Beat Down Babylon: Reggae Arrives

In this week's episode Jeremy and Tim focus on the birth of Reggae in Jamaica. Beginning with the island's first popular music, Ska, we hear how the music of Alton Ellis and Desmond Decker transformed into Rocksteady, with it's slower pulse, rootsy feel and serious lyrical turn. Set against the backdrop of Kingston's high crime rate and Rudeboy culture, Tim and Jeremy recount how this music took on the feeling of suffering and anguish many Jamaicans experienced in their lives. We hear how these musicians began to look less to America for their musical inspirations than to the island's Mento folk traditions as the Reggae sound began to crystalize in the late '60s. Also in this episode, we are introduced to the pioneering producer and performer Lee 'Scratch' Perry (more from him next episode), explore the emerging link between Reggae music and Michael Manley's socialist People's National Party, and consider the problematic gender and sexual politics of a genre so focused on emancipation and liberation. Join us next time as we dive deep into Dub... Tim Lawrence and Jeremy Gilbert are authors, academics, DJs and audiophile dance party organisers. They’ve been friends and collaborators since 1997, teaching together and running parties since 2003. With clubs closed and half their jobs lost to university cuts, they’re inevitably launching a podcast. Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.   Tune in, Turn on, Get Down!   Become a patron from just £3 per month by visiting www.patreon.com/LoveMessagePod Tracklist: Alton Ellis and the Flames - Girl I Have Got A Date Alton Ellis - Rock Steady Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Israelites Lee 'Scratch' Perry - People Funny Boy Junior Byles - Beat Down Babylon The Abyssinians - Satta Massagana Marcia Griffiths - The First Cut is the Deepest Books: Lloyd Bradley - Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King