Legendary reggae producer, presenter and DJ Brent Clough is coming to Whanganui

Climbing a fence to interview Bob Marley is one of many high points in reggae champion Brent Clough’s career.

The radio producer, presenter and DJ will call Whanganui home for the rest of the year and is stepping straight into the local music scene.

Clough, aka Senor Bambu, founded Te Awa Dub Club with fellow reggaeers Tom Langford (Naram) and Taupuruariki Brightwell (Queen Big Punch).

He said his love for reggae stretches back to his youth.

When Bob Marley came to New Zealand in 1979, 17-year-old Clough bought a ticket and made the pilgrimage from Tauranga to Auckland to see the concert.

“Once I got to Auckland I thought, ‘Hey, I edit the school paper, I might as well try and interview him,'” he said.

“I drove up to Western Springs the day before when the band was rehearsing, jumped a fence and told their manager, Don Taylor, that I edited the Otumoetai College paper. Spartacus and wanted me to interview Bob.

“He said, ‘Sure, come back the day after the gig.’

Clugh obliged and, along with “a lorry full of journalists”, waited patiently at the White Heron Hotel in Parnell two days later.

“Bob was much more into football, so he, the band, the label guys and (music journalist) Dylan Taite just played in a park next door,” he said.

“It went on and on and eventually all the other journalists left. I sat around – I was happy to see Bob Marley playing football.”

In the end, only Taite, Clough and a local Hare Krishna group were granted an interview.

Western Springs was Marley’s only New Zealand concert appearance. He died two years later.

Clough spent 25 years at ABC Australia as a producer and arts presenter.

“I still do a reggae (radio) show in Sydney and I did one for community radio for over 20 years,” he said.

“I never gave it up and always stayed connected to it and the sound system world – where the music is really heard in Jamaica.”

Clough is currently completing a degree in anthropology, part of which involved researching reggae in Vanuatu.

He also has a master’s degree in cultural studies.

“Some of the roots reggae bands in Port Vila (Vanuatu’s capital) are very reminiscent of Bob from the 1970s,” he said.

“I was interested to see young people making new music in the Pacific, which was totally influenced by Jamaican music and especially Bob Marley and The Wailers.

“In Vanuatu, the first recorded reggae used a traditional rhythm from the Pentacost – a northeastern island – that was perfectly suited to reggae, but probably went back hundreds if not thousands of years.”

Clough, who has a collection of more than 20,000 records, said roots reggae was a perfect fit in New Zealand as well.

He said he was a big fan of Raetihi reggae artist Brutha Rodz, who had a new release later this month.

One of Clough’s favorite albums is Herbs’ debut What happens?

At one point, Herbs introduced the late Rātana/Whanganui musician Carl Perkins, who formed House of Shem with sons Te Omeka and Isaiah Perkins.

“Herbs were another big influence on me,” Clough said.

“That album came out right after Bob’s death and in a way it was a huge tribute to his influence when he came to New Zealand.

“It showed how reggae can find a home here.”

Clough said Whanganui was lucky to have Langford, a reggae musician and producer “with an international reputation”.

Langford runs the vinyl label Red Robin Records and is a member of the reggae act Roots Provider.

“Being around him is really cool and Ariki (Brightwell) is something else too. What she does is unique and very much of this place.”

Together with the DJ, Brightwell created his own PA – custom sound system – called Bigbada Boom, built from all-analog vintage components.

Clough said he was also a fan of Ohakune reggae artist Brutha Rodz, who had a new release later this month.

Clough said that after interviewing Marley, he tried to sell the school newspaper on the streets of Tauranga.

“We had a big photo of him on the cover, but people thought it was a joke, that it wasn’t real.

“Fast forward a few decades and I managed to give a copy to his wife, Rita Marley, at a conference in Jamaica.

“He got this unknown interview; she was very grateful to read something she had never seen before.”

The first Te Awa Dub Club is at Porridge Watson on May 11. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Mike Tweed is assistant news director and multimedia journalist at Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sports to music. It currently focuses on local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.