WCTD Metromedia special

Metromedia have been a fixture of the Jamaican sound system scene for over 30 years now. Based in the Woodford Park area, Kingston 4 it was originally started by Lou Gooden and some associates around 1974. After he migrated in 1976 it was taken over by the current owner Jimmy "Daddy" Metro (b. Haldaine James).

By the early eighties the sound had grown and they were regularly playing at the main dancehall venues. Their popularity increased with the arrival in 1981 of Peter Metro (b. Peter Clarke), who's performances on the microphone were dynamic, filled with humour and lyrical dexterity. He was one of the first, if not the first, to deejay in Spanish to great effect. Metro's sparring partner on the set at this time was a deejay/singer called Zuzu, with whom he had a big hit in Jamaica with "Join The Army".

Other popular entertainers for Metromedia around this time included Massive Dread (b. Dennis James), Dicky Ranking (b. Norman Suppria), Ashman and Sprouty. In these early days Jack was the regular selector but this changed in 1983 and a replacement was found when Peter Metro met Sky Juice (b. Christopher Blake), who'd worked previously with Black Zodiac sound. He started a long association with Metromedia's as selector, which continues to this day.

A visit to England in 1984 saw Peter Metro along with Josey Wales, Sister Verna and Sister Katy rocking the London crowds. Back in Jamaica Metromedia were regulars in the soundclash arena with the core of Peter Metro as their main lyrical weapon. Danny Dread (b. Eric Ffrench), a veteran deejay from the late seventies on Stereophonic and later Black Star, became a feature of Metro sessions with his Brigadier Jerry influenced style of cultural chat.

Peter's apprentice Tonto Metro (b. Mark Wolfe) made his first steps in the music business quickly developing into a fine deejay. In 1987, after recording "Cockney & Yardie" with Peter Metro, white Londoner Dominic (b. Dominic Kenny) could often be heard holding the mic. Niggah Mikey (b. Michael Grant) was another established resident deejay as was Chicken Chest (b. Alton Thomas).

More tours followed, first to Canada in 1988, Japan in 1989 and another tour of England in 1990. By this time deejay Japanese and singer Doctor C were part of the crew and Metromedia continued to carry "live" artists on the sound well into the nineties. But times were changing and dubplate soundclashes were now dominating the scene. Jimmy Metro, Oliver and the rest of the crew have continued to compete in the cut throat juggling arena, with the larger than life selector/mc Sky Juice being the main attraction with his enthusiastic approach to soundclashes.

Metromedia Cope Lawn, East Kingston 1980

Featuring: Django, Welton Irie

“This is the earliest recording we’ve heard of the Metromedia sound. The tape took a lot of restoring and the quality variable. It predates the arrival of Peter Metro by about a year. The session has two micmen usually found on Stereophonic around this time, Welton Irie and Django. The slackness style is here but its also 1980, a violent election year, so Welton also tackles more serious matters by asking “where are all the guns coming from”. The unknown selector drops a good selection of Sammy Dread and Mighty Diamonds tunes and the two deejays add to the vibes of this vintage Metro dance.”