| The Reggae beat has been through many stages | | | | Meanwhile artist's and musicians living in the UK had a |
| since its formulation in Jamaica in the early 1960s. It | | | | hard time establishing a foot hold in the Reggae |
| began with the Ska beat which derives from a strong | | | | market due to Jamaica's dominance. Up to now |
| influence of rhythm & blues, and then Rocksteady, | | | | Reggae did not have a romantic side, and it was felt |
| before reaching it's worldwide appeal as Reggae | | | | that the lovers amongst us should be catered for, so |
| during the Seventies to early Eighties and producing | | | | Lover's rock was born right here in the U.K, showing a |
| such artist's as: | | | | softer side to this wonderful music. Lovers rock also |
| Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, Junior Delgado, Burning | | | | covered many of the popular pop songs in the UK |
| Spear, Third World, Pat Kelly, Matumbi, Black Uhuru, | | | | charts and made cover versions almost the norm. |
| Black Roots, Big Youth, The Mighty Diamonds, One | | | | Even the vinyl records suddenly changed colour from |
| Blood, Junior English, Bunny Wailer, Prince Lincoln , | | | | their usual black, to green, white, yellow, blue, multi and |
| Pablo Gad, Aswad, Steel Pulse, Carol Thompson, | | | | many others in between. |
| Louisa Marks, Janet Kay, Sister Love, and many more | | | | Roots music, which had a heavy Reggae bass line |
| big name Reggae performers. We must remember | | | | and lyrics to match, really captured the mood of what |
| that Bob Marley was the fore runner for all the above | | | | life is like living in the ghetto. It also became the fore |
| mentioned artist's. | | | | runner for another style, called Steppers, an almost |
| The 12" 45rpm vinyl record was first introduced during | | | | dance beat that you step to. Last but not least |
| this period of reggae history, and toasting (an early | | | | Rockers derives mainly from taking the old Rock |
| form of rapping) was a also a seventies invention. It | | | | Steady rhythms and revamping them with a new bass |
| was started by Sound System DJs at dances to | | | | line and beat. Think of it as early remixing of a slow |
| futher entertain their audiences and became so | | | | tune into disco dance tune which is used today |
| popular that many artist's began adding toasting to their | | | | throughout the music industry. |
| records to make their tunes unique. | | | | You can find these tunes for sale on this site. |
| The Reggae beat also became faster and more | | | | This period was also a very enterprising time for |
| sophisticated musically, to keep up with the new sound | | | | creating your own records labels although most of |
| coming in from the USA called Funk which used the | | | | them are no longer around, but this website has many |
| aid of the new electronic musical instruments and | | | | exhibits of these labels, plus many more to come, they |
| included the famous syndrome used on many a tune. | | | | are a rarity in their own right. |