Tunes! Poem by Jerry Pike

Tunes!

Jerry...Roy, new tunes here, if you wanna…
And there I was, at 7.15 scootering for dub.
One upful thing in my mind, new tunes!
Upstairs at Roy’s one bed, a six foot three Jamaican
with a public school accent,
already moving up London,
through his Dark Eyes record shack.
Some East London soundman was dipping in,
thumb through the dinked centre of his choices.
We both pulled new vinyl 45s,
from a battered, chestnut leather suitcase,
ram jam full, laid open on the bed,
still mentally warm from their flight.
Well Charge, Tubby’s, Studio One, Intel Diplo,
and Marley’s Tuff Gong,
spun in amongst the roots of reggae labels.
A few more minutes, and my go, at the pre-release,
to check em on the deck, yellow record centre,
and my selections, shortening the pin on the Blue Spot.
Watch the disc, no off-centres please,
no bubbles or labels glued askew.
I’m sure they used reject plastic.
Twenty seconds and choose, no big time, nex wan.
and they piled, oh they piled, hot buttered dubs
stacked for a Saturday’s sales, Harlesden fashion.
First in the area with the latest,
yes ole man, still a buzz.
Just at the tumpin’ thought.