Whitebread Soundsystem was founded on February 11th 1995 in Dresden, Germany, on the occasion of a Reggae dance celebrating the 50th birthday of the Honourable Robert Nesta Marley. At that time Noppi and Axel, the two members of the DJ crew, had already been fascinated by Reggae music and Jamaican popular culture for years. The anniversary offered an opportunity to present their, still fairly small, collection of records to the people. Initially it was not intended to continue performing after this session if it hadnt been for the response of the crowd.. At that time Jamaican music was ignored by the majority of party people in Dresden and Reggae sessions took place almost exclusively in more or less isolated small clubs at the outskirts of the city. Thus it was high time to bring the sound to everybody and this is what Whitebread Soundsystem was about to do with a vengeance. Much more people than expected turned up at the Elypso and transmogrified the small cellar club into a steamy Reggae dancehall. There was no choice, Whitebread had to carry on..
Their early repertoire consisted predominantly of Roots and Cultural Reggae and Dub Poetry, but changes were to be made soon. Already in 1995 the musical focus shifted to a sound that was coming fresh from the U. K. - Digital Dub. Spearheaded by artists like the Disciples, Rootsman, the Iration Steppers and Alpha & Omega the Digidub producers were able to combine the minimalism and intensity of Dub Reggae with the capacities of computer technology. The repertoire of computerised Dub should form the foundation of many Whitebread sessions back then, playing alongside national and international artists like the HYPNOTIX from Prague, THE ROOTSMAN from Bradford`s Third Eye Crew in combination with jamaican singer legend EARL 16 and Bristol's STATIK SOUND SYSTEM.
At the same time Noppi and Axel continued to keep a strong link with Dresdens underground scene performing in squats and at illegal open air raves all over town, making Reggae niceness become more popular. Ever since 1995 Whitebread has always made its musical contribution the annual Bunte Republik Neustadt, a huge street party taking place every summer in Dresdens most buzzing district. In late 1998 musical changes were about to occur again. Another style of Reggae music, the most authentic one perhaps, was slowly superseding digital dub - Dancehall Reggae, Jamaicas current folk music. From now on Dub lost much of its territory and the Dancehall sets grew steadily. In early summer 1999 the first Strictly Dancehall session took place during a party at Dresdens Academy of Fine Arts. The reaction of the crowd to the new sound was hilarious. From now on Dancehall became Whitebreads main occupation and with every session they were able to present their music closer to the original. BIG TINGS..
Since then Whitebread have been the leading force of Dresden's Reggae community. Numerous sound systems, deejays and singers from all over Germany, Europe, the West Indies and the US were invited by them to play in Saxony's capital and the potential of Reggae music was acknowledged by more and more people. Since summer 2000 Dancehall Reggae sessions take place almost every week in Dresden. In late spring of 2002 Whitebread finally found a location in which they could set up a weekly Reggae dance - the Thursday Thunder at Katy's Garage. Being their own promoters enabled them to put some more force in the development of the local Reggae scene. New selectors and sounds as well as established ones now form the line-up of the Thursday Thunder sessions. Reggae musics growing popularity in Germany has put the many expressions of Jamaican folk culture into the spotlight as never before. This resulted in a growing number of Dancehall parties, new sound systems, selectors and party promoters appearing on the local and national scene.
Whitebread Soundsystem has always insisted on the fact that Reggae is a continuum of cultural expression stretching from the 1950s to the present day. The styles may change, the impact never does. It may be called Jamaican RnB, Ska, Rocksteady, Roots Reggae, Dub, Lovers Rock, Dancehall, or Digidub - all those are just different labels for one vibe. Paying respect to the foundation while always keeping an eye on the fresh stuff is and will be at the core of Whitebread's consciousness..