Drumz Of The South: The Dubstep Years (2004–2007)Drumz Of The South: The Dubstep Years (2004–2007)

Georgina Cook

Drumz Of The South: The Dubstep Years (2004-2007) is the first photography book to present the early days of dubstep in detail. It features over 200 photographs by Georgina Cook from events and radio stations such as FWD>> at Plastic People, DMZ and Rinse FM, plus pioneering producers, DJs and MCs like Burial, Skream and Benga, Mala & Coki, Loefah and Sgt Pokes, Plastician, Kode9, Hatcha & Crazy D, Skepta and Wiley.

Originally published in 2021 as a Kickstarter campaign, this second edition features a complete redesign, hardback cover and essays from Blackdown, Charlie Dark MBE, Emma Warren and others.

“The first time I heard dubstep was in 2004, in my friend Mala’s car outside my favourite local bar, The Black Sheep, in Croydon. He played me his track B, and it sounded like nothing else I’d heard before. As a photographer of underground music, I knew I had to get involved. Twenty years, one Drumz Of The South blog and a whole load of photos later, and I’m making a photo-book of what ended up being a life-changing journey with the early dubstep scene.” Georgina Cook

2004-2007 was the peak of Georgina’s involvement in the scene, at a time when it was still largely made in suburban bedroom studios and played in dark rooms and on pirate radio stations like Rinse FM. Alongside photos of the dancefloors of seminal nights like DMZ and FWD>> at Plastic People, are candid photos and portraits of artists like Mala, Loefah, Sgt. Pokes, Hatcha, Kode9, Vex’d, Skream and Burial. Nestled among these images are scenes from South London, which root the sound to the place.

Velocity Press · 224 pages · 17 x 24 cm, hardback · ISBN 9781913231668