Black Slate

Biography

Black Slate is a London-based roots reggae and lovers rock band that emerged from the vibrant UK reggae scene in the early 1970s. Formed around 1972–74 by musicians including Anthony Brightly (keyboards, vocals), Chris Hanson (guitar) and Desmond Mahoney (drums), the group drew members from England, Jamaica and Anguilla, reflecting the Caribbean diaspora then reshaping British music.[1][2][3] Originally based in Hackney, East London, they first built a reputation as a formidable live and studio backing band, touring heavily around London and across the UK while supporting leading Jamaican artists such as Delroy Wilson, Ken Boothe and Dennis Brown on their British appearances.[1][3][5] Their exposure to top-tier Jamaican vocalists and producers helped shape a sound that blended roots reggae’s militant pulse with a more melodic, soulful UK sensibility.

By the mid‑1970s Black Slate were releasing their own material, using reggae as a vehicle to document the social and racial tensions of the time. Their first reggae‑chart hit, the 1976 single “Sticks Man,” was an anti‑mugging song inspired by rising racial tensions, media stereotyping of Black communities, and clashes such as the 1976 Notting Hill Carnival disturbances.[1][2][3] They followed with “Mind Your Motion” on their own TCD label in 1979, then broke into the UK mainstream with the Rastafarian rallying call “Amigo,” released via Ensign Records, which reached the UK Top 10 in 1980 and also charted in the Netherlands and Flanders.[1][3][5] Albums including Sirens in the City (1980), Rasta Festival and Ogima (both 1981), Six Plus One (1982), Black Slate (1985) and later Get Up and Dance (1995) showcased a style rooted in one‑drop and steppers rhythms but enriched with lovers rock melodies and conscious, culturally grounded lyrics.[1][3][4] Often described as helping put the British reggae sound on the charts in the 1970s and 80s, Black Slate effectively bridged sound system culture, live band performance, and pop accessibility.[3][4]

After extensive touring, including European runs and a sold‑out tour of New Zealand, the band scaled back their activities in the mid‑1980s as members pursued other paths.[3] However, their catalogue remained influential within UK reggae, and in 2011 original members Brightly, Hanson and Mahoney regrouped, later adding Colin McNeish (bass) and Jesse Brade (vocals) to relaunch Black Slate for a new era.[3] They returned to the stage at events such as the Miami Reggae Festival in 2013 and issued new recordings including the album Midnight and the single “World Citizenship,” reaffirming their commitment to using reggae as a vehicle for social commentary and pan‑African consciousness.[3][6] Into the 2010s and 2020s, with projects such as the re‑release of Peaceful Demonstration and participation in the documentary Young, Gifted & Black, Black Slate have continued to present themselves as UK reggae pioneers whose legacy lies in both their chart success and their sustained engagement with the politics and lived realities of Black Britain.[2][3][6]

Fun Facts

• Black Slate’s breakthrough single “Sticks Man” was directly inspired by mid‑1970s racial tensions in the UK, including media portrayals of Black youth as “muggers” and the unrest around the 1976 Notting Hill Carnival.
• Their song “Amigo” not only reached the UK Top 10 in 1980 but also became a long‑standing Rastafarian rallying anthem and an underground hit in Antwerp discothèques before breaking into Dutch and Flemish charts.
• Although known for their own hits, Black Slate were initially best known within the industry as a backing band for stars like Ken Boothe and Dennis Brown, building a ‘musicians’ reputation’ before mainstream audiences knew their name.
• After pausing large‑scale touring in the mid‑1980s, the band regrouped decades later and chose the Miami Reggae Festival in 2013 as a key stage for re‑introducing themselves to international audiences.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Delroy Wilson - Established Jamaican singer whose live shows Black Slate backed on UK appearances, exposing the band to high-level roots and rocksteady performance practice. (Touring and live backing performances in the late 1970s) [Late 1970s]
• Ken Boothe - Veteran Jamaican vocalist whose UK tour Black Slate supported, helping shape their approach to melodic, soulful reggae and lovers-oriented material. (Backing band on UK tours following Boothe’s success with “Everything I Own”) [Mid–late 1970s]
• Dennis Brown - Bob Marley–favoured singer whose UK performances with Black Slate as backing band influenced their roots-reggae and Rastafarian lyrical focus. (Live UK shows after Brown’s mainstream success with “Money In My Pocket”) [Late 1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Anthony Brightly - Co‑founder, keyboardist and vocalist; central songwriter and arranger in both the original and reformed line‑ups of Black Slate. (Founding of Black Slate; albums including Sirens in the City, Rasta Festival, Ogima, Six Plus One, Black Slate, Get Up and Dance, Midnight and Peaceful Demonstration) [1972–present]
• Chris Hanson - Founding guitarist and long‑serving member; key in defining the band’s multi‑national UK reggae sound and remaining active through later incarnations. (Core guitarist on classic singles “Sticks Man,” “Amigo,” “Boom Boom” and associated albums; member of the reformed band from 2011 onward) [1972–present (with breaks)]
• Desmond Mahoney - Founding drummer whose playing underpins the group’s roots and steppers rhythms; part of the original rhythm section and later reunion. (Drummer on early singles and albums including Sirens in the City and subsequent early‑1980s releases; participant in the 2013 reunion line‑up) [1972–mid‑1980s; 2011–2010s reunion]
• Colin McNeish - Bassist added for the group’s modern-era relaunch, contributing to live shows and new recordings. (Live performances including the Miami Reggae Festival (2013) and recordings around the Midnight era) [2013–2010s]
• Jesse Brade - Vocalist in the reunited band, bringing a contemporary voice to Black Slate’s classic catalogue and new material. (Live performances post‑reunion, including Miami Reggae Festival 2013, and work on later recordings) [2013–2010s]

Artists Influenced

• British reggae bands and UK roots/lovers rock acts (general scene) - Black Slate’s success with singles like “Amigo” and their role in putting British reggae on mainstream charts provided a template for UK‑based reggae bands seeking both chart presence and cultural credibility. (Impact through hit singles “Sticks Man,” “Amigo,” and albums from Sirens in the City onward, as cited by later coverage describing them as UK reggae pioneers) [1980s–present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Amigo (Amigo)
2. Amigo - 2013 Remaster (Amigo)
3. Boom Boom (Amigo)
4. Losing Game - 2013 Remaster (Amigo)
5. This Is Reggae Music (Amigo)
6. Reggae Every Time (feat. Keith Drummond) (Now and Then)
7. Freedom Time (Black Star Liner) - 2013 Remaster (Amigo)
8. Live a Life (feat. Keith Drummond) (Now and Then)
9. Mind Your Motion (Amigo)
10. Boom Boom - 2013 Remaster (Amigo)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia