About this item
Bringing the same incisive, cross-genre perspective he offered in When Rock Met Disco, Steven Blush gives a spirited survey of the crossover of Jamaican, British, and American sounds that changed the face of popular music in When Rock Met Reggae. The inspiration of ska, rock-steady, dub, and reggae - heard on independent recordings played on "soundsystems" from Kingston and Brixton - created a new rock tonality and attitude, spanning from Eric Clapton to The Clash. Meanwhile, the "Two Tone" sounds - traversing The Specials, Madness, and UB40 - fueled the '90s ska revival of Sublime, No Doubt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and beyond. Attentive to the racial, political, and artistic aspects of this intricate story, Blush gives a memorable account of one of the most fertile cross-pollinations in pop music history.
About the Author
STEVEN BLUSH is the author of American Hardcore (2001) , American Hair Metal (2006) , .45 Dangerous Minds (2008) , Lost Rockers (2016) and New York Rock (2017) . He wrote and co-produced the 2006 documentary film American Hardcore (Sundance Film Festival, Sony Pictures Classics) , based on his Feral House book. Blush was the editor and publisher of the award-winning Seconds Magazine, and for years was a New York City club DJ/promoter, noted for his "Rock Cändy" parties at Don Hill's, and his sound design for fashion designer Stephen Sprouse. He writes for music-oriented publications, hosts a series of podcasts on the Blush Media Network, and blogs about New York Jets football. Bustin' Balls: Pro Sports, Pop Culture, Progressive Politics (2020) is the first title by Blush Books, hopefully, the first of many through Feral House.
