18 Jun 2013

Madam Medusa

UB40 (1980)

While some argue that UB40 went on to commercial covers, they produced some ground breaking material in their early years, check out 'Present Arms In Dub' for one. They are one of the biggest selling Reggae bands around, and you don't reach those heights of fame without catering for the popular masses at some point, early tracks such as 'Madam Medusa' remain not only a statement of the times, but songs which skip genres and leap musical fashions, to remain very listenable and still fresh today.
The images are of 1970s Brum, and reflect the time and some of the hardships certain communities faced, Birmingham wasn't all problems and towerblocks at the time, but it's hard to deny some of the social and architectural mistakes that had been taking place in British cities over many years prior to bands such as, UB40, The Beat and The Specials came around to highlight it.