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This is a film about the career of David Rodigan but it's also a window through which to see a wider human story about social change in the UK: a story of immigration and integration, and music's role within it. 

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If ever there was a show to put the word 'legend' into perspective! 👍

Edited November 18, 20186 yr by Mark R

I watched and enjoyed this. Never heard of David Rodigan previously - came across as a very ordinary and unassuming man, but with an enormous passion for the music.  I guess at that time there must have been some very scary moments when he first began his ventures into that world. Don't know if the programme mentioned it as I missed the beginning.  Made me laugh out loud when Trevor Nelson spoke of the Islands taxi drivers saying simply "Rodigan?"

Great programme and definitely a kindred spirit.

Great programme..shame more people don't know of his importance in promoting West Indian music in this country..had fair few 7" over the years stamped with..I got it at ram jam rodigans..very humble man too..great to see Peckings get some exposure too..

His book My Life in Reggae is a great read

 Just Brilliant. Total love of music. Absolute Legend. Feel a real glow from watching. Respect Sir.

Anyone have a link so I can watch it in Canada? BBC iPlayer allowed me to register a Canadian email address and then blocks it?

8 minutes ago, newer said:

Anyone have a link so I can watch it in Canada? BBC iPlayer allowed me to register a Canadian email address and then blocks it?

It's not so much your email address, but your IP address that gets you blocked.  You can trying using a VPN  (virtual private network)  that makes it look like you're in the UK.

I had already been bitten by the Reggae bug by the time I was listening to Rodigan's  legendary Saturday night shows on Capital Radio. But he opened up the music to me and so many others , heart and soul. His enthusiasm is infectious , his depth of knowledge bottomless and his jingles priceless.(Ive still got some cassettes as well !)  This programme captures  and presents his boundless energy and commitment to the music he loves so much and which of us here couldn't appreciate that. It took a while re realise it was partly done by him and both about him with some great input/tributes  from people in the Biz. (I was surprised  it didn't;t include Norman and Joey Jay. ) The market record stall and his search for Studio One classics left me envious and full of even more admiration for the man . He belongs up there with Norman Jay and John Peel for my musical inspirations. I wasn't;t aware of the book which is now on order and this is a half hour interview from its launch which repeats some of the BBC 4 programme but adds some more including Q and As from an audience. 

 

As an aside, who remembers in the 80's his column in B&S......"Ranking With Rodigan" I think it was?  From the timeline presented on the programme he would have been in his infancy back then music wise (well, in terms of his popularity/influence, I realise he was into it all well before then!), though I'm not sure when his column first appeared.

I wonder if our mate Chalky could fine one out of his Echoes collection and reproduce here and maybe we can find out when his first column appeared?

 

Cheers,

Mark R

couldn’t resist putting this up, more on the Lovers Rock tip but killer Rodigan tune, Dub version at the end was something special. 

Just watched it on iPlayer. What a guy! I'd never heard of him myself and found it fascinating, so passionate about the music and really interesting to see how he's continued to be interested in how reggae has developed and its impact on other areas of music too. I loved his pleasure in that early meeting with Bob Marley after the gig in a pub and how chuffed he was about the wave from the back of the taxi. 

Couple of new items on the Amazon wishlist now.

One of the best music documentaries I’ve ever seen, I didn’t know of David Rodigan either, but what a guy! An inspiration to us all, wonderful man.

You have to see the guy in action to believe it really.  To watch an ageing white guy hold a huge room/audience of mostly black people in the palm of his hand is quite astonishing and frankly, heart-warming.  An amazing man who commands huge respect and is deserving of his MBE for services to broadcasting, which I would imagine could have equally been awarded for services to the community.

 

Cheers,

Mark R

brill