Pioneering record label ‘Peckings’ is honoured with blue plaque
A pioneering record label that imported Jamaican music to the UK in the 1960s has been honoured with a blue plaque.
The plaque was placed outside the original label and shop address in Askew Road in Hammersmith on March 9 by the Nubian Jak Community Trust, an organisation that commemorates the historic contributions of black and minority ethnic people.
Two years before Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, started importing Jamaican music to England in the 1960s, George ‘Peckings’ Price had brought the sound of the Island to London and beyond.
George ‘Peckings’ Price began his career in Kingston, Jamaica, where he formed a partnership with Coxsone Dodd, legendary producer from Studio 1.
They set up their own sound system, which included members like Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Prince Buster.
To stay ahead of their rivals Coxsone would travel to the US to collect music exclusives, leaving Peckings in charge of bookings and arranging the dances.
In 1960 George decided to come to the U.K., taking with him a suitcase of vinyls from Prince Buster and Coxsone.
Peckings supplied UK based Jamaican soundmen like Duke Vin, Count Suckle and Daddy Vego with RnB, Ska and Reggae records, before opening his own record label and shop in 1973.
He would go on to cater for legendary sound systems like Coxsone, Jah Shaka, Fatman, and Hawkeye.
When George Price died in 1994, the Peckings legacy was continued by his sons.
Tony and Trevor continued with the shop, whilst the two younger brothers, Chris and Duke, took control of the Peckings Records label, solidifying its place in reggae history.
Peckings Records has been responsible for breaking some of the most influential reggae artists of the last 2 decades including Bitty McLean, Gappy Ranks, Peter Hunningale and Tarrus Riley.
The label has released almost 100 records and albums since 1994, and in recent years was awarded both best label and producer at the British Reggae Industry Awards.
Founder of the Nubian Jak Community Trust Jak Beula said: “Peckings Records is an oak tree that grew from the acorn of Jamaican music enthusiast, George Price, whose love for the music of his island helped to create the phenomenon of Ska and Reggae in the United Kingdom.”
Main Image: Peckings brothers holding the plaque, left to right Duke, Chris and Trevor.
