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50 years of Trojan Records

Joining Levi in the studio is Nick Davies, the director of "Rudeboy", a new documentary telling the story of Trojan Records on its 50th anniversary.

In the last of the current series, Levi is joined in the studio by Nick Davies, the director of "Rudeboy" a new film about the iconic Trojan label which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Levi will be delving into the history of the label, playing hits and rare sides from the legendary Trojan catalogue.

On July 28th 1967, British-based Jamaican music company, Island Records launched a label to showcase the output of one of the most popular and successful producers of the ska and rock steady eras – Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid.

The imprint, called ‘Trojan’ after the title Mr. Reid had acquired during his early days in the music business, surprisingly folded after a matter of months. And this may well have been the end of the Trojan story had it not been for the creation of a new Jamaican music company, launched in the summer of ’68, which was in need of a suitably dynamic name.

Trojan Records promptly launched an ambitious programme of issuing singles on a variety of labels that highlighted music from every producer of note, ranging from British-based music makers such as Robert ‘Dandy’ Thompson, to such esteemed Jamaican operators as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Edward ‘Bunny’ Lee and, of course, Duke Reid himself.

Aside from their overtly commercial output, the company also highlighted music by artists largely unknown outside Jamaica, many of which would later become major international recording stars – Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs and a Kingston-based vocal trio called Bob Marley & the Wailers.

"Rudeboy" itself is a film about the origins and ongoing love affair between Jamaican and British youth culture and explores the power of music to break down cultural barriers and change lives and the eventual birth of a modern multicultural society.

57 minutes

Last on

Tue 11 Sep 2018 21:00

Music Played

  • Toots & The Maytals

    54-46 Was My Number

    • Run Fatboy Run O.S.T. (Various Artists).
    • Universal.
  • Barrington Levy

    Here I Come

    • GREENSLEEVES.
  • Gregory Isaacs

    Night Nurse

    • Reggae Love Songs (Various Artists).
    • Sanctuary.
  • Sugar Minott

    Good Thing Going

    • Pleasure Island (Various Artists).
    • Global Records & Tapes.
  • The Upsetters

    Return Of Django

    • Million Sellers Vol.10 - The Sixties.
    • Disky.
  • ±«â€R´Ç²â & John Holt

    Wear You To The Ball

    • Wear You To The Ball (Single).
    • Treasure Isle.
    • 1.
  • Symarip

    Skinhead Moonstomp

    • Skinhead Moonstomp.
    • Trojan Recordings.
    • 1.
  • Desmond Dekker

    You Can Get It If You Really Want

    • Young Gifted & Black (Various).
    • Trojan.
  • Junior Murvin

    Police And Thieves

    • Mango.
  • Horace Andy

    Skylarking

    • Sky Larking.
    • Blacker Dream.
  • Dennis Brown

    Love Has Found It's Way

    • The Old Gold Collection: 1972-1986 How 'Bout Us CD2.
    • 5.

Broadcast

  • Tue 11 Sep 2018 21:00