Michael George Campbell (4 June 1954 – 15 March 2008), better known as Mikey Dread, was a Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster. He was one of the most influential performers and innovators in reggae music.
After starting out as an engineer, Campbell hosted the most popular radio program on the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, using the DJ name Mikey Dread. Examples of Mikey Dread's distinctive radio chatter can be heard on the LP "African Anthem Dubwise". He also began working as a recording artist, with Lee "Scratch" Perry producing his signature tune, "Dread at the Controls". By the late 1970s he had started his own DATC label, working with artists such as Edi Fitzroy, Sugar Minott, and Earl Sixteen, as well as producing his own work. The label released Dread's albums "Evolutionary Rockers" (released in the UK as "Dread at the Controls"), and "World War III".
Campbell's music attracted the attention of British punk rockers The Clash, who invited him over to England to tour with them in 1980. He went on to produce their "Bankrobber" single and perform on several songs on their 1980 album "Sandinista!". During the early 1980s, Campbell provided vocals with the reggae collective Singers And Players on Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound record label. He also produced ten dub tracks for UB40 and toured Europe and Scandinavia as their support artist.
He studied at the National Broadcasting School in London in 1980 and in 1984 studied advanced recording technology at the North London Polytechnic. His work in the United Kingdom included hosting series such as "Rockers Roadshow" and narrating the six-part Channel 4 reggae documentary series "Deep Roots Music". (Read more at Wikipedia.)
Links To Peel[]
Mikey Dread --- Dread at the Controls
Mikey Dread was one of the reggae artists most played by Peel in the late 1970s and early 1980s, from early recordings with Lee Perry to the landmark LPs that established his reputation in the UK and outings with The Clash. There was one Peel session, in 1982, toward the end of Mikey Dread's initial run as a solo recording artist. The DJ appeared to pay little attention to later recordings.
As well as Mikey Dread's own recordings, Peel also played releases by other artists on the DATC label.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
One session. No known commercial release.
1. Recorded: unknown. First broadcast: 23 August 1982. Repeated:
- Parrot Jungle / Problems / Zodiac Sound /Heavyweight Sound
Other Shows Played[]
- 1978
- 14 July 1978 & Lee Perry: Dread At The Control (7") Black Art
- 02 November 1978 (& King Tubby): Parrot Jungle (7”) Dread At The Control
- 20 November 1978 (& King Tubby): Parrot Jungle (7") Dread At The Controls
- 27 November 1978: 'Robber's Roost (7")' (40 Leg)
- 1979
- 11 January 1979: Robbers Roost (7” – Country Man) 40 Leg
- 13 February 1979: Friend & Money (Single) Errol T (as Michael Campbell)
- 05 April 1979 (& Jammie): Recollection Rock (7") Dread At The Controls
- 19 April 1979 (& King Tubby: Internal Energy (7")' (Dread At The Controls) (as Michael Campbell)
- 30 April 1979 (& Jammie): Recollection Rock (single) Dread At The Controls
- 16 June 1979 (BFBS): Friend And Money (split 7" with Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Friend And Money / Bubbler In Money) Laser (as Michael Campbell)
- 02 August 1979: Jacket And Tie (single) Jah Mikes
- 15 August 1979: Jacket And Tie (single) Jah Mikes
- 28 August 1979: unknown
- 24 September 1979: Dread Combination (LP - Evolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 27 September 1979: Schoolgirl (12” single) Black Art (as Michael Campbell)
- 03 October 1979: Everybody Needs A Proper Education (LP - Revolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 09 October 1979: Love The Dread (LP – Evolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 13 October 1979 (BFBS): Barber Saloon (LP - Evolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 01 November 1979: Barber Saloon (LP - Evolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 13 November 1979: Step By Step (LP - Evolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 17 November 1979 (BFBS): Step By Step (album - Evolutionary Rockers) Dread At The Controls
- 04 December 1979: Saturday Night Style / Industrial Spy (LP – African Anthem (The Mikey Dread Show Dubwise)) Cruise
- 05 December 1979: Resignation Dub / Technical Selection (LP – African Anthem (The Mikey Dread Show Dubwise)) Cruise
- 06 December 1979: Comic Strip (LP - African Anthem) Cruise
- 11 December 1979: Pre-Dawn Dub / Operator's Choice (LP – African Anthem (The Mikey Dread Show Dubwise)) Cruise
- 15 December 1979 (BFBS): Saturday Night Style / Industrial Spy (album – African Anthem (The Mikey Dread Show Dubwise)) Cruise
- 1980
- 07 January 1980: Headline News (album - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 09 January 1980 (BFBS): Fast Forward Dub (album - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 16 January 1980 (& Rod Taylor): Pirate Jungle (12") Sufferers Heights
- 16 January 1980 (BFBS): Props-Man Style (album - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 17 January 1980: Fisherman's Forecast (album - Dread At The Controls Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 21 January 1980: Assistant Director (LP – Dread At The Controls Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 23 January 1980 (BFBS): Fisherman's Forecast (album - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 02 February 1980 (BFBS): Master Mantrol (album - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 05 February 1980: Mental Slavery (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls
- 09 February 1980 (BFBS): Fisherman's Forecast (album - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 11 February 1980: Kasha Herb Rock (LP - At The Controls Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 20 February 1980 (BFBS): Kasha Herb Rock (LP - Dread At The Control Dubwise) Dread At The Controls
- 21 February 1980: unknown song
- 10 March 1980 (with Earl Sixteen): African Tribesman / Butter 'Gainst Sun (12") Sufferers Heights
- 15 March 1980 (BFBS) (with Earl Sixteen): African Tribesman / Butter 'Gainst Sun (12") Sufferers Heights SUFF 007
- 18 March 1980 (with Scientist): Tempting Temptation (Single) Dread At The Controls
- 24 March 1980 (with Scientist): 'Tempting Temptation (7 inch)' (Dread At The Controls)
- 21 April 1980: Reggae Gone International (7") Dread At The Controls
- 06 May 1980: Reggae Gone International (7 inch)' (Dread At The Controls)
- 27 May 1980: African Map (7") Dread At The Controls
- 12 August 1980: The Jumping Master (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 18 August 1980: Mental Slavery (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 20 August 1980: Mental Slavery (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 21 August 1980: Money Dread (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 28 August 1980: African Map (7") Dread At The Controls
- 30 August 1980 (BFBS): The Jumping Master (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 04 September 1980: Mental Slavery (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 10 September 1980: Israel (12 Tribe) Stylee (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 13 September 1980 (BFBS): Break Down The Walls (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 20 September 1980 (BFBS): The Jumping Master (album - World War III) Dread At The Controls TNT1
- 29 September 1980: Break Down The Walls (Wall Street Rock) (7") Dread At The Controls
- 04 October 1980 (BFBS): Break Down The Walls (Wall Street Rock) (7") Dread At The Controls
- 11 October 1980 (BFBS): Master Mind (7" - Break Down The Walls) Dread At The Controls DREAD-1
- 1981
- 12 January 1981: Radio One (split 7" with Clash - Hitsville U.K. / Radio One) CBS CBS 9480
- 18 January 1981 (BFBS): Radio One (split 7" with Clash - Hitsville U.K. / Radio One) CBS CBS 9480
- 25 February 1981: Israel Stylee (Iz Tribes) (12" - Warrior Stylee / Israel Stylee) Dread At The Controls DCD 004
- 01 March 1981 (BFBS): Warrior Stylee (12" - Warrior Stylee / Israel Stylee) Dread At The Controls DCD 004
- 05 March 1981: unknown
- 10 March 1981: Israel Stylee (Iz Tribes) (12" - Warrior Stylee / Israel Stylee) Dread At The Controls DCD 004
- 23 April 1981 (BFBS): Israel Stylee (Iz Tribes) (12" - Warrior Stylee / Israel Stylee) Dread At The Controls DCD 004
- 1982
- 07 March 1982 (BFBS): Saturday Night Style (album - African Anthem (The Mikey Dread Show Dubwise)) Cruise CRUZ 001
- 17 March 1982: Roots And Culture (12") Dread At The Controls
- 26 April 1982: Rocky Road (LP - S.W.A.L.K.) Heartbeat
- 29 September 1982 (BFBS): Heavy Weight Style (10") Dread At The Controle DUNE 24
- 17 November 1982: Jungle Signal (album - Jungle Signal) Dread At The Controls
- 1997
- 10 July 1997: Robber's Roost (split 12" with Edi Fitzroy - Country Man / Robber's Roost) 40 Leg
- 2000
- 29 February 2000: Jumping Master (?) Dread At The Controls
- 2001
- 20 February 2001: Robber's Roost (shared 7" with Edi Fitzroy - Country Man / Robber's Roost) 40 Leg
- February 2001 (FSK): Robber's Roost (split 12" with Edi Fitzroy - Country Man / Robber's Roost) 40 Leg