It was a struggle trying to get the week off work, but it had to be done. Wednesday night had already been a large one spent as usual on the Haçienda floor. The buzz was electric that night, more so than usual. Have you got your ticket for Monday? Do you know anyone who has a spare one to sell? So it went, searching, making sure we were all going to get in. Monday just could not come quick enough. The weather was hot, we were feeling good, and the added bonus was, we had a top few days planned before the party that following Monday. First stop Womad festival. Four days of escapism. K-Klass, James, Gil Scott Heron and a few nights camping under the stars at the seaside town of Morecambe. Why we set up our tent a few down from a dub reggae sound system beats me, but we didn't move it! Then it was one night to catch up on much needed sleep before putting on the disco shoes for the birthday party!
Eighth Birthday Ticket |
Eighth Birthday Poster |
Mixmag June 1990 More focused on licencing rather than the 8th Birthday Party!
The Haçienda was no stranger to deep house, and I mean deep. This record was so deep it felt like the lyric, the rhythms, beats and melody had been around since time immemorial. It was so deep it permeated the very ground we danced on, it felt like it had seeped into the atmosphere that surrounds us. It feels like its message was just waiting for the right moment to fill our souls to be free.
Part of the attraction of house music has been the messages portrayed within the lyrics, messages against oppression, separation, and hatred, messages of social inclusion, harmony and change:
‘Brothers, sisters, one day we will be free, from fighting, violence, people crying in the streets, where the angels from above fall down and spread their wings like doves, as we walk hand in hand, sisters, brothers, we’ll make it to the promised land’ or:
Joe Smooth & Ce Ce Rogers - Haçienda Classics
'Free from the pressure and the prejudice, we can change it all with tenderness, there’ll be no void between black and white, we’ll be able to walk the streets at night, You’ll be able to walk the streets at night, I won’t be full while someone dies of starvation, The whole world will be my nation, We will walk hand in hand,I’ll go to South Africa and be called a man, ' and:
'We need, come together right now, we got to show respect for one another, Bring us all together someday, because if we try to listen to each other, maybe we can find a way' not forgetting:
L.A Mix - Love Together
'To achieve the peace, that was born in our country, we shall all be free. Follow me, why don't you follow me, to a place, where we can be free, come with me, over there, an interracial hatred, and there's love to share, can you feel it'... also:
'No matter, no matter what colour, you are still my brother, I said, "No matter, no matter what colour, you are still my brother" Everybody wants to live together, why can't we live together?'
Timeless tracks that together we all sang and danced to. Joe Smooth’s - 'Promised Land', CeCe Roger's - 'Someday', L.A Mix - 'Love Together', Aly-Us - 'Follow Me' and Timmy Thomas – 'Why Can’t We Live Together'. Messages of inclusion, freedom and harmony, that we could all live as one. Through house music we could all dance under the same roof. Colour, sexuality, gender, political beliefs didn't matter we were there on the dancefloor - sharing the moment, happy, smiling, dancing and embracing. For those brief hours we spent in our cathedral... just for moments, it was real, it was possible. We took these messages into the wider world - they became our way of life, dance music breaking down barriers. I have the Banji dub of 'Love Together' on as I type - goosebumps - that piano is to die for! This post could be about anyone of these and more, but none of them were played that Monday night.
The Haçienda - Dancefloor - Ben Kelly
It
is a brave DJ that would play my chosen track from the start. It deserves to be
played this way. That's not a criticism on the DJ's who I've heard play
it either. What I enjoy about this record is that it forces you to listen
without forcing you to listen, you want to listen! It is subtle yet hits you
with a brick, you want it to end but it cannot end. One minute of spoken lyric,
one minute of pure poetry. A lyric with a rhythmic soundtrack of its own, drum
like, its lyrical chant becoming louder and louder. It was as if a message that has been
whispered for all eternity has been released, gaining momentum, speaking the
truth, making you listen, making you think, agitating your thoughts, not letting go. Lyrics
about oppression, injustice, control, of freedom awakening. Lyrics that
should never be forgotten, words that are relevant for all time. They are
deeper than words, they are feelings, thoughts, emotions, spiritual - a lyric
still relevant today! Those lyrics were
played one night at the Haçienda, around October 1990 during a live P.A. all
the way from Brooklyn New York. The beauty of that performance was, this record was played from start to finish - I was thrilled. That was an excellent night, it blew me away! However this post is about the birthday party and one particular track.
Haçienda Crowd -1990 |
Bobby Konders
The name of the track - The Poem. The artist - Bobby Konders. Known for his love of reggae, house and hip hop, Jamaican born Bobby Konders was one of the early house producers on the New York house scene in the late 80s – early 90’s. He produced the now classics, ‘Let There Be House’, ‘Nervous Acid,’ ‘Where is the Future’ and the excellent Dub Poets - 'Black and White.' All massive tracks in the Haçienda. Bobby now hosts the largest reggae show in NYC on Hot97. The Poem was released in 1990 on New York's Nu Groove Records. Like many New York labels, Nu Groove was blistering hot, their catalogue is outstanding, 'Aphrodisiac's - Song of the Siren', 33 1/3 Queen’s - Searchin’ and 'N.Y. House'n Authority's - Apt3'.... Records that have stood the test of time.
Benjamin Zephaniah - Dub Poet
During
the 80’s I spent many a night at gigs. One night, around 1985, I was fortunate
enough to see a performance by British-Jamaican dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah. Benjamin’s
lyrics were not like any poetry I had heard before, I was mesmerised. Poems
about oppression, racism and injustice with the British legal system. Poems that were far
different than the fodder we read at school. Each lyric hit home with personal
and social meaning following his experiences of the inner-city race
riots in the early 80’s. My interest was
ignited - check out the 'Dread Affair' one of my favourite books of
poetry. Incidently Benjamin wrote a poem called 'This Poem'. However...
Dis Poem
that washed ships to these shores
of mothers cryin for their young
swallowed up by the sea
dis poem shall say nothin new
dis poem shall speak of time
time unlimited time undefined
dis poem shall call names
names like lumumba kenyatta nkrumah
hannibal akenaton malcolm garvey
haile selassie
dis poem is vexed about apartheid rascism fascism
the klu klux klan riots in brixton atlanta
jim jones
dis poem is revoltin against 1st world 2nd world
3rd world division man made decision
dis poem is like all the rest
dis poem will not be amongst great literary works
will not be recited by poetry enthusiasts
will not be quoted by politicians nor men of religion
dis poem s knives bombs guns blood fire
blazin for freedom
yes dis poem is a drum
ashanti mau mau ibo yoruba nyahbingi warriors
uhuru uhuru
uhuru namibia
uhuru soweto
uhuru afrika
dis poem will not change things
dis poem need to be changed
dis poem is a rebirth of a peopl
arizin awaking understandin
dis poem speak is speakin have spoken
dis poem shall continue even when poets have stopped writin
dis poem shall survive u me it shall linger in history
in your mind
in time forever
dis poem is time only time will tell
dis poem is still not written
dis poem has no poet
dis poem is just a part of the story
his-story her-story our-story the story still untold
dis poem is now ringin talkin irritatin
makin u want to stop it,
dis poem is long cannot be short
dis poem cannot be tamed cannot be blamed
the story is still not told about dis poem
dis poem is old new
dis poem was copied from the bible your prayer book
playboy magazine the n.y. times readers digest
the c.i.a. files, the k.g.b. files, dis poem is no secret
dis poem shall be called boring stupid senseless
dis poem is watchin u tryin to make sense from dis poem
dis poem is messin up your brains
makin u want to stop listenin to dis poem
but u shall not stop listenin to dis poem
u need to know what will be said next in dis poem
dis poem shall disappoint u
because
dis poem is to be continued in your mind in your mind
in your mind your mind
Mutabaruka's
poem is as relevant today as when it was written. The Black Lives Matter
movement over the past couple of years has borne witness to the continued
struggle faced by Black people through time. Police stop and search policies, political
control, social injustice, economic disparity as well as white privilege, all still
result in the same objectives - racism, oppression, violence, and
division. This must end - mustn't it? As a white male, I cannot know what
it is like to face the daily struggle experienced by Black people. I can only
try to empathise, listen and understand. I do not wake in the morning wondering
if I am going to face abuse, wondering if I am going to be treated differently,
wondering if I am going to be stopped in the street - all because of the colour
of my skin. A privilege I do not want.
Black Lives Matter Protest - Manchester England - June 2022
I know this hate is wrong. I knew as an infant that this hate was wrong, something my father would not tolerate, he treated everyone the same. I know we are equal; we share the same emotions, aspirations, and the desire to live a peaceful life. Black Lives Matter. If this post challenges, makes you angry, read ‘Dis Poem,’ listen to ‘The Poem’ by Bobby Konders. Dance, hug, talk, read, listen, come together on a dancefloor, at a festival or on the street, in a cafe, or shop... Embrace each other’s culture. Smile at each other. Recognise that we are all the same, we are all equal. Stand up to division, discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia, they cannot and will not be tolerated. Question those who seek to assert their power, install hate and division. Show love, acceptance, and respect. Accept we are all brothers and sisters - walk tall - hand in hand. Only then Mutabaruka’s 'Dis Poem' just may reach its conclusion. Until then, may Bobby Konders song remain in our hearts, our minds and on our dancefloors. Maybe I'm a romantic but I live in hope... I still want to go to that promised land just as we once did, dancing in our utopia, in our church, our Haçienda...
Bobby Konders – ‘The Poem’ was played at the Haçienda that 8th Birthday Party night. Captured on tape, It was played loud, and we danced, we hugged, we smiled - one nation together. 'The Poem's' message didn't go unnoticed. For me it felt like both words and music had been written together at the same time, in synch with each other, although they were not, I like to think they had been! Tape 2 of the DJ mix I am sharing has been distributed many, many times, it is another one of those that remains popular. This download has an extra 11 minutes - you will also find that earlier mp3s have been labelled the wrong way round too! The added bonus with this post is you can now hear Tape 1. Feel free to click the link below to download. Enjoy!
1990.05.21 Graeme Park - Haçienda Manchester - 8th Birthday - Tape 1
1990.05.21 Graeme Park - Hacienda Manchester - 8th Birthday - Tape 2