Friday, August 19, 2011

Butter Pon Dem Mouth: Playlist for August 19, 2011


Celebrate 30 years of On-U Sound & 15 years of Dub Mission in San Francisco on Sept. 4th with Adrian Sherwood & Brother Culture.

Adrian Sherwood: Monkey See, Monkey Dub -- Becoming A Cliché Disc 2: Dub Cliché (Real World 2006)
Sly & Robbie: Ballistic Squeeze -- Drum & Bass Strip To The Bone by Howie B (Palm Pictures 1999)
Paris Yard feat. Brother Culture: I Tal Weed -- Dubvisions (Hammerbass 2002)
Frente Cumbiero & Mad Professor: Bestiales 77 Dub -- Frente Cumbiero Meets Mad Professor (SalgaelSol 2010)
Hey-O-Hansen: Sonn -- We So Horny: Serious Pleasure Riddims (Pingipung 2010)
Ruts DC: Weakheart (RSD AKA Rob Smith Remix) -- Rhythm Collision Re>Loaded (Echo Beach 2009)
B.F.A.: Up Your Mind -- Poor Boy EP (? 1980?)
Gentleman: Dem Gone (Umberto Echo Remix) -- Dub The World (Echo Beach 2010)
Pupajim: Trouble Again (Maffi 2011)
Keith Hudson: Too Possessive & You Know It Baby -- Entering The Dragon (Sunspot 2011)
Ricky Melody: What A Act (Alpine 2011)
Ernest Ranglin Selected Group: Free Form/Skalvouvia (Kentone/Dub Store 2011)
Brother Culture: Foundation Rockers -- Foundation Rockers (M Records 2003)
Augustus Pablo: Java -- Randy's 50th Anniversary 1960-1971 (VP Records 2008)
Augustus Pablo: A Java Instrumental -- Message Music: Augustus Pablo's Digital Productions 1986-1994 (Pressure Sounds 2011)
Augustus Pablo: Butter Pon Dem Mouth Version -- Message Music: Augustus Pablo's Digital Productions 1986-1994 (Pressure Sounds 2011)
Baba Brooks: Seven Guns Alive -- Trojan Instrumentals Box Set (Trojan 1999)
Steely & Clevie: Streetsweeper -- Invasion of the Mysteron Killer Sounds in 3-D (Soul Jazz 2011)
Mark Stewart: Rise Again -- Edit (Crippled Dick Hot Wax 2008)
See-I: Haterz 24/7 -- See-I (Fort Knox 2011)
The Senior Allstars: Herbs -- Nemo (Grover 2000)
The Senior Allstars: Herbs Dub -- Nemo (Grover 2000)
Keith LeBlanc: You Drummers Listen Good -- Major Malfunction (Select Cuts 2003)


Friday, August 12, 2011

Best of the Trojan Box Sets: Playlist for Aug. 12, 2011

Tonight we celebrate the reggae classics reissued in Trojan Records' epic series of box sets. So far, Trojan has released 70 collections of 50 songs apiece (that's 3,500 songs, folks!) in the last 13 years. The box sets have appeared under a variety of classification schemes -- some by genre, some by sub-label, some by audience (Skinhead reggae, for the love of Jah!), some by decade.

Except for the Trojan Seventies Box Set, which should be recalled and pulped, each of the 30 or so Trojan boxes with which I'm familiar is an interesting compilation that includes a number of excellent and unique tracks.

For me the bestest of all the boxes are the original Trojan box sets, Trojan Story (1980) and Trojan Story Vol. 2 (1982). I bought these records back then, and have listened to them more or less continuously (turntable & stereo technology allowing) ever since. They have taught me much of what I know about Jamaican music.
The Trojan Story "Triple Album Boxed Set" is actually a re-issue of a 1972 compilation. Trojan has been in the habit of re-issuing its re-issues for a long time now.

King Stitt: Fire Corner -- Trojan D.J. Box Set (Trojan 1998)
Alton Ellis: What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) -- Trojan Motor City Reggae Box Set (Trojan 2006)
Joe Higgs: The World Is Upside Down -- Trojan Bob Marley & Friends Box Set (Trojan 2002)
Lloyd & Carey: Down Side Up -- Trojan Producer Series Box Set (Trojan 1999)
Brother Dan All Stars: Eastern Organ -- Trojan Singles Box Set (Trojan 1999)
Derrick Morgan: Fat Man -- Trojan Singles Box Set (Trojan 1999)
Desmond Dekker: Fu Man Chu -- Trojan Reggae Brothers Box Set (Trojan 2003)
Cornell Campbell: Music Keep On Playing -- Trojan Carnival Box Set (Trojan 2003)
The Upsetters: Cloak & Dagger -- Trojan Creole Reggae Box Set (Trojan 2004)
The Aggrovators: Do You Dub -- Trojan Dub Box Set (Trojan 1998)
Toots & The Maytals: Bam Bam -- Trojan Calypso Box Set (Trojan 2002)
Count Lasher & Williams with Lyn Taitt & The Baba Brooks Band: Bam Bam -- Trojan Calypso Box Set (Trojan 2002)
Winston & George: Keep The Pressure On (Alternate Version) -- Trojan Rocksteady Rarities Box Set (Trojan 2005)
Keith Hudson: Melody Maker -- Trojan Rare Groove Box Set (Trojan 1999)
Bongo Herman, Bingy Bunny & Bongo Les: Salaam (Peace) -- Trojan Nyahbinghi Box Set (Trojan 2003)
Lee "Scratch" Perry: Soul Food -- Trojan Bob Marley & Friends Box Set (Trojan 2002)
Freddie McGregor: Jah Can Count On I -- Trojan Rockers Box Set (Trojan 2006)
The Pioneers: Mama Look -- The Trojan Story Vol. 1 (Trojan 1980)
Niney & The Soul Syndicate: Here I Come Dub -- Trojan Dub Box Set Vol. 2 (Trojan 2000)
The Kingstonians: Singer Man -- Trojan Originals Box Set (Trojan 2003)
Lloyd Parks: Everybody Needs Love -- Trojan Carnival Box Set (Trojan 2003)
The Spanishtonians: Suffer Me Not -- Trojan Reggae Rarities Box Set (Trojan 2004)
New Town Sound Ltd.: I & I Are The Chosen One -- Trojan Roots Box Set (Trojan 2003)
Owen Gray: Mash It (Parts 1 & 2) -- Trojan Jamaican R&B Box Set (Trojan 2002)
Derrick Morgan & Hortense Ellis: I Am Gone -- Trojan Club Reggae Box Set (Trojan 2000)
The Melodians: I Will Get Along Without You -- Trojan Rocksteady Box Set (Trojan 1998)
Derrick Harriott: Eighteen With A Bullet -- Trojan Seventies Box Set (Trojan 2004)
The Classics: Civilization -- Trojan Producer Series Box Set (Trojan 1999)
Dennis Brown: No More Will I Roam -- Trojan Producer Series Box Set (Trojan 1999)
The Viceroys: My Mission Is Impossible -- The Trojan Story Vol. 2 (Trojan 1982)


The Viceroys perform My Mission Is Impossible "inna de yard". Enjoy!
The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upwards through the night.
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Ladder of St Augustine."

Friday, August 5, 2011

Double Dub News: Playlist for Aug. 5, 2011


OK, here's the deal: Creation Rebel's Starship Africa was recorded in 1978, mixed and released initially in 1980 on 4D Rhythms/Hit Run. It was reissued on On-U Sound Records in 1982. On vinyl, there are only two "song titles" involved. Side A is "Starship Africa (Soundtrack from forthcoming motion picture)"; side B is "Space Movement." Side A has 5 tracks; side B has 4 tracks, so I guess you'd think of the first track on side B as "Space Movement 1", wouldn't you?

This music was first released on CD as part of Historic Moments Volume 2, which looks like this in North America:
But on this CD, the tracks are listed as "Space Movement 1" through "Space Movement 9"; thus, "Starship Africa 1" became "Space Movement 1" and "Space Movement 1" became "Space Movement 6." When the album Starship Africa was re-issued in 2000 as part of the Master Recordings series, the original titles were re-introduced. But then, lest you think confusion could or should cease, the 2003 Japan-only reissue of "Starship Africa" in 2003 reverted again to the "Space Movement 1 through 9" nonsense.
And now that the album has been reissued yet again in 2011 to celebrate On-U Sound's 30th anniversary, we're back to the correct titling/numbering system. This is the long way of saying that the track we played tonight, "Space Movement 2" is also known as "Space Movement 7" depending on what CD you're playing and, of course, what continent you're on. Whatever, it's a great track, and so is the whole album. Buy it, and play it all the way through (just like we used to in the olden days!) and I betcha you won't even care what titles or numbers go with which tracks. It is still the best of all Creation Rebel albums, and one of the best records On-U Sound ever released.
P.S.: If my explanation has been too confusing, please see the discussion on the Creation Rebel discography page of the website "On-U Sound in the Area" (a.k.a Skysaw), the source of all accurate On-U Sound discographical information.

Tonight we feature music reviewed by Steve Barker in the last two issues of Wire Magazine (July and August 2011). In some cases, we were unable to play anything from the new releases, so we played something older that is, we hope, related to the new albums under discussion:

Hollie Cook feat. Horseman: Cry (Disco Mix) -- Hollie Cook (Mr. Bongo 2011)
Creation Rebel: Space Movement Section 2 -- Starship Africa (On-U Sound 2011)
I Roy: Black Man Time -- Gussie Presenting I Roy (Sunspot 2011)
Jackie Edwards: This Is Another Festival -- Real Authentic Reggae Vol. 2 (BBE Records 2009)
Anthony Madden: Mad Experience (Sunflower 2011)
Jeb Loy Nichols: To Be Rich -- Longtime Traveller (Beat/On-U Sound JP 2011)
Nitty Gritty: General Penitentiary -- General Penitentiary (Black Victory 2011)
Impact All Stars: Java (Part 1) -- Java Java Java Java (Impact 1970s)
Frankie Paul: Worries In The Dance -- Most Wanted (Greensleeves 2011)
The Sharks & The Federal Studio Orchestra: You Made Me Warm (Kentone/Dub Store 2011)
Travellers: Keep On Trying -- Black Black Minds (Pressure Sounds 2005)
Dubmatix feat. Sugar Minott: In The Ghetto -- Renegade Rockers (7Arts Entertainment 2008)
Dr. Alimantado: Best Dressed Chicken -- Best Dressed Chicken (Keyman 2011)
Deadbeat: Plateau Quarter -- Drawn & Quartered (BLKRTZ 2011)
Keith Hudson: Man From Shooter's Hill -- Entering The Dragon (Sunspot 2011)
Chuck Turner: We Rule -- King Jammy's The Rhythm King (Pressure Sounds 2003)
Pampidoo: Synthesizer Voice (Goth-Trad Remix) (Greensleeves 2011)
Pupajim: Double Lock (Maffi 2011)
Disrupt: Double Lock Riddim (Maffi 2011)
Suns Of Arqa: On Hearing A Name Long Unspoken -- Stranger Music (Arka Sound 2011)