Edited and designed by Al Newman, authored by Paul Huxtable and developed by historian Mandeep Samra, new book Sound System Culture, Celebrating Huddersfield’s Sound Systems shines a light on the local bass-heavy reggae and dancehall scene in the northern England town. The scene formed part of England's countrywide culture of dances among the West Indian diaspora in cities such as London, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham from the 1960s through to the 80s and 90s. NOWNESS asked British DJ and producer Toddla T to talk about the influence of the era on today's music.

People ask me all the time what music I make, and I always say the thing that holds it together is "sound"—by that I mean the influence on so much stuff that I am into stems from this era in British music, the early days of people rigging up sound systems. A lot of the music I play has got that ethos being played on a big weighty rig: grime, hip-hop, house, dubstep, jungle, it all comes from that. Without sound-system culture I wouldn’t be playing what I do today.

People like the Huddersfield 'sound men' are one of the biggest influences on modern popular UK music. If you look at a Radio 1 playlist, I guarantee you there are three or four tunes on there that have always got that trace in it. I don’t think those people knew what they were doing back then, but they have been so influential on culture and music. It’s the heritage there—Duke Reid or King Tubby or someone doing a party: he was the guy running the rave, and would make sure it sounds good.

I grew up an hour away from Huddersfield, in Sheffield. The only time we could rave was in places that wasn’t designed for raves, so the best parties were in disused places, whether that be an old studio, a morgue, or church. Sound men with roots in Jamaica brought in their own systems. The music was the emphasis, not the location. I go to Jamaica quite a lot now with music, and over there the emphasis is still on sound at a lot of parties. You’ll be walking down the beach, and they’ll have a system better than any club in London. 

Sound System Culture, Celebrating Huddersfield’s Sound Systems is published by One Love Books. Toddla T, Al Fingers and Don Letts play the book launch at Rough Trade East, London, July 24.