Reggae in Australia

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Reggae is a general term for the popular music of Jamaica that developed in the late 1960s and today encompasses styles like dancehall. Australia has a number of bands and sound systems that play reggae music in a style faithful to its expression in Jamaica.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Australia has a relatively small Jamaican community but reggae penetrated local consciousness via the popularity of ska, rocksteady and reggae among the non-Jamaican population in England in the 1960s and 1970s. Bob Marley & The Wailers toured Australia in 1979, playing Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

The first notable dub release in Australia was Ten Dubs That Shook The World by Sheriff Lindo And The Hammer, issued on the artist's own label Endless Recordings in 1988. The LP was reissued on the Creative Vibes label with 5 extra tracks in 1998 and again by EM Records of Japan in 2006, on CD (catalogue number EM1049CD) and also on an LP (EM1049LP) limited to 500 copies. Only the CD contains the 5 extra tracks.

In February 2007 Melbourne-based producer Mista Savona released Melbourne Meets Kingston on Elefant Traks, a 21 track collaboration with Jamaican singers and deejays like Anthony B, Determine and Big Youth. This followed a September 2006 release on Elefant Traks by Astronomy Class that fused reggae and hip hop to produce Exit Strategy.

In 1984 Australian label Corroboree Records had its first release with [Dangerous Times]. This 7" single was recorded at Channel One Studios with the Roots Radics, voiced and mixed at King Tubbys with Bugs as engineer, voiced by Dudley Green and General Justice. Contains Dangerous Dub on the b side mixed by King Tubby. Released in Jamaica, the UK and Australia.

[edit] Australian reggae bands, artists and producers

Blue King Brown

[edit] Reggae and indigenous musicians

Many indigenous musicians have embraced reggae, both for its musical qualities and its ethos of resistance.

Zennith and Ancient Instinct

[edit] Australian sound systems and selectors

The original sound system in Sydney and Australia is Soulmaker, established in 1972 by J.J. Roberts, a Jamaican from Saint Catherine Parish.

Other long-standing sounds in Sydney include Nasty Tek and Firehouse.

There are three sound systems in Australia that have their own custom-built amplifiers and speaker boxes: Jah Trinity in Adelaide, Heartical Hi-Fi in Melbourne and Champion Sound in Brisbane

The first Australian selector to clash in Jamaica was General Justice, who in 1984 won a radio clash on JBC against Barry G.

[edit] List of active Australian sound systems and selectors

  • Nasty Tek - Sydney
  • Firehouse - Sydney
  • Heartical Hi-Fi Outernational - Melbourne
  • Top Ranking - Melbourne
  • Natty Sistren - Melbourne
  • Chant Down - Melbourne
  • Rebel Soul - Sydney and Perth
  • Rhythm Collision - Brisbane
  • Earthlink Sound - Perth
  • Champion Sound - Brisbane
  • Jah Trinity Outanational - Adelaide
  • Rastafari Rhythms - Melbourne
  • Rub A Dub - Byron Bay
  • Freedom Sound - Sydney
  • The Empressions ReGal Sound - Perth
  • Gold Finger Crew - Sydney
  • Jah Wisdom - Perth
  • Housewifes Choice - Melbourne
  • Spin D Music - Sydney
  • Surgeon General - Sydney
  • Free Dem Outanational - Sydney
  • Samedi Sound - Brisbane
  • Papa Stylee - Melbourne
  • Foundation Stepper - Melbourne
  • Intensified Sound - Sydney
  • Dubarama - Adelaide
  • Flex - Perth
  • Andy Ites - Melbourne
  • Binghi Fire - Melbourne
  • Capital Dub Style - Canberra

[edit] Reggae festivals in Australia

ReggaeTown is an annual reggae and roots music festival near Cairns in Far North Queensland.

South Beach annual Reggae Party Fremantle Western Australia started in 1998.

[edit] Reggae radio in Australia

Notable radio programs of the past include Splashdown and The Pounding System.

The Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster Mikey Dread produced and presented a reggae radio special for 2JJJ in the mid to late 1980s.

Australia's longest running reggae radio show is "Jamdown Vershun" which has been broadcasting on 92.1fm in Perth with selector General Justice since July 1979.

Current radio programs that focus primarily on Jamaican and reggae music
Sydney
Fire On The Wire 107.3 MHz 2SER Wednesday 1.30-3pm L-Static, Adrian, Nardo
Lawless Street 88.5 MHz 2RRR Thursday 4-6pm Chris & The Professor
Bass Culture Radio 88.5 MHz 2RRR Friday 8-10am Roboticstepper
Roots, Rock, Reggae 93.7 MHz Koori Radio Friday 8-10pm Sista Agz
African Riddims 99.3 MHz 2NSB Friday 8:30-10pm Frank Crisp
Black Music in Iration 93.7 MHz Koori Radio Saturday 12-2pm Ibo Jah
Shades Of Black 88.9 MHz Radio Skid Row Saturday 9-midnight Papa George, Judgement
Basslines 94.5 MHz FBi Radio Sunday 5-7pm Gina Mitchell
Melbourne
Planetary Chaos 106.7 MHz 3PBS Friday 11am-1pm Systa BB
Chant Down Babylon 106.7 MHz 3PBS Saturday 5-7pm Jesse I
Top Ranking Sound 102.7 MHz 3RRR Saturday 10pm-midnight Ranking Yoni
Zion Roots 97.9 MHz 979 FM Sunday 8am-10am Steve Austin
Blue Juice 106.7 MHz 3PBS Sunday 11am-1pm Mohair Slim
Heartical 106.7 MHz 3PBS Sunday 5-7pm Uptight
Byron Bay
High Grade Radio 99.9 MHz BayFM Thursday 2pm-4pm Krazy Dayv
Brisbane
The Yard 102.1 MHz 4ZZZ Sunday 6-8pm Basmati
Perth
Jamdown Vershun 92.1 MHz RTRFM Saturday 5-7pm General Justice, Miss Tickle, Jah Clint
Saturday Night Reggae 107.9 MHz Radio Fremantle Saturday 9-11pm Corby, Sista Che, Mama Trees, Herbalicious

[edit] External links