Lovers rock
Encyclopedia
Lovers rock is a style of reggae
music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London
in the mid 1970s.
, with Jamaican and American singers such as Ken Boothe
, Johnny Nash
, and John Holt
enjoying international hits with reggae versions of well-known love songs.
A style suited to the London
reggae scene, Lovers rock represented an apolitical counterpoint to the conscious Rastafarian sound dominant in Jamaica
at the time. It combined the smooth soul sounds of Chicago
and Philadelphia soul
with reggae basslines and rhythms. Rooted in the Sound systems of South London
, the style had particular appeal amongst women and produced many female stars including Carroll Thompson
, and the first British singer to have a lovers hit Ginger Williams' "Tenderness" in 1974. Louisa Mark
, was aged just 14 when she had a major lovers rock hit with her version of Bobby Parker's "Caught You in a Lie" in 1975, this spawned the distinctive young girl female sound associated with early lovers rock. This was followed by the husband and wife production team of Dennis and Eve Harris then had a big hit with T.T. Ross's "Last Date", and Dennis Harris
then set up a new label, Lovers Rock,at the south east London premises on Upper Brockley Road along with John Kpiaye and Dennis Bovell
, which gave the new genre a name.
South London trio Brown Sugar (including a young Caron Wheeler
, later of Soul II Soul
) pioneered a subgenre, 'conscious lovers', with songs such as "I'm In Love With a Dreadlocks" and "Black Pride
". Others who released records in this subgenre included the Battersea
songstress Winsome
. Lovers Rock became a staple of London's sound systems such as Chicken Hi-Fi, Success Sound, and Soferno B. Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser
would be a key Lovers Rock producer, working with Deborahe Glasgow
, while Bovell would produce one of the genre's biggest hits, Janet Kay
's "Silly Games", which reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart
in 1979. Although noted for the preponderance and youth of its female exponents, the new style produced its fair share of male stars as well, notably Trevor Walters, Honey Boy
, and Winston Reedy. The trend also saw the emergence of many male groups, including Tradition
, The Investigators and the Birmingham
group Beshara
, who had the emotive reggae chart hit "Men Cry Too".
Subsequently, numerous well-established Jamaican acts came to try their hand at the new sound. Most successful among these were Gregory Isaacs
, Dennis Brown
, Sugar Minott
, and later Freddie McGregor
. Brown's "Money In My Pocket" (#14 in 1979) and Minott's "Good Thing Going" (#4 in 1981) were both big hits in the UK Singles Chart
.
The popularity of Lovers Rock has continued, and in the 1980s the Fashion
label was hugely successful with UK audiences, and the Revue label had a major hit in 1986 with Boris Gardiner
's "I Wanna Wake Up With You". In the 1990s the likes of Mike Anthony
, Peter Hunnigale
, and Donna Marie
enjoyed huge success with the genre, and several British stars have performed at Reggae Sunsplash
.
Recently lovers rock revue concerts featuring upto 15 artistes at a time are now held regularly in large prestigious venues such as the O2 in Greenwich, with the brand name "Giants of Lovers Rock" being the most successful. Consistently attracting crowds in the thousands lovers rock promoter Orlando Gittens has been credited with giving the genre life in the new millenium.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the mid 1970s.
History
The roots of Lovers Rock lie in the early days of reggaeReggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, with Jamaican and American singers such as Ken Boothe
Ken Boothe
Ken Boothe OD is a Jamaican recording artist.-Biography:Ken Boothe was born in the Denham Town area of Kingston in 1948, the youngest of seven children, and began singing in school...
, Johnny Nash
Johnny Nash
John Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.-Life and career:...
, and John Holt
John Holt (singer)
John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
enjoying international hits with reggae versions of well-known love songs.
A style suited to the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
reggae scene, Lovers rock represented an apolitical counterpoint to the conscious Rastafarian sound dominant in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
at the time. It combined the smooth soul sounds of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Philadelphia soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
with reggae basslines and rhythms. Rooted in the Sound systems of South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, the style had particular appeal amongst women and produced many female stars including Carroll Thompson
Carroll Thompson
Carroll Thompson is an English lovers rock singer, best known for her work in the 1980s.-Biography:Thompson sang in school and church choirs as a girl, but initially studied for a career in pharmacy. In the mid-1970s, she began working as a backing singer at several recording studios after...
, and the first British singer to have a lovers hit Ginger Williams' "Tenderness" in 1974. Louisa Mark
Louisa Mark
Louisa Lynthia Mark, also known as 'Markswoman' was a British lovers rock singer best known for her work between the mid-1970s and early 1980s...
, was aged just 14 when she had a major lovers rock hit with her version of Bobby Parker's "Caught You in a Lie" in 1975, this spawned the distinctive young girl female sound associated with early lovers rock. This was followed by the husband and wife production team of Dennis and Eve Harris then had a big hit with T.T. Ross's "Last Date", and Dennis Harris
Dennis Harris
Dr. Dennis Howard Harris is a medical doctor known for selling alternative medicine remedies. Harris has developed and marketed several products, including one that was the subject of a 2003 Federal Trade Commission complaint resulting in an order essentially banning his company and its officers...
then set up a new label, Lovers Rock,at the south east London premises on Upper Brockley Road along with John Kpiaye and Dennis Bovell
Dennis Bovell
Dennis Bovell is a reggae guitarist, bass player and record producer. He was a member of the British reggae band Matumbi, and released dub-reggae records under his own name as well as the pseudonym 'Blackbeard'....
, which gave the new genre a name.
South London trio Brown Sugar (including a young Caron Wheeler
Caron Wheeler
Caron Wheeler is a two-time Grammy Award winning British R&B/soul singer, who gained fame by writing and singing the lead vocals on the two biggest hits for Soul II Soul Caron Wheeler (19 January 1963) is a two-time Grammy Award winning British R&B/soul singer, who gained fame by writing and...
, later of Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul are a British group that was created in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and U.S. Top 5 hit, "Back to Life ".-Career:...
) pioneered a subgenre, 'conscious lovers', with songs such as "I'm In Love With a Dreadlocks" and "Black Pride
Black pride
Black pride is a slogan indicating pride in being black. Related movements include black nationalism and Afrocentrism.The slogan has been used in the United States by African Americans to celebrate heritage and personal pride. The black pride movement is closely linked with the developments of the...
". Others who released records in this subgenre included the Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
songstress Winsome
Winsome
Winsome is a given name, and may refer to:* Winsome Evans , Associate Professor of music at the University of Sydney* Winsome Sears , member of the Virginia House of Delegates...
. Lovers Rock became a staple of London's sound systems such as Chicken Hi-Fi, Success Sound, and Soferno B. Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser
Mad Professor
Mad Professor is a dub music producer and engineer known for his original productions and remix work. He is considered one of the leading producers of dub music’s second generation and was instrumental in transitioning dub into the digital age. He is a prolific producer, contributing to or...
would be a key Lovers Rock producer, working with Deborahe Glasgow
Deborahe Glasgow
Deborahe Glasgow was an English "Lovers Rock" singer of guyanese parentage who was active from the late 1970s to the beginning of the 90s. Though Glasgow released only one album in her lifetime, 1989's Deborahe Glasgow, she began releasing singles in her adolescence...
, while Bovell would produce one of the genre's biggest hits, Janet Kay
Janet Kay
Janet Kay is a British singer of Jamaican parentage best known for her lovers rock songs of the late 1970s - "Silly Games" and a cover of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You". She has also had roles as a theatre and television actress...
's "Silly Games", which reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1979. Although noted for the preponderance and youth of its female exponents, the new style produced its fair share of male stars as well, notably Trevor Walters, Honey Boy
Honey Boy
Keith Williams , better known as Honey Boy, is a Jamaican reggae singer best known for his recordings in the 1970s who is regarded as one of the pioneers of lovers rock.-Biography:...
, and Winston Reedy. The trend also saw the emergence of many male groups, including Tradition
Tradition (band)
Tradition are a United Kingdom-based reggae band. They enjoyed success with UK reggae audiences in the late 1970s, and were signed by RCA Records. They split up in 1983 but reformed over twenty years later.-History:...
, The Investigators and the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
group Beshara
Beshara (band)
Beshara were a British reggae band from Moseley, Birmingham, that formed in 1976. The band are most notable for their 1981 Lovers rock hit "Men Cry Too", which reached number 6 in the reggae charts. Although known for their Lovers rock singles, they were also very capable of recording roots reggae...
, who had the emotive reggae chart hit "Men Cry Too".
Subsequently, numerous well-established Jamaican acts came to try their hand at the new sound. Most successful among these were Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
, Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
, Sugar Minott
Sugar Minott
Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
, and later Freddie McGregor
Freddie McGregor
Freddie McGregor has been variously a singer, musician and producer. According to Allmusic he is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with a steady career that started in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old.-Biography:In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to...
. Brown's "Money In My Pocket" (#14 in 1979) and Minott's "Good Thing Going" (#4 in 1981) were both big hits in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The popularity of Lovers Rock has continued, and in the 1980s the Fashion
Fashion Records
Fashion Records is a UK-based record label publishing reggae music.Founded in summer 1980, Fashion Records is one of the more successful UK-based reggae labels , and one of only a very few British reggae labels to release records that were produced in their own recording studio.The label was the...
label was hugely successful with UK audiences, and the Revue label had a major hit in 1986 with Boris Gardiner
Boris Gardiner
Boris Gardiner is a Jamaican singer, songwriter and bass guitarist.-Career:Gardiner performed on the tourist circuit for much of the 1960s and was a member of Carlos Malcolm & the Afro Caribs and Byron Lee's Dragonaires...
's "I Wanna Wake Up With You". In the 1990s the likes of Mike Anthony
Mike Anthony (singer)
Mike Anthony is a British lovers rock singer, who began his career in the late 1980s.-History:Anthony's early recordings were produced by Barry Boom, and he had a reggae top ten hit with "Crash Crash", which was followed by further successes with "Glide Gently", "Cruising in Love", and "Open Your...
, Peter Hunnigale
Peter Hunnigale
Peter Hunnigale, also known as Mr. Honey Vibes is a British reggae singer best known for his lovers rock releases.-Biography:Hunnigale started his career as bass guitarist with the Vibes Corner Collective...
, and Donna Marie
Donna Marie
Donna Marie is an English pornographic actress.She currently appears daily on televised sex line Bluebird TV. -Awards:* 2006 UK Adult Film and Television Awards – Best Solo Scene By A Female Performer...
enjoyed huge success with the genre, and several British stars have performed at Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival...
.
Recently lovers rock revue concerts featuring upto 15 artistes at a time are now held regularly in large prestigious venues such as the O2 in Greenwich, with the brand name "Giants of Lovers Rock" being the most successful. Consistently attracting crowds in the thousands lovers rock promoter Orlando Gittens has been credited with giving the genre life in the new millenium.