the.com/rocksteady
The slow-motion bridge between ska's caffeine high and reggae's smoky descent.
means A Jamaican popular music genre of the mid-1960s, slower than ska and a precursor to reggae, marked by a relaxed groove and prominent bass; by extension, anything reliably steady and unshakeable.
from From English 'rock steady' — rock as in 'rock' (to sway, Old English 'roccian') plus 'steady,' describing dancers who held a slower, more grounded sway than ska's frantic skank. The name caught on in Jamaican studios around 1966, popularized by Alton Ellis's hit 'Get Ready – Rock Steady.' The single word 'rocksteady' later spread into wider slang for unflappable dependability.
- jamaica 1966
- Born when a heatwave forced dancers to slow down
- bass forward
- Pushed bass lines from background to lead instrument
- short reign
- Ruled Jamaican charts barely two years before reggae
- vocal harmony
- Spawned the rocksteady harmony trio template
- name origin
- Likely from Alton Ellis's 1966 hit single
the skatalites — jamaican band that pioneered rocksteady in kingston, 1966-1967
alton ellis — jamaican singer whose 'girl i've got a date' defined early rocksteady sound, 1967
desmond dekker — rocksteady artist with international hit 'the israelites,' jamaica 1968