Duke Vin
Jamaican-born sound system operator (1928–2012)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vincent George Forbes (25 October 1928 – 3 November 2012), better known as Duke Vin, was a Jamaican-born sound system operator and selector who operated the first sound system in the United Kingdom.
Duke Vin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vincent George Forbes 25 October 1928 |
| Died | 3 November 2012 (aged 84) London, England, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Sound system operator |
| Years active | 1955–2009 |
| Known for | Operating the first Jamaican-style sound system in the UK |
Biography
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Forbes was raised on Wildman Street and attended the Calabar All-Age School.[1]
He began his career as a selector on the Tom the Great Sebastian sound system in the early 1950s, being given a chance after helping Tom Wong to change a tyre on his car.[2][3][4] At the time, Forbes was known as "Shine-Shoes Vinny" due to his smart appearance.[1][5]
After travelling to England in 1954 as a stowaway on a boat from Kingston, he found work as an engine cleaner for British Rail, becoming an electrician two years later.[1][4][6] He built his first sound system in 1955 using a second-hand turntable bought from a shop in Edgware Road, a speaker bought for £15 and an amplifier built for £4, soon establishing "Duke Vin the Tickler's", in Ladbroke Grove, London, the first Jamaican-style sound system in the UK.[4][7] The sound system played an important part in popularising ska in Britain.[2][3][8] He initially played R&B but soon concentrated on Jamaican music – he was supplied with fresh Jamaican releases, including many from Studio One, by the Daddy Peckings shop in West London.[8][9][10] Fellow Jamaican Count Suckle soon set up a sound system in the same area, leading to a rivalry between the two and several sound clashes, with Vin involved in the UK's first clash in 1958.[1][4][11]
In the 1960s his sound played at top London clubs, including The Marquee and The Flamingo.[2][4]
In the late 1960s he served time in prison after being convicted of pimping, a charge that he denied.[4] On his release, he built a larger sound system and bought a house off Harrow Road.[4] One of the tracks that exclusively featured on his sound system was "The Tickler", a track produced by Derrick Harriott that was unavailable elsewhere until it was released in 2006.[1]
In 1973, Forbes was one of the founders of the Notting Hill Carnival, and performed at the event for 37 years, despite suffering a stroke in his later years.[2]
He was the subject of the 2009 documentary film Duke Vin and the Birth of Ska, directed by Gus Berger.[6]
Forbes died in London on 3 November 2012.[2]