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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP

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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16297
    65 after diagnosed with a brain tumour two months ago. 
    I know him as a presenter, political (with a soft p) figure and actor but my son grew up as a big fan of his poetry which really helped develop his interest in reading. 
    Sad news.
    RIP. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3313
    edited December 2023
    Sad news and saw him live a few times.

    Hugely important and entertaining and gone too soon 
    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/dec/07/british-poet-benjamin-zephaniah-dies-aged-65

    RIP


    EDIT: 3 posts came at around the same time. Feel free to delete mine
    Feedback - http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57885/
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  • KittyfriskKittyfrisk Frets: 18862
    Just saw this on the news. As well as his activism, Benjamin was a great poet & had a brilliant sense of humour.
    He also spoke movingly & openly of the feelings of being a man that could not have children.
    I was listening to him on Poetry Please only last Sunday. Very sad news indeed.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001sts1
    RIP
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9819
    edited December 2023
    This is very sad news, he's rightly very well loved in Birmingham and was a force for positivity and change through his brilliant work and charisma.

    Rest in peace.

    One of my favourites of his for this time of year in tribute to him...

    Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas
    Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun
    Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked
    An every turkey has a Mum.

    Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,
    Don't eat it, keep it alive,
    It could be yu mate, an not on your plate
    Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.

    I got lots of friends who are turkeys
    An all of dem fear christmas time,
    Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans destroyed it
    An humans are out of dere mind,
    Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys
    Dey all hav a right to a life,
    Not to be caged up an genetically made up
    By any farmer an his wife.

    Turkeys just wanna play reggae
    Turkeys just wanna hip-hop
    Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying,
    "I cannot wait for de chop",
    Turkeys like getting presents, dey wanna watch christmas TV,
    Turkeys hav brains an turkeys feel pain
    In many ways like yu an me.

    I once knew a turkey called........ Turkey
    He said "Benji explain to me please,
    Who put de turkey in christmas
    An what happens to christmas trees?",
    I said "I am not too sure turkey
    But it's nothing to do wid Christ Mass
    Humans get greedy an waste more dan need be
    An business men mek loadsa cash'.

    Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
    Invite dem indoors fe sum greens
    Let dem eat cake an let dem partake
    In a plate of organic grown beans,
    Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
    An spare dem de cut of de knife,
    Join Turkeys United an dey'll be delighted
    An yu will mek new friends 'FOR LIFE'.
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 7334
    Another tribute thread has started running here:
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16297
    BillDL said:
    Another tribute thread has started running here:
    I think we have three on the go. Hopefully a modmin will sort it. I guess some measure of how shocking the news seems, a well lived figure only in his sixties. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6394
    MODS: merged
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • merlinmerlin Frets: 6704
    I did a concert or two with him back in my Liverpool days with The Ministry of Love. He was great. Powerful writer and performer and a really nice man. Sad to see him go. 
    feedback here
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  • theatreanchortheatreanchor Frets: 1472
    Really stunned by this.  Didn’t know he was ill. 
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  • GoFishGoFish Frets: 1422
    Ah shit. So young. Maybe if he advocated more bombing he would have lasted another 40 years B)

    RIP Benjiman, I was enriched by your words and deeds.
    Ten years too late and still getting it wrong
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  • theatreanchortheatreanchor Frets: 1472
    This album’s great. 

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  • ZoolooterZoolooter Frets: 887
    Such a nice bloke, the world is a poorer place without him. Very sad, too young.
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  • rlwrlw Frets: 4716
    Younger than me, poor sod.  Great poet and a significant figure in my past.

    RIP BZ.
    Save a cow.  Eat a vegetarian.
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  • JCA2550JCA2550 Frets: 439
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67646607.amp
    Also appearing with:
    http://www.theboxwoodchessmen.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/tingiants/?view_public_for=231700547508938

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14496
    edited December 2023
    Holy shit, Batman. Sad news.


    BBC Radio 4 has cobbled together a tribute to be broadcast on this evening's edition of Front Row at 19:15hrs.
    You say, atom bomb. I say, tin of corned beef.
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8731
    … and merged again
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • maharg101maharg101 Frets: 691
     A legend. Saw him doing a poetry show (and met him afterwards) and saw him playing some excellent dub reggae with the Revolutionary Minds. RIP.
    This one goes to eleven
    Trading feedback here
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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14305
    tFB Trader
    And I'd forgotten about his time in Peaky Blinders - RIP
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