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Tighten Up- The Story of Trojan Records - Episode 1

Don Letts tells the story of the influential UK-based record label that helped Jamaican music reach a wider audience.

Don Letts tells the story of the influential UK-based record label that helped Jamaican music reach a wider audience.

Trojan Records is known as reggae's Motown and had a huge hand in introducing Jamaican music to the British public. In its hey-day of the late 60s to the mid-70s, Trojan chalked up nearly 30 hit singles, released the legendary Tighten Up compilation series and launched Jamaican acts in the UK such as Jimmy Cliff, John Holt, Ken Boothe, Bob and Marica, and Dave and Ansel Collins. The huge volume of records they released in this period made the name Trojan synonymous with classic rocksteady and reggae cuts. In 1970 alone, Trojan released 500 singles, selling over 1.5 million records.

This series tells not just the story of Trojan Records, but also reveals how Jamaican music arrived in the UK. Discover how it all began with Duke Reid's Trojan sound system in Jamaica, and how the influx of young Jamaicans into post-war Britain kick-started a reggae scene in the UK.
Find out how the British skinheads then made ska and reggae popular in the British charts (when the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ wasn't listening!) and how the music adapted to UK tastes to become number one sellers.

We also reveal why the whole empire inexplicably came crashing down too, only for punk and Two-Tone to give it a resurgence, helping confirm Trojan as one of the coolest and most important labels for reggae music.

With contributions from Ken Boothe, Bunny Lee, BB Seaton, Derrick Harriot, Dandy Livingstone, John Holt, Ansel Collins, Rico Rodriguez, Bob Andy, Derrick Morgan and many more.

First broadcast in 2006.

30 minutes

Last on

Wed 10 Jul 2024 01:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music

More episodes

Previous

The Jam - Made in Britain - Episode 4

Next

Tighten Up - The Story of Trojan Records - Episode 2

See all episodes from 6 Music Stories

Music Played

  • The Untouchables

    TIGHTEN UP

    • TROJAN EXPLOSION.
    • SANCTUARY.
    • MOJO-4.

  • Charlie Binger

    Jamaica is the Place to Go

    • Tojan Calypso Box Sey.
    • Trojan.
    • TJFTV-211.

  • The Undergrounds

    Savito

  • Fats Domino

    Be My Guest

    • The Best Of Fats Domino.
    • Liberty.
    • CDP-790294 2.

  • Rosco Gordon

    That's What You Do To Me

  • Roland Alphonso

    Nuclear Weapon

  • The Skatalites

    Love Is The Way

  • Derrick Morgan

    Joy Bells

  • The Skatalites

    GUNS OF NAVARONE

    • Young Gifted & Black (Various).
    • Trojan.
    • TJDDD-006.

  • Lynn Taitt and The Boys

    STORM WARNING

  • MILLIE

    MY BOY LOLLIPOP

    • FONTANA CHAPTER 1 - THE BIRTH.
    • FONTANA.
    • 515-8922.

  • Prince Buster’s All Stars

    RUDE RUDE RUDEE

    • ROOTS OF REGGAE.
    • RHINO.
    • R2-72438.

  • Brother Dan All Stars

    Cool Hand Luke

  • Duke Reid's All Stars

    Judge Sympathy

  • Alton Ellis

    AIN'T THAT LOVING YOU

    • SOUL GROOVER.
    • TROJAN.
    • CDTRL-385.

  • Brother Dan All Stars

    Donkey Returns

  • Joya Landis

    Angel Of The Morning

Broadcasts

  • Tue 17 Apr 2012 00:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Tue 14 Aug 2012 00:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Tue 21 Jul 2015 02:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Tue 23 Aug 2016 02:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Tue 28 Aug 2018 02:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Wed 10 May 2023 01:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Wed 10 Jul 2024 01:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music

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