Live Flagrant, Make People Nervous: Transmission 473, 2019 June 26

The previous program may have been opportunistic; this one was deliberate and low-key angry. "I like this thing I've started doing," proclaims our host; while I referred to the "interstitial" music by Laraaji, I could have meant the whole transmission.

I've been coy about things that happened over the summer, and the change in direction the program has taken. Let's be frank instead. I Have Basically Stopped Searching For Music By White People. (I'm calling for a complete ban on white musicians until we can figure out what's going on!) I feel like I was radicalized by more than one thing, but let's face it--it's Morrissey. Everything comes back to that guy.

There's no need to attempt a summary or listsicle here; the internet is full of them. But at some point I discovered some terrible things he'd said during the Smiths period and it became clear that he had not changed--he's always been who he is, and those around him have always known. It doesn't matter to me that his bandmates might not be racists or Brexiteers or For Britain members in 2019; 35 years ago they knew who he was and they were ok with it. That's enough.

I don't take this as a warning not to have heroes; I still kind of think heroes are important. But you have to choose them better.

I've found myself attracted to some music because of the social scenes I've been a part of, and I suppose those scenes themselves, and/or my participation in them, are part of the problem. Whether it has been "college rock" or "postpunk" or "4ad" or "industrial" I'm too often the only black person in the room, and that feeling too is a well-documented thing on the internet that doesn't require any added comment from me. So I guess not everything comes back to Morrissey. But I'm tired of stretching to imagine that people are expressing things that are inclusive of me, relevant to me. If race is such a general, clumsy heuristic, you'll have to explain to me why it is as useful as it is. Go ahead and "Sistah Souljah" me if you must, but that this would sound really ugly coming from a white person is the price you pay for owning the entire fucking world. I don't happen to have that problem.

I had also made some new friends at "theory camp" and I'd like to think that at this stage the direction the summer would take was already determined and clear. Surely that's not true? But this is a part of my "radicalization."

My inbox is still open and I am fine with music that non-terrible people of any cultural background send me. I'm also still amenable to Music From The Past that was performed by non-terrible people, at least until I learn that they actually were. That happens a lot these days. Any aggrieved parties can sue me for whatever this program is worth.

BOMBAST playlist, 2019 June 26, 2100-2300:

1. "Ya Nini" | Verckys & L'Orchestre Vévé | Verckys & L'Orchestre Vévé: Congolose Funk, Afrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba 1969-1978 | Analog Africa
2. "Mama Liza" | Konono N°1 | Congotronics | Ache
3. "Mmmhmm (feat. Thundercat)" | Flying Lotus | Cosmogramma | Warp Records
4. "Genevieve (Unfinished)" | Jai Paul | Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) | XL Recordings
5. "dreams and converse" | DAWN | new breed | Local Action
6. "Beliefs" | Sneaks | Highway Hypnosis | Merge
7. "B Boy Your Best (Vocal)" / "Bonus Beats" | The Incredible Body Mechanix | B Boy Your Best | Mirage
8. "Hardrock" | Herbie Hancock | Hardrock | Columbia
9. "Mussoliki" | Bernard Ntone | Pop Makossa - The Invasive Dance Beat Of Cameroon 1976​-​1984 | Analog Africa
10. "Licking Stick 1" / "Licking Stick 2" | The Soul Kids | Toute L'Afrique Danse Vol. 10 | Hot Casa
11. "Haddi Aanan Gacaloy" | Dur-Dur Band | Dur Dur of Somalia, Vol. 1 & 2 | Analog Africa
12. "It Rough Down Ya" | I-Roy | Can't Conquer Rasta | Radiation Roots
13. "Ten Commandments" | Prince Far I | Voice of Thunder [reissue] | Get On Down
14. "Population Dub" | Tapper Zukie | Escape from Hell | Jamaican Recordings
15. "Chariot Dub" | Scientist | In the Kingdom of Dub | Superior Viaduct
16. "Connection" | Dellinger | Rhythm Shower | Get On Down
17. "We & We In Azawad" | Mdou Moctar & Elite Beat | Mdou Moctar meets Elite Beat In a Budget Dancehall | Boomarm Nation
18. "Colonial Mentality" | Fela Kuti | Black-President | Capitol

Make all the mistakes in life and still not give a damn

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