Fela, Funk, and Nigeria in the Early '70s

In this week's episode Tim and Jeremy continue with the second part of their mini-series on the music of '60s and '70s Africa. They start with an exposition on the ideas put forward in Paul Gilroy's seminal book The Black Atlantic. With reference to a variety of historical theorisations of the experience of Black people since the period of slavery, we hear how Gilroy offered a diasporic understanding, showed the moderness of black cultural production, and opens questions of why music ended up paying such a central role in the culture of North America, Europe and the Caribbean.

Jeremy and Tim then turn their attention to Nigeria in the early '70s. We hear about the titanic influence of Fela Kuti on world music, how he exchanged ideas and influences with James Brown on his 1970 tour of Africa, and how the length of the records of the Afrobeat sound he pioneered lent themselves to the emerging dancefloors of NYC and beyond.  Tim Lawrence and Jeremy Gilbert are authors, academics, DJs and audiophile dance party organisers. They’ve been friends and collaborators since 1997, teaching together and running parties since 2003. With clubs closed and half their jobs lost to university cuts, they’re inevitably launching a podcast.  

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.  

We'll be taking a very short break over the festive period, but will be back early in January 2022 to pick up where we left off.  

Tune in, Turn on, Get Down!  

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Tracklist:
Geraldo Pino and the Heartbeats - Power to the People
Fela Kuti - Viva Nigeria
James Brown - There Was A Time (I Got To Move)
Fela Kuti, Africa 70 and Ginger Baker - Black Man's Cry
Fela Kuti - Shakara
Lijadu Sisters - Fasiribo

Books:
Paul Gilroy - There Ain't No Black in the Union
Jack Paul Gilroy - The Black Atlantic
Judith Butler - Gender Trouble
Tricia Rose - Black Noise
Carlos Moore - Fela: This Bitch of a Life