Clement Dodd, the founder of the iconic Studio One label, was a fierce proponent of Marcus Garvey’s message of self-reliance, having heard it in his youth. Over the years he recorded and produced many songs that expressed the yearnings and feelings of his fellow Jamaicans. Afrikan Blood is a timely release that captures some of the roots reggae songs that speak to injustices that still exist today. Many of the songs on Afrikan Blood are previously unreleased or unreleased stereo mixes by foundation artists like Alton Ellis, The Gaylads, The Wailing Souls and Freddie McGregor.
Another interesting single arrived from Dub Vendor.
A previously unreleased cut from the great JA vocalist Alton Ellis - Road To Slavery.
Recorded at the legendary A Class Studio in the basement at Dub Vendor in Clapham Junction.
“We recorded and produced many of reggae’s most iconic artists for Fashion Records, but having a legend of ska, rock steady and reggae - and my all-time favourite singer! - in the studio was always an unforgettable experience. Although we concentrated on building our roster with local UK artists we were only too happy to take any opportunity to record Jamaican singers and deejays when we could, so of course Alton was a prime contender, especially as he was living in London when we first recorded him in 1981. We were eager to record him again fifteen years later, but although we built seven or eight rhythms not all of them were voiced, and unfortunately our plan of producing a whole album with Alton fell through. Road To Slavery was a brand new song written by Alton especially for the proposed album with Fashion Records, and is one of the few tunes that he recorded a proper vocal for. It’s the first time it has seen the light of day since it was voiced on the 28th March 1996 - as far as I can recall we’ve never even given it to anyone as a dub plate and we are delighted that it is finally being pressed up as a 45. It’s good to know that the legacy of Jamaica’s finest singer will live on … RIP Alton Ellis.”
Enjoying this interesting new release from the legendary Studio One label.
Previously unreleased glorious vintage Roots Reggae rarities.
Streaming on Tidal or Digital download only at the moment from Studio One Bandcamp
Clement Dodd, the founder of the iconic Studio One label, was a fierce proponent of Marcus Garvey’s message of self-reliance, having heard it in his youth. Over the years he recorded and produced many songs that expressed the yearnings and feelings of his fellow Jamaicans. Afrikan Blood is a timely release that captures some of the roots reggae songs that speak to injustices that still exist today. Many of the songs on Afrikan Blood are previously unreleased or unreleased stereo mixes by foundation artists like Alton Ellis, The Gaylads, The Wailing Souls and Freddie McGregor.
Afrikan Blood | Various Artists | Studio One
Ps Lee Scratch Perry fans might find the title track here familiar, a version of this appears on his Super Ape album as Zions Blood
Some rare footage of Lester Bullocks (seriously!) AKA Dillinger. Sorry it’s very poor quality but worth a look. I have a VHS tape of this footage in much better quality if I knew how to upload it.
Screaming Target needs no introduction to seasoned Reggae fans, but the Trojan 2CD expanded version gathers together the original vocal cuts and dubs produced by Augustus “Gussie” Clarke.
It’s available to stream on a Tidal Master.
See the Reggae Vibes review below
Screaming Target” is a classic Jah Youth album we have all surely heard many times before — but this is the definitive release, since it backs up the original DJ tunes by adding the original vocal cuts and some alternative dubs. No less than fourteen extra bonus tracks are added here, including the essential Pablo/Rockers tunes, “Half Way Tree” and “Organ Style”, both of which are sublime, and similar in style to Pablo’s tunes on Lloydie Coxsonne’s “King Of The Dub Rock” in that the approach here fuses a free form jazz sensibility into its dub soul.
Also essential is the haunting dub to KC White’s “Anywhere But Nowhere”, with its lyrical sentiment of frustrated, existential stoicism. (“I could be anywhere — but still be nowhere.”)
Most listeners are totally satiated with “Skylarking” and surely don’t need another cut — but this imaginative version will turn your head, and is by no means token filler, but proves to be JA dubwise at its peaks of creativity.
The Glen Brown productions are intense too.
A fine collection and most will consider it the definitive release of this album, collecting as it does, DJ, vocal and dubwise cuts. The Pop Art/Warhol style sleeve is great too
Big Youth doing the S90 Skank, warning “If you ride like lightning, you’ll crash like thunder”
Whilst Dillinger had "one dread…two dread…sat upon a CB two hun-dread
Original Raggamuffin!
Kicking up some Friday afternoon Dancehall rumpus!
Early Nineties Cutty Ranks session recorded at Fashion Records A Class Studio in the basement of Dub Vendor Lavender Hill Clapham Junction.
In my view the finest Roots Reggae album ever, period. Songs of sublime beauty, dealing with spiritual themes, struggle, poverty, love and armageddon that come from a higher place.
Blackheart Man is the prejudicial and fearful term, used by conservative thinking Jamaicans towards Rastafarians, who were terribly discriminated against and outcast by Jamaican society, the devils with black hearts.
Whenever I’ve ever faced any difficulties on lifes road this is an album I always turn too. My desert island disc…
Greetings Davy,
Thanks for your positive words, much appreciated. Do share some of your choices, be very welcome. I try to keep this thread going but sometimes it feels a bit like an echo chamber (pun intended)
Jeez forgotten how good this was. Thx @Dreadatthecontrols . Listening on Island vinyl but through phones as the floorboards were shaking and Lady BC has just retired.
@BlueCanary
Bunny Wailer made many other notable albums like In I Fathers House, Sings The Wailers, Tribute and another of my favourites, the awesome classic Rock n Groove album which sees Bunny backed by The Roots Radics and embracing the emerging Dance Hall style, each track in extended form, crank it up and feel the uplifting celebratory vibe.
Original JA or UK 1981 (better pressing) Solomonic label is the only way to go here.
It’s been reissued on CD (Tafari) but dont go there, the tracks have been edited, no butchered, and ruined.
