Impassioned and engaging.
--Booklist A heartfelt tribute to Caribbean roots music and those who keep it alive.
--Kirkus Reviews In 1972, Gary Himelfarb...heard reggae music for the first time and fell in love. He embraced the music...with a passion that he matched with a genuine curiosity about Jamaican culture and sincere friendships with musicians there....There is a sweetness and sincerity to the best parts of the book....Dread's serious case of 'reggaemylitis' gave him some remarkable experiences.
--Publishers Weekly The book is a tale of business, family, ethics, health, and survival...an entertaining read.
--Washington City Paper A gem...Real music heads will truly enjoy this book....For anyone who is a fan of Reggae music, this book is a must-have.
--Baltimore Times A nice read...hilarious and spellbinding.
--Caribbean Life Doctor Dread may just prove to be as gripping a storyteller as he was a record producer. In this revelatory vignette-filled offering, he bends the rules with an unorthodox literary style, unveiling a torrent of chronicles that are spontaneous, colorful, richly authentic and brazen. This is a unique work on many levels. Doctor Dread does offer new and intimate insights into the legends of Jamaican culture....Highly recommended.
--Jamaica Gleaner Full of heart and soul as well as photos from many of the author's greatest moments, it is a must for anybody interested in reggae music and its cast of characters or the music business in general.
--Reggaeville This book should be on the shelf of any serious lover of reggae...Not only is Himelfarb a great storyteller...he is also a talented writer.
--FDRMX An inside perspective of the reggae music phenomenon...[Dread] explains how his decision to form the RAS label came at a tragic but important moment in music history, as the death of Bob Marley in 1981 led to a market eager for the earthy sounds of reggae. Dread also relates fine portrayals of legends like Philip 'Fatis' Burrell, the many Marleys, Freddie McGregor, and Bunny Wailer.
--Insights This easily readable memoir does far more than chart the label's ebbs and flows....Delightfully candid and brutally honest, this is a must-read for all reggae fans.
--MOJO Magazine (UK) Hugely compelling page-turner....a no-nonsense tome that gives intimate portraits of Jamaican music's most colorful characters, and sheds light on the individual world view of Doctor Dread, with many 'twilight zone' incidents, l