An Interview with music pioneer and DJ, Rhoda Dakar
I caught up with former Bodysnatcher, Specials AKA member and musical pioneer, Rhoda Dakar during her string of supporting DJ slots on the recent Specials tour in October 2016. We discussed everything from; her career spanning near 3 decades, French language and dying Billy Idol’s hair!
M: So Rhoda, how did you end up supporting the Specials on their most recent tour?
R: Well, they just asked me really. I’d done the launch for my new album at the Jazz Cafe in Camden earlier on in the year, where Lynval (Golding) joined me onstage to sing a few songs, so it just progressed from there and then I get the call that they want me to DJ!
M:Did your DJ career feel like a natural progression after the demise of The Bodysnatchers?
R: Once the Bodysnatchers broke up, I joined The Specials AKA, so i’ve always been immersed in a group of people at live shows. But, I mean the Bodysnatchers were only around for 2 years for god’s sakes. But, I’ve always loved Dj’ing, my son DJ French has been away hosting sets and I normally nick all of the music off his iPod!
M:What music does a Rhoda Dakar DJ set consist of?
R: I play a lot of Reggae, you’ll get to see later. But, I’ve been mixing it up with a lot of Dub, D’n’B music like Skrillex. I like to champion female voices in music, so whenever I can, I support the women who sing reggae.
M:Has being a DJ opened you up to new music or subcultures at all?
R: I do listen to a lot of new music and keep moving forward, the whole idea was that subcultures stemmed from your musical taste. I mean, I can’t sit here now and pretend to be a Punk when that subculture belongs to a certain era! But, i’ve been seeing new subcultures emerge like Grime music, a lot of Stormzy and Skepta!
M:Do you think there is a possibility of a subculture revival, 2-Tone’s, Mods/Soul?
R: If you see a 60 year old man dressed in a Parka, it is sort of sad. Because, the whole idea with being a musician is that I like to move forward, and not dwell on the past. But, have you ever been to these Mod festivals, that’s the only place I can think of where you’ll find old Punks and Mods.
M: Obviously, the Punk era was a crucial time for you with The Bodysnatchers, would you ever return to a band format?
R: No, I don’t think so, I do keep in touch with Sheila on Facebook. But, I’ve done everything from teaching to now DJ’ing and I want to continue writing and producing more music. The Punk era was more about freedom than anarchy, and I think a lot of people mistake it for being that, I mean I can recall dying Billy Idol’s hair round my friend, Sharon’s house with Siousxie.
M: Bands like The Banshees and The Bodysnatchers were very close knit then?
R: Yeah, you know i’d see Siousxie round the town when we went to clubs, and she was amazing, just a personality that was so fierce and totally confidence. So, I’d talked to her and we became friends! Billy’s hair used to be Dark Brown before we bleached it.
M: Do you ever get tired of people asking you the same questions?
R: Yes!! I’ve had interviewers come up to me ask me “When are the girls getting back together?” For one, we’re not girls, we’re all now women and people mis-pronounce my name all the time, i’ve had “Rhondda, “Ronda”.
M: That’s out of order! So, to finalise, do you have any plans to follow after The Specials tour?
R: To keep making more music, i’ve got my, “Rhoda Dakar sings The Bodysnatchers” which, is out now!
