Studio One court case a heavy load – Bob Andy The law suit between singer/songwriter Keith ‘Bob Andy’ Anderson and the Clement Coxsone Dodd estate continues this month with the singer stating that it is “weighing him down”. The court will determine whether royalties are due from Bob Andy’s Songbook, the classic Jamaican album which [...]
1980 reggae movie ‘Rockers’ still has cult following Reggae and a 30-year-old movie about its Jamaican culture has become popular with a new generation. Inner Circle includes founding members Ian and Roger Lewis, who both appeared in the 1978 film “Rockers.” “We didn’t know the reggae sounds was so popular there now, but the movie [...]
Kartel says…’GAZA BUTTONS NOT OURS’ Popular entertainer Vybz Kartel yesterday distanced himself and members of the Portmore Empire, from vendors who police clamped down on recently for selling Gaza buttons at school gates. The deejay, in a release, blasted the barefaced vendors involve in the act. “Vybz Kartel does not sanction or condone the selling [...]
Marley heirs wage global war on trademark pirates Coming to a store near you: Bob Marley video games, shoes … snowboards? Heirs of the Jamaican reggae legend are plunging into the global trademark wars, seeking to enforce their exclusive rights to an image that has grown steadily in scope and appeal since the Jamaican superstar [...]
The pull of dancehall and reggae music The London Film Festival, one of the most important film festivals in the world, was held last week. One of the highlights was a film called Made in Jamaica, which showcases the best of reggae and dancehall music. It also attempts to explain how reggae became a worldwide [...]
Tosh’s popularity waning? The relevance of reggae legend Peter Tosh may be waning, as deejays usurp his online popularity and position on the charts. Peter Tosh is arguably the most important reggae star after the late Bob Marley, but while Marley dominates the charts and has an incomparable online popularity, this eludes the late artiste. [...]
The legal side of the music business The following is an excerpt of the talk show, Inside the Muzik Biz, co-hosted by Thaddeus ‘Teddy’ Laidley every Wednesday at 3:30 to 4:00 pm. The programme is aired on Hot 102 FM during The Hot Mix, with Richie B . Inside the Muzik Biz aims to offer [...]
Reggaefying classic rock Don’t be surprised if you start hearing reggae versions of songs by top Israeli rockers on the radio in the future. Michael Goldwasser, the mastermind behind New York-based record label Easy Star and the Easy Star All Stars, his scintillating band that has successfully reggaefied classic rock albums like Dark Side of [...]
Ska, dub bands a hit in Japan You have no way of predicting what will or won’t happen in your lifetime. But really, I had no idea of experiencing one of two recent ‘firsts’ in the context that I did, even though it’s not quite surreal or even unbelievable that I did. The first of [...]
Jawaiian in Hawaiian Call it Jawaiian or “island music” or local-style reggae. Call it what you will, musicians here have been writing and recording music with Jamaican rhythms for more than a quarter-century. Henry Kapono rocked with “Stand in the Light” in 1981. Brother Noland hit with “Coconut Girl” in 1983. After that came the [...]