Babylon

[BestDressedChicken]

No, not merely a Biblically derived slang term for the police, or home of some rivers sung about Boney M. Also - a corking film by Franco Rossi, which has at last had a British DVD release.

Anyone here a fan? The lead is Aswad's Brinsley Forde, as deejay for Brixton sound Jah Lion. The film's follows the build up to a clash with Jah Shaka who makes a cameo appearence. Possibly the best bloody soundtrack ever.
It features a lot of Aswad's killer early output - "Warrior Charge" makes an appearence as a dubplate!

One of the best things about the film for me is the killer mise en scene of 70s London - all burnt out wastegrounds and scruffy streets. You can sense Thatcher the Milk Snatcher presiding over the dole queues in the background.

Also, as a small budget British film it seemed to go the extra inch in portraying the kind of alienation that racism produces. Trying not to spoil the end but the main character ends up so cut-off, disenfranchised and alienated - the last scenes of him staring out white people on the tube are truly chilling.

Essential piece of early 80s culture.

Nice fan site here dedicated to the film.

(and Filthy Rich - got a copy with your name on it).

[Filthy Rich]

Just seen clips so far, love the scenes at the dance. Looking forward to watching the whole thing.

[jakartajive]

Killer film - and a killer soundtrack.

Always a weird one for me as in 1979 - aged 10 - my mum upped sticks and left my old man and my brother and I found ourselves transplanted from the south coast to Vauxhall. My mum was working in Camberwell and we used to go down to Brixton market of a weekend, so I have all these really strong childhood memories of many of the streets in the film, down the back of Electric Avenue and Coldharbour Lane, etc.

Very influential, surely, on other future south London films like Bullet Boy, which are similarly bleak.

[BestDressedChicken]

Killer film - and a killer soundtrack.

Always a weird one for me as in 1979 - aged 10 - my mum upped sticks and left my old man and my brother and I found ourselves transplanted from the south coast to Vauxhall. My mum was working in Camberwell and we used to go down to Brixton market of a weekend, so I have all these really strong childhood memories of many of the streets in the film, down the back of Electric Avenue and Coldharbour Lane, etc.

Very influential, surely, on other future south London films like Bullet Boy, which are similarly bleak.

Similar for me. I only have vague memories of the time - I only started to travel around London on my own steam aged about 12 (1984) but I can remember the city before redevelopment. I also remember that people would warn you against going to Brixton 'cos of the riots several years early!

With regards to Bullet Boy, yeah, I think it's defintely an influence. I think Babylon is much more compelling though - I gues 'cos of the wider cast of characters, and the richness of the culture they're drawing on - South London gamblers to separatist rastas to smooching to lover's rock at a wedding vs. a slightly didatic story about gun crime. (The wedding scene seems is one of my favourite scenes, it seems perfect in its reflection of everyday life).

[Filthy Rich]

Isn't Bullet Boy set in East London though?
Haven't seen Kidulthood, where's that set?

[BestDressedChicken]

Isn't Bullet Boy set in East London though?

It's in 'ackeny, innit. Dunno about Kidulthood as the extract I've seen has put me off ever watching it.

[BestDressedChicken]

They have an overpriced (£28!) copy of the soundtrack in Haggle currently. Writing this thread makes me want to go and buy it.

[SirSlim]

a corking film by Franco Rossi, which has at last had a British DVD release.

A nice Italian boy.

Got my copy on Italian DVD earlier this year. Hadn't seen it since it first came out. I'd forgotten Mel Smith was in it for one thing!

[Plainstone]

Saw a clip from Babylon on one of those early evening early 1990s Yoof music programmes (part of a Jah Shaka feature?) and was obsessed with tracking it down for years. Have to say I was hugely disappointed by the CD release of the soundtrack, despite the involvement of Aswad pre-commercial dreck days and Dennis Bovell. Not enough of the dubplate frenzy I saw in the clip.

I have a copy of the New English Library paperback that came out as a tie-in in 1980. On the back cover it says "Soundtrack available on record and tape from Chrysalis Records and Tapes"

[SirSlim]

Have to say I was hugely disappointed by the CD release of the soundtrack, despite the involvement of Aswad pre-commercial dreck days and Dennis Bovell. Not enough of the dubplate frenzy I saw in the clip.

As with so many soundtracks - the tunes you want from the film are missing.

Some of the tunes you are probably looking for are on this Blackbeard dub Lp:

"I Wah Dub"

[Plainstone]

Some of the tunes you are probably looking for are on this Blackbeard dub Lp:

"I Wah Dub"

Many thanks! Will check that out.
Hard to find?

[SirSlim]

Many thanks! Will check that out.
Hard to find?

Seems to be a few around the web at the moment, it also had a CD re-issue in 2003.

[ninja simone]

great film that - saw it on release - v atmospheric and gloomy, which is how London felt a bit at that time. Always cropped up in late-night double-bills with either The Harder They Come or Rockers...

I'm old enough to remember Brinsley Forde in the Double Deckers along with Peter Firth (brother of Colin):

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5ex0vMmLLDo

the good old days when you could name the big fat kid character 'Doughnut' without being slammed by liberal do-gooders for being fattist

always been a big fan of early Aswad - especially like the Hulet album and Warrior Charge and Babylon from the film. It was a very distinctive sound in British reggae. Every time I try to get hold of the Warrior Charge 12" it goes for silly money. Never really understood how later Aswad were capable of producing such dross - did they ever do anything remotely decent after about 83/84?

[SirSlim]

great film that - saw it on release - v atmospheric and gloomy, which is how London felt a bit at that time. Always cropped up in late-night double-bills with either The Harder They Come or Rockers...

I'm old enough to remember Brinsley Forde in the Double Deckers along with Peter Firth (brother of Colin):

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5ex0vMmLLDo

the good old days when you could name the big fat kid character 'Doughnut' without being slammed by liberal do-gooders for being fattist

always been a big fan of early Aswad - especially like the Hulet album and Warrior Charge and Babylon from the film. It was a very distinctive sound in British reggae. Every time I try to get hold of the Warrior Charge 12" it goes for silly money. Never really understood how later Aswad were capable of producing such dross - did they ever do anything remotely decent after about 83/84?

Another Double Deckers fan here.

Re. early Aswad - the rot set in after George Oban left the group - his jazz influence is all over "hulet" especially the title track.

Do you know the solo project he did after he left Aswad?

Motion



Lovely stuff

[ninja simone]

:
Do you know the solo project he did after he left Aswad?

Motion



Lovely stuff

I know it well - easily my favourite version of Walk on By.

What happened to George Oban after that though - don't seem to recall him cropping up much?

[ninja simone]

here's a couple of bits from Babylon - first one has the end of film soundclash with Jah Shaka and the Warrior Charge toasting over the dubplate at 5.15

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3P6Qhq0W8jc

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UU9nWZs6SvE


very little early Aswad footage seems to exist (on youtube, anyway) which is a great shame but here's a couple:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c42Y75cmqag

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pA2mVNiNOec

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb2uN_spvEU

[benjamin hatton]

I have a copy of the New English Library paperback that came out as a tie-in in 1980. On the back cover it says "Soundtrack available on record and tape from Chrysalis Records and Tapes"

I've got the book too, but never seen the film, gonna have to pick a copy up!

[SirSlim]

What happened to George Oban after that though - don't seem to recall him cropping up much?

I'd like to know too - can anyone enlighten us?

[jakartajive]

What happened to George Oban after that though - don't seem to recall him cropping up much?

Don't know either. And the web reveals little.
Can't argue with this, though, can you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMxjV...eature=related

[BestDressedChicken]

Nice find, Hugh. I love that early UK Lovers sound. The lovers track played at the wedding in the film is also a total killer.

Re: Early Aswad - I know nothing about them, so this thread is proving educational. I've got a couple of nice bits by them on an old Shaka comp (which I was going to get rid of, but I've just changed my mind!) - Mosman Skank, Natural Aggression and Ghetto in the Sky. All in a similar vein to Warrior Charge. Comp is Jah Shaka Dub Masters Volume 1 - you should still be able to pick a copy up for cheap.

[BestDressedChicken]

Nice find, Hugh. I love that early UK Lovers sound. The lovers track played at the wedding in the film is also a total killer.

That being Cassandra's "Thank You For The Many Things You've Done". Obscure Babylon related triva part 9000 - does anyone remember the early drum and bass tune that sampled the film? Made use of the dialogue in the first scene in Ninja Simone's links above. Artist was Satin Storm, IIRC.

[RedX]

George Oban did a lot of work with On.U Sound in the very early 80s after leaving Aswad. He played on all three New Age Steppers albums, Singers & Players "War Of Words", did a couple of tunes with African Head Charge and Dub Syndicate, Playgroup's "Epic Sound Battles Chapter Two", Judy Nylon's "Pal Judy" and I think his last appearance on the label was on Dr Pablo's "North Of The River Thames" in 1984

He also made a record with Neneh Cherry as Raw Sex, Pure Energy - something about the Falkland's War - but I've never heard it

Just got the new Samia Farah album yesterday (shh... on CD) and was happy to see Oban's name in the credits on one track, but it turned out that the rhythm was made from a sampled loop of an old Singers & Players tune ("Hands & Hearts", from one of the On.U 10" discoplates) - great though!!

[SirSlim]

He played on all three New Age Steppers albums

Did he?

I have the first one - will have to pull it off the shelf and blow the dust off

[RedX]

He did - along with Steve Beresford. Though he was the lone bassie on "Action Battlefield"

[SirSlim]

Though he was the lone bassie on "Action Battlefield"

That's the one I have - still need to dig it out.

[Hayes]

just watched this film through - fantastic! many thanks for mentioning it here, i wouldn't have heard about it otherwise..

i was checking out that fansite but i'm still a bit confused about what tracks were used where.. specifically, i'd like to know what the dub shaka was playing in final is, and also ital lion's big tune (- was that 'warrior charge'?)..??

any help appreciated, thanks

[BestDressedChicken]

Glad you liked it, cool

The big Ital Lion tune is "Warrior Charge", yup ...as for the Shaka tune, it's the dub of "Babylon" by Johnny Clarke - anyway, here it is on Youtube. This the tune you mean?:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U5ZIG9hxg8Q

It's entirely possible that Shaka is playing some exclusive mix as well, I suppose.

I love this to pieces. When they play this at the end, as Blue enters the dance....it's just chilling, the real meaning of "dread". Should be able to score the soundtrack relatively easily. (Still not got one myself).

[Hayes]

yes! that's the tune is was after.. and i know exactly what you mean about that scene - dark! it also really reminded me of the simillarity with some of the dubstep stuff too, superminimal, heavy bassline, that slow stepping tempo etc.. wicked stuff.. inspired me to look for some 12s again, that 'warrior charge' isn't so cheap (on 12), is it?!

thanks again!

btw, found a copy of the s/t for 15€, if you still want to pick it up? i'm going to hold out for the 12s and bovell's 'i wah dub' lp. i have the 'brain damage' lp which has a couple of the tracks from the film that aren't on the official s/t release (and there are a few other tasty dubs there too, recommended lp)

[BestDressedChicken]

I'm going to pass on it for now (check your PMs), brought enough (too much!) stuff recently - does anyone else want to scoop it up?

[Xann]

Got asked what the car chase music was in 'Babylon' today.

It's not on the soundtracks, he also said it wasn't reggae and there was a Hillman involved.

Not a fan myself. IMDB and the Babylon Blog unhelpful.

Any ideas? Library maybe?

Input from the collective welcomed.

...does anyone remember the early drum and bass tune that sampled the film?

Something heavier and a bit more recent.