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A Reggae Project For Reggae People

The Reggae industry has been devastated and we, the Reggae community, have reached an impasse in our ‘One Love’ musical culture. Although we, as a community, are far stronger, the music that has formed the basis of our culture lies dormant. Without the music, our culture will become extinct. Only with the help of each and every fan can this tragedy be averted.

Together, we must revive the original Reggae industry and build on the successes of the Trojan era, when every Reggae artist was represented and the needs of our community were met. We must reclaim our rights to the music and continue down our cultural path.

Regalia Entertainment’s mission:

~ revive the Reggae industry, launch the new generation of artists and promote Sound System ‘Hit Record’ Dancehall Entertainment

~ establish an entertainment company dedicated to Reggae culture with One-Stop-Reggae-Shop Entertainment Centers across the globe

~ implement a Step-Up Commission - an on-line charity that supports ghetto workfare projects.

The task of restoring the Reggae industry is daunting and impossible for any individual company. But it is possible and feasible if we act as a cooperative community. We at Regalia Entertainment understand the problem. We need you, the Reggae community, to empower us into action.

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Regalia Entertainment

Regalia Entertainment is a team of prominent Reggae industry executives who bring the necessary leadership and expertise to unite the Reggae Industry Membership and put the music back in the spotlight as a commercially viable commodity. We at Regalia Entertainment will bring together the major talents of Reggae and the international elite to produce a two-feature film Reggae Extravaganza. This spectacular and comprehensive presentation of the Reggae ‘One Love’ art form will be the catalyst for the industry’s rebirth, and the launch pad for a new generation of recording artists.

Regalia Entertainment intends to rebuild the industry through a cooperative venture, the Reggae Community ‘One Love’ Trust Fund. Regalia plans to hold a Reggae industry conference to re-establish professional guidelines. With independent financing, technical support and reinstated industry personnel, Regalia will be able to respond to the popular demand for Reggae, freeing it from its isolation.

We are a community of 6 million with fans in the hundreds of millions, a market yet to be tapped. We, the Reggae people, have the world beat and the fashions that everyone is demanding. Reggae offers Jamaica an annual US$2-3 billion industry, a major tourism attraction and a priceless gift to humanity. Regalia’s mission is to revive Reggae but we must have the community’s support.

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Reggae-Up-The-People

Yard On-Line and Up-On The Runnings are the Reggae-Up-The-People Campaign themes - it calls for the rebirth of the Reggae industry and a return of human rights to its members.

The international fans are the front-line standing between Reggae’s extinction and its progression. They are building the bridge that will provide the industry an independent platform for its recovery. They will protect the interests of the people, ensure an authentic cultural product that is produced and manufactured in Jamaica, and create a tax base that restores the economy of Kingston ghettoes.

Reggae-Up-The-People Campaign is the ‘Movement Of Reggae Culture’. The fan would be partaking in the true spirit of Reggae ‘One Love’ culture, passing on to the world its values of hope, respect and equality. The fan would look forward to being a part of the new Reggae phenomenon, and to sharing in its commercial successes as the most popular cultural art form of our time.

Regalia Entertainment is appealing to the Reggae community fan, to the corporate world, production professionals and the entrepreneur, to the community leaders in Kingston, to the politicians of Jamaica, to the good people of the world - to help rebuild the industry and be the ‘keeper of the watch’ - to turn their passion for Reggae into an exciting and lucrative investment.

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– REGGAE NEEDS YOU !!! –

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL

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SAVING THE PAST IS OUR FUTURE

- Reggae is Sound System ‘Hit Record’ Dancehall Entertainment -

The function of the industry is to manufacture the quota

of recordings for sound system performances.

Reggae entertainment is musical innovators in competition to produce Hit Records. The soundmen produce exclusive music for their sound systems, which is voted on by the people at the Kingston dancehall. Sought after by the international soundman, Hit Records create rivalry in obtaining exclusivity for their sound system. The most popular soundman is the one with the most powerful sound system and the best selection of Hit Records.

During the development of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae certain terms were established. These terms are the foundation of Reggae culture. Today these words are mouthed, without understanding or conviction. Until they are reclaimed for our musical culture, the essence of Reggae will remain dormant.

The One Drop - emphasis placed on the first beat of the bar to give dancers a unified beat

One Love - the vibe created at the dancehall and carried by the community as its cultural emblem

The Runnings - the survival of the ghetto people.

A cultural Reggae phrase is: “It’s a little sound for you and me.”

As did its predecessors, Ska and Rocksteady, Reggae matures at the sound system:

~ the soundmen visualize the innovation

~ the sound crews dance out the arrangement

~ the musicians devise its rhythmical chord structure

~ the artists strengthen their wailing harmonies and lyrics

They capture the: “Natural Mystic Blowing Through The Air”.

Reggae’s uniqueness is its rare bond with all of humanity, manifested and interpreted through the body. It is transmitted through the rhythm of the music at a sound system performance. It is the skill of the soundman in tuning the amplifier and selecting Hit Records that deliver the rhythm’s One Drop dance beat, generating the ‘Reggae Pulse’.

It is this ‘Pulse’ that is the passion of Reggae and the

blueprint upon which the music’s future,

evolution and success depends.

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The Trojan Era

All Hit Records were developed at four main musical stables in Kingston. Each stable was a self-productive unit - a collaboration of talents with a preference for a specific style. Production was fueled by the quota of recordings required for a sound system performance, which in turn provided the foundation for the Reggae industry.

To meet the public demand for Hit Records, the soundmen established a recording industry with a record chart and live entertainment outlets. At its peak, the industry supplied the sound system with a minimum of 50 potential Hit Records monthly, released a minimum of 80 albums annually, and supported over 40 prominent recording acts.

The international Reggae entertainment network consisted of a sound system circuit, record distributors and concert promoters, and the numerous record shops operated and supported by Reggae’s 1,000,000 community members. Instantly played on the international sound system, a Hit Record resulted in an album release and a concert tour for the artist - the momentum propelled the music into the commercial marketplace where Trojan Records created recording stars.

During the early seventies, 75% of all Reggae records released internationally were issued on the Trojan label. The company had an unrivaled impact in the UK, when it gained 22 entries in the music charts, setting an enviable record for an independent record company. Trojan developed over 25 labels to showcase the talents of the individual producers, and gave them a direct outlet to the world marketplace. A Hit Record album would expect 1,000,000 in sales worldwide.

In 1976, the major record companies forced Trojan into bankruptcy. The industry fell into disarray as assets were seized, royalty payments withheld and artists were prevented from working. As Reggae returned to the Kingston ghettoes, turmoil in Jamaica saw the industry come under further attack. The in-house fighting, the level of piracy and the violence made all production inviable, and Reggae’s industry production base closed.

After the collapse of Trojan, and the subsequent crash of the industry, production of the classics dried up. Under attack from both the commercial industry and international political establishment, Reggae’s innovators were suppressed and unable to reproduce or capitalize on their success. Receiving neither revenue nor recognition for the music’s success, the industry became a shadow of its former self. Only Bob Marley & The Wailers, who had the protection of an international corporate giant which ultimately destroyed them, survived for a little longer.

“1985”

Kingston, once known as ‘The Dancing City’

became known as Kingston ‘The Dull City’.

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Reggae 2000

Despite the unprecedented demand for Reggae, the music has remained dormant for the last 15 - 20 years. Today, Reggae is trapped in a hostile environment, its key personnel have been dispersed around the world and a new generation of Reggae talent has been abandoned. The industry mainly serves the new DanceHall artists, whose fans represent a small minority of the community. Although this style is based on the Reggae One Drop, it rarely carries the music’s harmonic structure, tonality or its ‘One Love’ message, and is of little relevance to the cultured Reggae fan. Certain DanceHall lyrics do, however, reflect the majority of Kingston’s inhabitants as the music continues to serve the ‘voice of the ghetto’.

The introduction of electronic instrumentation, the lack of an industry structure, piracy, infighting, a hostile environment and suppression have made it impossible for Reggae Innovators to unite. Established Reggae artists are recording, but without the musical stables to provide them with Hit Record rhythms, demand for their recorded product is low. And more than 90% of what is being produced is pirated. The artists survive mainly on earnings from the community’s vibrant live concert circuit.

The late Bob Marley is still one of the top-selling artists in the world, with tens of millions of albums sold. His popularity has generated a huge interest in Reggae, creating a resurgence in sales of classics and allowing the international part of the Reggae industry to survive. Despite the large number of Reggae-styled albums released, only music played on Kingston’s sound system is successful within the community market.

Today, Reggae’s true strength is measured by its ‘One Love’ musical culture - an international multi-racial community of 6 million dedicated fans whose lifestyle now represents the backbone of the music’s commercial appeal. Without an industry production base, the very fabric of Reggae culture is under attack. Across the world, the infrastructure of the community’s network is crumbling. Reggae clubs and radio stations are closing. Promoters are harassed, concerts robbed and artists’ visas denied. In Jamaica, the sound system is systematically outlawed, leaving the artists unable to express their cultural being and the people without their entertainment.

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Sound System Hit Records

The new Reggae industry must address community members both in Kingston and around the world - the Innovators and bearers of Reggae ‘One Love’ culture. Reggae is only a commercial product when marketed authentically in its cultural setting. The Reggae community is not to be mistaken with the Jamaican community. The Reggae industry is not to be confused with the Jamaican music industry. Reggae is a culture unto itself and its followers - people with their own perception of how things should be run.

The Reggae community is the market, and its membership is the demand. Their demand is for an innovative music, a progression from Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae that carries their ‘One Love’ cultural message. Their demand is for a return to Sound System Dancehall Entertainment where Kingston determines the Hit Record and manufactures the product - where the profits are returned to the people.

It has taken 50 years for Reggae to arrive at this position and its future has just begun. The music has been evolving since its inception, defining the One Drop. Within the sound system is Reggae’s progression - a musical innovation ready to be developed and to become the world’s biggest musical style with a new generation of highly talented and imaginative artists.

It will take one innovative Hit Record that drives the essence of Sound System Dancehall Entertainment to revive the Industry. A music that the community raves about and that makes them want to hear it reproduced on the sound system. Other soundmen will instantly copy the style, and so produce the quota for sound system performances. This is the essence of the music’s evolution, and will lead to unequalled success and a marketing phenomenon in a commercial world.

From the promotion of a Hit Record, today’s album sales to the sound system fan are estimated to be in excess of one million - guaranteed. Sales to the community fan are estimated to be in excess of five million. Billboard acknowledged the late Bob Marley as the most influential artist of the century with major commercial market sales.

Hit Record = an album = one million guaranteed local

market sales = a potential domestic market of five million

= a possible commercial market in the tens of millions

= an international recording artist

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– REGGAE NEEDS YOU !!! –

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL

Yard On-Line

A REGGAE EXTRAVAGANZA

Sound system Hit Records provide guaranteed

investment units to build an international

Reggae entertainment organization.

The potential to capitalize on Reggae’s future through professional recordings, film and cultural products is unprecedented. This is Regalia Entertainment. The vacuum in Reggae and the unquenched demand have created a unique opportunity to use this void in the market and launch a Reggae Extravaganza that will serve to unify and revive the industry.

Regalia will refurbish Reggae’s musical stables so the industry can produce the 50 ‘single’ records required monthly to repertoire Sound System ‘Hit Record’ Dancehall Entertainment.

Regalia will produce Hit Records for its sound system, People’s International. It will establish the Regalia label to market albums and promote recording acts.

Regalia will provide the production and distribution network for other Hit Record producers and their artists.

Regalia will encourage the new generation producers to follow its musical direction and support the essence of Reggae culture.

Regalia Entertainment is a vision of a multi-media Reggae Extravaganza to establish twenty Hit Record recording acts and promote them in two feature films to be released simultaneously. The world will be introduced to the history of Reggae through a new generation of artists with innovative music, fashion and dance. Regalia sees itself becoming the leading Reggae entertainment company with One-Stop-Reggae-Shop Entertainment Centers across the globe, defining the Reggae ‘One Love’ art form and meeting the community’s cultural demands.

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Creative Director

Anthony Ashfield is a life-long member of the Reggae community. Ashfield has experienced the power of Reggae. He knows, as a soundman, the essence of his profession. Throughout his career Ashfield has devoted his efforts to advancing Reggae. He believes that no Reggae artist can pursue a career without the sense of purpose and the collective spirit of Reggae ‘One Love’ culture.

Raised in London’s West Kensington, where many of Jamaica’s World War II veterans had taken up residence, Ashfield grew up with the first Ska music. He was involved in the famous Roaring Twenties club, where he listened to all of the major artists of the time. By the mid 1960’s, he had his own sound system and was releasing records. He saw the music take over London and expand around the world. By the late 1960’s, Ashfield was in Jamaica’s recording studios, producing exclusive recordings for his sound system. In 1974, Ashfield’s recordings were orchestrated and released to the commercial market. John Holt’s ‘The Further You Look’ and ‘One Thousand Volts of Holt’ hit the international charts and were reproduced in concert to rave reviews. Approached by Trojan Records, the leading Reggae company, to be its in-house producer, Ashfield added to their roster of Reggae superstars.

It was Trojan’s tremendous commercial success that concerned the established record companies, which saw a steep decline in their own sales. In 1976, Trojan was put into bankruptcy by the major record companies. Ashfield pursued work as a session producer elsewhere in London and in Los Angeles, where he was assigned to produce all types of musical projects. In 1980, he returned to Jamaica in an attempt to get back into the Reggae industry, only to find that the violence in the industry had shut down the production base, creating serious suffering for his fellow artists and friends. The people’s passion instilled in him the confidence to conceive of Regalia Entertainment, a creative desire to see Reggae regain status as a world class commercial idiom, and a commitment to prioritize the interests of the Reggae people.

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Creative Content – Production

1. Recording Acts

The number of twenty recording acts has been determined by the scripts of the two feature films in order to cover all the different styles of Reggae.

Roots Reggae (4 acts)

Traditional Reggae (7 acts)

DanceHall Reggae (5 acts)

Fusion Reggae (4 acts)

The refurbishing of Reggae’s musical stables and its Hit Record formula will produce a new era of Reggae superstars. Classic artists, today’s artists and the new generation of Reggae artists will provide the talent for both the music and the films. A worldwide search, from Kingston’s ghettoes to the international Reggae community, will reveal the vast amount of highly talented artists stifled for the last twenty years.

2. Feature Film – KT-88 REGGAE

KT-88 REGGAE is a spectacular musical IMAX feature that, for the first time, tells the Inside Story of Reggae and portrays its ‘One Love’ musical culture. It recreates the essence of Reggae by revealing, through a blend of fantasy and reality, the aspirations of its people and their suffering. Choreographed dances and exotic fashions, contrasting with hard-core ghetto life, accentuate the music’s evolution, lifestyle and artistic richness. Modeled after the famous ‘two o’clock blues dances’, KT-88 is a ‘Sound System Performance’ - a specialized motion soundtrack of re-recorded songs drawn from the top repertoire of its genre revealing the music’s roots and generating the ‘Reggae Pulse’. In chronological order and hosted by ‘dub poets’, it provides an historical context in which the people portray the music’s truths and myths - a musical era captured for posterity.

KT-88 REGGAE is based on fact relived through a fictional storyline. Hanky Panky Vs. Nitty Gritty - is a sound system clash between two fiercely opposed Kingston soundmen - a battle for amplification power and musical supremacy. Each soundman has a musical stable containing a sound camp. The story follows their careers and relationships. It reveals the industry in-fighting and The Runnings as the music becomes a public forum for debate, the economy of the ghetto and a path out for its people. Reggae evolves as a highly protected survival tool that ultimately, after devastating and emotional events, establishes itself as an international musical force.

KT-88 REGGAE

THE RUNNINGS

ANTHONY ASHFIELD

3. Feature Film – BABYLON SKANKING

BABYLON SKANKING is a fast-paced, dark-humored musical action film that recreates Reggae’s success in the international market, demonstrating its impact on society today. It reveals the international community’s contribution to Reggae ‘One Love’ culture - the cross-fashions, lifestyle and music arising from their multi-racial milieu. Filmed in England and Jamaica, it depicts The Reggae Runnings - the notorious activities of the rude boys who took the Reggae industry hostage and made the communities a playground for their survival and refuge. Told through three interwoven storylines, Babylon Skanking concludes in London’s underground where tomorrow’s music and a new race of universal people are emerging, all stomping on the rhythmic drum and bass lines of Reggae.

Theme One: Following their turbulent exit from the ghettoes of Jamaica, a young Reggae Band enters the international Reggae community on their way to fame. Disbanded at immigration, the remaining members recruit community artists and reform the Band, their music fusing with the various cultures of its new members, their relationships creating strange love triangles. Taken on by two incompatible Managers, the Band weaves through the confusion and chaos of the Reggae industry, heading for the popular charts and new traumatic adventures. Operating The Runnings, the Managers expand their roster of artists and gain prominence in the Reggae market. Forced into the more violent Reggae Runnings, their actions attract the attention of Interpol’s Yardie Squad and they become trapped in a war of drugs and ghetto survival. After turmoil and tragedy, a newly reformed Band, producing innovative Fusion Reggae, rescues the Managers and together they celebrate newfound international success.

Theme Two: Centered around the infamous Reggae Runnings, the notorious rude boy Bum-Bo-Red goes from being Jamaica’s public enemy No.1 to international recording star. Escaping the ghettoes with help from the Band, he appears as their guest Skanker with the Managers guiding his career. Bo-Red reveals Reggae’s hard-core culture as he ‘steps with his posse’, flaunts his fashions and poses as Mr. Representative of Reggae music. The suffering of ghetto life is shown, the people’s emotions are revealed and gangland discipline is demonstrated as Bo-Red, under order of his ghetto boss, becomes an assassin for covert CIA operations, establishes an international drug smuggling network and eliminates the opposition - Reggae style. As Interpol’s Yardie Squad arrests the Yardies and curtails their activities, Bo-Red is secretly moved to Europe where he performs with the successful Band.

Theme Three: Filmed on London’s Reggae Front-Line, the international Reggae community’s story is told, their emotions and culture are revealed. The community entertainment network of shops, clubs and a concert circuit is shown, as are the multi-racial lifestyles, the numerous children that cement these relationships, and the family ties with Kingston’s people. Four classic stars operate The Runnings in the administration of their recording careers, portraying Reggae as a lifeline for the ghetto people. They reveal a dangerous industry built on bartering in stolen goods, ganja and the pirating of records - an industry of disorganized hustlers and would-be producers, illegally distributing music, promoting concerts and sound system dances.

BABYLON SKANKING

THE REGGAE RUNNINGS

ANTHONY ASHFIELD

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– REGGAE NEEDS YOU !!! –

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL

Yard On-Line

MOVEMENT OF REGGAE CULTURE

Lobby To Reinstate The Reggae Innovator

The One Drop unites the Reggae community – bringing its members together onto the same emotional plane and creating rules that are the basis of their ‘One Love’ culture. Reggae’s Hit Record formula is established. It is what created the Reggae community, and is the community’s future. Only by returning to the original concept of Sound System ‘Hit Record’ Dancehall Entertainment can Reggae be revived. Only when the community abides by its membership can Reggae be displayed in all its passion and cultural regalia.

Regalia Entertainment, in conjunction with the Reggae Industry Membership, will launch the Reggae-Up-The-People Campaign, aimed at gaining support from each and every Reggae fan:

~ from the artist who has the culture - to the Hollywood executive who can help him express it

~ from the Jamaicans who can assist their country - to the community leaders who can help control the ghetto environment

~ from the community member who can finance the new Reggae industry - to the fan who will buy its products.

The international entertainment pop industry is closed to Reggae – certain elements in Jamaica and across the world fight to suppress Reggae. Reggae is not a music that you can produce, it is an art form that takes on a life, it was made by one Reggae Trooper for another - you are the recipient - you must reward him for his creativity -

YOU determine if Reggae ‘One Love’ culture becomes extinct.

Most importantly, it will require professionalism from the soundmen – the Innovators. To be a master of their trade. To seek perfection in their art. To look into the ghetto and recover Reggae’s lifeline. To manifest the One Drop in their music and create the ‘Reggae Pulse’ in their performances. To revitalize the essence of Sound System ‘Hit Record’ Dancehall Entertainment and give momentum to the true meaning of the Reggae ‘One Love’ art form.

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Campaign Community ‘One Love’ Trust Fund

Reggae-Up-The-People Campaign Community ‘One Love’ Trust Fund will be established to provide Regalia Entertainment with the independence and the power to produce the Reggae Extravaganza, support the Reggae Industry Membership and rebuild the Reggae industry.

The Trust Fund will offer short-term investments with entertainment incentives:

Red club $100 Gold club $1,000 Green club $10,000

The Trust Fund offers diverse investment opportunities for the everyday Reggae fan, the entrepreneur, the institution and the patriotic Jamaican.

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ReggaeUpThe People Campaign Staff

The Campaign staff epitomizes the very fabric of Reggae ‘One Love’ culture – from Reggae’s musical root to the dedicated enthusiast – with a driving passion to participate in the new Reggae era.

President Anthony Ashfield ashfield@reggaeupthepeople.com

Ambassador Alton Ellis O.M. ellisom@ reggaeupthepeople.com

Manager Noel Livingston livingston@reggaeupthepeople.com

Agent Una Kim una@reggaeupthepeople.com

Agent Machiko Sagata machiko@reggaeupthepeople.com

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Step-Up Commission

The Step-Up Commission will be headed by prominent people from all walks of life. An On-Line live video feed will bring footage of the Commission’s work, carried out on behalf of the donor for the ghetto Sufferer. The Step-Up Commission will work alongside Reggae-Up Campaign for access to on-line facilities and promotion.

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Reggae Industry Membership

Reggae superstar Alton Ellis O.M. carries the respect of his peers and countrymen. He acts as the temporary guardian of the Reggae Industry Membership until an industry conference selects a board of trustees, defining ethical and professional guidelines. The Reggae Industry Membership will work alongside Reggae-Up Campaign for access to on-line facilities and promotion.

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Regalia Entertainment

Chairman & Creative Director Anthony Ashfield ashfield@regaliaentertainment.com

Ashfield has held all positions in the Reggae industry. He was there when the Hit Records were made and knows the ingredients for their success. Ashfield is responsible for acquiring Hit Records and packaging Reggae superstars.

President Von Adams (Daddy Vego) daddyvego@regaliaentertainment.com

Von Adams is a founding industry member whose skill as soundman for the famed People’s International Sound System is legendary – a community leader who understands the true essence of Reggae entertainment. Von Adams will create a corporate structure in Kingston that offers security and curtails piracy.

General Manager Barrington Adams adams@regaliaentertainment.com

Adams travels the world extensively, marketing Reggae records and hosting major Reggae concert tours. Adams will establish an international distribution network with One-Stop-Reggae-Shop Entertainment Centers and service the community with their cultural merchandising.

Regalia Entertainment is a Reggae Company, run by Reggae People, for Reggae People. Regalia is designed to operate within Reggae’s parameters and meet the community’s demand:

The sound system must swing, the industry must thrive,

the community must participate and

The Runnings must go on.

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– REGGAE NEEDS YOU !!! –

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL

Yard On-Line