Mikey Dread

Radio disc jockey, studio engineer, singer and producer. Mikey Dread was born on 4 June 1954 in Port Antonio, Jamaica and passed away on 15 March 2008 in Stamford, Connecticut, USA.

At the age of 12, Mikey started building amps and repairing radios. He studied electronics in both Jamaica and the USA before joining the "Safari" sound system where he repaired amps and turntables. In 1976, he joined the Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) as a radio DJ. His show "Dread at the Control" became famous for playing reggae exclusively from midnight to 4am. In 1979, Mikey founded his own label called Dread At The Controls (DATC) and released his first album.

Mikey gained popularity in England during the 1980s and worked with influential punk band The Clash. He produced their single "Bankrobber" and mixed dub versions for their albums "Black Market Clash" and "Sandinista!". He also toured with them in 1980. Throughout his career, Mikey remained productive by participating in various projects during the '90s and '00s before relocating to the USA where he focused on reissuing productions from his label.