C E L E B R A T I O N - F C
No holds barred: I’m an Arsenal fan. If that’s enough to put you off reading any further, I humbly understand.
My grandfather worked for the club for decades in the medical department. So much so that Tony Adams used to call him ‘Nigel the Knife’, owing to the amount of times he had to cut open his knee.
During primary school in South London, at a nascent enough age to not really know, Gazza and Gary Lineker were the big stars of the playground and everyone said they liked Spurs. I went home and repeated this to my – agog – father. Instant intervention was required: the next day I was attending Arsenal v. Forest at Highbury in the posh seats, and met every single player and member of staff for photo-call and a handshake after.
Ian Wright got injured in that game and missed out on an England call-up. He still turned it on for the picture and for me and my mate; it was love at first sight. The aura on this guy was something else. To this day few things get me in the feels like the red & white, adidas stripes and Ian Wright, Wright, Wright.
Football, and more so Arsenal from the inside-out, provided my family with a sense of belonging to something for as long as I can remember. A silent thread through tough times and moments of joy. Seeing everything kick-off the way it has over the past fortnight has left me, frankly, an emotional wreck. Getting to sample it with my own 6 year old and his class mates, their parents, and my partner has made it feel all the more pertinent.
London is a special place and the club has always felt like it broadly represented that. From music and culture through its diversity and reach: “know who you are and what you represent”. It’s not always been perfect, but some of scenes outside the new stadium last week felt as close to communion as I have ever had the privilege to know.
Consequently, our most recent RINSE FM show is somewhat imbued with these feelings. It’s up for playback now, recorded and broadcast the day before the final league game of the season.
The canny among you will note this is now being shared a day before the champs league final. A small insurance policy if you will. Come what may tomorrow – I’ll see you at the parade. C’mon you reddds x
TRACK-LIST
To-Ka – Keep Pushing
Sascha Dive – Deepest America (Moodymann Remix)
DJ Sneak – Message of Love
Space Dimension Controller – Transatlantic Landing Bay
Housey Doingz – Ambidextrous Left
Kit Clayton – Sliding Window
Henrik Bergqvist – Go for What Hurts
You Can Always Leave (Curtains) (DJ Sprinkles Remix)
Claro Intelecto – Patience
James Blake – Tell Her Safe
Mr Scruff & Kaidi Tatham – Fresh Noodles
Dego & Kaidi – Black Is Key
Carl & Carol Jacobs – Robot Jam Pt. 2
Candido – Dancin’ and Prancin’
Melba Moore – Promised Land
The Mighty Tiny & the Many Few – Good Foot
Junior Moore – I’m Still Here (Adapted)
Dolphus Taylor – Heavenly
4th Street Orchestra – Dubber (Adapted)
Steel Pulse – Handsworth Revolution
Rose Royce – It Makes You Feel Like Dancin’
Wally Badarou – Rain