Growing In My Backyard

Sun is shining, bass is booming, rhythm is rocksteady...must be be another Sunday reggae and dub session.

Hometown rockers Talisman get things off to a superb start with the 11-minute 12" mix of Dole Age, originally a vinyl side in 1981, introduced to a whole new audience (me included) with the excellent 2011 compilation The Bristol Reggae Explosion 1978-1983. An essential purchase.

From there, it's a mix of 20th and 21st century sounds. The latter is represented by all-female combo Tight Spot with an unreleased song discovered and released by Happy People Records on 7" vinyl in 2021. An album highlight of the same year was Clarion Call by Xan Tyler and Mad Professor, delivering sharp lyrics with sweet rhythms. Rhoda Dakar delivers a David Bowie classic with aplomb, offering up a dubbed out version on the flipside. And three legends come together, with Horace Andy teaming up with Sly & Robbie for a modern dub colossus.

There's a brief stop in the 1990s to witness Benjamin Zephaniah and The Hazardous Dub Company with a cautionary tale that sadly resonates three decades later.

Back then to the 1970s and 1980s, a veritable who's who of reggae, lovers rock and dub legends, with Bob Marley & The Wailers versus a pre-'Scratch' Lee Perry, Louisa Mark, Tapper Zukie, Sylvia Tella and King Tubby dubbing up Yabby You. 

 

In 2021, Happy People also offered up a deep cut vinyl 7" by G.T. Moore & The Reggae Guitars. Remembered as the first white group to attempt an authentic reggae sound on record, their self-titled debut in 1974 closed with a version of Bob Dylan's Knocking On Heaven's Door. Sound familiar? Well, this guy had a hit with an 'inspired' version less than a year later...

Ending the selection the only way possible, Black Uhuru sing the praises of Sinsemilla, the title track of their third album from 1980 and the record that crossed over to a global audience. Michael Rose, Sharon 'Puma' Jones and Derrick 'Duckie' Simpson telling it how it is, Sly & Robbie laying it down. It doesn't get much better than this.

 

1) Dole Age (12" Mix By Talisman & UK Scientist aka Richard Grassby-Lewis): Talisman (1981)

2) Air Tight (Version By Spero Anthony): Tight Spot (2003)

3) Like Birds: Xan Tyler & Mad Professor (2021)

4) Spell (Album Version By Lloyd Charmers & Maxi Million): Sylvia Tella (1981)

5) The Man Who Dubbed The World (Cover of David Bowie): Rhoda Dakar (2022)

6) I'm Alive Dub: Horace Andy + Sly & Robbie (2006)

7) Allies (Album Version By Dr. Love & Dennis Rootical): Benjamin Zephaniah & The Hazardous Dub Company (1995)

8) Firey Dub (Version By King Tubby): Yabby You (1977)

9) Rush I Some Dub: Tapper Zukie (1977)

10) Sun Is Shining (Dub) (Version By Bob Marley & Lee Perry): Bob Marley & The Wailers (1971)

11) Keep It Like It Is (Album Version By Clement 'Bush Ranger' Bushay): Louisa Mark (1981)

12) People (Who Killed People) (Album Version By Gerald Thomas Moore & Tony Braunagel): G.T. Moore & The Reggae Guitars (1975)

13) Sinsemilla (Album Version By Sly & Robbie): Black Uhuru (1980)

1971: Soul Revolution Part II ('Rhythm' Version): 10

1975: Reggae Blue: 12

1977: King Tubby Meet Vivian Jackson (Yabby You): 8

1977: Tapper Zukie In Dub: 9

1980: Sinsemilla: 13

1981: Breakout: 11

1981: Dole Age EP: 1

1981: Spell: 4 

1995: Back To Roots: 7 

2006: Dubbin' It Up: 6

2021: Clarion Call: 3

2021: Time Heals Everything EP: 2

2022: The Man Who Sold The World EP: 5

Growing In My Backyard (57:45) (GD) (M)

Dubby Happy People

I recently discovered London-based label Happy People whilst seeking out some dubs by Pama International, another relatively recent discovery although they've been around since 2002.

Happy People describe themselves as a bespoke label "specialising in soul, rocksteady, dub, reggae, ska & beyond." From my trawl and haul through their releases, this is a spot-on description. What I'd add is that they've scoured the globe to find artists from the UK, the UK, New Zealand (by way of Japan) and Switzerland, to name but a few, to give music that originally had a limited release in their home country a fresh opportunity to reach a wider audience.

Many of these songs make a first appearance as vinyl 7" singles, whilst there are several re-released and first-time release albums, both original music and covers of The Rolling Stones, Two Tone label artists and Dexys Midnight Runners. 

 

I've barely dipped my toe in, but today's selection gives a flavour of what I've been enjoying recently. The badly-punning title's a little misleading: there is plenty of dub, but it spans all of the genres mentioned above. It made me very happy, I hope it works it's magic on you too.

 

1) Time Heals Everything: Tight Spot (2021)

2) Under My Thumb (Cover of The Rolling Stones): Phoenix City All-Stars (2013) 

3) Heavier Rock: Roger Rivas (2014)

4) Evening Time (G. Corp Mix By Brian Nordhoff & Roberto Cimarosti): Pama International (2005)

5) Sorrow: The Sha La La's (2017)

6) The Rentman: Beanie ft. The Co-operators & Friends (2019)

7) Return Of Rondo: Malandro Nine Five (2015)

8) Short Break: Cosmic Shuffling (2020)

9) Smile & Say Good Morning (Album Version): Pama International (2022)

10) Sound Of The Ska: Atsushi & The Moisties (2021)

11) I Know It's Not Your Dub: Pama International Meets Manasseh (2018)

12) Heavy Manners Riddim: Dub Shepherds & Jahno (2021)

13) Boots In Dub: Crazy Baldhead (2015)

14) Tomorrow's Dub Today: Pama International Meets Wrongtom (2023)

 

2005: Dub Store Special EP: 4

2013: Skatisfaction: 2

2014: Autumn Breeze: 3 

2015: Boots In Dub: 13

2015: Malandro Nine Five EP: 7

2017: (Gotta Find) A Better Way: 5

2018: Trojan Sessions In Dub: 11

2019: Rhythms From The Kitchen Sink: 6

2020: Magic Rocket Ship: 8

2021: Heavy Manners EP: 12

2021: Sound Of The Ska EP: 10

2021: Time Heals Everything EP: 1

2022: 3: 9 

2022: Pama Int'l Meets Wrongtom In Dub: 14

Dubby Happy People (47:26) (GD) (M)

 

There's lots to browse and discover on the Happy People Bandcamp site, including the theme tune to one of my favourite sitcoms.

If vinyl's not your bag or cash is too strapped in these straightened times, the label is offering many of these as free digital downloads. Not just Happy People but lovely people too.