Asian Dub Foundation have almost finished their new album, the follow-up to 1998’s ‘Rafi’s Revenge’, and plan another benefit gig for Satpal Ram.
ADF are now recording 14 tracks at London Farringdon’s Roundhouse Studio including ‘Memory War’, ‘Real Great Britain’, ‘Scaling New Heights’, ‘New Way, New Life’, ‘Riddim I Like’, ‘Kooligans’ and ‘Officer XX’, inspired by the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry. The as-yet-untitled album is scheduled for release this autumn.
The band also plan to team up with Primal Scream to play another benefit show in the summer for Satpal Ram, the Asian man jailed in 1986 for defending himself against a racist attack. The two bands teamed up last March for a similar show.
ADF bassist Dr Das told NME: “We went to see Satpal recently and as usual it was a really good meeting. He really inspires people, it helps us focus.”
Primal Scream‘s Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes and manager Alex Nightingale visited Satpal – who still protests his innocence – in jail recently.
Gillespie told NME: “He was in good spirits and he just wanted you to know as a result of the pieces you printed he’s been getting a lot of support from around the world.”
Since NME‘s last piece on Satpal Ram, his case has been taken up by Amnesty and Birmingham Six lawyer Gareth Pierce.
If you want to send a letter of support, write to: Satpal Ram, E94 164, HMP Frankland, Brasside, Durham DH1 5YD.
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