Alton Ellis
Everything published on Viyolens under Alton Ellis — reviews, buying advice and how-tos written for players and producers in the UK.
The Best Rocksteady Artists to Know
From Alton Ellis to the too-often-overlooked Phyllis Dillon, here are the rocksteady artists whose Kingston studio sessions genuinely built the bridge from ska to reggae.
Rocksteady for Newcomers: Where to Start
You've probably heard rocksteady already without knowing its name. Here's the gentlest way in: five songs, a few myths cleared up, and no homework required.
The History of Rocksteady
Two years, two rival studios and one massive shift in Jamaican music. Here's the no-nonsense history of how rocksteady took ska's crown and handed it straight to reggae.
The Best Rocksteady Songs Right Now
No chart hype, no trend chasing — just the rocksteady songs that actually defined the genre in its brief 1966-68 run, and still hold up today.
