David Victor Emmanuel (10 February 1963 – 15 March 2011), better known as Smiley Culture, was a British reggae singer and DJ known for his "fast chat" style. During a relatively brief period of fame and success, he produced two of the most critically acclaimed reggae singles of the 1980s. He died on 15 March 2011, aged 48, during a police raid on his home. An inquest found that his death was a suicide. He was an uncle to rapper, Merlin.
Links to Peel[]
Peel played his track, 'Cockney Translation' on his shows in 1984, but didn't seem to pay any further material beyond that, according to available tracklistings on this site. In 1985, Smiley Culture appeared on Top Of The Pops, co-presented by Peel and Richard Skinner. However, on that occasion, Peel did not introduce the singer on stage.
Shows Played[]
- 23 May 1984 (BFBS): Cockney Translation (7") Fashion
- 29 May 1984: Cockney Translation (12") Fashion
- TOTP
- 03 January 1985 (TOTP): Police Officer (#34 in the chart as of the date of broadcast)