Temple of Roots feat. Channel One Soundsystem (UK)
Built on Brotherhood and Bass.
Established in 1979 by Mikey Dread and his brother Jah T, Channel One is one of the world’s most respected Roots & Dub sound systems. Read the full story of our mission to break down barriers via Reggae music and our journey from local blues parties to international stages.
Channel One Sound System: Selected Milestones
1979 – Founded in London by Mikey Dread and Jah T
1983 – First appearance at Notting Hill Carnival
1980s – Performed alongside leading UK sounds including Jah Shaka and Sir Coxsone
1990 – First international shows in Italy
1994 – Ireland tour
1995–2000 – UK university tours with Aswad, The Selecter and Misty In Roots
2000 – Regular appearances begin at University of Dub, London
2008 – Australia tour including Big Day Out Festival
2009 – 30th anniversary celebration (Dingwalls, London)
2009 – Vibe Bar residency launches (London)
2009 – Dub to Dubstep national tour (Arts Council funded)
2010 – Red Bull Culture Clash Champions
2010 – Dub to Jungle national tour
2012 – National tour with Twinkle Brothers
2012 – First reggae sound system to perform at Wembley Arena
2013 – First Latin American tour
2014 – Village Underground residency begins (London)
2016 – Channel One Meets Mad Professor album and tour
2019 – 40th anniversary at Electric Brixton
2020 – Sound system installation at Museum of London
2023 – Released “Down In the Dub Vaults” double vinyl LP on Greensleeves Records
2024–2026 – Extensive touring across the United States
2025 – First reggae act to perform at Berghain, Berlin
2025 – Cervantino Festival tour (Mexico)
2025 – Guest presentation at Guildhall School of Music
2026 – Represented the UK at Salvador Carnival, Brazil performing with BaianaSystem
The Foundation: Admiral Bailey to Channel One
The story of Channel One Sound System begins long before its official establishment in 1979. It starts with the arrival of the Windrush generation and the birth of UK sound system culture.
In the 1960s, Mikey Dread’s father ran the legendary Admiral Bailey Sound, one of the pioneering systems bringing the music of Jamaica to London. Growing up in a house filled with amplifiers and vinyl, brothers Mikey Dread and Jah T absorbed the culture from birth. In 1979, the torch was passed. The brothers took over the running of their father’s sound, renaming it Channel One in homage to the iconic Channel One recording studio on Maxwell Avenue in Jamaica – a seal of quality for the roots rock reggae they were determined to push.
While many sound systems stayed local, Channel One had a broader vision: “To break down barriers via Reggae music.”
Breaking Down Barriers
After witnessing the historic Bob Marley performance at Crystal Palace Bowl in 1980 — having travelled straight from a sound system session in Cambridge the night before — Mikey Dread was inspired to take the sound on a new journey, reaching audiences beyond its traditional spaces by touring the UK university circuit.
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Channel One carried roots and dub into colleges and universities across the country. For many students it was their first experience of an authentic sound system session, and these dances quietly helped sow the seeds for what would later emerge as the UK’s jungle, dubstep and wider bass music culture.
The Stack, Tradition in sound
While most modern performances rely on digital formats, Channel One continues to play strictly vinyl — 12”, 10” and 7” records and dubplates. The bespoke, hand-built speaker stack is custom-engineered and meticulously maintained, preserving the original principles of analogue sound system performance.
The Brain: A custom-built pre-amp that controls the frequencies.
The Source: A single turntable.
The Power: Amplifiers, manufactured to sound close to a Valve amplifier that provide a warm, rounded, “heavyweight” bass that you feel as much as you hear.
Mikey Dread, the selector, carries the musical meditation, while the MCs — including Macky Banton and Ras Sherby — voice the session through chanting and song, spreading conscious words in the Rastafari tradition.