can anybody reccomend any books about the history of jamaican sound systems?

[PlanktonSideburns]

want to know about the origins of it, 1940s stuff, Tom the Great Sebastian and all that stuff

any recommendations? somehow feel like this is the sort of things you cunts would be up on

[Non Stop Dancer]

[Tag] My wife's gone to the West Indies[tag]

[holyzombiejesus]

Not with words in but there's a good photography book out there somewhere. Can't remember who it was by though, may have been one of the Cafe Royal editions. Will have a look around.

[holyzombiejesus]

Ah, they're just modern pictures, here.

https://briandavidstevens.com/albums/QdydHb/notting-hill-sound-systems

This was available through Cafe Royal but now you can onkly get it as part of their archive box which costs over a grand.

On a similar kind of bent, I'd really like a decent book of photographs of the Windrush Generation. Recently read such a great oral history of it but it really lacked some decent visuals. Stuff like they put in the Honest Jons 'London Belongs to Me' compilations.

[PlanktonSideburns]

Ah, they're just modern pictures, here.

https://briandavidstevens.com/albums/QdydHb/notting-hill-sound-systems

This was available through Cafe Royal but now you can onkly get it as part of their archive box which costs over a grand.

On a similar kind of bent, I'd really like a decent book of photographs of the Windrush Generation. Recently read such a great oral history of it but it really lacked some decent visuals. Stuff like they put in the Honest Jons 'London Belongs to Me' compilations.

Man, I do love a big old pile of speakers

[poodlefaker]

Bass Culture by Lloyd Bradley is the best book about reggae I've read; I'm pretty sure there's stuff about sound systems in there. Also his book Sounds Like London has a chapter on the London scene.

[Geoffs~Cape]

I have 3 books which though not solely about the history of Jamaican sound systems, all have chapters covering the origins. The first two written by a pal of mine, all are well worth a read for the topics they cover beyond just sound system:

A general history of reggae based on many interviews with the surviving key players and lesser known but equally important figures. The first chapter covers the origins of sound system:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solid-Foundation-Oral-History-Reggae/dp/1908279303

Biography of Lee "Scratch" Perry which touches on sound system origins with a slant to its role in Scratch's career:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1846094437

Likewise, this one has a chapter on the early days of sound system and specifically its role in the career of Bunny Lee, as told by the man himself:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reggae-Going-International-1967-1976/dp/0956999107

I have also read this about 15 years ago but don't own a copy. Pretty sure it would cover the history of sound systems but to what extent I can't remember:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Culture-When-Reggae-King/dp/0140237631

[gib]

Stolzoff, Wake the Town and Tell the People

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wake-Town-Tell-People-Dancehall/dp/0822325144

haven't read it but judging by the preview of the Contents this is what you're after

[Geoffs~Cape]

^ Yeah that looks great. Thanks gib, will add it to my own wishlist.

[PlanktonSideburns]

mazin, thanks all!

[gib]

just catching up on Rodigan and by coincidence he mentions a book around 12:20 in https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000jp92

edit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matador-Lloyd-Daley-Pioneer-Jamaican/dp/1732382506

[KennyMonster]

RIP Shelf Abuse and Oscillations