a seminal tune and had a huge impact. And since then becoming the Festival Director of Simmer down festival , which has now grown to become the biggest free reggae festival in UK I've been fortunate that I've been able to program many of the reggae artists and in 2015 we had Steel Pulse headline along with some of the other great Birmingham reggae legends Musical Youth and Apache Indian. We paid tribute to Birmingham’s reggae heritage and Steel Pulse headlined and it was a real honour to have them in Handsworth Park. Since then I've become very close friends with Amlak and Selwyn, members of the Steel Pulse. So that's my album and those are my reasons for choosing it.” 

 

Mukhtar Dar: The Custard Factory, Digbeth, Birmingham, 22nd January 2019 

Steel Pulse: Handsworth Revoluion - released 1978 

Simmer Down Festival - Facebook