| Rhythm Shower - Part Time Punk's look at Reggae |
| For a while I've done bits about Reggae in the zine because it was pretty important to the development of Punk in the 70s and basically I love it, from the moment I first saw Desmond Dekker do "The Israelites" on "Top Of The Pops" in the early 70s onwards. Thanks to Sharon at Greensleeves for help with this bit....so heres some reviews and links to other cracking Reggae sites. Enjoy! |
| Greensleeves reissues July 2004 - Ranking Joe - Weakheart Fadeaway, Dr Alimantado - Born For A Purpose, Yellowman - Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt, Eek-A-Mouse - Mouseketeer, Hugh Mundell - Mundell, Wanye Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng These reissues are out now and provide a decent narrative for the period from 1978 to 1986, which is for a lot of people a forgotten and much maligned time. The DJs that dominated and shaped the sound for today's Dancehall weren't as well received as there forebearers, but time has moved on and listening to these recording they still more than stand up over time. Ranking Joe's "Weakheart Fadeaway" from 1978 has a great title track (the New Age Steppers covered it) and Joe was a DJ whose sound link the early 70s DJs like I Roy to the new emerging ones like Eek-a-mouse and Yellowman. If he gets a bit rude and crude on "Nine Month Belly" the conscious side emerges on "Natty Dread A Trademan". A fine LP. Dr Alimantado had been recording since the late 60s under a variety of names and "Born For A Purpose" captures his vital single tracks from 73 to 77, when Johnny Rotten picked the title track for his radio programme on Capital. For further reading on Dr Tado, get PTP11 which has an interview Mark Perry did with him in 1977!! Yellowman and Eek-A-Mouse were DJ contemporaries of the time, but although both back by the crack session men the Roots Radics Band, they had differing approaches. Though Yellowman looks a bit like satirist Chris Morris on the cover of "Nobody Move" , his humour tends more to the Benny Hill side of things. This is a typical early Yellow effort, lots of mid placed cheeky slackness often based on old standards ("Summer Holiday" for one), with the odd conscious song thrown in. Eek-A-Mouse was a different kettle of fish entirely. Being done up like D'Artanagen on the cover brings home the less than serious approach, but on occasion he delves into less jokey fare, like the "don't be a rude boy" message for "palaving". His nasal delivery was punctuated by percussive nonsense words, which was effective against the sparse instrumentation. This also has a couple of 12 inch specials thrown in as a bonus and explains exactly how Eek got his name......... Hugh Mundell's self titled effort here is a beautifully sung and played album, which harks back to the roots era of the mid 70s, but the on the money playing of the Radics (again!!) means that it doesn't sound dated. The late Mr Mundell had a fine voice and this is just a terrific record, from "Rasta Have The Handle" to the Dub version that finishes this fine reissue. Wanye Smith's "Under Me Sleng Teng" is a landmark recording in Reggae, in the fact its electronic arrangement by Prince Jammy lead the way for the Digital revolution to follow in the late 80s. Though most of this one is classic Reggae sounding and the title track unbelievably catchy, there are some Hip Hop influences on the beats here. A historic recording. For more info www.greensleeves.net |