These are both excellent:
Bass Culture - Lloyd Bradley. Definitive history starting with the early sound systems of the 1940s, and mento. Beautifully written.
Wailing Blues - John Masouri. Ostensibly a biography of Aston 'Family Man' Barrett but is very thorough on the whole of the rise of roots reggae from 1968 onwards, emerging from rocksteady. I particularly enjoyed that chapters on Lee 'Scratch' Perry. The writing is sometimes stodgy and less beautiful than Bradley's but the rich details make up for some awkwardness of style.
These are good:
Don Drummond - Heather Augustyn. Excellent research into a tortured genius. Especially good for the space it gives to his victim Anita Mahfood, whose single Woman a Come is a very moving record in context. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM1osTtzAsA
Ska'd For Life - Horace Panter. The most literary member of The Specials, so a useful inside source for the story. Frank enough but not a hatchet job on other band members like Peter Hook's New Order book
Black By Design - Pauline Black. Awesome on her childhood and teenage years - vivid accounts of being adopted by a racist family and sexually abused by a trusted neighbour. The musical segments can't compete with that but she has interesting insights into Ian Dury and Jerry Dammers plus her own band members.
Bass Culture - Lloyd Bradley. Definitive history starting with the early sound systems of the 1940s, and mento. Beautifully written.
Wailing Blues - John Masouri. Ostensibly a biography of Aston 'Family Man' Barrett but is very thorough on the whole of the rise of roots reggae from 1968 onwards, emerging from rocksteady. I particularly enjoyed that chapters on Lee 'Scratch' Perry. The writing is sometimes stodgy and less beautiful than Bradley's but the rich details make up for some awkwardness of style.
These are good:
Don Drummond - Heather Augustyn. Excellent research into a tortured genius. Especially good for the space it gives to his victim Anita Mahfood, whose single Woman a Come is a very moving record in context. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM1osTtzAsA
Ska'd For Life - Horace Panter. The most literary member of The Specials, so a useful inside source for the story. Frank enough but not a hatchet job on other band members like Peter Hook's New Order book
Black By Design - Pauline Black. Awesome on her childhood and teenage years - vivid accounts of being adopted by a racist family and sexually abused by a trusted neighbour. The musical segments can't compete with that but she has interesting insights into Ian Dury and Jerry Dammers plus her own band members.
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