Front Line (record label)


Front Line was a reggae subsidiary of Virgin Records established in 1978. Over forty albums were issued on the label before it folded in 1979.

History

Virgin had been releasing reggae records since BB Seaton's "Dancing Shoes" in 1974. By 1975, label owner Richard Branson had begun signing roots reggae artists, and in the three years that followed, Virgin released successful albums by the likes of U-Roy, The Mighty Diamonds, Keith Hudson, Johnny Clarke, Peter Tosh, and I Roy. Johnny Rotten is rumoured to have signed with Virgin because of the company's progressive policy towards reggae. In 1978, Branson decided to form a subsidiary label dedicated wholly to reggae, and called this Front Line.
Branson and Rotten travelled to Kingston and signed artists to the label including Prince Far I, Big Youth, Prince Hammer, Tappa Zukie, Sly Dunbar, and The Twinkle Brothers. Many of the artists who had previously released records on Virgin also moved to the new label. Front Line folded after two years although some of the artists remained signed to Virgin.
Many of the albums were reissued on compact disc in the 2000s.

Catalogue

7-inch singles

10-inch singles

  • FBL 3001: Various Artists – "Various"
  • FCL 5001: The Twinkle Brothers – "Love"

12-inch singles

  • FLS 11912: The Twinkle Brothers – "Keep on Trying" / "King Pharaoh"
  • FLS 12012: Sly Dunbar – "Rasta Fiesta" / "Dirty Harry"
  • FLS 12112: Gregory Isaacs – "Soon Forward" / Gregory Isaacs & Prince Far I – "Uncle Joe" / "Come Off Mi Toe"
  • FLS 12212: The Mighty Diamonds – "Bodyguard" / "One Brother Short"
  • FLS 12312: The Twinkle Brothers – "Jahoviah" / "Free Africa"
  • FLS 12412: I Roy – "Fire in a Wire" / "Hill and Gully"

12-inch singles VOLE SERIES

  • Vole 1: Dr. Alimantado – "Slavery Let it Go" / "Find the One"
  • Vole 2: U-ROY – "Small Axe" / "Small Axe"
  • Vole 4: U-Brown – "Black Star Liner" / "River John Mountain"
  • Vole 5: U-ROY – "Live at the Lyceum" / ".."
  • Vole 6: Sly – "A Who Say" / "Cocaine Cocaine"
  • Vole 7: Althea & Donna – "Going to the Negril" / "The West"

Albums