7/9/2007 1:02:18 AM
When I Was A Boy

7/9/2007 1:02:18 AM

When I Was A Boy
I was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica. We lived five minutes away from "Studio One", the first Recording Studio ever operated in Jamaica. My sister and I had to walk past this studio twice a day on our way to and from school. We would have to take the bus from Cross Roads to Half-Way-Tree. On our daily journey we would notice a long line of musicians and singers hoping to be noticed and perhaps get their "big break" There were all sorts of people hanging around, some were ligitimate others were only looking for an easy victim to rob. One day, while on our usual trip past "Studio One", I felt a hard, sharp implement pushing into my side, I was to be the next victim, the object was a knife and the holder was after my lunch money. This was not a rare occurance, we were frequently parted from our money. Imagine not having any money to get on the bus and having to walk to and from school. Also imagine being at school all day with nothing to eat or drink because some criminal took your money. On one occasion we even got punished by my mother because we got home late as we had to walk home. Later on in life I realized that these people were poor and probably hungry. The phrase "starving artist" comes to mind, they would stand in the hot Jamaican sun with no food or water waiting to get their chance at the big life. Those who wer e noticed would sell their song to Studio One for ten pounds, and even if that song became a hit record that was all they got! As time went on I became well known among the artists and the people at Studio One, this spared me from further robberies and I was allowed to walk in peace. Studio One was owned by the Coxsone,family and Mother Coxsone, soon noticed me. She would give me "test pressings" which were warped and of no use to them. I would hurry home to play them. This was the beginning of my love for and facination with music and the music business. After twentysix years in the music business I am able to understand the hardships those artists faced. It was even more difficult for these pioneers as there were no other studios to go to. They had no choice but to stand and wait and take whatever price was offered for their work.

7/9/2007 9:20:09 AM

We all have our hard times although I wasn't quite in your shoes.
The studio part interested me. I remember as a child my father and his friends coming over and practicing their music. They made simple recordings on a reel to reel tape to take down to the studio for a demo. Sometimes they even used a simple cardboard box for drums (of which is on one of the 45's they did). My father Warren Flock was known around the L.A. area country music scene and studios back in his day. He went to high school with the great Eddie Cocharan (Ain't no cure for the Summertime Blues). My dad took Eddie for his first studio demo and practically kicked the owners butt for reading a newspaper with his feet on his desk instead of paying attention to Eddie's song. The business was primative back then and just as cut-throat as today. I've been around music all of my life because of both my parents and I don't regret one minute of it. I have all of my fathers instruments and still play them today when I record.

D.

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