Black Roots, 1981

It’s no overstatement to say that Bristol Archive Records is one of the most important archives of a city’s musical culture anywhere in the world. Since 2008, they have been working tirelessly to unearth and recognise lost or forgotten recordings from Bristol’s past. Also covering punk in its prime, it’s their reggae releases that has really caught our eye. Four Reggae Explosion compilations have been released so far, featuring Bristol’s two most famous reggae exports, Black Roots and Talisman, alongside Joshua Moses, Bunny Marrett and many others. Each compilation is a carefully constructed piece of musical history, accompanied by detailed footnotes and supported online, by a wealth of archive material. Each track, an historical record in itself, tells tales of unemployment, disillusionment, police brutality and overall, what it was like as growing up in Bristol in the 70s and 80s.



Meeting label head Mike Darby, you get some idea how BAR has come to be such an important Bristol institution. A tall, imposing figure, outspoken yet hugely passionate about the musical heritage of his hometown, he seems like just the man to lead the sizeable, often thankless task BAR has undertaken. In an illuminating interview that was used as part of my own dissertation on Bristol reggae (which you can read on the BAR blog), Darby sheds light on the scene in the 70s and 80s, and opens up about the rewards and challenges of running the label. Bristol Reggae Explosion Live is out now, available on from Bristol Archive Records, with all proceeds going to St Paul’s Carnival. Also, two years after reforming, Talisman have just released their third studio album, i-Surrection, available from Sugar Shack Records.

How would you describe Bristol Archive Records?

BAR is what is says on the tin. It’s a record label that tells a story of the history of the Bristol music scene from 1977 onwards. It tells a complete story of Bristol’s musical past through re-releasing old recordings, previously unreleased demos and compilations albums. The whole thing is very much scene based and anyone visiting it from around the world will discvoer hidden gems of Bristol music culture.



Creating historical record is a big part of that BAR mission statement and the archive on your website is like nothing else offered in Bristol. How have you gone about creating that and putting it together.

I think there’s nothing like it in the world! The reason for that is that most musicians can’t co-operate. When I was in a band in 1979, there was no music scene in Bristol, no collaboration, no assistance, no music industry per sé. So there were no lawyers, accountants and managers. Everybody was very insular and trying to do their own thing. I’ve been lucky enough to break down those barriers where musicians hang onto stuff in the hope it’s actually worth something. All it’s worth is a story, a piece of history, an account in time.

Talisman

Looking at Bristol reggae in the late-1970/1980s, your ska/punk band Rimshots formed in 1979, the same year as Black Roots and Talisman. Was there any cross over between the white and black scene at the time?



We supported Talisman twice, Black Roots twice. There was a cross-over, but there were just a lot more gigs. You could go to five gigs a night and see three bands on every bill. There were so many local supports that any band, whether they were brilliant or terrible could get a gig.

Apart from the Bamboo Club, where else did you go out?

I wouldn’t’ve gone to the Bamboo Club, I was too young. That got shut down in 1977 after it burnt down just before the Pistol’s gig. I would’ve gone to places like Trinity Hall, the Stone House, Green Room, Cowardines on Park Street, Tiffany’s ontop of Black Boy Hill. And then you had all the University campuses which don’t exist anymore. Brstiol University’s Union doesn’t do anything anymore either but you had the Anson Rooms which had big gigs but also the Epicurium bar upstairs which was every Saturday night packed with students and a live band.

You’ve spoken before about Talisman as your favourite reggae band. What puts them ahead of Black Roots in your eyes?

Black Roots are the biggest and most successful and, rightly so, are the kings. I just found Talisman slightly more commercial, not so hardcore roots, slightly more pop. They were a little bit more accessible.

Did this cause tension between the two groups, the fact that they were vying for the same space in Bristol?



I think that’s bullshit. They weren’t vying for anything in Bristol. They both played all over the UK on the university circuit and did John Peel sessions. Black Roots toured Europe with UB40. Bristol has never been the hub of anything. Even now with Massive Attack and Portishead, Bristol isn’t the centre of the universe, it never has been. It’s just got a load of cool bands.