My Mixtape: Asian Dub Foundation's 10 tracks for 30 years at the Southbank Centre
Ahead of their 10th appearance here Asian Dub Foundation reflect on 30 years of Southbank Centre connections
A genre unto themselves, since 1994 Asian Dub Foundation have served up a unique combination of tough jungle rhythms, dub bass lines and live guitar, alongside high-speed rap and social and cultural commentary.
Throughout those three decades, the band have also had a strong connection to us here at the Southbank Centre, including appearances at no fewer than three different Meltdown festivals. And in January 2025 they returned once again, performing their soundtrack to La Haine over a live screening of the film in our Royal Festival Hall.
Ahead of that performance we asked Asian Dub Foundation to put together a special mixtape playlist for us, and they didn’t disappoint, with this 10 track blitz courtesy of guitarist Steve ‘Chandrasonic’ Savale. As Savale himself explains, ‘our score of La Haine on was our 10th show at the Southbank Centre, so this mixtape is based on some amazing memories and associations with this iconic venue’.
Savale breaks down his mixtape inclusions below, charting a memorable history for both the band and ourselves. Enjoy.
‘Taa Deem’ – Asian Dub Foundation with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Since it first opened there has been no greater home to South Asian music in London than the Southbank Centre. Here’s our collaboration with someone who fired up the Royal Festival Hall for the first time in the mid-1980s, Qawali legend, and one of our biggest influences, Nusrat Fateh Khan.
‘Children Crying’ – The Congos
Another of Asian Dub Foundation’s heroes, this is one of the inimitable Lee Perry’s finest productions. We were greatly honoured when we were asked to play his Meltdown in 2003.
‘The Old Man’s Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)’ – Scott Walker
Another legend who asked us to play at his Meltdown, in 2000, which was both unexpected and joyful as I’ve been a long-time devotee of his work. This is one of the most simultaneously haunting and politically literate tracks I’ve ever heard, and when you realise what it’s about (the clue’s in the title) it’s no surprise that this is his most popular tune on Spotify right now.
‘Orderliness, Godliness and Discipline’ – African Head Charge
Produced by our mentor Adrian Sherwood, another regular at the Southbank Centre. A love for On U Sound was something the older members of the original Asian Dub Foundation had in common so you can see how much a part of ADF’s DNA this is.
‘Broken Britain’ – Asian Dub Foundation featuring Chowerman
For one of our shows at the Southbank Centre the organisers graciously allowed us to programme a stage featuring young artists from our associated music education project, Community Music. ‘Broken Britain’ was put together by said Community Music, featuring upcoming MC Chowerman. The community education approach is still very important to us which is why for our 30th anniversary we thought it was important to restate this philosophy in 2024-25. We believe such a philosophy is still relevant now and that the fire is still burning.
‘I am Stretched on Your Grave’ – Sinead O’Connor
We miss Sinead terribly, and it was a great honour to work with her on one of our best tracks, ‘1000 Mirrors’. The track I’ve chosen shows what great musical vision she had, no-one had heard anything remotely like this when it came out. She will live in our hearts forever.
‘Warm Leatherette’ – Grace Jones
Her show as part of Massive Attack’s Meltdown in 2008 was magnificent, one of the best I’ve seen.
‘Golden Years’ – David Bowie
Another great moment in our history, being asked to perform our re-score to La Haine for the great man’s Meltdown back in 2002. ‘Golden Years’ was a family favourite when I was growing up.
‘Judah’ – The Revolutionaries
This is from one of the first Dub albums I ever heard and my first exposure to the wildly innovative rhythm section that was Sly and Robbie, who also played a superb set at Massive Attacks’s Meltdown.
‘Dhun Kafi’ – Ravi Shankar
Ravi played his first ever sold-out show in the UK at the Royal Festival Hall in 1958. It also happened to be the occasion of one of my parents’ first dates. Need I say more?
Asian Dub Foundations’ 30 year anniversary album, 94-Now: Collaborations, featuring a number of artists and tracks featured in this playlist is available now.
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