| Planetone | |
|---|---|
 Sonny Roberts plaque | |
| Founder | Sonny Roberts |
| Genre | Ska |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Location | Kilburn, London |
Planetone Studios was a London-based recording studio and independent record label that issued ska recordings in the early 1960s. [1] It has been credited as the first black owned record label in England, and a catalyst for the later British labels Trojan and Island Records. [2]
The label's founder was Sonny Roberts (1932-2021). The basement studio, which operated from 1961 until 1965, was located at a now demolished site at 108 Cambridge Road, Kilburn, London. [3] Some of the early recordings were by Rico's Combo, [4] a group led by Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriguez. Mike Elliott (future saxophonist for The Foundations), Jackie Foster, [5] [6] Tito ‘Sugar’ Simone and Jamaican singer Dandy Livingstone [7] also released some recordings on the label. [8] Other associated musicians included Jackie Edwards, Millie Small and The Marvels (band). [9]
Chris Blackwell's Island Records took over the space in 1965 when Roberts returned to his original profession, carpentry. [10]
In 1970, Roberts opened the Orbitone record shop in Harlesden, stocking reggae, ska, calypso, Afrobeat, merengue and jazz. [9] He also continued producing in rented studios: the album Destruction by Nigerian band Nkengas was produced by Roberts in 1973, an early example of UK Afrobeat. [11] He licensed Arrow’s 1984 calypso hit Hot Hot Hot. And his production of Judy Boucher's Can't Be with You Tonight reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1987. [12] Other musicians supported by Orbitone included Machel Montano, the soul singer Reuben Richards and the guitarist Ciyo Brown. [9]
Roberts moved back to Jamaica in 1997. [9] He died in 2021, survived by his wife Monica and daughters Cleon, Jackie and Andrett. A plaque was unveiled at the site of the Kilburn studio in 2017. [10]
| Authority control databases: Geographic |
|---|
