Culture
The runaway success of 1977 with their single Two Sevens Clash for Joe Gibbs', and an album of the same name, Culture dominated reggae with their stark prophecy and apocalyptic warnings. They even found a sympathetic ear in the emergent punk audience of the period. The group was led by songwriter Joseph Hill, who had started his career at Studio One as a member of the Soul Defenders, releasing one solo single, Behold The Land. With Albert ‘Ralph’ Walker and Kenneth Paley (aka Kenneth Dayes) providing the harmonies, the trio came from the same school of style and lyrical content as Burning Spear. Largely through the groundwork of artists such as Bob Marley And The Wailers, the aforementioned Burning Spear and the Abyssinians cultural or socio-political themes abounded in Jamaican music, and many new listeners were attracted to a genre they had previously dismissed. Culture were ready-made champions for this new-found reggae audience, and their popularity was further enhanced by electrifying live appearances with Hill, in particular, proving himself to be an effusive showman. This level of interest attracted Virgin Records' Front Line label, who stepped in with the type of deal rarely offered to reggae acts. Culture had by then finished working with Joe Gibbs and their all-important follow-up album was produced by Sonia Pottinger. HARDER THAN THE REST confounded the critics, and the hugely popular single Stop The Fighting was further proof of their standing. A strange release from America at the same time, titled AFRICA STAND ALONE, featured a number of tracks from the Virgin album, although the versions were substantially different. If anything this second album stimulated interest in the ‘official’ release and both boosted the sales of the other for months while consolidating Culture's reputation for militant lyrics set against raw roots rhythms. Culture have always remained rooted in the same lyrical preoccupations and, even if the rhythms have changed over the years — they have not. Joseph Hill split with his two backing singers in 1982, but continues to use the name Culture and his records always sell well despite being far removed from any current reggae trends. The indications that the '90s seem to be ushering in a second ‘cultural’ era might well prove fruitful for seasoned campaigners such as Hill.