Ticket stubs, flyers, signed LPs, and vivid memories of meeting a music legend are among the items and experiences being sought by the curators of Barbican Music Library’s current free exhibition.

Lloyd Bradley and Scott Leonard, who are presenting a celebration of British black music, ‘Black Sound London’, are asking fans to bring a particular memory of London’s black music scene and a cherished piece of memorabilia to a ‘Heritage Collection Day’ this Saturday (14 June) and Saturday 5 July, both held from 11am to 3.45pm.

During their visit to the City of London Corporation-owned library, the item will be 2-D or 3-D scanned and the fan interviewed about their recollections, in order to preserve their story for future generations.

The exhibition shows how, over the course of a century, British black music went from flourishing underground to emerging on its own terms on to the main stage.

Author of ‘Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King and Sounds Like London: 100 Years of Black Music in the Capital’ and exhibition co-curator, Lloyd Bradley, said:

“Whether it’s an autograph from a concert framed on a bedroom wall, an old ticket folded carefully in a wallet or purse, or remembering a chance encounter with a major star, we want to see these items and preserve the stories behind them before they disappear forever.

“We want to know what it meant to come face-to-face with a legend, be lost ‘in the moment’ at some intimate underground gig, or to feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end when you heard ‘your’ song being played on pirate radio.

“These exhibitions and our heritage collection days are valuable, because they enable and empower the British black music community to tell their stories of what the music scene was like, and what it meant to them.”

The exhibition at Barbican Music Library supports Destination City, the City Corporation’s growth strategy for the Square Mile.

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage, and Libraries Committee, Brendan Barns, said:

“Fans of British black music should make the most of this unique opportunity to contribute to music history by telling their stories and having one of their treasured belongings preserved for Black Sound UK’s archives.

“In the meantime, visitors to the library’s free exhibition have been enjoying their trip down memory lane and learning more about the genre’s beginnings, and how it has flourished over the last century.

“Attracting businesses, workers, and visitors will ensure that the City continues to play a leading role in driving the London’s and UK’s economy. Exhibitions like this one are bringing people back to the office throughout the week and boosting footfall on Mondays and Fridays.”

The City of London Corporation is one of the largest funders of heritage and cultural activities in the UK, investing over £130m every year.

The City Corporation manages a range of world-class cultural and heritage institutions, including the Barbican Centre, Tower Bridge, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Guildhall Art Gallery and London’s Roman Amphitheatre, The London Archives, and Keats House. We also support the London Museum and are the principal funder of the London Symphony Orchestra, based at the Barbican Centre.  

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

‘Black Sound London’ runs at Barbican Music Library until 19 July. Admission FREE.

All requests for information, images, and interviews with Lloyd Bradley and Scott Leonard should be directed to Andrew Buckingham, Media Officer (Arts, Culture, Heritage, Licensing), City of London Corporation / 07795 333060 / andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation, which owns and manages Barbican Music Library, is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK –  www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

About Barbican Music Library:

Barbican Music Library, which is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation and located in the Barbican Centre, holds one of the most significant public music collections in the country. As well as a large stock of books, scores, periodicals and audiovisual items, a range of digital resources is available for use by library members. The library hosts a vibrant exhibition and events programme which showcases the musical diversity of London and the UK. This has been achieved through the forging of partnerships with individuals and organisations from the world of music which has enabled us to feature a range of musical genres including pop & rock, classical, folk music, jazz, and world music.

About Lloyd Bradley:

Lloyd Bradley is one of the UK’s leading black music experts. He has been a writer for 40 years and as a broadcaster, he was Associate Producer of the award-winning BBC series, Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music, and is the author of Sounds Like London: 100 Years of Black Music in the Capital and Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King. Lloyd has lectured in black British music and culture in the UK, the US, and the West Indies. He devised and taught a course on black music and art at the University of the South Bank and curated and ran a series of music/cultural events, Sounds Like London LIVE!, to accompany his book. Lloyd lectures in magazine theory at London Met University and until the pandemic, he devised and delivered a writing course to inmates in HMP Brixton. His writing/publishing academy, Fully Booked: the Art of Non-Fiction, delivers courses and workshops on non-fiction writing, memoir writing, self-publishing, and dealing with the publishing industry. It also undertakes book packaging and production as the Fully Booked imprint. lloydbradley.net

About Scott Leonard:

Scott Leonard is a Brand and Creative Director, who has worked at agencies and brands, including Mother, St Luke’s, Karmarama, Wieden & Kennedy, Ogilvy, and brands, such as Nike, Google, Zipcar. He founded The Champion Agency, the UK’s first creative agency and social enterprise. Scott has curated and created exhibition campaigns at the Black Cultural Archives, British Library, and V&A. scottleonard.co.uk

Barbican Music Library (Barbican Centre, Level 2 – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/libraries/barbican-music-library)

The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.

From the Black Sound UK website:

Black British music has been excluded and, in some cases, airbrushed out of the UK's musical and cultural history. Black Sound's ambition is to reconnect black British music to the culture that created it, to formally preserve it before it’s lost to time, and to be celebrated in its own right. Nationally, this is an opportunity to join Black Sound in readdressing Britain's musical and cultural history to be more inclusive, and when told by the people that created, lived and experienced it reconnecting the two. www.blacksound.co.uk