In my year end round up, there was a paucity of reggae and dub representation. Not for lack of quality material, far from it: both African Head Charge and Creation Rebel triumphantly returned with magnificent albums in 2023.
It was more the case that I had enough new and 'catch up' purchases to warrant a Dubhed selection and so here we are. Eleven of these songs have featured on albums or compilations that dropped into my shopping at various points last year.
Two 'bonus' tracks have been added to the mix at the last minute, not new purchases but more a pang of guilt that I'd not included anything from John Holt's epic 1000 Volts Of Holt in yesterday's selection. To compensate, I've included a couple of the great man's greatest songs.
Prince Fatty released a mighty fine cover of 100 Weight Of Collie Weed, which took me back to the source, the 1984 album of the same by Carlton Livingston, which I'd never heard before. Fast forward 30 years to Danny Red, whose 1995 debut I enjoyed but didn't follow much afterwards. His 2016 album Red And Conscious, from which this song choice is pulled, is a cracker.
Sticking with the 1980s, I tracked down Misty In Roots' collection of John Peel sessions and have included a gem from May 1981. Misty In Roots are playing at the Electric Ballroom in London on 30th March, with a line-up including Horace Andy, Pama International and Louchie Lou & Michie One. Unfortunately I can't be there but a bargain at £44.00, I think.
As well as African Head Charge and Creation Rebel, I've been catching up with some of On-U Sound label mates Dub Syndicate's 21st century albums. Today's selection features the title track from their 2004 album No Bed Of Roses, produced by Style Scott and Adrian Sherwood.
Another concerted effort last year to fill the gaps in my Dennis Bovell collection, with several acquisitions such as 2012's tub o' dub Mek It Run. Reggae royalty, no mistake.
Speaking of which, and proof that you can't keep a good monarch down, King Ayisoba makes his second appearance this weekend as the guest of African Head Charge. Next door, Creation Rebel host Denise Sherwood, daughter of Adrian and chanteuse supreme.
Back to the 1970s and I-Roy, another heavyweight relatively poorly served in my reggae and dub collection (which is pretty much all CD and digital, with the exception of a few 10" & 12" singles by various artists). Bad Boy Corner is a digital rip from the 1979 album and was sadly missing the accompanying 'free' dub album, Spider's Web. Not considered to be one of I-Roy's best albums but I'm not complaining.
Wrapping things up with a brace of versions by Pama International, the dub of One Step by Nick Manasseh, followed by the original album version from 2006. At the time, Pama International were the first new band to sign to Trojan Records in 30 years. Four of the Manasseh dubs were released on a 10" single in 2007 but as far as I'm aware, the full album didn't see the light of day until 2018, stumbled upon by this here writer five years later.
1) Ali Baba (Single Version): John Holt (1969)
2) Fret Them A Fret: Carlton Livingston (1984)
3) 100 Weight Of Collie Weed (Disco Mix) (Cover of Carlton Livingston): Prince Fatty ft. Earl 16 & Horseman (2023)
4) No Bed Of Roses (Album Version): Dub Syndicate ft. Cedric Myton (2004)
5) Sound The Alarm: Danny Red (2016)
6) Stoned Out Of My Mind: John Holt (1973)
7) Lifeboat (John Peel Session): Misty In Roots (1981)
8) Regole Pas: Dennis Bovell (2012)
9) A Bad Attitude: African Head Charge ft. King Ayisoba (2023)
10) Whatever It Takes: Creation Rebel ft. Denise Sherwood (2023)
11) Bad Boy Corner: I-Roy (1979)
12) One Step Dub: Pama International Meets Manasseh (2007)
13) One Step (Album Version): Pama International (2006)
1973: 1000 Volts Of Holt: 6
1979: The General / Spider's Web: 11
1984: 100 Weight Of Collie Weed: 2
1995: The John Peel Sessions: 7
2002: 1000 Volts Of Holt / The Best Of John Holt, 1967 To 1972 (2x CD): 1
2004: No Bed Of Roses: 4
2006: Trojan Sessions: 13
2012: Mek It Run: 8
2016: Red And Conscious: 5
2018: Trojan Sessions In Dub: 12
2023: 100 Weight Of Collie Weed EP: 3
2023: Hostile Environment: 10
2023: A Trip To Bolgatanga: 9
Excellent selection and thanks for the added John Holt - exhibiting a level of responsiveness to your audience that many businesses would do well to follow.
ReplyDeleteI aim to please! Thanks, Ernie
DeleteVery nice!
ReplyDeleteMy player immediately followed it up with your recent "Those Songs" mix, which was unexpected and very welcome!
DeleteThis is exactly what I was getting at with the last comment I left on the 1,000th posting.
ReplyDeleteThe breadth of your tastes, and knowledge of the genres, is quite staggering. I'm someone who has more than 5,000 CDs/albums in the house, but you could count, on less than the fingers across two hands, those which are reggae. It's not that I dislike it, more that I've never felt I had the available time to fully appreciate it.
Thanks, JC, though I think it's a bit "smoke and mirrors" with me if you've ever looked more closely at what passes for "research" and "knowledge" on these pages at times!
DeleteI'm certainly no expert on reggae and dub. I do have a lot of both in my collection (mainly CD or digital, not a lot of vinyl) but I think it's because I was really getting into the genre in my teens at a time when lots of my friends were into hip hop and rap. You could take your last sentence and easily apply it to me for the latter; it's only in the last decade or so that I've been able to take a deeper dive and appreciate the genre and artists a lot more.
I listen to reggae and dub all the time though so it will pop up here more often as a result. And I love it!