Mikey Dread R.I.P.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20080315T200000-0500_133588_OBS_MIKEY_DREAD__GONE_FROM_THE_CONTROL_.asp

Mikey Dread, gone from the control
Hailed as one of reggae greatest innovators
By Basil Walters Observer staff reporter
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Radio disc jock Mikey Dread is dead. He succumbed to a
brain tumour late yesterday afternoon at his family home in
Connecticut, USA at the age of 54. Born Michael Campbell in
Port Antonio, Jamaica, he distinguished himself as an
extraordinary studio engineer and presenter at the now
defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) where he
came to prominence in the 1970s as "The Dread-the-Control
Tower", the name of the late night show he presented at a
time when reggae music was scoffed at by many.

One of reggae's greatest innovators and original radio
engineers/technicians, the past student of Titchfield High
School, in

2006 celebrated the 30th anniversary of the night programme
which he started at the JBC, and revolutionised the after
midnight shift making it into the most popular slot on
radio, by playing strictly dub music. This innovation is
seen by many musicologists as the antecedence of dancehall
as we now know it.

Upon leaving the JBC, Mikey Dread ventured into recording
and scored with a number of releases such as Weatherman
Skanking in combination with Ray I, Barber Saloon, Love the
Dread, as well as albums such as Dread at the Control,
Evolutionary Rockers and World War III. Over time he
attracted the attention of British punk rockers, The Clash,
who invited him to produce some of their music, the most
famous of which is their single Bankrobber, and contributed
to several songs on their 1980 album, Sandinista. Mikey
Dread also toured with The Clash across Britain, wider
Europe and the US.

He also worked closely with producer Trevor Elliot to
launch musical career of singer Edi Fitzroy, who was then
an accountant at the JBC. As the news of his passing
surfaced yesterday, the Sunday Observer got comments from a
number of persons in the media and the music fraternity,
all of whom hailed Mikey Dread as a significant contributor
to the development of Jamaican music. "His (Mikey Dread's)
work, is not only national or regional, but also
international," former JBC's journalist Leslie Miles noted.
"It spanned the world scene and made Mikey a pioneer
broadcaster for playing dub music, and also redefined
aspects of radio, especially night time radio" Miles, who
is now head of news at Bess FM, also spoke of the struggle
Mikey Dread faced at the conservative JBC. Music consultant
Colin Leslie pointed out that the consequence of the
"fight" he received from the management was putting him on
at night, but that backfired.

"Remember he is a Portlander, so I always appreciated the
fact that we shared the same alma mater (Titchfield High
School), that is something I've always cherished and I hold
him in high esteem. Although he was ahead of my era, he was
somebody who laid an awesome foundation and was very unique
and highly respected," was how Richard "Richie B" Burgess
of Hot 102, remembered Mikey Dread.

"We were at JBC together, and in those days when he started
at the JBC dreads weren't popular on the air. The powers
that be in management really gave him a fight," Ali McNab
told the Sunday Observer.

"Michael Campbell, is someone who revolutionised radio in
Jamaica when there was still an anti-Jamaican sentiment
regarding music and culture. In terms of the emerging
dancehall, it was Mikey Dread who popularised it on radio.
Although it was late night, he still managed to popularise
dancehall music and bring it to the masses," was the
perspective of Dennis Howard who also worked on JBC Radio,
in the post-Mikey Dread era.

And Irie FM's disc jockey, GT Taylor hailed the late Mikey
Dread as a role model. "Reggae music in Jamaica, owes a lot
that that brother. He was one man who stood up for reggae
in the early '70s, bringing the music to the forefront. He
is one of my inspirations."

Veteran singer Freddie McGregor attested to the fact that
"Mikey Dread was one of the persons fighting the struggle
for reggae music. Mikey and I did a lot of shows together
over the years. A wonderful brethren".