The Official Reggae Thread

[lewdd]

Here is a list of some artists /records I'd recommend to start

Linton Kweisi Johnson, Dread Beat and Blood
Burning Spear, Marcus Garvey
Black Uhuru, Black Sounds of Freedom
Desmond Dekker---not sure which LP, try a best of? Make sure "intensified" is included!
Prince Far I
Lee Perry--scratch attack compliation
Aswad- a new chapter of dub
Tommy McCook, the mod ska sound comp
Augustus Pablo--King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

All of that stuff, especially Desmond Dekker, Lee Perry, and Augustus Pablo, but also these:
Toots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston
V/A - The Harder They Come soundtrack
Jimmy Cliff - In Concert (one of my favorite live albums)
Culture - Two Sevens Clash

As for Marley, the super early ska period (1962-1966) is incredible.

JGJR, you mentioned in the Hard Bop Jazz thread that the 1962-1966 Bob Marley early ska period is incredible. It looks like it was all singles as that was before the first Wailers LP. Is there a release that has all of the recordings of the period that you speak of?

[version sound]

All Bob Marley stuff has been endlessly repackaged. There’s this:

https://www.discogs.com/Bob-Marley-The-Wailers-Destiny-Rare-Ska-Sides-From-Studio-One/release/1000210

If that’s what you’re interested in, shouldn’t this be the Official Jamaican Ska Thread?

[lewdd]

All Bob Marley stuff has been endlessly repackaged. There’s this:

https://www.discogs.com/Bob-Marley-The-Wailers-Destiny-Rare-Ska-Sides-From-Studio-One/release/1000210

If that’s what you’re interested in, shouldn’t this be the Official Jamaican Ska Thread?

Thanks for the link. I updated the original post to add the quotes from target and JGJR for context.

[version sound]

Now that I can see the context, I have to say JGJR is WRONG. The ska stuff is fine, but it’s the weakest stuff he ever did IMO. He was much better in the rock steady/reggae realm. If you want the “real” reggae from him*, check out Soul Rebels, which was produced by Lee Perry. I would also add the following to the overall list:

Max Romeo and the Upsetters - War Ina Babylon
Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves
The Upsetters - Super Ape
Dr. Alimantado - Best Dressed Chicken in Town

Dub would get a whole other list.


*Some people think his Island stuff was watered down to appeal to a white audience. While this is true, it’s still great stuff

[drew]

“If DJ was your trade” is an amazing comp

Steel Pulse- Handsworth Revolution
Scientist- anything and everything you can grab. He’s my fave dub-master.

Dillinger- Cocaine in my brain
Lee Perry- Dub Tryptich. 2 cds & 3 albums worth of dub

[lewdd]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le- ... -preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

[version sound]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le-rock-82-punky-reggae-preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

Speaking of punk and reggae, “England's Dreaming” by Jon Savage has a nice reggae section in the discography at the back of the book. If you haven’t read this book, you really should.

[lewdd]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le-rock-82-punky-reggae-preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

Speaking of punk and reggae, “England's Dreaming” by Jon Savage has a nice reggae section in the discography at the back of the book. If you haven’t read this book, you really should.

Ya know, I have had that book for many years and just couldn't get into it for some reason. I will pull it off the shelf and take a look at it again. Thanks for the heads up on that.

[JGJR]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le-rock-82-punky-reggae-preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

Speaking of punk and reggae, “England's Dreaming” by Jon Savage has a nice reggae section in the discography at the back of the book. If you haven’t read this book, you really should.

I reogranized my books recently and came across this one. I've never heard it, but should change that. Thanks for the tip.

Marley/Wailers - there's basically 3 distinct periods - the 1962-1966 ska/bluebeat/r'n'b influenced stuff that I love, but many don't know or don't care of. This is the compilation I have, but yeah as VS said, it's been reissued, repackaged, reevaluated, etc. endlessly.

https://www.discogs.com/Bob-Marley-The- ... se/8500849

The 2nd is the late '60s/very early '70s period with Soul Rebels/African Herbsman (released under other names, too, I think) produced by Lee Perry. A lot of heads dig this period more than what came before and especially after, which leads to...

The 3rd period, which is the Island period from 1972 to his death in 1981, but of course Legend in 1984 solidified his legend, made him a star here (in death) whereas he was already a superstar (the 1st one ever from Jamaica) all over the world (well in certain parts) before that.

It should also be noted that there's a difference between the Wailers stuff with Peter Tosh and Bunny "Wailer" Livingstone. They were essentially 3 Jamaican teenagers/teen idols during the early '60s period, but a decade later (after Catch A Fire, their Island debut) they splintered and became solo artists, so even though the later '70s and early '80s stuff is all labeled as Bob Marley & The Wailers, it's not really, but a different group. A lot of serious reggae heads also dimiss that entire period, but I don't hear it that way. I love it all, honestly.

[version sound]

I’m not a huge ska fan, so that period is less interesting to me. To make things even more complicated than what JGJR noted above, there was also a Jamaican version of Catch a Fire and an Island version, which are pretty different. There were also a lot of Jamaican singles that were different from their Island counterpart. I love the early rock steady and reggae stuff, but I also like the more polished Island stuff. Bob was a very talented song writer, so most of his stuff is great, regardless of how “authentic” the production is.

[JGJR]

I’m not a huge ska fan, so that period is less interesting to me. To make things even more complicated than what JGJR noted above, there was also a Jamaican version of Catch a Fire and an Island version, which are pretty different. There were also a lot of Jamaican singles that were different from their Island counterpart. I love the early rock steady and reggae stuff, but I also like the more polished Island stuff. Bob was a very talented song writer, so most of his stuff is great, regardless of how “authentic” the production is.

Correct; I was just going for the Cliffs notes version. I love ska, but only the '60s Jamaican and 2nd wave UK Two-Tone stuff. There is very little 3rd (and subsequent) wave ska I enjoy, but there is some. A lot of it is (to my ears) just bad pop-punk with a horn or two thrown in, though.

[lewdd]

I really like most of the 2 Tone stuff and quite a bit of the USA 3rd wave ska. I have not dug into the 1st wave stuff yet, but it is on my list.

Some of the Marley stuff on Legend is almost like Southern Rock before that was a thing. I really like that album. I thought I didn't need any more than that, but I will give the rest of his catalog a try.

[target]

I’m not a huge ska fan, so that period is less interesting to me. To make things even more complicated than what JGJR noted above, there was also a Jamaican version of Catch a Fire and an Island version, which are pretty different. There were also a lot of Jamaican singles that were different from their Island counterpart. I love the early rock steady and reggae stuff, but I also like the more polished Island stuff. Bob was a very talented song writer, so most of his stuff is great, regardless of how “authentic” the production is.

Correct; I was just going for the Cliffs notes version. I love ska, but only the '60s Jamaican and 2nd wave UK Two-Tone stuff. There is very little 3rd (and subsequent) wave ska I enjoy, but there is some. A lot of it is (to my ears) just bad pop-punk with a horn or two thrown in, though.

Just curious if you've listened to:
The Slackers
The Aggrolites
Hepcat
The Delerians

These are some of the bigger "more recent" ie, past 15 years bands that don't fit that "third wave ska" mold---lots of good stuff!!

[JGJR]

I really like most of the 2 Tone stuff and quite a bit of the USA 3rd wave ska. I have not dug into the 1st wave stuff yet, but it is on my list.

Some of the Marley stuff on Legend is almost like Southern Rock before that was a thing. I really like that album. I thought I didn't need any more than that, but I will give the rest of his catalog a try.

If you want another IMO more interesting compilation than Legend of the Island Years, try Rebel Music. It's basically a companion piece, but full of lesser-known and by and large more politically-charged tracks. It's my go-to Marley for the Island years, honestly.

[JGJR]

I’m not a huge ska fan, so that period is less interesting to me. To make things even more complicated than what JGJR noted above, there was also a Jamaican version of Catch a Fire and an Island version, which are pretty different. There were also a lot of Jamaican singles that were different from their Island counterpart. I love the early rock steady and reggae stuff, but I also like the more polished Island stuff. Bob was a very talented song writer, so most of his stuff is great, regardless of how “authentic” the production is.

Correct; I was just going for the Cliffs notes version. I love ska, but only the '60s Jamaican and 2nd wave UK Two-Tone stuff. There is very little 3rd (and subsequent) wave ska I enjoy, but there is some. A lot of it is (to my ears) just bad pop-punk with a horn or two thrown in, though.

Just curious if you've listened to:
The Slackers
The Aggrolites
Hepcat
The Delerians

These are some of the bigger "more recent" ie, past 15 years bands that don't fit that "third wave ska" mold---lots of good stuff!!

I would definitely put The Slackers and Hepcat in the "there is some I enjoy" category. I think The Slackers are great. I saw them in '93 or '94 at my college and then about a decade later at Knitting Factory when it was still on Leonard St in Manhattan. I think I met Regina Spektor that same night, but that's a story for another time.

I saw Hepcat open for Dance Hall Crashers (a MAJOR exception to my above rule; one of my favorite live bands ever, but I only enjoy the 1989-1993 material; it's so great) and remember enjoying them. I think I'd like them more now, too, as I've developed an enjoyment of rocksteady since then and they struck me as more that than anything else.

I know The Aggrolites by name, but haven't listened. Is that your band? Pardon my ignorance/forgetfulness. I don't know The Delerians.

[target]

no--my old band was the Slackers! if you try out the Aggrolites, try the red album with the fierce looking cat on the cover--self titled, 2006

I've only heard one album by the Delerians: El Remedio---and i like it a lot.....

[JGJR]

no--my old band was the Slackers! if you try out the Aggrolites, try the red album with the fierce looking cat on the cover--self titled, 2006

I've only heard one album by the Delerians: El Remedio---and i like it a lot.....

Wait what? You were in the Slackers? When? That is really cool. The last time I saw them was in late 2004 (I think I said that above), so I wonder if you were playing with them and I just didn't know it. You should be listed as a former member then, no?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Slackers

Thanks for the recommendations.

[patient_ot]

If you want to get into reggae there are two things I'd recommend.

Number one, buy all the studio one related releases done by Heartbeat Records/Shanachie that you can find. They were the last time the Studio One catalog was sourced from original tapes. Unfortunately Heartbeat is basically no more and all these releases are out of print. There are CDs and LPs. I mostly have these on CD format and I'm glad I got them when I did.

Number two, buy as many Blood & Fire label releases as you can. They are no more, but were "the" reggae reissue label as far as I'm concerned. Even the cheaper compilation CDs and stuff they released are good. Unfortunately some of the albums they released have since been reissued again by less good labels, often in shoddy quality.

Avoid labels like Clocktower/Abraham, Kingston Sounds/Jamaican Recordings and many others. Unfortunately the reggae scene is rife with terrible quality crap and archival releases that sometimes include no input whatsoever from the marquee artist. Augustus Pablo's and Lee Perry's legacies have both been tarnished by this stuff to a large degree. Be very careful with buying anything by those artists.

VP is probably the largest reggae label in the world, both for more current artists and back catalog stuff. Unfortunately the stuff they do is a real mixed bag, both on vinyl and CD. Research anything before buying. They own the Greensleeves catalog which put out loads of old style dancehall in the late 70s and early to mid 80s and were a pretty important label. They also reissued Heart of the Congos and had it mastered at the wrong speed.

As for general lists of stuff, I'd rather not type all that out. If you go to the Fast and Bulbous site he has a reggae list there that should be pretty good and cover a wide range of stuff.

[target]

My mistake!! I was in the captivators!!!! I’m easily distracted. The slackers are
Pros and I am a hobbyist!!!!!

[lewdd]

On a semi related note, I just got the 40th anniversary edition of The Selecter - Too Much Pressure in two formats...180gm 45RPM half speed remaster LP with bonus 7" and the 3CD box set version.

[JGJR]

If you want to get into reggae there are two things I'd recommend.

Number one, buy all the studio one related releases done by Heartbeat Records/Shanachie that you can find. They were the last time the Studio One catalog was sourced from original tapes. Unfortunately Heartbeat is basically no more and all these releases are out of print. There are CDs and LPs. I mostly have these on CD format and I'm glad I got them when I did.

Number two, buy as many Blood & Fire label releases as you can. They are no more, but were "the" reggae reissue label as far as I'm concerned. Even the cheaper compilation CDs and stuff they released is good. Unfortunately some of the albums they released have since been reissued again by less good labels, often in shoddy quality.

Avoid labels like Clocktower/Abraham, Kingston Sounds/Jamaican Recordings and many others. Unfortunately the reggae scene is rife with terrible quality crap and archival releases that sometimes include no input whatsoever from the marquee artist. Augustus Pablo's and Lee Perry's legacies have both been tarnished by this stuff to a large degree. Be very careful with buying anything by those artists.

VP is probably the largest reggae label in the world, both for more current artists and back catalog stuff. Unfortunately the stuff they do is a real mixed bag, both on vinyl and CD. Research anything before buying. They own the Greensleeves catalog which put out loads of old style dancehall in the late 70s and early to mid 80s and were a pretty important label. They also reissued Heart of the Congos and had it mastered at the wrong speed.

As for general lists of stuff, I'd rather not type all that out. If you go to the Fast and Bulbous site he has a reggae list there that should be pretty good and cover a wide range of stuff.

Thanks for all of that (and the hifi engine link, but I may address that in the appropriate thread). I hadn't thought about Fast 'n Bulbous in many years. Tony (A.S. Van Dorsten), the guy who started and ran that site, and I used to communicate occasionally since he was on the Big Takeover mailing list/newsgroup.

[patient_ot]

Thanks for all of that (and the hifi engine link, but I may address that in the appropriate thread). I hadn't thought about Fast 'n Bulbous in many years. Tony (A.S. Van Dorsten), the guy who started and ran that site, and I used to communicate occasionally since he was on the Big Takeover mailing list/newsgroup.

While I might not agree with everything he has to say, he has good taste overall and the best site for music lists I've ever seen.

[lewdd]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le-rock-82-punky-reggae-preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

Speaking of punk and reggae, “England's Dreaming” by Jon Savage has a nice reggae section in the discography at the back of the book. If you haven’t read this book, you really should.

I pulled the book out of my library last night. I glanced through the discography at the back. Not sure why I never noticed that part of the book before. That is the type of stuff I really enjoying looking through. Thanks again for the tip on that. I left it on the table for me to start reading through the discography.

[version sound]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le-rock-82-punky-reggae-preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

Speaking of punk and reggae, “England's Dreaming” by Jon Savage has a nice reggae section in the discography at the back of the book. If you haven’t read this book, you really should.

I pulled the book out of my library last night. I glanced through the discography at the back. Not sure why I never noticed that part of the book before. That is the type of stuff I really enjoying looking through. Thanks again for the tip on that. I left it on the table for me to start reading through the discography.

I liked that book a lot, but I could see how some people could find it a bit of a slog. It’s kind of academic in tone, which can certainly be a turn off. That discography is really great though, regardless of how you feel about the rest of the book. I have held onto that book for like 25+ years, and I still consult that discography every now and then.

[JGJR]

https://vivelerock.net/product/vive-le-rock-82-punky-reggae-preorder/

What a coincidence that the newest copy of Vive Le Rock is a mash of punk and reggae.

Speaking of punk and reggae, “England's Dreaming” by Jon Savage has a nice reggae section in the discography at the back of the book. If you haven’t read this book, you really should.

I pulled the book out of my library last night. I glanced through the discography at the back. Not sure why I never noticed that part of the book before. That is the type of stuff I really enjoying looking through. Thanks again for the tip on that. I left it on the table for me to start reading through the discography.

I liked that book a lot, but I could see how some people could find it a bit of a slog. It’s kind of academic in tone, which can certainly be a turn off. That discography is really great though, regardless of how you feel about the rest of the book. I have held onto that book for like 25+ years, and I still consult that discography every now and then.

Well shit. Now I'm REALLY glad I kept it, too; found it while organizing my books last week, but I've never thumbed through it. One of these days...

[lewdd]

https://www.altpress.com/features/timel ... nd-reggae/