We sat down with Steve Rice of Downbeat Melody Soundsystem to talk 50 years of Soundsystem culture, Roots Reggae and what makes Bristol's music scene so unique. Downbeat Melody Soundsystem will be running a Day Party at Trinity on 16 July as part of Trinity Presents - click here to get your tickets.
How did you first get into reggae and soundsystem culture?
When I first got into Ska and Rocksteady the word Reggae had not yet been coined, it was around 1966. I grew up in Clapham and Brixton and went to school with, and lived near, lots of Jamaican families. My first encounter with soundsystems was with Sir Coxsone who was playing in the street where my friends lived. We used to buy weed from a pub in Clapham North and got invited to Blues dances where I really got the bug. In ‘71 I built a small system and played at parties we held in squats. In ‘73 I cut a record and it got released by Pama. When you find an art form that opens up your heart, you can’t leave it.
How do you feel that the culture has changed over the years?
I play the music I love in the way it was played to me and what I do has pretty much stayed the same. To quote an old sound man “a man would buy an amp and build all speaker box and string up the sound” and that is what my sound is.
People arrive at what is called soundsystem culture from various places and occupy various places in that space. What I do is play Jamaican music from its golden age in the style it was played at the time. My system is not the loudest or biggest but it sounds wicked and people love it.
Why do you think Bristol has such a vibrant reggae and soundsystem culture?
Bristol has always had sound system dances - my mic man Champion came here often with Jamdown Rockers and Clapham Sound and sounds from here are numerous and long lasting too. It makes sence for people relatively new to it to have something to hold to. Of course things change and it’s easy to spot differences, but I prefer to look for similarities.
When you have to repair amps and replace speakers or pay the rent and load vans at four in the morning you cuss and swear it’s the end of it. Then you string up, put the needle on a record and boom! You’re back in love again!
What relationship does Downbeat Melody have with Trinity?
I’ve played at Trinity a handful of times and it’s always been good - It’s a nice space to fill with noise.
More than that, Jamell’s mum Marcey loves my sound and in particular, love me and Ras Digby when we play together! It’s always been a pleasure to do anything there.
What can people expect from a Downbeat Melody Day Party?
At the day party they will see the soundsystem which is hand built and unique - it’s possibly the most photogenic system around.
The line up is myself and Paul Solution, who has become my key man on the sound. He has his own, much bigger sound that has played Notting Hill Carnival for years. We have a lot in common and his selection compliments mine really well. We have the same outlook and ideology of sound. Our guest is Ras Digby from Sir Jessus Sound in West London .
He has such depth of music and boxes of dubs that nobody else can touch . He is my favourite selector and over the last 20 years I have learned much from him. Together we have over 100 years of experience in sound. People who come can expect to hear the best selections of Jamaican music played by three veterans who play for the crowd and, as they say in Jamaica, “sweet the people dem”.
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