The women that keep the music turning: Vinyl Sisters
Vinyl Sisters is a crew of female DJs who select Reggae Music on vinyl. It started in full bloom after the lockdown in Brixton Upstairs at the Ritzy. Vinyl Sisters is a safe place where women who may never have played or only play occasionally can express themselves and play their music collection.
The core of Vinyl Sisters is Miss Feelgood, Kaya M, and Debbie Golt, who host the relays two by two on rotation every month. Debbie and Shirley – Miss Feelgood – met when Shirley joined one of the original Outerglobe Femxle DJ Relays many years ago, and Kaya joined sometime before lockdown. As Vinyl Sisters grew, Kaya became more involved, and her interest in becoming a host and joint organizer was very welcome. Debbie does the main coordination.
Debbie Golt had thought of the name Vinyl Sisters when she and Shirley – Miss Feelgood - were discussing playing together to keep the spirit of the Sisters of Reggae, their previous music crew that ended during the lockdown, and to generate some opportunities to play monthly. Vinyl – as we play all vinyl and Sisters as a doff of the hat to Sisters of Reggae, denoting it’s a women’s crew.
The main activity at Vinyl Sisters is the Vinyl Sisters with Outerglobe Femxle DJ Relay monthly Upstairs at the Ritzy, where all women are welcome to play. However, on occasions, the crew has managed to play in different combinations at great venues like Fox & Firkin SunDeck Margate and on Voices Radio, Brixton Radio, and the G-Shock Takeover. They have also promoted some later running nights at the Ritzy with Sisters x Brothers – with some popular male DJs, as the name suggests.
Kaya: I’ve always loved music. From a young age, my mum supported my brother and me in having music lessons. Growing up closely with my brother, I had a strong familiarity with heavy patterns of drums and bass through rock and classic rock music. This developed into an appreciation for alternative and electronic music styles as I grew into a teenager and young adult. Attending sound system events for Jungle, and particularly festivals, exposed me to a variety of sounds that broadened my tastes. Rebel Soundsystem from Norfolk introduced me to Roots music Culture, and from then, I have never looked back. I am forever grateful to Finbarr, Tim & Simon Carter for this education, which began the musical practice I have today. I grew up in a non-diverse area, and reggae music helped me to connect with a diverse group. Since then, I’ve been committed to roots music culture for over 14 years. During this time, I developed into a vinyl selector, DJ, and music maker using production software, as well as an event hos,t independently and with Vinyl Sisters. Additionally, Kane FM has been a huge part of my learning journey. Kane FM is a not-for-profit community radio station based in Guildford Surrey, managed by a group of volunteers with firm anti-establishment and anti-celebrity values.
First, how did you start your journey as a selector? Please introduce yourself a bit more.
Debbie: I grew up when there were only cassettes and vinyl – no CDs and no digital stuff. When we had parties when I was a teenager and at university, I was often the one selecting tunes. I made the shift to playing in public in the mid-seventies in Manchester with Rock Against Racism. I called myself Sister Sounds and played more Reggae, African, and jazz-funk then, the Punk RAR was well known for because that was the music I listened to. I played at events we put on. I got my records at some brilliant soundmen-run shops in Moss Side and Old Trafford mainly and sometimes from musicians.
Shirley: I started collecting records as a teenager, I had a Saturday job at my uncle’s shop in Clapham Junction, a few doors away from Dub Vendor (iconic vinyl shop), I would buy records there and in Brixton market, although I got to play them at school in my 6th form common room, I didn't get to play out for many years later.
Shirley, Missfeelgood during a session of Vinyl Sisters
How did you meet, and why did you choose the name Vinyl Sisters for your crew?
Shirley: I met Debbie at one of her Outerglobe female DJ relay events at the Ritzy when I played some records. I met Kaya through Sisters of Reggae events.
Kaia: I met Debbie through the Outerglobe DJ relays via Sisters of Reggae at the time. The relay was one of my earliest experiences of learning to select vinyl in a safe environment. Since then, my relationships with Debbie and Shirley have flourished into excellent professional co-working relationships.
Which artists influenced your musical taste the most? (And so your collection?)
Debbie: Wow, this is an interesting question and quite challenging, strangely. I love Burning Spear, Culture, Marcia Griffiths, Lee Scratch Perry productions, Cornell Campbell, Joy Mac, Isha Bel, Bob Marley, and other Wailers as well. I like versions that have the same song or rhythm with different artists. I seek out female artists as often as I can. I play Roots more than other strands of reggae.
Shirley: The artists that most influenced me were Marvin Gaye, Bobby Womack, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Marcia Griffiths, Bob Marley, Ken Booth, and The Mighty Diamonds. I love both soul and reggae.
Kaya: In the early days, this was AC/DC, Guns n’ Roses, and the obvious Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Later on, UK vocalists Knati P and Bunnington Judah, as well as JA artists The Gladiators, Sizzla, Dennis Brown, and Gregory Isaacs, have all been instrumental in their own ways.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, which three albums would you keep?
Debbie: Ariwa Sounds Roots Daughters Volume 1, Culture ‘Humble African’, ‘If not now’ Onu Onikawa. Very hard question!
Shirley: What's Going On Marvin Gaye, Marcia Griffiths at Studio One, The Mis-Education of Lauryn Hill.
Kaya: The Wailing Souls - Soul & Power, Amy Winehouse - Frank (This is too hard!) A Phase One album - unidentified, just a collection of Phase One’s releases.
What was your musical experience, and what was the event that shaped you the most?
Debbie: I will highlight an experience that meant a lot to me. I was delighted to be invited to be part of Stokey Friday Club, which was a monthly event with all female DJs, with a few of us on regular rotation and Judith Jacob, the host DJ—run by the late Ray Carless and M-Press Lee Downstairs at the Vortex in 2017-19. We managed to keep it going on Zoom during the lockdown, which was fun. In one session, we were playing 1for1, and someone played Jahoviah Twinkle Brothers, and I followed with Mash-Up Creation – Sharon Little, and everyone went “Wow” as it followed so well. It made me feel very proud about my selection as it was fellow DJs and people who know their music in Zoom.
I also need to note somewhere in this interview how very fine our events are with such a great crowd across all ages – sometimes families come, from different backgrounds and origins, and are so open-minded about what they hear, as our guests play a broad spectrum of sounds and that there are regulars who come back. And the friendliness.
Shirley: My favourite dj'ing experience was when Sisters of Reggae were invited to play in Sweden on the island of Oland at the Oland Roots Festival. We stayed in the most gorgeous eco-hotel, and we got to meet Marcia Griffiths, who was headlining; it was magical.
Kaya: I would say warming up for Aba-Shanti in 2024 was a moment that highlighted to me the true fruits of my labour, not only was it a show warming up for one of the greatest live sound men in the UK, it was a recognition and honour of all my love and hard work that I’d channeled into reggae and dub music. The show was a collection of the niche reggae music that I loved and not the new UK dub music people might expect to hear; this was important in validating my choices and preferences as a selector and performer.
Has it been difficult for you women in an all-female crew to emerge in a world that is sometimes predominantly dominated by men?
Debbie: Yes and No! Most of the men in our circle are helpful and appreciative, but some say things to us as female selectors, which I am sure they would not speak to men. I take my hat off to the majority who refrain from coming to tweak the knobs or take the mic (unless invited). The amazing standard of even beginners playing at our events shows clearly that womxn can stand their ground, and some of our guests are outstanding, some host their events with great followings. However, most DJ events, even some grassroots ones, are almost always all male DJs, and when it comes to most Reggae Festivals, forget it. I always call these out on social media, and the comments I get are not for the fainthearted! There is a long way to go.
Feminine HiFi, Grace of Spades, Nzinga Soundz, Rasta Queen, Rankin Merva and the Lioness Nights, Lady Banton, Mighty Ms. Magnet, Dub Plate Pearl, Lucky Cat, DJ Sherrine – our own Kaya M and Miss Feelgood, Linette Kamala, Judith Jacob – tho not vinyl, MC Mad X, MC Chikaboo, Sista Sheba, Nikki Lucas and others are taking female Reggae DJing/Selecting/MCing to higher heights and spaces. Vinyl Sisters and I Debbie Golt are right there, too. More sharing between us could make a difference. We are here in plain sight, yet most of us still have to work hard to get booked rather than approached as a matter of course.
Shirley: I think Debbie's ( Outerglobe) female DJ relay was a great idea of Debbie as It gives women who may not have had any previous experience playing their records in public an opportunity to do so, which is so important in a male-dominated environment.
Kaya: Patriarchy has its issues across society within music, yes, mostly as a woman on a mission, independently going to festivals/events and sessions alone. My whole prescience at times has felt challenged by the over-representation of men and what can sometimes be a promiscuous misogynistic culture. At times, I’ve appeased men to learn about music because they were the leaders/sound owners/producers, and that had lent itself to difficult experiences on occasions. This is contrasted by the majority of men in the music industry who have been entirely supportive and nurturing, offering mentoring and educational support in the various ways they can.
If you have to advise women who want to start selecting music, what advice would you give them?
Debbie: I like this question as it is about selecting and eventually playing rather than simply collecting - which is also important as you do need records you know and love and have listened to at home (even on YouTube if you don't have decks – yet). Go out and about and listen to people playing out and see how tunes you like can go together. Get Shazam going and ask about the tunes you want. Build up your collection in vintage record shops – most have listening facilities- look in places like Discogs and Ebay, and check Bandcamp for new releases. Listen to YouTube mixes, Mixcloud, and radio. Try to get at least one deck at home to play your records, two if you can with a mixer, amp, and speakers so you can practise playing at home – seeing how tunes flow, flexing between decks.
Moving from the thought to the action: If you are in London, come to our Ritzy nights, follow us on social media, and talk to us in person or online. Most of our new guests are people we didn't know before, and we invite people back! Hang out at Lion Vibes or Pure Vinyl and ask if you can play their monthly open decks, and look out for open deck opportunities near where you live (go with some friends to support your first time playing). Follow Vinyl B1tch online and book to play with them – beginners are encouraged.
Shirley: Do it. We only live once. Come along to Vinyl Sisters and do a slot there.
Kaya: Choose music that you love and only buy music that you love. Spending money to play certain kinds of tunes for certain dances will leave you with a bunch of records you might not like in 2 to 5 years. Connect with other women in music, either through meetups, open decks, or finding radio shows by women you enjoy and letting them know personally! Avoid running before walking; I think social media gives us this hyper impression that everything and everyone is accessible. Take time to understand what is at the core of your decisions and allow that to lead you rather than what other people are doing. Good shit takes time and imitation isn't real.
What Plans do you have for the future?
Shirley: To expand on our current activities, we recently held a “Brothers Meet The Sisters " night at the Ritzy with friends Kev MacCormack, Jake Miller, and Doc Murdoc. It was really good fun, and we are planning more of those events.
Kaya: I'm working on improving myself as a reggae keys player at the moment. With that as a foundation, I want to continue writing my own (singer-songwriter) music and learn more about other genres in electronic music production. Also, I would like to continue selecting non-reggae music, e.g. Afro-Latin, Brazilian & global clubs in various spaces.
