Blood and Fire (record label)
British reggae reissue label specializing in roots reggae, dub, and DJ albums.
Blood and Fire was a British reggae label that actively operated between 1993 and 2007, with a one-off release in 2014, focusing on reissues of roots reggae, dub, and DJ albums. It was founded in London by reggae historian Steve Barrow, reggae enthusiast Bob Harding, and Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall. The label’s goal was to reissue roots reggae, dub, and DJ albums with the same care and quality associated with jazz reissues, and its approach shaped how other labels handled archival Jamaican recordings in the 1990s and beyond.
The label’s logo and album covers were designed by the firm Intro. Early releases drew on material produced by Bunny Lee and King Tubby in the mid-1970s. Barrow noted in 1999 that most of the catalogue passed through King Tubby’s studio, either mixed by Tubby or his students, and that the label indirectly celebrated Tubby’s importance, which he considered greater than Bob Marley’s. Later releases included work by Yabby You, Glen Brown, Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Congos album *Heart of the Congos*, and a two-CD set by Big Youth titled *Natty Universal Dread 1973–1979*.
Although primarily a reissue label, Blood and Fire also put out two one-riddim albums with newly recorded vocals. *Tree of Satta* (2004) used the original “Satta Massagana” riddim, mixing new and vintage vocal takes alongside the Abyssinians’ original version. *Fisherman Style* (2006) used the Congos’ “Fisherman” riddim and featured new material from artists including Horace Andy, U Roy, Big Youth, Luciano, Tony Tuff, and Dillinger.
The label also operated a sound system that featured original Jamaican artists such as Dillinger, Trinity, Ranking Joe, U Brown, Horace Andy, Dennis Alcapone, U Roy, Spikey Tee, Country Culture, and Raggamonica, alongside Steve Barrow and Dom Sotgiu. In July 2006, the sound system toured Japan with U Roy, playing three sold-out dates.
The label's last new releases were in 2003, though it continued trading until 2007. In 2007, news emerged via the label’s message board that Blood and Fire had stopped active trading. The reasons included the bankruptcy of its American and French distributors, poor management decisions, and a general decline in sales across the music industry. In 2014, the label announced a relaunch in partnership with VP Records, with Barrow overseeing future projects.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1993
- Founder
- Steve Barrow, Bob Harding, Mick Hucknall, Elliot Rashman, Andy Dodd
- Distributor
- VP Records
- Genre
- Reggae
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Location
- Manchester
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In 2007, news leaked via the company's message board that Blood and Fire had stopped trading due to loss of American and French distributors, management decisions, and industry-wide sales decline. In 2014, it was announced the label would relaunch with VP Records, but only one release—a twelve-inch single of Gregory Isaacs' 'Mr Know It All' for Record Store Day 2014—was produced. Blood and Fire was dissolved as a Limited Company on 5 February 2019.
Reader's Guide
Blood and Fire's significance lies in its transformative impact on reggae reissues. Prior to the label, reggae reissues were often poorly packaged with inferior sound quality. Blood and Fire set a new standard through careful sound restoration and attractive vintage-aura artwork, as noted by music journalist Simon Reynolds. The Rough Guide to World Music described the label as 'a gem' for its well-conceived and superbly produced compilations. Richard North's Original Rockers stated that within three years the label released sixteen faultless albums, calling the catalogue 'a form of higher education.' The label's influence extended to the overall aesthetic of other archival Jamaican music labels in the 1990s and beyond. Its legacy includes the founding of a new reggae label, King Spinna, by Bob Harding and Dom Sotgiu in 2011.
Founding & Vision
In 1993, a group of Manchester-based music figures came together to create something unprecedented in the reggae world. Steve Barrow, a reggae archivist and chronicler, joined forces with Bob Harding, formerly a vocalist in the post-punk band The Mothmen. They enlisted Mick Hucknall, the frontman of Simply Red, along with managers Elliot Rashman and Andy Dodd, to establish a label with a singular mission: to reissue roots reggae, dub, and DJ albums with the same care and scholarly rigour that jazz reissue labels applied to their catalogues. The visual identity was handled by the design firm Intro, who crafted both the company logo and the album artwork. This commitment to presentation and sonic fidelity set Blood and Fire apart from the era's existing reggae reissue offerings, which critics later noted were often poorly packaged and sonically lacking. The label's approach was so influential that it shaped the aesthetic standards of other companies releasing archival Jamaican recordings throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s.
The Tubby-Centred Catalogue
The early releases of Blood and Fire were anchored in the mid-1970s output of producers Bunny Lee and King Tubby, and this focus defined the label's identity. Barrow himself stated in 1999 that the majority of their catalogue had passed through King Tubby's studio, either mixed by Tubby himself or by one of his pupils, and voiced on the premises. He went further, declaring Tubby "one of the most important figures this century" and suggesting he was "probably more important than Bob Marley." The catalogue thus functioned as an indirect celebration of Tubby's engineering legacy. Beyond Tubby, the label expanded to include material produced by Yabby You and Glen Brown, Lee "Scratch" Perry's landmark Congos recording Heart of the Congos, and a three-disc Big Youth compilation titled Natty Universal Dread. Heart of the Congos proved commercially significant, moving 80,000 copies over a decade. Within just three years of launching, the label had issued sixteen albums of Jamaican roots music, a pace that critics described as displaying "rare assurance and authority."
New Music & the Sound System
Although Blood and Fire was fundamentally a reissue operation, it made two notable exceptions by producing one-riddim albums built around newly recorded vocals. The first, Tree of Satta (2003), layered a mix of new and vintage voicings over the original "Satta Massagana" riddim, alongside the classic Abyssinians version of the track. The second, Fisherman Style (2006), used The Congos' "Fisherman" riddim as a foundation for fresh contributions from a roster that included Horace Andy, U Roy, Big Youth, Luciano, Tony Tuff, and Dillinger. Beyond the studio, the label maintained an active sound system that showcased original Jamaican artists such as Dilinger, Trinity, Ranking Joe, U Brown, Dennis Alcapone, Spikey Tee, Country Culture, and Raggamonica, alongside Steve Barrow and Dom Sotgiu. The sound system's international reach was demonstrated in July 2006, when it travelled to Japan for a three-date tour headlined by U Roy, with all three shows selling out.
Decline, Legacy & What Came After
By 2007, news surfaced through the label's own message board that Blood and Fire had ceased active trading. The collapse was attributed to a combination of factors: the bankruptcy of their American and French distribution partners, some unfortunate management decisions, and a broader industry-wide downturn in physical music sales. A brief relaunch followed in 2014 in partnership with VP Records, with Barrow overseeing the project, but this incarnation yielded only a single release—a twelve-inch Gregory Isaac single of "Mr Know It All" pressed for Record Store Day. The company was formally dissolved as a Limited Company on 5 February 2019. Despite its relatively short active life, the label's critical reputation endured. The Rough Guide to World Music called it "a gem of a label," Simon Reynolds praised its careful sound restoration and vintage-aura artwork in his book Retromania, and Richard North in Original Rockers described listening to the catalogue as "a form of higher education." In 2011, Bob Harding and Dom Sotgiu channelled their reggae passion into a new venture, founding the label King Spinna.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Blood and Fire (record label)?
Blood and Fire is a London-based British reggae reissue label that operated from 1993 to 2014. It specialized in putting out roots reggae, dub, and DJ albums with premium packaging and careful sound restoration.
Who founded Blood and Fire (record label)?
The label was launched by reggae historian Steve Barrow, former Mothmen vocalist Bob Harding, Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall, and managers Elliot Rashman and Andy Dodd. All five were based in London when they set up the project.
What was Blood and Fire's (record label) core mission?
The team set out to treat Jamaican roots reggae, dub, and DJ recordings with the same archival rigor usually reserved for jazz reissues. Every release was given meticulous sound restoration and high-quality physical packaging.
Why is Blood and Fire (record label) important to reggae history?
Its careful, quality-first approach to reissuing archival Jamaican material set a new benchmark in the 1990s. Other labels subsequently adopted a similar standard when handling roots reggae and dub recordings.
When did Blood and Fire (record label) cease operations?
The label stopped releasing music in 2014, ending a run that lasted over two decades. Its final years saw it continue its focus on roots reggae, dub, and DJ reissues before closing down.
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