As I progress further into the desolate darkness of my final project as a masters student, I find an occasional light. There are both pros and cons to writing about your favourite thing day in and day out. The most fascinating thing of the week has been starting my piece on Brixton’s past and its music.

I came late to the party (as usual), but much of what I have learned has been really useful. My favourite piece has been about Brixton and the music it has inspired. The most mind-blowing revelation was finding out that Eddy Grant’s hit ‘Electric Avenue’ was written about the 1981 riots in the area. Electric Avenue is the most popular market street in South London.

The story also introduced me to ‘The Harder They Come,’ the Jamaican gangster film that Paul Simonon references in his lyrics for ‘Guns of Brixton.’ On The Clash’s fourth studio album Sandinista! the band cover ‘Police on My Back’, originally by The Equals who were fronted by Grant.

Anyway, The Equals are another fascinating band that I’ve slept on apparently. All the praise for the magnificence of Eddy Grant.