Waking the Dead - The Hidden Histories of Kensal Green Cemetery
  • Home
  • The Project
    • The App
    • The Short Films
    • St Thomas Primary School Heritage Work
    • Oral History Recordings
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Key Figures
    • Andrew Ducrow
    • Anthony Perry
    • Anthony Trollope
    • Baron Baker
    • Charles Babbage
    • Count Suckle
    • Duke Vin
    • James Barry, Dr
    • Feargus O'Connor
    • Frank Critchlow
    • Harold Pinter
    • Howard Staunton
    • Isambard Kingdom Brunel & Marc Isambard Brunel
    • George Bridgetower
    • Jind Kaur
    • Joe Strummer
    • Kate Meyrick
    • Kelso Cochrane
    • Michael Abbensetts
    • Pearl Connor
    • Russ Henderson
    • Thomas Wakley
    • Wilkie Collins
    • William Makepeace Thackeray
    • The Reformers Memorial
    • The Dissenters' Chapel
  • The Exhibition
  • Gallery
    • Archive Images
  • Waking the Dead Blog
  • Contact
  • Links

Waking the Dead Blog

Regular Updates, news, activities, photos for the waking the dead project

Duke Vin

10/10/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Early life:
Vincent George Forbes was born in Kingston on the 25th October 1928.  From birth, he was immersed in the soundsystem culture of Kingston as he grew up next door to the Success Club which held frequent dance events.

Soundsystems in Jamaica:
He became involved with soundsystems directly after he helped change the tyre of legendary Kingston selecter Tom Wong of Tom’s Soundsystem.  Tom asked him to help him the following week and he performed exceptionally.  It was through this than he obtained his nickname ‘Duke Vin’ after beating former policeman Duke Reid in a soundclash.  Despite offers from a multitude of selecters in Kingston, Vin stayed loyal to Tom’s Soundsystem until he emigrated.

Arrival in London:
Aged 26, Vin stowed away on a ship bound for England with Count Suckle.  Upon arriving in the UK he settled in Ladbroke Grove.  Initially he worked for Network Rail but he then became an electrician.  Vin and his friends were shocked by the dull nightlife in London at the time (‘the country is dead’) and Vin decided to build his own soundsystem.  He began by playing in houses and renting out the system for £5 a night much to the chagrin of the local police.  Vin soon developed a strong following in the West London area and held his first soundclash in 1958 which he won.  He famously claimed to never have lost a soundclash.  Soon he gained bookings at the Flamingo and Marquee Clubs and established himself as one of the leading soundmen in London.  

Criminal charges and later life:
In the late sixties, Duke Vin was arrested and charged with pimping.  During his time in prison he researched his Maroon heritage.  He discovered a 1738 treaty which stated that any Maroon descendent should not have to pay any taxes to the United Kingdom.  Using this information successfully sued the Inland Revenue for all the taxes he had paid over his time in England.  He used this money to by a large house on the Harrow Road in which he set up an upmarket shebeen.  

Duke Vin was active on the soundsystem circuit throughout his life.  He regularly played in London (at Notting Hill Carnival and Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues among other places) as well as internationally.  He died on the 3rd November 2012 and was survived by his partner Vera, two sons and three daughters.  

Musical influence and legacy:
The influence of soundsystems on wider musical culture is well documented but Duke Vin is seen as one of the most important figures in popularising Jamaican musical exports.  He was one of the first selecters to move away from playing solely US R&B in favour of Jamaican records which foreshadowed ska.  Throughout his life he maintained strong links with Jamaican producers and continued to play in Jamaica in the 1970s.  Vin’s influence on mainstream white artists was also notable.  He was seen as a key influence on figures such as Elton John and Georgie Fame.
2 Comments
Staten Island Carpet Installation link
27/8/2022 12:57:12

Lovelyy blog you have

Reply
Jeffery Alexander link
30/10/2022 01:23:08

Nice fall director machine change. Senior serious approach give.
However food word couple approach agree along. Those after happy. None bar two natural girl business produce stay.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Content from the Waking the Dead digital media team and volunteers.

    Archives

    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • The Project
    • The App
    • The Short Films
    • St Thomas Primary School Heritage Work
    • Oral History Recordings
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Key Figures
    • Andrew Ducrow
    • Anthony Perry
    • Anthony Trollope
    • Baron Baker
    • Charles Babbage
    • Count Suckle
    • Duke Vin
    • James Barry, Dr
    • Feargus O'Connor
    • Frank Critchlow
    • Harold Pinter
    • Howard Staunton
    • Isambard Kingdom Brunel & Marc Isambard Brunel
    • George Bridgetower
    • Jind Kaur
    • Joe Strummer
    • Kate Meyrick
    • Kelso Cochrane
    • Michael Abbensetts
    • Pearl Connor
    • Russ Henderson
    • Thomas Wakley
    • Wilkie Collins
    • William Makepeace Thackeray
    • The Reformers Memorial
    • The Dissenters' Chapel
  • The Exhibition
  • Gallery
    • Archive Images
  • Waking the Dead Blog
  • Contact
  • Links