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SOUND SYSTEM CULTURE
TUNUP EVENTS
KINGSTON TO LONDON
WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON
The concept of the "Sound System" originated in Jamaica in the late 1940's, as a direct response to both the inafordability of many social venues, and a degree of social exclusion in a Jamaica still bearing the scars of colonial rule.
Whils't those in wealthier neigbhourhoods enjoyed access to entertainment ranging from singers and live bands to orchestras, those in poorer neighbhourhoods couldn't even afford radios or records.
In response, those people built speaker drivers into wardrobe sized cabinets, creating sonic powerhouses from which music would blast through the streets for all to hear and enjoy.
The Sound System was born, and the seeds of a global phenomeon planted.
BORN IN KINGSTON, JAMAICA
Not only were these sound-systems the primary source of musical entertainment and discovery for many, they also become a place for people to "reason" with their communal struggle through a shared energy and and conscious lyrics.
They became a home for the disenfranchised.
They became the corner stone of reggae music.
The looming speaker stacks an image of communal resistance.
Their precussive rhythms and syncopated bassline became a battle cry which would echo the world over spreading messages of unity and shared power.
THE EPITYMOUS IMAGE OF CONSCIOUS FREEDOM
A PLACE OF REASONING, A FORCE OF RECKONING.
The year 1948 (See our NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL TIMELINE) saw the arrival of the Empire Windrush in Tilbury with over 500 carribean migrants on board.
This marked the beginning of large scale migration from the Carribean to the UK to fill post-war labour shortages, and saw the first arrival of Jamaican Sound System culture, and all that comes with it, in the UK.
With these migrants, along with their Irish counterparts, being excluded from social venues, harassed by the police, denied quality housing, and heavily dicriminated against in society, their SoundSystem tradritions found a new home in the uk:
In providing a space for those people to unwind from the stress and strife of life and their shared struggle and in providing a powerful voice to those who did not have one - amplifying their message through raw bassline thunder for the world to hear.
As the disparity between the working class and the wealthy elite in London grew, this function would soon be embraced by the large majority of the cities working class and immigrant communities - not only in the context of the Carnival, but more so in the rampant "blues parties" and "shebeens" which would soon emerge in West London, drawing people from near and far to dance the night away and experience the raw sound system power as one with their fellow dancers.
This was not just the beggining of a new found form of social cohesion and resistance, but also the birth of something which would have a lasting influence on the global music industry.
This too, in itself, would bring a new found power to the humble sound system:
THE ABILITY TO SPREAD MESSAGES THE WORLD OVER THROUGH NEW GENRES OF MUSIC
Jamaica to London
SHEBEEN (Irish: síbín, "home-made whiskey"):
"An illicit bar or club where accessible alcoholic beverages are sold without a license."
Both Carribean and irish people hold socialising, singing, and dancing in high regard in their cultures. With the aforementioned widespread exclusion of immigrants from british establishements it is only natural then that those immigrants would come up with a solution;
Basement parites. Ladbroke grove townhouses taken over with a bar on every floor (our sister sound system RapAttack used to run such parties), derelict, post industrial warehouses taken filled with thousands of revellers both black and white:
They created their own spaces.
Spaces of unity.
Spaces of freedom.
Spaces of resistance.
Spaces of connection.
Spaces for the disenfranchised, Multicultural melting pots, a first of their kind.
where black and white would party together seeing nothing but mutual, unfiltered joy rather than viewing each other through the lens of race and colour.
As such, these became the first places where all types of music were played under one roof.
MUSICAL TASTES EXPANDED. UNDERGOUND MUSIC WENT MAINSTREAM AND NEW GENRES WERE BORN:
Shebeens were the primordial soup from which much of the modern music industry was born.
Soul. Funk. Blues. Reggae. House Music.
ACID HOUSE. JUNGLE. HIP HOP. UK GARAGE. UK FUNKY. ROCK AND ROLL.
Blues Parties and Shebeens
Sound System has become both an integral part of British culture
and a phenomenon with global influence
With England being home to one of the largest Carribean diaspora in the world, the reggae sound system scene fast grew to epic proportions (including being argugably responsible for the global prolification of reggae music)- with some of the most legendary Sound-Systems in the world hailing from right here in West London.
Although it still has its roots here (and always will), the culture has now spread far beyond its original incarnation and has been adopted into the music scene at large.
Bristol, due to its relatively relaxed licensing policy, has become the sound system capital of the UK, and possibly the world, with hundreds of Sound Systems playing genres of music spanning from the cultures roots in reggae, dancehall, soul, and house right through to jungle, hip-hop, drum and bass and dubstep.
In addition to the soundsystem scene itself growing to span genre and country, Sound System has made it into the mainstream, with many festivals and clubs choosing to hire sound system road shows over PA companies not only for their unique imposing sound and aesthetic, but also for their curation and performance abilities - The capability to absolutely "shut down the dance". A sound is the sum of all of its parts, after all.
Today, England is also home to (and has been for some time) some of the premier PA companies, speaker box designers, and builders:
ASS, TURBOSOUND, OHM (Now called Omega), Stable Audio, Funktion One, Opus Audio, Ligwa, FFA, ATC,
Allen and Heath, Klark Teknik, and more
all hail from the UK, and have their roots in British Sound System culture
Present Day: West London and beyond...
NEWS
MORE EVENTS COMING SOON
We are busy in the background planning to deliver a program of innovative, immersive, culture defining events.
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