by Humanity has a lot to thank its African motherland for, particularly within the musical realm.
From the age-old rhythms of the nation’s many hyper-local folk traditions to the revolutionary Afrobeat of Fela Kuti, music is an art form that seems intrinsically woven into the cultural fabric of that vast and ever-diversifying continent. So it is no surprise that that rich musical history has resonated with countless Western musicians over the years, including Joe Strummer.
Strummer made his first mark on the music world during the age of barre chords, bondage trousers, and inexplicable gobbing. Alongside The Clash, the songwriter helped to lay the foundations for London’s blossoming punk rock explosion, but his output was always a little more expansive and experimental than his contemporaries. In fact, it was that ever-diversifying approach which meant The Clash were still flying high while virtually all the other sons and daughters of the punk age had fallen by the wayside.
Over the course of their flawless discography (not counting that horrendous final album), The Clash explored everything from Jamaican ska and dub to rockabilly, jazz, and they were even early adopters of hip-hop thanks to a few formative years spent in New York during the early 1980s. Strummer seemed to have an insatiable lust for musical discovery, stretching to all corners of the globe to get his fix.
Even in the years after The Clash’s ultimate demise in 1986, Strummer’s voyage of musical discovery continued, leading him to the cumbia rhythms of Latin America, the deep basslines of Caribbean reggae, and, of course, the expansive musical landscape of Africa. Virtually every region, tribe, ethnicity, and nation of Africa has its own distinctive sound, with roots stretching back hundreds of years – thus making African music a rich sonic tapestry ripe for discovery.
What to do with all this newfound musical knowledge? In Strummer’s case, the answer came in the unlikely form of the BBC World Service. Back in 1999, the punk pioneer was awarded his own radio show on the Beeb, appropriately entitled London Calling, and in contrast to many radio shows on the BBC, Strummer was reportedly given free rein to play whatever and whomever he so desired.
As a result, the extensive list of tracks played by Strummer over the course of the show’s run reads like a list of the songwriter’s greatest influences, fondest discoveries, and closest contemporaries. Among the likes of Bo Diddley and the Ramones, though, Strummer showcased a lot of his favourite African music on the show, spanning the length and breadth of the continent.
Such is the ignorance of Western music tastes that the vast majority of African artists espoused by Strummer are virtual unknowns outside of their native lands, save for cult followings of musical obsessives and hipsters buzzing around the ‘world music’ sections of any local record store. However, there is a wealth of innovative, infectious, and revolutionary music to be found in the works of Thu-Zahina, Sonny Okosun, Mzikayifani Buthelezi, and a litany of other artists worshipped by Joe Strummer over the course of his radio tenure.
So, not only does this collection of 15 tracks (collated into a playlist below, for your listening pleasure) reflect the richly diverse musical output of Africa, but they also provide a stunning insight into the listening habits of Joe Strummer during his later years.
Joe Strummer’s favourite African music:
Thu-Zahina – ‘Lokoko’
Luyeye Gaston – ‘Ah, Ngai Nzambe’
Mzikayifani Buthelezi – ‘Izinkomo Zombango’
Dilika – ‘Amazimuzimu’
Brenda Fassie – ‘Vuli Ndlela’
Tabu Frantal – ‘Sala Molende’
Sonny Okosun – ‘Fire in Soweto’
Afel Bocoum – ‘Jeeny’
Shoba – ‘A Sambe Siye E Goli’
Bada Seck – ‘Nguewel’
Amadou and Mariam – ‘Mon Amour, Ma Chérie’
Thu Zahina – ‘Sanga Mbele Mbele’
Amaswazi Emvelo and Mahlathini – ‘Siwuhambile Umhlaba’
Franco and Sam Mangwana – ‘Co-operation’
Orchestra Baobab – ‘Aida Baoury’
