Ed Emery's Revolutionary Radio Show

Introduction

This radio show is revolutionary. Revolutionary because my records go round and round, mostly at 33rpm. Revolutionary because music and song circulate - they go round and round - and that is the subject of my musicological researches at SOAS. Revolutionary because the old vinyl which I am going to play before you goes round and round in the sense of recycling - I buy most of it secondhand in cheapo-cheapo record stores around Europe and elsewhere, scouring the bins... And finally, revolutionary because that is the nature of my politics. Activism (musical and otherwise), and dissent as a principle of life.

My programmes (one per month, with luck) will operate on the principle of "maxi musique - mini bla-bla". Most of the tracks speak for themselves. If you want further information, I shall be setting up a website giving lyrics, notes, historical annotations etc for each of the items contained in my radio shows. You can also write to me at the address below.

The tracks are taken from an archive of black vinyl that I have accumulated over the past 40 years. Some of it political, some of it radical, some of it songs of the heart. Songs of love and liberation. The first programme was produced for Mayday 2010. It runs for about 30 minutes. I hope you enjoy it.

ed.emery [@] soas.ac.uk

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This is the third programme in the series. My next job is to create links from the Playlist which will take you to the lyrics for the songs, and also to musicological notes about the various items contained in my programmes.

PLAYLIST

01. Four green fields - The Flying Column - Vogue/Emerald-Gem GES 1059 - 1971
02. Message from Albert - Albert Ayler - "New Grass" - EMI-Impulse SIPL519 - 1968
03. New generation - The Soul Singers - "New Grass" - EMI-Impulse SIPL519 - 1968
04. Parchman Farm - Mose Allison -
05. The message - Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five - Sugar Hill SHL117 - 1982
06. Joe McCann - Christie Moore - "The Iron Behind the Velvet"
07. La lega - "Bella Ciao " - Dischi del Sole - 1976
08. Longshot (Kick de bucket) - The Pioneers - "Long Shot" - Trojan RBL103
09. Miserere my maker - Alfred Deller - "Alfred Deller: Purcell, Bach, Handel, Buxtehude, Campian" - Decca Grandi Voci 411661, 1984

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Welcome to Ed Emery's Revolutionary Radio Show.

This is the second programme in the series.

PLAYLIST

01. The Oul' Alarm Clock - Brendan Behan - “Easter Week and After: Songs of the IRA” - Topic 12T44 - 1960
02. Little Rootie-Tootie - Thelonius Monk - “Monk's Moods” - Esquire 32-119 - 1954
03. Train ride to Rainbow City - The Pyramids - “Sounds like Ska” - Joy Records JOY 125 - 1968.
04. My little sister - Michelle Shocked - “The Texas Campfire Tapes” - Cooking Vinyl COOK 02 - 1986
05. How can you keep on moving? - Ry Cooder - “Into the Purple Valley” - Warner Reprise K44142 - 1971
06. Rocky road to Dublin - The Dubliners
07. Sonny's lettah - Linton Kwesi Johnson - “Forces of Victory” - Island Records ILPS 9566 - 1979
08. Monika wants to be an engineer - The Flying Pickets - “Lost Boys” - 10 Records - 1984
09. Fujiyama Mama - Wanda Jackson - “Pioneers of Rock: Vol. 2” - Starline SRS5120 - n.d.
10. True blues - The Last Poets - “Jazzoetry” - Douglas Records ADLP6001 - 1976
11. The parting glass - Joe Homes and Len Graham - “After Dawning: Traditional songs, ballads and lilts from the North of Ireland” - Topic 12TS401 - 1979

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"Songs of Love and Liberation." That is the title of our concert at SOAS for Mayday 2010. And it is the theme that I have chosen for my Revolutionary Radio Show on OpenAir FM.

I spend my time digitising the archive of revolutionary and political songs that I have accumulated over the past 40-odd years, and here I mix them with tracks that have moved me to happiness or sadness, to laughter or to tears. I am glad to have this opportunity to share them with my friends, comrades and family, and with you the listener.

This week's episode has Italian and Irish, German and Greek, Uruguayan and South African. You will hear Atahualpa Yupanqui, the Sogenanntes Linksradikales Blasorchester, Giovanna Daffini, Abdullah Ibrahim, Maria Farandouri, A. Virgilio Savona, José Alfonso, The Dubliners, Gil Scott-Heron and Robert Wyatt.

These songs are the bearers of hope, historical, fiery dissent and revolution. I make my radio programmes so that they are not lost to memory.

My intention is to develop a critical discourse around these musics. For details of the performers and composers, as well as critical annotations, I refer the listener to the show's website [n.b. forthcoming]

Ed Emery

1 May 2010

PLAYLIST

01. Duerme, negrito - Atahualpa Yupanqui - Le Chant du Monde - LDXS 4394 - n.d.
02. Gedanken über die Rote Fahne - Sogenanntes Linksradikales Blasorchester - L'Orchestra - OLPS 55006 - n.d.
03. Bella Ciao - Giovanna Daffini - Dischi del sole 7926561 - 1989
04. Liberation dance - Abdullah Ibrahim - Denon Records - YX 7537 ND/S - 1978
05. To gelasto paidhi - Maria Farandouri - Broadside Records BRS 311 - 1970
06. Nella testa di Nicola - A. Virgilio Savona - Dischi del Zodiaco VPA 8163 - 1972
07. Grandola Vila Morena - José Alfonso - Dischi del Zodiaco VPA 8219 - 1971
08. MacAlpine's Fusiliers - The Dubliners - Polydor SPEMC 63 - 1974
09. Jose Campos Torres - Gil Scott-Heron - Arista Records AL 8301 - 1978
10. Red Flag - Robert Wyatt - Rough Trade Records - Rough 35 - n.d.

Ends

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