The Bristol Reggae Explosion 2: The 1980s

Various Artists
The Bristol Reggae Explosion 2: The Eighties
(Bristol Archives Records)
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Like most people my only exposure to reggae in the ‘80s, save for the odd Bob Marley track, was the terrible faux reggae of UB40. I had no inkling that there was any kind of reggae scene going on in the UK, let alone along the Welsh border. So imagine my surprise when I opened my post this morning to find ‘The Bristol Reggae Explosion 2 – The Eighties’ staring me in the face. Yes VOLUME TWO! There was enough Reggae coming out of Bristol for two volumes!!

I can honestly say I recognised none of the artists or songs involved, but always keen to improve my musical education I popped it into the player and pressed play.

While some of the selected songs drag on a little, for the most part this is a cracking selection of tunes, and an interesting reflection of Bristol life in the Thatcher years, the period predominantly covered here. Like the Specials’ ‘Gangsters’ and ‘Ghost Town’, there’s bleakness in the music that could have only come out of a society living not only in poverty but in social and political unrest.

You won’t find no ‘Red, Red Wine’ here but give it a listen and I guarantee you’ll find at least some artists you’ll want to investigate further.