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DEEP
DOWN WITH DENNIS BROWN
Cool
Runnings And The Crown Prince Of Reggae.
PENNY
REEL
A
Drake Bros Publication
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© Penny Reel
ISBN 0-9541959-0-6
pp 112 Price:
£16.99
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PRESS
RELEASE
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The
sudden death aged just 42 of Jamaican singer Dennis Brown
on July 1, 1999 sent a shockwave through the world of reggae
and robbed the music of its most popular ever grassroots performer.
Feted as a child star in the 1960s and billed as the Boy Wonder,
Dennis Brown went on to fulfil his earlier promise with a
recording career that spanned 30 years and dominated the reggae
dancehalls for the next three decades. During this time, the
singer released more records and scored a greater number of
hits than any other artist working in the reggae field.
Deep Down With Dennis Brown - Cool Runnings And The Crown
Prince Of Reggae traces the busy years of his early rise to
prominence in the 1970s, when the singer developed his distinct
style and also made the majority of his best and most famous
recordings. Told as a short story in the author's highly personal
style and set against the backdrop of the London underground
reggae scene during these turbulent times, this profile of
its star act provides a fascinating insider's insight into
an otherwise hidden world. In this respect, here is a unique
piece of written work, not only in the medium of reggae music,
but as a wholly original approach to the debate of popular
music and its wider cultural concerns.
In addition to the text, full colour illustrations of photographs,
album sleeves, record labels, concert posters and other ephemera
from the era are reproduced throughout the book, adding a
striking visual accompaniment to the story as it unfolds and
the half that has never been told is revealed. |
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Penny
Reel is one of the UK's reggae foundation writers.
His work in the '70s & '80s
was & still is a tremendous inspiration.
His interviews and articles
gave the readers real insight
into a music that was and
still is misunderstood.
Published in July 2001.
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author: Penny Reel has written extensively about popular black
music and specifically reggae since the early 1970s and in
that time has met and interviewed most of the latter’s
major players. During this period he has freelanced on a regular
basis for publications including International Times, Oz,
Time Out, Mojo, Virgin Yearbook, Sounds, Music Week, Wire,
Straight No Chaser, Underground and many others. During the
1970s-80s, he was the chief correspondent on reggae for New
Musical Express, at the height of the paper’s success
as market leader in its field, and from the mid-70s until
the end of the millennium wrote a regular column for the weekly
tabloid Black Echoes as well as sundry articles, reviews,
think pieces and other work. |
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“Fan's
Of Penny Reel's writings on London and reggae have a double
treat here in this atmospheric story of Dennis Brown's,"unrivalled
importance as a reggae artist" during the music's golden
years - bookended in this account with two different Joe
Gibbs recordings of the infamous Money In My Pocket: 1972
to 1979. Throughout the early part of this period reggae
was underground: ill-reported outside its immediate community,
served by dozens of transient shebeens, clubs and record
labels. Reel's account is poetic, impassioned and respectful
of arcana which would otherwise be lost to knowledge. Ending
on the eve of Brown's first national chart hit, Deep Down
With...leaves you wanting more."
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Jon
Savage – Mojo |
“A
visual as well as literary feast… The writer makes
his unorthodox approach work in impressive fashion and furthermore
remains true to his own personal experience… There
have been a number of new reggae titles over the past twelve
months, but I doubt any of them are as essential as this
lavishly illustrated and beautifully presented retrospective.”
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John Masouri – Echoes |
Deep
Down is a book set in the clubs and dives of inner city
London during the 1970s and charts the progress of the local
underground reggae scene as it existed during these times.
The book traces the years of the Jamaican singer's early
rise to prominence and discusses in detail some of his most
famous and noteworthy recordings.
It is a visual treat, as well as an entertaining and informative
read...
...a timely reminiscence. Reel's aim to achieve accuracy
of information,
facts and figures is very successful."
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King
Appiah-Agyemang
Darkerthanblue (online mag) |
"Mr
Reel has a way with words. His wonderful richly distilled
Runyonesque prose marks him out as an authentic character
and chronicler of the developments and paths of Jamaican
music in London… Very entertaining and fact rich read."
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Dave
Hucker - Beat |
"A
handsomely illustrated testament to the life of a singer
who brought more than a little love into the hard lives
of the Jamaican people and those whose roots lay in the
Caribbean."
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Paul Bradshaw
Straight No Chaser |
"Reggae's
much respected and longest serving writer delivers a stylish
homage to the late
crown prince. Hugely enjoyable."
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John Williams
Top (Tower Rec.) |
"A singular kind of illuminations through reggae's
maze of names, faiths and fashions. Reel's voice suits this
kind of street level narrative - chancers, semi-Rastas,
one horse backers and scene stealers."
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Ian
Penman - The Wire |
"Indispensable
to not only Dennis Brown aficionados but reggae lovers in
general.
Penny Reel's text is a revelation."
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Michael
de Koningh |
"From
archive facts on releases of his myriad hits to personal
and private conversations,
this book informs as it entertains."
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Lionvibes |
"This massive book is a must for anyone with a true
love of reggae music and who wants
to know why Dennis Brown is one of the music's greatest
stars."
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Ray
Hurford - Small Axe |
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AVAILABLE
FROM
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Presented
as a portrait of Dennis Brown at the height of his powers
and fame in the seventies this makes a refreshing change to
some of the rather small-minded obituaries that appeared immediately
after Dennis' untimely demise which tended to concentrate
on the perceived downside of his career. "The purpose
of this book... is to establish Dennis Brown's unrivalled
importance as a reggae artist before his contribution can
be overlooked or forgotten". Presentation - beautifully
illustrated with many period pictures, record labels and memoribilia
- is excellent and we are unable to fault the reasoning.
Buy with confidence. |
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One of the best books ever written about reggae
- an affectionate tribute to "The Crown Prince"
- singer Dennis Brown. More than a biography, this is a real
labour of love with vast amounts of colour illustrations and
photos. It is also crucial reading for anyone interested in
the reggae scene in London in the late 20th century.
A beautiful tribute to such a huge talent. |
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Uncarved.org |
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