Inspirational Sound

Bradistan has always had an active reggae scene but the destruction of the old frontline at the end of the 1980s led to its heart being ripped out. Key clubs closed down and the vacuum was filled for many years by a healthy pirate radio presence. The survival of the music in the city has often been down to a small number of committed individuals.

Nyah Shanti and Conquering Lion sound systems ran things where it came to roots reggae and dub in the early 1980s. When the digital reggae revolution led by Prince Jammy exploded in 1985, it was the beginning of the end of this era in Bradistan. Dancehall and then ragga took over and the promotion of dub and roots ended up being led by white figures in the city.

In 1991, the former pirate radio DJ Rootsman started his legendary Dub Me Crazy nights and these were, at the time, the most successful roots and dub nights outside of London. All the key new school producers played at these events but the size of the crowd was always very modest. When Rootsman started making records and made a name overseas, the Dub Me Crazy nights ground to a halt. For five years though, it provided a healthy antidote to the proliferation of gun and slack tunes that were dominating reggae at that time. Also, the night set a blueprint that others would later follow as well as influencing numerous people who would attempt to make their mark on the music at a later date.

Although the demise of Dub Me Crazy created a gap locally in terms of the promotion of this type of reggae, in 1999 the baton was taken up by Peter and Hugh who formed Inspirational Sound and now represent the new generation of roots and dub in Bradistan.

Starting out in black venues like the Palm Cove and Checkpoint, the crew eventually started promoting their regular night called Dub Lab. They invited many important figures from UK dub to play here like The Disciples, Iration Steppas, Vibronics.

Once they had been able to establish themselves as a sound system, it was inevitable that Inspirational Sound would build their own studio and start releasing tunes. Their first release was in 2009 with "Warning"/"Sing Jah Praise" featuring local singer Stephanie. Since then, they have continued to release tunes regularly which has given them a lot of exposure not just nationally but also abroad. This had led them to perform in a number of European countries.

It is always good to meet people who are passionate and enthusiastic about what they do. Inspirational Sound are now carrying the torch for roots and dub in Bradistan and their music is continuing to improve and develop. For more information about them, visit their website.