Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King

Description: The first major account of the history of reggae, black music journalist Lloyd Bradley describes its origins and development in Jamaica, from ska to rock-steady to dub and then to reggae itself, a local music which conquered the world. There are many extraordinary stories about characters like Prince Buster, King Tubby and Bob Marley. But this is more than a book of music history: it relates the story of reggae to the whole history of Jamaica, from Colonial Island to troubled independence, and Jamaicans, from Kingston to London. Table of Contents: Part One First session: boogie in my bones; music is my occupation; we are rolling; message from the king; train to Skaville; strange country; what a world. Part Two Simmer down: soul style; dance crasher; mix it up; you can get it if you really want. Part Three Studio kinda cloudy: pressure drop; wake the town, tell the people; dubwise situation; dreadlocks in moonlight; ah fi we dis; trench town rock; warrior charge; sipple out deh. Part Four Fist to fist days gone: ring the alarm; kid's play; Johnny dollar; healing of a nation. Author Biography: Lloyd Bradley was classically trained as a chef but for the last 20 years has worked as a music journalist, most recently for Mojo - which he has just left with editor Mat Snow to launch a new men's magazine in Autumn 2000. He is the author of Reggae on CD. He lives with his wife and two children in Kentish Town, London.