Reggae, reggae, reggae.......
Here comes Johnny Reggae.....
Well, apart from that, obviously. By public request (thank you, Vulpes) may there be an investigation and enquiry into where we should look for quality in reggae, ska and bluebeat.
I yesterday dissed Bob Marley for his blandness; on the way in to work I played the ska compilation supplied with A.N. Other magazine*, and I have to say the early Marley thereupon makes me wonder if I am tarring him unfairly, as it sounded a lot less polished up for the american market than his later stuff. I am sure that will be pointed out by others.
But who do I go for? I like Black Uhuru, I have a smattering of Gregory Isaacs, some Lee Perry compilations, some Culture and a ragbag of single tracks of several others. I also like Sinead O'Connors reggae excursion, which may lose me all cred, but the combination of her voice and exceptional musical backing is superb. And, I think, fairly authentic.
Over to the Irregulars! Entertain me!
(* which has some of the most unholy crap I have been given away free for a long time, with the odd truffle thrown in to entice)
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here's my ten personal fave reggae tracks (excluding Bob Marley)
Desmond Dekker - 007 Shanty Town
The Kingstonians - Singer Man
Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop
The Skatalites - Music is My Occupation
Eric Monty Morris - Penny Reelo O
Lord Tanamo - I'm In the Mood for Love
Roland Alphonso - Phoenix City
Althea and Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
Horace Andy - Skylarkin
Max Romeo - War in a Babylon
Jimmy Cliff - Wonderful World Beautiful People
Ok that's 11 and it'll surely change tomorrow, but hey I need more time to think about it.
A few late-'70s classics I still play
Sounds like you go for the roots sound of the late Seventies, which is the only reggae I know. Give these classics from the era a shot, if you haven't already:
Bunny Wailer - Blackheart Man
Peter Tosh - Legalize It
The Upsetters - Super Ape (my fave Scratch reckid)
Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey
Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla
But the one I come back to most often is this little gem:
Third World - 96º In The Shade (10 reviews at Amazon - all 5 stars)
You can listen to brief snippets of all the above at amazon.co.uk
A few suggestions...
If you haven't already got it, buy "Two Sevens Clash" from Culture, it's one of the most tuneful, soulful, danceable reggae classics out there.
Make sure your Black Uhuru stack includes "Red", though the cheapo double CD Island compilation "Liberation" is pretty fine.
You MUST have "Super Ape" from Lee Perry, it's the law.
U-Roy's "Dread In A Babylon" is another dead cert classic, and includes the sublime "Chalice In The Palace", wherein Mr. Roy gets to toke with Her Maj at Buck House.
Several of the Burning Spear albums from the late 70s are stone cold classics; if you can, get "Marcus Garvey" and its Dub counterpart "Garvey's Ghost", they are both mint.
There are several Trojan 3CD themed boxes, usually going for about a tenner each, which are well worth investing in. Check out the reviews on Amazon, as there are a few stinkers, and I've found them a very reliable guide for this vast series of cheapo re-issues.
If you have a taste for Dub (and you do already) you should also investigate some of the fine UK Dub from Dennis Bovell, several titles of his can be found quite easily, and they're all pretty fine.
There are some classics that deserve their status, such as "King Tubby meets The Upsetter at the Grass Roots of Dub", and "King Tubby meeets the Rockers Uptown", and you'll see the pattern; virtually anything with King Tubby's name on it is a good bet.
Other personal favourites of mine include "Man From Wareika" by Rico, "Legalise It" by Peter Tosh, "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng" by Yellowman, and I'm partial to a blast of "96 Degrees In The Shade" by Third World when I want some Reggae-lite.
Prepare for a credit card drubbing, as there is an awful lot of very good Reggae to hear!
Sinead's Reggae adventure
I like this one too. A mate sent me a copy, and I admit at first I was extremely wary of a Sinead O'Connor Reggae album, but the girl can sing, and look at who she's working with - it's Sly 'n' Robbie!
She pulls off a minor miracle with this one, it's a fine album.
The girl can do no wrong....
....well, actually she can, but the gems in her output way outweigh her clunkers. Her most recent LP is pretty dire and there is some earlier plaintive platitudinising scattered about generally, but her duo of the mentioned "Throw down your arms" and the earlier "trad arr" Sean-nos nua, her folk album, are all gold. Who would ever feel that ...."singing cockles and mussels, alive alive-o" could both bring a shiver up the spine and a tear to the eye.
She is always worth popping into limescale type searches, if only then to discover the huge number of soundtracks and guest appearances she has done, as well as large number of tribute CD songs. Only if you then purchase the original. I insist on that.
P.S. Wikipedia have a good list too, having just checked, to save anyone the risk of F2F sharing.......
When I said a mate sent me a copy
it was the kosher CD, not a CD-R!
I don't insist on that for necessarily all artists.......
....or so a friend told me to say he said........
I have a higher moral code about artists I like (he said also)
In addition
As well as (some of) those posted above I'd add the following below.
NB I will admit my preference is for roots reggae, the classic one drop rhythm (I taught in JA between 71 and 78). I also love the slight dissonance of rasta horn sections, for example on Door Peep by Burning Spear.
Ijahman's first album Haile I Hymn. This is actually 4 tracks presented to Island as singles but issued as an album. Some of his later stuff is pretty good but the first side of this album (yes, mine is vinyl) is in my top 10 of all time album sides.
Mighty Diamonds Right Time
Abyssinians
includes the original Satta Amasagana (that's how it's spelt on my vinyl pre-release white label)
Heptones Night Food
Poet and the Roots Dread Beat An' Blood
I like LKJ reading his poetry but with a great rhythm behind him it's even better - try It Dread Inna Inglan (for George Lindo) and swoon when the rhythm comes in
Rootz Underground
a modern group playing classic rhythms
and to go right back
Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari Grounation
And Also...
Handsworth Revolution by Steel Pulse, not a bad track on it and is it the greatest every UK reggae lp (a fairly small field I'm thinking)?. I may be slightly biaised as I now live in the second city. Should cross-post it to the 'perfect lps' section too.
And, fav of Peel but astonishing still Live At The Counter-Eurovision 1979 by Misty in Roots. Not sure if this is available on CD as mine is the vinyl. I remember the fantastic phrase 'medieval dub' being used to describe how roots this is.
Seconded
The Pulse album is brilliant.
I've had all sorts of fun getting Misty In Roots stuff - there are some later titles available on CD, but the early vinyl is getting rare; I haven't yet seen copies on eBay at a sensible price.
Greatest UK reggae LP
I give you Aswad "Live and Direct".
Good call, Mr Hepworth
History and the critics haven't been too kind to Aswad, but I remember getting this album when it came out and got it again on cd a few weeks ago. Top stuff.
Like many others I would recommend Black Uhuru, Culture, Third World (early stuff like 96 degrees and Journey to Addis) and for something from left field "Amigo" by Black Slate.
Two of the finest gigs I've ever witnessed
were Culture and Aswad, both in Bristol, both seen through a fug of ganja fumes and a veritable forest of flying locks, with internal organ massaging bass. Ace.
So, you have never heard...
...'Live At Counter-Eurovision' by Misty In Roots?
you can't go wrong with
Big Youth Dreadlocks Dread
Yabby U King Tubby's Prophecy Of Dub
Bob Andy Dub Book
The Abyssinians Forward Onto Zion
The Congos Heart Of The Congos
Blimey!
Going great guns here, fellas. Much appreciated. A few that have fallen under the radar there, that are definitely worthy of exploration.
Yabby U; now that's a name and a half (or name and initial, I suppose.)Never ever heard of him.
Quick mention/reminder of african reggae, as in Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube. Former is more fun.
Yabby U
aka Vivian Jackson, did a FANTASTIC album under the moniker Vivian Jackson and the Prophets, called "Chant Down Babylon Kingdom". You'll find the same tracks compiled under a host of different album names, and you should add this set, in whatever form, to your hot list. I forgot all about him!
While I'm filling in names I forgot, I'll also put in a shout for Joe Gibbs; there are a series of albums sometimes credited to Joe Gibbs & The Professionals, called "African Dub". I know there are 4 volumes; there may be more. The classic one to make sure you get is "African Dub - Chapter 3", but they're all solid Dub works.
And another
Culture: "Two Sevens Clash".
The Dogs Bollocks!
Bought the original Two Sevens Clash on Lightning in 1978 after reading a review by the brilliant Vivien Goldman.
Still in my all time Top 10 ! ( Despite it bringing back tragic memories of the red, gold and green tea-cosy style Rasta hat I asked my Mum to knit me. Oops !)
The hat
You didn't really, did you?
We want to see it.
If only I still had it ....
... but sadly I didnt keep it for long - played havoc with my spiky punk hair-do.
And I looked a right twat.
Prince Far-I
I used to own an LP called Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Part 2 by him. It was great but an ex went off with it. Wish I still had it. There were sheep noises on it as I recall. Should see about getting a replacement.
No-one has mentioned
any Sly and Robbie Album - if you can still get it cheap then 'An introduction to...' is well worth it if only for a much better version of Pass the Dutchie which has a bass line you wouldnt believe.
Toots and the Maytals album of colloborations was brilliant too - came out about 2 years ago - has a fantastic 'careless Ethiopians' with Keith Richards.
Keef N' Toots
that version of 'Careless Ethiopians' is really, really great
All of the above
And two faves of mine - Clint Eastwood and General Saint (funny but cred reggae - "Saaaint yer brave yer kissin' yer girlfiriend on top a me grave") and also Eek a Mouse - "Ganja smuggling" off "The man not the mouse" I think.
And more
Derek Morgan: Tougher Than Tough
Augustus Pablo: King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown
Silly me
I nearly forgot to mention Scientist. Almost all of his crazily named albums are worth your money, but my favourite is "Rids The World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires".
Ah haa haaa haa haaa haaaaah!!
/demonic cackle
dub receommendations
Following up previous comment about Scientist - the series of dub LPs he released in the early 1980s on Greensleeves, with the cartoon covers and cartoon titles (Meets The Space Invaders, Wins The World Cup etc) are what ya might call Killer Diller. Hardly a duff track on them and they're all available on vinyl again now (which is really the only way to hear dub, IMO)
...also Joe Gibbs & The Professionals series of (I think) four albums called "African Dub" are worth having ....
and a bit further back, for the ska fans can I recommend "Ska Jam" by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, and "Sucu Sucu" by the mighty Skatalites. Rockinggggg
Joe Higgs
Life of Contradiction by Joe Higgs has just been rereleased and it's pretty fantastic as are:
Two Sevens Clash - Culture
Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin
War Ina Babylon - Max Romeo
Roots Reggae:The Jamican Albums - Toots & The Maytals
Trojan Rockers
Night Food - The Heptones
Heart of The Congos
Bush Doctor - Peter Tosh
Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear
and a load of others. I certainly wouldn't think of Bob Marley as bland, I'm a fan of pretty much everything he did and I've got a real soft spot for Survival for some reason.
Jimmy
How could I forget the fantastic Wonderful World, Beautiful People by Jimmy Cliff?
another thought
My own take on Bob Marley is that I prefer the music with Tosh and Bunny on vocals rather than the I-Threes (so Catch a Fire and Burnin' are best for me). The special edition of Catch A Fire, which includes both the original release, with some sweetener on top, and the raw stuff sent over from JA to Chris Blackwell, all sounds good to me. The thread relating to classic pieces from the magazine made me remember that there was an excellent piece by Richard Williams in the Melody Maker in the 70s correctly predicting that Bob would go on to become the first world superstar of JA music. And apropos the later thread about prudish indie music I found I just had to listen to I Roy and the wonderful Welding (what the young gal want).
Best Marley
I like all the Bob stuff - Kaya maybe a bit sweet, but it's all good stuff - but the best IMHO is "Uprising" which is one of those perfect albums. Just thinking about the cover brings back happy memories of a series of stoned parties in North Wales listening to little else (well, "Rock and groove" by Bunny Wailer got more than a few spins too)....happy daze
Studio One
The Studio One compilations are superb. I've got about ten of these and have yet to come across a duff one. You should try "The Best Of Studio One Collection". Really brilliant stuff.
I know you dissed Bob Marley
But as its always on discount I think you should consider Babylon by Bus from 1978 which is live and I have to say just the Dogs Bollocks. And I wouldn't make you waste your money. Seriously.
Don't dismiss the cheapo Marley compilation CDs either.
There are countless (slightly dodgy?) compilations available of the early stuff Bob Marley did, some with Lee Perry at the desk I think.
I've got three of them, called "Natural Mystic", "One Love" and "Lively Up Yourself", and they are all pretty good, though they share a lot of tracks in common.
They turn up usually in Motorway service stations or similar locations at £2.99 or so.
Soul Jazz Records - Dynamite
You really can't go wrong with these start at 100% and work your way down...
http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/releases/?id=212
Dr Alimantado etc
Another great -
Dr Alimantado - "Best Dressed Chicken in Town"
Another mention for "Heart of the Congos" - not merely one of the best reggae records ever, one of the best records ever, period.
Also - Linton Kwesi Johnson "Bass Culture" and "Forces of Victory"
PS I thought the Mojo ska CD was mostly pretty good actually...
Slomo ska
It was all the skinhead anthems that wrecked my boat.....Loved the Rico moments tho'. In fact anythinh with Rico on it is good by me. Best trombonist in music. (Or, possibly, just most effective.)
Some more recent stuff
All the above are great, but some slightly more recent stuff that's worth getting hold of;
Garnett Silk - It's Growing - the one singer who could really have been a star in the manner of Marley, tragically died in a house fire.
Buju Banton - Til Shiloh - spiritual, acoustic drums and chants heavy album, with a sprinkling of tuff dancehall for good measure
Barrington Levy - mainly a singles man (as is much Jamaican music, really) but if you can get anything which has 'Here I Come', 'Dancehall Rock' and 'Under Mi Sensi' on it, then snap it up).
And I don't know if it's still available, but Bim Sherman's beautiful 'Miracle', produced by Adrian Sherwood, is a gorgeous acoustic reggae record.
More and more thanks to all
in this strand. Loads of directions to follow. Bankruptcy ahoy, or at least sound words from Mrs Path!
Have watched this thread with interest...
...picked up 'Super Ape' and 'Marcus Garvey' yesterday. Have played the former a couple of times and very much like it. I have little experience of reggae outside of Bob Marley and the old Trojan hits that I used to hear on the radio quite a bit. Having said that I did used to own a vinyl sampler for Virgin's 'Front Line' label and liked what was on there.
Those two
are a fantastic place to start; Perry and Spear are both Gods.