Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The Specials' Lynval Golding and Contra Coup To Release the "Know Your Rights" EP

In reaction/protest to all of the high-profile police killings of unarmed black American women and men, The Specials' Lynval Golding and Austin, TX reggae group Contra Coup are releasing the Know Your Rights EP (on 12" vinyl and as a digital download, both through Bandcamp), which features their cover of this Clash track from Combat Rock.

Of course, the Joe Strummer-penned track "Know Your Rights" first asserts everyone's basic human rights (the right to live, the right to basic necessities like food, and the right to free speech), but then notes all of society's restrictions and exceptions to those rights, which render them meaningless ("You have the right not to be killed/Murder is a crime!/Unless it was done/By a policeman or aristocrat").

It should be noted that the EP's cover features a Horace Panter cassette painting over the names of many of the unarmed black people killed during encounters with the police.

I'll have a review posted once my pre-ordered copy of the 12" arrives in the mail...

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