Dread Broadcasting Corporation

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"Rebel Radio" redirects here. For anarchic radio, see pirate radio. For the Grand Theft Auto V radio station, see Rebel Radio (Grand Theft Auto).
Dread Broadcasting Corporation
Dread Broadcasting Corp.jpg
Broadcast areaLondon
Frequency93.9 / 103.8 FM
SloganRebel Radio
Programming
FormatReggae, Lovers rock, African, Soul, Funk
History
First air date
1980
Last air date
1984

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]

History[]

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 BBCs Oxford Road Show programme in January 1982.[11]

DBC would eventually cease broadcasting in autumn 1984.[4]

Discography[]

  • Striving To Be Free / It's A Sign 12" (DBC, 1982)
  • Dread Broadcasting Corporation 2xCD (Trojan Records, 2004)

References[]

  1. ^ Dennis, Tony (23 October 1981). "Black Pirates in the Grove". Time Out. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Dread Broadcasting Corporation founder Lepke has died". The Wire. 25 March 2018.
  3. ^ Lloyd Bradley (13 April 2018). "DBC Lepke: A Dread Outta Control". RDMA Daily.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Hind, John & Mosco, Stephen. Rebel Radio: The Full Story of British Pirate Radio. Pluto Press, 1985. pp. 33–38.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Hebditch, Stephen. London's Pirate Pioneers. TX Publications, 2015. pp. 97–101.
  6. ^ "The Living Dread". Stand Up and Spit. 31 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Dread Beat?". Stand Up And Spit. 20 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Black to the future". The Independent. 1 November 2004.
  9. ^ "We Spoke To Neneh Cherry About Working With Four Tet". Vice. 10 February 2014.
  10. ^ Hebdige, Dick (1987). Cut'n'mix: culture, identity, and Caribbean music. Taylor and Francis, 1987. pp. 155–156. ISBN 978-0-906890-99-8.
  11. ^ "Dread Broadcasting Corporation - BBC Teach". BBC.
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