Judge Dread – Snodland’s King Of Risque Reggae

It will be something of a revelation to many to learn that one of the most commercially successful artists to record for Trojan was a white, ex-bouncer who hailed from the town of Sondland in Kent.

After being employed by the company mainly for his muscle, Alex Hughes aka Judge Dread became an unlikey star, cutting a trio of major hits and two best-selling albums that combined reggae rhythms with British music hall style ribaldry.

A change in musical styles, along with a move to Trojan‘s rival, Creole Records (which has since become part of the Trojan group of labels)  did nothing to dent his popularity, with the singer breaching the charts on a further 9 occassions between 1975 and 1978.

His popularity of his music even attracted intersted from EMI Records, for whom he scored a further 2  major UK hits.

Sadly, the Judge passed away following a heart atack in 1998, but with 2nd May marking what would have been his 71st birthday, we pay tribute to one of the most successful, yet overlooked reggae artists of all time.

To read out about the musical career of one of this larger than life yet incredibly down-to-earth and humble man, simply click here or on the Artists link at the top of the homepage, then scroll down the alphabetically-ordered list of artist names until you reach ‘Judge Dread’.