Page 61 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2018

style, he pushed forward to help spread

the word to the widest audience possible.

Chapter headings detail the various styles Though the root of reggae music will always

of the music – roots, dub, toasting, jungle, be the island in the Caribbean from which
etc. – and the authors interweave Rodigan’s the Alpha Boys’ School players and artists like

more personal life history like riffs within Bob Marley emerged, David Rodigan’s book

the melodic structure. The structural conceit makes it clear that frontline reggae soldiers

works well, mainly because Rodigan’s life can emerge from any culture if the individuals

cannot be separated from his work in reggae, involved are committed to the lifeforce that
allowing his personal history and the growth makes reggae instrumental in uniting people

and stylistic changes in the music over time from around the world. The concept of One

equal standing in this fascinating history of Love has driven the music from the beginning,
and the contributions of thousands of artists,
the fight for – and against – reggae in the musicians, producers, graphic artists, higglers

broader world of U.K. media.
and fans around the world have helped to

Rodigan’s passion for reggae is apparent as build a foundation that continues to provide
he relates encounters with musical greats like inspiration and solace to people from every

Bunny Wailer, Alton Ellis, Bob Andy, Peter Tosh, walk of life united in the belief that we are
Bob Marley, as well as his visits to Channel stronger when we band together for our

One, King Tubby’s, Treasure Isle, Harry J’s, common good.

Black Ark and others at a time when they were Chuck Foster recently celebrated 20 years as

producing some of their finest work. These are host of Reggae Central on KPFK in L.A. (you can

experiences that simply can’t be duplicated hear the show live or archived at www.KPFK.
and Rodigan’s enthusiasm is evident in even org). He is the author of Roots Rock Reggae:

the latter-day telling. He really gets rolling as An Oral History of Reggae Music From Ska

he describes his lengthy tenure as a London To Dancehall (Billboard Books, 1999) and The

club DJ, the growth of the MC scene in Small Axe Guide to Rock Steady (Muzik Tree/I

England and his time at Capital Radio, U.K. Am the Gorgon, revised edition 2016).

Kiss FM, BBC 2 and 1xtra radio. You’re given
a bird’s eye view of the London reggae scene

at a time when artists like Dennis Brown and

Gregory Isaacs were at their creative peak.

What comes across is the man’s enthusiasm

for reggae music, from ska, rocksteady and

roots through dub, ragga, dancehall into
drum and bass, dubstep and whatever the

next incarnation of reggae-rooted music may

be. Even though he gravitated toward a wider

mix of music on his later stints, he’s continued

to advocate for reggae and feature it as part
of a broader spectrum of sound.

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