Dread Broadcasting Corporation, also known as DBC, was a 1980s West London pirate radio station which is credited as Britain's first black music pirate radio station.[1]
 | |
| Broadcast area | London |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 93.9 / 103.8 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Reggae, Lovers rock, African, Soul, Funk |
| History | |
First air date | 1980 |
Last air date | 1984 |
History edit
It broadcast from the Neasden and Ladbroke Grove areas, and was founded by DJ Lepke (born Leroy Anderson)[2][3] in the Autumn of 1980.[4][5][6] Originally broadcasting on AM, it moved to FM at the end of 1981.[7] DBC would play reggae, lovers rock, African, soul, and funk.
Ranking Miss P (sister of Lepke) would originally start out on DBC, eventually moving onto a long career at the BBC.[8] Guest shows would include the likes of Joe Strummer from the band The Clash, Neneh Cherry and author Lloyd Bradley.[9]
Miss P, commenting on the station at the time: "There's never been a station run like DBC. Our format allows us to play music that would otherwise never be heard publicly. We create movement within the industry."[10]
The station featured on the BBC's Oxford Road Show programme in January 1982.[11]
DBC would eventually cease broadcasting in autumn 1984.[4]
Discography edit
- Striving To Be Free / It's A Sign 12" (DBC, 1982)
- Dread Broadcasting Corporation 2xCD (Trojan Records, 2004)
References edit
- ^ Dennis, Tony (23 October 1981). "Black Pirates in the Grove". Time Out. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ "Dread Broadcasting Corporation founder Lepke has died". The Wire. 25 March 2018.
- ^ Lloyd Bradley (13 April 2018). "DBC Lepke: A Dread Outta Control". RDMA Daily.
- ^ a b Hind, John & Mosco, Stephen. Rebel Radio: The Full Story of British Pirate Radio. Pluto Press, 1985. pp. 33–38.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Hebditch, Stephen. London's Pirate Pioneers. TX Publications, 2015. pp. 97–101.
- ^ "The Living Dread". Stand Up and Spit. 31 March 2018.
- ^ "Dread Beat?". Stand Up And Spit. 20 August 2014.
- ^ "Black to the future". The Independent. 1 November 2004.
- ^ "We Spoke To Neneh Cherry About Working With Four Tet". Vice. 10 February 2014.
- ^ Hebdige, Dick (1987). Cut'n'mix: culture, identity, and Caribbean music. Taylor and Francis, 1987. pp. 155–156. ISBN 978-0-906890-99-8.
- ^ "Dread Broadcasting Corporation - BBC Teach". BBC.