The number of classic records released by Island is ridiculous. Career-defining albums from Nick Drake, John Martyn, Tom Waits, King Sunny Ade, Tom Tom Club, Pulp, Roxy Music, The B52s, Sly & Robbie, The Slits, Julian Cope, Fairport Convention, Grace Jones, DJ Shadow, Portishead - the list literally goes on and on and on but nobody is bigger than Bob Marley & The Wailers.

Blackwell was ex-Harrow and a “son of Empire” but not at all conventional for the time when he founded Island in Kingston, Jamaica in 1959 with £1000 start-up. That must have been a small fortune and the first recording was by Lance Hayward at the Half Moon in 1959 at Federal Records Studio in Kingston, but it was the 1964 recording of ‘My Boy Lollipop’ by Jamaican singer Millie Small which got Blackwell the big break as the first international ska hit.

Island relocated to London in the 60s and expanded on its ska and rocksteady roots but Blackwell never lost his love of JA; apparently he was rescued by Rastas after nearly drowning on the Island, an insident which later helped with the signing of a certain Robert Nesta Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh years later.

The exhibition features a audio visual displays with loads of information and a nice cup of tea at the back (this is the same place as the Tenori-On launch) and whilst signing the cutting edge acts in the first 40 years, recent post-millenium bands with the likes of Keane, The Fratellis and The Feeling feel ‘blunted’ by comparision; that said, full marks for supporting the return of Busta Rhymes’ with his new album Back On My B.S. (album title of the year so far?)

I suppose it goes to show there’s still some independent spirit at Island’s A&R and the exhibition is well worth a look to remind you, if nothing else, what great music they’ve supported for the past 50 years; not only that, it’s below the excellent Phonica Record shop.

Reviewed: The Island Life Exhibition - 22nd May - 17th June 2009 - Island 50 @ The Vinyl Factory Gallery, at Phonica Records, 51 Poland Street, London W1F 7RJ,

Links:
www.islandrecords.com
www.islandrecords.co.uk
phonicarecords.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Boy_Lollipop