DREADFUL?

Nah, just not necessarily Ital, only the beginning of modern dancehall is all. I remember when the hour struck the new millinium, (man...ten years have already slipped by!)-that in my infinite wisdom I and I preached that the previous decade was a bleak era for righteous reggae. (the 1985 to 1995 bad man years). A few bright stars were still shining over Jamrock but they were growing dimmer with each passing year. During those dark ages, I falsely believed that talent had become an option because gimmicks were the standard. It was a music machine stamping out the same tune over the same riddim over and over. And then some. Yeah, I was dead wrong.
Was I not listening? Actually I was, I just would not admit it. I blew that snot attitude clear outta my head. Freshly focused and informed that the roots rockers were still marching on Babylon. The Deejays were still reporting from the ghetto yards. Dub infiltrated into mainstream music thanks to London clubs. So what was my generations gripe about? Nothing really. To old school stoned to dig our minds under me sleng teng. I was guilty as charged!
Now looking back, there has never been a bleak era in all things reggae. Never. Every stride REGGAE has taken since its birth is a step towards new golden years. It seems to grow younger with every new decade. That dark aged decade I was mentioning brought us the Tenor Saws, the Johnny Osbournes and the Cocoa Teas. It brought us the Sugar Minotts and Barrington Levys. A fistful of years later, Shabba Ranks would bring reggae back to the world's doorstep. Shaggy wiped his feet on the welcome mat. Maybe the Hip-Hop crossover was sacrilegious. Maybe we thought reggae was no longer our secret. What foolishness! I even remember thinking all those Michael Rose solo albums weren' t that choice only because it was not his Black Uhuru best. Absolute nonsense. Junior Reid dropped the immortal One Blood. Chaka Demus and Pliers blew up all over TV video channels with Murder She Wrote. Then again, you can never go wrong with a Sly and Robbie production. I remember changing my daughters nappies to it. I would not admit it but at the time, I knew all the words to the "sell out" Shabba Ranks's Mr. Loverman.
The Revenge of KING JAMMY'S Super Power Allstars volume 2 is proof that many stars burned bright in Jamrock's late 80's night skies. This set list from the pioneering digital age is pure smokin' Sensi. Side one of disc one starts off with the choice cut Budy Bye from Johnny Osbourne. Wayne Smith's massive classic Under Me Sleng Teng is tune number two. Features a handful of Tenor Saw tunes as well as a handful from his sparring partner, Nitty Gritty. Pumpkin Belly being the big tune from Tenor Saw is third up. Get the picture? I am talking about two discs worth of these classics! For under ten dollars and featuring early hits by Cocoa Tea and even a later hit by Dennis Brown. My ears had been deprived of hearing False Alarm, Nitty's answer to Tenor's Ring the Alarm. This massive collection fixes problems. Get it.