Dennis Bovell

Rum Shack, Glasgow 3rd October 2014

The place of Dennis ‘Blackbeard’ Bovell in reggae history is assured; best known as a producer, multi-instrumentalist and dubmaster, his pivotal role in the creation of lovers rock and wider influence on British pop music is undisputed. In almost every old reggae clip from Top of the Pops featuring the likes of Dennis Brown and Janet Kay, he’s there in the background, on keyboards, bass or drums, sometimes clowning around, underplaying his part in making these performances possible. From turning out hits with his own band Matumbi, to providing the sound and power behind the words of Linton Kwesi Johnson, as well as creating some of the finest ever dub albums, his prodigious output is testament to his tireless work-rate. Having produced, co-wrote, played all the instruments and hand-built the studio for hits like ‘Caught You In A Lie’, ‘Silly Games’ and ‘After Tonight’, it is perhaps no surprise that he has stepped forward to the microphone, and he has as much right as anyone else to sing them. His voice, like a south London Louis Armstrong, is something of an acquired taste, and it is a refreshing if slightly surreal experience to hear this big, gruff middle-aged man, nowadays clean-shaven and baldhead, wearing trademark pork pie hat, singing lyrics that were dismissed as soppy schoolgirl musings at the time. How wrong that was, as they have stood the test of over thirty years, as testified by the crowd singing along to every word and helping out with the high notes.  He kept on mixing it up, taking on any songs without fear, from ska to scat, along with roots classics from his sound system days with Sufferers Hi Fi. The event was billed as ‘pon the mic’, sort of ‘An Audience with Dennis Bovell’, and it was fascinating to hear his reminiscences, from his first time in Glasgow supporting Ian Dury and the Blockheads, to working with Edwyn Collins and Roddy Frame.  It would have been nice to stick around afterwards to hear more from the man in conversation at the bar and I’m sure he offered to buy everyone a rum. He took a well-deserved rest as Bass Warrior and Fenomeno Show kept the crowd entertained and dancing. All this in one Friday night for free in the fantastic new venue the Rum Shack, a treasure isle on the southside. One love.