Happy Birthday, Don Letts

Don Letts was at the forefront of London’s punk scene, where he proved to be a pivotal taste maker influencing the fashion and musical taste of the developing scene. In 1975, Letts was running Acme Attractions, a popular clothing store and local hangout for people like The Clash, Sex Pistols, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Deborah Harry and Bob Marley. The popularity of the store led to a DJ gig at The Roxy. At a time when only a few punk records had been released, Letts played a set heavy with Jamaican music, the influence of which can be felt on numerous recordings that followed, perhaps most notably those by The Clash and a band that Letts would eventually manage, The Slits. During his brief managerial stint, Letts would film shows for what would eventually be released as, The Punk Rock Movie, and feature performances from such notables as the above mentioned Clash and Slits, as well as, Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and The Banshees, Wayne County & the Electric Chairs, X-Ray Spex, Generation X, Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers and others. Simultaneously, Letts was recording with PIL members, Keith Levene and Jah Wobble, for an EP entitled, Steel Leg V. The Electric Dead. Years later, Letts would join up with former Clash member, Mick Jones, for Big Audio Dynamite, with whom he would record several well received albums. These days Letts can be heard DJing on The BBC (at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072pzt), as he continues to film documentaries and music videos. For further info on Letts and the London Punk and Reggae scene consult his bio, Culture Clash: Dread Meets Punk Rockers. http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Clash-Dread-Meets-Rockers/dp/0946719993