Basement 5
Encyclopedia
Basement 5 were a reggae
punk
fusion band from London
founded in 1978. Their first vocalist was Winston Fergus, then Don Letts
. One of their early performances was a support for Public Image Ltd.
's London debut at the Rainbow
on Christmas Day 1978. Finally in 1979 Dennis Morris
- legendary photographer of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols, took over as creative force, lead vocalist and lyricist. He also designed the Basement 5 logo and created their image. The drums were played by Richard Dudanski
, who had played in the bands 101ers, The Raincoats
and Public Image Ltd.
Their songs reflected the political situation of the time in Great Britain in the era of Margaret Thatcher
: youth unemployment, strikes, racism and the poverty of the working class.
In 1980 they got signed to Island Records
with vocalist Dennis Morris
, recording a Peel Session on 21 April 1980, aired on 28 April and their debut, self-produced single
, "Silicon Chip," on 26 May. Following this, they recorded their debut album
, 1965-1980, with record producer
Martin Hannett
, releasing it on 11 August. On the first day of recording the album, the existing drummer known as Bigga walked out of the session. The band was in shock. Having just finished touring with Ian Dury
and the Blockheads who they became very friendly with, they then used their drummer "Gentleman" Charles Charles of the Blockheads for the album.
Hannett, in an interview with Dutch music magazine Oor in 1981, said, "You have to play it very loud to enjoy it fully. It was the most difficult production, I must say, the heaviest. It was eighteen degrees in the shade, the end of August. As I recall it has been the most physical album that I've ever done. Made me feel like I'd been carrying bricks around. Heavy work. Putting the bass lines in the right place. But it was good."
The sessions also yielded dub reggae versions of several of the main tracks, released on 31 October as "In Dub." "Last White Christmas" was released in time for Christmas (1 December), as a 12" and 7" (the latter in Christmas wrapping paper with a silver sticker of the band logo). The band broke up shortly thereafter, with several members forming Urban Shakedown.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
fusion band from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
founded in 1978. Their first vocalist was Winston Fergus, then Don Letts
Don Letts
Don Letts is a British film director and musician. He is credited as the man who through his DJing at clubs like The Roxy brought together punk and reggae music.-Biography:...
. One of their early performances was a support for Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by vocalist John Lydon , guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, with frequent subsequent personnel changes. Lydon is the sole constant member of the band....
's London debut at the Rainbow
Rainbow Theatre (Finsbury Park)
The Rainbow Theatre is a Grade II*-listed building, in the Finsbury Park area of North London. Built as a cinema in 1930, it later became well known as a music venue and is now a Pentecostal church.-Cinema:...
on Christmas Day 1978. Finally in 1979 Dennis Morris
Dennis Morris
Dennis Morris is a British photographer best known for his images of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols.In 1979, he created the logo for the band Public Image Limited and the legendary and innovative Metal Box album packaging....
- legendary photographer of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols, took over as creative force, lead vocalist and lyricist. He also designed the Basement 5 logo and created their image. The drums were played by Richard Dudanski
Richard Dudanski
Richard "Snakehips" Dudanski, a/k/a Richard Nother, is an English drummer who was a member of a number of seminal British proto-punk, punk and post-punk bands, including The 101'ers, The Raincoats, Public Image Ltd., and Basement 5...
, who had played in the bands 101ers, The Raincoats
The Raincoats
The Raincoats are a British post-punk band. Ana da Silva and Gina Birch formed the group in 1977 while they were students at Hornsey College of Art, London, England.-Career:...
and Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by vocalist John Lydon , guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, with frequent subsequent personnel changes. Lydon is the sole constant member of the band....
Their songs reflected the political situation of the time in Great Britain in the era of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
: youth unemployment, strikes, racism and the poverty of the working class.
In 1980 they got signed to Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
with vocalist Dennis Morris
Dennis Morris
Dennis Morris is a British photographer best known for his images of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols.In 1979, he created the logo for the band Public Image Limited and the legendary and innovative Metal Box album packaging....
, recording a Peel Session on 21 April 1980, aired on 28 April and their debut, self-produced single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Silicon Chip," on 26 May. Following this, they recorded their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, 1965-1980, with record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Martin Hannett
Martin Hannett
Martin Hannett , sometimes credited as Martin Zero, was a record producer and an original partner in Factory Records with Tony Wilson...
, releasing it on 11 August. On the first day of recording the album, the existing drummer known as Bigga walked out of the session. The band was in shock. Having just finished touring with Ian Dury
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
and the Blockheads who they became very friendly with, they then used their drummer "Gentleman" Charles Charles of the Blockheads for the album.
Hannett, in an interview with Dutch music magazine Oor in 1981, said, "You have to play it very loud to enjoy it fully. It was the most difficult production, I must say, the heaviest. It was eighteen degrees in the shade, the end of August. As I recall it has been the most physical album that I've ever done. Made me feel like I'd been carrying bricks around. Heavy work. Putting the bass lines in the right place. But it was good."
The sessions also yielded dub reggae versions of several of the main tracks, released on 31 October as "In Dub." "Last White Christmas" was released in time for Christmas (1 December), as a 12" and 7" (the latter in Christmas wrapping paper with a silver sticker of the band logo). The band broke up shortly thereafter, with several members forming Urban Shakedown.
Main members
- Dennis MorrisDennis MorrisDennis Morris is a British photographer best known for his images of Bob Marley and the Sex Pistols.In 1979, he created the logo for the band Public Image Limited and the legendary and innovative Metal Box album packaging....
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - J.R. - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Leo 'E-Zee Kill' Williams - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Richard Dudanski - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Other members
- Winston Fergus - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Don LettsDon LettsDon Letts is a British film director and musician. He is credited as the man who through his DJing at clubs like The Roxy brought together punk and reggae music.-Biography:...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Charley Charles - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Anthony Thompson (Tony, aka "T") - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Discography
- "Silicon Chip" / "Chip Butty" 10" (1980), Island 10WIP 6614
- "Silicon Chip" / "Chip Butty" 7" (1980), Island WIP 6614
- 1965-1980, LP (1980), Island ILPS 9641
- "In Dub", Mini-LPMini-LPA Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
(1980), Island IPR 2038 - "Last White Christmas" / "Paranoia Claustrophobia (Part 2) 12" (1980), Island 12WIP6654
- "Last White Christmas" / "Traffic: Dub" 7" (1980), Island WIP 6654
- 1965-1980/Basement 5 In Dub CD (1992), IMCD 145