by ERIN MACLEOD

The best way to listen to Jamaican music is outside, late at night and earth-shakingly loud—and the perfect formula for this experience is Stone Love. A soundsystem, a label and a studio, they’re set for worldwide domination. The Mirror spoke to one of Stone Love’s 30-plus staff and star selector, G-Fuss, from the home base in Kingston, Jamaica.

Mirror: In your own words, what is Stone Love?

G-Fuss: Stone Love started out in 1972. We’re a soundsystem, meaning that we have speaker boxes, turntable and now CD. We’ve got what you people call DJs, but we call selectors, which is consist of Rory, G-Fuss, Billy Slaughter, Bill Cosby, Diamond, Richie Feelings and Iceberg. Stone Love was founded by WeePow. We play a variety of music. Stone Love never bus’ as a reggae sound. When Stone Love get recognition, we play reggae, disco and R&B, back in the day. By ’86, Stone Love become number-one sound which played mostly reggae. We play at various venues on a weekly basis. Every night, Stone Love play.

M: Does Stone Love have more than one soundsystem?

G: It’s really one soundsystem, you know, but it’s a very big sound so it can be split into three. Since the past four years, WeePow has built a sound called Purple Love. It’s a small version of Stone Love. He’s coming with the idea, saying it’s a sound to play at parties, office parties, certain events. We’re breaking boundaries. We’re not just in the dancehall.

M: You’re also overseas.

G: WeePow come with the idea of having us selectors circulate the globe. So one or two persons would be in the U.S., one person might be in Canada, one in Brazil, one in Israel, one in Italy, and a couple over here in Jamaica. Every week at an overseas show, you get sent different selectors, so that the people get used to everybody in the system Stone Love.

M: Everyone knows that Stone Love isn’t a clashing sound.

G: At the level that Stone Love is at now, Stone Love is immortal. And we’ve moving from immortal to be a legendary sound. We don’t need to clash.

With Ding Dong, Elephant Man and guests at Castleton Gardens
(5011 Buchan) on Saturday, May 20, 9 p.m., $20

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