Crossfire Hurricane Rum – The brand's origins

The name Crossfire Hurricane comes from the opening line of The Rolling Stones' 1968 single Jumpin' Jack Flash: "I was born in a crossfire hurricane." The phrase is a link to the band, but its sense of energy also suits a range of rums showcasing the powerful fruit, esters and character associated with traditional Jamaican rum.

The Rolling Stones arrive in Jamaica

The story starts in 1972 when The Rolling Stones were in one of the most celebrated and turbulent periods of their career. After recording Exile on Main St. in the South of France and an extensive American tour, the British band were effectively living between countries.

Jamaica provided both a destination and a new musical environment.

The island was experiencing an extraordinarily fertile period in its musical history. Ska had developed into rocksteady and reggae, Jamaican studios were producing records at pace, and the country's musicians, producers and sound-system culture were creating music that increasingly attracted international attention.

For The Rolling Stones, Jamaica became much more than a place to temporarily set up a recording session. The band's time there began an association with the island and its musicians that would continue for decades.

Recording Goats Head Soup in Kingston

The Stones travelled to Kingston to work on the album that became Goats Head Soup. Sessions were held at Dynamic Sound Studios, one of Jamaica's important recording facilities, while the band stayed at Kingston's Terra Nova Hotel.

Recording frequently took place at night, with the Stones working in an environment shared with Jamaica's active recording community. Among the songs worked on during the Kingston sessions were two of the album's best-known tracks, Angie and Star Star.

The Stones and Jamaican music

Over the following years, members of The Rolling Stones developed connections with numerous Jamaican artists and musicians, including Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Max Romeo, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, Black Uhuru, Toots & the Maytals, and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

One particularly important relationship involved Peter Tosh. The former Wailer signed to Rolling Stones Records in the late 1970s, and Mick Jagger appeared with Tosh on his recording of (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back. Tosh also toured the United States with The Rolling Stones.

Keith Richards and Tosh Band

The association also brought the Stones into close contact with the formidable Jamaican rhythm section of drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare. Better known simply as Sly & Robbie, the pair became two of the most prolific and influential musicians in Jamaican popular music.

Consequently, the Jamaican connection behind Crossfire Hurricane is not based on a single visit or recording session. It draws on a relationship between the band and the island's music that developed over many years.