Alagbon Close (1974/1975)
Artist
Label
Catalogue number
KFR2011-1
Release date
- Vinyl
- Vinyl, 1×LP, Limited ColouredGold Vinyl
- WAV / FLAC
- MP3
The first of Fela’s albums to have a sleeve designed by Ghariokwu Lemi, whose artwork fast became an integral part of Afrobeat's message. The disc was named after the headquarters of the Nigerian Criminal Investigation Department in Lagos. The title track concerns two police raids on Fela’s house, in April and May 1974. On the first occasion, they came looking for weed but could not find any (!). On the second, they attempted to plant a joint on Fela, but he grabbed it and swallowed it. He was detained at Alagbon Close for three days, while the police waited for the evidence to drop into his slop bucket. Fela was locked in a communal cell the prisoners jokingly called Kalakuta Republic (“kalakuta” is Swahili for “rascal”). His cellmates engineered a 'faeces switch' and Fela was pronounced innocent. On his release he renamed his house Kalakuta Republic. “Alagbon Close” calls out the Nigerian police’s violence and arrogance and apparent immunity from prosecution. “Nothing special about uniform,” sings Fela. “Uniform na cloth na tailor dey sew am like my dress,” replies the chorus (meaning: just because you are wearing a uniform does not make you above the law).
Standard black vinyl LP, released on August 19, 2014 as part of the Knitting Factory Records re-issues, comes with a download card.
