King Earthquake sound system was founded by Errol Arawak in the late 70’s. In the beginning originally there were six members including Errol, the other five were cousins. It was like a family sound…
Errol has been playing sound system since 1977 before leaving school, at that early age the sound wasn’t that big so only played mainly in Blues dances but increasing the sound every time. Five months after leaving school, when he was only 17 he played at a major dance. Up until then the sound didn’t have a name, but after the dance someone commented that the sound should be “Earthquake”…
A promoter approached Errol for the next dance and asked for the sound name, without thinking he replied him “Earthquake”! After a string of clashes the sound was renamed to “King Earthquake” as he was NEVER defeated. ?Anyway, as time went on the music started to change in style as did various sound members, everything started to drift away from roots and culture…
All of the other roots sounds stopped playing and a new trend was taking over. He was the only sound still playing roots and dub, much to everyone’s dislike. Sadly by 1985 KING EARTHQUAKE went into storage and life became meaningless, playing in the sound system is the only thing he knew.
Days, weeks and months turned into years and Errol was still drifting along aimlessly, He had nothing to show for his life. His only achievement was locked away gathering dust in the garage at the bottom of the garden. Well the year 2000 arrived, it was time to wake up out of this deep sleep he fell into, time to relive again, time to make a comeback.
He dug the sound out and restored it to all its glory and can proudly say that the name KING EARTHQUAKE is now ready to make its mark in society and with help of Jah, change the lives of those who have strayed and put them back on the path of righteousness, Rastafari
Ja Sound Festival