Mark Riley was there, back in the day in New York and was friends of some of the folk who started the whole scene. A DJ who certainly has a tale or two to tell! Mark currently hosts a radio slot on 1BTN.
Here’s footage from a previous event, where Francis (DJ Frank) was on the “wheels of steel”.
DJ Frank says…
“The Patch Block Party event will be another great community event by The Friends of William Clarke Park, featuring music made in various districts of New York in the late 70’s to mid 80’s.
Great music came out of many communities such as The Bronx and Queens and reflected those communities. Some songs were about finding the best party, others about looking after one another and respecting yourself. Norman Jay says when at a 70’s block party, MFSB’s classic track “Love is the Message” came on, he said you could feel the togetherness and emotion.
Rap took off in a big way and community was everything in South Bronx’s “The Bottom Line”, Kurtis Blow’s “Hard Times”, Gary Byrd “The Crown” and of course Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (with Duke Bootee) “The Message”, a tough reality call on living in 80’s New York.
Disco, soul and funk were still big, labels like Prelude and West End bringing heavy funk like Forrrce’s dubbed out funk crazyness “Keep on Dancing” to the cool disco-funk of The Strikers’ “Body Music”. Soon reggae-disco landed with Monyaka’s floor winner, “Go deh Yaka – Go to the Top” and then there was the futuristic sounds of electro.
The rockers weren’t sleeping either, artists such as Talking Heads, James White & the Blacks, Arthur Russell, Lizzy Mercier Descloux and a young Madonna among many brought funk into their sound. It was all going on for sure!
Films such as “Wildstyle” and books “Can’t stop, won’t stop” by Jeff Chang and Sophie Bramley’s “Yo!” The early days of hip hop 1982-84″ give you a taste of what to expect at a very funky Patch event, hope to see you there!”
Why not contact City Books in Brighton for copies of the books!