Synopses & Reviews
“Vivid autobiography from the Grammy Award–winning filmmaker, friend of The Clash and Bob Marley, DJ and co-founder of Big Audio Dynamite.”—Observer Music Monthly
“Whether relating tales of fainting at Black Panther meetings, being stopped under SUS laws, going to Jamaica, hanging out with Bob Marley and Afrika Bambaataa, forming a band with Mick Jones and most recently capturing Gil Scott Heron, Paul Weller and George Clinton on celluloid, he emerges as an intelligent, arresting, thoroughly likeable narrator.”—Mojo
“[Don] Letts is extraordinarily honest in every sense. Throughout, his sense of assurance and confidence in his place within the world—outsider and insider by equal measure—is inspiring.”—The Wire
“The best lesson that the filmmaker Don Letts’ autobiography can teach modern Britain is a simple one. Never limit yourself. Letts did not allow himself to be fully defined by his colour, nationality or even his Rastafarianism. That helped him play a part in the unification of the punk and reggae scenes. In doing so, he helped race relations in this country to no end.”—The Independent
“Letts’ opinionated and witty narrative is full of the kind of anecdotes (filming and hanging out with the Clash, Sex Pistols, Bob Marley and more) that some people would trade a limb for.”—Q Recommends
Don Letts has never pigeonholed himself. Culture Clash is a firsthand account, told in Letts’ own words—it’s highly visual, revelatory, irreverent, entertaining, and staunchly individual.
Review
"Part of what makes Culture Clash an exciting read are Lett's recollections of the period; of what people were wearing and what they were listening to. While lacking the in-depth journalistic detail of other dispatches from the period (I'm thinking of Jon Savage's England's Dreaming, in particular), Culture Clash was written by a gifted raconteur, who provides readers with the kind of stories that only a co-conspirator could offer." Gerry Donaghy, Powells.com (read the entire Powells.com review)
Synopsis
As a first-generation British-born black, Don Letts quickly learned to assimilate aspects of Jamaican culture into inner-city urban London life. Leaving school, he gravitated to Chelsea's King's Road, inhabiting the fashion world alongside Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren.
As resident DJ at the fledgling punk club The Roxy, Letts pumped a roots-reggae soundtrack to a predominantly white audience that included members of The Clash and the Sex Pistols, forging a link between the two clashing cultures.
A chance meeting provided him with a Super-8 movie camera, the result of which was released as The Punk Movie and set Letts on a career of influential videos featuring Sex Pistols, Pil, the Slits, The Clash, Bob Marley, and even the platinum-selling Musical Youth. His feature films include Dancehall Queen, the Grammy Award-winning Westway to the World-his documentary on The Clash-and Clash on Broadway. He has recently directed feature documentaries for the BBC on Sun Ra and Gil Scott-Heron.
Alongside The Clash's Mick Jones in Big Audio Dynamite, Letts pioneered dance culture and sampling techniques, hanging out with Africa Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, and the cream of the New York City hip-hop scene.
Admired by Fellini, a friend of Bob Marley and John Lydon, and a documentarian of The Clash, Don Letts has never pigeonholed himself. This book is a firsthand account, told in Letts' own words — it's highly visual, revelatory, irreverent, entertaining, and staunchly individual.
Synopsis
Grammy Award-winning film-maker, celebrated DJ, co-founder of Big Audio Dynamite, British Black Icon.
About the Author
David Nobakht was born in London in 1965. He grew up listening to the sounds of Suicide, The Clash and the Sex Pistols. In 1997 he graduated from Camberwell College of Art with a BA (hons) in Graphic Design. He works as a freelance graphic designer and writes reviews for regional press. Suicide: No Compromise was published by SAF (2005)