Buying (and selling) record collections can be deeply emotional. For many, a record collection is more than just vinyl and sleeves—it holds memories, milestones, and personal history. Over the years, we’ve met collectors who have built their collections with passion, dedication, and love. So, when someone decides to part with their records, we approach it with care, never pushy or aggressive, always mindful of what it means to them.
At the time, DM was unwell, and his family needed to reclaim the record room for his care. More than anything, they wanted to give him one last holiday together. It was an incredibly difficult decision for them to part with his collection, and out of respect, I let them take their time. Months passed, but my friend kept mentioning the collection. WE had bought and sold records together before, and he knew I would be fair and transparent. In February, I was asked to visit DM and his wife.
Walking into DM’s record room was like stepping through reggae history. Shelves lined from floor to ceiling with 7-inch and 12-inch reggae classics, some very rare. Studio One, Treasure Isle, Trojan, Impact!, Volcano—it was a museum of reggae music. But what struck me most wasn’t the records themselves, but the way he had cared for them.
Many of the labels of the 45's bore his initials, a quiet mark of ownership. DM. Even now, every time I pick up a record and see DM’s initials, it’s a reminder of the deep connection he had with this music. His collection wasn’t just a group of records—it was the soundtrack of his life. We feel honoured to have managed the sale of this record collection and become caretakers of DM's musical legacy. DM sadly passed away last year but, we think, every time one of his records spins on a turntable somewhere, his love of reggae continues to echo through the music.
We have just released for sale over 500 Reggae 45s from DM's collection. Here are the highlights:
Top 10 Artists
- Gregory Isaacs (most frequent by far)
- John Holt
- Dennis Brown
- Freddie McGregor
- Sugar Minott
- The Heptones
- Frankie Paul
- Alton Ellis
- Delroy Wilson
- Leroy Smart
2. Top 10 Labels
There are a lot of Jamaican 7" and 12" labels in the collection (Studio One, Trojan, Coxsone, Volcano, etc.). A rough frequency count indicates that Studio One dominates by a large margin, with the next tier including Jammy’s, Volcano, Trojan, etc. Here’s an approximate top 10:
- Studio One (by far the most entries)
- Jammy’s (tied or close with Volcano)
- Volcano
- Trojan
- Coxsone
- Treasure Isle
- Hit Bound
- High Note
- Island Records
- Harry J (or one of the other prolific 70s/80s labels, depending on a few near‐ties)
3. Average Media Condition
By scanning and estimating the proportion of each (NM, VG+, VG, etc.), the overall average comes out somewhere around 7.4 on a1–9 scale. That’s roughly between “Very Good+” and “Very Good.” In Discogs-speak, you might call that “a strong VG+ on average.”
4. Distribution by Year (Approx. %)
Many of the “Released” fields are classic Jamaican pressings from the 1970s and 1980s. There are also some from the 1960s, a handful from the 1990s, and quite a few rows have “0” (meaning unknown or not listed). A quick approximate breakdown might look like this:
- 1960s: ~5–10%
- 1970s: ~40–50% (the largest single decade by far)
- 1980s: ~25–35%
- 1990s: ~5%
- 2000s or 2010s: Very few (just a couple)
- Year “0” (missing/unknown): The remainder (often ~5–10%)
5. Distribution by Sub-genre
- Ska / Rocksteady: ~10%
- Roots Reggae: ~35%
- Dancehall: ~40%
- Dub: ~15%
1. Major UK “Umbrella” Labels
Virgin Records
- Front Line – Launched in 1978 as Virgin’s reggae imprint.
- 10 Records – Another Virgin imprint in the 1980s.
- DEP International – UB40’s own label, but generally manufactured/distributed by Virgin.
Island Records (Founded by Chris Blackwell)
- Mango – Island’s reggae/world music sub-label (from mid-1970s onward).
- (Various other historical sub-labels like Sue, Black Swan, etc., not necessarily in your list.)
Trojan Records (UK)
Trojan had many sub-labels; often they were short-lived or licensing arms for Jamaican producers. Among the best known from your list:
- Attack
- Big Shot
- Horse
- Jackpot (in the UK; note there was also a Jamaican “Jackpot” tied to Bunny Lee—confusingly similar name)
- Doctor Bird
Treasure Isle, Beverley’s, etc. sometimes appeared on Trojan in the UK via license rather than being “sub-labels.” So you’ll see original Jamaican labels (Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle, Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s) reissued or distributed by Trojan in Britain, but they remained independent labels in Jamaica.
2. Clement “Coxsone” Dodd Family
In Jamaica, Coxsone Dodd operated a cluster of labels centered on his legendary Studio One name. Technically, “Studio One” was his flagship label; “Coxsone” was just another imprint name. Over the years, he also used:
- Studio One (the most famous imprint)
- Coxsone
- Money Disc
- Forward
- Supreme
- Port-O-Jam
- Winro
- (There are a few more rare or one-off imprints as well.)
All are basically “sub-labels” or alternate labels under the same Coxsone Dodd umbrella.
3. Duke Reid Family (Treasure Isle)
- Treasure Isle – The main label owned by Arthur “Duke” Reid.
- Dutchess – Another label name from Duke Reid (occasionally spelled “Duchess”).
- Doctor Bird – In the UK, Doctor Bird was used by Trojan, often licensing Duke Reid productions.
4. Joe Gibbs Family
Producer Joe Gibbs used several interlinked label names:
- Amalgamated – Early Joe Gibbs imprint (late 1960s).
- Joe Gibbs Record Globe – 1970s and onward.
- Joe Gibbs Ultra Sound – Another imprint of the 1970s/80s.
- Crazy Joe – Sometimes spelled “Crazy Joe,” “Crazy Joe Productions.”
All revolve around Joe Gibbs’s production house; sometimes used for different series or distribution deals.
5. Sonia Pottinger Family
- High Note – Sonia Pottinger’s principal label.
- Gay Feet – Another Pottinger imprint.
- (She also had Rainbow, Glory, Soul Beat, etc., but only “High Note” and “Gay Feet” appear frequently in reissues.)
6. Leslie Kong Family
- Beverley’s – Founded and run by Leslie Kong (1960s–early ’70s).
- (No major sub-labels, but Beverley’s was sometimes licensed in the UK by Trojan or other distributors.)
7. Bunny “Striker” Lee & Related
Producer Bunny Lee used multiple imprints:
- Jackpot (in Jamaica) – Not the same as Trojan’s “Jackpot” imprint.
- Striker Lee – Another name for his output.
- Attack – He also licensed recordings to Trojan’s Attack imprint in the UK.
Bunny Lee’s label naming was especially fluid. You might see “Lee,” “Lee’s,” or “Striker Lee,” but they’re basically under the same “Bunny Lee” camp.
8. Channel One Family (The Hookim Brothers)
- Channel One – The studio itself, sometimes credited as a label.
- Hit Bound – Most common actual label name used by Channel One.
- Well Charge – Another Channel One imprint.
- Sun Shot – Often mistaken as Channel One’s, but actually it was producer Phil Pratt’s main imprint. (Though many Channel One sessions turned up on Sun Shot, the business ownership differs.)
9. King Tubby Family
- King Tubby’s – The overarching brand.
- Firehouse – Imprint run out of Tubby’s “Firehouse” studio in Waterhouse.
- Waterhouse – Another label name referencing King Tubby’s neighborhood.
Different producers working at Tubby’s (e.g., Scientist, Prince Jammy) also had short-lived label names.
10. Henry “Junjo” Lawes
- Volcano – Junjo’s main label in the early 1980s.
- Power House – Often associated with George Phang, but occasionally you’ll see references to Junjo or earlier links. There’s some overlap because producers sometimes licensed tracks to one another.
11. King Jammy’s Family
- Jammy’s (or Prince Jammy’s) – The main label.
- Jammy’s Records – Another variation.
King Jammy also produced/leased music to other imprints (e.g., Greedy Puppy, maybe “Kris Disk”), but these are often short-run or distribution deals rather than official sub-labels.
12. Sly & Robbie (The Taxi Gang)
- Taxi – The duo’s signature imprint starting in the late 1970s.
- (Sub-labels like “Taxi Gang,” “Sly & Robbie,” etc., often are just variations or brand names on the same concept.)
13. Gussie Clarke
- Music Works – Gussie Clarke’s principal label from the 1980s onward.
- Anchor – Another Gussie Clarke studio/label (though “Anchor” also had separate distribution deals).
14. Other Independent Jamaican Labels
Many smaller Jamaican labels in your list are basically standalone operations by one producer or small investor, not true “sub-labels” of a parent company— for instance:
- Black Solidarity (Ossie Thomas)
- Black Scorpio (Maurice “Jack Scorpio” Johnson)
- Youth Promotion (Sugar Minott)
- Xterminator (Philip “Fatis” Burrell)
- Tuff Gong (Bob Marley & The Wailers)
- Prince Buster (Cecil “Prince Buster” Campbell)
- Observer (Winston “Niney” Holness)
- Upsetter / Black Ark (Lee “Scratch” Perry) [not in your specific list, but well-known]
And many more: Phase One, Morwell Esq., Harry J, Aquarius, Penthouse… each typically an independent label or a single-producer imprint, rather than a formal sub-label of a bigger entity.
15. Lovers Rock in the UK
- Fashion Records – British label run by John MacGillivray & Chris Lane, well-known for UK dancehall & lovers rock in the 1980s/90s.
- Lovers Rock (the actual imprint name) – Founded by Dennis Harris.
- Cha Cha – Another British imprint heavily associated with lovers rock.
These weren’t formal subsidiaries of a major (like Virgin/Trojan) but might have had distribution deals.
Key takeaway: Jamaican label “families” are rarely as tidy as corporate subsidiaries. Often, a “sub-label” simply reflects:
- A producer creating a new imprint for a new era or style,
- A short-lived distribution or licensing deal in the UK or US,
- Or simply an alternate name for the same office pressing the same 45s.
Other Independent Labels
1. Labels Founded by a Single Producer (or Artist)
African Museum
- Founder/Owner: Gregory Isaacs (the “Cool Ruler” himself).
- Overview: Established in the early/mid‐1970s as a vehicle for Gregory Isaacs’ self‐produced work, though it occasionally released other artists.
Youth Promotion
- Founder/Owner: Sugar Minott.
- Overview: Formed to nurture up‐and‐coming talent in Minott’s Kingston community, bridging the gap between the Studio One era and 1980s dancehall.
Tuff Gong
- Founder/Owner: Bob Marley & The Wailers.
- Overview: Arguably the most famous artist‐founded Jamaican label. Named after Marley’s nickname “Tuff Gong,” it became a hub for Wailers self‐releases and various Wailers family side projects.
Black Solidarity
- Founder/Owner: Ossie Thomas (aka “Ossie Thomas The Computer”).
- Overview: 1980s dancehall imprint that launched or supported talents like Triston Palmer, Johnny Osbourne, and others in the Waterhouse scene.
Black Scorpio
- Founder/Owner: Maurice “Jack Scorpio” Johnson.
- Overview: A key dancehall label/studio in the 1980s, hosting artists like General Trees, Dennis Brown, Frankie Paul, etc.
Xterminator
- Founder/Owner: Philip “Fatis” Burrell.
- Overview: Known for conscious and roots‐leaning dancehall in the 1990s (Luciano, Sizzla, etc.). Not as common in ’70s–’80s pressings but huge in the ’90s scene.
Prince Buster
- Founder/Owner: Cecil “Prince Buster” Campbell.
- Overview: Iconic ska pioneer from the early 1960s. By the late ’60s, he was issuing rocksteady and reggae. Not a sub‐label of Trojan—Prince Buster licensed to Blue Beat/Trojan, but “Prince Buster” was his own brand in Jamaica.
Observer (often credited as “Observer,” “Observer Station”)
- Founder/Owner: Winston “Niney the Observer” Holness.
- Overview: Key roots producer in the 1970s, worked closely with Dennis Brown and others. Entirely independent, though sometimes licensed via Trojan or other overseas deals.
Harry J
- Founder/Owner: Harry Zephaniah Johnson.
- Overview: Producer of big hits (e.g., “Young, Gifted & Black” with Bob & Marcia). The Harry J Studio also became famous for recordings by The Wailers, Burning Spear, etc. The Harry J label itself was Johnson’s imprint.
Morwell Esq.
- Co‐Founders: Maurice “Blacka” Wellington (Morwell) & Eric “Bingy Bunny” Lamont.
- Overview: A smaller 1970s label known for releasing roots vocal group The Morwells. Morwell Esq. had that “indie” vibe—records were sometimes pressed in small runs for local distribution.
Phase One Records
- Founder/Owner: Roy Francis (some sources also cite Barry Clarke as a partner).
- Overview: Late ’70s imprint known for sweet harmony groups such as The Chantells and The Terrors. Strictly an independent operation.
Power House
- Founder/Owner: George Phang.
- Overview: 1980s label primarily for dancehall, with Sly & Robbie as the backing band on many sessions. Not a sub‐label of Volcano or Jammy’s—just another independent producer.
Solomonic
- Founder/Owner: Bunny Wailer (Neville O’Riley Livingston).
- Overview: Used by Bunny Wailer to release his solo work post‐Wailers. Entirely self‐controlled, though distributed at times through different Jamaican or UK partners.
Aquarius
- Founder/Owner: Herman Chin‐Loy.
- Overview: Another famed Jamaican producer from the early 1970s who recorded Dennis Brown, Augustus Pablo, and others. The “Aquarius” label was separate from Studio One, Channel One, etc.
Penthouse
- Founder/Owner: Donovan Germain (not in your list, but commonly seen with 1980s/90s dancehall).
- Overview: One of the most important modern Jamaican studios. (If it appears, it’s an independent imprint, not a sub‐label of any bigger operation.)
Black Roots
- Founder/Owner: Possibly Sugar Minott or associates (there’s also a UK label named Black Roots). In your list, it’s typically 1980s pressings from Sugar Minott’s circle.
- Overview: Operated in parallel to Youth Promotion for certain releases or distribution deals.
Cash & Carry Records
-
Founder/Owner: The hook is that Dennis Brown was closely affiliated, but the label was sometimes credited to Joe Gibbs or Dennis’s own set‐up. In practice, it functioned as an independent operation for Dennis Brown’s output in the mid‐to‐late ’70s.
Techniques
- Founder/Owner: Winston Riley (of The Techniques vocal group).
- Overview: Although Winston Riley recorded a lot at Channel One, he ran Techniques as his own label, known for big hits like “Double Barrel” (Dave & Ansel Collins), plus early ’80s dancehall. Not a sub‐label of anyone else.
Music Works
- Founder/Owner: Augustus “Gussie” Clarke.
- Overview: Clarke was never “subordinate” to a bigger label. He partnered with major Jamaican distributors on occasion but Music Works was his own entity.
Taxi
- Founders: Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare (Sly & Robbie).
- Overview: Entirely their own imprint from ~1978 onward. Sometimes licensed or distributed overseas by Island or Mango, but the label was fully Sly & Robbie’s baby.
Firehouse / Waterhouse
- Founder/Owner: Osbourne “King Tubby” Ruddock’s camp.
- Overview: Tubby’s entire Waterhouse scene sometimes used Firehouse, or short‐lived offshoots. These were not sub‐labels of “King Tubby’s” in a formal sense but were definitely within the King Tubby orbit.
Black & White
- Founder/Owner: King Tubby associates or affiliates in the early 1980s.
- Overview: Not a big production house—just a small imprint for certain Little John/King Tubby releases.
Greedy Puppy / Kris Disk
- Founder/Owner: King Jammy or close affiliates, typically from the mid/late ’80s.
- Overview: Some smaller offshoots for side projects or specific riddims.
Ujama
- Founder/Owner: Prince Jazzbo.
- Overview: Another micro‐imprint run by the DJ/producer, separate from labels like Studio One or Black Ark, though he recorded there.
2. Other “One‐Shot” or Short‐Lived Labels
Beyond the main producer‐led labels, you’ll see numerous single‐record or short‐run imprints in your list. These often reflect:
- A unique brand for one record or a handful of releases,
- A split between Jamaican pressing and UK pressing,
- A distribution arrangement with an existing label, but the producer decided to stamp a custom logo on a small run.
Examples from the collection include:
- Abintu, Ackee, Afro Eagle, All Sport, Aqua, Arrival, Ashandan, etc.
- Grimm Ben, Hound Dog, Jays, Rosie Uprising, etc.
These typically do not have formal “families” or sub‐imprints. They are best viewed as Independent micro‐labels started by a producer or artist to press a small run of singles, often with minimal distribution outside Jamaica.