Trop Rock Roots

The roots of Trop Rock Music – Reggae, Calypso, & Country

Review of Marley (Bob Marley Movie)

Marley

A lively and in-depth look at Bob Marley: Documentary captures the music legend’s highs and lows

Whenever an artist’s family authorizes a documentary, there’s a worry that it’s going to be a rosy, public-relations piece. “Marley’’ is not that. It’s an outstanding, warts-and-all look at reggae legend Bob Marley, who died young of cancer at age 36 in 1981 but not before becoming a Third World superstar.

Marley overcame a ghetto upbringing in the Trench Town neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica, to become a gifted writer of socially conscious, spiritually uplifting reggae anthems. If you love this music, you’ll be dazzled by the generous 66 songs in the film but you’ll also appreciate the ruthlessly honest look at his life, right down to his rampant womanizing. He had 11 children by 7 women. It’s astonishing to hear how his wife, Rita (who was also one of his backup singers), put up with it. They had separate rooms on the road and “we never fought about women,’’ she says, though one of her daughters, Cedella, adds there were times when her mom was “hurting.’’

In many other ways, though, Marley was a beacon of hope for the Jamaican people. He and his band the Wailers brought songs of freedom to places as far away as Africa, where Marley played at Zimbabwe’s independence day (he paid out of pocket to take the band there). He also set box office records at the time in Europe by playing to 2 million people in six weeks. And when he returned home between tours, he gave away a lot of money to destitute Jamaicans who came to visit his compound in Kingston, on the appropriately named Hope Road. There is archival footage of all of it, from his concert stops to his homecomings, enhanced by newly compiled interviews with everyone from Cindy Breakspeare (who was crowned “Miss World’’ in 1976 and was one of his girlfriends), to former band members, relatives, boyhood friends, business associates, and even his Rastafarian doctor.

The film is ably directed by Kevin Macdonald, who won an Oscar for best documentary for “One Day in September,’’ about the murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Macdonald is a hardnosed filmmaker not given to sugarcoating. And there is none here, starting with graphic footage of Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, from which thousands of enslaved Africans were once shipped by boat to the New World. The film then cuts to Marley singing “Exodus’’ and its famous line “Let the captives free!’’ Macdonald also emphasizes how much of Marley’s music was inspired by his rejection as a youth, since he was a “half-caste’’ — his dad was a white British Army officer and his mother a black Jamaican. He only saw his dad a few times and he was mocked by many Jamaicans in school.

Marley was signed by Island Records owner Chris Blackwell, the executive producer of this film with Marley’s son Ziggy, but Blackwell’s history is not sugarcoated either. Marley’s former bandmates Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer are said to have been very distrustful of Blackwell’s attempt to turn the Wailers into a “black rock act,’’ though Marley ultimately approved the move and the others quit the group.

This film is long. But it grabs one’s senses and won’t let go. It is visually exhilarating, especially the aerial, mist-enshrouded views of Marley’s first home deep in the country in St. Ann’s Parish. And, as you might expect, you can almost smell the ganja coming off the screen. A joint or a pipe bowl is never far from the action. But it also moves to an emotional climax as Marley, dying of cancer, is shown at a holistic clinic in Bavaria where he lived much of the last year of his life. A nurse describes Marley as “very patient.’’ And Marley never left a will, because he never thought he was going to die. He even issued a statement in his last year that he would tour again soon. It is this spirit that makes you love Marley despite his flaws.

Steve Morse, a former Globe critic who now teaches an online course in rock history at Berklee College of Music, can be reached at spmorse@gmail.com.

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Apr 21st, 2012

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A Special Featured Artist of the Week – Bob Marley (in honor of the movie release 4/20)

Apr 20th, 2012

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BOB MARLEY SAID THAT HE WOULD RETURN TO THE FARM ONE DAY
Written by the Marley Family

No other artist has had the galvanic global effect of Bob Marley. Singer, songwriter, and prophet, he has received innumerable honors, including The Jamaican Order of Merit, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and many more. The New York Times called him the most influential musical artist of the second half of the twentieth century. An international icon, he’s instantly recognized by his mane of flashing dreadlocks and message of conscious love and revolutionary unity, wailing over a thunderous reggae groove. Even decades after his passing, Bob Marley continues to be the standard by which not just Jamaican but all popular music artists must be measured.

Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley was born on February 6, 1945, to Cedella Booker, a local village girl, and Norville Marley, a colonial captain, in the lush countryside around St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica. His formative teenage years were spent in Kingston’s vibrant and sometimes violent ghetto – Trenchtown – and it was here that Marley gained insight for his prose, recognizing the humanity, dignity and richness that can flourish despite material deprivation.

Bob Marley formed his band The Wailing Wailers in 1963 with friends Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Their music was inspired in part by American soul, gospel and R&B. The harmony trio played a significant role in the ska and rock steady music which mirrored Jamaica’s new post-colonial identity. The band would release some 30 singles over the next few years, including “Simmer Down,” which reached the top of the Jamaican music charts.

In 1966, Bob married his girlfriend Rita Anderson and left for the United States the next day to gather financing for his next album. After eight months stateside, Bob returned to Jamaica, bringing the group back together, now known simply as The Wailers. The band would end up traveling to London in 1971 and securing an unprecedented record deal with Island Records, ultimately leading to the release of their debut album, Catch A Fire.

The Wailers’ second album, Burnin, was released in 1973 and included tracks such as “Get Up, Stand Up” and “I Shot The Sheriff,” which would bring them a new level of worldwide attention when Eric Clapton covered it the following year, reaching the number-one spot on the U.S. singles chart.

Tosh and Wailers parted ways with Marley before the release of Natty Dread in 1975, which produced such hits as “No Woman, No Cry” and “So Jah Seh.” The band name then became Bob Marley & The Wailers, with harmonies sung by a female trio called I-Three, which included Bob’s wife Rita. Indeed, even as he was becoming an international star, the ghetto runnings and global trickery he sang about still haunted him. Shortly after trying to unite Kingston’s warring political gangs by performing at a free Peace Concert in 1976, Marley was shot and wounded in his own uptown Kingston home the night before the concert. Undeterred, Marley would go on to play the show as scheduled, in defiance of the would-be assassins.

The following year Marley returned to London and recorded Exodus, a stirring, militant and mystic musical landmark that would eventually be voted the most significant album of the twentieth century by TIME magazine.

Consistent and rigorous, Marley continued to challenge himself and the complacency of society in his next albums, Kaya, Survival and Uprising. Marley’s songs were an inspiration to downtrodden and impoverished people the world over. He was humbled and honored to receive an official invitation from the newly liberated government of Zimbabwe to play at their Independence Ceremony in 1980.

But though his fame and authority were reaching new heights, Marley’s health was failing. He had been secretly tussling with what was originally thought to be a football injury, but proved to be a terminal melanoma cancer. Bob Marley passed away in Miami, where he had stopped en route to his home in Jamaica, on May 11, 1981, at age 36. His last words, spoken to his son Ziggy, were “Money can’t buy life.” Marley’s remains were transported to Jamaica and he was given an official state funeral. He was buried alongside his guitar in a mausoleum near his place of birth.

For Marley, celebrity itself was merely a byproduct of a lifelong mission: To raise the consciousness of people everywhere, to make heard the voice of the downtrodden and the ghetto “sufferah,” and to powerfully project his insights to the world in a peerless canon of dancing music.

His songs have titles like incantations and Biblical invocations. Tracks like “Soul Rebel,” “Natural Mystic,” “Burnin’ and Lootin’,” “Exodus,” “Jamming,” and “One Love” are now essential elements of our human cultural vocabulary. Three years after his passing, the phenomenal Legend anthology was released, sealing his mythic status.

As he’d hoped, his children have continued his work through various artistic efforts, business ventures and philanthropic foundations. Bob Marley is still very much with us through his recordings and writings. His mystique and influence have continued to grow, and his words have become ever more necessary and relevant: “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind.”

Bob Marley Movie 4.20.12

Apr 18th, 2012

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Bob Marley‘s universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. MARLEY is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.

Directed by Kevin MacDonald
In theatres and on demand 4.20.2012

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Roots of Trop Rock – Zydeco

Feb 14th, 2012

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Zydeco is a form of uniquely American roots or folk music. It evolved in southwest Louisiana in the early 19th century from forms of “la la” Creole music. The rural Creoles of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas still sing in Louisiana Creole French.

Zydeco combines elements of an even older American musical style which began in the late 1700s: Cajun music, which comprises French fiddle tunes, Irish Celtic fiddle tunes, German button accordion, Latin rhythms, and Appalachian styles.

Zydeco music was born in the late 1860s as a blend of Cajun music and two other “new” American music styles: blues and rhythm and blues. Haitian rhythms were also added, as Haitian natives moved to Louisiana to help harvest the new cash crop – sugarcane.

Zydeco (French, from the phrase: “Les haricots ne sont pas salés”, means “the snap beans aren’t salty”. This phrase is a colloquial expression that means ‘I have no spicy news for you.’^{[citation needed]} It has alternatively been referred to as meaning “I’m so poor, I can’t afford any salt meat for the beans.” When spoken in the regional French, it is spoken thus: “leh-zy-dee-co sohn pah salay…”)

“In fact, the first Zydeco-ish recording was Clarence Garlows hit “Bon Ton Roula,” issued in 1949 on the Macys label.” Zydeco music pioneer Clifton Chenier, “The King of Zydeco”, made Zydeco popular on regional radio stations with his bluesy style and keyboard accordion.

Usually fast tempo and dominated by the button or piano accordion and a form of a washboard known as a “rub-board,” “scrub-board,” “wash-board,” orfrottoir, zydeco music was originally created at house dances, where families and friends gathered for socializing. Creoles do not consider themselves part of the black culture, but rather a mixture of Haitian, Native American, French, and Spanish known as “Quadronne” or “four-way”.^{[citation needed]}

The original French settlers came to Louisiana in the late 1700s, sent by the King of Spain to help settle the Louisiana Territory. Arriving in New Orleans on seven ships, the settlers quickly moved into the bayous and swamps. There the French culture permeated those of the Irish, Spanish, Native Indian and German peoples already populating the area.

Sometimes the music was performed in the Catholic Church community centers, as Creoles were mostly Catholic. Later it moved to rural dance halls and nightclubs. As a result, the music integratedwaltz, shuffles, two-steps, blues, rock and roll, and other dance music forms of the era. Today, zydeco integrates genres such as R&B, soul, brass band, reggae, hip hop, ska, rock, Afro-Caribbean and other styles, in addition to the traditional forms.

The Best of Bob Marley – Part 3: The Movement by Rohan Marley

Jan 31st, 2012

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Today we’re bringing you the last part in our “Best of Bob Marley” series (Part 1, Part 2), taking a closer look at the Rastafari movement he brought out of obscurity and into the international lime light. He became the leader of a generation in Jamaica that felt change was necessary, and used the Rastafari movement to build a new society for impoverished Jamaicans living in slums. Songs such as “Chant Down Babylon,” “Exodus,” “Buffalo Soldier,” and “Redemption Song” called for action against the evils of society. Bob Marley reflected on his work saying, “Me see myself as a revolutionary who don’t have no help and take no bribe from no one, and fight it single-handed with music.”

BELIEFS

Founded in 1930 when Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was crowned king, the Rasta movement found much support in the slums of Jamaica. It drew on the imagery and ideals of Christianity, but advocated social and political change with messages of black pride, freedom from oppression, and the hope of return to the African homeland (also referred to as their own “Zion,” or promised land). Rastafarians believe in a god called Jah, and reject the idea of an afterlife, instead looking to Africa as heaven on earth. Rastafarians also believe in the concept of “I and I” (said in place of “you and I”) emphasizing the unity between humans and Jah as well as equality among all humans.

PRACTICES

The movement itself has gained notoriety for its unconventional practices, including its use of dreadlocks, marijuana, and symbolic Rasta colors. Most Rastafarians, including the late Bob Marley, wear their hair in dreadlocks. They don’t cut their hair, quoting the book of Numbers in the Bible: “No razor shall come upon his head,” (Numbers 6:5). They believe the dreads reflect a naturalness and simplicity associated with Africa. Rastas are also known for their habitual smoking of marijuana. Bob Marley was a huge advocate of marijuana, praising its medicinal and peaceful attributes and often seen with a joint in his hands. The other main Rasta symbols are the colors of red, gold, and green: Red stands for the blood of the martyrs in the black struggle for liberation, gold represents the wealth of the African homeland, and green symbolizes Ethiopia’s lush vegetation.

ITAL

Ital food comes from the phrase “vital food” and describes 100% natural, pure, and clean food. For Rastafarians it means no chemicals, blood, meat, alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. Along with these characteristics, Ital foods tend to avoid salt, oil, and meat. For the Rastafarians food is a way to harmonize with nature and organically rid the body of harmful toxins.

Marley Coffee prides itself on offering Ital coffee beans. These organic and chemical-free coffees are rich in flavor and antioxidants, Look for the “Ital” label on your coffee.

The Best of Bob Marley – Part 2: The Music – by Rohan Marley

Jan 31st, 2012

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As we continue bringing you the best of Bob Marley over the next few weeks, we wanted to include the past and present of his music. There have been countless lists compiled of his best songs, but rather than choosing our favorite Bob Marley songs, we thought we’d choose our favorite covers of his songs. Below we have posted our three favorite covers followed by notes on the Bob Marley originals, including “Is This Love,” “No Woman, No Cry,” and “I Shot the Sheriff.”

Grammy-nominated soul vocalist Bilal Oliver teamed up with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson to render this beautiful cover of “Is This Love”.

“Is This Love” was originally released in 1978 of Bob Marley’s album, Kaya. It topped the UK charts at #9 that year and soon became one of his most popular and well-known songs.

The Fugees released their cover of “No Woman, No Cry” in 1996 on their second studio album, The Score. Wyclef Jean provides lead vocals, and the rhythm directly takes influences from hip-hop and soul. It’s a head-bopping version of the song.

This live version of “No Woman, No Cry” features a sweaty Bob Marley performing with a full band and shows images of the slums of Jamaica. The song itself was released in 1974 on the album, Natty Dread, but gained notoriety for the live version released later in 1975.

Eric Clapton recorded a cover of “I Shot the Sheriff” on the album 461 Ocean Boulevard. The song became a commercial hit, peaking at #1 on the charts and eventually becoming Clapton’s only #1 hit song in the U.S.

Released in 1973, The Wailers’ single, “I Shot the Sheriff,” hit #1 on music charts around the world. Bob had this to say about the song: “I want[ed] to say ‘I shot The Police,’ but the government would have made a fuss. So I said ‘I shot the sheriff’ instead… but it’s the same idea: justice.”

Bob Marley’s music was so ubiquitous and spanned so many generations that countless covers have been done. We are grateful every day for the music he created and the music he has inspired over the years. Let us know your favorite covers by commenting below! Also make sure to check out Part 1 of the Best of Bob Marley series where we discuss the legacy continued by his children.

Peace and love.

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The Best of Bob Marley by Rohan Marley

Jan 31st, 2012

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Bob Marley’s legacy has its roots in Jamaica, in the small village of Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, and eventually stretched across the globe. No one could have imagined that this half-white, half-black poor Jamaican boy would one day create music that defined a generation.

When Marley moved to Kingston after his father’s death, he found poverty and music intertwined in the slums. He began making music with his friend Bunny Wailer at the age of 14, opting to attend jam sessions with Wailer and Joe Higgs instead of attending school. Marley and Wailer eventually joined forces with Peter Tosh, and by 1966 they had formed a trio simply called “The Wailers”.

After landing a major record deal and pursuing several U.S. tours, The Wailers eventually broke up in 1974 after they were fired from a tour opening for Sly and the Family Stone—as openers The Wailers were receiving more popularity than Sly and the Family Stone in the shows.

Post-breakup, Tosh and Wailer pursued solo careers. Marley did the same, but performed with a back-up band as “Bob Marley and the Wailers”. After 1974, he gained huge support in the U.S. and continued to have hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

In July 1977, in the middle of a world tour, Marley was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He flew back to his native land of Jamaica, and after a series of failed treatments, he passed away in 1981. His final words to his son Ziggy were, “Money can’t buy life.”

Over the next few weeks, in honor of the great Bob Marley, we’re going to give you our “Best of Bob Marley” list. We know that his legacy is not limited to great songs like “Jammin’” or “No Woman, No Cry,” but include all of the movements his ideas inspired. Our list includes his music (our top 3 covers of Bob Marley), his children and their accomplishments (Rohan Marley began the sustainable, fair-trade Marley Coffee empire), and his influence on the Rastafari movement.

Keep checking the blog for more updates as we bring you the Best of Bob Marley.

Peace and love.

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The Roots of Trop Rock – Calypso Music

Jan 30th, 2012

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Photo Credits: STEPHEN CHERNIN

Calypso developed during the 19th century with roots in Trinidad’s Carnival. It grew out of the various styles of Carnival music, including ribald songs, traditional drumming and stick-fighting songs, first sung in French Creole and by the turn of the century sung in English.

These tunes were originally sung by chantwells, singers who led carnival masquerade bands in call and response in tents in the weeks leading up to Carnival and on the streets during Carnival itself. In the 1920s, calypso was transformed into a more ballad style of political and social commentary. The singers no longer led the masquerade bands performed in the tents as shows rather than rehearsals for the street carnival. A strong crop of calypso singers emerged in this period all taking on warrior like pseudonyms including Roaring Lion, Atilla the Hun, Lord Beginner, Growling Tiger, King Radio and Executor. These calypsonians wrote and sang sophisticated songs and performed in competing tents during the Carnival season of the ’30s.

Although a few calypsos were recorded in the first two decades of the 20th century, the major break came with the 1934 recording trip to New York after Carnival by Roaring Lion and Atilla the Hun. Their recording brought international notice to calypso and won respect at home. In addition to the recordings, Lion and Atilla were taken under the wing of Rudy Valle, who brought them important exposure at his New York nightclub and on his Saturday night radio broadcast. That session yielded two classics: Lion’s “Ugly Woman,” which was later featured in a Hollywood musical and rewritten into a rhythm-and-blues hit, and Atilla’s “Graf Zepplin,” a celebration of the airship coming to Trinidad in the fall of 1933, a song still sung today.

For the rest of the decade, calypsonians went to New York each year to record and numerous field trips were made to Trinidad. By 1938, Time proclaimed a calypso boom in the United States. However, it didn’t really seem to happen until the Andrews Sisters’ version of Lord Invaders’ “Rum and Coca Cola” became popular during World War II: Despite being banned from the radio, it was one of the best-selling records of the war era. This song was a watered-down version of a sharp commentary on the ill effects of the American presence in Trinidad during the war. Still, it provided enormous exposure to calypso and sparked even more interest that led to an increase of recordings in the United States and England as well as the increased travel of calypsonians to both locations.

In 1957, the Calypso album by Harry Belafonte sparked a short-term calypso craze in the United States and to a lesser extent around the world despite the fact that most of the album was not calypso. For six months, the American entertainment industry rushed out dozens of singles and albums and three movies were produced with calypso themes. A craze for calypso dancing was born and it caused many nightclubs to change their décor and seek out any calypsonians they could find. The craze fizzled out quickly but not before calypso had entered the music conscious of many people around the world.

In 1956 a young Trinidadian singer named the Mighty Sparrow declared, “Yankee gone, Sparrow take over now” in his hit song “Jean and Dinah,” referencing the declining presence of U.S. servicemen in the country after WWII. Sparrow all but took over calypso from leading lights like Lord Melody (with whom he had a delightful duel in song) and the comic genius Spoiler. He created a new sound and style, one that was more melodic and brought a new excitement to the calypso tents with memorable albums of great songs that were heard throughout the Caribbean.

The other great calypsonian of the time was Lord Kitchener who had gone to England in 1948 and was a major force during the Fifties with his recordings of calypsos were popular throughout the Caribbean and in Africa. With Independence, Lord Kitchener returned and the two led competing tents of great singers during a golden era of calypso in the ’60s and ’70s with other masters of the art form: Duke, Stalin, Cristo, Cypher, Chalkdust and others. In the late ’70s, a whole new style, soca, was created by Lord Shorty (aka Ras Shorty I), Shadow and others. These artists brought a range of influences, from Indian music to R&B, and melded them into a more dance-driven, less-lyric-oriented style that has since evolved quite a bit apart from calypso. More recently artists like David Rudder have created a unique style merging elements of calypso and soca, and new forms like rapso exert a strong influence.

In the last decade Extempo competitions have emerged, where calypsonians are asked to compose and sing on the spot on any subject. A master calypsonian like Gypsy has made this art form his own. Until the 1960s, there were few women singing calypsos but with pioneers like Calypso Rose and Singing Francine and current masters like Singing Sandra, the situation has changed and women sing many of the strongest calypsos.

In Trinidad the crowds at calypso tents are older and not as well attended as the large and younger-leaning soca fetes. Yet there are more calypso tents than ever, and they go on the road all over the country during the Carnival season. There are more competitions, and companies continue to have their own calypso contests. There are ongoing efforts to involve young people in singing calypso with youth tents, school events and competitions. Throughout the Caribbean, calypso is a major part of Carnival celebrations in Barbados, Antigua, St. Vincent and the Virgin Islands, while calypsos are sung each year at Carnivals outside the Caribbean, as in Caribana in Toronto and Notting Hill in England. —Ray Funk

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The Roots of Trop Rock – Reggae

Jan 23rd, 2012

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You can hear the influences of Reggae Music throughout Trop Rock.

Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.

Reggae is most easily recognized by the rhythmic accents on the off-beat, usually played by guitar and/or piano, known as the skank. This pattern accents the second and fourth beat in each bar (or the “and”s of each beat depending on how the music is counted) and combines with the drums emphasis on beat three to create a unique feel and sense of phrasing in contrast to most other popular genres focus on beat one, the “downbeat”. The tempo of Reggae is usually felt as slower than the popular Jamaican forms, ska and rocksteady, which preceded it.^[1] It is this slower tempo, the guitar/piano offbeats, the emphasis on the third beat, and the use of syncopated, melodic bass lines that differentiates reggae from other music, although other musical styles have incorporated some of these innovations separately.

Bob Marley is said to have claimed that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for “the king’s music”.^[5] The liner notes of To the King, a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regi meaning “to the king”.

Reggae developed from ska, mento and R&B music in the 1960s. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle, which was pioneered by Jamaican musicians like Jackie Mittoo and Winston Wright. This new technique was featured in the transitional singles “Say What You’re Saying” (1967) by Clancy Eccles, and “People Funny Boy” (1968) by Lee “Scratch” Perry. The Pioneers‘ 1967 track “Long Shot Bus’ Me Bet” has been identified as the earliest recorded example of the new rhythm sound that became known as reggae.^[7]

Early 1968 was when the first genuine reggae records were released: “Nanny Goat” by Larry Marshall and “No More Heartaches” by The Beltones. American artist Johnny Nash‘s 1968 hit “Hold Me Tight” has been credited with first putting reggae in the American listener charts.^[8] Around that time, reggae influences were starting to surface in rock music. An example of a rock song featuring a slight taste of reggae rhythm is 1968′s “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” by The Beatles.^[9]

Bob Marley in 1980.

The Wailers, a band started by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963, are perhaps the most recognised band that made the transition through all three stages of early Jamaican popular music: ska, rocksteady and reggae. Other significant reggae pioneers include Prince Buster, Desmond Dekkerand Ken Boothe.

Notable Jamaican producers who were influential in the development of ska into rocksteady and reggae include: Coxsone Dodd, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Leslie Kong, Duke Reid, Joe Gibbs and King Tubby. Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records in Jamaica in 1960, relocated to England in 1962, where he continued to promote Jamaican music. He formed a partnership with Trojan Records, founded by Lee Gopthal in 1968. Trojan released recordings by reggae artists in the UK until 1974, when Saga bought the label.

The 1972 film The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy Cliff, generated considerable interest and popularity for reggae in the United States, and Eric Clapton‘s 1974 cover of the Bob Marley song “I Shot the Sheriff” helped bring reggae into the mainstream.^[3] By the mid 1970s, reggae was getting radio play in the UK on John Peel‘s radio show, and Peel continued to play reggae on his show throughout his career. What is called the “Golden Age of Reggae” corresponds roughly to the heyday of roots reggae.

In the second half of the 1970s, the UK punk rock scene was starting to form, and reggae was a notable influence. Some punk DJs played reggae songs during their sets and some punk bands incorporated reggae influences into their music. At the same time, reggae began to enjoy a revival in the UK that continued into the 1980s, exemplified by groups like Steel Pulse, Aswad, UB40, and Musical Youth. Other reggae artists who enjoyed international appeal in the early 1980s include Third World, Black Uhuru and Sugar Minott. The Grammy Awards introduced the Best Reggae Album category in 1985.

Early reggae

The “Early reggae” era can be looked as as starting in roughly 1968. The influence of funk music from American record labels such as Stax began to permeate the music style of studio musicians and the slowing in tempo that occurred with the development of rocksteady had allowed musicians more space to experiment with different rhythmic patterns. One of the developments which separated early reggae from rocksteady was the “bubble” organ pattern, a percussive style of playing that showcased the eighth-note subdivision within the groove. The guitar “skanks” on the second and fourth beat of the bar began to be replaced by a strumming pattern similar to mento and the so-called double chop that can be heard so audibly in the introduction of Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up” was developed during this time. More emphasis was put on the groove of the music, and there was a growing trend of recording a “version” on the B-side of a single. The mass popularity of instrumental music in the Ska and Rocksteady eras continued in reggae, producing some of the most memorable recordings of the early reggae era. Cover versions of Motown, Stax and Atlantic Records soul songs remained popular in early reggae, often helping Jamaican artists gain a foothold in foreign markets such as the U.K. As a testament to it’s far reaching impact in other markets, this era and sound of reggae is sometimes referred to in retrospect as “skinhead reggae” because of its popularity among the working class skinhead subculture in the UK during the late 1960s and early 1970s. One Caribbean band based in London, The Pyramids, even released an entire album dedicated to the unruly English youth culture under the name Symarip which featured songs such as “Skinhead Moonstomp” and “Skinhead Girl”. Eventually the, often experimental, sounds of early reggae gave way to the more refined sound made popular by Bob Marley’s most famous recordings. Indeed this era seems fittingly capped off by the 1973 release of “Catch A Fire”. Notable artists from this era include John Holt, Toots & the Maytals and The Pioneers.