I was born in Kingston, Jamaica in an era where ska, rock-steady and American soul music, was the main music playing; country and western, and calypso was also around but although I have appreciation for these genre of music, they didn’t have the impact on me as the others did. As a young boy I lived next door to a sound system, which was frequented by people such as Prince Buster and Derreck Morgan – in fact Derreck for some time lived at my ‘Yard’. Every Friday and Saturday nights there was a dance; although it wasn’t so much the music, I remember how much I wanted to grow up: my folks were strict so we couldn’t leave the yard; we just had to watch the ‘big people’ enjoying themselves.

I had the privilege of going to high school in Jamaica; this along with the coming of the Socialist Government (People’s National Party) opened my awareness of some of social issues that Jamaica was experiencing at the time. As a high school student, the lyrics of the songs and politics were hotly debated so for me, and many of my peers, music and politics were inseparable and hence my deep love for conscious reggae and blues music. I was never part of the sound system or dance hall seen in Jamaica as the radio provided a useful medium for listening to music. In England I tend to go to certain venues that play good soulful, reggae, African and soca music – I appreciate all types of black music that I can analyse ‘Life’ from.

I always wanted to get involved with radio and was please when Dino invited me to his show. I developed late in life a love for radio journalism and was actively exploring some possibilities until the offer from Dino came along. I have close ties in Gloucester; I have families there, I use work there and got married there.