1970

Fela and Nigeria 70 record ten tracks in Los Angeles. They will be released in Nigeria in 1971 as the album Fela Fela Fela (later European and US reissues mistakenly title it The ’69 Los Angeles Sessions). In March, Fela and Nigeria 70 return home. Fela reopens the Afro-Spot. James Brown and his band visit the club. Brown’s reaction is lukewarm - he calls Fela “The African James Brown” - but his bass guitarist, Bootsy Collins, is unrestrained in his enthusiasm. Tony Allen accuses Brown of sending his arranger to the Shrine in order to steal his drum rhythms. Fela bans “copyright bands” from the Afro Festival he programmes at Lagos City Hall, saying only bands playing African material will appear. He also denounces bandleaders such as Sir Victor Uwaifo and Commander Ebenezer Obey for adopting British honorifics.

1970