REWIND: Culture - 'Lionrock (John Peel session)'

The sun is out over the UK, the barbeques are sizzling and the World Cup has started. Puts me in the mood for a bit of reggae for some reason. And here's one that I can't believe I haven't already featured! Like a lot of great bands, I was introduced to this lot via the legendary John Peel show on Radio One. The station really did die with him. The version of 'Lionrock' that I know and love best is this incredible version that Culture recorded for a Peel session back in 1982. JP once said that this is one of his all time favourites, and one of the songs that he would have to take with him on any long journey. Culture were a Jamaican roots reggae group who formed in 1976 as the vocal trio of Joseph Hill, his cousin Albert "Ralph" Walker, and Roy "Kenneth" Dayes, initially using the name The African Disciples. They soon changed their name to Culture, and began recording with producer Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson. In 1982 the band went their separate ways and Hill continued Culture with a new line-up. Joseph Hill sadly died in Berlin, Germany on 19 August 2006, after collapsing following a performance. His son, Kenyatta Hill took over his father's role as the lead singer of Culture, while Walker still performs in the band with Telford Nelson.