Misty in Roots

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Misty In Roots
Misty in Roots.jpg
Misty in Roots performing at Islington Assembly Hall in London on 13 April 2017
Background information
Genres Reggae
Years active1975–present
Website http://www.mistyinroots.ws/

Misty in Roots are a British roots reggae band formed in Southall, London, in the mid 1970s. [1] Their first album was 1979's Live at the Counter Eurovision, a record full of Rastafarian songs. The Counter Eurovision, held in Brussels, was organised as an alternative to the cheesy and conservative pop of the established Eurovision proper – a 'bread and circuses’ extravaganza in the eyes of many on the left. [2] The album was championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, [3] helping to bring roots reggae to a white audience. At this early stage, the band was a collective with five lead singers and various musicians, though by the time of the second album proper the band had slimmed down to just three members. Along with Steel Pulse, Aswad, Matumbi, Cimarons and Black Slate, Misty in Roots were one of the most popular British reggae bands of the late 1970s. [4]

Contents

Following their debut, Misty in Roots released four studio albums through the 1980s. The band had two BBC Radio 1 "In Concert" appearances in 1983 and 1985. They were invited to play in Zimbabwe in 1982 in recognition of their support for the independence movement, and were the first reggae band to tour South Africa, Poland, and Russia. [5] After a break from recording in the next decade the band returned with a new mini-album Roots Controller in 2002. [6] and continue to play concerts as of 2014. [7]

Misty in Roots supported Rock Against Racism, playing several gigs to raise money for anti-fascist causes. [8] In 1979 Clarence Baker, a member of the collective, was beaten in the head by a member of the London Metropolitan Police during a protest in Southall against a National Front meeting, and fell into a coma. [9] The punk band The Ruts, who were partners of the same collective, and had their debut single released by the People Unite co-operative, honoured him in their song "Jah War" which was released as a single and on their album The Crack the same year.

Album Discography

Studio and live Albums
Compilations
Singles & EPs

References

  1. Simpson, Dave (22 April 2003). "Misty in Roots, Band on the Wall, Manchester". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  2. Lenoach, Ciarán (11 May 2023). "RTÉ - Culture - Eurovision dissenters and the making of a classic reggae album". www.rte.ie.
  3. Perry, Andrew (26 January 2011). "Reggae Britannia: How reggae dug its British roots" via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  4. "In Honor Of Misty In Roots - Biography". littlemunk.com.
  5. "Misty in Roots | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  6. "MIR News Update" . Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  7. Simpson, Dave (20 July 2007). "Dave Simpson on what happened when reggae and punk went head to head in the UK". The Guardian via www.theguardian.com.
  8. Renton, Dave (2019). Never again : Rock against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League 1976-1982. Internet Archive. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. p. 53. ISBN   978-1-138-50270-3.
  9. Renton, Dave (2019). Never again : Rock against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League 1976-1982. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. p. 140. ISBN   978-1-138-50270-3.