Don't Want To Mess Around

I have a couple of gig reviews to post, but they're taking on a life on their own and need some more work so they'll make an appearance later in the week.

 

My fall back, as ever, is reggae and dub and I hope you'll agree that it's stepped up and delivered. Five decades of riddims and rhymes taking in some musical heavyweights and contemporary inspirations. Derrick Morgan technically manages to sneak in two appearances, the second via a dub courtesy of Augustus Pablo. 

Sadly, some of these great artists are no longer with us, though many are and continue to produce great sounds. I'm seeing one of them next month, so expect a gig review here...when I've caught up on the backlog!

 

1) Revolution (Single Version): Dennis Brown (1983)

2) I Was Appointed (Album Version): Junior Murvin (1977)

3) Great Musical Battle: Derrick Morgan (1973)

4) Cleopatra King Size: Jah Wobble & ft. Temple Of Sound (2002)

5) The Gorgon Of Dubs & Horns: Tommy McCook & The Aggrovators (1975)

6) Rough Rider Dub: Augustus Pablo (????)

7) Virus Return: David Harrow (2020)

8) My God: African Head Charge (1990)

9) Super Charge: Jackie Mittoo (1977)

10) Own Man: Lee Perry & The Upsetters (1975)

11) D.U.B. D.U.B. (12" Version): UB40 (1984)

 

1973: Great Musical Battle EP: 3 

1975: Cookin': 5

1975: Revolution Dub: 10

1977: Police & Thieves: 2

1983: Revolution EP: 1

1984: Riddle Me EP: 11

1990: Songs Of Praise: 8

2002: Shout At The Devil: 4

2003: Champion In The Area: 9

2004: The Bunny 'Striker' Lee Story: 6

2020: Virus Dubs: 7

Don't Want To Mess Around (45:36) (KF) (Mega)

Been Losing Long Enough To Know

Woke up this morning
With a funny funny feelin'
And that feelin'
Was an unusual feelin'
Inna my bone yeah
It inna my blood
Inna my toes
Coming up to my brain
Went to the doctor
To check out what's matter
I Went to the doctor
To find out the matter
Doctor said, "Son,
You have a Reggaemylitis"
I said, "What"
Doctor said, "Son,
You have a Reggaemylitis"

 

I've been prescribed an hour of reggae and dub, twice daily, for the next week.  

Apologies to Peter Tosh for pinching the lyrics to Reggaemylitis and then not having the common decency to include the song in today's selection. Reparations are due.

1) Walking In The Sun: Candy McKenzie (1977)

2) Workshop (Red, Gold And Green): Burning Spear (1976)

3) Monkey Spanner: Dave & Ansel Collins (1971)

4) I Don't Want to See You Cry: Ken Boothe (1976)

5) Jah Love Light: Horace Andy (1980)

6) Time After Time: Sylvia Tella (1981)

7) Cool Dub: King Tubby ft. U-Roy (1975)

8) What Colour?: Carroll Thompson (1981)

9) Soulful I: The Upsetters (1969)

10) Chant Down Babylon: Freddie McGregor (1978)

11) Wiseman Dub: The Roots Radics ft. Gladstone Anderson (1982)

12) No More Will I Roam: Dennis Brown (1975)

13) The Way I Feel About You: Marcia Griffiths (1979)

14) Pick The Beam: Yabby You (1977)

15) Feel No Way: Janet Kay (1980)

16) Drum And Bass Line (Live @ Notting Hill Carnival, London): Aswad (1983)

Been Losing Long Enough To Know (58:23) (Box) (Mega)

Tomorrow Is Promised To No One

We're well overdue for some reggae and dub sounds and, given the past 18 hours of continuous rain here at home, time to generate some indoor sunshine at least. Today's selection is fifteen tracks spanning six decades in a smidge under sixty minutes.

A Happy Dub from 1975 will immediately sound familiar. Tommy McCook & The Aggrovators deliver a dub of I'm Gonna Put It On (Feel The Spirit) by Johnny Clarke from the same year, itself a version of Put It On by Bob Marley & The Wailers, with a liberal helping of Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash for added flavour. Very tasty indeed.

 

It's not the only cover: in addition to African Head Charge's electronic dub spin on a traditional song, Val Bennett covers The Dave Brubeck Quartet, whilst Radio Riddler (aka Brian Leiser and Frank Benbini from Fun Lovin' Criminals) deliver some Purple Reggae with a cover of Prince & The Revolution.

 

There are a few remixes thrown in from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s by François Kevorkian, Mad Professor and Central Nervous System, alongside the original masters Bunny Lee, King Tubby and Lee 'Scratch' Perry.

 

Adrian Sherwood is at the controls for three tracks: a couple of stone cold classics from African Head Charge and Singers & Players and a new song from Country Dub artist Jeb Loy Nichols from the latest (volume 8) in the excellent Pay It All Back series on On-U Sound.

 

Playing this on a soggy Sunday morning had the desired effect: twenty five minutes in, the rain stopped and the sun started to pierce through the haze. May the sun shine brightly - but not searingly - on your day, wherever you are.

 

1) A Happy Dub: Tommy McCook & The Aggrovators (1975)

2) What Does A Man Do All Day?: Jeb Loy Nichols (2022)

3) Getting Cozy (12" Mix By Phil Mathias): The In Crowd (1979)

4) Give You All The Love (Mad Professor Dubtronic Mix): Mishka (1999)

5) The Russians Are Coming (Cover of 'Take Five' by The Dave Brubeck Quartet): Val Bennett (1967)

6) Stebeni's Theme (Cover of traditional song): African Head Charge (1981)

7) Rasta Congo Dub: The Congos (2006)

8) Roots Radical (12" Version By François Kevorkian): Jimmy Cliff (1983)

9) Dub So: The Upsetters (1978)

10) My Woman (Part 1): Bim Sherman (1979)

11) Show Us The Way: Dennis Brown (1975)

12) Take Me With U (Cover of Prince & The Revolution): Radio Riddler ft. Deborah Bonham (2014)

13) Make A Joyful Noise: Singers & Players (1984)

14) D-60 Fights The Evil Force (Dub) (Remix By Central Nervous System aka Joe Fearon): The Dead 60s (2005)

15) Ordinary Version Dub: Impact All Stars (1973)

1967: The Russians Are Coming EP: 5 

1973: Java Java Java Java: 15

1975: Just Dennis: 11

1975: King Tubby Meets The Agrovators At Dub Station: 1

1978: Think So EP (by The Meditations): 9

1979: Getting Cozy / Marcus Garvey Back In Town EP: 3

1979: Lovers Leap: 10

1981: My Life In A Hole In The Ground: 6 

1983: Treat The Youths Right EP: 8

1984: Leaps & Bounds: 13

1999: Give You All The Love EP: 4 

2005: The Dead 60s / Space Invader Dub (ltd 2x CD): 14

2012: Dub Feast: 7

2014: Purple Reggae: 12

2022: Pay It All Back Vol. 8: 2

 

Tomorrow Is Promised To No One (59:59) (GD) (M)

I Called You On The Phone But You Started Talkin' 'Bout The Weather

Listening again to Lee 'Scratch' Perry's "final creative act", a remix of Love Died In Our Arms by Dot Allison, I was reminded - as I am, hearing any of his work - of his enduring musical genius. 

I'm inevitably drawn back to 1969 album, The Upsetter, a showcase for Perry's production skills and mostly featuring his studio band The Upsetters, along with a couple of guest spots from Busty Brown (aka Clive Smith) and The Muskyteers (better known as The Silvertones). A 2003 CD reissue was bolstered by 8 bonus tracks, including more of The Upsetters plus Carl Dawkins and David Isaacs, also known to his folks as Bruce Bennett.

The original and expanded album is a mix of instrumentals, cover versions and vocal tracks and is guaranteed to put a smile on my face and spring in my step. I love reggae and dub all year round, but it seems especially apt as spring arrives with the promise of summer to come. 

 

Looking outside, I don't think the weather got the memo, so today's selection of cuts from The Upsetter's 2003 edition - 10 songs in under 30 minutes - should bring some sunshine into your life, whatever the conditions outside.

1) Thunderball: The Upsetters

2) Endlessly (Cover of Brook Benton): The Muskyteers

3) Hard To Handle (Cover of Otis Redding): Carl Dawkins

4) Tidal Wave (Cover of 'He'll Have To Go' by Jim Reeves): The Upsetters *

5) Untitled Instrumental: The Upsetters

6) Soulful I: The Upsetters **

7) Night Doctor: The Upsetters

8) Slow Motion Version 2: The Upsetters

9) Since You Are Gone: David Isaacs

10) Kiddy-O (Cover of 'Kiddio' by Teddy Randazzo): The Muskyteers

 

* The vocal version of He'll Have To Go, featuring David Isaacs, features on the 2003 expanded reissue.

 

** Soulful I is an instrumental version of track 9, Since You Are Gone.

 

The Upsetter (1969): 1, 4, 6, 7, 10

The Upsetter (2003 reissue): 2, 3, 5, 8 ,9

 

I Called You On The Phone But You Started Talkin' 'Bout The Weather (29:26)

When We Mash Up The Wicked One Plan

Some dub-inflected sounds to soothe your soul...

1) Duppy Conqueror v/5: Bob Marley & The Wailers (1971)

2) Autobiography (Of The Dread Operator): Singers & Players ft. Mikey Dread (1983)

3) Pe-We Special: Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters (1973)

4) Insohreckshan Dub: Linton Kwesi Johnson (1984)

5) Cash Machine (Roots Manuva Dub Remix): Hard-Fi (2006)

6) Dub There: Horace Andy (1977)

7) Dubnology: Alien Dread (2004)

When We Mash Up The Wicked One Plan (29:26)

Dub Revelutions

I woke up this morning to the extremely sad news that Lee 'Scratch' Perry died yesterday (29th). The BBC obituary doesn't even begin to do justice to the man's influence, as artist, producer, remixer, collaborator, eccentric and innovator, but how do you attempt to encapsulate a life and career that profoundly changed music and continues to inspire and influence right now? 

I have a deep love of reggae and dub so Perry's work features heavily in my music collection and whilst his output and quality control was less consistent in the 1990s and 2000s, his collaborations with Adrian Sherwood and The Orb in the last decade marked a creative high. I had never managed to see Lee 'Scratch' Perry in concert and planned to see him in Gloucester in November.

I don't have any standalone Lee 'Scratch' Perry mixtapes that I could post here today, so I've hastily cobbled together a tribute selection in the last hour and a half. Some obvious choices are omitted: nothing by Bob Marley & The Wailers or The Clash and no Police & Thieves (although Bad Weed uses the same riddim). I've included some of Perry's more unexpected remixes: Sign Your Name was a #2 hit in the UK in January 1988 and I wonder what TTD's mainstream fans made of the 'Scratch' remix 12", peppered with animal sounds and dub effects. NYC band Gang Gang Dance was also an unusual choice, but Perry toasts over the top and makes it his own. The selection spans his early singles in the late 1960s through to his 2019 album Rainford and last year's appearance on Denise Sherwood's debut solo album. It's only a flavour of the man's genius but given the haste in compiling the selection, I think it hangs together pretty well.

Farewell then to Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Alien Starman and Dub Revolutionary.

 

1) Cloak & Dagger: Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters ft. Tommy McCook (1973)

2) Rockhead: Lee 'Scratch' Perry (2008)

3) Bad Weed (Discomix By Lee 'Scratch' Perry): Junior Murvin (1977)

4) Return Of Django: The Upsetters (1969)

5) Chase The Devil (Adrian Sherwood Dub): Dubblestandart ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Coshiva & Emch (2014) 

6) Sign Your Name (Lee 'Scratch' Perry Remix): Terence Trent D'Arby (1988)

7) Doctor On The Go: Lee Perry & The Upsetters (1975)

8) Last Train To Doomsville: Dub Syndicate ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry (1988)

9) MindKilla (Lee 'Scratch' Perry Remix): Gang Gang Dance (2011)

10) I Am The Upsetter: Lee King Perry (1968)

11) Run Evil Spirit (Album Version By Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Adrian Sherwood): Lee 'Scratch' Perry (2019)

12) Ball Of Fire: The Orb ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry (2012)

13) Music Shall Live (Album Version By Adrian Sherwood & Vital Elements): Denise Sherwood ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry (2020) 

14) Dr. Lee, PhD (Album Version By Beastie Boys & Mario Caldato Jr.): Beastie Boys ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Money Mark (1998)

15) Allergic To Lies (Album Version By Adrian Sherwood & Lee 'Scratch' Perry): Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Dub Syndicate (1987)

16) Dub Revelutions: Lee Perry & The Upsetters (1975) 

 

Dub Revelutions (A Tribute To Lee 'Scratch' Perry) (1:15:08) 

Dubhed Excursion To The Outer Limits

There's something about Spring going into Summer that sees my playlist dominated by reggae and dub. I have collected many, many albums and compilations over the decades but I won't begin to pretend that I know what I'm talking about, other than how the sounds and words make me feel. 

 
I've hastily cobbled together a 10-song 'vinyl' sampler of albums I've been listening to this week, for your listening pleasure.

Side One (17:30)

1) Declaration Of Rights: The Abyssinians (1975)

2) Kung Fu Warrior: Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters (1975)

3) Reggae Rock: Earl Sixteen (1982)

4) Blood Of My Blood: Keith Hudson (1974)

5) John Burns Skank (Live Good): Burning Spear (1976)

Side Two (16:01)

1) Strictly Dub: Black Beard aka Dennis Bovell (1978)

2) Forces Of Viktry: Linton Kwesi Johnson (1979)

3) Pick The Beam: Yabby You (1977)

4) Aso: Gregory Isaacs (1978)

5) I Shall Be Released: Keith Hudson (1974)

 

Side One (17:30) (GD) (M)

Side Two (16:01) (GD) (M)