Alexander Minto Hughes (2 May 1945 – 13 March 1998),
Early life
Hughes was born on 2 May 1945. He was introduced to Jamaican music when he lodged as a teenager in a
West Indies household in
Brixton, South West London.
Hughes, a heavy-set man, met Jamaican artists
Derrick Morgan and
Prince Buster through his job as a bouncer at London nightclubs such as the Ram Jam in Brixton; and through another job as a bodyguard.
After working as a professional wrestler (under the name "The Masked Executioner") and as a debt collector for
Trojan Records, he worked as a DJ on local radio.
In the 1960s he was also sometimes employed to provide security to The Rolling Stones.
Music career
When
Prince Buster had a big underground hit in 1969 with "Big 5", Hughes capitalized on it with the recording of his own "Big Six", based on Verne & Son's "Little Boy Blue", which was picked up by Trojan boss
Lee Gopthal, and released on Trojan's 'Big Shot' record label under the stage name Judge Dread, the name taken from another of Prince Buster's songs.
According to UK newspaper
The Independent, this came about after he played the track to Trojan Records' production team in 1972: one of the team, Joe Sinclair, later recalled: "When Dread brought in his demo, we didn't exactly think it was a national hit but we reckoned we could pick up something around the region of 70,000 sales with the help of a change of title. You see, the Judge called it 'Little Boy Blue', whereas I thought 'Big Six' would create interest by making the association with Prince Buster's 'Big Five' more obvious. It sold 300,000 copies and spent 27 weeks in the British charts. In 1973, it even made No 1 in Africa."
"Big Six" reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart in 1972, selling over 300,000 copies and spending six months on the
Record chart, despite getting no radio airplay due to its lyrics.
Further
followed with "Big Seven" (co-written by
Rupie Edwards) and "Big Eight" – both following the pattern of lewd versions of
over a reggae backing – as well as "Y Viva Suspenders" and "Up with the Cock".
He was the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica, leading him to travel to Jamaica to perform live, where many were surprised that he was white.
Judge Dread was also a songwriter, coming to the attention of Elvis Presley, who had planned to record "A Child's Prayer" as a Christmas gift to his daughter Lisa Marie in 1977, but died before the scheduled recording date.
Death
Judge Dread died from a heart attack as he walked off stage after performing at The Penny Theatre in
Canterbury on 13 March 1998.
According to
The Times his last reported words were: "Let's hear it for the band!" When he collapsed, the audience at first thought that this was part of the act. An off-duty paramedic in the crowd realised that it was not and attempted resuscitation; shortly afterwards Dread was taken to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Legacy
Writing in
The Independent following Dread's death, Pierre Perrone noted: "His stage act, mixing vaudeville, music hall, single entendres, and damn-right cheek was undoubtedly a major influence on
Ian Dury (check out "Razzle in My Pocket", the B side of "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll") and Buster Bloodvessel, who used to end Bad Manners' shows by baring his huge buttocks; a very Judge Dread move indeed".
Discography
Albums
|
|
| 1972 | Dreadmania: It's All in the Mind | Trojan Records | — |
| 1974 | Working Class 'Ero | — |
| 1975 | Bedtime Stories | Creole | 26 |
| 1976 | Last of the Skinheads | Cactus | — |
| 1977 | 40 Big Ones | Creole | 51 |
| 1980 | Reggae and Ska (Germany only) | Cargo Records | — |
| 1981 | Rub a Dub | Creole | — |
| 1984 | Not Guilty | — |
| 1988 | Live and Lewd | Skank | — |
| 1989 | King of Rudeness | — |
| 1994 | Never Mind Up with the Cock, Here's Judge Dread | Tring | — |
| 1996 | Ska'd for Life | Magnum | — |
| Dread White and Blue | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
EPs
|
|
-
Jamaica Jerk (Off)
-
Bring Back The Skins
-
End of the World
-
Big Everything
31
|
-
The Big One
-
Big Six
-
Big Seven
-
Big Eight
—
|
|
Singles
|
|
| 11 |
| 8 |
| 14 |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| 9 |
| 14 |
| 14 |
| 35 |
| 27 |
| 49 |
| — |
| 64 |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| 76 |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
See also
External links
