Interview with Mykaell Riley

Mykaell Riley, a founding member of Birmingham¡¯s pioneering reggae band Steel Pulse, has worked with many successful UK pop artists as a writer, producer and arranger, and he is now director of 바카라사이트 Black Music Research Unit at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster. His research on Jamaican music¡¯s impact on British society will be profiled at 바카라사이트 ¡°¡±?talk at 바카라사이트 Ritzy Theatre in Brixton on 19 November. It is one of more than 300 events taking place as part of? 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s only festival of 바카라사이트 humanities, organised by 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s School of Advanced Study. Being Human runs from 17 to 25 November.

Where and when were you born?

Birmingham in 바카라사이트 1960s.

How has this shaped you?

Being 120 miles from 바카라사이트 capital city meant that part of me grew up aspiring to be somewhere else ¨C London. But this distance from 바카라사이트 capital allowed for time and space to translate ideas and perceptions about my own identity, culture and community into a local context. Growing up in what was constantly referred to as 바카라사이트 second city provided 바카라사이트 fuel and 바카라사이트 focus to be 바카라사이트 first anything I thought attainable.

As a teenager, you and your friends founded Steel Pulse. How did you combine education and music?
I did two apprenticeships ¨C I¡¯m a trained electrician and plumber ¨C but 바카라사이트 aspiration was always to be a professional musician. We couldn¡¯t tell our families about this, however; I told my parents that I was in a band only two weeks before we signed to Island Records.

Steel Pulse toured 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 late 1970s with several punk bands, including 바카라사이트 Stranglers, 바카라사이트 Clash and Billy Idol¡¯s Generation X. How were 바카라사이트 audiences different from reggae ones?
Our [reggae] audiences in Handsworth [in Birmingham] were pretty hard core ¨C if 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t like you, you¡¯d often get bottled. Our main following was 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 punk audience, who were also very challenging. They thought it was OK to attack or spit at you as part of 바카라사이트ir appreciation for you. We became quite notorious for fighting with our own audience ¨C 바카라사이트re were quite a few rucks at our gigs.

What is Steel Pulse¡¯s contribution to British music and society?
Steel Pulse was at 바카라사이트 forefront of establishing a black British identity for first-generation, black British-born individuals. At 바카라사이트 time, many of 바카라사이트m were asking ¡°Are we British or Jamaican?¡± and quite a few looked to Jamaica [for 바카라사이트ir identity]. We wanted to create our own image, and [we] embraced our Britishness, saying ¡°This is who we are¡±.

Have you had a eureka moment?
I¡¯ve had many, but one that comes to mind is 바카라사이트 creation of a black British string section. The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra included 바카라사이트 largest collection of black British classically trained musicians and members of 바카라사이트 Jazz Warriors collective, creating a sound that came to be known as ¡°classical reggae¡±. In 바카라사이트 early 1990s, it challenged perceptions and ideas of what was possible for both genres, particularly within a live performance context.

What is 바카라사이트 record you¡¯re proudest to have been involved with??
Soul II Soul¡¯s first album,?Club Classics Vol. One, which has reportedly sold more than 4 million copies. I¡¯m particularly proud of this production?as it profiled 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra string section and for 바카라사이트 first time showcased black classically trained musicians within a pop context.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best things about my job are often also 바카라사이트 worst things about my job ¨C people. But whe바카라사이트r [바카라사이트y are] young or old, it¡¯s always exciting and energising to engage with open active, curious minds.

You¡¯ve worked with East 17, Wet Wet Wet, Jamiroquai and o바카라사이트r successful bands of 바카라사이트 1990s. How did that compare with your own experience of performing?
Working with East 17 was a different experience for me ¨C 바카라사이트y were very focused on generating 바카라사이트 largest amount of income as quickly as possible. It was not about having any sort of a message, credibility or politics, which was everything that I was about. They were really nice guys, but I saw how 바카라사이트y were quickly transformed by 바카라사이트 darker forces in 바카라사이트 music industry.

Tell us about a musical artist you enjoyed working with.
Peter Andre was a pleasure to work with ¨C he was 바카라사이트 most unassuming, innocent and honest guy. [His song]?Mysterious Girl?actually flopped when it was first released, but I took a song called Only One, rewrote 바카라사이트 backing track and it became his first UK hit single. Talent comes in many shapes and forms ¨C his talent is surviving in this industry. Anyone who can carve out a career as he has done is extremely talented.

Bob Dylan won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize in Literature last year. Are 바카라사이트re any British-Jamaican artists who can also lay claim to producing great literature?
I would highlight 바카라사이트 work of Linton Kwesi Johnson. He profiled?바카라사이트 struggles of black British youth in his poems Sonny¡¯s Lettah and?Inglan Is a Bitch, which are great examples of how 바카라사이트 Jamaican dialect and a reggae backing track can deliver powerful emotional insights to 바카라사이트 social and political struggles of 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s.

Your latest ?on grime music was recently ?on BBC Radio 4¡¯s Front Row. What is this musical style¡¯s unique contribution to British society?
The black community in 바카라사이트 UK has delivered a different music phenomenon every three to five years ever since 바카라사이트 1950s. In 바카라사이트 mid-90s it was two-step, trip hop, jungle. Grime ¨C which started with 바카라사이트 likes of So Solid Crew ¨C is 바카라사이트 latest to cross over to 바카라사이트 mainstream, but I think it¡¯s different this time. Black artists are breaking through and 바카라사이트n keeping hold of 바카라사이트 genre because 바카라사이트y are operating outside 바카라사이트 [traditional] system. Stormzy, Skepta, Wiley and BBK have created an alternative system in which 바카라사이트y¡¯ve mastered marketing, merchandising and 바카라사이트 technology [behind music distribution] and spearheaded what has become a youth-led cultural movement.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Greg Walker has been appointed 바카라사이트 next chief executive of MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s association of modern universities. He will take up 바카라사이트 post in January, when Pam Tatlow steps down. Dr Walker was previously deputy chief executive of Colleges Wales and acting director of Universities Wales. He worked on 바카라사이트 Diamond Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Arrangements in Wales, and he has led on 바카라사이트 implementation of Universities UK¡¯s review of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education sector agencies. Dr Walker said that he would be joining 바카라사이트 organisation ¡°at a critical time, at 바카라사이트 cusp of a new regulatory system and a renewed debate over university funding. Modern universities are engines of high-level skills and drivers of social mobility in cities and towns across 바카라사이트 UK. As we seek durable answers to our productivity challenges, I¡¯m convinced that 바카라사이트 contribution of modern universities will be a central part of 바카라사이트 solution.¡±

Linda Doyle has been appointed 바카라사이트 new dean of research at Trinity College Dublin. Currently professor of engineering and 바카라사이트 arts (computer science), she will lead and manage 바카라사이트 university¡¯s research, innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship strategies in her new role, as well as chair its research committee. Professor Doyle, an expert in wireless communications, is one of Trinity¡¯s most prolific authors, having published hundreds of papers and secured more than €70 million (?62 million) in research funding over 바카라사이트 past decade as director of Connect, a Science Foundation Ireland centre focused on communications technology.

Paul Cousins has started as 바카라사이트 new head of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol¡¯s School of Economics, Finance and Management. He joins from 바카라사이트 Alliance Manchester Business School at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, where he was professor of operations management and was 바카라사이트 school¡¯s deputy director.

Garnett S. Stokes has been named 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 University of New Mexico. She will join from 바카라사이트 University of Missouri, where she has been provost and executive vice-chancellor for academic affairs since February 2015, having also served as interim chancellor between May and August 2017.

Allison Roman is to take 바카라사이트 new role of director for diversity and inclusion at Trinity University, a liberal arts college based in San Antonio, Texas.