Joshua BAside from enjoying music, I maintain a well-rounded lifestyle that balances work, family (no family of my own…for now anyway), and fun. My interests and hobbies include playing tennis, skiing all over New England, exploring “lost” ski areas, bodysurfing and skimboarding at the beach, photography, and playing Dance Dance Revolution on my home setup. But this essay is about reggae music. That’s why you’re here, right?

One of my favorite hobbies was hosting various reggae radio shows between the years of 1992 and 2002. While at Emerson College, I joined WERS 88.9 FM, a powerful and influential radio station in the Boston market. During my stay at WERS (1992-1995), I had the opportunity to interview many of Jamaica’s leading performers including Dennis Brown (R.I.P.), Freddie McGregor, Sanchez, Buju Banton, Cobra, Capleton, Spragga Benz, Terror Fabulous, Patra, and many others live and in person. Presenting quality reggae music to the people became such a great passion that after graduation, I continued to do radio. Memorable stints included WMBR 88.1 FM (Massachusetts Intitute of Technology), WRBB 104.9 FM (Northeastern University), WUMB 91.9 FM (University of Massachusetts Boston), and many fill-ins at WZBC 90.3 FM (Boston College). I gave up radio in 2002 because I needed better balance in my life. Five years later, podcasting gave me the opportunity to present the music from my own home, exactly as I feel it should be presented, and to make my show available to anyone that would like to listen.

You want to read more? Then here’s the part where I get really detail-oriented and nerdy.

Being that I’m a white American, many people ask me how I got into reggae. Let me answer that question. I recall first being intrigued by the reggae sound back in 1988. I was a junior in high school and UB40’s cover of “Red Red Wine” was climbing the charts again. (Their cover version originally hit the charts in 1983.) I was at a high school party and I peaked into a room to see a two of the sophomore class’ coolest girls dancing to “Red Red Wine.” They were moving so sensually that at that moment, I wished I knew how to move like them so that I could have danced with them. It was a nice little fantasy and it was probably the moment where I connected attractive girls, sensual dancing, and reggae music.

During my high school senior year and per my suggestion, a group of my classmates went to our first 18+ dance club, Man-Ray in Cambridge, MA. In one room, DJ Chris Ewen was spinning “alternative” music and in the other, DJ Grandmaster Woody Superstar was playing black music with a healthy dose of Caribbean music. That night was my first exposure to dancehall reggae, and the sound of Super Cat, Gregory Peck, and Shabba Ranks, all expertly riding those late ’80s, computerized rhythms with an emphasis on deep bass and crisp treble, was incredible to me. I sought out similar sounding reggae by first buying compilations and then honing in on the artists that reminded me of the dancehall sound of that night at Man-Ray.

Another influential DJ was “Rudeboy” Lincoln who hosted the Friday reggae show at Emerson College’s WERS radio station. He was a transplanted Jamaican who could talk the talk and provide context to the music he was playing. Little did I know that within a couple years, I’d be coming up with WERS when he was graduating. I can’t mention influential radio DJs without citing Michael L who hosted a program called Lovers HQ (1989-1996) on WZBC on the Boston College campus. His program and column in the short-lived magazine, Boom (owned by Junior Rodigan), was my first exposure to British lovers rock. His speaking style was and is a cross between long-time Jamaican radio personality Winston “The Whip” Williams, a Bostonian, and an Englishman. Michael L voiced many of the drops and liners that you hear on Reggae Rhythm Update. He is currently hosting Lovers HQ on Vibe 105.3 in Boston. My favorite club DJ was Junior Rodigan who, at the time, also owned Vibes Record in Dorchester, MA. He liked the music I played on WERS and attributed higher sales on certain releases to my playing and talking-up of those records on WERS. The best example was Ambelique’s cover of “One Last Cry” which fellow WERS jock at the time, K-Don, and I both loved. On Friday nights, a great night out was listening and dancing to Junior Rodigan’s set at Kay’s Oasis in Dorchester. And finally, another influential radio host was and is DJ Quinton of WMLN, Curry College’s radio station. These personalities and many others helped me see and understand the work ethic, knowledge, experience, enthusiasm, and inspiration that goes into an effective reggae music presentation.

My day job is also in the music industry and I’m a Grammy voter.

-Joshua B

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