Mikey Dread cut his distinctive Midnight Dread stingers for me at KTIM in the fall of 1980
while on tour with The Clash. I still use them all the time. He did them improv stylee as
an afterthought following an interview that I did with him live right after a Clash concert
where he appeared, when Midnight Dread was in its first year, Sunday nights 'round
midnight. We were on our way down the hall leaving the station's building in San Rafael
when I asked him if he'd do a few custom jingles for my show and he immediately made
a u-turn back to the studio, sat down, and did three killer Midnight Dread themed toasts
over his Roots & Culture dubplate then improvised several minutes of amazing dread bits
for my radio show, no prompting, no-prep, non-stop, off the top of his dreads. Being a radio
selector himself he knew exactly what was needed. He made my show sound authentic.
It was crucial and done out of love for spreading the music and I'll never be able to express
the deepness of my gratitude. Thank goodness we had a great time backstage at the first
Dreadstock show a couple years ago in Vallejo, CA and I got to tell him again personally
how I I-preciated his crucial contribution to my show's success and development. The tracks
he did that night are a treasure trove and Mikey a giant in conscious roots reggae music.
His entire prolific output is the essence of all-killer no-filler, his death crushing news to I & I.
Zion bound Drrrreeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaddddddd!!!!!!!
Love up Mikey,
Doug