January 25, 2022 • 21 mins
Host Henry K reflects on his humble origins in the music business sweeping floors and packing boxes working at Island records for the Music Icon Chris Blackwell. The episode serves as both a tribute to the artistry of reggae music and a critical examination of the industry’s often exploitative nature. Listeners are invited to ponder the ramifications of Blackwell's actions—were they those of a benevolent patron or a shrewd businessman capitalizing on the burgeoning reggae movement? This duality of perspective enriches the narrative, prompting discussions about the moral responsibilities of those in power, the authenticity of cultural representation, and the inevitable intersections of commerce and art.
Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Studios in Kingston, Jamaica.
Introduction by: Michelle "Kim" Yamaguchi
Guest Vocals by: Patrick "Curly Loxx" Gaynor Adam "Teacha" Barnes Michael Friedman
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:12):
Henry K.
Henry K.
Broadcasting live and directfrom the rolling red hills on the
outskirts of Kingston,Jamaica, from a magical place at
the intersection of words,sound and power.
The red light is on, your dialis set, the frequency in tune to
(00:35):
the Rootsland podcast.
Stories that are music to your ears.
How does the system break a person?
Get them to conform, have themhappily trade in their individuality,
their uniqueness, to be partof a machine, a cog in a wheel.
(00:59):
It doesn't happen overnight.
The system is patient, meticulous.
The system has forever.
We don't.
We're human.
We want it all and we want it now.
I got news for you.
The system is happy to oblige.
(01:20):
If you like money, if you needmoney, if you'd like to have some
money.
The point is, ladies andgentlemen, that greed is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works always.
Be closing, be closing, be closing.
The rich get richer.
That's the law of the land.
Show me the money.
(01:40):
Uh huh.
Yeah.
Henry, pick up the phone.
Okay, Mom, I got it.
Henry, I got it.
Can I listen?
No, mom, please.
I got it.
Hello?
Hi, Henry, this is GlennHudloff, general manager of Island
Trading Co.
Here in New York City.
How are you today?
Hi, Mr.
Hutloff, how you doing?
Great, Real great.
(02:01):
We received a copy of yourresume over here.
A copy of my resume?
Uh huh.
We'd love to set up aninterview with you for a job we're
trying to fill.
Cool.
I'm not sure how much you knowabout Island Trading Company, but
I know you're familiar withour owner, Chris Blackwell.
Chris Blackwell?
Yes, I am.
I'm assuming when Mr.
Hutloff said familiar withChris Blackwell, he was alluding
(02:21):
to the fact I spent two yearsstalking him and just about everyone
else at the Island Records Aand R department in hopes of getting
a record deal.
I don't think anyone everofficially got back to me with an
answer, which I guess was my answer.
Pretty much the same reactionas the other 28 record labels, production
companies and publishers.
(02:42):
I sent my demo tape out.
At some point I stoppedmailing music and started sending
out resumes.
So, just some background onIsland Trading Company.
We manage various Blackwellbusiness ventures, including Bob
Marley Music, Palm Pictures,which is his film company, and Island
(03:02):
Outposts, a resort lifestyles brand.
We also share our offices herein New York with Island Records.
Really?
Island Records?
Um, listen, Henry, we know youwant to be in the music business.
Yes, I do.
Uh huh.
But right now the job openingis really just for a T shirt sale.
A T shirt salesman?
It's nothing glamorous, Henry,but it is a starting point, and it
could lead to something up the road.
Well, Mr.
Hutloff, you do know that Iwas banned from the offices over
(03:25):
there at island, right?
I've heard the stories.
We'll get you off that list.
Well, when can I come in?
I'm available all next week.
As you know, we're located on4th and Broadway, right above Tower
Reference.
I'm going to pass you over toKat at the front desk, and she'll
set up an appointment.
Who is Chris Blackwell?
(03:46):
Exactly?
And that's the reason he's thecoolest man in the music business.
I'm cool like that.
I'm cool.
In an industry filled withmusic moguls with oversized egos
looking to outshine theirartists, Chris Blackwell, the reclusive
founder of Island Records, hasalways been content being the man
(04:07):
behind the curtains with anuncanny sense for spotting authentic
talent and the marketingprowess and money to make them stars.
He has silently crafted thecareers of some of the most important
acts in music and has earnedall the honors and awards given to
industry giants, including hisinduction into the Rock hall of Fame
(04:27):
and the title as the mostinfluential music executive in the
past 50 years.
From my days as a collegeintern at ross records in D.C.
and throughout my time workingat Tough Gong Records in Kingston,
it seemed everyone I met had aChris Blackwell story.
And like tales told of hisisland recording artist, Bob Marley,
(04:49):
it's often difficult to tellthe truth from myth.
Apparently, Mr.
Blackwell likes it like that.
Praised by many as a propheticgenius responsible for bringing Jamaican
music to the world.
Criticized by others assomeone who exploited the island's
most valuable resource, its people.
(05:11):
After all, Chris Blackwell,through his mother's lineage, Blanche
Lindo Blackwell is adescendant from one of Jamaica's
most powerful families, whofor centuries profited exporting
commodities from the Caribbean.
Rum, sugar, spices.
Oh, yeah, and West African slaves.
(05:36):
After being kicked out ofboarding school in England, Blackwell
returns to his childhood homeof Jamaica, like many teenagers,
struggles to find his place.
Children of wealthy parentsusually don't have to struggle as
hard.
And thanks to family contacts,he gets a job as a gopher on the
(05:57):
set of the 1961 James Bondmovie Dr.
No being filmed on the island.
Hello, New York.
Your Pan Am 323 just landed.
Kingston, Jamaica.
Ian Fleming, the author of theBond series, had a residence in Jamaica,
where he wrote and set severalof the Bond stories.
The writer's real lifeadventures almost as exciting as
(06:20):
his fictional alter ego, ayoung naval officer In World War
II, Commander Fleming is sentto the Caribbean on a mission to
scout out the possible threatof German U boats spying in the area.
It's never disclosed if heever finds the enemy.
But he discovers Jamaica,falls in love with her unspoiled
(06:44):
tranquility, dreams ofreturning to the rugged north coast
cliffs and once again beingabsorbed by endless tropical sunsets.
When the bloody andunforgiving war finally ends, Commander
Fleming fulfills his dream andreturns to the island.
(07:06):
Finds the perfect location onOrcabessa Bay, where he buys and
transforms an old donkeyracetrack into a villa called Goldeneye,
aptly named for his secretmission in World War II.
After a morning ofspearfishing and frolicking on his
private beach, he would headback inside Goldeneye.
(07:28):
And from his north coastbedroom window overlooking the gentle
waves, Ian Fleming would go onto create 007, the world's most famous
and charismatic spy.
Come up with intricate plottwists that made his best selling
thrillers so engaging.
(07:51):
The tranquil sea wasn't theonly seductive view that Mr.
Fleming enjoyed while writing.
He had a beautiful muse theysay was the inspiration for his most
memorable female characters,including the iconic Pussy Galore.
Her name Blanche LindoBlackwell, Chris's mother.
(08:11):
By the late 50s and early 60s,the North coast of Jamaica becomes
the Hollywood of the Caribbean.
A list celebrities jet in andout as guests at Fleming's Golden
Eye retreat or his friendauthor Noel Coward's nearby Villa
Firefly.
Looking for shells?
No, I'm just looking.
I'm just looking.
Errol Flynn, KatharineHepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard
(08:34):
Burton were some of the highprofile guests allured by the island's
natural beauty and mellow lowkey vibes.
After sunset, Ocho Rios,upscale resorts and downtown clubs
would come to life.
Tinseltown royalty would sharehot crowded dance floors with tourists
and local revelers rocking tothe latest sound fresh from Kingston.
(08:57):
An uptempo groove withhypnotic backbeat called ska.
Blending elements of mento,jazz and rb.
It was originated in thecramped rehearsal rooms at the famed
Alpha Boy School in Kingstonby aspiring ghetto musicians perfected
at all night rum infused jamsessions across the island.
(09:19):
Ska music was starting to trend.
Chris Blackwell is quick to notice.
He sees opportunity to marketthe music in the United Kingdom primarily
to its large Caribbeanimmigrant community.
A diaspora of tens ofthousands that moved to England in
(09:39):
search of a better life andsettled into working class communities
in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Working long hours for low payin poor and unfamiliar conditions,
they missed their families andlonged for their island culture.
Ska music became an instantand gratifying connection to life
(09:59):
back home.
The same songs that wereblasting at street dances in Kingston
were playing in their localLondon basement parties.
Blackwell had the foresight tosee the world was getting smaller
and the bridge that connectedthe Caribbean with the rest of the
world was music.
These were more than justgreat songs to dance to.
(10:19):
These were stories about lifeand love, politics and play.
The world's oldest form ofcommunication was also the newest.
In 1959, Chris Blackwellstarts Island Records.
The name is inspired by NoelCoward's novel Island in the Sun.
He spends years carving out aniche for Jamaican music.
(10:42):
Selling imported records fromthe back of his Mini Cooper.
Honing in on the right formulafor producing and distributing songs
true to their Caribbean rootsthat also cross over to a mainstream
audience.
By 1964, he finds the perfectblend and strikes gold when he produces
a ska cover version of the 50sRB hit My Boy Lollipop sung by a
(11:07):
15 year old Jamaican sensationnamed Millie Small.
Sales top over 6 million unitsworldwide and it becomes the biggest
selling Jamaican record of all time.
For the next decade, IslandRecords gains a reputation as an
independent music powerhouse.
With his laid back artistfriendly approach and cool zen like
(11:29):
demeanor, Blackwell signs anddevelops a catalog of eclectic talent
that tops the rock charts.
Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull,Emerson Lake and Palmer Spencer Davis
group with a young SteveWinwood, just to name a few.
Then one autumn night, thestars align over the roof of his
London office when theascending music mogul comes face
(11:52):
to face with a struggling butconfident trio from Trench Town.
And with a handshake, a reggaerevolution begins.
In 1972, the Wailers, BobMarley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston
(12:13):
had been in the game for a minute.
To their credit, managed tomake a name for themselves in Jamaica's
competitive, often ruthlessmusic industry.
Climbing their way up thecharts with a combination of grit,
hustle and raw talent.
Still, it seemed their diehard determination to escape the
Trenchtown ghetto had been metwith obstacles at every turn.
(12:36):
Undeterred after an abrupt endto a failed European tour, the Whalers
were at a crossroads lookingto start a new chapter.
Hungry for internationalsuccess, hungry for dinner, they
were broken.
Their current financialsituation did nothing to diminish
their Kingston swagger.
(12:57):
As they made their way to theIsland Records office that Chris
Blunden night, Bob, Peter andBunny knew what they had musically,
spiritually, was priceless.
If they could find the rightrecord label that believed in them,
the Wailers, their littlegroup from the shantytown slums of
Kingston, could conquer the world.
(13:31):
Hey, what a night.
Cool.
I am what you say, Bonnie?
Sure.
Words have never been spoken,my brother.
It is indeed very cold.
That's why a man could neverlive in Babylon.
Yeah, I see.
I don't trust that bomb guy,Chris Whitewell.
Still, I am I into slavery.
(13:52):
You see, it is the substanceof things.
Will find the evidence ofthings not seen.
You know, Peter, I reallythink we go and get this deal.
Remember, no matter whathappened, Chris Blackwell need us
more than we need.
Amen.
Amen.
(14:14):
The Wailers were known forbeing unruly, uncompromising, rude
boys.
A reputation that scared mostmusic executives away.
For Chris Blackwell, that'swhat he looked for in an artist.
In a show of respect andtrust, with just a handshake, Blackwell
advances the wailers £4,000 torecord an album for Island.
(14:37):
And those close to the musicexecutive thought he was crazy, that
he would never see a finishedrecord or the money.
Chris, man, you can't be serious.
I heard that you gave thoseRastas a bag of money to record an
album for you.
You think you know thesepeople, they probably spend it all
(14:57):
off on ganja already.
You will never see that money again.
Or any music to show for it,for that matter.
Once again, Blackwell showsvision that others fail to see.
He senses the Wailers havesomething deeper than music, something
religious.
Bob Marley is the real thing.
(15:18):
Could it be that Blackwell'sfaith is triggered by his own mystical
connection to Rastafari thatdates back to his younger days in
Jamaica?
When Chris is left stranded atsea in a boating accident off Hellshire
beach, he barely manages tomake it to shore.
Exhausted, dehydrated,uncertain if he'll even survive,
(15:39):
when miraculously, a localRastafisherman appears and helps
nurse him back to strengthwith Ital natural remedies and sweet
Rastafarian melodies.
Chris Blackwell, privilegedwhite descendant from one of Jamaica's
most powerful families, ismoved, humbled by the Rastaman's
(16:00):
act of life saving kindness.
It's an experience that plantsa spiritual seed that yields a pay
it forward moment all thoseyears later on a cold London rooftop,
when he gives £4,000 to threerebel Rostas with a cause.
Half a billion dollars later,it turns out to be one of the greatest
(16:22):
investments in music history.
A decision still payingfinancial and spiritual dividends.
More importantly, it proved tothe record industry that you don't
have to compromise the messageor integrity of the music to be successful.
(16:44):
Five years after a collegeinternship in the music business,
sweeping floors and answeringphones, I was now working in New
York City for ChrisBlackwell's Island Trading Company,
sweeping floors and answering phones.
My most creative decision ofthe day.
Deciding on whether to walkacross the street for a cheeseburger
(17:04):
platter or order in a Hero Boychicken parm sub.
Island Records had digitallyremastered and reissued the entire
Bob Marley catalog on compact disc.
Our company, Island Trading,had the rights to place an insert
advertising two Marley Tshirts in every copy of the album.
They were selling like crazy,and we were shipping orders nonstop
(17:27):
all over the world.
Problem was, the picture ofBob Marley in the insert didn't exactly
match the one on the T shirt.
And although I was told it wasan innocent printing mistake, some
of the customers that boughtthe T shirts were a little unhappy
with, shall I say, thecontrast between what they ordered
(17:48):
and what they received.
Island Trading Company.
This is Henry.
Yeah, hello.
Yeah, Henry, listen, I got my.
I got my T shirts in the mail here.
And, I mean, what's up withthese T shirts?
They whitewashed Bob Marley.
His complexion is completely white.
I mean, come on, man.
What are going over there inBattle Babylon?
(18:09):
Ridiculous, you know?
Yes, we do apologize.
There was an issue with thesilk screens at the printer, and
we can issue a refund.
Pretty typical of ChrisBlackwell to whitewash Bob Marley.
There's something wrong withthese T shirts.
And Brian, I don't even knowwhat they did.
Brian, hold up, man.
I know your voice anywhere.
This is Henry.
Your old friend Henry.
(18:30):
No way.
Tough gong, Henry from way back.
What's going on, man?
It's been a long time, my brethren.
Years.
Years.
I can't believe it.
Where are you these days?
What are you up to?
Yeah, man, I'm living in NewHope, Pennsylvania.
I still chat on the mic when Iget a chance, you know.
Okay, I'm sure you do.
Yeah, man.
I met this sweet girl namedSarah where I work.
(18:51):
She's amazing, Henry.
She makes me so happy.
Oh, that's awesome.
Brad, you gotta meet her, man.
If you guys are in New Hope,you gotta come into the city, come
by island and check out the place.
What?
You want me to come to Island Records?
Yeah, I come.
But I'm gonna bring garlic anda wooden steak.
You know, Lee, Scratch Perrysaid Blackwell was a vampire.
(19:12):
Oh, really?
Yeah, man, for real.
Okay.
Lee Scratch Perry said he sawChris Blackwell drink the blood of
a chicken in a voodoo ceremonyto give Bob cancer.
Well, it's great to hear your voice.
And it's great to hear you'restill the same old Brian from Colorado.
Anyway, come in for lunch andI promise we'll keep the chicken
blood off the menu.
(19:32):
Yep, the same old naive Henry.
Like a brother.
But remember, I have nofriends in high society.
Oh, I couldn't forget Brian,my friend, the sufferer from Fort
Collins, Colorado.
Sometimes Brian couldn't findthe right words to say to express
(19:53):
his feelings, but somehow healways managed to find the right
song.
The classic Marley line hesang before hanging up.
The perfect example, the songwe in Them, appears on Marley's final
studio album, Uprising,released only a year before he died.
(20:13):
The lyrics of the song are astark reminder that when all is said
and done, society breaks downto two simple groups.
We and them.
The haves and the have nots.
Those sitting comfortablyinside fancy Manhattan office buildings
ordering in chicken parmesanheroes and those struggling to get
in the doors.
(20:35):
Now that I worked at island,whether I liked it or not, I was
them.
You're one of them now.
I should have let you burn.
Rootsland Podcast is producedby Henry K Association with Vice
(20:56):
Box Studios.
Make sure the item click thelink below.
You know, make sure you clickthe link below.
Like share and subscribe.
So join the Roots gang andRoots land.
Yes, Rasta.
Don'T worry about a thing?
Cause every little thing Isgoing to be all right.
(21:18):
Henry K Productions.
Henry K.
Henry K.
Broadcasting live and directfrom the rolling red hills on the
outskirts of Kingston,Jamaica, from a magical place at
the intersection of words,sound and power.
The red light is on, your dialis set, the frequency in tune to
(00:35):
the Rootsland podcast.
Stories that are music to your ears.
How does the system break a person?
Get them to conform, have themhappily trade in their individuality,
their uniqueness, to be partof a machine, a cog in a wheel.
(00:59):
It doesn't happen overnight.
The system is patient, meticulous.
The system has forever.
We don't.
We're human.
We want it all and we want it now.
I got news for you.
The system is happy to oblige.
(01:20):
If you like money, if you needmoney, if you'd like to have some
money.
The point is, ladies andgentlemen, that greed is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works always.
Be closing, be closing, be closing.
The rich get richer.
That's the law of the land.
Show me the money.
(01:40):
Uh huh.
Yeah.
Henry, pick up the phone.
Okay, Mom, I got it.
Henry, I got it.
Can I listen?
No, mom, please.
I got it.
Hello?
Hi, Henry, this is GlennHudloff, general manager of Island
Trading Co.
Here in New York City.
How are you today?
Hi, Mr.
Hutloff, how you doing?
Great, Real great.
(02:01):
We received a copy of yourresume over here.
A copy of my resume?
Uh huh.
We'd love to set up aninterview with you for a job we're
trying to fill.
Cool.
I'm not sure how much you knowabout Island Trading Company, but
I know you're familiar withour owner, Chris Blackwell.
Chris Blackwell?
Yes, I am.
I'm assuming when Mr.
Hutloff said familiar withChris Blackwell, he was alluding
(02:21):
to the fact I spent two yearsstalking him and just about everyone
else at the Island Records Aand R department in hopes of getting
a record deal.
I don't think anyone everofficially got back to me with an
answer, which I guess was my answer.
Pretty much the same reactionas the other 28 record labels, production
companies and publishers.
(02:42):
I sent my demo tape out.
At some point I stoppedmailing music and started sending
out resumes.
So, just some background onIsland Trading Company.
We manage various Blackwellbusiness ventures, including Bob
Marley Music, Palm Pictures,which is his film company, and Island
(03:02):
Outposts, a resort lifestyles brand.
We also share our offices herein New York with Island Records.
Really?
Island Records?
Um, listen, Henry, we know youwant to be in the music business.
Yes, I do.
Uh huh.
But right now the job openingis really just for a T shirt sale.
A T shirt salesman?
It's nothing glamorous, Henry,but it is a starting point, and it
could lead to something up the road.
Well, Mr.
Hutloff, you do know that Iwas banned from the offices over
(03:25):
there at island, right?
I've heard the stories.
We'll get you off that list.
Well, when can I come in?
I'm available all next week.
As you know, we're located on4th and Broadway, right above Tower
Reference.
I'm going to pass you over toKat at the front desk, and she'll
set up an appointment.
Who is Chris Blackwell?
(03:46):
Exactly?
And that's the reason he's thecoolest man in the music business.
I'm cool like that.
I'm cool.
In an industry filled withmusic moguls with oversized egos
looking to outshine theirartists, Chris Blackwell, the reclusive
founder of Island Records, hasalways been content being the man
(04:07):
behind the curtains with anuncanny sense for spotting authentic
talent and the marketingprowess and money to make them stars.
He has silently crafted thecareers of some of the most important
acts in music and has earnedall the honors and awards given to
industry giants, including hisinduction into the Rock hall of Fame
(04:27):
and the title as the mostinfluential music executive in the
past 50 years.
From my days as a collegeintern at ross records in D.C.
and throughout my time workingat Tough Gong Records in Kingston,
it seemed everyone I met had aChris Blackwell story.
And like tales told of hisisland recording artist, Bob Marley,
(04:49):
it's often difficult to tellthe truth from myth.
Apparently, Mr.
Blackwell likes it like that.
Praised by many as a propheticgenius responsible for bringing Jamaican
music to the world.
Criticized by others assomeone who exploited the island's
most valuable resource, its people.
(05:11):
After all, Chris Blackwell,through his mother's lineage, Blanche
Lindo Blackwell is adescendant from one of Jamaica's
most powerful families, whofor centuries profited exporting
commodities from the Caribbean.
Rum, sugar, spices.
Oh, yeah, and West African slaves.
(05:36):
After being kicked out ofboarding school in England, Blackwell
returns to his childhood homeof Jamaica, like many teenagers,
struggles to find his place.
Children of wealthy parentsusually don't have to struggle as
hard.
And thanks to family contacts,he gets a job as a gopher on the
(05:57):
set of the 1961 James Bondmovie Dr.
No being filmed on the island.
Hello, New York.
Your Pan Am 323 just landed.
Kingston, Jamaica.
Ian Fleming, the author of theBond series, had a residence in Jamaica,
where he wrote and set severalof the Bond stories.
The writer's real lifeadventures almost as exciting as
(06:20):
his fictional alter ego, ayoung naval officer In World War
II, Commander Fleming is sentto the Caribbean on a mission to
scout out the possible threatof German U boats spying in the area.
It's never disclosed if heever finds the enemy.
But he discovers Jamaica,falls in love with her unspoiled
(06:44):
tranquility, dreams ofreturning to the rugged north coast
cliffs and once again beingabsorbed by endless tropical sunsets.
When the bloody andunforgiving war finally ends, Commander
Fleming fulfills his dream andreturns to the island.
(07:06):
Finds the perfect location onOrcabessa Bay, where he buys and
transforms an old donkeyracetrack into a villa called Goldeneye,
aptly named for his secretmission in World War II.
After a morning ofspearfishing and frolicking on his
private beach, he would headback inside Goldeneye.
(07:28):
And from his north coastbedroom window overlooking the gentle
waves, Ian Fleming would go onto create 007, the world's most famous
and charismatic spy.
Come up with intricate plottwists that made his best selling
thrillers so engaging.
(07:51):
The tranquil sea wasn't theonly seductive view that Mr.
Fleming enjoyed while writing.
He had a beautiful muse theysay was the inspiration for his most
memorable female characters,including the iconic Pussy Galore.
Her name Blanche LindoBlackwell, Chris's mother.
(08:11):
By the late 50s and early 60s,the North coast of Jamaica becomes
the Hollywood of the Caribbean.
A list celebrities jet in andout as guests at Fleming's Golden
Eye retreat or his friendauthor Noel Coward's nearby Villa
Firefly.
Looking for shells?
No, I'm just looking.
I'm just looking.
Errol Flynn, KatharineHepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard
(08:34):
Burton were some of the highprofile guests allured by the island's
natural beauty and mellow lowkey vibes.
After sunset, Ocho Rios,upscale resorts and downtown clubs
would come to life.
Tinseltown royalty would sharehot crowded dance floors with tourists
and local revelers rocking tothe latest sound fresh from Kingston.
(08:57):
An uptempo groove withhypnotic backbeat called ska.
Blending elements of mento,jazz and rb.
It was originated in thecramped rehearsal rooms at the famed
Alpha Boy School in Kingstonby aspiring ghetto musicians perfected
at all night rum infused jamsessions across the island.
(09:19):
Ska music was starting to trend.
Chris Blackwell is quick to notice.
He sees opportunity to marketthe music in the United Kingdom primarily
to its large Caribbeanimmigrant community.
A diaspora of tens ofthousands that moved to England in
(09:39):
search of a better life andsettled into working class communities
in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Working long hours for low payin poor and unfamiliar conditions,
they missed their families andlonged for their island culture.
Ska music became an instantand gratifying connection to life
(09:59):
back home.
The same songs that wereblasting at street dances in Kingston
were playing in their localLondon basement parties.
Blackwell had the foresight tosee the world was getting smaller
and the bridge that connectedthe Caribbean with the rest of the
world was music.
These were more than justgreat songs to dance to.
(10:19):
These were stories about lifeand love, politics and play.
The world's oldest form ofcommunication was also the newest.
In 1959, Chris Blackwellstarts Island Records.
The name is inspired by NoelCoward's novel Island in the Sun.
He spends years carving out aniche for Jamaican music.
(10:42):
Selling imported records fromthe back of his Mini Cooper.
Honing in on the right formulafor producing and distributing songs
true to their Caribbean rootsthat also cross over to a mainstream
audience.
By 1964, he finds the perfectblend and strikes gold when he produces
a ska cover version of the 50sRB hit My Boy Lollipop sung by a
(11:07):
15 year old Jamaican sensationnamed Millie Small.
Sales top over 6 million unitsworldwide and it becomes the biggest
selling Jamaican record of all time.
For the next decade, IslandRecords gains a reputation as an
independent music powerhouse.
With his laid back artistfriendly approach and cool zen like
(11:29):
demeanor, Blackwell signs anddevelops a catalog of eclectic talent
that tops the rock charts.
Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull,Emerson Lake and Palmer Spencer Davis
group with a young SteveWinwood, just to name a few.
Then one autumn night, thestars align over the roof of his
London office when theascending music mogul comes face
(11:52):
to face with a struggling butconfident trio from Trench Town.
And with a handshake, a reggaerevolution begins.
In 1972, the Wailers, BobMarley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston
(12:13):
had been in the game for a minute.
To their credit, managed tomake a name for themselves in Jamaica's
competitive, often ruthlessmusic industry.
Climbing their way up thecharts with a combination of grit,
hustle and raw talent.
Still, it seemed their diehard determination to escape the
Trenchtown ghetto had been metwith obstacles at every turn.
(12:36):
Undeterred after an abrupt endto a failed European tour, the Whalers
were at a crossroads lookingto start a new chapter.
Hungry for internationalsuccess, hungry for dinner, they
were broken.
Their current financialsituation did nothing to diminish
their Kingston swagger.
(12:57):
As they made their way to theIsland Records office that Chris
Blunden night, Bob, Peter andBunny knew what they had musically,
spiritually, was priceless.
If they could find the rightrecord label that believed in them,
the Wailers, their littlegroup from the shantytown slums of
Kingston, could conquer the world.
(13:31):
Hey, what a night.
Cool.
I am what you say, Bonnie?
Sure.
Words have never been spoken,my brother.
It is indeed very cold.
That's why a man could neverlive in Babylon.
Yeah, I see.
I don't trust that bomb guy,Chris Whitewell.
Still, I am I into slavery.
(13:52):
You see, it is the substanceof things.
Will find the evidence ofthings not seen.
You know, Peter, I reallythink we go and get this deal.
Remember, no matter whathappened, Chris Blackwell need us
more than we need.
Amen.
Amen.
(14:14):
The Wailers were known forbeing unruly, uncompromising, rude
boys.
A reputation that scared mostmusic executives away.
For Chris Blackwell, that'swhat he looked for in an artist.
In a show of respect andtrust, with just a handshake, Blackwell
advances the wailers £4,000 torecord an album for Island.
(14:37):
And those close to the musicexecutive thought he was crazy, that
he would never see a finishedrecord or the money.
Chris, man, you can't be serious.
I heard that you gave thoseRastas a bag of money to record an
album for you.
You think you know thesepeople, they probably spend it all
(14:57):
off on ganja already.
You will never see that money again.
Or any music to show for it,for that matter.
Once again, Blackwell showsvision that others fail to see.
He senses the Wailers havesomething deeper than music, something
religious.
Bob Marley is the real thing.
(15:18):
Could it be that Blackwell'sfaith is triggered by his own mystical
connection to Rastafari thatdates back to his younger days in
Jamaica?
When Chris is left stranded atsea in a boating accident off Hellshire
beach, he barely manages tomake it to shore.
Exhausted, dehydrated,uncertain if he'll even survive,
(15:39):
when miraculously, a localRastafisherman appears and helps
nurse him back to strengthwith Ital natural remedies and sweet
Rastafarian melodies.
Chris Blackwell, privilegedwhite descendant from one of Jamaica's
most powerful families, ismoved, humbled by the Rastaman's
(16:00):
act of life saving kindness.
It's an experience that plantsa spiritual seed that yields a pay
it forward moment all thoseyears later on a cold London rooftop,
when he gives £4,000 to threerebel Rostas with a cause.
Half a billion dollars later,it turns out to be one of the greatest
(16:22):
investments in music history.
A decision still payingfinancial and spiritual dividends.
More importantly, it proved tothe record industry that you don't
have to compromise the messageor integrity of the music to be successful.
(16:44):
Five years after a collegeinternship in the music business,
sweeping floors and answeringphones, I was now working in New
York City for ChrisBlackwell's Island Trading Company,
sweeping floors and answering phones.
My most creative decision ofthe day.
Deciding on whether to walkacross the street for a cheeseburger
(17:04):
platter or order in a Hero Boychicken parm sub.
Island Records had digitallyremastered and reissued the entire
Bob Marley catalog on compact disc.
Our company, Island Trading,had the rights to place an insert
advertising two Marley Tshirts in every copy of the album.
They were selling like crazy,and we were shipping orders nonstop
(17:27):
all over the world.
Problem was, the picture ofBob Marley in the insert didn't exactly
match the one on the T shirt.
And although I was told it wasan innocent printing mistake, some
of the customers that boughtthe T shirts were a little unhappy
with, shall I say, thecontrast between what they ordered
(17:48):
and what they received.
Island Trading Company.
This is Henry.
Yeah, hello.
Yeah, Henry, listen, I got my.
I got my T shirts in the mail here.
And, I mean, what's up withthese T shirts?
They whitewashed Bob Marley.
His complexion is completely white.
I mean, come on, man.
What are going over there inBattle Babylon?
(18:09):
Ridiculous, you know?
Yes, we do apologize.
There was an issue with thesilk screens at the printer, and
we can issue a refund.
Pretty typical of ChrisBlackwell to whitewash Bob Marley.
There's something wrong withthese T shirts.
And Brian, I don't even knowwhat they did.
Brian, hold up, man.
I know your voice anywhere.
This is Henry.
Your old friend Henry.
(18:30):
No way.
Tough gong, Henry from way back.
What's going on, man?
It's been a long time, my brethren.
Years.
Years.
I can't believe it.
Where are you these days?
What are you up to?
Yeah, man, I'm living in NewHope, Pennsylvania.
I still chat on the mic when Iget a chance, you know.
Okay, I'm sure you do.
Yeah, man.
I met this sweet girl namedSarah where I work.
(18:51):
She's amazing, Henry.
She makes me so happy.
Oh, that's awesome.
Brad, you gotta meet her, man.
If you guys are in New Hope,you gotta come into the city, come
by island and check out the place.
What?
You want me to come to Island Records?
Yeah, I come.
But I'm gonna bring garlic anda wooden steak.
You know, Lee, Scratch Perrysaid Blackwell was a vampire.
(19:12):
Oh, really?
Yeah, man, for real.
Okay.
Lee Scratch Perry said he sawChris Blackwell drink the blood of
a chicken in a voodoo ceremonyto give Bob cancer.
Well, it's great to hear your voice.
And it's great to hear you'restill the same old Brian from Colorado.
Anyway, come in for lunch andI promise we'll keep the chicken
blood off the menu.
(19:32):
Yep, the same old naive Henry.
Like a brother.
But remember, I have nofriends in high society.
Oh, I couldn't forget Brian,my friend, the sufferer from Fort
Collins, Colorado.
Sometimes Brian couldn't findthe right words to say to express
(19:53):
his feelings, but somehow healways managed to find the right
song.
The classic Marley line hesang before hanging up.
The perfect example, the songwe in Them, appears on Marley's final
studio album, Uprising,released only a year before he died.
(20:13):
The lyrics of the song are astark reminder that when all is said
and done, society breaks downto two simple groups.
We and them.
The haves and the have nots.
Those sitting comfortablyinside fancy Manhattan office buildings
ordering in chicken parmesanheroes and those struggling to get
in the doors.
(20:35):
Now that I worked at island,whether I liked it or not, I was
them.
You're one of them now.
I should have let you burn.
Rootsland Podcast is producedby Henry K Association with Vice
(20:56):
Box Studios.
Make sure the item click thelink below.
You know, make sure you clickthe link below.
Like share and subscribe.
So join the Roots gang andRoots land.
Yes, Rasta.
Don'T worry about a thing?
Cause every little thing Isgoing to be all right.
(21:18):
Henry K Productions.
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