How Harlesden, reggae and Trojan Records changed Britain forever
No Bass Like Home shines a spotlight on the reggae revolution that emerged from Brent to sweep the UK.
The story of reggae in Britain passes through the heart of Brent. The pioneering Trojan and Pama record labels were founded here in the 1960s, bringing Caribbean classics to British listeners for the first time. Sound systems and nightclubs blasted vital new Jamaican jams into ears that had never heard their like before. And Brent produced key musicians of its own: from the Cimarons, Britain’s first homegrown reggae band, to Willesden’s Janet Kay, the first British-born black female singer to top the UK reggae charts.
No Bass Like Home proudly presents the stories of the people who made this reggae revolution happen – singers and musicians, DJs and retailers, producers and promoters – and the fans who hung on every beat and bassline. Explore our growing online archive of interviews, photographs, films and memorabilia.
The reggae heritage series reaches a spectacular conclusion with the No Bass Like Home Online Festival – a seven-hour online celebration of reggae culture curated by Seani B and reimagined for a locked-down London. The line-up will include performances from Julian Marley, The Cimarons, Marla Brown, and Silverstar Sound, with live sets from Brent reggae royalty Janet Kay, General Levy and Big Zeeks, Girls I Rate presents Alicai Harley, Amaria, Brixx and DJ Carmen, as well as a special performance from Brent’s Reggae Community Choir.
In partnership with
THE REGGAE MAP
The Reggae Map captures iconic people and places which have shaped the borough's reggae history. Explore the map here.
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