Book Description

"Impassioned and engaging." --Booklist "A heartfelt tribute to Caribbean roots music and those who keep it alive." --Kirkus Reviews "In 1972, Gary Himelfarb...heard reggae music for the first time and fell in love. He embraced the music...with a passion that he matched with a genuine curiosity about Jamaican culture and sincere friendships with musicians there....There is a sweetness and sincerity to the best parts of the book....Dread's serious case of 'reggaemylitis' gave him some remarkable experiences." --Publishers Weekly "The book is a tale of business, family, ethics, health, and survival...an entertaining read." --Washington City Paper "A gem...Real music heads will truly enjoy this book....For anyone who is a fan of Reggae music, this book is a must-have." --Baltimore Times "A nice read...hilarious and spellbinding." --Caribbean Life "Doctor Dread may just prove to be as gripping a storyteller as he was a record producer. In this revelatory vignette-filled offering, he bends the rules with an unorthodox literary style, unveiling a torrent of chronicles that are spontaneous, colorful, richly authentic and brazen. This is a unique work on many levels. Doctor Dread does offer new and intimate insights into the legends of Jamaican culture....Highly recommended." --Jamaica Gleaner "Full of heart and soul as well as photos from many of the author's greatest moments, it is a must for anybody interested in reggae music and its cast of characters or the music business in general." --Reggaeville "This book should be on the shelf of any serious lover of reggae...Not only is Himelfarb a great storyteller...he is also a talented writer." --FDRMX "An inside perspective of the reggae music phenomenon...[Dread] explains how his decision to form the RAS label came at a tragic but important moment in music history, as the death of Bob Marley in 1981 led to a market eager for the earthy sounds of reggae. Dread also relates fine portrayals of legends like Philip 'Fatis' Burrell, the many Marleys, Freddie McGregor, and Bunny Wailer." --Insights "This easily readable memoir does far more than chart the label's ebbs and flows....Delightfully candid and brutally honest, this is a must-read for all reggae fans." --MOJO Magazine (UK) "Hugely compelling page-turner....a no-nonsense tome that gives intimate portraits of Jamaican music's most colorful characters, and sheds light on the individual world view of Doctor Dread, with many 'twilight zone' incidents, lots of confliction, and a good deal of redemption too....Recommended reading for all reggae fans." --Riddim Magazine (Germany) "Absolutely not to be missed!" --HotMC (Italy) With an introduction by Bunny Wailer. Doctor Dread has committed his life to producing reggae music and releasing it on his label, RAS Records. He has become one of the world's foremost reggae producers, and has worked with almost all the genre's icons: Bunny Wailer, Black Uhuru, Ziggy and Damian Marley, Gregory Isaacs, etc. This book, full of behind-the-scenes stories, has shocking chapters that will reveal aspects of reggae never before explored.