Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to visit the Hippodrome in London in 1985 to witness Mike Allen and his amazing technicolour Hawaiian shirt while he compered the legendary b-boy event that was Electro Rock.
Featuring some of the best-known UK artists at the time (spot a young Goldie credited under his real name of Clifford Price in The B-Boys crew) as well as a special appearance from the mighty Afrika Bambaataa, there are some great moments in this video.
I used to have this on vhs until someone skanked it, and my BBC doc A Hip Hop History and come to think of it my home-recorded, Westwood doc, Bad Meaning Good.
If you were in the crowd, shout out and let us know where where you are!
Highlights include (but not limited to)....
KC's flying headphones (22.14)
Bloke who used to be on Eastenders (28.10)
Mike's strange attire (5.38)
Junior Gee's mullet (8.01)
Strangely arousing legs akimbo action from Uprock (33.32)
Is it a girl, no it's Sipho (RIP) before they dropped although that doesn't explain the bizarre moves (35.40)
And my favourite, watchthecamera, watchthecamera, watchthecamera, watchthecamera...SHIT! (50.10)
N.b. According to Wikipedia, Mike Allen was born in 1942 which made him 43 years old when he appeared on Electro Rock. He's now 67.......!?
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
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10 comments:
Check out Matt Black from Coldcut at 21:03
Without a doubt, staring intently and nerdishly taking in all the technicality as I would expect ;)
Top spotting, Stu!
Beautiful, thanks for posting this up.
I forgot about this... i still have this on video, as well as Bad Meaning Good, A Hip Hop History and Bombin'.... :)
peace - did you spot Westwood in there? check the full film for him in the crowd - and I love that bit when that loose bruce jerk off arrives and there's a shot of the YTS carpenter's (complete with wedges and mullets) giving it the large. Priceless UK fever.
AO
Ahhh- what's the hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop hiphiphiphipip tune the guy's playing on the boombox @ 9.30?
Been wondering about that one lately.
Cheers for the great site, just landed in here from the Street Sounds site looking for some Mike Allen shows...
My partner is in this, (Basil Liverpool from Look twice), does anyone know where we can get a copy & why this isn't listed on IMDB?
yeah remember this well.got the tickets free by ringin up the mike allen show and was somewhere in the background in a blue rain coat which was the only thing i my mum could afford , with a hood!! Ha ha! Was buzzed out at just being a part of this hip hop movement in the uk at that time , didn't matter that I had to make a can of coke last about 5 hours as the bar was soooo dear!Alot of those early uk rappers are doing holy hip hop now.Shouts out to junior gee aka God star!
Thanx for putting this up,juss made my day! Chris the mix.
I miss uncle Mike, he'll be 68 or 69 now... anyone know his birthday?
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