BASEMENT 5

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Last White Christmas

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Released: Jan 1, 1980

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Last White Christmas
4:43
11,252 plays
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Riot
3:12
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Chip Butty
3:40
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Mac The MiniMillionaire
2:53
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Sweating
3:47
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Total Plays: 39,139 / Plays Today: 1See All Featured ►

General Info

Genre: Dub / Other / Punk
Location London, UK
Profile Views: 56926
Last Login: 1/6/2011
Member Since 12/11/2006
Record Label island records
Type of Label Major
Bio
..........STAY COOL | HANG LOOSE | ADMIT NOTHING | STAY COOL | HANG LOOSE | ADMIT NOTHING |STAY COOL | HANG LOOSE | ADMIT.............Photo: Dennis Morris........ ....BASEMENT 5.... were arguably ..the.. first black punk-informed rock band and described by many artists who followed them as "hugely influential" and "groundbreaking". Starting out in London in 1978, ..'The Basements'.. were an innovative and highly original post-punk group who created a kind of politically charged, futurist, punk-fuelled dub. The lyrics were an attempt to reflect the situation of young people in Britain in the era of Thatcherism, high unemployment, strikes, racism, and working class poverty.....Originally assembled by former Roxy DJ ..Don Letts.. with £1,500 from Island Records' chief Chris Blackwell, the band's personnel was ..Winston Fergus.. on vocals, former Roxy barman and friend ..Leo Williams.. on bass and friends ..J.R... on guitar and ..Tony ('T').. on drums.....By 1979 after a short vocal stint by Don Letts himself, Basement 5's lineup was solidified with Sex Pistols/Bob Marley photographer ..Dennis Morris.. as vocalist, Leo, J.R. and soon to follow, ex-..101'ers.. and ..PIL.. drummer ..Richard Dudanski... In their short life, the band supported John Lydon's ..Public Image Limited (PIL).. debut at London's Rainbow Theatre, performed a number of shows in Portugal and signed to Island Records. The result was the album ..1965-1980.. co-produced by the legendary ..Martin Hannet.. (..Joy Division. Magazine..). Recorded at Basing Street Studios and mixed at Strawberry Studios, it became the first and only Basement 5 LP.....Hannet had this to say about '1965-1980': .."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.".. ....Long out of print, the creatively packaged LP was eventually reissued on an Island Masters CD (IMCD 145) as a partial album along with selected tracks from its original dub mini-LP partner 'Basement 5 In Dub'..... Basement 5 had broken up by the end of July 1981.....The 5 lives!.... ..DENNIS MORRIS.... talks about his new musical project Stanley Kubrick Goes Shopping... .. .. .. .. .. .... ....LEO WILLIAMS.... .. ...... ........ ......................
Members
..Voice.. ..Dennis Morris...... Bass.. ..Leo 'E-Zee Kill' Williams...... Guitar.. ..JR...... Drums.. ..Richard Dudanski......* * * * * * * * * *.... Voice....Don Letts...... Drums.. ..Charley Charles...... Voice.. ..Winston Fergus...... Drums.. ..Tony aka 'T'........ ...... Photo: Dennis Morris
Influences
....DENNIS MORRIS: TIMELESS.... (click on T-shirt image).... ......
Sounds Like
........BBC Radio: John Peel Session.. ....(28/04/1980)..........Silicon Chip / Chip Butty...... Island WIP 6614 10" (26/05/1980)..........1965-1980...... Island 203 275 (11/08/1980)..........In Dub.... (Mini LP)..Island 801 958 (31/10/1980)..........Last White Christmas...... Island 801 999 (01/12/1980)..........Compilations:............Wild Dub: Dread Meets Punk Rocker Downtown......(Select Cuts CD 2003) ..Immigrant Dub............Zero: A Martin Hannett Story (1977-1991)......(Big Beat Records 2006) ..Last White Christmas......

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Bio:

STAY COOL | HANG LOOSE | ADMIT NOTHING | STAY COOL | HANG LOOSE | ADMIT NOTHING |STAY COOL | HANG LOOSE | ADMIT...

Photo: Dennis Morris

BASEMENT 5 were arguably the first black punk-informed rock band and described by many artists who followed them as "hugely influential" and "groundbreaking". Starting out in London in 1978, 'The Basements' were an innovative and highly original post-punk group who created a kind of politically charged, futurist, punk-fuelled dub. The lyrics were an attempt to reflect the situation of young people in Britain in the era of Thatcherism, high unemployment, strikes, racism, and working class poverty.

Originally assembled by former Roxy DJ Don Letts with £1,500 from Island Records' chief Chris Blackwell, the band's personnel was Winston Fergus on vocals, former Roxy barman and friend Leo Williams on bass and friends J.R. on guitar and Tony ('T') on drums.

By 1979 after a short vocal stint by Don Letts himself, Basement 5's lineup was solidified with Sex Pistols/Bob Marley photographer Dennis Morris as vocalist, Leo, J.R. and soon to follow, ex-101'ers and PIL drummer Richard Dudanski. In their short life, the band supported John Lydon's Public Image Limited (PIL) debut at London's Rainbow Theatre, performed a number of shows in Portugal and signed to Island Records. The result was the album 1965-1980 co-produced by the legendary Martin Hannet (Joy Division. Magazine). Recorded at Basing Street Studios and mixed at Strawberry Studios, it became the first and only Basement 5 LP.

Hannet had this to say about '1965-1980': "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."

Long out of print, the creatively packaged LP was eventually reissued on an Island Masters CD (IMCD 145) as a partial album along with selected tracks from its original dub mini-LP partner 'Basement 5 In Dub'.

Basement 5 had broken up by the end of July 1981.

The 5 lives!

DENNIS MORRIS talks about his new musical project Stanley Kubrick Goes Shopping.

LEO WILLIAMS

..

..

Member Since:

December 11, 2006

Members:

Voice
Dennis Morris

Bass
Leo 'E-Zee Kill' Williams

Guitar
JR

Drums
Richard Dudanski

* * * * * * * * * *

Voice
Don Letts

Drums
Charley Charles

Voice
Winston Fergus

Drums
Tony aka 'T'

Basement 5 Band Shot

..
Photo: Dennis Morris

Influences:

DENNIS MORRIS: TIMELESS (click on T-shirt image)

Sounds Like:

BBC Radio: John Peel Session
(28/04/1980)

Silicon Chip / Chip Butty
Island WIP 6614 10" (26/05/1980)

1965-1980
Island 203 275 (11/08/1980)

In Dub (Mini LP)
Island 801 958 (31/10/1980)

Last White Christmas
Island 801 999 (01/12/1980)

Compilations:

Wild Dub: Dread Meets Punk Rocker Downtown
(Select Cuts CD 2003) Immigrant Dub

Zero: A Martin Hannett Story (1977-1991)
(Big Beat Records 2006) Last White Christmas