Any history of reggae going global must trace a path directly from Kingston to London. It’s this connection that photographer Alex Bartsch hopes to make clear in his forthcoming book, Covers: Retracing Reggae Record Sleeves in London, and one that clearly interests fans of the genre: the book’s (still ongoing) Kickstarter was funded in less than two weeks.
As ska and rocksteady gave way to reggae in the late 1960s, the music was gaining traction, particularly across the UK. Labels like Pama and Trojan were established in the late ’60s, only to be followed by labels like Starlight in the ’70s and Fashion in the 1980s. These are but a few, all specializing in providing growing audiences—among England’s vast Jamaican diaspora and well beyond—access to reggae. Recording acts in both Jamaica and England, these labels also visually demonstrated the role of both capitals in the development of the genre, and its various UK-influenced sub-genres such as lovers’ rock and fast chat.
Something like fast chat—a deejaying (the Jamaican term for rapping) style characterized by its speed, and exemplified by artists like Smiley Culture and Tippa Irie—was inspired by Jamaican dancehall, but dancehall as interpreted by British-Jamaican Londoners. These artists portrayed the most London of scenes for their album covers: a bridge in Battersea, tell-tale red-brick row houses, or Brixton Market. Returning to these and other iconic locales, Bartsch re-photographed the album sleeves in situ.
Al Campbell’s ‘Rainy Days’ (Hawkeye, 1978) rephotographed 38 years later in King Edward VII Park, London NW10.
The photographer’s process not only provides a look at what has and hasn’t changed over decades of London gentrification, but also underlines the contributions of Jamaican culture to that of the UK in general. It’s a complicated history, one that can’t ignore the hundreds of years Jamaica endured as a British colony, eventually being encouraged to immigrate to England en masse following WWII. “London must be, outside of Jamaica, the place that is most richly influenced by Jamaican people living there,” says Al Newman (AKA Al Fingers) of One Love Books, the publisher behind Covers and a number ofevocativebooks related to reggae. “I grew up in London and I grew up with Jamaican culture. But it is also kind of an unknown history to many people in the UK.”
Ahead of the book’s release in mid-2017, Bartsch shared photos and discussed the project origins and future with Pitchfork.
Joe's All Stars’ ‘Brixton Cat’ (Trojan Records, 1969) rephotographed 46 years later on Atlantic Road, London SW9.
Pitchfork: How did this project begin?
Alex Bartsch: I live in Brixton [in London] and I was looking for a Trojan record with a great cover, called Brixton Cat and produced by Joe Mansano. The cover features a woman standing on the corner of Atlantic Road and Electric Avenue in Brixton. I managed to get hold of copy from Selectors, a record shop on Brixton Hill that’s now closed. I then went down to Brixton Market with my camera and tried a few things with the record at the location. Didn’t know what I would do with it yet, but I ended up holding the record in front of the camera and placing it so it lines up with the rest of the background behind. That’s how it started. The second cover I did was Smiley Culture’s Cockney Translation in Battersea, and it went on from there.
‘Cockney Translation’ (Fashion Records, 1984) rephotographed 32 years later on Plough Road, London SW11.
These albums seem to have a connecting motif visually, even though they are from different labels. Why do you think this is?
Yes, I found that many of the cover photos were taken close to their label’s location. That is usually where I started my research into where the photo was taken. Two different record covers were actually taken right outside Starlight’s record shop. Pama and Trojan, amongst other labels, were based in and around Harlesden [in north London] so I spent a lot of time there and learned of the importance of the area for reggae music. A few record covers were photographed close to where the recording studio was. 2000 Volts of Holt, where John Holt is sitting on steps in what looks like a park, was recorded at Lansdowne studios. Holland Park is the closest park from the studio, and that's where I found the location of the cover.
‘2000 Volts of Holt’ (Trojan Records, 1976) rephotographed 39 years later in Holland Park, London W14.
Tell me more about how you tracked down all these locations. Is there any cover that sticks out as particularly challenging to find?
For Dandy Livingstone’s Your Musical Doctor, where he is leaning on a barrier by a waterway, I assumed it was in London and I had a previous knowledge of the canals and Thames from various boat travels with a friend who lived on a narrow boat. So I knew the water was too wide to be on the canals in London and thought it had to be the Thames. So checked all the locks on the Thames where the river would be that wide and finally found the location at Molesey Lock close to Hampton Court.
‘Your Musical Doctor’ (Downtown, 1969) rephotographed 46 years later at Molesey Lock, London KT8.
Along the way I had given up on some covers, but later, armed with newfound detective skills, I would go back to them hoping to crack the case. Perseverance is the best tool! I ended up traveling all around the capital—to Penge in the southeast, Molesey Lock right on the very edge of greater London, Wembley in the northwest, Haringey in north London, and Lesnes Abbey ruins in Abbey Wood. I also had to gain access to a rooftop on City Road, knock on someone’s door to photograph in their lounge in Hampstead, hitch a ride on that narrow boat to get to the opposite bank of the Regent’s Canal, venture onto the elevated Westway by foot, and gain access to someone’s backyard in Wembley. I’m also trying to gain access to Beckett House in Stockwell to do Half Pint’s Greetings LP if anyone can help me with that one!
Heptones’ ‘One Step Ahead’ (Sonic Sounds, 1981) rephotographed 34 years later on the Westway, London W10.
What’s next for the project? Are you thinking of any other cities and styles of music?
I have also done some hip-hop, jazz, and Afro records in London and other cities like Paris. I have done some Cape Verde and rock records in Lisbon and an Ebo Taylor LP in Ghana. Jamaica is high on the list of places to take this project to—it would be great to have a series of classic reggae albums photographed there. Hip-hop in New York would be another great one.
‘Pat Kelley Sings’ (Pama, 1969) rephotographed 46 years later at the Albert Memorial, London SW7