Country: England
Alexander Minto Hughes (2 May 1945 – 13 March 1998), better known as Judge Dread, was an English reggae and ska musician, notable for being the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica. He is remembered for his cheeky, often risqué lyrics, and for holding the Guinness World Record for the most songs banned by the BBC. Early Life Born: 2 May 1945 Introduced to Jamaican music: Lodging in a West Indian household in Brixton, London Early jobs: Bouncer, bodyguard, professional wrestler (“The Masked Executioner”), debt collector for Trojan Records, and radio DJ Connections: Met Jamaican artists Derrick Morgan and Prince Buster through work and Brixton nightclubs Music Career Stage name: Judge Dread (from a Prince Buster song) First hit: Big Six (1972), a lewd take on nursery rhymes set to reggae rhythms, based on Prince Buster’s Big 5 Sold over 300,000 copies and spent six months on the UK charts despite no radio airplay Follow-up hits: Big Seven (co-written with Rupie Edwards), Big Eight, Y Viva Suspenders, Up with the Cock Milestones: First white artist with a reggae hit in Jamaica 11 UK chart hits in the 1970s (more than any other reggae artist at the time, including Bob Marley) Known for his BBC-banned songs, often due to sexual innuendo Songwriting and collaborations: Worked with Elvis Presley on A Child's Prayer, which was never recorded due to Presley’s death Organized benefit concerts featuring The Wailers and Desmond Dekker Released music under pseudonyms JD Alex and Jason Sinclair Personal Connections and Legacy Several songs referenced his hometown of Snodland, Kent; a local street, Alex Hughes Close, is named after him Influenced artists such as Ian Dury and Buster Bloodvessel of Bad Manners Renowned for mixing vaudeville, music hall, and reggae, creating a stage persona full of…
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