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Michael Smith - Mi Cyaan Believe It

Started by SpiderChrist, November 06, 2018, 02:58:55 PM

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SpiderChrist

Michael Smith. Mikey Smith. One album produced by Linton Kwesi Johnson and Dennis Bovell, then killed, seemingly by a rock to the head by members of the Jamaican Labour Party after he heckled one their own at a political rally. Been listening to this album since I was about 16 and love it to bits, but it's never been granted a CD release for some reason, and the vinyl is long out of print and never been reissued. Baffling, really, cos it's one of the best reggae albums I've ever heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwZXy9OwPK4

manticore

Nice to see this LP mentioned. I bought it when it in 1982 because of the LKJ connection, and it's an excellent record. I didn't know much about Mikey Smith so I just looked him up and it turns out he was a social worker with anarchist leanings, and LKJ says he thinks he suffered from schizophrenia. Haven't listened to him for ages, but I will now.

https://standupandspit.wordpress.com/2014/10/26/remembering-michael-smith/comment-page-1/

I'll ask on a reggae facebook group if anyone knew him, he seems like a very interesting figure.

SpiderChrist

Cheers for the link, Manticore, never read that before. It is baffling why Island would sit on an album as well-regarded as Mi Cyaan Believe It is. Knew about his political leanings (which are apparent from listening to the album) but not about his mental issues. There's a documentary floating around somewhere too, but I think it's split into separate bits, with bits missing.