The Story of Lover's Rock

Lovers Rock, often dubbed 'romantic reggae' is a uniquely British sound that developed in the late 70s and 80s against a backdrop of riots, racial tension and sound systems. Live performance, comedy sketches, dance interviews and archive footage shed light on the music and the generation that embraced it. Lovers Rock allowed young people to experience intimacy and healing through dance at parties and clubs. This dance provided a coping mechanism for what was happening on the streets. Lovers Rock developed into a successful sound with national UK hits and was influential to British bands(Police, UB40, Boy George). These influences underline the impact of this music in bridging the multi-cultural gab between second generation Caribbeans and their white English counterparts. The film highlights an important era of British music, social and political history. Artists featured include UB40, Maxi Priest, Aswad, Janet Kay, Dennis Bovell, Carroll Thompson and Linton Kwesi Johnson.