West Indies Records Limited

West Indies Records Limited (WIRL) was a recording studio in Kingston, Jamaica[1] established by future Prime Minister Edward Seaga in 1958.[2] Seaga recruited and recorded many artists such as Higgs and Wilson, and Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. As Seaga pursued his political career he sold it to Byron Lee in 1964[3] who renamed it Dynamic Sounds.[4] Dynamic became one of the best-equipped studios in the Caribbean, attracting both local and international recording artists including Eric Clapton, Paul Simon and The Rolling Stones.[3]

History

The West Indies Records Limited studio was established by Edward Seaga in 1958.[2] Seaga recruited local artists from Vere John's talent show.[2] WIRL recorded artists such as Higgs and Wilson, and Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.[5] Byron Lee and the Dragonaires recorded their debut single "Dumplin's" in 1959 at WIRL. Higgs and Wilson's track "Oh Manny Oh" sold more than 50,000 copies in Jamaica in 1960.[6] West Indies Records Limited became the most successful record company in the West Indies.[5] WIRL had the franchise for Columbia Records in Jamaica.[7] Trojan Records handled the studios albums abroad and released compilations of the studios recordings.[8] WIRL also established a Barbadian division.

Dynamic Sounds

As Seaga pursued his political career he sold it to Byron Lee in 1964[3] after fire had destroyed the pressing plant on the same site. Byron Lee renamed it Dynamic Sounds and soon rebuilt a new pressing facility on the site.[4] It soon became one of the best-equipped studios in the Caribbean, attracting both local and international recording artists, including Eric Clapton, Paul Simon and The Rolling Stones[3] (who recorded their No. 1 song "Angie" there).[9] Lee's productions included Boris Gardiner's Reggae Happening, Hopeton Lewis's Grooving Out on Life, and The Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad".[9] Dynamic also acts as one of Jamaica's leading record distributors.

In Jamaica, Dynamic released records from Toots & the Maytals, Eric Donaldson, John Holt, Barry Biggs, Freddie McKay, Tommy McCook, and Max Romeo on various imprints including Jaguar, Panther, Afrik, and Dragon. Notable recordings there included Murder She Wrote by Chaka Demus & Pliers[10]

References
  1. "Byron Lee | VP Records".
  2. Stolzoff, Norman C. (2000). Wake the Town & Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica. ISBN 0822325144.
  3. Eder, Bruce. "Biography - Byron Lee". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  4. "Dubbing At Dynamic Sounds". jamaicanrecordings.com. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  5. Eder, Bruce. "Biography - Edward Seaga". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  6. Walters, Basil (2012) "Roy Wilson is dead: Pioneer singer dies in Florida", Jamaica Observer, 31 May 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012
  7. "Kenneth Khouri (1917 – 2003) | the National Library of Jamaica".
  8. Koningh, Michael de; Cane-Honeysett, Laurence (2018-07-19). Young, Gifted & Black: The Story of Trojan Records. ISBN 9781787591042.
  9. Thompson, Dave (2002), Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6
  10. "Jamaica Gleaner Online".
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