The enigmatic singer Martin Campbell defies stereotyping. While his experiences mirror those of many Jamaican singers – including a spell at the Alpha Boys School – Campbell remains something on an outsider. When we spoke to Martin Campbell from his home in the UK, he was busy re-assembling his old Channel One studio gear and preparing his next set of releases in original and analogue style. Campbell talks exclusively to Irie Up magazine about the future of reggae music. more in issue 12
Let’s face it, few governments or institutions devote themselves to celebrating or preserving reggae music, leaving the work to a few enterprising individuals. Rogers Steffens, archivist, educator and historian, tells Irie Up about his longtime devotion to preserving the legacy of the Wailers and his own mission in reggae music. more in issue 12
Linton Kwesi Johnson is another man apart in the reggae world, and the artist who almost single-handedly invented the genre of dub poetry.When Darcus Howe appeared on Sky News to talk about the London riots this summer, LKJ’s poetry immediately came into our heads: what Bartek Wojcik calls The Black London Verses of Civil Protest. In this issue, Wojcik takes a detailed look at a crucial poet whose message was rarely heeded in England, or Jamaica. more in issue 12
The soundsystem is at the heart of the reggae movement.
In word, music and pictures, the exhibition follows the story of the soundsystem from Jamaica in the 1950s to the UK in the 60s and 70s, and then to Europe. The soundsystems gave birth to ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, dancehall, hip-hop, jungle and drum and
bass – and taught nations and generations how to dance!
Jamaican artist Freestylee illustrates the story with additional artwork by Mau Mau. more in issue 11
“Basically, you got to be amazing these days”. From the reggae town of Leicester, I Mitri Counteraction Soundz waxes lyrical about the darkness and light of UK dub music. He talks about the changes, continuities and innovations in the reggae business and the mission to deliver the UK dub sound with a live band. more in issue 10
Shemelis Desta spent most of three decades working for Emperor Haile Selassie as court photographer, and witnessed His Majesty’s departure from the Palace. He was then was forced to work for the Derg before making a daring escape to England with a treasure trove of Ethiopian culture. more in issue 9
Irieland Sound’s Jah Seal hosts the first Irie Up Selection featuring music from stories and reviews in the March/April 2011 issue of Irie Up magazine, including tunes from Pressure Sounds, Roots Ista Posse, KA Records, Rock A Shacka and Keystone Records. Perfect listening while you read the new issue!!!