Roots Archives Forum

I have a question about the number of labels created by the same producers. I understand artists (singers, etc.) moving from label to label, but I don't understand why so many producers have many, many, labels. For example Lloyd Barnes used:
1. Bullwackies
2. Wackie's
3. City Line
4. Aries
5. Wisdom Track
6. Senrab
7. Footprints
8. Dougies
9. Hamma and Rawse
and probably others. Barnes's case is not much different from many of the JA producers. Was this purely for a financial reason I don't see, or was there another reason for producers to start so many labels?
Thanks,
Chris

Hail Chris

i know sir coxsone for instants had his studio 1 label but.....

he had his sub-labels on the studio 1 label, sublabels such as : -

- Moneydisc
- Bamboo
- Bananna
- Studio 1 bluebeat

I think they were just used for different era's of his productions.

for example bluebeat represnts his boogie and ska sides (late 50's - early 60's)

and bamboo reresnting a more rocksteady sound (late 60s - 1970's)

This may not be the cas for other labels but i have recognised this with studio 1..

JAH LOVE

not only, in the case of Coxsone, he released during the 70s stuff on different labels for their style. Like his BONGOMAN label was more reserved for roots and conscious, less accessible titles, or really uncommercial stuff (as DJing). Its a way to release song he likes that are less universal without compromising the reputation of the main label STUDIO ONE... and so to keep more diversity, which is agood ting-!

Hamma was not run by Lloyd Barnes/wackies, but by douglas levy ( prince douglas ).

Labels Studio One in Jamaica only
All Stars, Bongo Man, Bra, Big House,Bugget, Budget, Black Wax, C&N,Coxsone,Coxson, Cariboo,Date Disc, D.Darling, Downbeat,Embassy, Fisherman, Festival 69, Festival 71, Festival 72,Forward, Faze Four, London, Ici Disc, Iron Side,Lyn's, Muzik City,Money Disc, Media Records, ND Records,National Calypso, Port-O-Jam, Randy Cox, Refuge,Roland & Powie, Super Six, Super Natural Disc,Studio One,Supreme,(Soul Pebbles, Sight N Sounds,Scorpio, Tabernacle, Tee Gee, Uptown,World Disc, Winro, Wincox

And that is only Jamaican label there are USA/UK labels.
Lion ina Studio One style

Good list Lion!

Out of interest, Dudley Sibley's 'Run Boy Run', produced by Coxsone & issued on Coxsone JA in 1967, was reissued by Dudley himself in the late 90's on his own JA label Black Skin.

In the early 90's Mr Dodd controlled some Lee Perry masters and put them out on Upsetter & Studio 1 Upsetters labels with production credits going to JAMRIC! Among the titles released was the (deliberately?) miscredited
'Police & Thief' - Junior Delgado (Studio 1 Upsetters)

Thanks for the thoughts.
Chris

Good question, Chris --- funny that one producer would have sooo many labels. Don't see that kinda thing going on these days. Lion, enjoyed your response too...