Rough Trade co-founder Nigel House talks to us about his favourite record by punk idealists The Pop Group
What’s your favourite album or song?
She is Beyond Good and Evil by The Pop Group.
What associations does this record hold for you?
After punk rock ran out of steam, there was an incredible explosion of music that had been inspired by the ideals of punk, but that was more open to different styles of music, particularly reggae, soul and jazz. The Pop Group incorporated radical politics into their punk funk, and their first album was produced by reggae legend Dennis Bovell. She Is Beyond Good and Evil was released in 1979: Russia had just invaded Afghanistan, Thatcher had been elected and the IRA was bombing London. Change was needed and it seemed that music, and specifically Rock Against Racism, was actually doing something tangible.
Maybe that was youthful idealism but it certainly politicised me for the rest of my life.
Watch The Pop Group performing She is Beyond Good and Evil on YouTube, or listen on Last.fm.
Nigel House is the co-founder and manager of Rough Trade, West in London
