Island Records are set to celebrate their 50th anniversary next year, and to mark this milestone the label is collaborating with founder Chris Blackwell on a very special festival.
Founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica in 1959, Island relocated to the UK where it earned a name for itself through a series of ska and reggae releases. Blackwell then moved into different musical areas, such as progressive rock, and also gave producer Joe Boyd the go ahead to record Nick Drake, John Martyn and more.
Island uncovered Bob Marley, and later catapulted the Irish rock group U2 to international fame. Label founder Chris Blackwell is set to come out of retirement to oversee the new festival which will involve Island artists past and present.
Says Blackwell: “When I recorded ‘Lance Hayward at the Half Moon’ in 1959 at Federal Records Studio in Kingston, Jamaica, I had no inkling what path this had set me on. It has been an honour and a privilege to work with some of the greatest musical artists of all time. It was always my intention at Island to make records that stood the test of time, and I’m proud that Island is still a potent force in music 50 years since that first release. I’m very excited to be collaborating with the label to organise a number of events to celebrate Island’s 50th birthday in 2009.”
Island 50 Live will be a week long series of live shows in Shepherds Bush Empire. It will be just a small part of Island’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
