Blue Beat Records

Blue Beat Records

Company type	Private
Industry	Music industry
Founded	1 January 1960 (1960-01-01) in London, United Kingdom
Founder	Emil E. Shalit (Melodisc Records subsidiary)
Headquarters	London , United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, Jamaica
Key people	Sigimund "Siggy" Jackson, Marcus Upbeat, Buster Bloodvessel, Ivan Healy Purvis
Products	Jamaican rhythm and blues (R&B), ska music records and singles
Parent	Melodisc Records (originally)

Blue Beat Records is a British record label known for issuing Jamaican rhythm and blues (R&B) and ska music starting in the 1960s and continuing thereafter. The label's impact was so significant that the term bluebeat evolved into a broad descriptor for early Jamaican popular music, encompassing artists beyond the label itself.

History

Established in London in 1960 as a subsidiary of Emil E. Shalit's Melodisc Records, Blue Beat concentrated on Jamaican blues and R&B influenced by American styles, eventually transitioning into ska. Melodisc, founded in 1947, initially specialized in calypso, mento, and imported American jazz recordings. Blue Beat emerged following the UK success of Laurel Aitken’s Melodisc single "Lonesome Lover." Sigimund "Siggy" Jackson was appointed to manage the imprint and chose the name Blue Beat to reflect its blues-inspired sound combined with a pronounced rhythm.

The early years: 1960s and 1970s

The debut release from Blue Beat was Laurel Aitken’s "Boogie Rock," which was licensed from Dada Tewari’s Downbeat label. The label’s distinctive blue sleeves with a silver logo first appeared on its third release, "Manny Oh" by Higgs and Wilson. Blue Beat secured licensing agreements with most leading Jamaican producers and also released tracks produced by Jackson featuring UK-based artists such as the Marvels. Among notable recordings, several Prince Buster tracks like "Wash-Wash" were laid down in London with British musicians including Georgie Fame. From 1960 through 1967, Blue Beat issued approximately 400 singles along with more than a dozen albums. Prince Buster became the label’s standout artist with hits like "Al Capone".

Jackson promoted Blue Beat through a dedicated night at London’s Marquee Club, while branded merchandise further enhanced the label’s visibility. The music gained substantial popularity among the UK’s West Indian communities as well as British mods and late-1960s skinhead followers. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Blue Beat records had become prized collector’s items.

As ska evolved into rocksteady around 1966, Melodisc introduced a sub-label called Fab, and Blue Beat stopped releasing new material after 1967, although its back catalogue remained available. Jackson transitioned to EMI, creating the Columbia Blue Beat imprint. The label saw a brief revival in 1972 with lesser-known singles such as John Holt's "Ok Fred" alongside reissues of Prince Buster classics including "Al Capone" and "Ten Commandments Of Man." Later in the decade, some tracks were reissued as 12" singles targeting the emerging audience of the 2-Tone movement.

1980s and 1990s

In 1987, Buster Bloodvessel from the 2 Tone ska group Bad Manners teamed up with producer Ivan Healy Purvis to relaunch Blue Beat Records by licensing its original name and logo. Operating out of a riverboat studio named "The Bloodvessel" located in Spring Hill, this iteration of the label released multiple records between 1987 and 1990, including Bad Manners’ album Return of The Ugly. Their single "Skaville UK" became the final Blue Beat release to enter the UK charts, peaking at No. 87 in 1989.

21st century

In 2004, Siggy Jackson collaborated with Marcus Upbeat (also known as Downbeat) of No.1 Station to revive The Blue Beat Label. They issued limited edition 7-inch singles that reflected the label’s original 1960s aesthetic, including six singles by No.1 Station featuring veteran trumpeter Eddie 'Tan-Tan' Thornton alongside guest vocalists such as The Marvels. Jackson also re-released material from his own catalogue, ska revival band Intensified, Blue Beat veterans like the Pyramids, Laurel Aitken, and the Mopeds. After Jackson retired in 2008, Marcus Upbeat acquired ownership of the label to continue its resurgence.

By 2011, Marcus Upbeat had registered Blue Beat Records Ltd as a private company and resumed releasing new vinyl singles. Embracing digital platforms, The Blue Beat Label made selected releases available on iTunes and other digital outlets. Another relaunch took place in 2019 with the reissue of No.1 Station’s single "She's So Sweet" on both vinyl and digital formats, supported by a new website showcasing six decades of releases. Marcus Upbeat also entered an agreement with Tipp Investments to sell a stake in Blue Beat Records Ltd, with completion anticipated in April 2020. As it celebrates sixty years, The Blue Beat Label continues to operate independently.

See also

• List of record labels