GREENSLEEVES: THE FIRST 100 COVERS EXPLORING THE LABEL’S ART, SOUND AND INFLUENCE
In the mid-70s, a small West London record shop started importing reggae 45s straight from Jamaica. Out of this scene grew Greensleeves Records, a label that pushed raw Jamaican music far beyond the UK. That story is now captured in Greensleeves: The First 100 Covers, a richly illustrated book by London curator and cultural historian Alexander Newman, aka Al Fingers.
Published by One Love Books, the updated edition focuses on the label’s formative years through striking sleeve art, rare photographs, and revealing interviews with musicians, producers, and industry figures. These elements show how Greensleeves influenced the development of reggae and dancehall. The label also had a significant impact on the broader music industry.
THE FIRST 100 COVERS SHOWS HOW GREENSLEEVES DEFINED THE LOOK AND SOUND OF REGGAE
A foreword by Paul Simonon of The Clash frames the book, while the companion mixtape Greensleeves: The First 10 Years, mixed by Al Fingers, adds a crucial listening experience. Originally published by Stüssy in 2010, the title returns as an expanded edition. It is scheduled for release on 23 September 2025.
Al Fingers’ work often highlights the intersections of Jamaican music, art, and style. Earlier works, such as Clarks in Jamaica and In Fine Style, explore how visual culture shapes identity. As a curator, he has brought these stories to global stages through collaborations with institutions like the V&A and Somerset House.
Greensleeves: The First 100 Covers will be available in book and record shops, with signed editions via onelovebooks.com.
ABOUT AL FINGERS
Al Fingers, the London-based researcher and DJ, is making waves with Greensleeves: The First 100 Covers, a richly illustrated chronicle of the label’s role in shaping reggae and dancehall. He expanded his practice with books like Clarks in Jamaica and In Fine Style: The Dancehall Art of Wilfred Limonious.
His projects unite sound, image and history, bringing Jamaican culture into fresh global contexts.
