Island Time

Island Time

As Island Records founder Chris Blackwell publishes his memoir, The Islander: My Life in Music
and Beyond,
David Yurman revisits our interviews with this iconic producer. He shared with us the
profound role music has always played in his life, and how the rise of the Jamaican music scene
launched him into a whole new career.

While working as a waterskiing instructor in Jamaica in his twenties, he fell in love with the music
of a jazz ensemble playing at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay. “I probably had a couple too
many rums and said to the band, I’d love to record you,” Blackwell remembers. He drove the band
to a sound studio in Kingston, and Island Records was born. At the time, Jamaican records catered
only to tourists, but Blackwell was about to change that.
As Island Records founder Chris Blackwell publishes
his memoir, The Islander: My Life in Music and
Beyond,
David Yurman revisits our interviews with
this iconic producer. He shared with us the profound
role music has always played in his life, and how the
rise of the Jamaican music scene launched
him into a whole new career.

While working as a waterskiing instructor in Jamaica
in his twenties, he fell in love with the music of a jazz
ensemble playing at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego
Bay. “I probably had a couple too many rums and
said to the band, I’d love to record you,” Blackwell
remembers. He drove the band to a sound studio in
Kingston, and Island Records was born. At the time,
Jamaican records catered only to tourists, but
Blackwell was about to change that.
I loved music so much, I just wanted to get
into it, or be as close to it as I could.
I loved music so much, I just
wanted to get into it, or be as
close to it as I could.
—chris blackwell
—chris blackwell
In 1962, Jamaica gained its independence from England. Blackwell moved to London,
where the music produced by Island Records was quickly gaining popularity in the immigrant
population. He delivered LPs to record shops in West Indian communities, driving from town to
town in his Mini Cooper with records in his trunk. It wasn’t long until Blackwell’s releases began
to strike a chord with young Brits as well. Two years later, “My Boy Lollipop,” a ska tune by Millie
Small, one of Blackwell’s artists, became a smash hit, selling 6 million copies around the world.
In 1962, Jamaica gained its independence from
England. Blackwell moved to London, where the
music produced by Island Records was quickly
gaining popularity in the immigrant population.
He delivered LPs to record shops in West Indian
communities, driving from town to town in his
Mini Cooper with records in his trunk. It wasn’t
long until Blackwell’s releases began to strike a
chord with young Brits as well. Two years later,
“My Boy Lollipop,” a ska tune by Millie Small,
one of Blackwell’s artists, became a smash hit,
selling 6 million copies around the world.
It’s extraordinary that there’s this much
music coming out of one little island.
It’s extraordinary that there’s
this much music coming out of
one little island.
—chris blackwell
—chris blackwell
Get Up, Stand Up
Get Up, Stand Up
Upbeat and danceable, Jamaican ska music was the precursor to a more mellow musical style:
reggae. Blackwell saw something special in a young Rastafarian named Bob Marley, and signed
him as an artist. The songs quickly propelled him to stardom. When Blackwell was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, he was described as “the single person most
responsible for turning the world on to reggae music.”
Upbeat and danceable, Jamaican ska music was
the precursor to a more mellow musical style:
reggae. Blackwell saw something special in a
young Rastafarian named Bob Marley, and signed
him as an artist. The songs quickly propelled him
stardom. When Blackwell was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, he was
described as “the single person most responsible
for turning the world on to reggae music.”
After Bob Marley, Island Records went on to sign a diverse list of influential artists, including
Grace Jones, The Cranberries, Melissa Etheridge, Tom Waits, U2 and Amy Winehouse. Thanks
to Blackwell’s eclectic taste and keen eye for talent, the independent record label soon became a
global powerhouse. Blackwell sold Island Records to PolyGram in 1989.
After Bob Marley, Island Records went on to sign
a diverse list of influential artists, including
Grace Jones, The Cranberries, Melissa Etheridge,
Tom Waits, U2 and Amy Winehouse. Thanks to
Blackwell’s eclectic taste and keen eye for talent,
the independent record label soon became a
global powerhouse. Blackwell sold Island
Records to PolyGram in 1989.
From Golden Head to GoldenEye
From Golden Head
to GoldenEye
In 1943, Ian Fleming—then a British naval officer—attended a military conference in
Kingston, Jamaica. The island nation's serene beauty enchanted him, and he bought 15 acres
of land in the banana port town of Oracabessa (Spanish for “Golden Head”). Fleming
sketched a simple three-bedroom, barracks-style villa and named the property after one of
his WWII intelligence operations, GoldenEye. Guests joked that the house was too sparse
and uncomfortable, but for Fleming, it was perfect. Simple white rooms with views of the
sea and a crescent-shaped beach, all amid a lush landscape with a private sunken garden.
Here, Fleming would bathe at sunrise, snorkel by day and “write the spy story to end all spy
stories,” as he once told a naval intelligence colleague.
In 1943, Ian Fleming—then a British naval officer—
attended a military conference in Kingston, Jamaica.
The island nation's serene beauty enchanted him, and
he bought 15 acres of land in the banana port town of
Oracabessa (Spanish for “Golden Head”). Fleming
sketched a simple three-bedroom, barracks-style villa
and named the property after one of his WWII
intelligence operations, GoldenEye. Guests joked that
the house was too sparse and uncomfortable, but for
Fleming, it was perfect. Simple white rooms with
views of the sea and a crescent-shaped beach, all
amid a lush landscape with a private sunken garden.
Here, Fleming would bathe at sunrise, snorkel by day
and “write the spy story to end all spy stories,” as he
once told a naval intelligence colleague.
I wrote every one of the Bond thrillers here…
Would these books have been born if I had
not been living in the gorgeous vacuum of a
Jamaican holiday? I doubt it.
I wrote every one of the
Bond thrillers here… Would
these books have been born
if I had not been living in
the gorgeous vacuum of a
Jamaican holiday? I doubt it.
—IAN FLEMING
—IAN FLEMING