What makes a protest song? The Specials should know. First time around, back when the 70s were lurching into the 80s, they sang of racism, war, unemployment and the rough edges of urban life, and never in the same way twice. As the multiracial flagship of the 2 Tone movement, they made a political statement every time they stepped on stage. June 2021 saw the 40th anniversary of their last and greatest protest song, Ghost Town, a record that will retain its eerie power as long as there are concrete jungles, empty dancehalls and desperate spasms of violence.
 
It's fitting, then, that in 2021 the Specials are releasing Protest Songs 1924-2012, an unpredictable collection of unique takes which celebrates the long history and endless versatility of the form, from folk to post-punk, from righteous uplift to biting satire, and from Kingston to Alabama. It’s a potent reminder that there are no fixed rules to templates for a protest song. All that’s required is the combination of something that needs to be said with music that needs to be heard. “People have been using music as a vehicle for protest since time immemorial,” says bass-player Horace Panter. “Injustice is timeless.”
 
“2020 was the year of protest, wasn’t it?” says Horace. “It was in the air. The hardest part of the whole record was deciding what songs to use.” Following the musical liberation of Encore, genre was no obstacle. Each song demands a different arrangement or tone of voice. “We thought, let’s throw out the musical constraints of the Specials. There’s not a tonic suit or Fred Perry in sight. We don’t want to deny our past, because that enables us to do what we do now, but we have our own creative minds to make up.”

Los Angeles based, solo Native American songer/singwriter, Artist, & bandleader with: Jasmine Sunrise, Mudmen Of Echo Park Lake, Yndojun, and, The Sufferers Incorporated.
Freely navigating various styles of Americana based music, including: Rock, Blues, Folk, Romantic, Soul, Funk, Avant Garde, Dub, Metal, Psychedelic, Native, and Jazz. , 

PRODUCER / COMPOSER - DJ CHRIS BANGS BIOGRAPHY

As well as an extensive global career in the music world with releases in the USA, Japan and all over Europe as well as countless UK releases, Chris has been writing and producing music for Film and TV for many years now with his music in major brand ads, films and countless TV shows in the USA and around the world.

Working with major publishers, production music companies and directly with independant music supervisors and publishers his music has soundtracked everything from Nokia, Philips & McDonalds ads, Sex In The City, Bargain Hunt ,to The Dog Whisperer and Oprah Winfrey Show. Chris's talents have also added that distinctive " Bangsy " musical flavour to other artists such as Paul Weller, The Brand New Heavies, Will Downing, Ce Ce Rogers, Linda Clifford , Sharon Redd and many, many more.


Chris's extensive musical experience also takes in a long career DJ'ing, music publishing, running his own record labels, sync licensing and the administration of an extensive catalogue of masters for licensing.

 

CHRIS BANGS DJ BIOGRAPHY

Rare Groove ... acid jazz ... hippy house... Talking Loud ... the Balearic beat - all influential sounds, scenes and styles that went off with a BANGS ! No doubt about it, Chris Bangs has been a pioneering and inspirational figure in the British underground dance scene of the 80s and 90s and helped to light up the burgeoning black music dance scene of the early eighties. Bangs' name became associated with many celebrated events - from The Special Branch, Cock Happy and Doos At The Zoo to his own legendary Bournemouth Bank Holiday sessions, the Caister, Prestatyn and Rockley Sands Soul Weekenders and even the original Corfu and Ibiza 'summers of love' and Chris has played at venues as varied as V Festivals, Goodwood, Vintage Festival Southbank, Faith Parties, Natural History and Kew Steam Museums to numerous appearances in clubs such as Fabric and Pacha to Cafe Del Mar.

Towards the end of the 80s, Chris really hit pay dirt as a musical trend-setter with the invention of Acid Jazz genre and as a producer and artist responsible for many early recordings on Eddie Piller's Acid Jazz label and Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud (producing Galliano's celebrated debut album) His success internationally enabled Chris to set up his own studio and production company, Thin Air. His talents were soon spotted outside of the acid jazz scene with Paul Weller utilising Chris's production skills. This liaison led to a partnership with Weller's former Style Council-er Mick Talbot as SoundscapeUK - one of a whole range of projects marked by the Bangs stamp that have secured commercial and critical acclaim from the USA, Japan, Europe and Australia.

Today, Chris can be found in his studio surrounded by his records and a host of musical collaborators so don't be surprised if he's too busy to talk. Instead, try asking the aforementioned Piller, Weller, or Peterson as well as the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong, Nicky Holloway, Danny Rampling and many more for a genuine endorsement of one of our true pioneers.

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