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Aside of being Maxi Priest’s cousin, Jacob Miller is probably best known for his classic single ‘Tenement Yard’. He was also a protégé of Augustus Pablo, with whom he made several records, including 1975’s ‘Baby I Love You So’. Miller’s music was brought to an abrupt halt when he had a fatal car accident in Kingston, Jamaica in May 1980. His music would live on.
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Having initially recorded it as a joke, teenagers Althea Forrest and Donna Reid struck gold with their take on deejay Trinity’s ‘Three Piece Suit’. With John Peel’s endorsement, the surprise reggae hit ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ reached number 1 in the UK charts. Have a great weekend.
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Osbourne Ruddock (aka King Tubby) was one of the original purveyors of the remix. The fact that that his domain was reggae and dub music is neither here nor there, the man was a mixologist. By 1972, his influence was being acknowledged by others in their growing experimentation. One example appeared as a B-side to Pat Satchmo’s ‘What’s Going On’; the Prince Tony-produced ‘Tubbys In Full Swing’ was credited to singer Lloyd Young and Carey ‘Wildman’ Johnson. A radio announcement, a few false bars of the Staples Singers’ ‘I’ll Take You There’, followed by Kerry, a drum roll, an organ and a trombone instrumental. Reggae was a-changing. Have a great weekend.
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Rather later than normal, I bring you Bob Marley & The Wailers. The sounds helps soothe the sickness that’s pestered me for the last couple of days. “I Like It Like, I Like It Like.” ‘Don’t Rock My Boat’ was originally released in 1968 in a rocksteady style. By 1971, the group had hooked up with Lee Perry and resurrected the track with a stripped back sound and Marley’s new-found soul. This version of the track first appeared on their Soul Revolution album.
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A last dip into 1977 before we get all contemporary again, Elvis Costello’s ‘Watching the Detectives’ was his first single that credited his backing band, The Attractions, and fair reward for the archetypal reggae beat that makes the track. Have a great weekend.
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Let’s continue with 1977. This song should need no introduction. Recorded in London following an attempt on his life, the album Exodus features the one, the only ‘Jamming’. Hooj.
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‘Is A Woman’ is the title track off Lambchop’s 2002 long player. The album sealed Kurt Wagner’s move away from alt-country. The dry sing-speak voice is the same, but in this single – the closing track on the album – Wagner turns his hand to a touch of reggae. As if Randy Newman was backed by the Wailers.
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Since Katy Perry and Taylor Swift’s great strides in the last couple of years, there seems to have been a renaissance in the pop song. This year has seen a plethora of well crafted radio friendly singles… Galantis, Nick Jonas, The Weeknd, Skrillex and Diplo, Years & Years etc. Major Lazer has featured on this blog before, but not for something this humongous. The US-based duo Diplo and Walshy Fire partnered with French producer DJ Snake and Danish singer MØ – and together they dreamt up this global monster. ‘Lean On’ features on Major Lazer’s third studio album, Peace Is the Mission, and like 2012’s ‘Get Free’, there is a distinct taste of reggae/dancehall for the masses. Have a great week.
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Speaking of homage, The Prodigy sampled the song ‘Chase the Devil’ for 1992’s dance floor beast ‘Out of Space’. However, Max Romeo’s original chorus is backed by Lee “Scratch” Perry’s house band The Upsetters. The Prodigy could only do their best to copy some of that Jamaican magic.
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Reggae is the sound of sun. Unexpectedly, the distinctive Dr. Alimantado found fame outside of Jamaica after Johnny Rotten recommended a listen. Hearing the fun-infused pressing Best Dressed Chicken in Town, you can understand how the appreciation crossed genres. ‘Poison Flour’ is a version of a Horace Andy vocal; I guess neither of them are fans of carbs.
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Now for an early take on a classic early dub sound. Prince Fatty is the offspring of producer Mike Pelanconi, who had already made a name for himself behind the desk for Lily Allen. He knows how to pick his singers – ‘Milk And Honey’ features the irie vocals of Hollie Cook. Have a great weekend.
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When I was a lad, the Ozric Tentacles sounded and looked like they had fallen down from a scary outer space and landed in the woods of Wimbledon Common. Someone then handed them a recording contract and in 1990 they released their first major pressing Erpland. I overlook the the album’s spacerock signature ‘Eternal Wheel’ in favour of the reggae-influenced ‘Iscence’. Why? Because there are some vocals; proof of human life.
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I end the week with a Jamaican-born Hopeton Lewis singing his rocksteady classic ‘Take It Easy’ from 1966. Seasonal it is not, but here’s hoping for a ray of sunshine this weekend. Enjoy.
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Taj Mahal has the cool and that’s why this is a third feature in this blog. But ‘Queen Bee’ is the first of the three he penned himself and the only one that he wrote for his 1997 album Señor Blues – a journey through some of his favourite blues styles. As with much his great work, he’s able to blend his influences seamlessly – in this case blues and reggae. Say it’s so, Taj, your queen bee rock you to your soul.
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Released on Graduate Records, ‘Food For Thought’ was the first single to reach the UK Top 10 without the backing of a major record company. It helped that it was released as a double A side along with phenomenal ‘King‘. Their recent feature on Later with Jools Holland was a reminder of just how good UB40 were at the outset, before the 1980s got hold of them.
