Library Rock's Backpages

AUDIO: Blood & Fire's Steve Barrow (1998)

Frank Broughton, Rock's Backpages audio, 10 September 1998

The reggae historian and Blood & Fire founder looks back on the evolution of Jamaica's sound system culture: early pioneers such as Count Matchuki; the selector/DJ split; Ruddy Redwood and the pre-release dub plate; sound system rivalry; Duke Reid and Coxone Dodd; and DJs and selectors becoming producers. Steve then explains how he got into reggae in the early-'70s and talks about Jamaica's relationship with hip hop. Finally, he talks about King Tubby and Scientist's dubs via an illustration of Bernard Purdie's 'Funky Donkey'.

Subscribe

Becoming a member is easy. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library.

Click here to go to Subscribe page.

Click here for academic and other group subscriptions.