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Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King (Paperback)

by Lloyd Bradley (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
RRP: £14.99
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Product details

  • Paperback: 592 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New Ed edition (30 Aug 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140237631
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140237634
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 4.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 154,581 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #16 in  Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Styles > Dance, Rap & Reggae > Reggae
    #48 in  Books > Study Books > Undergraduate & Postgraduate > Arts & Humanities > Area Studies > Asian Studies

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Product Description

Product Description

The first major account of the history of reggae, black music journalist Lloyd Bradley describes its origins and development in Jamaica, from ska to rock-steady to dub and then to reggae itself, a local music which conquered the world. There are many extraordinary stories about characters like Prince Buster, King Tubby and Bob Marley. But this is more than a book of music history: it relates the story of reggae to the whole history of Jamaica, from colonial island to troubled independence, and Jamaicans, from Kingston to London.


About the Author

Lloyd Bradley was classically trained as a chef but for the last 20 years has worked as a music journalist, most recently for Mojo - which he has just left with editor Mat Snow to launch a new men's magazine in Autumn 2000. He is the author of Reggae on CD. He lives with his wife and two children in Kentish Town, London.

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive history of reggae and Jamaican music, 10 Jan 2002
Lloyd Bradley has done an excellent job with this book of not just documenting the origins and developement of what came to be reggae music but also capturing the social and political backdrop in which it emerged. The text is comprehensive yet hugely readable and I would say is a must read for any reggae enthusiast. He seems very familiar with both Jamaica and it's people and exlains the various changes it has undergone in a fair and balanced way. He is to be commended for his unbiased and understanding approach to Rastafari and also his commentry on the islands politics where it is relevent.

The one criticism I would have, and I'm afraid to say it's a major one, is his focus on ska/roots reggae almost entirely to the near total exclusion of dancehall. The entire dancehall era must only comprise of 1/10 of the books text. He does not delve into the developement of the deejay style in the 80's, the move to digital rhythyms, nor the key players in this who made it happen. Instead he seems to unfairly focus on the slackness and gun-talk elements of certain dancehall records and how these were a backward step for the music. This may indeed be true but it is folly to write a book claiming to detail the entire history of Jamaican music yet ignore some of it's most important musical developements, merely because they happened to provide a platform for some unsavoury lyrics. In what he does say about dancehall it is mostly on the roots revival style and how it's a step in the right direction. You won't find me disagreeing but at the same time deejays like Sizzla or Capelton would not exist today if it wasn't for the pioneers of the 80's and early 90's.

All in all I have to say though it's a great book, very entertaining, very informative and hugely enjoyable. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone, I only wish it could have been as in-depth in dealing with the reggae music of the last two decades as it was with the previous two.

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on Reggae History, 31 Mar 2003
By A. Weston "Adrian Weston" (Brighton, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King (Paperback)
This gives the right balance of social history, music history and information without overloading me with facts I can't digest. As a result I've gone off to discover new music by new artists (or rather old and dead ones, but you know what I mean). I'm not a great reader of music books, for reasons similar to those given by other reviewers of this book, but this is an exception. Well written and consistantly interesting.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An inspired attempt to seriously document the rise of reggae, 26 Sep 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King (Paperback)
Lloyd Bradley is to be congratulated for this most readable and informative book. This is a serious and carefully crafted book that obviously reflects the author's love of post 60s Jamaican music.

Each genre within the broad church that is 'reggae' is treated in an in-depth manner and is brought to life by interviews with the surviving artists. You can almost smell the herb.

Thankfully, the author manages to avoid a tribute to the might of Bob Marley, but steers his way deftly through the many artists that were actually appreciated by admirers of the style - whether they be in damp London clubs or Kingston lawns. As a result, the book provides a remarkable portrait and accurate social documentary of what, how and who created the form that is sweet reggae music.

Interspersed with vivid vignettes of street life of the time, the picture is one of struggle and sufferation as a nation evolves its own musical identity. The emphasis is on the period up to 1980, with detailed descriptions of the emerging sound systems, deejay culture and the influence of rastafarianism. The coverage of this era is fascinating.

The period of 1980-2000 is covered in relatively few pages, perhaps reflecting the author's dislike of the violent and slack world of ragga, gun culture and cocaine that this period evoked. If the book has a failing it would be the scant coverage of stars such as Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton and Terror Fabulous, to name a few. Although the violent overtones of this time may be open to derision, some of the music itself has an important place in modern day Jamaican youth culture - perhaps as much as roots did for the generation before.

For anyone interested in reggae music, its evolution and history Bass Culture is a must have immediate purchase. Congratulations to Lloyd Bradley.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, interesting and will help dispell the stereotypes of Jamaican music.
As a dj playing original roots and dub, Bass Culture was a godsend. This book is highly informative and contains enough captivating and meaningful anecdotes to hold your... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2007 by Roots Rally Sound System

2.0 out of 5 stars NOT COMPREHENSIVE AND POORLY WRITTEN
Bigger isn't always better. Bass Culture may be thick but it covers musch less ground than Reggae Routes : The Story of Jamaican Music and is not nearly as well written. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, compelling and essential
Utilises a mixture of social and cultural analysis aligned to verbatim quotes from many of the key players - this is a compelling read which has inspired me to dust off many an... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2002 by nigeyb

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb book and a great read
Even for someone like me with only a passing interest in Reggae this book is a riveting read. The history alone is fascinating and the sense of the culture is breathtaking. Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars A scorcher!
I could not put this book down....Ok,I'm biased,already a massive ska and reggae fan,I needed this book; but even though there are other books out there for the reggae train... Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Reggae in Context
This is a deep and funny book that puts Reggae, as well as the musics that came before and after into their correct settings. Read more
Published on 30 Aug 2001

2.0 out of 5 stars See the book, but read the music first
Guess Lloyd Bradley would be the ideal companion if you wanna discuss reggae music over a cup of coffee sometime, but as a writer he's got a long way to go. Read more
Published on 25 April 2001

2.0 out of 5 stars OKAY BUT NOT GREAT
Not a bad book, but it doesn't cover all of Jamaican music. It seems the author only likes what was around when he was young. Read more
Published on 6 Mar 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Bass Culture - Mandatory reading for Drum 'n' Bass Headz
From early sound system dances through Ska, Rocksteady, Toasting, Dubwise, Ragga, Dancehall to Drum 'n' Bass; it's all here! Why, when, how; it's all chronicled. Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2001 by thewilts@blueyonder.co.uk

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb read if you want to 'understand' reggae!
I hate reading about music. Why? Too much time is spent eulogising the genre or artist. Bass Culture is a great read because the author quickly and clearly places the subject... Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2001

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