# Planetone

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**Planetone Studios** was a London-based recording studio and [independent record label](/source/Independent_record_label) that issued [ska](/source/Ska) recordings in the early 1960s.[1] It has been credited as the first black owned record label in England, and a catalyst for the later British labels [Trojan](/source/Trojan_Records) and [Island Records](/source/Island_Records).[2]

## History

The label's founder was [Sonny Roberts](/source/Sonny_Roberts) (1932-2021). The basement studio, which operated from 1961 until 1965, was located at a now demolished site at 108 Cambridge Road, [Kilburn](/source/Kilburn,_London), London.[3] Some of the early recordings were by [Rico's Combo](/source/Rico's_Combo),[4] a group led by Jamaican trombonist [Rico Rodriguez](/source/Rico_Rodriguez_(musician)). [Mike Elliott](/source/Mike_Elliott_(saxophonist)) (future saxophonist for [The Foundations](/source/The_Foundations)), Jackie Foster,[5][6] [Tito ‘Sugar’ Simone](/source/Tito_Simon) and Jamaican singer [Dandy Livingstone](/source/Dandy_Livingstone)[7] also released some recordings on the label.[8] Other associated musicians included [Jackie Edwards](/source/Jackie_Edwards_(musician)), [Millie Small](/source/Millie_Small) and [The Marvels (band)](/source/The_Marvels_(band)).[9]

[Chris Blackwell](/source/Chris_Blackwell)'s Island Records took over the space in 1965 when Roberts returned to his original profession, carpentry.[10]

## Orbitone

In 1970, Roberts opened the Orbitone record shop in [Harlesden](/source/Harlesden), stocking reggae, ska, calypso, Afrobeat, merengue and jazz.[9] He also continued producing in rented studios: the album *Destruction* by Nigerian band Nkengas was produced by Roberts in 1973, an early example of UK [Afrobeat](/source/Afrobeat).[11] He licensed [Arrow](/source/Arrow_(musician))’s 1984 calypso hit *Hot Hot Hot*. And his production of [Judy Boucher](/source/Judy_Boucher)'s *Can't Be with You Tonight* reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1987.[12] Other musicians supported by Orbitone included [Machel Montano](/source/Machel_Montano), the soul singer Reuben Richards and the guitarist Ciyo Brown.[9]

Roberts moved back to Jamaica in 1997.[9] He died in 2021, survived by his wife Monica and daughters Cleon, Jackie and Andrett. A plaque was unveiled at the site of the Kilburn studio in 2017.[10]

## References

1. ["A Complete List Of Uk Labels? - Soul Of Jamaica"](http://www.soul-source.co.uk/soulforum/topic/94184-a-complete-list-of-uk-labels/). Soul Source. 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

1. ['Sonny Roberts honoured with blue plaque in London', BBC London report (2017), YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfKPjPdl2p8)

1. ["Biography – Orbitonerecords"](https://orbitonerecords.com/biography/)

1. ["Search For Planetone"](http://reggaevinylcollector.free.fr/index.php/SEsearch&tit=&art=&lab=Planetone&curr=EUR&pr=&par=). Reggaevinylcollector.free.fr. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

1. ["Planetone 7"S"](http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/planet7.htm). Xs4all.nl. 2010-11-14. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

1. ["DubVendor - Owns"](http://www.45cat.com/45_collection_view.php?l=1&m=6774&fcl=1798). 45cat.com. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

1. ["Dandy* - Vipers / Oh Lawdy (Vinyl) at Discogs"](http://www.discogs.com/Dandy-Vipers-Oh-Lawdy/release/4858030). Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

1. ["Dandy Livingstone's Biography – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and pictures at"](http://www.last.fm/music/Dandy+Livingstone/+wiki). Last.fm. 2013-11-26. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

1. [Charis McGowan. ‘I felt his vibration!’ Sonny Roberts, the UK’s first Black music studio owner.](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/26/i-felt-his-vibration-sonny-roberts-the-uks-first-black-music-studio-owner) *The Guardian*, 26 July, 2023

1. ['Jamaican trailblazer Sonny Roberts ‘started it all’, says Chris Blackwell'](https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20230802/jamaican-trailblazer-sonny-roberts-started-it-all-says-chris), *The Gleaner*, 2 August, 2023

1. [*Destruction*, Orbitone Records OT 005](https://reissues.bandcamp.com/album/nkengas-destruction)

1. [BBC Witness History, 22 October 2025](https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct74ql)

## External links

- [45cat.com](http://www.45cat.com/label/planetone)
- [*Witness History: The UK’s first black-owned music studio*, BBC](https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct74ql)
- [Orbitone Records Catalogue](https://orbitonerecords.com/catalogue/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Planetone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetone) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetone?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.