Chris Blackwell book signing at Govinda Gallery December 10th
A very special appearance and book signing by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell will take place at Govinda Gallery this coming Friday evening, December 10th from 6 to 8 p.m. Blackwell will be signing copies of Keep On Running: The Story of Island Records (Universe Publishing). “Keep On Running moves chronologically from Island’s origins in founder Chris Blackwell’s passionate mission to bring Jamaican reggae to the mainstream, to the label’s rise in popularity in the late 1960’s and its acquisition of Traffic, Cat Stevens, U2, Roxy Music, and other era-defining acts. Keep on Running: The Story of Island Records is a celebration of one of the most influential record labels of the 20th century.” Keep on Running is edited by writer Chris Salewicz. Salewicz also contributed the forward to David Burnett’s book Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley, which was edited by Govinda Gallery’s Chris Murray.
We also enjoyed Island Records’ Washington D.C. connection to D.C.’s Go-Go music as detailed in the chapter entitled Re-birth of The Cool. In 1985 Island Records signed Washington D.C.’s brilliant Go-Go band Trouble Funk. Trouble Funk was also an influence on D.C. punk rockers Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye. In 1986 Island Pictures produced Good to Go, the story of a D.C. journalist, set to a Go-Go soundtrack.
Below are some images from Keep On Running, including photographs by Gered Mankowitz and Anton Corbijn, who have both exhibited their work at Govinda Gallery.
The cover of Keep On Running: The Story of Island Records (Universe Publishing).
Chris Blackwell and Junior Marvin, Bob Marley, and Jacob Miller. Copyright © Nathalie Delon. All Rights Reserved.
Traffic, 1968, cover for the self-titles ablum Traffic. Copyright © Gered Mankowitz. All Rights Reserved.
Cover for the 1974 Roxy Music album Country Life.
Album cover for Island Records 1985 compilation Go-Go Crankin’.
U2, Death Valley, USA, 1986, album cover for The Joshua Tree. Copyright © Anton Corbijn. All Rights Reserved.
As luck would have it, I was out of town Friday night. Would have loved to have met Chris Blackwell. As you probably know, it was James Bond author Ian Fleming that really got Chris started. When the film producers of the first Bond film “Dr. No” were preparing to film in Jamaica, they asked Ian for a contact that knew the island and the local music scene. Ian, close friend of Blanche Blackwell, recommended her son Chris. To say Chris made the most of that introduction is one of the great understatements in history.
I’m going to drop by to see if I can at least get a copy of the book
Best regards,
Jim