My First Taste -the second spoonful!

I can not remember why but for some reason this cover caught my eye as youth! Peter's Legalize It is an anthem for all generations. Whether your listening to it with young or old ears, this record is so pungent in an irie vibe, that your eyes will get bloodshot! In fact, driving thru some of those "weed and seed communities" if you get caught with this record in your car, it is equal to possession of a dime bag.
Seriously, the tall thin man backed by the fat riddims of Sly and Robbie. Peter standing alone in defiance of Babylon. Like his old bandmate, Bob Marley, Peter would use the worlds stage as a pulpit to perform his teachings. This was easily the most notorious record of the time.



The soundtrack to the star making movie for Jimmy Cliff. Jimmy had been kicking around the local scene since 1964 but this 1972 release put Reggae on a lot foreign turntables for the first time. Jimmy was the leading man in the movie but he is a co-star on the soundtrack. The Slickers with Johnny Too Bad steal the show. Toots along with his Maytels deliver the devastating Pressure Drop. Desmond Dekker's 007 (Shanty town) gets things skanking. The Melodian's give us Rivers Of Babylon. Jimmy the star is only represented with four songs. His Many Rivers To Cross and Sitting In Limbo soften the pace. Jimmy's massive hits You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come are included twice but that is okay because I never tire hearing those classics. This record is one part historical ducument and one part the greatest hits of early roots. Trojan recently released an even thicker version stuffed with extra hits from the same era. Sweeting the pot.



Jimmy as Ivan.



Maybe someday, some record company will press this in CD format and not just for profit because I doubt it will make one but for the simple fact that this is crucial listening. I do believe Greensleeves printed it last, so maybe there is hope. Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus are my first experiance with Nyabinghi. Although this is not a straight drum session. Robbie Shakespeare drops some bass down low into the mix. Peter Tosh and Earl Chinna Smith strum some high notes on gutairs. Ras Michael has an interesting way with words.



I remember picking both of these up out the record store bin. I could not wait to hear what the fuss was about. I slid an Andrew Jackson outta my wallet to cover the bill plus tax for Uncle Sam. Not since Paul Revere riding thru town calling out that "the British are coming" has a warning cry the split the silence as the Wailers announcing that Jah will be passing Judgement on Babylon.



While lyrically fighting the wrongs that Babylon inflict on the Sufferah, the pressures and business realities began to split up the strong individual personalities that made the Wailers. Burnin' would be the last studio ducument from the classic trio. This record and the next one never seem to be talked about with the same reverence as Catch A Fire or Bob's later recordings like Exodus. Old songs like Put it On, Duppy Conqueror and Small Axe are given new life by big budget ( Reggae standards) studio treatment. Burnin also introduced the Peter Tosh penned battle cry, "Get Up, Stand Up" and Bob Marley's world attention getter," I Shot The Sheriff." This record is the original Wailers going out while still on top. No weakness showing at all. This record is strength after strength.



The first record of Bob being positioned as sole leader was Natty Dread. Rastaman Vibration further confirms Robert Nesta Marley's solo authority. Long missing from the front line are veteran Jah soldiers Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. The I-Threes with Bob's wife Rita continue to fill in the ranks. The tunes are still strategised in the studio war room by the Barrett brothers. They, Carlton (drums) and Aston Family Man (bass) Barrett, lay down the groove to which Marley builds his songs on. Rastaman Vibration may not have as many famous tunes on it as other Marley records but this record has some of his finest momments.

Change is happning

I am going to try something new. I am going to actually WRITE about the CD I review. You know- break it down song by song. I will toss in talk about the riddims, the players and the producers. Maybe I will even throw in a little bio about the performer. Maybe even cut and paste up some photographs to dress it professional. Hmm? What record is a good start for something new?

Something old! BLACK UHURU'S RED



MICHAEL ROSE on lead voice. He sort of has this AFRICAN/ARABIC tribal JAZZ thing happening.Nobody sounds like MICHAEL ROSE then or now. PUMA adds just the right extra touches. What I mean by that is- I would not call PUMA a traditional back-up singer. She just wails or moans out the words. Original founder "DUCKIE" SIMPSON fills in what empty spots are left. The two other original members; DON CARLOS and GARTH DENNIS split early on to find fame as a solo star (DON) and a stand in with WAILING SOULS (GARTH). Oh yeah, the band that powered this trio was vintage 80's SLY and ROBBIE.



SLY beat the skins and syndrums while ROBBIE filled the bottom in with four strings. Lots of thick fat fingered steppers riffs. Individually or twinned together, it is believed they played on some outrageous number like 300,000 classic sessions. They are the RIDDIM called REGGAE!



This stunner was released on Island Records using their big company muscle to smash through to the international market. Mr. Marley made sure Reggae was no longer just a Jamaican secret. Reggae belonged to the world. England's disenchanted youth were hooked on this Soul Rebel music and needed more to fuel their fight. SLY and ROBBIE had their ears tuned to the post punk and new wave that was all the rage then. They took their own sound and that English sound and come up with something completely different!

Song break down:

1.) Youth of Eglington- The album Red jump starts with SLY and ROBBIE knocking on your frontal lobes. So open your mind because BLACK UHURU is coming in. This group is always welcome in my subconscious! Truth is I catch myself humming that bass walk all the time.

2.) Sponji Reggae- BLACK UHURU began life as old fashioned roots rockers but with SLY and ROBBIE sitting behind the control desk as producers, they took the group's sound for a tour of exotic places. Most of them you can not find on a map because these places only exist in SLY and ROBBIES herb superb induced imagination.

3.) Sistren- ROBBIE slapping and popping bass notes like he's jammin' in some funked out fusion band! ROBBIE does not just explore possible music, he goes deep into what the bass guitar is capable doing. Of course, SLY is pounding out some syndrum beats like he is a Nyahbinghi warrior from the future. This gives the trio a riddim to ride their magic on.

4.) Journey- When MR. ROSE chose to part ways with the band, his shoes were filled with the young JUNIOR REID'S feet. I would never call JUNIOR a carbon copy but his vocal stlye definetly overlapped MICHAEL'S. Interesting thing is YAMI BOLO sorta has both a MICHAEL ROSE and a JUNIOR REID thing going on! But more about the song....

5.) Utterance-

6.) Puff She Puff-

7.) Rockstone-

8.) Carbine-

9.) Sponji Reggae-

10.) Trodding-

I have a sneaky suspicion that when I am done breaking RED down song by song, I still will not have told you shit about it, other than this record would be packed in my luggage if I were to crash on a deserted isle. Yeah, why pack communcation devices when you can bring your top dozen favorites CDs!

My first taste

Now that AchisReggae gave my humble little Blog a big up. I need to get learning html speak real quickly. There is a problem though. I am an old dog, and if my lady luck aint all used up, I might be able learn new tricks. Takes the one or two brain cells I got left a few extra minutes to warm up. Maybe if rub ‘em together…
I will use this entry as my official beginning. If you where paying attention, you noticed I already mentioned that my age is old. Pick a number, any number between 45 and death. That is I. A past arrest report stated that I was a Caucasian male. That is what I get for looking suspicious
This Blog will rant and rave about sweet Reggae music. Covering everything from Roots Rockers to the deepest Dub to the slackest Dancehall. I love it all. I may also wander off on some tangent, but trust me; they will be related like kissing cousins.
Reggae records back in the early eighties were hard to come by for most Americans. A few hip record boutiques downtown carried a minor selection, Mostly the Island Record label releases. Blackworst’s label was the biggest independent until Virgin Music caught on. Competition between corporations is good, stimulates the creativity. The two labels were snapping up local JA talent in blinding flash. Great records where being pressed and shipped quicker than you could strip a Chrysler Cordoba. Fans win out this round. In those imported crates, along with the Bob Marley’s big movers came random gambles. “Black Uhuru? Names I never heard of! Cover looks cool though”.
Of course, I would not remain an ignorant MF’er for long.
I would spend every Saturday afternoon scourging the bins. Sometimes unearthing more than I my wallet could sustain. Sometimes the picture was bleak.

In those bins I found these releases. Heaven’s treasure. So here is a list of my first time dozen…



Culture’s International Herb is a high vibe lie low affair. Their sound is the sweet nothings of a lover whispering in your ear. That is if you love blazing the Chalice and chanting down Babylon. Culture’s Joseph Hill was a politician. Not a politician like the barking devil dogs of the Capitalist party. Hill was a Statesman for Jah. Hill was the Keeper Of Zion Gate. This is one of the strongest from the Roots era. Their Two Sevens Clash is a tight second place. Joseph’s son Kenyatta continues walking his late father’s shoes. No numbers necssary. The perfect buzz!



Israel Vibration’s The Same Song was their debut and is still the best place to start. You need it if your gonna pass Go. Sure, the band made up of Apple Gabriel, Skelly and Wiss soldiered on to make more great records, but this first one has all the optimism, innocence and enthusiasm of group that has not yet experienced the ugly of business. Apple split solo after the last dip down. Skelly and Wiss are still keeping the name high. Good stuff. 7.5 out of 10 stars.



The Wailing Soul’s Inchpinchers. The band had been kicking around JA studios for quite some time before scoring international with Inchpinchers. This would be their highest peak chart-wise. Sadly, this Roots Rocker style was nearing the end of its shelf-life. The new trends in dancehall swept most of these bands off the charts. The Wailing Souls refuse to be a dusty old memory and still continue like nothings changed. 7.5 out of 10 stars.



Steel Pulse’s Handsworth revolution. This band sounded completely original. There is a subtle difference to their vibe. They even Thanked and Praised a little differently. Possessed a punks attitude but without the noisy guitar. I at the time had no clue that they were English. Media coverage was scarce in all things JA. The music rags even seemed to gloss over it in favor of the new wave of haircuts. The band was the first-born generation of Jamaican parents who migrated to England after JA’s independence. (A farce of sorts). These folks were led to believe career opportunities waited for them. The JA immigrants filled the dole queue with the rest of England’s disenchanted. This band delivered 4 or 5 albums of unarmed resistance before going radio friendly. Although, David Hinds, the bands big boss is back at it giving Babylon a good fight. 9 out of 10 stars.



Mr David Hinds and his gravity defying locks!



Militant Barry’s Green Valley was the dreadest! Darker than Big Youth. Thicker than I- Roy. Deadlier at the mic than Clint Eastwood. Producer Keith Hudson supplied the murkiest sludge to get your ears stuck in. Bass so wicked your bones felt possessed. This record requires your undivided attention. This needs to be thumped loudly through your speakers. Green Valley was my first DeeJay experience. It blew my mind like the cheap pair of speakers I blasted it through!. Green valley is one of my all time favorites spins. 10 out of 10 stars. The perfect buzz!



Eek-A-Mouse’s Wha Do Dem. What in Babylon is this? Nobody scats that fast! What a wordsmith Mr. Mouse is. Tales for the whole family to enjoy! 9.5 out of 10 stars. A mighty fine buzz!



The remastered CD version with new cover which is the original vinyl's back cover.



Jah Lloyd’s Black Moses. Coming off the heels of the Lee Perry produced Colombia Colly record Jah Lloyd delivered Black Moses like he was being chased by the hounds from Hell. This record is a blistering set of words and music. Dread power, black man power, people power and even the power of suggestion . Virgin Record's top dog Richard Branson got jealusous of Island Records grabbing the lion’s share of the Reggae market, so he sent Johnny Rotten/Lydon of the recently imploded Sex Pistol to Jamaica for some serious cool out and to talent scout. Mr. Rotten signed on the dotted line those artist that scared Island records. 9.5 out of 10 stars. Chronic!

Not quite the promised dozen 'cause my eyes are bugging. Once I focus...

Forty days and forty nights adrift the Black Ark

Lee "Scratch" Perry took the title Upsetter while his contemporiaries chose royal Titles like King Tubby or Prince Jammy. "Scratch" the man is half flesh and half myth. Sometimes the actual person is stranger than the fiction. Lee Perry is a brilliant but maniacal producer of sounds.



This is a whole made of sums. This nicely collects togther choice singles, album sides and dubs from "Scratch" the solo performer and "Scratch" the genious behind the controls. Passengers on his Black Ark may of found themselves bewildered but also found themselves at the top of the charts. Check the names. All seventies superstars! What? Out of print? Morons! Allright, try this one...



This is a great overall sampling of Scratch's legacy.

Disc one begins Scratch's history with head strong but straight forward productions of ska and rocksteady singers. These tunes are great long lost treasures that hopefully will never be buried again.

Disc two is where that outerworldly sound started leaking from Scratch's pysche. This is the Scratch as a genius or certifiable madman emerging! His touch at the controls was as important as the band playing the music.

Disc three is Scratch as Jamaica's Native Son swallowed up into the belly of the beast! He is living in Babylon (America, then Europe). You can accuse Scratch of having an avant-garde approach, maybe because of the bone-chilling cold winters, his touch at the controls changed. Some of this stuff would give the shivers to German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk. Like disc two, it still has that outerworldly vibe, only now it is more like a ghost in the machine.



I don't sing to my plants when I water them, I spin Super Ape. To get a jungle you need the Full Experience. Seeps down deep to reach the Underground Root. If you don't own this, your garden won't grow.



There is something so ethereal about this record. It could be Junior's falsetto. It could be that the tracks were looped through Lee Perry's frontal lobes!



Lee Scratch Perry helped Bob find himself vocally, but Lee's hand is all in the band's sound as well. Most Marley fans consider these original versions collected here, to be his and the Wailer's greatest effort. Most of these were later reproduced for Blackwell's label Island and became Reggae standards. Nothing tho, as they say, is better than the original! Includes extra tracks (Upsetter dubs)-all necessary.



Lee Perry's backing band would be thieved away by Bob and rechristened the Wailers. This is a late 70's edition of that band. The long lanky gentleman standing up on the left is Cedric Myton. Which is a nice lead into the next up band...



Cedric's falsetto took this earth rooted harmony trio to the heavens. So perfect was this debut, that everything released after was judged unfairly against it. Everybody wanted more of the same and with Perry absent at the controls for subsequent releases, the Congos moved into other directions. Thankfully, Cedric is still hitting high notes that only dogs can hear!



The VP Records version of the release with a slightly different mix.