NEWS
David Rodigan

Rodigan Rides Again – Gilles Peterson x David Rodigan

David Rodigan

I remember being in Brixton, England back in 2005, looking to hear some reggae music. We walked the Brixton streets searching for listings and from what seemed like no where, a man on the street appears and tells us the legendary “RODIGAN” is playing at the Church that used to be the Mosque that night. After some more inquiring, we found this legendary spot that the man who greeted us spoke of.

The name of the venue was MASS (in St. Mathews Church), and it was there that David “Ram Jam” Rodigan and Papa Face held quarters every Wednesday, delivering that sweet reggae music to the people.

The vibe was nothing short of incredible, deep tunes which the audience sang along to, creating a ‘church’ like or ‘spirtual’ experience in the place. The most bugged out part of the experience was glancing up at Rodigan as he introduced a song.

His look was nothing short of your High School Chemistry teacher. But his passion and knowledge of the music ran DEEP. He was truly teaching a class, bringing the audience back in time, into the studio session from the very song we listened to.

Above all, Rodigan was himself. No Jamaican accent, no patois, no posturing, whatsoever. He was 100% comfortable in his own skin and delivered his love of this music to the people that came for it.

Fast fwd to 2011, Gilles Peterson hosts a ‘David Rodigan Special‘ on BBC Radio 1. Gilles digs deep and Rodigan tells his story, dropping history I had never heard. Streaming on the BBC site for the next week, catch it here.