Never mind American Hustle, who remembers the British Hustle?

God, I do. Round our way, we all knew Hi-Tension. They were local boys – the drummer went out with my mate’s sister. So when they appeared on Top of the Pops, we were all very proud in a “Well, who’d have thought it?” sort of way. Years later, I realised just how influential they were, practically inventing what became known as Brit Funk. All who followed in this sort of genre, from Soul II Soul to Tinie Tempah, owe a huge debt to Hi-Tension. And yet they’ve been shamefully forgotten. Because unlike punk, this was all far too working-class. It was also a time when being black and British was of no interest to the posh, Clash-loving Sunday supplements. Hi-Tension had no political agenda – they just wanted to have a good time and make great music. In this and in what they pioneered, they’ve proved to be a spectacular success.