Culture

The roots reggae band Culture were formed in Kingston, Jamaica in the early 1970s by Joseph Hill, a former member of the famous Studio One house band Soul Defenders. Hill formed the group with his cousin Albert Walker and friend Roy Dayes, initially calling the band The African Disciples.

After changing the name to Culture the band auditioned for one of reggae's most influential producers Joe Gibbs who, along with his engineer Errol Thompson, were some of Jamaica's most successful production duos. Gibbs liked what he saw and the band recorded a string of classic reggae numbers under his guidance. Included in these early works were the classic 'See Dem a Come' and the hugely popular 'Two Sevens Clash', a song which predicted an apocalypse on 7th July 1977. Such was the song's influence that on the final day of reckoning many Jamaicans chose to stay indoors, fearful of the impending end of the world.

'Two Sevens Clash' was picked up in the UK by the well know DJ John Peel whose support for the record led to it becoming a hit with punk fans as well as UK reggae audiences. The band effectively split up in 1981 but Hill continued to use the name. He died in 2006 but his legacy has been continued by his son Kenyatta Hill who continues to record and make live appearances.