tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59140322672697599052011-12-28T16:17:24.785-08:00AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.comBlogger601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-62997190994915866852009-11-10T19:10:00.000-08:002009-11-10T19:26:27.765-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Svouw8AP7vI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/eO3Pdxacce8/s1600-h/att+8034.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Svouw8AP7vI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/eO3Pdxacce8/s320/att+8034.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402682121260101362" /></a><br />The Attack imprint started life in 1969 as part of the Doctor Bird group before becoming a fully fledged Trojan label in the early 1970's. It lasted untill '77/'78 and with the odd exception kept the same label design for its entire duration. <br /><br /> <br /><br />It was not directly associated with the Jamaican Attack label owned by Bunny Lee though some of his productions were issued on UK Attack. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Alongside approximately 130 7 inch singles there were around 27 12 inch singles released and around 15 LP's up to 1975. The label was revived for re-issue LP's around 1989 and a further 15 (approx) LP's were released.<br /><br /><br />Attack Discography<br /><br />ATT 8000 Pat Sandy - Gentle On My Mind // Big L - Music Box<br />Philligree production<br />1969<br /><br />ATT 8001 Family Circle - Phoenix Reggae // Big L - Music Box <br />Philligree production<br />1969<br /><br />ATT 8002 Family Circle - Reggae Krishna // Family Circle With Reco - Official<br />Philligree production<br />1969<br /><br />ATT 8003 Pat Sandy - Consider me // Big L - Family Man<br />Philligree production<br />1969<br /><br />ATT 8004 Family Circle - By The Time I Get To Phoenix // Big L - Hungry Man <br />Philligree production<br />1969<br /><br />ATT 8005 Family Circle - Stagger Back // Big L - The Show Boat <br />Philligree production<br />1969<br /><br />ATT 8006<br /><br />ATT 8007<br /><br />ATT 8008<br /><br />ATT 8009<br /><br />ATT 8010<br /><br />ATT 8011 Soul Directions - Su Su Su // Better Herring<br />Actually The Pioneers<br />Byron Lee production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8012 Leroy Smart - Life Is A Funny Thing // Trinity - Psalms<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8013 Symarip - I'm A Puppet // Vindication<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8014 Dave King Reggae Band - Hey Little Girl // Why Don't You Try Me?<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8015 Ray Martell - Loving Lover // Cora<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8016 Nyah Earth - Nyah Bingy // Message<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8017 Nyah Earth - Dual Heat // Night Of The Long Knives<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8018 Winston Groovy - I Can't Go On // Only You<br />Laurel Aitken production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8019 Winston Groovey - You Can't Turn Your Back On Me // Pama Dice - The Worm <br />Laurel Aitken production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8020 Concorde - Let me Out // I Belong To You<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8021 The Prodigal Sons With The Cimmarons - Get Lost Boss // Theresa And Catherine With The Cimmarons - I'll Be There <br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8022 Reaction - You Yes You // The Cimarrons - Be There<br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8023 Tubal Caine - I'm A Drifter // The Cimarrons - Drifting Version <br />Philligree production<br />1970<br /><br />ATT 8024 Pat Satchmo - Whats Going On // Lloyd & Kerry - Tubbys In Full Swing <br />Produced by Prince Tony <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8025 Melodians - This Beautiful Land // Melodios Rythms - Version <br />Produced by Tony Brevett<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8026 H. Handy - Feel Good // Phil Pratt All Stars - Feel Good Version <br />Produced by Phil Pratt <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8027 Dennis Alcapone - Fine Style // Winston Scotland - On The Track <br />Produced by Prince Tony <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8028 John Jones & The Now Generation - Sylvia's Mother (Reggae) // Sylvia's Mother<br />Produced by Richard Khouri<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8029 Lloyd & Carey - Scorpion // The Maytones - Hands and Feet <br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8030 U-Roy Junior- This Is Pepper // John Holt - Justice<br />Produced by Phil Pratt<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8031 The Melodians - Without You What Would I Do // The Dynamites - Instrumental<br />Produced by Tony Brevett<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8032 Lloyd & Carey - Do It Again // Gary Ranglin - Watch It <br />Produced by Alvin Ranglin <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8032 Carey & Lloyd - Only One Wife<br /><br />ATT 8033 Platonics - Blue Moon // Sidney George & Jackie - After Midnight <br />Produced by S. Crooks <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8034 The Reggae Boys - Take It Easy // Sidney George & Jackie - How I Want To Love You<br />Produced by S. Crooks <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8035 Hopeton Lewis - Starting All Over Again // The Dynamites - Version<br />Produced by Tommy Cowan & Warwick Lyn<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8036 Heptones - Save The Last Dance For Me // Be The One <br />Produced by Joel Gibson <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8037 Clancy Eccles - Ganja Free // The Dynamites - Ganja (Version) <br />Produced by Clancy Eccles<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8038 Johnny Lynch - Don't Believe Him, Donna // Johnny Lynch - Beyond The Reef <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8039 The Clarendonians - Bound In Chains // Stud All Stars - Chains Version <br />Produced by D. Brown & P. Austin <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8040 Rad Bryan - Standing In The Park // Bryan All Stars - Stand Up (Version) <br />Shady Tree production<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8041 Les Bongo & Bunny - Feel Nice (Version) // Winston Scotland - Quick and Slick <br />Produced by Prince Tony <br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8042 Maytals - It Was Written Down // Sweet Dandy<br />Produced by Warwick Lyn, Leslie Kong<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8043 Winston Grennan & J. Jackson - Musical Goat // Stinging Dub<br />Produced by Alvin Ranglin<br />1972<br /><br />ATT 8044 The Soulettes - This World // The Soulettes - Same Thing <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8045 John Holt - Time And The River // Version <br />Produced by Duke Reid <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8046 Winston Heywood - Da Do Ron Ron // Da Do Ron Ron (Instrumental)<br />Produced by Tony King <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8047 Cynthia Richards - Aily I // Reid's All Stars - Aily I (Version)<br />Produced by Duke Reid <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8048 Derrick Morgan - Derek's Big Eleven // Derek Morgan - My Ding A Ling <br />Produced by: Bunnie Lee<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8049 Thoroughbreds - Multiplication // Thoroughbreds - Morning Rises <br />Produced by Lloyd Coxson<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8050 I-Roy - Space Flight // Jerry Lewis - Burning Fire <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8051 Breadcrumbs - Nice One, Cyril // Version<br />Produced by H. Bowen<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8052 Denzil Dennis - People Got To Be Free // Denzil Dennis - Come Together <br />Produced by Pat Rhoden<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8053 The Cables - Give Me A Chance / Jah Fish - King Of Zion<br />Produced by Keble Drummond<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8054 Sidney, George & Jackie - Papa Was A Rolling Stone // Feeling High <br />Produced by Agard // Crooks // Robinson <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8055 Sid Cook - Live To Love // Heart Desire<br />Produced by Sidney Crooks<br /><br />ATT 8056 Derrick Harriott - Brown Baby // The Crystalites - Brown Baby Version<br />Produced by Derrick Harriott<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8057 Messengers - Crowded City // Thula Thula<br />Produced by Lloyd Charmers<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8058 Neville Grant - Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me // Neville Grant - Harry Hippie <br />Produced by Sidney Crooks <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8060 Audrey Rolins - Without You In My World // Audrey Rollins - It's Flowing <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8061 King Sporty - Thinking Of You // Thinking Of You Version <br />Produced by: King Sporty <br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8062 King Sporty - Girl I've Got A Date // We've Got To Make Love <br />Producer: Noel Williams<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8062 King Sporty - Girl I've Got A Date // Born A Loser<br />Producer: Noel Williams<br />1973<br /><br />ATT 8063 Ken Parker - Kiss An Angel In The Morning // Tommy McCook - Inez <br />Produced by Duke Reid <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8064 Sidney, George & Jackie - At The Club // Sidney, George & Jackie - Reggae Fever<br />Producer: Dandy Livingstone<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8065 Henneseys - I See You // Hennesys - Pass It On <br />Produced by Sidney Crooks <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8066 Gregory Issacs - Love Is Overdue - Pt. 1 // Gregory Issacs - Love Is Overdue - Pt. 2<br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8067 Annetta Jackson & Bobby Stephen - Heartaches // Annetta Jackson & Bobby Stephen - P.E.O. 111 <br />S.B.S. production<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8068 Boy Wonder - All On The House // Boy Wonder - Cold Blood <br />Producer: Sydney Crooks<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8069 Al Cook - Frankie and Johnny // Al Cook - Frankie and Johnny Version <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8070 Starlites - Hold My Hand // GGs All Stars - Hold My Hand Part 2<br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8071 Ernie Smith - Duppy Gun-Man // Ernie Smith - Duppy Gun-Man Version <br />Producer: Ernie Smith<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8072 Pat Rhoden - Living For The City // Just Wanna Live<br />A Trojan Production<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8073 Ken Parker - Count Your Blessings // Version <br />Producer: D.C. Anderson<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8074 Tropic Sunlight - Labour Day // Version<br />Producer: D.C. Anderson<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8075 Ansel Collins/G.G. All Stars - Atlantic One // Ansel Collins/G.G. All Stars - Atlantic One (Part 2) <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8077 Barbara Jones - Changing Partners // G.G. Allstars - Changing Partners (Part 2) <br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8078 Sonny Popkiss - Sweet Rebel Woman (Vocal) // Sonny Popkiss - Sweet Rebel Woman (Instrumental)<br />Producer R.D. Livingstone<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8079 Freddy McKay - Oh Carol // Oh Carol (Instrumental)<br />Produced by L. Campbell <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8080 Willows - A Noh Me Trouble You // GG All Stars - Version<br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8081 Gregory Isaacs - Don't Go // GG All Stars - Dub Wise <br />Producer: A. Ranglin <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8082 Ronnie Davis - The Same Folks // GG All Stars - Version<br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8083 Derrick & Hortense - I Am Gone // Derrick & Hortense - I Am Gone (Instrumental) <br />Produced by Bunnie Lee<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8084 The Uniques - Love Vibration // Rock A Bye Woman<br />Prod. by Sidney Crooks <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8085 Freddie McKay - Dock Of The Bay // Freddie McKay - Arise Selassie I Arise <br />Produced by Sidney Crooks <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8086 Brad Lundey - I Feel Sorry // Version<br />Produced by Tony Robinson <br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8087 Count Prince Miller - The Monkey // Love Children Band - 110th Avenue <br />Producer: R.D. Livingstone<br />1974<br /><br />ATT 8088 Ronnie Davis - I Lost My Lover // Matador All Stars - Bula Dub <br />Produced by Lloyd Campbell <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8090 Upsetters - Kiss Me Neck // Upsetters - Da Ba Day <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8091 Brent Dowe And The Gaytones - Share The Good Times // Share The Good Times - Version<br />Produced by S. Pottinger<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8092 Tidals - (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am // (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am Part 2 <br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8093 Joy White - Dread Out De // Joy White - Dread Dub <br />Producer: Lloyd Campbell <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8094 Lennox Brown - Oh Carol (O.K. Carol) // Spiderman - Oh Carol (Carol Dub)<br />Producer: Lloyd Campbell <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8095 Gregory Isaacs - Bad Da // Gregory Isaacs - Ad Dab <br />Producer: Winston Holness <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8096 Big Youth - House of Dread Locks // The Groove Master - Tangle Locks <br />Producer: Tony Robinson <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8097 The Interns - Nothing Is Impossible // The Hardy Boys - Black Out <br />Producer: Winston Riley<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8098 Ranchie - I'm Falling In Love // Skin Flesh & Bones - Love Dub<br />A Panschly Production<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8099 Barbara Jones - Walk Through This World / GG All Stars - Instrumental<br />Produced by Alvin Ranglin<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8100 Johnny Clarke - Rock With Me Baby // King Tubbys & The Aggrovators - A Crabit Version <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8101 Linval Thomson - Don't Cut Off Your Dreadlocks // King Tubbys - Don't Cut Off Your Dreadlocks (Instrumental) <br />Produced by Bunny Lee<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8102 I Roy - Natty Down There // I-Roy - Outformer Parker <br />Produced by P. Weston, S. Crooks<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8104 Big Youth - Mammy Hot & Daddy Cold // The Groovemasters - Like It Hot<br />Produced by Tony Robinson<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8105 U-Roy - Just Be Jolly / Dub With I<br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br /><br />ATT 8106 Gregory Isaacs - Fly Little Silver Bird // Dub<br />Produced by T. Robinson<br /><br />ATT 8107 Bunnie And Rickey - Too Bad Bull // Upsetters - Bad Cow <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8108 The Diamonds - Jah Jah Bless Your Dreadlocks // Version <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8109 Bunny And Ricky - Bushwood Contrash // Upsetters - Callying Butt <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8110 Topper Zuckie - Natty Dread Don't Cry // Tommy McCook - The Meducia <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8111 Delroy Wilson - Seven Letters // Version <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8112 Michael Dyke - Saturday Night Special // Chinna - Saturday Night Version<br />Produced by Earl Smith <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8113 The Diamonds - Just Can't Figure Out // The Diamonds - Just Can't Figure Out (Version) <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8114 Barbara Jones - Slim Boy // Barbara Jones - Walk Through This World With Me<br />Produced by A. Ranglin<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8116 Ronnie Davis - Tradition // Tradition (Version)<br />Produced by Bunnie Lee <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8117 Horace Andy - Nice And Easy // Horace Andy - Nice And Easy (Version) <br />Produced by Bunny Lee<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8118 Johnny Clarke - Cold I Up // Johnny Clarke - Cold I Up (Version) <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8119 Michael Dyke - Rainbow // Michael Dyke - Rainbow (Version) <br />Produced by Earl Smith<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8120 Delroy Wilson - Honey Child // Delroy Wilson - Time Is Running Out<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8121 Jah Lloyd - World Class // World Class (Version)<br />Produced by Glen Lee <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8122 Prince Jazzbo - The Wormer // Prince Jazzbo - The Great Pablo <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8123 Glen Washington - The Voice Of The Father // Version<br />Produced by A. Ranglin <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8124 Jah Woosh - I'm Alright // Version<br />Produced by Keith Hudson <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8125 Cornell Campbell - I Will Never Change // Version<br />Produced by B. Lee <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8126 Nora Dean - Scorpion // Version<br />Produced by Bunny Lee<br /><br />ATT 8127 Lester Lewis - Niah Dread // I Man Free <br />Produced by Harry J <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8128 Thunderball - White Bird Come Down // White Bird Come Down Version<br />Produced by Jerry Maytal <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8129 Jah Woosh - Show I The Way // Jah Woosh - Show I The Way (Version)<br />Produced by Neville Beckford <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8130 Lizzard - Fight Down // Lizzard - Jah Jah Bless I <br />Produced by Clive Hunt <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8131 Ethiopians - Another Moses // Silford Walker - I Can't Understand <br />1976<br /><br />ATT 8132 Eric Donaldson - A Weh We A Go Do / Part 11<br />Produced by E. Donaldson <br />1977<br /><br />ATT 8133 Eli Emmanuel - Stranger In Love // Eli Emmanuel - Babylon Burbin<br />Produced by Eli Emmanuel<br />1977<br /><br />ATT 8134 Wain Nelson - Christmas Time // Wain Nelson - Santa Claus<br />Produced by Wain Nelson<br />1977<br /><br />ATT 8135 Linval Thompson - I Love Marijuana // Linval Thompson - Jamica Collie (Version)<br />Produced by Bunny Lee<br />1978<br /><br />ATT 8136 Big Joe - Tubby At The Controls // Big Joe - Dignity & Principle<br />Produced by Linval Thompson, Cecil Clarke <br />1978<br /><br />ATT 8137 Jah Woosh - Marcus Say // Jah Woosh - Take Heed<br />Produced by Neville Beckford<br />1978<br /><br />ATT 8249 Johnny Clarke - Move Out Of Babylon Rastaman // King Tubby's And The Aggrovotors - A Moving Version<br /><br /> <br /><br />ATT 8??? Jah Stitch - Give Jah The Glory<br />Produced by Bunny Lee<br />1975<br /><br />ATT 8??? Jimmy Riley - Feeling Is Believing<br />1979<br /><br />TACK 1 Jimmy Riley - Give Thanks & Praise // Feeling Is Believing <br />Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Riley <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 2 Trinity - Follow My Heart // Trinity - Pope Paul Dead And Gone <br />Produced by Linval Thompson<br />1979<br /><br />TACK 3 Alphonso Pancho - Love Is A Pleasure // Never Give Up In A Babylon<br />1979 <br /><br />TACK 4 Marie Pierre - Nothing Gained (From Loving You) // Marie Pierre - Can't Go Through (With Life)<br />Produced by Dennis 'Blackbeard' Bovell <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 5 The Morwells - Kingston Twelve Tuffie // Prince Jammy At The Controls - Jammin’ For Survival <br />Produced by Maurice Willington<br />1979<br /><br />TACK 6 Ken Boothe - You're No Good // Prince Jammy - Out Of Order Dub <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 7 Michael Rose & Jammy - Born Free // Dad Brown - Stand & Look <br />Produced by The Mighty Fatman<br />Recording at King Tubby's, Jamaica<br />1979<br /><br />TACK 8 Pancho Alphonso & The Revolutionaries - Never Give Up In A Babylon // Pancho Alphonso & The Revolutionaries - Love Is A Pleasure <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 9 Bim Sherman - Lightning And Thunder // Bim Sherman - Why Won't You Come On<br />Produced by Bim Sherman<br />1979<br /><br />TACK 10 Vin Gordon & The Corner Shots - Liquid Horns // Junior & Corner Shots - Liquidator <br />Produced by Mighty Fatman <br />Mixed by Prince Jammy <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 11 Errol Gentles - Tell Me Why // Errol Gentles - Far Far Away <br />Arranged by Prince Jammy and The Mighty Fatman<br />Produced by the Mighty Fatman <br />Mixed by Prince Jammy <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 12 Marie Pierre - Choose Me // Somebody Else's Man <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 13 David Isaacs & Jah Thomas - Just Like A Sea // Witty's All Stars - Just Like A Sea (Version) <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 14 Dave Richards - Colour Of The Rainbow // We've Got To Make It <br />1979<br /><br />TACK 15 Junior Keating & Jah Thomas - Lover Girl / Talk Of The Town // Sly & The Revolutionaries - Kingston Dub<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 16 John Holt - Lovely Woman // John Holt - If I Were A Carpenter <br />Produced by John Holt<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 17 Barry Brown - Mr. CID // Scientist & Roots Radics Band - King Tubby Rockers <br />1980<br /><br />TACK 18 Pat Kelly - There's A Song // Roots Radics Band - Lovers Mood<br />Produced by Linval Thompson<br />Recorded at Channel One Studio<br />Mixed at King Tubby's<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 19 Linval Thompson - Here With Me // Roots Radics Band - Come On Baby Dub Style <br />Produced by Channel One<br /><br />TACK 20 Ashanti Waugh - Babylon Wrong // Barry Brown - Cool Pun Yu Corner<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 21 Barry Brown & Scientist - Seperation<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 22 Linval Thompson - Pop No Style // Scientist - Second Hand Girl<br />Trojan label<br />Produced by Linval Thompson<br />Recorded at Channel One Studios<br />Mixed at King Tubby's<br /><br />TACK 23 Barry Brown - Living As A Brother // Scientist - Version <br />Trojan label <br />Produced by Linval Thompson<br />Recorded at Channel One Studios<br />Mixed at King Tubby's<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 24 Sowell Radics - Caution // Bali-Hi Special<br />Produced by Noel Bailey<br />Recorded and mixed at Channel One Studios<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 25 Triston Palma - How Can A Man Be Happy // Triston Palma - Time Is Cold<br />Trojan label<br />Produced by Barrington Levy<br />Rhythm recorded at Channel One Studios and mixed at King Tubby's<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 26 Eddie Fitzroy - Pretty Woman // Eddie Fitzroy - Fuss & Fight<br />Produced by Barrington Levy<br />Recorded at Channel one & Mixed at King Tubbys<br />1980<br /><br />TACK 27 Sowell Radics - Fight Fight Fight // Sowell Radics - Aces Rock<br />Trojan label<br />Produced by Noel Bailey<br />Recorded & mixed at Channel One Studios, Jamaica<br /><br />ATLP 1001 Various - Heptones & Friends Vol. 2 <br />Tracks: Dynamic Ken Parker (Ken Parker) / Them A Fe Get A Beatin' (P. Tosh) / Magnificent Heptones (Heptones) / People Of Today (Jackie Brown) / The Ring (Ethiopians) / Let True Love Begin (Uriel Aldrel) // Money In My Pocket (Dennis Brown) / Knock On Wood (Alton Ellis) / I've Got A Feeling (Heptones) / Warricka Hill (Versatiles) / Baby I Need Your Loving (Delroy Wilson) / A So We Stay (Big Youth) <br />Produced by Joel Gibbson <br />1973<br /><br />ATLP 1002 Dennis Alcapone - Wake Up Jamaica<br />Never released<br />1972<br /><br />ATLP 1003 Errol Dunkley - Darling Oooh <br />Tracks: You Never Know / Movie Star / Created By The Father / A Little Way Different / Like To Be Boozed / Hi-Life / Darling Ooh / Baby I Love You / You're Gonna Need Me / I'm Not The Man For You / It Was Nice While It Lasted <br />Produced by S.E. Pottinger<br />1972<br /><br />ATLP 1004 Bobby & Tommy - Green Mango <br />Tracks: Green Mango / Roast Fish / Funky Stuff / Hot Pepper / Stag Lack No 17 / Concrete Rock // Reggae Masterpiece / Autumn Mood / Walk On The Wild Side / Musical Rocket (with an uncredited Prince Far I) / Jumbo Skank / Slow Piece <br />Produced by W. Riley<br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1005 Dennis Alcapone - Belch It Off <br />Tracks: Belch It Off / Jack Horner / God Father / Do It / Over and Over // Old King Cole / Bad Habit / Hard Time / Party Time / Sorry Harry <br />Produced by Sydney Crooks <br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1006 U Roy - U Roy <br />Tracks: Treasure Isle Skank / Rule The Nation / Drive Her Home / Tom Drunk / Words Of Wisdom // The Merry Go Round / Wake The Town / What Is Catty / Everybody Bawling / Ain't That Bawling / Behold<br />Producer: Duke Reid<br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1007 Tommy McCook - Tommy McCook <br />Tracks: Yard Broom / Carry Go Bring Come (uncredited Justin Hinds) / Twelve Minutes To Go / Magic / Strolling In / Dan De Lion // Apanga / Eastern Standard Time / Rough & Tough (Stranger Cole) / Musical Store Room / When You Call My Name (Stranger & Patsy) / River Bank <br />Produced by Duke Reid<br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1008 Various - Musical Consortium <br />Tracks: That's When It Hurts / Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me / Gaye / Hit Me With Music / Keep Your Mouth Shut / The Rogue / Ain't Always What You Do / Snake In The Grass / One More Chance / At The Club / Pardon / Move Away<br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1009 Lloyd Parks - Officially <br />Tracks: Officially / I Got My Baby Again / Say You Love Me / Who Is It / Don't Put Your Eggs In One Basket // Mighty Clouds Of Joy / Slaving / Corporal Jones / I'll Be A Man / The Only Girl / I Specialize In Good Girls <br />Produced by Lloyd Parks <br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1010 John Holt - A Love I Can Feel <br />Tracks: A Love I Can Feel / Do You Want Me / Make Up / Love Divine / Nobody Else / Why Can't I Touch You // Tonight / If It Don't Work Out / Stranger In Love / It's Alright / Your Arms Reaching Out For Me / My Heart Is Gone <br />Produced by C.S. Dodd <br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1011 Various - Big Bamboo <br />Originally intended as Bamboo release - BDLPS217 appears on sleeve and as scratched out matrix <br />Tracks: Rainy Night In Georgia (Lord Tanamo) / Got To Get Ourselves Together (Winston & Jerry) / Choking Kind (Ken Parker) / Fat Dog (Roy Richards) / Heavy Beat (Im & David) / So Long Rastafari Calling (Im & Count Ossie) // Suspicious Minds (Heptones) / Selection Train (Selected Four) / Maga Dog (Larry Marshall) / My Whole World Is Falling Down (Ken Parker) / Mr Fire Coal Man (Wailing Souls) / Sweet You Sour You (Freddie McKay) <br />Producer: C.S. Dodd <br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1012 Various - Rave On Brother <br />Originally intended as Bamboo release - BDLP218 appears on sleeve <br />Tracks: I'm Alone (William Brown) / You Keep On Running (Delroy & U Roy) / Hey World (Alton Ellis) / With Every Dream (George Ferris) / Rope Of Sand (Joncunoo) / No More (Owen Gray) // Anniversary (Junior English) / Harder and Harder (Alton Ellis) / I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (Joncunoo) / Roomful Of Tears (Ruffians) / The End (Joncunoo) / When We Were Children (Joncunoo) <br />Produced by Junior Lincoln, Larry Lawrence, Ackee Productions <br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1013 Freddie McKay - Picture On The Wall <br />Tracks: Picture On The Wall / You're Not The Kind / Love Is A Treasure / Father Will Cut You Off / So Long Farewell / You'll Be Sorry // High School Dance / Slip Away / Old Joe / A Little Bit Will Do / Can't Go On / Watch Your Step <br />Produced by C.S. Dodd <br />1974<br /><br />ATLP 1014 The Aggrovators - Natty Dub<br />Produced by Bunny Lee<br />1975<br /><br />ATLP 1015 Johnny Clarke - Enter In To His Gates With Praise <br />Tracks: Enter In To His Gates With Praise // None Shall Escape The Judgement / Move Up Rasta Man / Jah Jah We Are Waiting Upon You / Don't Talk Too Much / If You Should Lose Me / Left With A Broken Heart // You Are My Woman / Walk Away / My Desire / Hey Girl Don't Bother Me / True Believer In Love / Please Don't Go / In Paradise<br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />Mixed at: King Tubby Studios, 18 Drummley Avenue, Kingston 11<br />Mixing Engineer: Osborune Ruddock Alias King Tubby The Great<br />All Musical Rhythms Played by The Agrovators <br />1975<br /><br />ATLP 1016 Derrick Morgan - Feel So Good <br />Tracks: So Long Baby / I Am Gone / I Am Leaving / Shirley Come Back To Me / Lee´s Dream / Feel So Good / I Shot The Debuty / Reggae Train / Will You Marry Me / Please Don´t Hurt Me / O Be Generous / I´m Gonna Put My Foot Down<br />Produced by Bunnie Lee<br />Mixed at King Tubby Studios<br />Mixing Engeneer: Osbourne Ruddock Alias King Tubby The Great<br />All Musical Rhythms Played By The Agrovators<br />1975<br /><br />ATLP 1017 Observer All Stars And King Tubbys - Dubbing With The Observer <br />Tracks: Rebel Dance / Casanova Dub / Silver Bullet / Rasta Locks / Dubbing With The Observer / Sir Nineys Rock // Jam Down / Parade Dub / Youth Man / Turntable Dub / Corn Man / Mister D. Brown-Skank / Rema Dub<br />Produced by Niney <br />Mixed by King Tubbys<br />1975<br /><br /> <br /><br />ATLP 101 Various Artists - Sufferer's Choice <br />Tracks: Sufferer (The Kingstonians) / Condition Bad A Yard (The Ethiopians) / Trench Town Rock (Bob Marley And The Wailers) / Know Far I (Bongo Herman And Bunny) / Jordan River (Max Romeo And Glen Adams) / Take Warning (Billy Dyce) / Way Down In South (U-Roy) / Redder Than Red (Bob Marley And The Wailers) // Jah Jah Me No Born Yah (Cornell Campbell) / Deliver Us To Africa (Alton Ellis) / Yim Mas Gan (The Abbyssinians) / Crank Shaft Version (The Now Generation Band) / Niah Man (Johnny Osbourne) / Warricka Hill (The Versatiles) / The Song My Mother Used To Sing (Dennis Brown) / Nice Time (Bob Marley And The Wailers)<br />1989<br /><br />ATLP 102 Andrew Tosh - The Original Man <br />Tracks: Same Dog Bite / Too Much Rat / Heathen Rage / My Enemies / My Enemies - Dub Version // Magga Dog / I'm The Youngest / Poverty Is A Crime / Poverty Is A Crime - Dub Version / The Original Man / The Original Man - Dub Version<br />Produced by Winston 'Niney' Holness<br />1998<br /><br />ATLP 103 The Maytals - Do The Reggae 1966-70<br />Tracks: Bam Bam / 54-46 That's My Number / Struggle / Reborn / Just Tell Me / Do The Reggay / School Days / Bim Today // Hold On / Don't Trouble Trouble / Alidina / Sweet & Dandy / Oh Yeah / Water Melon / Johnny Cool Man / Night & Day <br />1988<br /><br />ATLP 104 Lee Perry And Friends - Shocks of Mighty 1969-1974<br />Tracks: Pound Get A Blow (The Upsetters) / No Bread And Butter (Milton Morris AKA Milton Henry) / The Tackro (1st, 2nd & 3rd Generation Upsetters) / Set Me Free (Dave Barker & Upsetters) / Dark Moon (The Upsetters) / Civilization (The Classics) / French Connection 2 (The Upsetters) // Black Mans Time (Neville Grant) / Three Blind Mice (Leo Graham) / Three Times Three (King Tubby & Upsetters) / Be Thankful (Bunny Clarke) / Dubbing In The Back Seat (Upsetters) / Woman's GottaHhave It (Jimmy Rilety) / Gotta have Dub (Upsetters) / Move Out Of My Way (Bunny Clarke) / Move out Dub (Upestters) <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />Recorde at Randy's, Dynamic, Black Ark, Studios Kingston Jamaica <br />1988<br /><br />ATLP 105 Johnny Clarke - Enter Into His Gates With Praise <br />Tracks: Enter Into His Gates With Praise / None Shall Escape / The Judgement / Move Up Rasta Man / Jah Jah We Are Waiting Upon You / Don't Talk Too Much / If You Should Lose Me / Left With A Broken Heart / You Are My Woman / Walk Away / My Desire / Hey Girl Don't Bother Me / True Believer In Love / Please Don't Go / In Paradise <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1989<br /><br />ATLP 106 The Aggrovators - Johnny In The Echo Chamber Dubwise Selection 1975-1976<br />Tracks: A Crabit Version / A Colder Version / Soldering Version / Not Enough Dub / Do You Dub / Since I Dub / Dub On My Pillow // Dub It On Home / Running Over / A Harder Version / Stop The Dubbing / A Chiney Man Version / A Ruffer Version / An Early Version <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />Mixed by the late King Tubby during 1975-1976, Lloyd 'Prince Jammy' James, 1976<br />1989<br /><br />ATLP 107 Johnny Clarke - Don't Trouble Trouble <br />Tracks: Rock With Me Baby / Cold I Up / Rebel Soldering / Too Much War / Do You Love Me / Since I Fell For You / Tears On My Pillow // Bring It On Home To Me / You Keep Me Running / Poor Marcus / Stop The Tribal War / Don't Call I Daddy / Don't Trouble Trouble / Don't Stay Out Late <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />Backed by The Aggrovators <br />1989<br /><br />ATLP 108 Lee Perry & Friends - Public Jestering <br />Tracks including: Public Jestering (Judge Winchester) / I'm A Dread Locks (Upsetters) / Dread Locks Version (Upsetters) / Stay Dread (Lee Perry) / Kingdom Of Dub (Upsetters) / Babylon Deh Pon Fire (Truth Fact & Correct) / Jungle Fever (Truth Fact & Correct) / Hypocrites (Jimmy & Glen)/ Black Candle (Leo Graham) / Bad Lamp (Upsetters) / Doctor Demand (Leo Graham) <br />Produced by Lee Perry <br />1990<br /><br />ATLP 109 Sonia Pottinger's Rock Steady - Put On Your Best Dress <br />Tracks Including: What A Agony (The Conquerors) / Blam Blam Fever (The Valentines) / Move Up (Al And The Vibrators) / Play It Cool (Monty Morris) / Swing And Dine (The Melodians) / Young Wings Can Fly (Johnny And The Attractions) / Pata Pata Rock Steady (Patsy And The Count Ossie Band) / All In One (The Valentines) // Put On Your Best Dress (Monty Morris) / Tell It To Me (Stranger Cole And Patsy) / Hard To Confess (The Gaylads) / Won't You Come Home (The Conquerors) / Little Nut Tree (The Melodians) / Creation Version (Charlei Ace) / I Need Your Loving (The Gaylads) / Say You (Ken Boothe)<br />Produced by Mrs Sonia. Pottinger <br />Recorded at Treasure Isle Studios, Kingston, Jamaica 1967-1968<br />1990<br /><br />ATLP 110 The Agrovators - Dub Justice <br />Tracks: A Version Of Class / A Rude Dubwise / Jah Jah Dub / Creation Dub / Knotty No Lie Version / Forward Version / This Ya Version Ya Red / Don't Try To Dub I // A Thankful Version / A Traditional Dub / A Confusing Version / A Kori Kong Version / A Stalawatt Version / Full Of Manners / A Roots Version / The Jehovah Version <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />Recorded in Kingston Jamaica 1975-1976<br />Mixed at King Tubby's Studio by the Late Osborne Ruddock, Prince Phillip Smart<br />1990<br /><br />ATLP 111 The Aggrovators And King Tubby's - Dub Jackpot <br />Tracks: Straight To Channel One Head (The Aggrovators) / Straight To Jacksons Head (King Tubby & The Aggrovators) / Watch This Version (King Tubby's & The Aggrovators) / Just A Version (King Tubby's) / Behold This Version (The Aggrovators) / The Knock-Out Punch Version (King Tubby's & The Aggrovators) / Straight To Edward's Head (King Tubby's & The Aggrovators) // Life Time Dub (King Tubby's & The Aggrovators) / A Come Version (Chinna & King Tubby) / Blessed Dub (King Tubby's & The Aggrovators) / So Much Version (The Aggrovators) / You're All I Got Version (The Aggrovators) / Going Version (King Tubby 's & The Aggrovators) / The Poor Barber (Dirty Harry)<br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />All tracks recorded in KIngston Jamaica 1974-1976<br />Mixed at King Tubby's Studio<br />1990<br /><br />ATLP 112 Various Artists - Roots Rockers <br />Tracks : Soul Rebel (Bob Marley) / I Shot The Sheriff (Ken Boothe) / Negrea African Dub (Linval Thompson) / Skanky Producer (Charlie Chaplin) / The Tide Is High (John Holt) / Walk Away (Marie Pierre) / Dread Combination (Mickey Dread) / And I The Chosen One (Prince Far I) // Miss Jamaica (Jimmy Cliff) / Unity (Ras Michael) / Nice And Easy (Susan Cadogan) / Don't Give Up (Barrington Levy) / Funky Jamaica (Greyhound) / Jah Jah Fire (Barry Brown) / Return Of Django (The Upsetters) / Black Pearl (Horace Faith)<br />1991<br /><br />ATLP 113 Various Artists - Reggae Attack <br />Tracks: Liquidator (Harry J. All Stars) / Soul Shakedown Party (Bob Marley) / Love Of The Common People (Nicky Thomas) / Crying Over You (Ken Boothe) / Red Red Wine (Tony Tribe) / Skinhead Moonstomp (Symarip) / Dollar In The Teeth (The Upsetters) / 007 (Shanty Town) (Desmond Dekker) // Double Barrel (Dave & Ansel Collins) / Train To Skaville (The Ethiopians) / Longshot Kick De Bucket (The Pioneers) / Suzanne Beware Of The Devil (Dandy Livingstone) / Israelites (Desmond Dekker) / Monkey Man (The Maytals) / Many Rivers To Cross (Jimmy Cliff) / I'm In The Mood For Ska (Lord Tanamo) <br />1990<br /><br />ATLP 114 The Kingstonians - Sufferer <br />Tracks: Your Love / Singer Man / Sufferer / Hold Down / I'll Be Around / Winey Winey (Reggae) // The Clip / Rumble Rumble / Come We Go Moonwalk / Complicated Scene / Easy Ride Reggae / Nice Nice<br />A Move & Groove Record Production<br />Produced by Derrick Harriott<br />Recorded at Dynamic Studios, Kingston, Jamaica<br />Recording engineers: L. Anderson, C. Bucknor<br />1991<br /><br />ATLP 115 Various Artists - Be Thankful, An Attack Sampler<br />Tracks: Jah Jah Me No Born Yah (Cornell Campbell) / Hold Down (The Kingstonians) / Don't Trouble Trouble (The Maytals) / Be Thankful (Bunny Clarke) / If You Should Lose Me (Johnny Clarke) / A Ruffer Version (The Aggrovators) / Since I Fell For You (Johnny Clarke) // Stay Dread (Lee Perry) / Move Up (Al & The Vibrators) / A Kori Kong Version (The Aggovators) / Life Tiem Dub (King Tubby & The Aggrovators) / Miss Jamaica (Jimmy Cliff) / Cryoing Over You (Ken Boothe) / The Original Man (Andrew Tosh)<br />1991<br /><br />ATLP 116 Errol Dunkley - Darling Ooh <br />Tracks: You Never Know / Movie Star / Created By The Father / A Little Way Different / Like To Be Boozed / Hi-Life (Part 1) // Darling Ooh / Baby I Love You / You're Gonna Need Me / I'm Not The Man For You / It Was Nice While It Lasted / Hi-Life (Part 2) <br />1991<br /><br /> <br /><br />Jackie Mittoo - Hot Blood <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1979<br /><br />Jimmy Riley - Give Thanks And Praise <br />1979<br /><br />Trinity - If I Follow My Heart <br />1979<br /><br />Pancho Alphonso - Love Is A Pleasure <br />1979<br /><br />Aggrovators - Kaya Dub <br />Produced by Bunny Lee <br />1996<br /><br />Leroy Smart - Leroy Smart in London<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-6299719099491586685?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-4914894755486292782009-11-10T18:57:00.000-08:002009-11-10T19:01:02.927-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Svoox4_6YoI/AAAAAAAAAMI/VTd65BhYX6o/s1600-h/reggaegirl.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 228px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Svoox4_6YoI/AAAAAAAAAMI/VTd65BhYX6o/s320/reggaegirl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402675540563485314" /></a><br />Big Shot started life as a subsidiary of Island records in 1968, the label became part of the Trojan group with it's formation the same year. A very succesful label mainly due to the rude records issued on it by Judge Dread that consistantly charted (Big Six - UK Pop No11, Big Seven - No8, Big Eight - No14) it soldiered on to 1975 releasing 130 singles and a number of albums on the way. <br /><br />Reggae Girl - The Tennors/Donkey Trot - Clive's All Stars. The first issue on the label and a superb example of early reggae. <br /><br />Night Food Reggae - Nora Dean/Jaco - The Prophets. The label changed to plain orange around about BI-600. At least one record, Big Six by Judge Dread, appeared with the yellow /orange and the plain orange labels.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-491489475548629278?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-82313158558632412552009-10-30T19:42:00.000-07:002009-10-30T19:52:25.345-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SuumSeBlfrI/AAAAAAAAAMA/UWTHdj2X7hM/s1600-h/perfectbornya.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 228px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SuumSeBlfrI/AAAAAAAAAMA/UWTHdj2X7hM/s320/perfectbornya.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398591414561242802" /></a><br />The UK Amalagamated label was a subsidiary of Trojan Records started for the productions of Joe Gibbs. Based on Gibb's Jamaican imprint of the same name the first releases were in 1968 (AMG 800) and the last (some 70 releases later) in 1970 (AMG 873) when it was superceded by the Pressure Beat label. In the late 60's period the majority of Joe Gibbs's productions were issued by Trojan through the label so it is likely that an exclusive deal was signed. <br /><br /> <br />The label is highly regarded for it's Rocksteady sides as well as the uptempo Reggae releases, Lee Perry would have been responsible for some of the productions as he worked for Joe Gibbs prior to setting up on his own in 1968. The most obvious Perry involvement is on The Upsetter b/w Thank You Baby, sung by Perry himself the Upsetter was a significant hit and lead to Perry adopting the title as a nickname and using it as a name for his legendary record label.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Amalgamated Discography</span><br /><br />AMG 800 Errol Dunkley - Please Stop Your Lying // Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - Feel So Fine<br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 801 Stranger Cole & Glady - Just Like A River // The Leaders - Hope Someday<br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br /><br />AMGLP 2001 Al Stewart & Marvetts - Fly Away To Glory<br />Tracks: Daniel Saw The Stone / Mansion On The Hill Top / A Beautiful Life / We Shall Have A Grand Time / Fly Away To Glory / He's So Real To Ought To Know / Songs Of Praise / Eveybody Ought To Know / I Once Was Lost In Sin / Where Shall I Do / Down Where The Sweet Waters Flow<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 2002 Various Artists - Explosive Rock Steady <br />Tracks: I'm Moving On (The Pioneers) / Miss Tourist (The Pioneers) / Just Like A River (Stranger Cole & Gladdy) / Uncle Sam's Country (Dennis Walks) / Long Shot (The Pioneers) / Train To Soulsville (Cool Sticky) // Love Love Everyday (The Pioneers) / Hold Them (Roy Shirley) / Come Brothers (Hugh Malcolm) / Give Me A Little Loving (The Pioneers) / Push It On (The Versatiles) / Love Brother (Errol Dunkley)<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMGL 2003 The Pioneers - Greetings From The Pioneers <br />Tracks: Me Naw Go A Believe / You'll Never Get Away / Baby Don't Be Late (Winston Jarrett & The Righteous Flames) / Shake It Up / No Dope Me Pony / Whip Them // Gimme Gimme Girl (Winston Jarrett & The Righteous Flames) / Things Just Got To Change / Sweet Dreams / Tickle Me For Days / Jackpot / Give Me A Little Loving<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br /> <br /><br />CSP 3 Various Artists - Jackpot Of Hits<br />Tracks: Jackpot (The Pioneers) / Feel Good (The Mellowtones, actually Bleechers) / Give Me A Little Loving (The Pioneers) / No Dope Me Pony (The Pioneers) / Secret Weapon (The Conquerors, actually Ansell Collins) / El Casino Royale (Lynn Taitt And The Jets) // What Moma No Want She Get (Stranger Cole) / Catch The Beat (The Pioneers) / Good Time Rock (Hugh Malcolm) / Just Like A River (Stranger Cole And Gladdy) / Hurry Come Up (The Crashers) / Train To Soulville (Cool Sticky)<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br /> <br /><br />TTL 27 The Inspirations - Reggae Fever <br />Tracks: Mad Rooster / Easy Up / Wet Dream / Why Do You Laugh At My Calamity / Samfie Man / Only Yesterday / Reggae Fever / Bongo Nyah / Who You Gonna Run To / Sweet Sensation / Fattie Fattie / Liquidator <br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1970<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 802 The Versatiles - You Just Can't Win // The Leaders - Sometimes I Sit Down And Cry <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 803 The Overtakers - That's The Way You Like It // The Overtakers - The Big Takeover<br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 804 The Leaders - Tit For Tat // The Marvettes - You Take Too Long To Know <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 805 Errol Dunkley - I'm Going Home // Errol Dunkley - I'm Not Your Man<br />Produced by: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 806 Stranger & Gladdy - Seeing Is Knowing // Roy Shirley - Music Is The Key <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 807 Errol Dunkley - The Scorcher // Errol Dunkley - Do It Right Tonight <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson <br />1968<br /><br />AMG 808 Lee Perry - The Upsetter // Lee Perry - Thank You Baby <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 809 The Overtakers - Girl You Ruff // Keith Blake - Wooh Oh Oh<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 810 Lynn Taitt And The Jets - El Casino Royale // Lynn Tait And The Jets - Dee's Special <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 811 The Pioneers - Give Me Little Loving // Lynn Tait & The Jets - This Is Soul<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 812 The Mellotones - Fat Girl In Red // The Versatiles - Trust The Book<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 813 Victor Morris - Now I Am All Alone // Victor Morris - Fall And Rise<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 814 Pioneers - Long Shot // Pioneers - Dip And Fall Back <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 815 Roy Shirley - The World Needs Love // Roy Shirley - Dance The A. Una<br />Producer J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 816 Dennis Walks - Having A Party // The Groovers - Day By Day <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 817 The Mellotones - Feel Good // Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - Soulful Mood <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 818 The Creations - Holding Out // The Creations - Get On Up <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 819 Jackie Robinson - Over And Over // Jackie Robinson - Woman Of Samaria<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 820 Errol Dunkley - Love Brother // Lyn Taitt & The Jets - I Spy <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 821 The Pioneers - Jackpot // The Creators - Kimble <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />(actually a Lee Perry production )<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 822 Sir Gibbs - People Grudgeful // The Pioneers - Pan Ya Machette <br />Producer J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 823 The Pioneers - No Dope Me Pony // Lord Salmons - Great-Great In '68 <br />Producer J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 824 Jackie Robinson - Let The Little Girl Dance // Derrick Morgan - I Want To Go Home <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 825 Cool Sticky - Train To Soulsville // Eric Monty Morris - Cinderella<br />Produced by: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 826 The Pioneers - Tickle Me For Days // The Versatiles - The Time Has Come<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 827 Hugh Malcolm - Good Time Rock // Lyn Taitt & The Jets - Sleepy Ludy <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 828 The Pioneers - Catch The Beat // Sir Gibbs All Stars - Jana<br />B-side actually The Immortals - Jane Anne<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 829 Hugh Malcolm - Mortgage // Carl 'Cannonball' Bryan - Man About Town<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 830 The Pioneers - Sweet Dreams // Vincent Gordon - Caterpillar Rock<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 831 The Royals - Never Come See // Carl 'Cannonball Bryan - Jumping Jack<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 832 Ansel'l Collins - Secret Weapon // The Conquerors - Jumpy Jumpy Girl <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 833 The Pioneers - Don't You Know // The Pioneers - Me Naw Go A Believe <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 834 The Crashers - Hurry Come Up // The Crashers - Off Track<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1968<br /><br />AMG 835 The Pioneers - Mama Look Deh // The Blenders - Decimal Currency <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 836 The Soulmates - Them A Laugh And A Ki Ki // The Hippy Boys - The Hippys Are Here<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 837 Ernest Wilson - My Private Number // Glen Adams - She's So Fine<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 838 Stranger Cole - What Moma No Want She Get // Stranger Cole - We Two <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 839 The Soul Sisters - Wreck A Buddy // The Versatiles - Push It In <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 840 The Pioneers - Who The Cap Fit // The Pioneers - I'm Moving On <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 841 The Reggae Boys - Me No Born Ya // The Reggae Boys - The Wicked Must Survive<br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 842 The Soulmates - On The Move // The Soul Mates - Jump It Up<br />Producer J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 843 The Reggae Boys - The Reggae Train // The Reggae Boys - Dolly House On Fire <br />Producer: J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 844 The Young Souls - Why Did You Leave // The Young Souls - Man A Wail <br />Producer J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 845 The Cobs - Hot Buttered Corn // Count Machuki - It Is I (Machukie's Cooking) <br />Producer J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 846 The Moon Boys - Apollo 11 // The Pioneers - Love Love Everyday <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 847 Ken Parker - It's Alright // The Cobbs - One Love<br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 848 The Scientists - Professor In Action // Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - Reflections Of Don Drummond <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 849 The Cobbs - Space Doctor // Lloyd & Devon - Baby Reggae <br />Produced by J.A. Gibson <br />1969<br /><br />AMG 850 The Pioneers - Ali Button // Hippy Boys - Death Rides<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 851 Immortals - Bongo Jah // Ansell Collins - My Last Walk <br />Produced by J. Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 852 The Slickers - Man Beware // The Slickers - Mother Matty <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 853 Ken Parker - Only Yesterday // Ansell Collins - Joe Gibbs Mood <br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 854 The Versatiles - Lu Lu Bell // The Versatiles - Long Long Time <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 855 Joe Gibbs And The Destroyers - Nevada Joe // The Destroyers - Straight To The Head <br />Produced by: Joe Gibson<br />1969<br /><br />AMG 856 The Destroyers - Niney Special // Niney - Danger Zone <br />Produced by: Joel Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 857 The Inspirations - Take Back You Duck // The Inspirations - Nothing For Nothing <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 858 Joe Gibbs And The Destroyers - Franco Nero (Vers. I) // Joe Gibbs And The Destroyers - Franco Nero (Vers. II)<br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 859 The Destroyers - Rock The Clock // Destroyers - Version<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 860 Nicky Thomas - Turn Back The Hands Of Time // Nicky Thomas - Let It Be<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970.<br /><br />AMG 861 The Inspirations - La La // The Inspirations - Reggae Fever <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 862 The Inspirations - The Train Is Coming // The Inspirations - Man Oh Man <br />Produced by J. Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 863 Jo Gibbs All Stars - Danzella // The Joe Gibbs All Stars - Version<br />Produced by: Joel Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 864 Not used<br /><br />AMG 865 Joe Gibbs - Hijacked // Joe Gibbs - Life Is Down In Denver <br />Produced by: Joel Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 866 The Slickers - Man Beware // The Joe Gibbs All Stars - Man Beware<br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 866 Joe Gibbs and the Destroyers - Money Raper // The Slickers - Man Beware<br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1970 <br /><br />AMG 867 Count Machuki - Movements // The Joe Gibbs All Stars - Caesar <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 868 Lizzy - Gift Of God // Joe Gibbs All Stars - Money Raper <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 869 Jo Gibs All Stars - Perfect Born Yah // Jo Gibs All Stars - Red Red Wine <br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 870 Caly Gibbs - Seeing Is Believing // Joe Gibbs All Stars - Ghost Capturer <br />Produced by: Joel Gibson<br />1971<br /><br />AMG 871 Johnny Lover - Pumpkin Eater // The Joe Gibbs All Stars - Version<br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 872 Carlton Gibbs - Ghost Walk // The Joe Gibbs All Stars - Joy Stick <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1970<br /><br />AMG 873 Johnny Lover - Two Edged Sword // The Joe Gibbs All Stars - Two Edged Sword Version 2<br />Produced by Joel Gibson<br />1971<br /><br /> <br /><br />TR 016 Joe Gibbs All Stars - Ghost Capturer <br />Produced by Joe Gibbs<br />1971<br /><br /> <br /><br />CSP 3 The Pioneers - Jackpot // Stranger Cole - What Moma No Want She Get<br />1969<br /><br /> <br /><br />SS 001 Marvetts - We Are Not Divided // Marvetts - He Is So Real To Me<br />1968<br /><br />SS 002 Marvetts - We Shall Have A Grand Time // Marvetts - Let The Power Fall On Me<br />1968<br /><br />SS 003 Marvetts - I Was Once Lost In Sin // Marvetts - What A Wonderful Thing<br />Produced by J.A. Gibson<br />1968<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8231315855863241255?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-40118423215910403292009-10-23T19:08:00.000-07:002009-10-23T19:17:08.647-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SuJjfRBB07I/AAAAAAAAAL4/i4kFDnL61os/s1600-h/harry_liquidator1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SuJjfRBB07I/AAAAAAAAAL4/i4kFDnL61os/s320/harry_liquidator1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395984692338086834" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SuJjQmkOm1I/AAAAAAAAALw/Qe10y7ck7MY/s1600-h/harry_liquidator2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SuJjQmkOm1I/AAAAAAAAALw/Qe10y7ck7MY/s320/harry_liquidator2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395984440424831826" /></a><br /><br />Harry Zephaniah Johnson (known as Harry J, born July 6, 1945, Westmoreland) is a Jamaican reggae record producer of African, Sicilian and Scottish descent. He is the head of the landmark Harry J. Records, located at 10 Roosevelt Avenue, Kingston 6, Jamaica WI.<br /><br />Johnson is an important record producer who met success during the early reggae era, but who’s direction still influences the Reggae music industry today<br />Johnson started to play music with the Virtues as a bass player, but soon quit to work as an insurance salesman. He first appeared as a record producer in 1968, when he launched his own record label, “Harry J”, by releasing The Beltones’ local hit No More Heartaches, considered by many to be the very first reggae song ever recorded, along with the Studio One single “Nanny Goat” by Larry & Alvin. His agreement with Coxsone Dodd allowed him to use Studio One’s facilities, where he produced the hit Cuss Cuss with singer Lloyd Robinson, which became one of the most covered riddim in Jamaica.<br /><br />In October 1969, he met success in the UK with The Liquidator (number 9 in the UK Singles Chart) recorded with his sessionband, The Harry J All Stars. This single became one of the anthems of the emerging skinhead youth subculture; together with other instrumental hits released in the UK through his own subdivision “Harry J” on Trojan Records, on a compilation album of the same name (see cover). During the 2008 United States presidential election, president hopeful Senator Barack Obama campaign used the song “I’ll Take You There” by the The Staple Singers at the closing of his stump speeches on the campaign trail. The beginning of the song “I’ll take you there” features an introduction which was lifted from “The Liquidator”.<br /><br />In the beginning of the 1970’s he enjoyed another big success with the vocal duo Bob & Marcia with the song Young, Gifted and Black. His productions also included Jamaican hits with DJs like Winston Blake or Scotty among others, and many dub versions.<br /><br /><br />Harry J Studio<br />Johnson is mainly known for his Harry J Studio where Bob Marley & The Wailers recorded the majority of their albums in the 1970s. The studio was also a must stop hangout of many British musicians including the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Grace Jones. In addition, Chris Blackwell the founder of Island Records the original label of the band U2 could be found hanging out in the sound room prior to moving to England in the early 1970s.<br /><br />In 1972, Harry Johnson sold his record shop and set up his own recording studio “Harry J”, on 10 Roosevelt Avenue, Uptown Kingston. Harry J Studio soon became one of the most famous Jamaican studios after having recorded several Bob Marley & The Wailers albums from 1973 to 1976 before the Tuff Gong era; such as Rastaman Vibration and Catch A Fire.<br /><br />Johnson’s deal with Island Records led him to record artists such as Burning Spear and The Heptones. Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, backed by former Studio One sound engineer Sylvan Morris, he also recorded artists like Ken Boothe, Augustus Pablo, The Cables and the American pop singer, Johnny Nash, and produced albums by Zap Pow and Sheila Hylton. In 2002, after seven years of inactivity, he reopened his Harry J studio and since has recorded people like Burning Spear. The studio appears in the movie, Rockers.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-4011842321591040329?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-63157443215048324952009-10-20T18:35:00.000-07:002009-10-20T18:41:55.821-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/St5mw8BIgCI/AAAAAAAAALo/4im14wDjw8Y/s1600-h/22922217.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 263px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/St5mw8BIgCI/AAAAAAAAALo/4im14wDjw8Y/s320/22922217.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394862394567065634" /></a><br />Lloyd Charmers' career (born Lloyd Tyrell) spans some of the most fertile periods of Jamaica's musical history. From the late-'50s era of Jamaican shuffle R&B and the subsequent ska boom, to the rocksteady and roots reggae of the late '60s and early '70s, Charmers made valuable contributions not only as a vocalist, but as a session musician and producer, as well. <br /><br />Charmers first broke into the Kingston music scene as a member of the singing duo the Charmers, which also featured vocalist Roy Willis. After scoring a few hits in the late '50s, the group caught the attention of rising producer and future reggae legend Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. Cut for a variety of Dodd labels, including All Stars, World Disc, and Coxsone, the Charmers' output for the producer included their biggest smash, "Jeannie Girl," a song featured on Coxsone's famous debut collection, All Star Top Hits. Continuing under Dodd's newly setup Studio One imprint, Charmers and Willis maintained their high profile into the ska and rocksteady period during 1962-1967. <br /><br />Spurred on by one of the day's top singers, Alton Ellis, Charmers took up the piano in 1966. A few years later, he was an accomplished enough player to form a band of his own with a few friends. Also featuring Charmers on organ, the lineup included guitarist Alva "Reggie" Lewis and the sibling duo of drummer Carlton "Carlie" Barrett and bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett. Dubbed the Hippy Boys, the group soon fell into the camp of fledgling producer Bunny "Striker" Lee. Their first date with Lee was as the backup band on alto saxophonist Lester Sterling's instrumental hit "Bangarang." Renamed the Bunny Lee Allstars, the band eventually backed a slew of Lee acts, including Ken Parker, Max Romeo, Pat Kelly, John Holt, and Slim Smith & the Uniques (Charmers would also spend some time singing for the Uniques). Buoyed by their reputation for laying down some of the rawest and driving rhythms of the time, the Hippy Boys were soon sought after by such other young producers of the time as Sonia Pottinger, Harry J., and Lloyd Daley; they even hooked up with the idiosyncratic Lee Perry, who changed their name to the Upsetters for his sessions. During this time, Charmers and company also cut some amazing instrumental sides under the Hippy Boys name, all of which were produced by Charmers. Covering the years 1969-1970, these incredible tracks were released on such albums as House in Session, Reggae Charm, and Reggae Is Tight (these titles have long been out of print, but some of the tracks can be found on the fine 1998 Reggae Retro collection Psychedelic Reggae). <br /><br />Having picked up valuable studio experience, both with Lee and in overseeing the Hippy Boys sessions, Charmers launched his own Splash label in the early '70s (he would also release material on the Soul Beat and Wild Flower labels). Featuring his sophisticated, Philly soul-inspired arrangements, Charmers' output included several hits by the Gaylads, B.B. Seaton, Lloyd Parks, and Ken Boothe. Boothe, in fact, proved to be Charmers' biggest act, scoring such smashes as "Have I Sinned," "Black, Green & Gold," and the Bread cover "Everything I Own." Including another Boothe hit, "Crying Over You," Charmers penned many of the cuts used for his sessions. He even found time to maintain a successful career as a singer in his own right, scoring early-'70s hits like "Oh Me Oh My" and "Rasta Never Fails." Charmers also produced several instrumental and proto-dub sides during this time, which often featured his session band Now Generation, led by guitarist Mickey Chung. <br /><br />Unfortunately, not much is known about Charmers' whereabouts after his successful stint as a producer in the first half of the '70s. Whether he is still working or even still alive is a good question. But, there are samples of his work available. In addition to the Psychedelic Reggae collection, curious listeners can check out his production work on Boothe's Everything I Own album for Trojan and guitarist Willie Lindo's instrumental disc Far & Distant on Wild Flower.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-6315744321504832495?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-26405346260949408452009-10-17T19:20:00.000-07:002009-10-17T19:25:43.665-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Stp8mNu0LYI/AAAAAAAAALg/xc52ZA7tr4M/s1600-h/franklin_aretha.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 312px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Stp8mNu0LYI/AAAAAAAAALg/xc52ZA7tr4M/s320/franklin_aretha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393760499692481922" /></a><br />Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged. Her astonishing run of late-'60s hits with Atlantic Records--"Respect," "I Never Loved a Man," "Chain of Fools," "Baby I Love You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "Think," "The House That Jack Built," and several others--earned her the title "Lady Soul," which she has worn uncontested ever since. Yet as much of an international institution as she's become, much of her work--outside of her recordings for Atlantic in the late '60s and early '70s--is erratic and only fitfully inspired, making discretion a necessity when collecting her records.<br /><br />Franklin's roots in gospel ran extremely deep. With her sisters Carolyn and Erma (both of whom would also have recording careers), she sang at the Detroit church of her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, while growing up in the 1950s. In fact, she made her first recordings as a gospel artist at the age of 14. It has also been reported that Motown was interested in signing Aretha back in the days when it was a tiny start-up. Ultimately, however, Franklin ended up with Columbia, to which she was signed by the renowned talent scout John Hammond.<br /><br />Franklin would record for Columbia constantly throughout the first half of the '60s, notching occasional R&B hits (and one Top Forty single, "Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"), but never truly breaking out as a star. The Columbia period continues to generate considerable controversy among critics, many of whom feel that Aretha's true aspirations were being blunted by pop-oriented material and production. In fact there's a reasonable amount of fine items to be found on the Columbia sides, including the occasional song ("Lee Cross," "Soulville") where she belts out soul with real gusto. It's undeniably true, though, that her work at Columbia was considerably tamer than what was to follow, and suffered in general from a lack of direction and an apparent emphasis on trying to develop her as an all-around entertainer, rather than as an R&B/soul singer.<br /><br />When Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic, producer Jerry Wexler was determined to bring out her most soulful, fiery traits. As part of that plan, he had her record her first single, "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," at Muscle Shoals in Alabama with esteemed Southern R&B musicians. In fact, that was to be her only session actually at Muscle Shoals, but much of the remainder of her '60s work would be recorded with the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, although the sessions would actually take place in New York City. The combination was one of those magic instances of musical alchemy in pop: the backup musicians provided a much grittier, soulful, and R&B-based accompaniment for Aretha's voice, which soared with a passion and intensity suggesting a spirit that had been allowed to fly loose for the first time.<br /><br />In the late '60s, Franklin became one of the biggest international recording stars in all of pop. Many also saw Franklin as a symbol of Black America itself, reflecting the increased confidence and pride of African-Americans in the decade of the civil rights movements and other triumphs for he Black community. The chart statistics are impressive in and of themselves: ten Top Ten hits in a roughly 18-month span between early 1967 and late 1968, for instance, and a steady stream of solid mid-to-large-size hits for the next five years after that. Her Atlantic albums were also huge sellers, and far more consistent artistically than those of most soul stars of the era. Franklin was able to maintain creative momentum, in part, because of her eclectic choice of material, which encompassed first-class originals and gospel, blues, pop, and rock covers, from the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel to Sam Cooke and the Drifters. She was also a fine, forceful, and somewhat underrated keyboardist.<br /><br />Franklin's commercial and artistic success was unabated in the early '70s, during which she landed more huge hits with "Spanish Harlem," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "Day Dreaming." She also produced two of her most respected, and earthiest, album releases with Live at Fillmore West and Amazing Grace. The latter, a 1972 double LP, was a reinvestigation of her gospel roots, recorded with James Cleveland & the Southern California Community Choir. Remarkably, it made the Top Ten, counting as one of the greatest gospel-pop crossover smashes of all time.<br /><br />Franklin had a few more hits over the next few years--"Angel" and the Stevie Wonder cover "Until You Come Back to Me"--being the most notable--but generally her artistic inspiration seemed to be tapering off, and her focus drifting toward more pop-oriented material. Her Atlantic contract ended at the end of the 1970s, and since then she's managed to get intermittent hits -- "Who's Zooming Who" and "Jump to It" are among the most famous -- without remaining anything like the superstar she was at her peak. Many of her successes were duets, or crafted with the assistance of newer, glossier-minded contemporaries such as Luther Vandross. There was also another return to gospel in 1987 with One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.<br /><br />Critically, as is the case with many '60s rock legends, there have been mixed responses to her later work. Some view it as little more than a magnificent voice wasted on mediocre material and production. Others seem to grasp for any excuse they can to praise her whenever there seems to be some kind of resurgence of her soul leanings. Most would agree that her post-mid-'70s recordings are fairly inconsequential when judged against her prime Atlantic era. The blame is often laid at the hands of unsuitable material, but it should also be remembered that -- like Elvis Presley and Ray Charles -- Franklin never thought of herself as confined to one genre. She always loved to sing straight pop songs, even if her early Atlantic records gave one the impression that her true home was earthy soul music. If for some reason she returned to straight soul shouting in the future, it's doubtful that the phase would last for more than an album or two. In the meantime, despite her lukewarm recent sales record, she's an institution, assured of the ability to draw live audiences and immense respect for the rest of her lifetime, regardless of whether there are any more triumphs on record in store.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-2640534626094940845?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-6404047938261910532009-10-14T19:04:00.000-07:002009-10-14T19:14:36.000-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/StaE8LVBlMI/AAAAAAAAALY/8kDt5qKg4c0/s1600-h/jackiemittoo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/StaE8LVBlMI/AAAAAAAAALY/8kDt5qKg4c0/s320/jackiemittoo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392643773190739138" /></a><br /><br />Jackie Mittoo. Pianist, organist, songwriter, b Montego Bay, Jamaica, 3 Mar 1948, d Toronto 16 Dec 1990. Said to have been a piano prodigy, Mittoo began his career in his mid-teens in Kingston, Jamaica. He worked in turn with the Rivals, Sheiks, and Skatalites and was a major figure (keyboard player, composer, arranger, producer) at Coxsone Dodd's Jamaican Record Manufacturing Co (familiarly, Studio One), where he led, or was a member of, a succession of studio groups (Soul Vendors, Sound Dimension, Invaders, Brentford All Stars, New Establishment) and backed Bob Marley and The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, the Heptones, Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis, and others. <br /><br />Several of Mittoo's songs and/or rhythms from the 1960s were later recorded or adapted by other artists - eg, 'Real Rock' by The Clash and Willie Williams (as 'Armagideon Time'), 'Full Up' by the Mighty Diamonds (as 'Pass the Kouchie') and Musical Youth (as 'Pass the Dutchie') and 'Feel Like Jumping' by William Orbit. His own recording of 'Ram Jam' was a hit and led in 1967 to a tour of England with the Soul Vendors. Mittoo also played on the US soul singer Johnny Nash's Jamaican recordings of 'Hold Me Tight' (1968) and 'Cupid' (1969), which were among the first reggae songs to enjoy broad popularity in North America and Europe. <br /><br />Mittoo moved in 1969 to Toronto, but continued to work in Jamaica and toured, and/or recorded, as a member of the Skatalites and with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Sugar Minott, Johnny Osbourne, Willie Williams, and others. He was music director in 1980 for a short-lived Broadway production, Reggae, and further supported reggae's growing acceptance in mainstream pop through the guidance he offered non-Jamaican bands like England's UB40, with which he recorded (Labour of Love, Virgin DEPCD-5) and toured in 1983. <br /><br />In Toronto, Mittoo performed in local lounges and during the 1970s recorded LPs of instrumental reggae for Summus (Wishbone, SUS-50002) and the CTL (Reggae Magic, CTLS-5164/Pickwick PC-44015; Let's Put It All Together, CTLS-5189/U Artists UA-LA-442). There, as elsewhere, he assisted local reggae bands and artists, including Earth Wind and Water, Esso Jaxxon (R. Zee Jackson), Carl Harvey, Lord Tanamo, Boyo Hammond, Carl Otway, the Sattalites, and Jackie James. He was inducted into the Black Music Association of Canada Hall of Fame in 1985. <br /><br />Mittoo's discography also includes LPs issued by Coxsone (In London, CSL-8009; Evening Time, CSL-8012; Keep on Dancing, CSL-8020), Studio One (Showcase, SOL-0130; Macka Fat, SOL-1120; Now, SOL-9016), Third World (The Keyboard King, TWS-501; Hot Blood, TWS-912; In Cold Blood, TWS-931), and Wackie's (Wild Jockey, W-2749). All were distributed in Canada by his own company, Jackie. Many of the ska, 'blue beat,' 'rock steady,' and reggae recordings in which he participated at Studio One have been included in several CD reissues by Heartbeat - eg, Full Up: Best of Studio One, Vol 2 (HB-14), Downbeat the Ruler (HB-38), and Fire Down Below (HB-81).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-640404793826191053?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-996066371551841562009-10-11T19:27:00.000-07:002009-10-11T19:40:45.789-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/StKW6hlG_HI/AAAAAAAAALQ/prsBBUnvMtY/s1600-h/460125.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 243px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/StKW6hlG_HI/AAAAAAAAALQ/prsBBUnvMtY/s320/460125.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391537636106501234" /></a><br />Oswald Baba Brooks started his musical career as a trumpet player with the Eric Dean Orchestra in Jamaica in the 1950’s. The Jamaican bands played mostly Folk, Afro, Jazz, they played at clubs, big hotels and sometimes on local radio. This was an exciting scene at the time but began to die out towards the end of the fifties. Band members began to move into the recording studios in Kingston that were emerging at the time with the advent of the Sound System. The records that were produced kept the musicians well employed. Most big bands began to die out and only a few managed to survive into the sixties and beyond. One such band was Byron Lee, they became the Islands premire band and established many talented musicians including Baba Brooks. He soon became a popular session man working for many of the top record producers and featured on many of the great Ska tracks during the golden period from 1963 - 1967. He was riding high in 63’ with three hits in the Jamaican charts, Musical Communion, Bank To Bank and his version of Watermelon Man. This was a year before the Skatalies had been formed as a band, with whom he was to play on many occasions.<br /><br />With Duke Reid he had many records released on his Treasure Isle/Dutchess labels. Teenage Ska was a brilliant driving ska beat track in his instrumental style. He had a habit of using a voice over intro calling out the name of the tune as on Seven Guns Alive, Girls Town Ska, Guns Fever & One Eyed Giant. On Alcatraz Count Machuki spoke the catchphrases/lyrics in the DJ style, to great effect. Other producers he worked for were King Edwards, which produced Shank I Sheck another early Ska track. With Lindon Pottinger he had half a dozen releases on the LOP label (some not issued in the UK). Later he was to arrange sessions for his wife Sonia Pottinger for her Gay Feet and High Note record labels. He found himself working in familiar surroundings as they were held at Duke Reids Treasure Isle studio on Bond Street. One of his best instrumentals was First Session, issued on GayFeet in 1966. He only had one other chart hit with This is Thunder in 1966. Most of his instruments were written by himself or in partnership with fellow musicians such as Don Drummond. During the Ska golden period he played along side all the greats, Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Lester Sterling, Johnny Moore, Gladstone Anderson and Jackie Mittoo. It does seem strange that he did not record for C.S.Dodd or have any records released on his Studio One labels. He would appear not to have had any more releases after 1969. <br /><br />He never had an album in his own right, however, he did feature as part of a double billing on more than one album, most notably with Prince Buster on What A Hard Man Fe Dead. He has not to date had his own CD issued despite the wealth of good materials that would fill many CD’s.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-99606637155184156?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-12866491449930636822009-10-11T19:18:00.000-07:002009-10-11T19:23:04.200-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/StKSt5eTYtI/AAAAAAAAALI/Y-WqghLeU1E/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/StKSt5eTYtI/AAAAAAAAALI/Y-WqghLeU1E/s320/1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391533021135594194" /></a><br />Justly worshipped a decade and a half after his death as a founding father of New Orleans R&B, Roy "Professor Longhair" Byrd was nevertheless so down-and-out at one point in his long career that he was reduced to sweeping the floors in a record shop that once could have moved his platters by the boxful. <br /><br /><br />That Longhair made such a marvelous comeback testifies to the resiliency of this late legend, whose Latin-tinged rhumba-rocking piano style and croaking, yodeling vocals were as singular and spicy as the second-line beats that power his hometown's musical heartbeat. Longhair brought an irresistible Caribbean feel to his playing, full of rolling flourishes that every Crescent City ivories man had to learn inside out (Fats Domino, Huey Smith, and Allen Toussaint all paid homage early and often). <br /><br /><br />Longhair grew up on the streets of the Big Easy, tap dancing for tips on Bourbon Street with his running partners. Local 88s aces Sullivan Rock, Kid Stormy Weather, and Tuts Washington all left their marks on the youngster, but he brought his own conception to the stool. A natural-born card shark and gambler, Longhair began to take his playing seriously in 1948, earning a gig at the Caldonia Club. Owner Mike Tessitore bestowed Longhair with his professorial nickname (due to Byrd's shaggy coiffure). <br /><br /><br />Longhair debuted on wax in 1949, laying down four tracks (including the first version of his signature "Mardi Gras in New Orleans," complete with whistled intro) for the Dallas-based Star Talent label. His band was called the Shuffling Hungarians, for reasons lost to time! Union problems forced those sides off the market, but Longhair's next date for Mercury the same year was strictly on the up-and-up. It produced his first and only national R&B hit in 1950, the hilarious "Bald Head" (credited to Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers). <br /><br /><br />The pianist made great records for Atlantic in 1949, Federal in 1951, Wasco in 1952, and Atlantic again in 1953 (producing the immortal "Tipitina," a romping "In the Night," and the lyrically impenetrable boogie "Ball the Wall"). After recuperating from a minor stroke, Longhair came back on Lee Rupe's Ebb logo in 1957 with a storming "No Buts - No Maybes." He revived his "Go to the Mardi Gras" for Joe Ruffino's Ron imprint in 1959; this is the version that surfaces every year at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. <br /><br /><br />Other than the ambitiously arranged "Big Chief" in 1964 for Watch Records, the '60s held little charm for Longhair. He hit the skids, abandoning his piano playing until a booking at the fledgling 1971 Jazz & Heritage Festival put him on the comeback trail. He made a slew of albums in the last decade of his life, topped off by a terrific set for Alligator, Crawfish Fiesta. <br /><br />Longhair triumphantly appeared on the PBS-TV concert series Soundstage (with Dr. John, Earl King, and the Meters), co-starred in the documentary Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together (which became a memorial tribute when Longhair died in the middle of its filming; funeral footage was included), and saw a group of his admirers buy a local watering hole in 1977 and rechristen it Tipitina's after his famous song. He played there regularly when he wasn't on the road; it remains a thriving operation. <br /><br /><br />Longhair went to bed on January 30, 1980, and never woke up. A heart attack in the night stilled one of New Orleans' seminal R&B stars, but his music is played in his hometown so often and so reverently you'd swear he was still around.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-1286649144993063682?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-77887915022919904042009-10-08T19:34:00.000-07:002009-10-08T19:43:14.757-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Ss6h3Yqo0OI/AAAAAAAAALA/_j5H0MJdat4/s1600-h/billie_holiday-gal.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Ss6h3Yqo0OI/AAAAAAAAALA/_j5H0MJdat4/s320/billie_holiday-gal.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390423776895226082" /></a><br />Born: April 7, 1915<br />Baltimore, Maryland<br />Died: July 17, 1959<br />New York, New York<br />African American jazz singer<br /><br />Billie Holiday was an African American jazz vocalist who perhaps showed the most expression of feeling of any singer in jazz history.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Early life</span><br /><br />Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Baltimore, Maryland. (She borrowed the name "Billie" from one of her favorite movie actresses, Billie Dove.) Born to an unwed teenage mother, Sadie Fagan, Holiday's childhood was one of poverty. Her father, Clarence Holiday (later a jazz guitarist) married Sadie three years later. He never lived with the family, choosing his musical career over them. As a child Billie started working very young, running errands and cleaning a house of prostitution's (a place where sexual acts are traded for money) marble stoop. It was here that she first heard Louis Armstrong (1900–1971) and Bessie Smith (1894–1937) records through the open windows.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">New York City</span><br /><br />In 1928 Holiday moved to New York City with her mother, who began work as a housemaid, but the 1929 depression (time of low economic conditions with high rates of unemployment) soon left her mother without work. In 1932 Holiday auditioned for a singing job and was hired. For the next few years she sang in Harlem clubs, then her career took off when Benny Goodman (1901–1986) used her on a record. But it was through a series of recordings made between 1935 and 1939 that her international reputation was established. During the late 1930s she was also a big band vocalist, first with Count Basie (1904–1984) in 1937 and then with Artie Shaw (1910–) in 1938.<br /><br />Holiday's relationship with Basie's star tenor saxophonist Lester Young (1909–1959) is the stuff of legend. They were great musical coworkers and great friends for life. Young named her "Lady Day" (or simply "Lady"), and that title became her jazz world name from the mid-1930s on. She in turn labeled him "Pres" (the "President of Tenor Saxophonists").<br /><br />Many successful tunes were recorded, interweaving Young's tenor saxophone with Holiday's voice. After the late 1930s they rarely recorded together, but to the end they remained soul mates. Holiday's career reached its peak in the late 1930s. In 1938 she worked a long engagement at Cafe Society. The following year she joined Benny Goodman on a radio broadcast.<br /><br />Two songs of the period are noteworthy. The first, "Strange Fruit," is a detailed description of a lynching (an unjust killing because of race). Columbia record company considered it too inflammatory (exciting to the senses) and refused to issue it. A small record company, Commodore, finally released it in 1939. It became a big money-maker because of the tune on the record's other side, "Fine and Mellow," a blues song written by Holiday. Another tune always associated with her is "Gloomy Sunday," which spoke of such deep despair (misery) that it was kept off the airwaves for a time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Personal tragedies</span><br /><br />By the mid-1940s Holiday had been arrested many times for illegal drug use. After one arrest, at her own request, she was placed in a federal rehabilitation (having to do with recovery from drug or alcohol abuse) center at Alderson, West Virginia, for a year and a day. Just ten days after being released she gave a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.<br /><br />Neither Holiday's first husband, Joe Guy, a jazz guitarist who she divorced, or Louis McKay, who survived her, seemed able to save Holiday from herself. By the 1950s alcohol and marijuana had strained her voice, so that it was unnaturally deep and grainy and occasionally cracked during performances. Nevertheless, her singing was sustained by her highly individual style, the familiarity she projected, and her special way with the words of a song.<br /><br />Holiday made her final public appearance in a concert at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City on May 25, 1959. She died in Metropolitan Hospital in New York City on July 17, 1959, of "congestion of the lungs complicated by heart failure." At the time of her death she had been under arrest in her hospital bed for illegal possession of drugs.<br /><br />Holiday's early small-group recordings have been rereleased in several boxed sets under the general title Billie Holiday: The Golden Years. Her best later work is to be found in The First Verve Sessions, recorded in 1952 and 1954.<br /><br />On March 6, 2000, Holiday was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influences category. That category includes artists whose music predates rock and roll, but who inspired and had a strong effect on rock and roll music.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">For More Information</span><br /><br />Chilton, John. Billie's Blues. New York: Stein and Day, 1975.<br /><br />Clarke, Donald. Wishing on the Moon. New York: Viking, 1994.<br /><br />Holiday, Billie, and William Dufty. Lady Sings the Blues. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1956.<br /><br />Nicholson, Stuart. Billie Holiday. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1995.<br /><br />O'Meally, Robert G. Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday. NewYork: Arcade Publishers, 1991.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7788791502291990404?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-2004626771736695272009-10-08T19:25:00.000-07:002009-10-08T19:30:49.374-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Ss6gS4xyxVI/AAAAAAAAAK4/mdoAxjhCm_E/s1600-h/imgSkatalites8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Ss6gS4xyxVI/AAAAAAAAAK4/mdoAxjhCm_E/s320/imgSkatalites8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390422050348385618" /></a><br /><br />The Skatalites were formed in June 1964, drawing from the ranks of session musicians then recording in the studios of Kingston, Jamaica. The personnel included Don Drummond (b. 1943, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 6 May 1969, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies; trombone), Roland Alphonso (b. 12 January 1931, Havana, Cuba, d. 20 November 1998, Los Angeles, California, USA; tenor saxophone), Tommy McCook (b. 1927, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 5 May 1998, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; tenor saxophone), Johnny "Dizzy' Moore (trumpet), Lester Sterling (alto saxophone), Jah Jerry (b. Jerome Hines, 8 November 1921, West Indies, d. 13 August 2007, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies; guitar), Jackie Mittoo (b. Donat Ray Mittoo, 3 March 1948, Brown's Town, St. Ann, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 16 December 1990, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; piano), Lloyd Brevett (bass) and Lloyd Knibbs (drums). The band name was a Tommy McCook pun on the Soviet space satellite of 1963. The Skatalites" music, reputedly named after the characteristic "ska" sound made by the guitar when playing the "after beat", was a powerful synthesis, combining elements of R&B and swing jazz in arrangements and solos, underpinned by the uniquely Jamaican-stressed "after beat", as opposed to the "down beat" of R&B.<br /><br />Many of the musicians had learned music at Alpha Boys' School in Kingston, subsequently honing their talent in the Jamaican swing bands of the 40s and early 50s, and in numerous "hotel bands" playing for the tourist trade. Most of the musicians thereby developed recognizable individual styles. Their repertoire was drawn from many sources, including adaptations of Latin tunes, movie themes and updated mento, a Jamaican folk song form. Perhaps their most famous and identifiable tune was "Guns Of Navarone", recorded in 1965 and a big club hit in the UK in the mid-60s. They recorded hundreds of superb instrumentals for various producers, either under the group name or as a band led by the particular musician who had arranged the session. Under the Skatalites name they made important music for Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, as well as for Philip and Justin Yap's Top Deck record label. They stayed together for just over two years until August 1965, when a combination of financial, organizational and personal problems caused the break-up of the band after their last gig, a police dance at the Runaway Bay Hotel.<br /><br />Of the main protagonists, Jackie Mittoo and Roland Alphonso were persuaded by Coxsone Dodd to form the Soul Brothers band, who made instrumentals and supplied backing tracks at Studio One until 1967. McCook worked principally for Duke Reid, where he formed the studio band known as the Supersonics, and was musical co-director for Reid's Treasure Isle label with alto saxophonist Herman Marques. The tragically wayward Don Drummond suffered from severe depression and died on 6 May 1969 in Belle Vue Asylum, Kingston. The Skatalites had backed virtually every singer of note in the studios, at the same time laying the musical foundation for subsequent developments in Jamaican music. They released a reunion album in 1975 - not playing ska, but high-quality instrumental reggae. In 1984 the band played the Jamaican and London "Sunsplash" concerts to rapturous acclaim. The re-formed group also toured Japan with vocalists Prince Buster and Lord Tanamo in 1989, recording live and in the studio.<br /><br /><br />The Skatalites Discography<br /><br />The Skatalites albums.<br /><br />Ska Boo-Da-Ba - 1965 (Top Deck/Doctor Bird) <br />Ska Authentic - 1967 (Studio One) <br />The Skatalites - 1975 (Treasure Isle) <br />Return Of The Big Guns - 1984 (Island) <br />Live At Reggae Sunsplash - 1986 (Synergy) <br />Stretching Out - 1987/1998 (ROIR) <br />Celebration Time - 1988 (Studio One) <br />The Legendary Skatalites In Dub - 2002 (Motion) <br />From Paris With Love - 2003 (World Village) <br />Live At Lokerse Feesten - 2006 (Charly) <br />On The Right Track - 2007 (Aim)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-200462677173669527?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-32446436428684443372009-10-05T19:25:00.000-07:002009-10-05T19:37:37.037-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SsqtZvREInI/AAAAAAAAAKw/BO5HFWycjvk/s1600-h/Rufus_Thomas.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 314px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SsqtZvREInI/AAAAAAAAAKw/BO5HFWycjvk/s320/Rufus_Thomas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389310561798595186" /></a><br /><br />Few of rock roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. From the 1940s onward, he has personified Memphis music; his small but witty cameo role in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train, a film which satirizes and enshrines the city's role in popular culture, was entirely appropriate. As a recording artist, he wasn't a major innovator, but he could always be depended upon for some good, silly, and/or outrageous fun with his soul dance tunes. He was one of the few rock or soul stars to reach his commercial and artistic peak in middle age, and was a crucial mentor to many important Memphis blues, rock, and soul musicians.<br /><br />Thomas was already a professional entertainer in the mid-'30s, when he was a comedian with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He recorded music as early as 1941, but really made his mark on the Memphis music scene as a deejay on WDIA, one of the few black-owned stations of the era. He also ran talent shows on Memphis' famous Beale Street that helped showcase the emerging skills of such influential figures as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, and Roscoe Gordon.<br /><br />Thomas had his first success as a recording artist in 1953 with "Bear Cat," a funny answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog." It made number three on the RB charts, giving Sun Records its first national hit, though some of the sweetness went out of the triumph after Sun owner Sam Phillips lost a lawsuit for plagiarizing the original Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller tune. Thomas, strangely, would make only one other record for Sun, and recorded only sporadically throughout the rest of the 1950s.<br /><br />Thomas and his daughter Carla would become the first stars for the Stax label, for whom they recorded a duet in 1959, "'Cause I Love You" (when the company was still known as Satellite). In the '60s, Carla would become one of Stax's biggest stars. On his own, Rufus wasn't as successful as his daughter, but issued a steady stream of decent dance/novelty singles.<br /><br />These were not deep or emotional statements, or meant to be. Vaguely prefiguring elements of funk, the accent was on the stripped-down groove and Rufus' good-time vocals, which didn't take himself or anything seriously. The biggest by far was "Walking the Dog," which made the Top Ten in 1963, and was covered by the Rolling Stones on their first album.<br /><br />Thomas hit his commercial peak in the early '70s, when "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do The) Push and Pull," and "The Breakdown" all made the RB Top Five. As the song titles themselves make clear, funk was now driving his sound rather than blues or soul. Thomas drew upon his vaudeville background to put them over on-stage with fancy footwork that displayed remarkable agility for a man well into his 50s. The collapse of the Stax label in the mid-'70s meant the end of his career, basically, as it did for many other artists with the company. In 2001, Rufus Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Later that year, on December 15, he died at St. Francis hospital in Memphis, TN.<br /><br /><br />Famous Works<br /><br />CREDITS<br />Film Appearances<br />Himself, Wattstax, Wolper Pictures, 1972<br />Dancer at Haney's Big House, Great Balls of Fire!, Paramount,1989<br />Man in station, Mystery Train, Orion, 1989<br />Himself, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning: The Travels of Gatemouth Moore, 1992<br />Tommy, A Family Thing, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1996<br />Theo Johnson, Cookie's Fortune, October Films, 1999<br />Television Appearances<br />Specials<br />Performer, All Day and All Night: Memories from Beale Street Musicians, PBS, 1990<br />Rhythm, Country, and Blues: An "In the Spotlight" Special, PBS, 1994<br />Episodic<br />Ready, Steady, Go!, The Disney Channel, 1989<br />Interviewee, Rock & Roll, PBS, 1995<br />RECORDINGS<br />Albums<br />Walking the Dog, Stax, 1964<br />Do the Funky Chicken, Stax, 1970<br /> <br />Doing the Push & Pull Live at PJ's, Stax, 1971<br />Did You Hear Me, Stax, 1973<br />Crown Prince of Dance, Stax, 1974<br />Blues in the Basement, Stax, 1975<br />If There Were No Music, AVI, 1977<br />I Ain't Getting Older, I'm Gettin' Better, AVI, 1977<br />Rufus Thomas, Gusto, 1980<br />Jump Back, Edsel, 1984<br />Rappin Rufus, Ichiban, 1986<br />That Woman Is Poison, Alligator, 1988<br />Timeless Funk, Ichiban, 1992<br />Can't Get Away from This Dog, Stax, 1992<br />The Best of Rufus Thomas: Do the Funky Something, WEA/Atlantic/Rhino, 1996<br />Blues Thang!, Sequel, 1997<br />Rufus Live!, Ecko, 1998<br />Memories, MCA, 1998<br />Singles include "I'll Be a Good Boy," Star Talent, 1943; "Bear Cat,"Sun Records, 1950; (with daughter Carla Thomas) "'Cause I Love You," Satellite, 1960; "Breakdown," 1971; and "Do the Funky Penguin," 1972.<br />WRITINGS<br />Film Music<br />"Do the Dog," The Fan, Vestron, 1981<br />"Walking the Dog," The Cutting Edge, New World, 1992<br />"Philly Dog," Little Big League, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1994<br />"Walking the Dog," All Men Are Liars, 1995<br />"Walkin' the Dog," Keys to Tulsa, Gramercy Pictures, 1997<br />"Walkin' the Dog," All I Wanna Do, Miramax, 1998<br />Television Music<br />"Forces of Rhythm," Dance Theatre of Harlem (special), 1977<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3244643642868444337?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-35393350228977755272009-10-02T19:27:00.000-07:002009-10-02T19:32:47.822-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Ssa3x7nHi4I/AAAAAAAAAKo/jDV24HQe1Qk/s1600-h/FUNKBROSc1966_LO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 312px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Ssa3x7nHi4I/AAAAAAAAAKo/jDV24HQe1Qk/s320/FUNKBROSc1966_LO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388196072638614402" /></a><br /><br />Earl Van Dyke (July 8, 1930, Detroit, Michigan – September 18, 1992) was an African American musician, most notable as the main keyboardist for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Van Dyke was preceded as keyboardist and bandleader of the Funk Brothers by Joe Hunter. Besides his work as the session keyboardist on popular Motown hits such as \"Bernadette\" by The Four Tops, \"I Heard It Through the Grapevine\" by Marvin Gaye, and \"Run Away Child, Running Wild\" by The Temptations, Van Dyke performed with a small band as an opening act for several Motown artists, and released instrumental singles and albums himself. Several of Van Dyke's recordings feature him playing keys over the original instrumental tracks for Motown hits; others are complete covers of Motown songs. Van Dyke played the Steinway grand piano, the Hammond B-3 organ, the Wurlitzer electric piano, the Fender Rhodes, and the celeste and harpsichord. His musical influences included Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, and Barry Harris. In September of 1992, at the age of 62, Van Dyke died of prostate cancer at Harper Hospital in Detroit.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3539335022897775527?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-81480238788342421312009-09-29T20:08:00.000-07:002009-09-29T20:16:45.425-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SsLNkwHvtQI/AAAAAAAAAKg/eOiYu39GXxU/s1600-h/alphonso.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SsLNkwHvtQI/AAAAAAAAAKg/eOiYu39GXxU/s320/alphonso.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387094135564907778" /></a><br />Roland Alphonso (Havana, Cuba, January 12, 1931 - Los Angeles, California, November 20, 1998) aka Rolando Alphonso or The Chief Musician was a Jamaican tenor saxophonist.<br /><br />Alphonso came to Jamaica at the age of two with his Jamaican mother, and started to learn saxophone at the Stony Hill Industrial School.<br /><br />In 1948 he left school to join Eric Deans’ orchestra and soon passed through other bands in the hotel circuit and first recorded as a member of Baba Motta’s group in 1952.<br /><br />Around the mid 1950s, he joined the band of Cluett Johnson named Clue J & The Blues Blasters and backed many sessions of Coxsone Dodd in a typical Jamaican R&B style. By 1960, he was recording for many other producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd “The Matador” Daley and King Edwards. During this period he played in many different bands, such as The Alley Cats, The City Slickers, and Aubrey Adams & The Dew Droppers. In 1963, after few months spent in Nassau, Bahamas, he took part in the creation of The Studio One Orchestra, the first session band of the freshly opened recording studio of Coxsone. This band soon adopted the name of The Skatalites.<br /><br />When the Skatalites disbanded by August 1965, Alphonso formed the Soul Brothers (with Johnny “Dizzy” Moore, Jackie Mittoo) to become The Soul Vendors in 1967. He released the first album under his name in 1973 on the Studio One record label.<br /><br />During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, he kept on playing on numerous records coming out from Jamaican studios, especially for Bunny Lee, and he toured with many bands. He was awarded Officer of the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 1980, and started to tour more often in the U.S. He took part in the reformation of the Skatalites in 1983, with whom he toured and recorded constantly until his death in 1998.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8148023878834242131?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-35639144809292214492009-09-26T19:46:00.000-07:002009-09-26T19:49:08.303-07:00What is a rude boy? What is a rude girl? What does 'to be rude' mean? Today, it simply means that you're a dedicated member of the ska scene. If you have a good ska collection, if you dress up in a way that indicates that you like ska, if your style and taste makes it obvious to others that you're in with the ska, you are therefore 'rude' by the definition of ska crowd. <br /><br />Where did the term come from? I recently spoke to Tommy McCook, the founder, leader and tenor saxophonist of the original ska band, the Skatalites. When I asked him about rude boys coming to Skatalites in the early Sixties, McCook said: "Actually in our tenure as the Skatalites, in the time of the ska music, we did not have any violence. We didn't have any rude boys, so to speak. The violence came around 1966. I remember when rock steady just came in, in late '65. Then in '66 violence broke out wickedly across the island, so much so that we had to have a curfew in Western and Eastern Kingston. So, that's when the rude boy thing came out." <br /><br />The truth is that 'rudeness' and the original 'rude boys' had absolutely nothing to do with ska. The rude boy came AFTER ska music, during the time of rock steady! Rude boys were the name given to a subculture of young street corner hoodlums, gangsters and other unemployables. In emigrating to England, the rude boys helped spread Jamaican music to the working-class skinheads, another youth subculture. When the 2Tone sound of ska (the second wave of ska in the late Seventies) made it into the popular media, youth subculture changed with it. Today , a new American subculture revolves around the images of the 'rude boy' and 'skinhead.' <br /><br />The rude boy was not the first subculture of Jamaica, but it was the first youth subculture. After independence in the early Sixties (which gave birth to the nationalist 'ska' music), over-population was putting extreme demands on the basics of life---housing, work and food. The response to these conditions was the start of a creation of a new subculture, unofficially called scufflers. Scuffling was just scrounging to get by, by any means necessary. This often meant involvement in the underground economy. Pimping and prostitution, begging and stealing became the unofficial economic activities in the shanty towns of West Kingston. <br /><br />The squatter camps of Trenchtown and Back O'Wall existed on the fringe of the city since the Thirties, but population pressures enlarged them and a hurricane in 1951 allowed the squatters to capture nearby government land that was cleared for re-housing. People lived in packing crates, fish barrels, cardboard boxes and polystyrene packing pieces. Fire hydrants and open-air pit latrines supplied basic amenities. Living in these parts was a social stigma that guaranteed unemployment. Diseases of overcrowding---tuberculosis and typhoid---remained in the camps even though public health improvement in the 1930s put these in check elsewhere on the island. <br /><br />By the Sixties, the economic boom of the 1950s was receding, the Trenchtown poor were no better off than before. Independence may have given a sense of optimism to the population. But a lack of any major change lead to riots and protest movements by the end of the decade. Within this decade, the sub-culture of the scuffling rude boy emerged. These rude boys defined their own personal style. These youths, boys from fourteen to twenty-five years, carried German ratchet knives and handguns. They came from all over West Kingston. With deteriorating living conditions, these rude boys were, above all, angry. <br /><br />They wore sharp 3-button tonic suits and "stingy brim," or pork-pie hats, in imitation of the upper-classes. The gangster image and sunglasses at all hours gave them a facade of 'cool,' a new and distinctly modern value. If you lived in Trenchtown and scuffled for a living, dressing in this manner would certainly bring attention from neighbors, and suspicion from the upper classes. <br /><br />According to the Jamaican census of 1960, over one-third of the entire population were unemployed and looking for their first job, about 10,000 people. On the other hand, 70% were under the age of 21, from where the rude boys came. <br /><br />First at the blues dances of the Fifties and later at the outdoor sound systems of the Sixties, it was the rude boys who would draw the knives and guns first, smash bottles for no particular reason, and cause fear when the pressure would heat up at the events. They would inspire a whole sub-genre within ska music---rude boy songs---which would either condone or condemn them.<br /><br />Either way, the rude boys were a strong presence on the scene in Jamaica, and a popular image that followed the music. You can translate music, style and attitude from country to country, you can even translate class-standing nationally, but for the very specific economic, political and social forces that made the rude boys truly rude, these things can not be copied. <br /><br />The 2Tone (ska revival) movement in the Seventies saw kids both black and white dressing sharp and calling themselves rude boys, as one way to identify with the true Jamaican roots of bands like the Specials, the Selecter and Madness. Today, kids are dressing 'rude' not to give props to the Jamaican roots, but to '2Tone' each other. <br /><br />I got a big chuckle when I read a magazine piece that started off something like, "Rude boys: them no loot; them no shoot; what the fuck do they do?" They're just ska fans, man, chill. Forgive them their lack of knowing the roots. Teach the young rude boy the way, and today's ska music will benefit.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3563914480929221449?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-79492531266387929662009-09-14T19:56:00.000-07:002009-09-14T20:13:08.471-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Sq8Ehr5QchI/AAAAAAAAAKY/83SsWe-B3gU/s1600-h/funkbrothers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 251px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Sq8Ehr5QchI/AAAAAAAAAKY/83SsWe-B3gU/s320/funkbrothers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381525056496103954" border="0" /></a>The name Funk Brothers might not be widely known, but as the 2002 documentary <i>Standing in the Shadows of Motown</i> points out, they played on more number-one records than the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley combined. And there's a reason for their anonymity: At Motown Records, where the Funks were the studio band from 1958 through the early 1970s, owner Berry Gordy, Jr., never gave them credit on the records. By contrast, at Stax Records, Motown's Memphis rival, the house band Booker T. and the MGs were pushed aggressively towards stardom--they even had their own hit singles. <p><i>Standing in the Shadows</i>, based on Allan Slutsky's award-winning biography of the late Motown bassist James Jamerson, goes a long way toward giving these important musicians full recognition for their contributions. Motown thrived because of superstar groups and singers such as the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and the Marvelettes, of course, but just as crucial were drummer Benny Benjamin's perfect fills, Jamerson's one-finger heartbeat bass, Robert White's chiming electric guitars and their shiny-and-dirty-at-the-same-time soul. "Even as a teenager I always wondered what made the Motown sound," singer Rick James told <i>Rolling Stone</i> in 2002, during a <i>Shadows</i> soundtrack release party. "Was it the wood? Was it the food they ate in there? Was it the liquor they drank? Was it the women in their lives? What made the Motown sound was those Funk Brothers, those human beings. Like my man said, you could throw a frog in that studio and see it come out with a hit. Those guys were the sound."</p> <p>The studio in question was Studio A, a converted garage at 2648 West Grand Blvd. in Detroit, where an unprecedented cadre of local singers recorded one massive hit after another. Although the Funks' membership rotated frequently due to contract issues, illness and (in the case of the notoriously unreliable Benjamin) tardiness, they built the "Snakepit" as the heart of Hitsville U.S.A. At the Motown Museum, in the original building, there's a worn spot in the control-room floor where Gordy tapped his foot.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Jamerson Was Group's Heart</span></p> <p>The Funk Brothers' heart was Jamerson, who moved from Charleston, South Carolina, to Detroit in 1953. Before joining Motown, he sat in on upright bass with a wide cross-section of night-clubbing musicians, from bluesman John Lee Hooker to jazz reed player Yusef Lateef. Because Jamerson had a wife and the first of four children to support, he waived a Wayne State University scholarship and accepted an offer from Gordy--the Motown chief paid session players union scale, about $52.50 per three-hour session. By the early 1960s, Gordy had built the "Sound of Young America" on Jamerson's thick electric-bass grooves.</p> <p>Although the Funks never received songwriting credit, it's hard to imagine, say, the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On" without its opening urgent, staccato guitar chords, the Temptations' "My Girl" without its up-and-down bassline or Robinson's "Tears of a Clown" without the precise, rattling drums between the choruses. The Funks weren't actually brothers, but they were friends who jammed with each other in Detroit-area jazz and blues clubs, partied together at night (infamously hiding from Gordy's wrath at a local funeral home, according to the movie) and flung ideas at each other for hours on end in the studio.</p> <p>Among the group's most famous members: William "Benny" Benjamin, a big band-trained drummer whose rolls and fills defined the Motown sound and who suffered with heroin and alcohol addiction before dying in 1968; classically trained jazz pianist Johnny Griffith, who died in 2002; the influential guitar trio of country-and-blues-influenced Eddie Willis, rock-solid jazzman Joe Messina, Detroit nightclub fixture Robert White; and accomplished vibesman Jack Ashford, whose tambourine fills are instantly recognizable.</p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Legendary Hijinks</b></span></p> <p>Several Funks were legendary for their anti-authority hijinks, which often confounded Gordy (who, like most major Motown musicians, didn't contribute to <i>Standing in the Shadows</i>, although coproducer Allan Slutsky says the former mogul licensed Motown music to the film for a very low price. He also released a statement in the <i>Houston Chronicle</i> praising the Funks' "indispensable role" in the Motown sound.) At one point, when Gordy was showing the studio to some important European distributors, Benjamin asked his boss if he could "bum a fin." Gordy, whom Benjamin had nicknamed "the Führer," was not amused.</p> <p>Jamerson was at the heart of this colorful crew. The documentary is filled with Jamerson anecdotes, like the time he rode in the back seat of a cramped car and insisted on eating smelly pig's feet while his touring-band colleagues tried to sleep. He was also, unfortunately, a heavy drinker and when Gordy transferred Motown from Detroit to Los Angeles in the early 1970s, Jamerson took it especially hard. According to the movie he had to scalp a balcony ticket to attend Motown's twenty-fifth anniversary television special in 1983. He died of cirrhosis of the liver a few months later, prompting his widow, Annie, to tell rocker Marshall Crenshaw in <i>Rolling Stone</i>: "When people clamor after you, and then forget you when you become ill.... That really hurt him." Jamerson was, however, inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.</p> <p>"The key to my approach was that I wanted to lay down the bottom for the whole recording. I didn't want to solo and I didn't want to draw too much attention to myself," he told <i>Bass Player</i> interviewer "Dr. Licks," a.k.a. Slutsky, who would eventually publish Jamerson's award-winning biography and turn it into <i>Standing in the Shadows of Motown</i>. "I just wanted to make the rhythm section kick a** so that people would get up and dance. My bass was set up to do just that. There was one time I did solo for Motown. That was on a cut called 'Mutiny' by Junior Walker. I really took it out, but that was rare for me."</p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Short-Lived Fame</b></span></p> <p>The rest of Motown's studio musicians had similar role-player mentalities. They didn't receive credit on a record until Marvin Gaye's 1971 classic <i>What's Going On</i>, and even then their fame was short-lived. (To this day, many Motown CD anthologies, such as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' 2002 <i>Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology</i> make no mention of the Funk Brothers in liner notes.) When Gordy moved the company to Los Angeles in 1972, Hitsville as a Detroit institution was brought to an end. The musicians didn't find out until they reported to the studio and found a "Session canceled: will reschedule" sign.</p> <p>Some of the Funks, including Jamerson, attempted to follow Motown to the West Coast, but became frustrated with the company's confused new direction. Eventually most returned, unknown and not particularly well off, to Detroit. Some became reputable session musicians, others went into retirement. "I was on the road with the Four Tops for 15 years, but I'd quit in 1990," Willis told the <i>Washington Post</i> in 2002. "I had moved to Mississippi and hadn't played the guitar for 10 years. I'd walk around and look at it--I'd keep it lying on the bed--but I hadn't touched it." In the same <i>Post</i> article, Ashford said he stopped playing his vibraphone in 1975: "I would dabble at it but with no intent, simply because so many years had gone by and who's gonna think of me, in my sixties, starting a new career?"</p> <p><i>Standing in the Shadows of Motown</i> almost single-handedly revived the Funks' career and returned them to the spotlight. Despite Slutsky's aggressive script-marketing efforts, movie studios were completely uninterested for almost a decade. It took a completely unrelated film, Artisan's <i>Buena Vista Social Club</i>, a documentary about legendary Cuban musicians, to give studios a reference point. Slutsky finally landed an Artisan deal, and in 2000 he reunited the Funks--with contemporary stars like Joan Osborne, Chaka Khan and Ben Harper taking lead vocals on Motown classics.</p> <p>The film was critically acclaimed, and nominated for several prestigious critics' awards (although not an Oscar), but it arrived with a sad postscript. A few days after viewing a screening, drummer Richard "Pistol" Allen died of cancer in June of 2002; just months later, keyboardist Johnny Griffith died of a heart attack. "Pistol and Uriel [Jones] had no business doing this film--they risked their lives" during the live performances, Slutsky told the<i> Washington Post</i>. "Uriel knew he needed quintuple bypass and he didn't tell me. And Pistol knew he was dying and he didn't tell me, either. They refused to tell me until afterwards. We wrapped the film, and two days later, Uriel was getting cut on the table. But I knew they were looking at it like 'this is my whole life right here; I don't get another chance.'"</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="credits"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="credits"><span style="font-size:130%;">Funk Brothers's Career</span></p> <p>Studio band at Motown Records, 1958-early 1970s; contributed to recordings by artists including the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the Supremes.</p><div id="TixyyLink" style="border: medium none ; overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br /><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7949253126638792966?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-12322173372945054662009-09-14T19:47:00.000-07:002009-09-14T19:56:08.866-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Sq8CJ3GeLWI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/QUl5EW_i3Dw/s1600-h/DerrickMorgan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Sq8CJ3GeLWI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/QUl5EW_i3Dw/s320/DerrickMorgan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381522448164203874" border="0" /></a><br />Derrick Morgan is a Jamaican musical artist who was popular in the 1960s and ’70s. He worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff in ska, and also performed rocksteady and skinhead reggae. He was born on March 27, 1940, in Stewarton, in the parish of Clarendon. In 1957, Morgan entered the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour, a talent show held at the Palace Theatre in Kingston. He won with rousing impressions of Little Richard and shortly after that was recruited to perform around the island with the popular Jamaican comedy team, Bim and Bam.<br /><br />In 1959, Morgan entered the recording studio for the first time. Duke Reid, the acclaimed sound system boss, was looking for talent to record for his Treasure Isle label. Derrick Morgan cut two popular shuffle-boogie sides “Lover Boy,” aka “S-Corner Rock,” and “Oh My.” Soon after, Morgan cut the bolero-tinged boogie, “Fat Man,” which also became a hit. He also found time to record for Clement Dodd.<br /><br />In 1960, Derrick Morgan became the first artist to have spots 1-7 on national pop charts simultaneously, a feat to this day has never been matched. Among those hits were “Don’t Call Me Daddy,” “In My Heart,” “Be Still” and “Meekly Wait and Murmur Not.” But it would be the following year that Morgan would release the biggest hit of his career, the Leslie Kong production of “You Don’t Know,” later re-titled, “Housewives’ Choice” by a local deejay. The song featured a bouncing ska along with a duet sung by Morgan and Millicent “Patsy” Todd. “Housewives’ Choice,” also began the legendary rivalry between Morgan and Prince Buster, who accused Morgan of stealing his ideas. Buster quickly released, “Blackhead Chiney Man,” chiding Morgan with that sarcastic putdown of, “I did not know your parents were from Hong Kong,” a clear swipe at Kong. Morgan returned with the classic, “Blazing Fire,” in which he warns Buster to “Live and let others live, and your days will be much longer. You said it. Now it’s the Blazing Fire.” Buster shot back with, “Watch It Blackhead,” which Morgan countered with, “No Raise No Praise,” and “Still Insist.” Followers of both artists often clashed, and eventually the government had to step with a staged photo-op depicting the rivals as “friends.”<br /><br />In the mid sixties, when ska evolved into the cooler, more soulful rocksteady period, Morgan continued to release top quality material, including the seminal rude boy classic, “Tougher Than Tough,” “Do the Beng Beng,” “Conquering Ruler,” and a cover of Ben E. King’s soul hit, “Seven Letters.” Often backed by master guitarist, Lynn Taitt, Morgan remained popular in Jamaica and the UK into the early seventies. In 1969, Morgan cut the famous skinhead anthem, “Moon Hop.” However, failing eyesight forced him from the stage. Derrick Morgan still performs occasionally at ska revival shows across the world.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-1232217337294505466?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-83458796453482809972009-09-11T20:13:00.000-07:002009-09-11T20:19:19.779-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqsTCX5b4sI/AAAAAAAAAKI/vsC2ZA0hDn8/s1600-h/lee_perry1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 284px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqsTCX5b4sI/AAAAAAAAAKI/vsC2ZA0hDn8/s320/lee_perry1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380415111319773890" border="0" /></a>Born Edward O'Sullivan Lee, 23 August 1941, Jamaica, West Indies. Bunny Lee, aka Bunny and Striker, was introduced to the music business by vocalist Derrick Morgan in 1962. Morgan, at that time one of Jamaica's most prolific and successful performers, took Lee to producer/sound system operator Duke Reid, who gave him a job as record plugger for his Treasure Isle label. Following his stay with Reid, Lee began working with Ken Lack, erstwhile road manager for the Skatalites band. By 1966, Lack had started releasing records by Ken Boothe, the Clarendonians, Max Romeo, the Tartans, the Heptones and others. Lee's first production, "Listen To The Beat" by Lloyd Jackson And The Groovers, was released on Lack's Caltone label in 1967. His first hit was "Music Field" by Roy Shirley (1967), on the WIRL label. He then began releasing his productions on his own label, Lee's. He enjoyed local hits during 1967-68 with Derrick Morgan's "Hold You Jack", Slim Smith And The Uniques' "My Conversation", Lester Sterling and Stranger Cole's "Bangarang", Pat Kelly's "Little Boy Blue" and the Sensation's "Long Time Me No See You Girl". Lee's talent for producing music that was commercially and artistically satisfying ensured his position as the leading hitmaker in Jamaica by 1969. During the following four years Lee enjoyed hits with Slim Smith's "Everybody Needs Love" (1969), Pat Kelly's "How Long?" (1970), Delroy Wilson's "Better Must Come" (1971) and the Jamaica Song Festival winner, Eric Donaldson's "Cherry Oh Baby" (1971), later a UK hit for UB40, and John Holt's "Stick By Me" (1972). By 1974 he was producing Johnny Clarke on a string of local hits, beginning with "None Shall Escape The Judgement" and "Move Out Of Babylon". Owen Grey had showcased "Bongo Natty" that same year, while 1975 saw Cornell Campbell release a series of strong-selling tunes, beginning with "The Gorgon".<br /><br />Lee, along with producer Lee Perry and engineer King Tubby, had changed the face of Jamaican music, breaking the dominance of the big producers such as Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid. Bunny Lee's contribution had been to grasp the commercial opportunities created by technological innovations such as the multi-track studio. A rhythm track could be made that could then be used as the backing for many songs or "versions", often remixed or "dubbed". In addition to King Tubby, engineers such as King Jammy and Philip Smart developed their talents on Bunny Lee productions. During the period 1969-77, Lee produced literally thousands of tracks - vocals, DJ records and dubs - with a wide range of artists. As well as those already mentioned, he produced music for singers, including Jackie Edwards, Leroy Smart, Linval Thompson, David Isaacs, Alton Ellis, Dave Barker, Ken Boothe and Frankie Jones, and for DJs such as Dennis Alcapone, U-Roy, I. Roy, Prince Jazzbo, U Brown, Big Joe, Trinity, Dr. Alimantado, Jah Stitch and Tapper Zukie, most with additional corresponding dub versions. The early 80s saw a reduction in output; Lee was hampered because he did not control his own studio, although he continued to release music through his connection with Count Shelley in London and New York. He bought Joe Gibbs' old studio in North Parade, Kingston, and released material in the late 80s using computer-generated rhythms, but seemed contented to hire his studio to newer producers. The 4-CD overview of his career released by Jet Star in 2005 is essentially a history of Jamaican music and as such is highly recommended.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8345879645348280997?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-85193613775534453582009-09-11T19:42:00.000-07:002009-09-11T19:45:11.990-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqsLE7ZXEUI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/Xt-yY0Futbk/s1600-h/88n7n3z4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 278px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqsLE7ZXEUI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/Xt-yY0Futbk/s320/88n7n3z4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380406359115632962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Symarip (also known at various stages of their career as The Bees, The Pyramids, Seven Letters and Zubaba) were a ska and reggae band from the United Kingdom, originating in the late 1960s when Michael Thomas and his friend Frank Pitter founded the band called The Bees. Some sources spell the band's name as Simaryp, which is an approximate anagram of the word pyramids.<br /><br />Consisting of members of West Indian descent, Symarip is widely marked as one of the original skinhead bands, being one of the first to target skinheads as an audience. Their style of music became known as skinhead reggae, and their hits included "Skinhead Moonstomp", "Skinhead Girl" and "Skinhead Jamboree". They moved to Germany in 1971, performing reggae and Afro-rock under the name Zubaba. In 1980, the album Skinhead Moonstomp was re-issued in the wake of the 2 Tone craze, hitting the UK pop charts for the first time. The band officially split in 1985 after their last album 'Drunk &amp; Disorderly' (Ariola, 1985) which was produced by Stevie B. Trojan Records released a best of album in 2004 with a new single, "Back From the Moon", performed by two of the former band members, Monty Neysmith and Roy Ellis. The Pyramids / Symarips widely known ska hit "Skinhead Moonstomp" is based on the Derrick Morgan song, "Moon Hop".<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8519361377553445358?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-87969677793556070162009-09-05T20:45:00.000-07:002009-09-05T20:49:12.710-07:00<p style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">Over the long history of African slavery in the Caribbean and the deep South (from around 1690 to 1850's), the practice of sharing stories, of people, faith and indiscretions in the form of songs and chants around the evening fire and other major gatherings at Christmas and Easter was a way cultural information was passed down through time. This ensured that tales of woe, faith and humor would be preserved in the oral tradition. The tales usually focused on the role of the spirit, the solace provided by the church and the need to protect the righteousness/morality of the Church as an institution, along with secular tales of the human experience. The Church was the first institution that embodied the ideals that any slave or person could aspire to. Therefore, it was a desirable position in the community to be able to sing songs or play an instrument in order to be able to impart cultural knowledge.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">A more secular focus in the content of music in the Caribbean began to emerge as the period of slavery ended in the early to mid 19th century (in Jamaica slavery was abolished in 1833). According to historians, freed slaves and similar blacks from larger, mainly agriculture-based islands (like Jamaica) ventured to other parts of the Caribbean including Costa Rica, Haiti and Trinidad in search of non-agriculture-based work, such as construction or factory labor (which paid better than farming). </span></p><p style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">As a result, Latin (mainly samba) and polyrhythmic Calypso patterns of Trinidad influenced the Jamaican music scene as returning workers brought back musical ideas from foreign lands. The main instruments that made up the mento bandstand were the drum (Jamaican bongo or tree drum being first and foremost), acoustic guitar, banjo, rhythm box, and a variety of percussion instruments. Direct Cuban musical influence on mento took the form of incorporating the rhythm box or giant thumb piano ('Marimbula') into the range of instruments used in mento (something the Jolly Boys refer to as the 'Kalimba'). The choice of instruments used varied according to the choice of the artist or more often, availability - there was no fixed rule. Overall, most experts say that the mento style is more similar to calypso and other Caribbean styles rather than the complex melodic structure of Latin music. The emphasis of mento musical structure is based on the a few key stylistic and structural elements - the upstroke of the guitar and rhythm and melody are tightly coupled in accent and delivery; the form of rhyming verses which tell a story and lastly a catchy chorus that was melodically different from the verse.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">Due to its mainly localized range and appeal, early mento evolved slowly in the last century (i.e. without major western influence) and was relatively unaffected by Latin or early 20th century western music and had a heavy colloquial flavor. The description of mento as being early Caribbean 'street folk' music is apt. Themes that were sung of were for most part 'happy' and not religious in nature (the common themes being sex, Jamaica, inter-island differences or rivalries and human caricatures). Thus mento music served as an active cultural sub-text and it pointed out these resilient peoples' ability to "tek bad tings mek laugh" in what must have been an unimaginably destitute hard life.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">As the evolution of mento was a localized phenomenon, this is one of the reasons for its lack of an official historical record. Songs relating local events, personalities and issues were staple for mento songs. Villages and towns around Jamaica developed their own sub-styles of mento and each had its own special lyrical emphasis to suit the topical interests of the day in local communities. The largely local thematic focus of mento's lyrical content, echoes back to similarities in slave musical beginnings. As slaves were disallowed from travel and learning about geography, the early songs and stories dealt with the limited reaches of their world. Similarly, the focus of early mento had a constrained geographic worldview to be relevant to the average mento listener (largely poor and uneducated non-whites). This point is good to remember when thinking of why the history of mento is so poorly recorded - it was a musical stance, for most part, borne out of the oral tradition of the slaves and did not have the support of the white establishment. </span></p><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8796967779355607016?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-18707298017992870702009-09-05T20:31:00.000-07:002009-09-05T20:51:23.930-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqMu-p45KcI/AAAAAAAAAJs/4JLmpcORtzs/s1600-h/duke_header.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 161px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqMu-p45KcI/AAAAAAAAAJs/4JLmpcORtzs/s320/duke_header.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378194033941752258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /> Arthur Reid, c.1915, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 1974.<br /><br />One of the major influences on reggae music along with his close rival, Coxsone Dodd and followed by the likes of Prince Buster, Joe Gibbs, and Lee Perry. Duke Reid’s marvellous productions were, at their best, rocksteady at its absolute peak. Reid spent 10 years as a Kingston policeman, a sometimes dangerous profession that enabled him to develop the no-nonsense style he displayed while conducting business negotiations in later life. He and his wife Lucille bought the Treasure Isle Liquor Store in the 50s, and in a sponsorship agreement, Reid hosted his own radio show, Treasure Isle Time, airing US R&amp;B: his theme song was Tab Smith’s ‘My Mother’s Eyes’. Reid also ran his own sound system, Duke Reid The Trojan, and visited America to find obscure R&amp;B tunes with which to baffle rivals such as Coxsone Dodd’s Down Beat sound system. After flirting with the record business for three years, recording tunes such as ‘Duke’s Cookies’, ‘What Makes Honey’ and ‘Joker’, he took up record production seriously in 1962, enjoying ska hits galore with Stranger Cole, the Techniques, Justin Hinds And The Dominoes and Alton Ellis And The Flames. The records were issued on three labels: Treasure Isle, Duke Reid and Dutchess. Reid was a formidable presence in the music business: he was notorious for carrying a loaded gun and ensuring that his ammunition belt was clearly visible. However, he was more than mere muscle and had an astute musical sensibility, as the fast-approaching rocksteady era proved beyond doubt. <p>By 1966 ska was evolving into a slower, more stately beat, and with help from guitarist Ernest Ranglin and the band of saxophonist Tommy McCook And the Supersonics, Reid’s productions at his own Treasure Isle Studio epitomized the absolute peak of the style. Hits such as the Paragons’ ‘Ali Baba’ and ‘Wear You To The Ball’, Alton Ellis’ ‘Cry Tough’, ‘Breaking Up’, ‘Rock Steady’ and ‘Ain’t That Loving You’, the Melodians’ ‘You Don’t Need Me’, ‘I Will Get Along’, ‘I Caught You’ and ‘Last Train To Expo ’67’, the Jamaicans’ ‘Things You Say You Love’ and the Techniques’ ‘Queen Majesty’ were only the tip of an impressive iceberg. All were tasteful, irresistibly danceable, soul-soaked rocksteady classics, released on Reid’s own labels in Jamaica and on Trojan Records (the label was named after his sound) or its imprints in the UK. By 1969 rocksteady had died, and Reid was apparently struggling, stuck in a musical revolution he himself had created. However, in 1970 he did it again, taking a sparsely recorded toaster named U-Roy, and single-handedly founded the modern DJ era. At one point U-Roy held four out of the top five Jamaican chart positions and both he and Reid watched the records swap places over a period of months - ‘Wake The Town’, ‘Wear You To the Ball’, ‘Everybody Bawling’ and ‘Version Galore’. Reid simply dropped the chatter over his old rocksteady hits to start a whole new genre of reggae music. He also had hits with other DJs, such as Dennis Alcapone and Lizzy. Reid’s legend in the reggae pantheon was assured. By 1973 Reid’s fortunes had again begun to wane, perhaps because he was notorious for not wanting to record rasta lyrics in an era dominated by roots themes, and was considered to be an establishment figure as the senior reggae producer in Jamaica. He died in 1974, his extensive back catalogue going on to sell thousands of singles and albums through a variety of licensees. Reid’s name on a record is a guarantee of sheer joy.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-1870729801799287070?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-90779606540287318312009-09-05T20:20:00.000-07:002009-09-05T20:30:39.894-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqMs0OzSWcI/AAAAAAAAAJk/6UaZ1uYT_KI/s1600-h/1_330231460l.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SqMs0OzSWcI/AAAAAAAAAJk/6UaZ1uYT_KI/s320/1_330231460l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378191655848532418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The man himself was born Arthur Benjamin Sugarman, Brighton, England in 1925.<br /><br />He moved to the United States in 1946. Where he married a succession of women. It was in California he learned about the garment trade. His third wife's father was a successful manufacturer, owning 2 swimwear companies.<br /><br />In 1962, having gained American citizenship, Arthur moved back to Brighton England.<br /><br />The following year of 1963, the Ben Sherman brand was born.<br /><br />The Ben Sherman shirt was both unique, and radically different from any other shirt.<br /><br />The unique features included, Front button down collar. (Button holes on each side and tip of the collar.) The collar Itself was large. The tips of the collar were then secured with a small button sewn to the main body of the shirt.<br /><br />In addition, the collar had a extra button, at the centre back. This held the collar in firmly in place.<br /><br />Other features included, Plackets cut on the Bias. Each shirt had a black label, bearing Ben's name, sewn into the left hand upper seam of the left hand pocket.<br /><br />His shirts sold in vast quantities, throughout Britain, Europe and the United States.<br /><br />Ben's shirts were adopted as essential wear by the ever increasing youth cult of the time, known as the Mods.<br /><br />Ben opened a showroom in Carnaby Street, London.<br /><br />At the same time, 1967, he opened his first shop in Duke street, Brighton.<br /><br />2 More shops followed, both located In London.<br /><br />Since those early days The company Ben Sherman has experienced massive growth and Business success. Now being one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world.<br /><br />The company has diversified into, ladies wear, Boys wear and accessories. In addition. Ben Sherman now offer a very commercial range of Footwear, along with a more specialist range, which has a directional edge, aimed at the Mod fashion market.<br /><br />Ben Sherman is truly a brand on its own. It retains its distinctive heritage to this day and is recognised by people the world over.<br /><br />Since 1996 Cazual have been authorised stockist of Ben Sherman. Our extensive range covers the entire current collection.<br /><br />This Range includes; The world famous Oxford button down collar shirt in most colours. We have just introduced a range of specialist wear for the Mod enthusiast. From the famous Mod Fit range of shirts, to a range of shoes with pure distinction.<br /><br />Our current range of main stream Ben Sherman clothing includes shirts, short sleeved Polo shirts, T Shirts and the world famous Harrington Jacket.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-9077960654028731831?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-1604377229535949102009-08-07T21:01:00.000-07:002009-08-07T21:03:03.129-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Snz45HMn6rI/AAAAAAAAAJc/0qz_VoCQmPQ/s1600-h/TamlaMotown.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 134px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Snz45HMn6rI/AAAAAAAAAJc/0qz_VoCQmPQ/s320/TamlaMotown.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367438515987016370" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Motown Records, also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label originally based out of Detroit, Michigan (“Motor City”, hence mo(tor)town), from where it achieved widespread international success. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as the first record label owned by an African American and primarily featuring African American artists to regularly achieve crossover success and have a widespread, lasting effect on the music industry.<br /><br />Incorporated on January 12, 1959 by Berry Gordy, Jr. as Tamla Records, Motown has, over the course of its history, owned or distributed releases from more than 45 subsidiaries in varying genres, although it is most famous for its releases in the musical genres of R&amp;B, hip hop, pop, and soul. Motown left Detroit for Los Angeles in 1972, and remained an independent company until 1988, when Gordy sold the company to MCA. Now headquartered in New York City, Motown Records is today a subsidiary of The Universal Motown/Universal Republic Group, itself a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.<br /><br />In the 1960s, Motown and its soul-based subsidiaries were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as The Motown Sound, a style of soul music with distinctive characteristics, including the use of tambourine along with drums, a prominent and often melodic bass line played by the electric bass guitar, a distinctive melodical and chord structure, and a call and response singing style originating in gospel music.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-160437722953594910?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-11692540091971189292009-08-07T20:20:00.000-07:002009-08-07T20:57:45.768-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Snzxzof-5-I/AAAAAAAAAJU/wcKGK5uioiU/s1600-h/lambretta-logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 50px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Snzxzof-5-I/AAAAAAAAAJU/wcKGK5uioiU/s320/lambretta-logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367430725265975266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SnzxqvoueWI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Bw2G9kCMrDA/s1600-h/innocenti-ferdinando.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 280px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SnzxqvoueWI/AAAAAAAAAJM/Bw2G9kCMrDA/s320/innocenti-ferdinando.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367430572562872674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >Ferdinando Innocenti Ferdinando Innocenti was born in Pescia on the 1st September 1891. His father, Dante Innocenti, a blacksmith, soon moved to the town of Grosseto, where he opened a hardware store in Via Galilei, while continuing his activity as a smith. A few years later a second store was opened in Corso Carducci. Ferdinando, after having completed his 3rd year in a technical school, started his activity with his father and his half-brother Rosolino (son of his father's first marriage) at the head of the "Ferramenta Innocenti" (1906). Thanks to all the activities, at this time the family was already well-off.</span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">At 18, young Ferdinando was leading the family enterprise and started trading iron mainly recovered from the firms engaged in the drainage of the Maremma marshes. Iron was exchanged with oil, and the oil sale gave high profits. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1920 he started experimenting the possible applications of iron tubes and in 1923 he moved to Rome where he planned to invest about half a million lire in the expansion of his activity. As luck would have it, the Bank where his money was deposited went bankrupt after a few months and Ferdinando was forced to slow down and devote his time to recover the large sum of money.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Despite this misfortune, Ferdinando was not discouraged and soon started to trade the Mannesmann seamless steel pipes produced by Dalmine. 1928 saw a boom in the building sector and the economic situation in Italy was flourishing. Agriculture was also growing, thanks to the policy of the fascist regime and the consequent disappearance of the trade unions' activity. A negative outlet of the governement policy was however a 11-12% decrease in wages between 1921 and 1924.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">From 1921 to 1931 the fascist regime set out a great plan of building and remoderning, particularly in the capital. During this decade, Rome looked like a huge builder's yard and the general mood was the "monumental renaissance of the city". Ferdinando seized the opportunity and in 1926 he opened in Via Porto Fluviale a tube storage warehouse and plant where he made products for the building activity. The "Fratelli Innocenti", as the company was called in 1930, started producing tube scaffoldings in 1933. The British Scaffolding's mounting-dismantling special rapid system was applied. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1931, Ferdinando started building a plant of rain irrigation in the Castelgandolfo Pope's Gardens (14 hectares). The water was supplied by lake Albano. Immediately after, he worked on a similar plant for the Vatican Gardens, and then he completed a fire-fighting and a thermoelectric plant. He also used his scaffolding patent for the Cappella Sistina, where he had the opportunity to show the quality of the project: the scaffolding was assembled and dismantled in a very short time, and without interfering with the priceless Michelangelo's wall paintings. Franco Ratti count of Desio, a nephew of Pio XI, and Leone Castelli, owner of a building enterprise working in the Vatican, were providential in allowing Ferdinando to take part in the project of the Cappella Sistina. The project was concluded by the end of 1935 and at the beginning of the following year Ferdinando was charged to mount a 6,000 square metres wide covered complex with his tubes for the world exhibition of the Catholic Press. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The firm obtained contracts of great prestige, which not only helped transform the artisanal enterprise in an industrial company but gained to it more profits which contributed to its enlargement. In 1932 the industrial production recorded a 27% decrease if compared to 1928, but Ferdinando Innocenti decided Milan was the right spot to move into with his activity. The city was in fact very active, the Central Station was then being built, and the economic crisis was not as bad as elsewhere. In northern Italy, Innocenti had a privileged position and won many contracts. In 1929, because of the serious crisis, 300,000 people were recorded as being out of work, and they increased to more than one million in 1931, 715,000 of whom in the industrial sector.<br />With the help of Ratti who was then in the Dalmine's Board of Directors and had also important positions in other companies, and especially with the help of his Vatican friendships, Ferdinando won contracts for works in the Vatican Castelgandolfo. The seat of Fratelli Innocenti was then officially opened in Via S. Paolo 18.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The 20 workers of 1929 were more than a hundred in 1931, when the company started the production of mobile and fixed irrigation plants. The factory in via Pitteri (Milano Lambrate) was built in 1933. Here, the now tested Innocenti scaffoldings were produced and traded. A new plant was built in October 1933 on a strip of land between Via Pitteri and the Lambro. To start production, a number of workers moved in from Rome. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In November 1933 the name of the company changed into "Fratelli Innocenti Società Anonima per Applicazioni Tubolari in Acciaio". The main seat was in Rome, Via XX Settembre, the company's assets 5,000 shares worth 1,000 Italian lire each. Of these, 3,100 belonged to Ferdinando and 1,900 to Rosolino. To reach this sum the company asked a bond loan worth 5,000,000 lire, split in 5,000 bonds worth 1,000 lire each with a 4% yearly interest. Sole Administrator, Ferdinando Innocenti.<br /></span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >A pioneer in his way, Ferdinando Innocenti was modest, close and reserved, but at the same time had a brave and protective character. He talked very slowly, just few words in a low tone of voice and brief, separated sentences. He did not like to show it but was very determined when planning his actions and when placing the right men at the right spots. One of the most genial entrepreneurs of the twentieth century, he easily gained everybody's approval with a nice smile. He did not love the wordly habits typical of the successful businessmen of his time. He did not attend parties nor went to see theatre plays, although he went to the movies at times with one of his employees and usually selected a cowboy film. But they always ended up talking business. Very appreciated as a "creator of work", he was dinamic and constructive. He was described as "a very silent captain of industry completely out of the regular schemes of his category". Possibly, he never read a book, but he was always ready to plunge very efficiently into the company's bookkeeping and he was very determined when he wanted to contact people for his activity. In his work, he always strenuously defended his ideas, but he was also very good at starting new political relations without disclosing his true opinions. His unique purpose was to gain favours for his industrial activities.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br />NATIONAL EVOLUTION OF THE COMPANY</span></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">During the summer 1934 the Soccer World Championship was to take place in Rome. To enlarge the capacity of the soccer stadios, Innocenti was assigned by the Italian Government the task of building new stands. This assignment and the construction during the same year of a variety of stands, stages, runways and the like gained conspicuous profits to Innocenti's Milan factory, which now had 200 workers, partly from Rome. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The company was structured in two seats and two factories, one in Rome and one in Milan, plus a total of 9 branch offices in Genoa, Naples, Bologne, Trieste, Grosseto, Cagliari, Palermo, Padua, Florence. The company had four separated divisions for a variety of products: </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1. Building activity: electric ware, scaffolding, high-tension pylons, gates and fences, lamp-posts. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2. Agriculture and sports: water system pipings, spray irrigation plants, fencings for sport units or training grounds, equipment for gymnasia. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">3. Industry: thermoelectrical plants; air, gas and steam tubings; compressed or liquid gas cylinders; pipings. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">4. Mechanical industry: lorry tubes, propeller shafts, tubes for motorcars, tubes for gun carriages, hydraulic rams and cylinders, rolls for glassworks. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">This was a purely commercial division, because from the technical and production point of view there was no difference. The plants were potentially able to produce the whole range of products. Around this year (1935), Innocenti was about to concentrate all the production in the Milan factory. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">On the 30th April 1935 the social capital was doubled, during a meeting of the 11 shareholders, and 5,000 new shares were issued with a value of 1,000 lire each. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The aggression to Ethiopia was on its way, and it took place on the 3rd October 1935. During the summer of the same year, the intervention against the republican government in Spain burst out. The Italian industry was not prepared to face the outburst of war, but in a short time the production was converted and by the end of 1936 the industries producing war equipment were gaining large profits.</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">THE PRODUCTION OF WAR MATERIAL</span></span> </p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">During the war years the Innocenti plants supplied bodies for 150 and 250 kg airplane bombs, for which cut down tubes were used. Profits in 1935 amounted to 840,000. To avoid a fiscal drawing applied by tax offices on the basis of a 1935 law, many manufacturers decided to invest money on the enlargement of their industrial activities. Innocenti therefore enlarged the industrial structure, also because the plant was to supply a higher quantity of bullets. The plants were moved from Rome to Milan, the section MO/1 was enlarged by diverting the course of the Lambro river and an office building was built in Via Pitteri. Only the storage warehouse for trading tubes was left in Rome. With war production, the number of workers had doubled if compared to 1934. The constant demand for building airplane hangars and the production of bombshells from (Dalmine) tubes was making the company larger and larger. And also the respect gained with the various works accomplished in the Vatican was responsible for this success. In 1933 the IRI – Institution of Italian Reconstruction – was founded and Dalmine merged with it. The Innocenti factory already owned a large number of Dalmine shares, and saw their power grow becoming one of the most important private shareholders. The rapid growth of Fratelli Innocenti saw Ferdinando creating a board of directors and a board of auditors with a meeting held on the 16th April 1936. The most reliable cooperators were asked to take part in the Board: Rosolino Innocenti, Prof. Giulio Giussani, Ing. Giuseppe Cecchi, Rag. Vittorio Verdarini. Chairman, Ferdinando Innocenti. The board of auditors was formed by Avv. Renato Finocchi, Avv. Carlo Jurgens and Dr Giuliano Mastrogiovanni. On that occasion, the Innocenti plant was given the new name Innocenti Società Anonima per Applicazioni Tubolari in Acciaio. In 1936, the empire was proclaimed and war spread out. The Pact of Steel with Germany requested an even deeper engagement in the production of bullets, that were now made also for the artillery and the navy. In this year the company recorded a profit of 877,000 lire, despite the large amount of money invested in the enlargement. In 1937 profits reached one million lire. The next year, the Marina plant was built (the present MO/2) and the company moved a little more east from the Lambro river. Also the "attrezzeria" (equipment plant) and the Social Service buildings were built (the present SOCI) and, despite the large amount of money invested, the balance was a profit of about one and a half million lire.<br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">INNOCENTI SAFTA</span></span> </p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ferdinando Innocenti, who since 1933 embodied the idea of tubes, in 1936 decided to build a factory entirely dedicated to their production. Mussolini at that time wanted to complete an industrial center at Apuania. This was the place where the factory was made, allowing Innocenti to obtain the financial means necessary to build the new SAFTA (Società Anonima Fabbricazione Tubolari Acciaio). Holdings went for a minority to Dalmine and a majority to Innocenti. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1942 the plant that had been started in 1939 for the construction of seamless tubings was completed and the production was partially started. The establishment, about 495,000 sq m wide, included 4 longitudinal parallel and three transversal floors, containing 3 rolling mills of different lengths. 500 workers were employed, the management was assigned to Ing. Alberto Calmes from Luxembourg. He was particularly experienced in the construction of tubes and had a deep knowledge of this activity gained in Germany, which he had left for political reasons. Thanks to his ability the tubes were produced directly from ingots and not from expensive rolled sections subsequently welded. However, the production did not continue after the opening phase because Kesserling, in his retreat, brought part of the industrial equipment to Germany and partly destroyed the production units. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In November 1948, after a quick reconstruction, the production of tubes for oil drills and oil and gas pipes took the start. Dalmine acquired all the holdings and transformed SAFTA into a second large production unit. The war events saw a constant engagement of Innocenti at the construction of plants for producing bullets. A huge bullet factory had been planned in the Lambrate factory, and it was to be the largest supplier of the Ministry of War. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">On their side, the Ministry of War had planned to split the productive units in different yards. One of them was to be Guerra I (G I, War I) at Tor Sapienza, Rome, a complex for the production of about 40,000 bullets a day. Innocenti won the competition against Fiat, Falck etc., thanks to a better guarantee on the deadline requested. Completed between 1939 and 1942 as asked, Innocenti won trust and admiration, and the completion of projects Guerra II and Guerra III in Milan were assigned to them (between 1940 and 1941). </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Guerra II covered a 75,000 sq. m surface and was built in the area between Via Tanzi, Via Bistolfi, Via Pitteri, Via Trentacoste. The plant produced sintered copper grenade time rings (on a German patent). Guerra III was made with the machinery from Guerra I after the US forces' landing. Its construction started in 1941 to produce (on a German patent) steel extrusions of shell cases, devised to face the lack of copper. At two thirds building was interrupted for the events which took place on the 8th September 1943. The establishment consisted in four huge structures, two of which had already been equipped with pressing machines supplied by Germans for the extrusion of shell cases.<br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">PRODUCTION RECONVERTED</span></span> </p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1939 the Innocenti factory, declared by Starace during his visit on the 27th October 1939 "a model of fascist establishment", was in fact producing bullets. 90% of the labour was engaged in war production. In 1939 the Innocenti workers making bullets were only 5.5% of the total of the Italians producing ammunitions, but the mechanical production of the factory amounted to 17% of the total in Italy.<br /><br />In four years, Innocenti multiplied by three the plants and by ten their production, with 36,000 bullets produced per day in 1943. The people working in the Milan plant were around 800 in 1938 and increased to 2,000 in 1940, 3,000 in 1941, 6,000 in 1942 and more than 7,000 in the spring of 1943, mostly unskilled labour, 50% women.<br /><br />Profits amounted to 2,119,000 lire in 1939, 4,231,000 lire in 1940, 10,118,500 lire in 1941, 12,298,000 in 1942 and 10,783,000 on the 8th September 1943. The ordinary reserve amounted to 2,200,000 lire, the extraordinary to 8,468,000. On the 11th March 1940 the managing board increased the capital from 20 to 50 million lire, on the 8th April 1941 from 50 to 100 million lire. 80,000 shares were issued with a value of 1,000 lire each. Shareholders from twelve became once more three (80% Ferdinando Innocenti, 15% Rosolino Innocenti, 5% Paolo Missiroli). By way of gratitude during the 11th March 1940 meeting, Edmondo Balbo (Italo Balbo's brother), the two Innocentis and Paolo Missiroli were elected as members of the Board.<br /><br />In 1942 Ferdinando Innocenti felt it as a necessity to split the company, one of the two parts was called Lambro and was charged to run the establishments, the second one, ATA (Applicazioni Tubolari Acciaio), was to trade the products. But the war events of 1943 suggested he should wait and during the meeting held on the 29th April 1943 Ferdinando was appointed president, sole administrator and general manager of the company.<br /><br />After the 8th September, the company had to go through the trials of the German military occupation, even if the opposition from the inside was very strong. The production of war supplies did not stop.<br /><br />From Rome, Ferdinando kept following the events involving the company and plotted constructive and well balanced political relations between German, RSI, CLN and democratic forces. He also gave financial help to the partisans. General Poletti was enthusiastic about his brilliant cooperation and this is one of the reasons why afterwards he was not submitted to the purge by the Allied forces. From Rome, he was certainly able to catch sight of a new industrial boom after the end of the war, and in this expenctancy he was trying to keep the plants as sound as possible in view of their relaunching. It was not a coincidence if the Allied bombings, on his precise information, hit only isolated unimportant divisions, whereas most of the plants were left untouched. Also the slowing of production was an advantage, as the stock of raw material would later be largely used to cover the reconstruction expenses.<br /><br />At the end of the war Ferdinando Innocenti went back to Milan and, after having called a workers' meeting, succeeded in obtaining their cooperation. The reconversion plan set out.<br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">RESTRUCTURATION AND RECONVERSION</span></span> </p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The reconversion plans were conceived in three stages.</span> </p><ol style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1. Production of a low-cost vehicle for the working class.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">2. Building of metallurgic machinery and industrial plants</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">3. Development of sintering processes.</span></li></ol> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.lcgb.co.uk/scooters/images/stor.jpg" width="171" align="left" height="109" /> The vehicle was to be the Lambretta. The idea came from vehicles dropped in Rome by the British parachuters. Innocenti thought that similar vehicles could be of great interest in a country where people needed a means of transport to move quickly. At Guidonia, Innocenti met colonel D'Ascanio, but they soon found out they had different ideas about the vehicle to be designed. Colonel D'Ascanio was in fact later engaged by Piaggio, where he created the "Vespa" scooter. Innocenti contacted another colonel at the Experimental Center in Guidonia, Ing. Torre, who was to become the "father" of the Lambretta scooter. In the field of metallurgy Ferdinando Innocenti wanted to exploit the studies and experience of Calmes at Apuania on the production of seamless tubings. In the field of sintered materials the idea was to produce bushings and bearings for electric motors and endothermic machinery.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">This was an ambitious restructuration and reconversion programme, implying a quality and quantity review of the people employed. There were at the time 691 skilled workers, specialists and foremen; 969 labourers and unskilled workers; 729 women, 146 delivery-boys, watchmen, keepers and drivers; 2,252 employees and designers, for a total of 2,767 people: 1,900 at Lambrate, 500 at the Guerra III, 367 at the Guerra II. About one hundred people were working outside the premises, at ATA etc.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">People were to be reduced to about 970, and about 2,000 were to be dismissed. At the end of 1945 the activity was very scarce – only around one hundred people were working at building bodies for electrical motors at Bezzi. This activity did not even cover the expenses, therefore raw materials were sold, 42,000,000 lire worth of Treasury bonds were sold in Rome, 3,000,000 lire were recovered with the sale of Dalmine's holdings. But to live on, the enterprise needed to recover 175,000,000 lire of credits, mostly from Germany. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">At the beginning of 1946 the workers still were 800, plus 150 employees. On the 12th November 1946 the first financial investment for reconstruction and production was obtained (300,000,000 lire, which was to start in 1947. The shortage of coal and electricity caused many delays, but the third item (sintering) was abandoned because the technology was by the time obsolete. At the end of 1946 some orders did already arrive: 6 special machines for Dalmine for 200 tons in total, the building of tube rolling mills for Jugoslavia (3,200 tons) and 1,150 tons of machinery for Polony. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">These goods were paid with raw materials and coal. The production of scooters had been again delayed because of difficulties in obtaining supplies and because of the energy shortage. Moreover, the product was completely new to the company. The first lot of 25 Lambretta scooters was being completed, when two Lambretta scooters and one van were ready for the Paris Exhibition. Trade agents were at work in 33 provinces and 3,300 bookings had already been received. The scooters were to be supplied within March 1948. The aluminum foundry was fully active and the equipment for cast iron was being prepared. The financial situation was still critical but improved in April thanks to a loan of a hundred thousand dollars from Eximbank USA. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">However, instead of the 150 daily Lambretta scooters, not more than 10 were being made, especially because of a faulty organization and the lack of financial resources. The reorganization of Signor Calbiani planned to reach a production of 25/30 scooters a day and in a short time, not later than the following spring, 50 a day. The foundry was fully used to produce the parts necessary to make the Lambretta, no longer as an autonomous development as Innocenti had foreseen in his three-point plan. The establishment in Apuania was rebuilt, and Francesco Innocenti had a prominent place in the production of tubes, thanks to swift financial manoeuvres and the founding of new companies. The Lambrate establishment was runned by Lauro who not only had important acquaintances in the industrial world, but was also highly respected for his work at Navalmeccanica, an IRI company. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> However, the motor division was still a problem, and Lauro complained that "the production of scooters is an adventure putting the company at risk; all the profits of the mechanical division have been used up and also part of the booking shares". Signor Moro also expressed his doubts to the managing board: "starting the Lambretta production, because of a number of mistakes, has costed the company a huge sacrifice", about 500 million over the planned amount.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A choice of projets meant to avoid possible mistakes in evaluating the real possibilities of placing the scooters on the market, resulted in the production of a small low-cost "working-class tractor". Just 20 HP, it could be transformed into a small van by a national patent, and it was already being built at the Hesemberg in Monza. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.lcgb.co.uk/scooters/images/amsc.jpg" width="142" align="right" height="145" /> The production of Model M Lambretta (1st type) reached at the end of 1948 the potentiality of 80-85 daily units, but in fact only 70 were being produced because of difficulties in covering the national market. During the fall season, exports began to US and Argentine with a first lot of 2,000 pieces. At the same time, a 2nd model was being designed (type B) and this would be produced in 1949 and was to solve the many faults of the previous model. In fact, this mainly looked like the first model and essentially kept the same engine, but a new front-wheel suspension system was to be applied and a rear suspension to be introduced, a hand gear instead of foot gear and 8-inch wheels instead of 7-inch, plus metallic colours.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A choice of projets meant to avoid possible mistakes in evaluating the real possibilities of placing the scooters on the market, resulted in the production of a small low-cost "working-class tractor". Just 20 HP, it could be transformed into a small van by a national patent, and it was already being built at the Hesemberg in Monza. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The division of heavy mechanics was no worry, because there were orders to cover the production of one and a half year. Despite this someone said "in this period we have eaten up 30% in order to finance the production of Lambretta". </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The company now had a truly modern and efficient managing office. The president Ferdinando Innocenti was supported by Fioramonti and Fumagalli, Lauro was the general manager and Guani the central manager, Moro the administrative manager. The mechanical division was run by Rey and the engine division, since June 1949, by Parolari. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">By the end of October 1948, 9,660 Lambretta type A had been produced, and the making of this model was ceased. The cost account in February 1949 showed a loss of more than 800 million lire. But this was not a problem according to Ferdinando, because during the first three months of the model B production the loss had decreased by 200 million, recovered from the lucky sales of this new model, that, as we said, no longer had the faults of type A.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Production was now well organized and increased from the 70 daily pieces of January 1949 to around 150 in July. It was difficult to keep up with demand. Light transport vehicles with the scooter mechanics were produced since March 1949 at a rhythm of four per day. Also the heavy mechanics were now working well, especially thanks to a large supply requested by Austria.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> On the 30th June 1949, the following were the people in the managing board: President Ferdinando Innocenti, managing director Lauro, councillors Luigi Innocenti (Ferdinando's son), Giussani and Pestalozzi.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> Two new improved models (125 C and faired 125 LC) were introduced in January 1959. The production of 60,000 scooters was planned, the double if compared to the previous year. The increase in production meant the building of a new varnishing plant and the moderning of the production equipment, especially for the gears and the die-casting of the aluminum parts. Production of new models started before the processing line was completed, because no more scooters of the previous model were in stock. In May, already 5,500 pieces were being made in one month, in July 260 daily pieces were made, 160 C and 100 LC, equal to 6,200 a month. In 1951 production increased to 7,000 a month. Sales surpassed all expectations and in 1952 a further increase was decided and the production increased to 8,000. In December 1951 two new types were ready, D and LD, the first one a low-cost model, the second one faired, more elegant and linear.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> Meanwhile, a manufacturing licence for Lambretta scooters had been granted to NSU in Germany (1950), and in France a similar agreement was made for an initial production of 13,000 scooters. The majority of the company's shares belonged to Innocenti.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> With model D, the 8,000 units a month were reached and surpassed. In 1952 a total of 96,000 vehicles were produced, 16,000 of which exported. This high production was difficult to place on the national market and abroad there was some resistance, therefore in 1953 it was decided to design a cheaper type, model E, and to produce 70/80,000 of this model and 40/50,000 of model LD, with the aim of keeping the turnover at the same level. But the demand did not reach the expected level, even if there was an increase of 11% if compared with 1952. 1,063 specimens of the motor van were produced in 1952 and 4,780 the following year. Exports were 25% of total production.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In 1955 the Innocenti company obtained one of the largest work orders ever: in fact, the building of a factory in Venezuela was a huge job, equal to 350 million dollars (the Fiat factory in Togliattigrad costed the Russian 920 million dollars). Fiat was also taking part in the tender, and the two companies joined together. Works started at the beginning of 1956. Fiat was soon to break the joint-venture, so Innocenti gained the company a 40 billion income. The works were completed even if the Democratic Government, after having ousted the leader Jimenez, decided that the cost was too high and therefore would not pay. But the following government was on easier terms with Innocenti and finally respected the agreement.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> The scooter production in 1955 reached a good level, even if not as good as in 1953. At the beginning of the year a high-wheel 48 cc two-speed motor-bicycle was launched ("Lambrettino 48"), with a production of 6,000 units and 22,000 units in 1956. Increase in total production (scooters + motor-bicycles) amounted to 20%.<br /><br />From 1958 to 1963 Italy experienced a great industrial boom. In 1961 there was an increase in production of 97% if compared to 1953. Innocenti accordingly increased production: given a production of 100 motor vehicles in 1957, it increased to 103.5 in 1958, to 120 in 1959 and to 148 in 1960. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In the heavy mechanic industry 2,800 tons of machinery were made in 1950, increased to 21,550 in 1960. Profits at the end of 1960 were 59% higher if compared to 1950. The capital stock increased by 2,000%. Much of the increase was due to the Venezuela "business". Ferdinando's son Luigi, who was vice-president since 1958 and who in fact always lived in his father's shadow, succeeded in accomplishing his longlife dream: he enforced his decision – and this was the only occasion in his life – to build a motor-car. This change was made necessary in order to employ the large income obtained in the previous years.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In 1957 Ing. Torre had already been asked to design a small motor car, but then Parolari (Lauro's favourite) took Torre off the project because he wanted to be the only one leading the motoring division. In 1957/58, Torre designed a prototype of utility car which could be totally built in the Innocenti plant, but again the project was abandoned at the beginning of the following year, as an agreement was being made with Gogomobil Iseria for the construction of a 400 cm3 small car. Moreover, Innocenti did not want to annoy Fiat in the field of heavy mechanics.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In 1959 BMC of Birmingham was contacted to realize an Austin 900 cm3 saloon car: the A40. The agreement included the assembling and varnishing of the parts supplied by BMC. This was a 7-year lasting uncomplete and unfavourable agreement for Innocenti. In a year or little more the A40 processing line was completed and at the end of 1960 production started with about 100 cars per day. The assembling line was certainly obsolete, if compared to Fiat's.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In 1961/62 also a pressing division for producing parts was ready, for the A40, the roadster and the Bertone coupé with the same mechanics as A40. The total production amounted to 20,900 pieces in 1962 and increased in 1963 when the production of IM3 in the regular and super models started, so at the end of the year it amounted to 30,600 units. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> In 1966 at the age of 85 Commendator Ferdinando Innocenti – who had certainly been one of the most brilliant and genial captains of industry in the world – died, and his son Ing. Luigi succeeded him at the head of the company.</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">THE BEGINNING OF THE END</span></span> </p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">This change at the head of the company took place in a particular period of the political, social and financial history of Italy. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Politics<br /><br />The feature of this political stage is the scarce stability of the governments and we can say that the various parties and the political class in general were more interested in creating power centres than in maintaining and increasing the large productive industrial thrust known as "economic miracle", thanks to which Italy had reached a very high standard and had acquired an important position in the international field. The political administrations, conditioned by the left parties, were not able to exploit the growing capacities offered by industry. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Trade Union<br /><br />One must note that Innocenti since the beginning has always been a firm strongly involved in politics, and the trade union was capable of mobilizing labourers in just a few hours. Better and more human working conditions and real advantages were asked for. The "equality" flag-waving often served as an excuse to transform simple and realistic demands into a class struggle. This unrest damaged production and took away resources from industrial research and investment. Almost every week, the firm was to endure strikes and had to give in to trade union blackmail. Necessarily, the trade union had an influence on the company's decisions.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> Economy and market<br /><br />Most traditional scooter users turned to small cars. In 1967 the Fiat 500 was very comfortable and reliable in its class and was sold at the very low price of 475,000 lire, whereas the SX 200's price was 219,000 lire! The popular Turin-made small car also had the advantage of a very low consumption, not far from that of Lambretta scooters. Demand for scooters was slowly but relentlessly decreasing, and was not sufficient to support such a differentiated production and the development of new projects. Total production of vehicles, including scooters, motor-bicycles and vans, from the 144,000 yearly units in 1963 gradually lowered to 107,150 in 1966, 84,885 in 1967, 82,121 in 1968 and 62,209 in 1969. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The company<br /><br />With the death of the charismatic figure of the founder, who had always succeeded in controlling his cooperators, they stopped working synergically and started trying to gain leadership in the company's management. The "old pioneer" felt the scooter as his own creature, but this was not the case for the strong and capable managers who were left in his place, so they did not develop the production as the situation demanded. The production was now far too expensive for the times. At Piaggio, that suffered of the same market situation, the lines were instead quickly automated. In fact this company succeeded in overcoming the difficult times, thanks also to a large financial help from Fiat. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Little by little the members of the managing staff who were in some way bound to the legendary Lambretta and wistfully proposed its development, were losers against those who considered motorcars as the unique opportunity to relaunch the company. No company ever succeeded in switching from the motorcycle to the motorcar production. Some of them, for instance Triumph, BMW and DKW, were thinking of cars right from the start and therefore developed their technology and research in parallel. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1967 Nuccio Bertone was assigned the task of improving the Lambretta design. Model DL was soon produced (January 1968) in the 125-150-200 cc models. Also a new 50 and 75 cc motor-bicycle with mechanics derived from J 50 was produced. This was also designed by Bertone and its production started in March 1968. Despite this last attempt to renew the Lambretta's design, in 1968 the Innocenti managing staff was already aware that ceasing the scooter production was only a matter of time. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In 1971 Luigi Innocenti who had trouble with his health and could not be active as the difficult situation demanded, left the head of the company. The last model (DL) ceased to be made in April of the same year, and J 50 the following year. The various models of vans were made in a reasonable number until the month of December. Total of vechicles made in 1971 is 11,222 – 3,400 of which DL, 2,153 J 50 in the De Luxe and Special models, and 5,669 vans, 72 of them being completed in the first ten days of January 1972. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The end<br /><br />The Innocenti company, a leader in the field of the two-wheel vechicles and with a huge know-how derived from research (that certainly surpassed the technology placed on the marked), was sold to Leyland and the heavy mechanics division became Innse (Innocenti Sant'Eustachio). A company was therefore destroyed by the combined action of the market situation, trade unions, the short-sightedness of the political class and an unfortunate heir, leaving free hand to the slow but unbending Japanese penetration. Plants were emptied and the assembly lines of the last model were sold to India (Scooterindia) where the Lambretta models DL 150 and 200 were to be made for many more years. </span></p> <p face="georgia" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">In the Lambrate establishment motorcars were made with the Innocenti brand and with BMC engines (the same as the Mini's) and later on with Japanese engines (Daiatsu). During this last and not much enlightened De Tomaso's management, the plant also hosted the Maserati assembly line and succeeded in placing on the market many models of a very good car, the 2000 cc two and four-door, roadster and coupé Maserati Biturbo. But this car was not a success, an event more due to a faulty advertising than to the qualities of the car itself. The production was then moved to Modena and in the Innocenti premises every production activity was ceased. The workers were partly employed by Maserati, some of them by public institutions, some others were encouraged to an early retirement or in any case to resign. </span></p> <p face="georgia" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> When the production of the Lambretta was ceased also in India, it was called "Grand Prix" and its design had been widely modified. The die-casts and equipment used for over 25 years were offered to the highest bidder, but being the amounts offered too low, the assembly lines were left to themselves and in time strongly weathered.</span></p> <p face="georgia" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The brand Innocenti and the agents were taken up by Fiat and are today used to identify some of their motorcars, mainly produced in Brazil. </span></p> <p face="georgia" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The area that once belonged to Innocenti, by this time engulfed by the city that had seen this industry grow, enlarge and then die, has been the object of several plans. One of these, ironic as it may be, is an unconsciuos desecration of an establishment that once was one of the most modern in Europe, and it is strongly backed up by some people who probably never were so lucky as to own a Lambretta scooter: it is the plan for a large rubbish recycling plant, uselessly opposed by the inhabitants of the area. </span></p> <p face="georgia" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> People who, for various reasons, have had something to do with the Innocenti company in the past, will in any case remember it for the Lambretta scooter. There are and there will always be in every part of the world many owners and fans of this scooter, which is nowadays a cult object to be saved from destruction. </span></p> <hr style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;" size="1"><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-1169254009197118929?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-51335836752901960212009-06-27T19:41:00.000-07:002009-06-27T19:50:40.708-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SkbaZ0DEtSI/AAAAAAAAAJE/BlyAJnzMJuY/s1600-h/boogaloosteps.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352205344179533090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 157px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SkbaZ0DEtSI/AAAAAAAAAJE/BlyAJnzMJuY/s320/boogaloosteps.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Boogalu (a.k.a. Boogaloo), a fusion of Rhythm and Blues and Cuban son montuno, was popular in the United States from 1966-69. Boogalu was the first contemporary Latin music form that captured my attention because of its funky sounds, engaging choral chants by the audience, English lyrics, references to symbols of African American culture (“cornbread, hog maws and chitlins”), and background sounds of raucous party goers. Boogalu was a highly successful crossover musical style, capturing the attention of audiences who were previously not familiar with Latin music.<br /></div><br /><div>Boogalu resonated particularly with African American audiences. Performers such as Jimmy Sabater and Joe Cuba clearly state that Boogalu was inspired by the interaction between African American dancers and Latin musicians in New York at nightclubs such as Palm Gardens Ballroom. They recount stories of how the structure and tone of Boogalu songs such as “Bang, Bang” were developed in an effort to appeal to African American dancers who were not responding to their traditional mambos and cha cha chas. Many of the Boogalu musicians report that they were also deeply influenced by the R+B, jazz and Doo Wap bands of that era. Music historian Juan Flores, in his seminal work on Boogalu entitled “Cha Cha with a Backbeat, suggests that the song title and refrain “ I Like It Like That” may have some roots in a 1961 R+B tune with the same name composed by Chris Kenner, from New Orleans. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>By 1966 “Bang, Bang”, “ Pete’s Boogalu” and “I Like it Like That” had captured the American public. Major boogalu bandleaders included Joe Cuba, Ricardo Ray, Pete Rodriguez and Johnny Colon. During its heyday nearly every major Latin band recorded boogalus including Ray Barretto, El Gran Combo and even Eddie Palmieri, one of the styles most visible opponents. According to JJ Rassler in a Descarga.com article, Boogalu occupied a unique position in Latin music history since it emerged as the popularity of Charanga music was waning and before the emergence of Salsa.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>According to music historian Juan Flores, Boogalu was not an accidental development in Latin music but was the embodiment of the social and cultural interplay found on the streets of Black and Spanish Harlem.<br /></div><br /><div>“As neighbors and coworkers, African Americans and Puerto Ricans in New York had been partying together for many years. For decades they had been frequenting the same clubs, with Black and Latin bands often sharing the billing … African American audiences generally appreciated and enjoyed Latin music styles, yet those who fully understood the intricacies of Afro-Cuban rhythms and came to master the challenging dance movements remained the exception rather than the rule… Popular Latin bands found themselves creating a musical common ground by introducing the trappings of Black American culture into their performances and thus getting the Black audiences involved and onto the dance floor. “Bang Bang” by the Joe Cuba sextet and Latin boogaloo music in general was intended to constitute this meeting place between Puerto Ricans and Blacks and by extension, between Latin music and the music culture of the United States.” (Flores 2000)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There was no structured dance style or patterns associated with Boogalu. It tended to be a freestyle dance without a closed embrace where partners often faced each other and created spontaneous innovative steps in response to the music much like other popular dances of the 60's.<br /></div><br /><div>As with most issues in Latin music, there is a great deal of debate about who was the first person to coin the term “boogalu or to create the musical style . Richie Ray was certainly among the first innovators with his 1967 album Jala Jala Y Boogalu. The song “Pete’s Boogalu” written by trumpeter Tony Pabon was the first Latin boogalu song to be played on the radio.<br />What happened to the golden age of Boogalu? Was it just a passing musical phase, edged out by Salsa and Rock and Roll? Not everyone had been ecstatic about the popularity of Boogalu. In an interview by Max Salazar, Fernando “King Nando” Rivera revealed his view of the rise and eventual fall of Boogalu.<br /></div><br /><div>“We felt the jealousy of the older band members. The boogalu didn’t die out. It was killed off by envious old bandleaders, the only booking agent at the time, a few dance promoters and a popular Latin music disc jockey. We were the hottest bands and we drew the crowds. But we were never given top billing or top dollar. The boogalu bandleaders were forced to accept package deals’ which had us hopping all over town…one hour here, one hour there…for small change. When word got out that we were going to unite and not accept the package deals any longer, our records were no longer played on the radio. The boogalu era was over and so were the careers of most of the boogalu bandleaders." (Salazar 1997)<br /></div><br /><div>Others such as Willie Torres have another explanation for the disappearance of Boogalu.<br />“…the main responsibility for the eclipse of boogaloo in the name of salsa, aside from the musicians themselves, was Fania Records. Thought the category of salsa did not come into currency until 1972, it was Fania that shook New York Latin music loose of the boogaloo and went on to define the sound of the 1970s to world audiences." (Flores 2000)<br /></div><br /><div>Though the heyday of boogalu was brief, the music form continues to endure. In the late 1990’s Nito Nieve’s breathed new life into the form with his rendition of “I Like it Like that”, adding hip hop, rap and house music stylings to this old standard. Boogalu may have reached new heights (or depths?) of cross-over appeal when the Nieve’s version of this song became the background music for Burger King commercials in the late 1990’s. Contemporary Salsa bands continue to revive old boogalus and create new pulsating, energetic selections such as those found on CD such as Salsa Con Swing by Sonora Carruseles and Grupo Gale's "Boogalu con Gale" on their tenth anniversary CD.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-5133583675290196021?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-59807600973926088042009-05-19T21:46:00.000-07:002009-05-19T21:48:50.569-07:00The History Of Jazz Music - World Overview<br /><br />In Part 1 of our look at the history of jazz music leading up to the Big Band era we discussed some of the early big bands, hotel bands, and advances and evolutions in jazz music that helped set the stage for its rise in popularity. This part of the discussion will attempt to provide an overview of the many external factors outside of the music itself that not only set the stage for the Big Band era to occur but also helped increase and sustain the approbation of jazz in the public's eye.<br />The Big Band era is generally regarded as having occurred between the years 1935 and 1945. It was the only time in history that the popularity of jazz music eclipsed all other forms of music in the U.S. Rightly or wrongly the appearance of Benny Goodman and his big band at the Palomar in Los Angeles in August of 1935 is often referred to as the official start of the Swing era. While Benny Goodman undoubtedly had a great big band, it should be clear by now that his may not have been the "best" or even most original big band playing hot jazz music at the time. Just as Benny Goodman did not start, conceive, or bring to fruition the Big Band era on his own, so no one incident can be cited as its genesis. Rather many circumstances, incidents, conditions, and inventions seemed to all work together and should be taken into account when viewing its conception.<br />On the morning of "Black Thursday," October 24th, 1929, a great sell off on the New York Stock Exchange occurred triggering panic by investors. While the market bounced back a bit that afternoon, on the ensuing Monday and Tuesday it plummeted again and soon America was in the midst of the Great Depression. On December 11th, 1931 The New York Bank of the United States collapsed. These incidents helped bring to an end the prosperity, frivolity, and gaiety of the roaring 20's. Money began to get extremely tough to come by. The public was not able to afford to go out and see live music performed or buy records. Work was hard to find for everyone let alone musicians. Record sales were at an all time low. Many talented players worked the studios of radio networks and stations or were hidden in the confines of the few "sweet" dance orchestras able to stay afloat. Enter the free entertainment world of radio.<br />In the 1930s radio became a household appliance. It is estimated that by 1935, the number of homes with radios was nearly 23 million, the total audience around 91 million. This was the "Golden Age Of Radio" when shows like "The Shadow," "Amos &amp; Andy," "Tarzan," "Fibber McGee And Molly," and "The Lone Ranger" were at peak popularity. Studio musicians made their money as background instrumentalists both for shows and commercials. Radio executives had learned in the 1920s that music shows were also successful. However, as far as nationally broadcast music shows in the years preceding 1934, dance and "sweet" bands still dominated the airwaves. The general public was still only dimly aware of the great black jazz orchestras. Benny Goodman's Let's Dance broadcasts, which aired regularly in 1934, were one of the first such weekly live radio broadcasts of hot jazz music to be aired by a national network on a steady, reoccurring basis.<br />Given the economic conditions of the time it may be surprising that during this period advances in recording technology, and in particular the microphone, were changing the way Americans could hear recorded music and radio broadcasts. The ribbon or "velocity" microphone was introduced by RCA in 1931, as the model 44A, and became one of the most widely used microphones in vocal recording. Many bands today hoping to achieve a more authentic "vintage" sound still use the 44A. Another advance in recording sound came in 1933 when RCA introduced the 77A, cardioid pattern, dual ribbon microphone. These advances in sound enabled subtle nuances in both playing and singing to be amplified for the first time and made for better live broadcasts. Up until these advances vocalists were required to get up and belt out a song with many of the subtleties in inflection and voice tone being lost.<br />Advances in the discs that music was recorded on were being worked on and experimented with during the Great Depression as well. By the late 1930s a limited use of vinyl resin to replace shellac pointed the way to quieter records. Lacquer-coated aluminum discs also came into use in the recording process. These had a quieter surface and for the first time allowed immediate playback in the studio for auditioning purposes. This enabled both engineers and musicians the ability to instantly make adjustments of microphone or personnel placement, further refining their recordings. These advances in disc recording, being honed during the Great Depression, had significant impact on the quality of recorded music during the Big Band era. However in the early 1930s these advances were still in their infancy. Live radio broadcasts of music with the new microphones were nearly as good, quality-wise, (assuming the reception was clear) as personally owned recordings, and certainly much more affordable.<br />In 1933 Homer Capehart sold the Simplex record changer mechanism to the Wurlitzer Company. The jukebox was to become an important tool in the popularity and accessibility of big band swing music, and by the late 1930s one could find them located in speakeasies, ice cream parlors, and even drugstores. The jukebox was at least part of the reason record sales began to show a tremendous increase toward the end of the decade.<br />The disc jockey, a term not used until about 1940, was also to become a significant factor in getting music out to the public. At first the large U.S. radio networks were against the idea. In the early 1930s they sternly reiterated their policies in a memorandum discouraging the use of recordings in network broadcasts. But the records were already spinning on local programs. Los Angeles radio man Al Jarvis was playing records and talking about them on a successful program called "The World's Largest Make Believe Ballroom." Jarvis and his program were very popular on KFWB in the small Los Angeles radio market in the early 1930s. Originally a junior assistant at KFWB, Martin Block, who had moved to New York, borrowed the same concept during the breaks in the high profile Bruno-Hauptman trial on network radio and was met with great success in 1935. Although often controversial to the musician's union, to jazz writers, to music fans and to musicians themselves, these record jockeys, as they were called, were soon entertaining listeners with discs all over the country through the medium of radio.<br />While the youth of 30 years later could listen to thousands of stations catering to many genres of music; such was not the case nationally in the early 1930s. Hot jazz in a big band format was instead spreading in popularity through college age kids at Ivy League colleges like Yale. The Casa Loma Orchestra was a favorite of the kids there. In New York a new dance known as the Lindy Hop (named after Charles Lindbergh's famous Trans-Atlantic flight) was catching on with teens in ballrooms like the Alhambra, the Renaissance, and the Savoy where some of its most significant adaptations occurred. Kids from a new generation were searching for their own identity, searching for excitement, searching for something to call their own, and searching for the opposite sex. Jazz music through its evolution into swing and these new and energetic dances offered the whole package. Although the swing phenomena spread slowly and in small pockets at first, national publicity through radio and publications was about to assist in propelling jazz to the pinnacle of its popularity.<br />Benny Goodman's Let's Dance broadcasts first aired in December of 1934. His was the final of several music features of the night making it a late broadcast on the East Coast. Most high school and college students, who were more apt to like hot jazz music, needed to be up early for school and did not hear these broadcasts. The subsequent U.S. tour by Goodman ending in California in which Benny Goodman was booked following his Let's Dance broadcasts was largely unsuccessful until he hit the West Coast. The band was met with a tremendous amount of ambivalence and even scorn throughout the Midwest. The reason was the 3-hour time difference of his live broadcasts, between coasts, had enabled many of the youth out West to be tuned in nightly. They were ready and eager to greet and meet the band bringing them this new hot jazz music.<br />The tour culminated with Goodman's performance at the Palomar in L.A. Although Oakland turnouts were said to have been good and crowds enthusiastic, the band was not expecting what they were met with in Southern California. What seemed to be the end of the road for the Benny Goodman big band suddenly became the beginning of a new era in American music history when the kids that night, in the summer of 1935, heard the band launch into a hot jazz number and began crowding around the bandstand cheering and encouraging the group.<br />With the headlines talking about the success of the Benny Goodman big band in California, magazines like Down Beat and Metronome began to print more articles about the music. John Hammond, while known to most for his savvy in discovering artists like Count Basie and Billie Holiday, was writing about big bands in Down Beat as early as 1935. By 1936, when Benny Goodman was performing just blocks away from the magazine's Chicago offices, articles about the band filled its issues. Jazz in the form of big band swing was now beginning to sweep the nation.<br />Soon live radio remotes were regularly featuring this new swing music coast to coast as nearly all the major hotels in large cities had a "wire," as it was called, meaning a line installed for broadcast transmission. Jukeboxes were blaring, kids were dancing, record jockeys were spinning discs and talking about them and the Big Band era had arrived.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-5980760097392608804?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-78340603790033045372009-05-19T21:40:00.000-07:002009-05-19T21:46:00.120-07:00The History Of Jazz Music - Pre Swing Era<br /><br />On this page of our journey into the history of jazz music we focus on pre Big Band era jazz music history as recorded before 1935. We use this date and classification of this period of jazz for timeline measuring-stick purposes only. Although most historians regard the year 1935 as the start of the Big Band era, it is still a debatable topic as big band jazz had indeed been recorded as early as the 1920s.<br />In 1917 the Original Dixieland Jass Band cut the first recorded jazz records in history. It is a pity the honor could not have been bestowed upon a true pioneer of the genre. Most jazz historians regard this small group as simply a poor copycat band, lucky to ever have been recorded. Nevertheless, their recordings sold over a million copies and enabled jazz to be heard all over the country.<br />Jazz began its development in New Orleans where King Oliver, a cornet player that Louis Armstrong idolized, was performing in the early 1900's. Steamboats using the Mississippi further helped spread the sound of jazz as many of the New Orleans jazz bands and musicians performed as entertainment on the boats.<br />In the 1920s the music of jazz began to migrate to a big band format combining elements of ragtime, black spirituals, blues, and European music. Duke Ellington, Ben Pollack, Don Redman, and Fletcher Henderson sported some of the more popular early big bands playing hot music. These bands contained burgeoning jazz stars and future big bandleaders like Coleman Hawkins, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Red Allen, Roy Eldridge, Benny Carter, and John Kirby.<br />While the aforementioned musicians were playing big band jazz; the popularity of the hotel dance bands of the 1920s was also an important factor in the evolution of the Big Band era. Paul Whiteman, The California Ramblers, Ted Lewis, Jean Goldkette, and Vincent Lopez were a few of the successful hotel dance bandleaders of the 1920s. Their main sources of revenue came from playing for ballroom dance crowds and doing radio remote broadcasts in the 1920s and early 1930s.<br />The hot jazz orchestras of the day soon found the necessity of using an "arranger" for their pieces of music. His job became an all-important function in the making of big band jazz. While small group jazz had previously allowed a group of musicians to basically just "blow," structure became necessary with large gatherings of musicians. Although improvisation in solos was still allowed, the arranger took a written piece of music and assigned various parts to the different sections in a band and also dictated when solos were to be taken. The big band sounds of The Dorsey Brothers, Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway, The Casa Loma Orchestra, and Duke Ellington's orchestra as well as the styling in jazz vocals of The Mills Brothers and The Boswell Sisters were all moving toward an "arranged" and easy flowing style of jazz which would become known as swing.<br />With this new structure and sound the stage was set for the rise in popularity of big band music, played in this new swing style, that took the country by storm in the mid 1930s. The popularity of the music increased as Americans invented exciting, new, dances to be done in rhythm with the music. The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem opened its doors in 1926 and later became a hotbed for swing bands during the Big Band era. It was here that a swing dance style called the Lindy Hop was named, refined, and popularized. Through the press, through recordings, and through live radio remote broadcasts the masses were about to hear about this new swing music and dance craze.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7834060379003304537?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-59262007594909889252009-05-19T21:24:00.000-07:002009-05-19T21:38:40.582-07:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/ShOJFvzXXUI/AAAAAAAAAI8/26dpkaslX2Y/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337760715188428098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 276px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/ShOJFvzXXUI/AAAAAAAAAI8/26dpkaslX2Y/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div> Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong (1901 - 1971)</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominate Jazz to this day. Only Charlie Parker comes close to having as much influence on the history of Jazz as Louis Armstrong did. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. He was from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when he was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's Eve. At the school he learned to play cornet. After being released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. He didn't own an instrument at this time, but continued to listen to bands at clubs like the Funky Butt Hall. Joe "King" Oliver was his favorite and the older man acted as a father to Louis, even giving him his first real cornet, and instructing him on the instrument. By 1917 he played in an Oliver inspired group at dive bars in New Orleans' Storyville section. In 1919 he left New Orleans for the first time to join Fate Marable's band in St. Louis. Marable led a band that played on the Strekfus Mississsippi river boat lines. When the boats left from New Orleans Armstrong also played regular gigs in Kid Ory's band. Louis stayed with Marable until 1921 when he returned to New Orleans and played in Zutty Singleton's. He also played in parades with the Allen Brass Band, and on the bandstand with Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra , and the Silver Leaf Band. When King Oliver left the city in 1919 to go to Chicago, Louis took his place in Kid Ory's band from time to time. In 1922 Louis received a telegram from his mentor Joe Oliver, asking him to join his Creole Jazz Band at Lincoln Gardens (459 East 31st Street) in Chicago. This was a dream come true for Armstrong and his amazing playing in the band soon made him a sensation among other musicians in Chicago. The New Orleans style of music took the town by storm and soon many other bands from down south made their way north to Chicago. While playing in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, Armstrong met Lillian Hardin, a piano player and arranger for the band. In February of 1924 they were married. Lil was a very intelligent and ambitious woman who felt that Louis was wasting himself playing in Oliver's band. By the end of 1924 she pressured Armstrong to reluctantly leave his mentor's band. He briefly worked with Ollie Powers' Harmony Syncopators before he moved to New York to play in Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra for 13 months. During that time he also did dozens of recording sessions with <a href="http://www.redhotjazz.com/songs/misc/stlouisblues.ram"></a>numerous Blues singers, including Bessie Smith's 1925 classic recording of "St. Louis Blues". He also recorded with Clarence Williams and the Red Onion Jazz Babies. In 1925 Armstrong moved back to Chicago and joined his wife's band at the Dreamland Cafe (3520 South State Street). He also played in Erskine Tate's Vendome Orchestra and then with Carrol Dickenson's Orchestra at the Sunset Cafe (313-17 East 35th Street at the corner of Calmet Street). Armstrong recorded his first Hot Five records that same year. This was the first time that Armstrong had made records under his own name. The records made by Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven are considered to be absolute jazz classics and speak of Armstrong's creative powers. The band never played live, but continued recording until 1928. While working at the Sunset, Louis met his future manager, Joe Glaser. Glaser managed the Sunset at that time. Armstrong continued to play in Carrol Dickenson's Orchestra until 1929. He also led his own band on the same venue under the name of Louis Armstrong and his Stompers. For the next two years Armstrong played with Carroll Dickerson's Savoy Orchestra and with Clarence Jones' Orchestra in Chicago. By 1929 Louis was becoming a very big star. He toured with the show "Hot Chocolates" and appeared occasionally with the Luis Russell Orchestra, with Dave Peyton, and with Fletcher Henderson. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 where he fronted a band called Louis Armstrong and his Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra. In 1931 he returned to Chicago and assembled his own band for touring purposes. In June of that year he returned to New Orleans for the first time since he left in 1922 to join King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Armstrong was greeted as a hero, but racism marred his return when a White radio announcer refused to mention Armstrong on the air and a free concert that Louis was going to give to the cities' African-American population was cancelled at the last minute. Louis and Lil also separated in 1931. In 1932 he returned to California, before leaving for England where he was a great success. For the next three years Armstrong was almost always on the road. He crisscrossed the U.S. dozens of times and returned to Europe playing in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland and England. In 1935 he returned to the U.S. and hired Joe Glaser to be his manager. He had known Glaser when he was the manager of the Sunset Cafe in Chicago in the 1920s. Glaser was allegedly connected to the Al Capone mob, but proved to be a great manager and friend for Louis. Glaser remained Armstrong's manager until his death in 1969. Glaser took care of the business end of things, leaving Armstrong free to concentrate on his music. He also hired the Luis Russell Orchestra as Louis' backup band with Russell as the musical director. This was like going home for Armstrong, because Russell's Orchestra was made up of predominantly New Orleans musicians, many of whom had also played with King Oliver. The band was renamed Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra and was one of the most popular acts of the Swing era. Glaser put the band to work and they toured constantly for the next ten years. During this period Armstrong became one of the most famous men in America. In 1938 Lil and Louis finally got a divorce. Louis then married Alpha, his third wife. The endless touring was hard on their marriage and they were divorced four years later, but Armstrong quickly remarried Lucille and they remained married for the rest of his life. For the next nine years the Louis Armstrong Orchestra continued to tour and release records, but as the 1940s drew to a close the public's taste in Jazz began to shift away from the commercial sounds of the Swing era and big band Jazz. The so-called Dixieland Jazz revival was just beginning and Be Bop was also starting to challenge the status quo in the Jazz world. The Louis Armstrong Orchestra was beginning to look tired and concert and record sales were declining. Critics complained that Armstrong was becoming too commercial. So, in 1947 Glaser fired the orchestra and replaced them with a small group that became one of the greatest and most popular bands in Jazz history. The group was called the Louis Armstrong Allstars and over the years featured exceptional musicians like Barney Bigard, Jack Teagarden, Sidney ‘Big Sid’ Catlett , vocalist Vilma Middleton, and Earl Hines. The band went through a number of personnel changes over the years but remained extremely popular worldwide. They toured extensively travelling to Africa, Asia, Europe and South America for the next twenty years until Louis' failing health caused them to disband. Armstrong became known as America's Ambassador. In 1963 Armstrong scored a huge international hit with his version of "Hello Dolly". This number one single even knocked the Beatles off the top of the charts. In 1968 he recorded another number one hit with the touchingly optimistic "What A Wonderful World". Armstrong's health began to fail him and he was hospitalized several times over the remaining three years of his life, but he continued playing and recording. On July 6th 1971 the world's greatest Jazz musician died in his sleep at his home in Queens, New York. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-5926200759490988925?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-43972233057119434512009-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:002009-05-19T21:24:33.832-07:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/ShOF59uu-qI/AAAAAAAAAI0/jvmhDcVE864/s1600-h/okeh1007side-bsleeve.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337757214233787042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/ShOF59uu-qI/AAAAAAAAAI0/jvmhDcVE864/s320/okeh1007side-bsleeve.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>OKeh was one of the most important and influential record labels in the black music market for over five decades. It was not only a source of great musicians and records, but also of song writers and producers. This homepage focuses on the soul and R&amp;B era of OKeh, which gave us gifted musicians/ groups such as Walter Jackson, Major Lance, and The Artistics; song writers like Curtis Mayfield and Billy Butler; and producers like Carl Davis and Larry Williams. We should never forget the great talents which have given us so many soul songs that are an integral part of the Northern Soul Scene.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div>OKeh began its music history in 1918 in New York producing all kinds of music. Two years later, it launched the first black-music recording with the release of Mamie Smith´s "Crazy Blues", which became its first hit. The label focused in the 30´s on blues and jazz discs. The main hits of the Columbia-subsidiary label followed in the 50´s with "Cry" (1951) by white artist Jimmy Raye "Hambone" (1953) by the Hambone Kids and "I Put a Spell on You" (1956) by Screamin´ Jay Hawkins. OKeh released some of the most important blues, jazz, gospel and R&amp;B greats (Chuck Willis, Big Maybelle, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, etc.) of that decade. The 60´s started slowly for the label and its doors were almost closed forever. The turnaround was made 1962 by hiring Carl Davis as a producer. He transformed OKeh into a successful soul label and an alternative to the Motown sound -within one year. Davis and Curtis Mafield formed a powerful team the following year. With Davis as producer and Mayfield as writer and co-producer, the duo was responsible for almost all hits during the label's subsequent years. The label selected from a large pool of talent in Chicago. Riley Hampton, known for his work on ballads and who was good with strings, along with Johnny Pate, who was especially talented with medium tempo and fast songs, came in for the arrangements. Major Lance and Walter Jackson were the most successful artists in the early 60´s. Additional hits came from southern-soul singer Ted Taylor and R&amp;B legend Dr. Feelgood. The famous OKeh sound was determined by sentimental songs with pretty melodies, lush strings and smooth, slick vocals that avoid harsh or rough edges. OKeh's problems resumed when in 1966 Davis, Mayfield, and Pate left the label. Without its talented team, the label sounded stale and seemingly anyone and everyone was signed to release. Famous DJ Wolfman Jack, Rock´n´Roll legends Larry Williams and Little Richard and a long list of no-names had records on the label. After OKeh 7290 (last No.: 7338), very few records got past the promotional stage. OKeh was closed forever after only three releases in 1970.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-4397223305711943451?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-24799856839867112172009-04-07T03:16:00.000-07:002009-04-07T03:35:44.598-07:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SdsppYvgLmI/AAAAAAAAAIs/XXH1iSKrhMI/s1600-h/mods2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321893175661440610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 163px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SdsppYvgLmI/AAAAAAAAAIs/XXH1iSKrhMI/s320/mods2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Mod fashion started in the 60s. A small group of young men and a few girls started to look to French and Italian cool, combined with American Ivy League style to create a uniquely British youth fashion. These early Modernists listened to Modern Jazz, rejecting the prevailing fashion for 'Trad' jazz, as typified by Aker Bilk. They also liked American Negro Blues music. The fashion caught on and the Modernists became the Mods.<br />Since then Mod has played a part in British fashion. Several revivals have kept the look in the public eye. The first of which started in the late 70s following hard on the heals of Punk. Bands such as The Jam provided the music and 60s Carnaby Street provided the fashion inspiration.<br />Mod returned in the 90s and has been with us ever since. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-2479985683986711217?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-46886060568589835832009-04-07T03:12:00.000-07:002009-04-07T03:13:46.857-07:00The Skinhead look from the late sixties and early 70s is almost a forgotten fashion. Although, most people associate Skinheads with the late 70s and early 80s, there was a strong Skinhead movement in Britain between 1968 and 1972, with 1969 to 1971 being the time when Skinheads were primarily in the news.<br />Most people think of the 60s as the era of the Mods, then Flower Power and Hippies. The Hippy era though was mainly a middle class rebellion against middle class values. Many working class young people found they could not identify with it. They never had the middle class lifestyle to rebel against. Whereas Mod embraced the consumer society, the Hippy movement, although later much commercialised, itself rejected it. These working class youngsters had nowhere to go.<br />The Skinhead fashion for men evolved from the Mod fashion earlier in the sixties. The original Skinhead fashion was smart style derived from the American Ivy league fashion, although unlike Mod fashion, which was an ever changing scene, the 60s Skinhead became a uniform.<br />The late 60s and early 70s Skinhead took elements of Mod and was a clear evolution from it. The look was smart. Short hair was a brave statement in the late sixties, when most young people wanted to grow their hair long. The original Skinhead was not completely shaven, but had a short, smart haircut. The inspiration may have been a combination of the college boy haircut favoured by the Mods and military style haircuts. A new hero was emerging on our TV screens in 1968 and 1969, the American astronaut. Their short, smart haircuts were the complete opposite to the Hippie style.<br />By 1968, the Skinhead look comprised short hair, a button-down shirt, or sometimes a Fred Perry instead, Sta Prest trousers or Levi 501s, brogues or boots with an army-style shine on them (often not Dr Marten's for the 1968 look). Sometimes a suit was worn, often a classic Mod style tonic suit with narrow trousers and lapels, the complete opposite of the flared jeans preferred by the hippies. Ties were narrow, usually striped. Sometimes a cardigan replaced the suit jacket.<br />The button down shirt was often a Ben Sherman. Skinheads wore gingham check, sometimes other check patterns, or plain Oxford cotton. Ben Sherman struggled to keep up with demand and alternatives from Brutus and Jaytex were also available in similar styles. Fred Perry shirts were also worn by Skinheads in the 60s.<br />Skinheads wore Crombie overcoats, favoured by gangsters such as the Krays, but smart and expensive. Alternatives were fly fronted gabardine Macs or sheepskin coats. The look was grown up and smart. Very definitely not hippy.<br />Skinhead was not Mod, since it was much more of a rigid dress code. The Mod look was ever changing with the mood of the Mod fashion of the time. The later 1979 Mod revival, turned the Mod fashion into more of a uniform, but in the 60s being Mod meant you needed to change your look frequently to stay in fashion. Skinheads had no such problem.<br />Skinheads had a taste for West Indian Reggae music. In the late sixties and early seventies Reggae was underground. It received very little airtime on mainstream radio. One reason for the apparently contradictory liking for ethnic minority music is that Reggae was the music of an oppressed generation. The Skinheads identified with this. Most of all though, they loved the beat.<br />An early Skinhead band was Slade. They changed their look to glam because of problems getting gigs as Skinheads.<br />George Melly, in 'Revolt into Style' had no time for the Skinheads, which he also called agro boys. To him they were working class boys wearing a look that passively accepted their limited future. They took on dead end jobs without protest. Like Mods and Teds before them, Skinheads were involved in violence. Football hooliganism was often put down to Skinheads in the early 70s. In spite of their liking for Reggae music, Skinheads were involved in racist violence, as well as petty crime and acts of vandalism.<br />From 1970 to 1971, Skinheads conformed more to the traditional image we have of them. They wore Dr Marten's boots, and trousers or jeans an inch or so shorter than normal length. They were also making their presence felt in the media. Acts of violence and aggravation were common, as well as vandalism.<br />The 1968 to 1969 Skinhead look did not last much into the 70s. Skinheads started to grow their hair longer. The media invented new terms such as suedehead, for a slightly longer Skinhead look. Then they grew their hair long and wore flares and penny collars, like everyone else. Like Mod, the Skinhead look had a revival at the end of the 70s and into the early 80s.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-4688606056858983583?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-7837413610980667302009-04-07T03:07:00.000-07:002009-04-07T03:11:52.674-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Sdsmyd5Jo4I/AAAAAAAAAIk/cW7t5Wziq-M/s1600-h/Natural_G9_Original.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321890033128022914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/Sdsmyd5Jo4I/AAAAAAAAAIk/cW7t5Wziq-M/s320/Natural_G9_Original.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />The Baracuta Harrington is the original Harrington worn by the Mods in the 1960s. The Harrington's expression of style and attitude was attractive to Skinheads, Punks and followers of Ska, as well as Mod revivalists in the late 70s and early 80s. Yet it was designed in the 30s and originally made for export to the US.<br />The original Harrington jacket was designed in 1937 by John and Isaac Miller, owners of the Baracuta Clothing Company. It was a blouson style windcheater jacket with raglan sleeves, a zipper and a distinctive tartan lining. The lining was the Frazer Tartan and it was marketed as the G9. The name 'Harrington' was added much later.<br />The Baracuta G9 was popular with golfers in the US in the 50s. The G9 was well made and practical, as well as being a casual look in a formal age. It attracted some famous US wearers, including Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. James Dean also famously wore a red Harrington in the film 'Rebel Without a Cause'. The Harrington's place in US fashion iconography was firmly established by the end of the 50s.<br />In the UK, Baracuta was mainly known as a manufacturer of quality raincoats. Well made, sensible and dependable, but hardly a fashion icon.<br />The Harrington's place in UK fashion really began in the 60s. The Modernists (later Mods) of the early sixties loved the American Ivy League style. They sought out US style button down shirts, wing tip brogues and loafers, and combined them with Italian style suits and French hair cuts for the original Mod look. The Harrington jacket, by a strange twist of fate, got its Mod reputation because it was so cool in the US. In the sixties, Steve McQueen wore one and was pictured on the front of Life Magazine, the ultimate US coffee table magazine.<br />The Baracuta G9's cool and its name was sealed in 1964, when Ryan O'Neal wore one in the US soap, Peyton Place. Peyton Place was shown to UK audiences when ITV bought the show in 1965. Ryan O'Neal's character was Rodney Harrington; from then on the G9 was known as the Harrington.<br />The Harrington was manufactured in the UK, but it was cool by its association with the US. John Simons and Jeff Kwintner, whose Richmond store, 'The Ivy Shop', specialised in American style Ivy League men's fashion, 'discovered' the Harrington for the UK market in 1966. They opened a year earlier in 1965 and catered to a growing number of London Mods. The Harrington was great for them because they did not need to import it from the US.<br />The Harrington's long association with British youth fashion began when it went on sale in the Ivy Shop. As Mod came to an end, like the button down shirt, the Harrington was adopted by the Skinhead movement. It was combined with Levi 501s, Dr Marten Boots and a gingham check shirt for the definitive Skinhead look.<br />When young people rejected the hippy influenced style of the seventies and flares and Budgie jackets were finally discarded, the Harrington became a natural choice. It found favour with the revivalist side of Punk, with the 1979 Mod revival and with fans of Ska music. The Harrington was also a natural choice for the Mod revival in 1979. Wearing a Harrington expressed a certain attitude in the late 70s and early 80s. There was a rejection of long hair, flares and the disco music still liked by those only a few years older.<br />The classic look for the 1979 to 1981 era was a black Harrington. By the late 70s there were cheaper versions of the original Baracuta design available.<br />The original Baracuta Harrington or Baracuta G9 is still available in the original pattern which can trace its routes back to the 30s. You can buy the original Harrington in 'natural', black, navy, dark red, dark brown or tan.<br />Baracuta has also introduced a new version of the classic G9, the G10, Mod Harrington. It is a slimmer fitting Harrington jacket available in a similar range of colours, as well as a very bright 60s style turquoise.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-783741361098066730?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-1338849881876411572009-03-20T04:29:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:31:39.816-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/ScN-kEWKMLI/AAAAAAAAAIc/a7aldMQncPQ/s1600-h/fats-domino.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315231143334391986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 235px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/ScN-kEWKMLI/AAAAAAAAAIc/a7aldMQncPQ/s320/fats-domino.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Antoine "Fats" Domino was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, on the 26th of February 1928. When he was a 7 year old kid, he learned piano from his ,much older, brother-in-law Harrison Verrett. His piano playing was influenced by boogie woogie pianists like Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and his triplet piano style came from Little Willie Littlefield, who,by the way,lives in the Netherlands.His first record was "The Fat man", recorded in 1949 and became a R &amp; B hit in 1950 and a gold record in 1953.His cooperation with the bandleader Dave Bartholomew resulted in an almost endless chain of R &amp; B and Top 100 hit records.He also played the piano on Lloyd Price's millionseller "Lawdy miss clawdy".Fats performed in 4 Rock &amp; Roll movies, "The girl can't help it, "Shake rattle and rock", "Jamboree" and "The Big beat".This ended in 1963 with "Red sails in the sunset", by than Fats recorded for ABC-Paramount and the cooperation with Dave had ended.In the period 1949-1960 he had 23 million sellers, not less than 17 were co-written with Dave Bartholomew.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In 1955, with the arrival of Rock &amp; Roll, Fats became also popular with the white audience starting with "Ain't that a shame".Lew Chudd, the owner of Imperial Records sold his record company to LIBERTY in 1963.At that time success faded a little and Fats signed a contract with ABC-Paramount, were he had a couple of hits. Later, in 1965, he had a very good live album on MERCURY and a couple of albums on REPRISE and SONET.If you want more information I recommand this book written by John Broven, "Rhythm &amp; Blues in New Orleans" (also published as "Walking to New Orleans"), Pelican Publishing Company, ISBN 0-88289-433-1.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Also recommanded: " I hear you knockin' (The Sound of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues) " by Jeff Hannusch , Swallow Publications, and his latest book,"The Soul of New Orleans (A Legacy of Rhythm and Blues)", published in 2001, and it has a chapter on Fats, the publisher is Swallow Publications, the ISBN is 0-9614245-8-3.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The long awaited first-ever biography of Fats Domino is published in May 2006. It is called "Blue Monday - Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn Of Rock 'n' Roll",written by Rick Coleman. The publisher is Da Capo Press , ISBN no. 13 978-0-306-81491-4. $ 26.95. 364 pages and lots of photos. If you are a fan of New Orleans music, then you have to buy it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-133884988187641157?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-46513390231663533172009-02-14T21:44:00.000-08:002009-02-14T21:49:59.860-08:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SZes6OCY2JI/AAAAAAAAAIE/IsRGeW2bYek/s1600-h/2410873490_b3662b780c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302897202452551826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 136px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SZes6OCY2JI/AAAAAAAAAIE/IsRGeW2bYek/s320/2410873490_b3662b780c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Real Name: Millicent Smith - also known as Millicent "Dolly May"<br />Birth Date: 6th October 1946<br />Birth Place: Clarendon Jamaica </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Millie's singing career began at around the time she entered her teens. She rapidly became a popular artist in the West Indies and was one of the few female performers to be involved in the branch of R&amp;B music that grew in those islands- 'Ska'. In fact her early local successes were made as half of a duet called 'Roy And Millie'- the other half was Roy Panton. She also recorded as half of 'Owen &amp; Millie' (Owen Gray) and 'Jackie &amp; Millie' (Jackie Edwards). These record releases were on labels like 'Studio One', 'Island' and the legendary 'Blue Beat'. In fact she was to become known in the West Indies as the 'Blue Beat Girl' and 'Ska' is still known by many people as 'blue beat'. There were so many parallel releases on these labels in the West Indies and the UK that it is difficult to unravel a true UK discography for many West Indian artists, Millie is no exception.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Millie Small was brought to Britain during 1963 by Chris Blackwell, who later did much to promote Reggae in the UK. Her first UK release 'Don't You Know' owed rather less to her Ska background, being accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Lord Rockingham's Harry Robinson. It didn't sell too badly but Millie's unique high pitched style wasn't enough to get it into the chart. However, her second release was a stronger song and was based more closely to the West Indian rhythms she was accustomed to. It became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic reaching #2 in the U.S. chart as well as in Britain. Sadly, despite the great success of the record, it did not set a new musical style in people's awareness. 'My Boy Lollipop' was simply regarded by most record buyers at the time as an item of delightful, but lightweight, 'pop' . (Incidentally the record is alleged by some to have a young 'Rod Stewart' on harmonica). Although she had a couple of further minor hits, she never managed to consolidate her famous smash. She remained in the public conscience for a long time and was also regarded by many as a role model; something with which the charming lady was never entirely comfortable.<br />Ska became popular on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching its peak in the UK during the late 1960s. Its popularity was more enduring in the UK than in the US, probably because of West Indian emigrees that went to Britain taking their musical enthusiasm with them. Ska gradually evolved into reggae, but was revived during the 1970s and 1980s by UK groups like the 'Specials'.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-4651339023166353317?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-2654444858171222292009-02-14T21:35:00.000-08:002009-02-14T21:38:58.173-08:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SZeqYQa3bkI/AAAAAAAAAH0/Q8LzqKkNM94/s1600-h/dandy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302894419953282626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SZeqYQa3bkI/AAAAAAAAAH0/Q8LzqKkNM94/s320/dandy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Born Robert Livingstone Thompson on December 14, 1943 (1944 by some accounts), in Jamaica.<br /></div><br /><div>Answering the call from Carnival Records in 1964 for a reggae vocal duo, Dandy Livingstone double-tracked his own voice on a demo single "What a Life," and the track sold 25,000 units. A series of rude boy hits followed for Trojan Records in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Livingstone later altered course, becoming a record producer. Decades later Livingstone's "Rudy A Message to You," "Reggae in Your Jeggae," "I'm Your Puppet," and other hits have survived as popular classics of early British reggae and ska.<br />Dandy Livingstone, a cousin of singer Ansel Collins, was born Robert Livingstone Thompson in Kingston, Jamaica, on December 14, 1943 (1944 by some accounts). Raised in St. Andrews, he left the island in 1959 at age 15, emigrating to England to join his parents in London. After completing his secondary education in Britain, Livingstone enrolled at an engineering college, in an apprenticeship program for toolmaking.<br />Livingstone had a piano-playing friend, Floyd, who sparked Livingstone's interest in music in 1963. Honing his talent as a singer, he jammed to Floyd's music in a West London studio most nights after school. Another tenant in their building recorded some of Livingstone's vocals and later released the songs on Planetone, unbeknownst to Livingstone. The owner of the building was Lee Gopthal, an executive at Trojan Records. In 1964 Gopthal referred Livingstone to Carnival Records, a startup label being launched by Cross-Bow.<br />Carnival, in search of West Indian acts, had expressed a desire to record a duo, which Livingstone accommodated easily by tracking over his own voice on tape, for a two-record deal. The tracks were released, and credited to an imaginary pair called Sugar and Dandy, their names chosen to capture the persona of Livingstone's sweet voice and impeccable dress. Radio Caroline, a popular offshore radio station, picked up one of the sides, a song called "What a Life," and aired the track, providing generous endorsements and play time. The record sold 25,000 copies and became a respectable hit for the unknown Livingstone. In keeping with the notion that the recordings had been taped by two singers, Livingstone shared the stage for live performances with a singer named Roy Smith, but the partnership was brief. Livingstone later teamed for public appearances with Tito "Sugar" Simone, and this collaboration proved more stable. Simone was a soloist in his own right, and when he recorded a single track, "Oh Lawdy Miss Clawdy," in 1964, it was released as the B side of Livingstone's Carnival single "Vipers." Simone later established a career on his own.<br />While still attending school Livingstone continued his singing career, and in 1967 signed with Ska Beat Records. Soon after making the deal, Livingstone released a long-playing vinyl disc for Ska Beat, Rocksteady with Dandy, calling himself Dandy &amp; His Group. In good company at Ska Beat---where other artists included the Wailers, Don Drummond, and Baba Brooks---Livingstone contributed to the label's growth. Founded in North London's Stamford Hill district, Ska Beat Records grew into one of the top three ska labels in Britain, surpassed only by Melodisc and Island Records. His 1967 release, "Rudy A Message to You," entered the top 50 and realized total sales of 30,000 units.<br />In 1968 Livingstone moved behind the scenes and began producing songs for Audrey Hall. He also joined his client on a duo billing called Dandy and Audrey. In addition to releasing several singles as Dandy and Audrey, the pair recorded an album, I Need You, which appeared in 1969, with a follow-up album in 1970. Other Livingstone productions of that era included The Marvels' self-titled debut album; a Nicky Thomas hit, "Suzanne Beware of the Devil"; and "Red Red Wine," which was a 1969 chart hit for Tony Tribe.<br />In the wake of Livingstone's popularity, Trojan Records signed the singer in 1968 and used two Livingstone albums to launch its first-ever album catalog. The albums, Follow That Donkey and Dandy Returns, were credited to yet another Livingstone pseudo-group, called Dandy &amp; The Brother Dan All Stars. Soon afterward Trojan authorized Gopthal to establish Down Town Records, a new label created for the purpose of spotlighting Livingstone, both as a solo artist and as a producer. Among Livingstone's early Down Town hits was a 1968 single named for a traditional Jamaican adage, "Move Your Mule." He gained attention with "Reggae in Your Jeggae" in 1969 and followed in 1970 with the hit "Raining in My Heart," which sold more than 130,0000 units. Also popular in 1969 was the Down Town single track "I'm Your Puppet." The single "Take a Letter Maria," however, failed to chart in 1970. Likewise the second Dandy and Audrey album, Morning Side of the Mountain, proved disappointing, causing Livingstone to return to Jamaica on sabbatical.<br />With well over five dozen double-sided singles to his credit and a handful of albums by that time, Livingstone's incentive waned, as did his sense of fulfillment, despite a collection of published compositions and hundreds of thousands of records sold. Still on hiatus in 1972, he recorded "Big City" and his own version of "Suzanne Beware of the Devil," before returning to England. He scored a major hit with "Suzanne Beware of the Devil," which was released as a single on Horse in 1972 and later served as the title track on a Trojan compilation album in 2002. "Big City" appeared on Horse in 1973, and the record charted, climbing to a respectable number 27.<br />After aligning with Mooncrest Records in 1973, Livingstone released a very personal composition called "Black Star," as a double-sided single with "All Strung Out On You." He also recorded the full-length album Conscious, which reflected his perception of the status of black men in society, particularly those from the West Indies. Both "Black Star" and the Mooncrest debut album are considered to be among his finest works. Back in Britain he recorded eleven tracks at Byron Lee's Dynamic studio, releasing a self-titled album in 1973. A reprise of "Suzanne Beware Of The Devil" broke into the British charts at number 14 in 1972. "Big City," released as a single in 1973, made strides as well.<br />Regarded as a so-called rude boy singer, Livingstone attracted a diverse fan base, appealing to ska enthusiasts as well as the punk-fused 2-tone ska revivalists of the 1980s. And the skinhead movement raised "Suzanne Beware of the Devil" to anthemic status.<br />In discussing his art and his career in the Hamlyn compilation Black Music, Livingstone cited the critical successes of Conscious and "Black Star." He commented, "When I sat down to write the song ["Black Star"] I realised that many black artists should be earning much more bread than they are at present. Even in America ... the white artist still earns more! A black artist is just as good as a white artist if not better, right! So we shouldn't still be struggling to get an equal share." Indeed, Livingstone achieved immense popularity among British reggae pioneers and others of his genre, but remained largely unknown among media pundits of that era and beyond.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-265444485817122229?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-2501597882017886792009-02-14T21:31:00.000-08:002009-02-14T21:41:06.116-08:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SZeq6t7XoWI/AAAAAAAAAH8/U9rADtsLDHg/s1600-h/Don-Drummond.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302895011989791074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 151px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SZeq6t7XoWI/AAAAAAAAAH8/U9rADtsLDHg/s320/Don-Drummond.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Trombone master Don Drummond was among the seminal figures behind the evolution of ska -- a founding member of the legendary Skatalites, he was the genre's most prolific composer, with well over 300 songs to his name before his brief career ended in tragedy. Even prior to the birth of ska, Drummond was already regarded as something of a Jamaican legend for his jazz prowess; as a teacher at West Kingston's Alpha Boys School, he also mentored up-and-comers including Tommy McCook, Rico Rodriguez, Vernon Muller, Joe Harriott and Vincent Gordon. Beginning his studio career in 1956, he primarily cut specials, recordings originally designed strictly for sound system play; in 1959, however, these specials began receiving proper commercial release in both Jamaica and England. As a result, Drummond's star ascended even higher, and under the direction of producer Coxsone Dodd, he composed and arranged hundreds of classic ska recordings for both Studio One and Treasure Island. Drummond's genius did not come without a price, however -- a notoriously eccentric man who suffered from bouts of manic depression, his erratic behavior earned him the nickname "Don Cosmic" from Dodd, and it was a moniker he rarely failed to live up to. Still, when Studio One musical director Jackie Mittoo set about assembling the Skatalites in 1964, he did not hesitate to bring Drummond aboard, and he quickly emerged among the group's creative and spiritual leaders. The quintessential ska band of their time, the Skatalites' influence was incalculable -- their 1964 debut Ska Authentic ruled Jamaican airwaves throughout the year, and in addition to leading sessions with all of the island's top solo artists, they also helped launch the careers of newcomers including Delroy Wilson, the Wailers, Lee "Scratch" Perry and Ken Boothe. Drummond's composition "Man in the Street" earned the group a Top Ten UK hit later in 1964, and a year later his adaptation of the theme to the film The Guns of Navarone duplicated the feat. By that time, however, the Skatalites were no more, their demise brought about by the beginning of Drummond's own tragic downfall -- on New Year's Day of 1965, he was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, exotic dancer Marguerita Mahfood. Her body was found in his home, the victim of multiple stab wounds; after a brief investigation, Drummond was deemed legally insane, and committed indefinitely to Bellevue Hospital. He died there on May 6, 1969 at the age of 37 -- although officially explained as a suicide, there was no official autopsy, and rumors about his death continue to swirl to this day. According to research uncovered by Bob Timm, Ska Guide for The Mining Co. (http://ska.miningco.com), at the memorial service Supersonics drummer Hugh Malcolm ripped up the death certificate, charging the hospital staff with murder and calling Drummond a victim of the government authorities who regularly targeted Kingston-area performers; others claimed Drummond was slain by mobsters in cahoots with the family of Marguerita Mahfood. In any case, his death was the true end of an era, but his influence lives on.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-250159788201788679?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-19056239591060501322009-02-12T03:11:00.000-08:002009-05-19T21:55:59.538-07:00<div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-1905623959106050132?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-75041843400767279892009-01-09T02:33:00.000-08:002009-01-09T02:44:14.801-08:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SWcqUgk56DI/AAAAAAAAAHs/HOgRfIU5WXI/s1600-h/JudgeDreadBedtime.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289242819200411698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SWcqUgk56DI/AAAAAAAAAHs/HOgRfIU5WXI/s320/JudgeDreadBedtime.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Real name Alex Hughes, Kent-born Judge Dread was a bouncer in London<br />clubs at the end of the '60s and became familiar with reggae through his work,<br />where he had run into (not literally) the likes of Derrick Morgan and Prince<br />Buster. In 1969 Buster had a huge underground hit with the obscene Big 5,<br />a version of Brook Benton's Rainy Night In Georgia. It was clear there was<br />a yawning gap waiting to be filled when Buster failed to effectively follow his<br />hit, so Alex Hughes, aka Judge Dread (a name borrowed from a Prince<br />Buster character) plunged in. His first single, Big Six went to number 11 in<br />1972, and spent more than half the year in the charts. No-one heard it on<br />air: it was a filthy nursery rhyme. Big Seven did better than Big Six, and<br />from this point on Dread scored hits with Big Eight, a ridiculous version<br />of Je T'Aime, and a string of other novelty reggae records, often co-penned<br />by his friend, Fred Lemon. Incidentally, Big Six was also a hit in Jamaica.<br />Five years and eleven hits later (including such musical delicacies as Y Viva<br />Suspenders and Up With The Cock), the good-natured Hughes, one of<br />just two acts to successfully combine music hall with reggae (the other was<br />Count Prince Miller, whose Mule Train rivalled Dread for sheer chutzpah)<br />had finally ground to a halt in chart terms. He can still be found occasionally<br />working the clubs, and has also sought employment as a local newspaper<br />columnist in Snodland, Kent.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7504184340076727989?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-7203471434246718692008-11-26T21:49:00.000-08:002008-11-26T21:51:30.413-08:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SS41LRfkqkI/AAAAAAAAAGU/wrEWp2VkgFM/s1600-h/reeves.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273210681488091714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SS41LRfkqkI/AAAAAAAAAGU/wrEWp2VkgFM/s320/reeves.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>One of Motown Records' earliest and most exciting vocal groups, Martha and The Vandellas achieved two Top Ten hits before the ascendancy of The Supremes. Driven by Martha Reeves' soulful, brassy lead vocals, the Vandellas became Motown's earthier, more aggressive "girl group" alternative to the Supremes.<br /></div><div>Martha Reeves, one of eleven children, was born in Eufaula Alabama on July 18, 1941. She moved with her parents Ruby and Elijah to Detroit, Michigan before her first birthday. Reeves spent most of her childhood singing and working in her grandfather's church. She attended Russell Elementary on Detroit's eastside and was taught vocals by Emily Wagstaff. Northeastern High School was where she studied voice under the direction of Abraham Silver, who also coached Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Bobby Rogers of the Miracles.First Martha and the Vandellas group photo(From L-R Martha Reeves, Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford)After graduating from high school in 1959, Reeves joined the girl group called the Fascinations. They recorded their first record about 1960, backing Mike Hanks on "The Hawk" on Mah's Records. They also backed Leon Peterson on "I Know You Know" on the Bobbin label in 1962. Their first big break was working with local singer J.J. Barnes on "Won't You Let Me Know." The 1962 single on Rich Records credited both Barnes and the Del-Phis and led to the answer record "Ill Let You Know" on Check-Mate. In the late summer of 1960 Reeves met Rosalind Ashford and they were invited to join Annette Sterling and Gloria Williamson in the Del-Phis. After doing some local talent shows and jobs they recorded a single on Chess-Mate Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records in 1961. The Del-Phi"s recording that didn't make the charts was "My Baby Won't Come Back".Reeves as a solo entered and won a talent contest. The prize was a three day engagement at the Twenty Grand, a local nightclub where she sang as Martha LaVaille. On her last night, William "Mickey" Stevenson, an A&amp;R and Berry Gordy's right-hand man at Motown Records, approached Reeves, after hearing her sing, and gave her his card. In 1961 Reeves was hired as his secretary. One day Motown head Berry Gordy needed background singers in short order for a session; Reeves and her friends, Ashford and Beard, were called in. They sang behind Marvin Gaye on "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," his first hit in 1962 and "Hitch Hike."A couple months later, Reeves again found her self in the right place at the right time. Stevenson had called over to the studio, where a union rep was checking to make sure the label was following the rule that a singer had to be on a mic when tracks were recorded. In Mary Well's absence, Reeves sang "I'll Have To Let Him Go, impressing Stevenson enough ask the Del-Phis to record "You'll Never Cherish A Love So True ('Til You Lose It)." The session was a success, but Gloria decided she didn't want to leave her job and left the group. The single was issued anyway on Mel-O-Dy as by the Vells.The rest of the group convinced Gordy that they were staying as a trio. Gordy then asked the girls to come up with a new name. They then called themselves Martha and the Vandellas, taking their name from Detroit street Van Dyke and Reeve's favorite singer Della Reese before recording "I'll Have to Let Him Go."Come Get These MemoriesSigned to the newly formed Gordy label in September 1962 as Martha and The Vandellas, the group's first hit was their second release, a beat ballad "Come Get These Memories" (#29 pop, #3 R&amp;B 1963) and was Holland-Dozier-Holland's first collaboration as a songwriting team. "Memories" was followed by two explosive Holland-Dozier-Holland dance records: "Heat Wave" (#4 pop, #1 R&amp;B, 1963) and "Quicksand" (#8 1963). After being turned down by Kim Weston, a Mickey Stevenson and Marvin Gaye composition,"Dancing in the Street" was given to Martha and the Vandellas; who turned it into their biggest hit (#2, 1964). Their other big hits included "Nowhere to Run" (#8, pop, #5 R&amp;B, 1965) and "I'm Ready for Love" (#9 pop, #2 R&amp;B, 1966), "Jimmy Mack" (#10 pop, #1 R&amp;B, 1967) and "Honey Chile"(#11 pop,, #5 R&amp;B, 1967) were the last Holland-Dozier-Holland compositions they recorded, and were their last big hits.Rosalyn Ashford, Betty Kelly, and Martha ReevesThe Vandellas 1963-1968By 1967, the group was billed as Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, as she was featured solely as lead for the group. Beard retired in 1963 and was replaced by former Velvelette Betty Kelly; when Kelly left four years later she was replaced by Reeve's younger sister Lois. Ashford quit in 1969 and was replaced by another ex-Velvelette Sandra Tilley. Tilley died during surgery for a brain tumor in 1981. The group disbanded in 1973 after giving a farewell concert on December 21, 1972, at Detroit's Cobo Hall. Lois Reeves went to work for Al Green.Martha Reeves launched a solo career, but her recordings for MCA, Arista, and Fantasy through 1980 failed to sell well.As recounted in her 1994 autobiography Dancing in the Street, Reeves believes that the groups succession was undermined by Motown and Berry Gordy JR's. obsession with the Supremes. An example being "Jimmy Mack which was held from release for two years because it sounded too much like the Supremes then current singles. A strong personality Reeves clashed with Gordy demanding answers to business questions that most other Motown artist didn't ask until years after they left the label. Struggling to maintain a hectic schedule of recording and performing, Reeves became addicted to prescription drugs, exacerbating emotional problems that led to nervous breakdowns and a period of institutionalization. Reeves has been drug free since 1977. In 1989 she, Ashford and Beard sued Motown for back royalties.In 1974 Reeves signed with MCA Records, Her debut solo album, Martha Reeves produced by Richard Perry, had a minor hit "Power of Love". Other solo albums were We Meet Again, and Got To Keep Movin on Fantasy Records, and The Rest of My Life for Arista Records. Though her solo records have been critically acclaimed, Reeves has never achieved the success that she had enjoyed with the Vandellas.Reeves currently resides in Downtown Detroit after living twelve years in Los Angeles. She continues to tour and record; sometimes the Vandellas consists of her sisters Lois and Delphine. On special occasions, she performs with Beard and Ashford.Rosalind Ashford has just retired from Ameritech and Annette Sterling has worked at St. John's Hospital as a phlebotomist for the last forty years.The Vandellas were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-720347143424671869?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-38541919794112061012008-11-26T21:44:00.000-08:002008-11-26T21:48:22.106-08:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SS40h8oEfII/AAAAAAAAAGM/4u5_w8vKBrw/s1600-h/dillon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273209971511950466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 241px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SS40h8oEfII/AAAAAAAAAGM/4u5_w8vKBrw/s320/dillon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Born in 1948, in Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica; died of cancer on April 15, 2004, in New York City; married and divorced; children: Nigel, Janice.<br /><br />Hailed as the undisputed Queen of Rocksteady, Phyllis Dillon launched her singing career with Duke Reid of Treasure Isle, releasing her first single in 1966. Dillon gained popular recognition with such hits as “Don’t Stay Away,” “Perfidia,” “Don’t Touch Me Tomato,” and “It’s Rocking Time” (”Rock Steady”). After moving to New York City in 1967, for a time Dillon continued to return twice annually to Jamaica in order to record cuts for Reid. Although Dillon retired from singing in the 1970s, she enjoyed a successful comeback beginning in the 1990s and into the early 2000s. She succumbed to cancer in 2004.Dillon was born in central Jamaica, in the rural town of Linstead in St. Catherine. While growing up she sang in school, the church choir, and later entered talent parades. In her late teens she sang with the band the Vulcans, playing first in Linstead and eventually at clubs in Kingston, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay. At 19 Dillon was singing at the well-known Kingston club the Glass Bucket. There she gained the attention of Lynn Taitt, a steel drum player and legendary guitarist whose “chicken picking” sound echoed the mellow pop of steel drums and defined the rocksteady sound. Taitt invited Dillon to Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle studio, where she completed a recording session with one of Jamaica’s first and most influential music producers. Dillon signed with Reid in 1965, a contractual relationship that lasted throughout her entire career.Dillon was influenced by a host of American singers, including Patti Page, Sarah Vaughan, Connie Francis, and Dionne Warwick. As the popular sound of Jamaican music moved from the fast beat of ska to slower melodies, Dillon’s soulful soprano blended well in ballads that have since become standards of rocksteady, a movement described by one critic as “Jamaica’s equivalent of the Motown sound.” The rocksteady rhythm is generally regarded as having a significant influence on the dancehall sounds that have come to dominate reggae music. At the forefront of the rocksteady movement, which peaked from 1966 to 1968, Dillon recorded her self-penned solo “Don’t Stay Away” for Reid in 1965, and it was released in early 1966. Recorded on the first take, “Don’t Stay Away” quickly gained success in Jamaica, rising to the number one spot of the Radio Jamaica Top 40 chart.At the height of rocksteady’s popularity, Dillon recorded numerous hits, including such solos as “Perfidia” and her self-penned song “It’s Rockin’ Time,” which is also known as “Rock Steady.” During this time she recorded duets with her friend and professional mentor Alton Ellis (”Right Track” and “Remember That Sunday”) and Hopeton Lewis (”Walk through this World with Me” and “Love Was All We Had”).Despite Dillon’s popular success, she herself pocketed little of the money from sales and royalties, money that instead went directly to Reid because of a lack of any copyright law in Jamaica. In an interview for Roots Archive with Jim Dooley in 1998, Dillon reflected on her lasting relationship with Reid, commenting, “By the time I realized what was really happening in the recording world in Jamaica, I would not have gone to anybody else. Because they were all the same—nothing was different. I mean, the guys from Beverley’s were crying, the guys from Coxsone Dodd was crying, you know, Federal the same thing. So I figure, let me just stay with one thief, you know, this way I don’t have to cry for everybody.”In 1967 Dillon left Jamaica for New York City, where she worked a series of temporary jobs. Still in touch with Reid, she returned to Jamaica to record at his studio and play Kingston clubs a couple of times a year. For a time she sang with a Jamaican band, the Buccaneers, in New York. She realized, however, that once again she was not seeing any of the money she should have earned, and retired from singing altogether. She married in New York and had two children. During her two-decade hiatus from singing, Dillon worked in a bank and raised her children.In the late 1980s Michael Barnett, a director of MKB Productions, which produced the Get Ready Rock Steady tours, approached Dillon about doing a show. At first reluctant to sing again, Barnett eventually convinced her to return to the stage in 1991. Dillon performed for a celebration of rocksteady at the National Arena in Jamaica to a crowd of 5,000. She told Dooley, “Everything just came back, and I realized how much I was in love with that thing. So I started from there.” Revitalized by her return to singing, Dillon regularly performed rocksteady shows, including the Heineken Startime concerts. Although she continued to hold her position at the bank, she performed in New York, London, Jamaica, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Japan.Dillon has appeared on countless compilations of reggae and rocksteady CDs. However, she has only two CDs of her own. Midnight Confessions: Classic Rock Steady &amp; Reggae 1967-71 includes her most enduring songs, “Don’t Stay Away,” “Love Was All I Had,” “It’s Rocking Time” (”Rock Steady”), and “Perfidia.” In a review of the CD for All Music Guide, Andrew Hamilton praised Dillon’s singing, declaring that “she possesses an exciting, pretty voice that massages lyrics for the sole purpose of melting your heart.” After Dillon’s second rise secured her status as a legend of Jamaican music, she was diagnosed with cancer, and died in New York in April of 2004. In November of 2004 a second CD of her work was released, Love Is All I Had: A Tribute to the Queen of Jamaica. Included on this collection are her vintage rocksteady cuts, as well as several reggae songs. Wade Kergan of All Music Guide commended the collection, calling it wide-ranging in its inclusion of “a staggering 29 cuts of vintage rock steady and early reggae,” and concluding that “no matter what she’s singing … it’s hard not to fall in love with her voice, making even touristy cuts like the randy ‘Don’t Touch Me Tomato’ worth hearing.”<br /><br />Phyllis Dillon’s Career<br /><br />Singer in Jamaican band the Vulcans, early 1960s; discovered at the Glass Bucket in Kingston by Lynn Taitt; signed with Duke Reid for Treasure Isle label, 1965; released first song, “Don’t Stay Away,” 1966; moved to New York City, 1967; briefly sang in New York with Jamaican band the Buccaneers; returned to Jamaica twice yearly to record songs for Reid; emerged from a nearly two-decade hiatus in 1991 to perform in the Get Ready Rock Steady show at Jamaica’s National Arena; established successful comeback, touring United States, Europe, Japan, and Jamaica throughout 1990s and early 2000s with other rocksteady artists.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3854191979411206101?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-79078801612791631502008-11-08T21:18:00.000-08:002008-11-08T21:22:17.308-08:00<strong><em>The History of Soul Music<br /></em></strong><br />Soul Music is the product of ever evolving social conditions and a diversity of musical influences. <br />My starting point must be the arrival of African Slaves to North America. The first batch were brought by English Privateers and landed in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619. At first they were few in number so it was not necessary to define their legal status but with the development of the plantation system in the southern colonies the number of agricultural slave labourers increased greatly. The first statutory recognition of slavery occurred in Massachusetts in 1641, in Connecticut in 1650 and Virginia in 1661, but these were mainly rules for dealing with runaways. By the time the war of independence began (1775-1783) laws defining their legal, political and social status with regards to their owners had become very specific.<br /><br />As they were toiling in the fields the slaves tried to alleviate their misery by singing their traditional African Folk songs. It was only when these black workers started to convert to Christianity that these folk songs metamorphosed to become "African Spirituals". The first references to spiritual-like songs sung by Black Slaves date from about 1825-1850. As one would expect, these 'Spirituals' showed significant melodic and rhythmic relationships with West African songs. Before the Civil War they were apparently sung without harmony, examples of which are "Deep River" and "Roll Jordan Roll". Black Spirituals were often used as work songs and sometimes contained coded information as a form of secret communication. By the late 1800's spirituals had largely been displaced by Gospel Songs.<br /><br />Black Gospel Music, which had become distinctive from White Gospel Music by 1930, was especially associated with Pentecostal churches. It developed out of a combination of earlier hymns, black performance styles, and elements from the spirituals. The singing was often merged into ecstatic dance and was usually accompanied by a piano or an organ, often with handclapping, tambourines and electric guitars.<br /><br />Just before, and during World War Two many blacks migrated from the agricultural south to the more industrial Mid-Western, North-Eastern and West-Coast Cities. This population shift was caused by relatively high paying wartime employment. It was this new urbanised demographic group which evolved a new style of secular music known as R&amp;B. Its genesis was inspired by two technological developments, the invention of the electric guitar during the 1930's and the discovery of the German Tape Recorder. This new, cheap medium simplified the sound recording process and meant that Blacks could start their own independent record companies for the first time. These companies Atlantic, Chess, Speciality and Modern were crucial in the production and distribution of R&amp;B. Access to their music was given fresh impetus during the late 1940's when many radio station owners, fearing that the newly invented television would make their radio stations obsolete sold them at knockdown prices. For the first time black owned radio stations could promote the sounds of R&amp;B.<br /><br />Whilst the newly urbanised blacks of the North were developing R&amp;B, their Southern counterparts were developing their own brand of secular music. Like R&amp;B, Jazz was also rooted in the musical traditions of American blacks, but with White European Influences mixed in. Most early Jazz was played by small marching bands or by solo pianists and besides Ragtime and marches their repertoire included hymns, spirituals and blues. Although blues and ragtime rose independently of Jazz, these genres influenced the style and forms of Jazz and provided important vehicles for Jazz improvisation.<br /><br />Soul did not evolve until the early sixties when artists like Sam Cooke, Bobby Bland and Ray Charles began merging traditional Gospel and R&amp;B styles. Ray Charles went even further and began taking overtly religious songs such as 'I Got Religion' and secularising them to become songs like 'I Got a Woman'. In the process he alienated many religious blacks who thought his music was 'the music of the devil'.<br /><br />Throughout the early sixties the most important centres for Soul were Chicago, Memphis and Detroit, each developing their own distinctive styles. It was the Stax label in Memphis which relied most heavily on Gospel and which produced the rawest sound. In Detroit Tamla Motown were busy combining polished songwriting with straightforward vocal delivery to evolve Soul's most commercial style of all. Indeed this label was so successful that its music is often considered to be a genre in its own right. Its producer and owner Berry Gordy achieved this not only by using sophisticated productions but also by sanitising the content so as not to offend white ears. Chicago soul fell somewhere between the two with its main player being Curtis Mayfield. With his group 'The Impressions' he experimented with trading lines between the lead and the backing group in a call and response fashion. He termed his music 'Songs of Faith and Inspiration' and often included semi-religious overtones. A good example of Mayfield's work is his composition 'People Get Ready'. <br /><br />By the 1970's however 'Soul' was being superseded by 'Funk' as the most important form of Black Music. Whereas traditional Soul had its Roots in R&amp;B, the Roots of Funk were in Jazz and African Music. Whereas many Soul aficionados consider Funk and soul to be distinct Genres the term 'soul' is now commonly used to encompass both styles and this can lead to confusion. James Brown's song 'Cold Sweat' (1967) is generally regarded as the first ever 'Funk' composition. Historically funk has been closely associated with Malcolm X and the Black Power movement, whereas Soul has been associated with Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, the former being violent, the latter being peaceful. For this reason funk has never achieved the same popularity with white audiences as Soul has done.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7907880161279163150?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-18267042857142469902008-11-05T20:45:00.000-08:002008-11-08T21:43:09.955-08:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJ2z8k-A2I/AAAAAAAAAGE/aAVEuJaHSEw/s1600-h/vespa_logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265401549156123490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 161px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJ2z8k-A2I/AAAAAAAAAGE/aAVEuJaHSEw/s320/vespa_logo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">*Vespa History*</span></strong> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>*The Beginning*</strong><br /></div><br /><div>Vespa's timeless design comes from an equally timeless company - Piaggio has been a distinguished innovator in the field of transportation for nearly 120 years.<br /></div><br /><div>Piaggio was founded in Genoa, Italy in 1884 by twenty-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio. Rinaldo's business began with luxury ship fitting. But by the end of the century, Piaggio was also producing rail carriages, luxury coaches, truck bodies, engines, and trains.<br /></div><br /><div>With the onset of World War I, the company forged new ground with the production of airplanes and seaplanes. In 1917 Piaggio bought a new plant in Pisa, and four years later it took over a small plant in Pontedera in the Tuscany region of Italy. It was this plant in Pontedera which became its new center for aeronautical production (propellers, engines and complete aircraft).<br /></div><br /><div>During World War II, the Pontedera plant built the state-of-the-art P 108 four-engine aircraft, in both passenger and bomber versions. However, the plant was completely destroyed by Allied bombers due to its military importance.<br /><br /><strong>*Rebirth*</strong><br /></div><br /><div>Piaggio came out of the conflict with its Pontedera plant in complete ruin. Enrico Piaggio was at the helm, having taken over from his father Rinaldo. Concerned about the disastrous state of the roads and the Italian economy, Enrico decided to focus the Company's attention on the personal mobility needs of the Italian people.<br /></div><br /><div>Enter Corradino D'Ascanio, Piaggio's ingenious aeronautical engineer who designed, constructed and flew the first modern helicopter. D'Ascanio set out to design a simple, sturdy, and economical vehicle that was also comfortable and elegant.<br /></div><br /><div>D'Ascanio, who could not stand motorcycles, dreamed up a revolutionary new vehicle. Drawing from the latest aeronautical technology, he imagined a vehicle built on a "monocoque" (French for "single shell") or unibody steel chassis. Furthermore, the front fork, like a plane's landing gear, allowed for easy wheel changing. The result was an aircraft-inspired design that to this day remains forward-thinking and unique among all other two-wheeled vehicles.<br /></div><br /><div>Upon seeing the vehicle, Enrico Piaggio remarked "Sembra una Vespa!" ("It looks like a wasp!") This was a real two-wheeled utility vehicle. But it did not resemble an uncomfortable and noisy motorcycle. The steel frame's shape protected the rider from road dirt and debris. It emanated class and elegance at first glance.<br /></div><br /><div>By the end of 1949, 35,000 units had been produced. Italy was getting over its war wounds and getting about on Vespas. In ten years, one million were produced. By the mid-fifties, Vespa was being produced in Germany, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Spain and, of course, Italy.<br /></div><br /><div>Vespa has lived on from one generation to the next, subtly modifying its image each time. The first Vespa offered mobility to everyone. Then, it became the two-wheeler of the post war economic boom. During the sixties and seventies, the vehicle became a symbol for the revolutionary ideas of the time. Advertising campaigns like "He Who Vespas, eats the apple", and films such as Quadrophenia have symbolized eras in our history.<br /></div><br /><div>And the story continues today with the new generation of Vespa models, which range from the Granturismo and Granturismo Sport (GTS), the largest and most powerful Vespas, to the LX, the latest restyling of the classic Vespa design. Also check out the new vintage-inspired Vespas, the GTV and LXV, and the limited edition GT60.<br /></div><br /><div>Vespa is not just a scooter. It is one of the great icons of Italian style and elegance, and with more than 16 million units produced, is well known throughout the world. For more than 60 years, Vespa has fascinated millions of people and given the world an irreplaceable icon of Italian style and a means of personal transport that has become synonymous with freedom.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-1826704285714246990?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-30321240617367423222008-11-05T19:23:00.000-08:002008-11-05T21:00:27.854-08:00<span style="font-size:180%;"></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJjg4GbypI/AAAAAAAAAF0/EGMTAbNDRrk/s1600-h/hoolifan.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265380330815867538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJjg4GbypI/AAAAAAAAAF0/EGMTAbNDRrk/s320/hoolifan.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><em><span style="font-size:180%;"> It's a good read on hooliganism.</span></em></strong></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3032124061736742322?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-53178250545720017252008-11-05T19:18:00.000-08:002008-11-05T19:23:24.833-08:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJjDWe0QEI/AAAAAAAAAFs/P3EGVh0hF-Q/s1600-h/bible.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265379823575121986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJjDWe0QEI/AAAAAAAAAFs/P3EGVh0hF-Q/s320/bible.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This book describes all of the important facts of skinhead history. From the music to the style of dress. From scooter to football hooliganism. From rudeboys to mods. From original skinheads to SHARP's skins. Most of all it explains the truth about skinheads that so many people don't know or (maybe) don't want to know.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-5317825054572001725?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-74693870858996033002008-11-05T19:07:00.000-08:002008-11-05T19:18:38.469-08:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJhVu6DMjI/AAAAAAAAAFk/Mk_tm0Wlxnw/s1600-h/nation.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265377940346188338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SRJhVu6DMjI/AAAAAAAAAFk/Mk_tm0Wlxnw/s320/nation.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is a really good book on skinhead subculture. Lots of personal stories, antidotes, and of sourse great pictures. It covers all aspects of skinhead cult and gives good first accounts of how it is to have to live with and deal with mainstreams tainted view of what it is to be a skinhead.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7469387085899603300?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-60364731842459645022008-11-01T04:50:00.000-07:002008-11-01T05:00:29.568-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQxEdBdlzpI/AAAAAAAAADQ/i-piFAX9BEk/s1600-h/logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263657329888710290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 114px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQxEdBdlzpI/AAAAAAAAADQ/i-piFAX9BEk/s320/logo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Trojan story begins on July 28th 1967 when the first incarnation of the label was launched by Island Records as a showcase for the productions of Duke Reid. The name itself derived from the seven ton Leyland ‘Trojan’ trucks that were used to transport the producer‘s huge sound system around Jamaica, and which had emblazoned upon its sides, ’Duke Reid, The Trojan King Of Sounds‘. In fact, long before Island launched their version of the imprint, Reid had used the name on a series of 78s, although it was by the early sixties it had been dropped in favour of the Duke Reid’s and later, Treasure Isle labels. Meanwhile, the first British inception of Trojan proved a short-lived operation, folding after a mere dozen or so releases, with Reid‘s productions subsequently highlighted on the UK incarnation of the aforementioned Treasure Isle imprint.In 1968, the Trojan name was reactivated by businessman Lee Gopthal, whose company, B&amp;C (Beat &amp; Commercial) had recently merged with Island. Unlike its previous manifestation, the new Trojan label showcased material from varying sources, ranging from British-based producers such as Dandy and Joe Mansano to their esteemed Jamaican counterparts, among whose number included Lee Perry, Bunny Lee, Clancy Eccles and the aforementioned Duke Reid. Meanwhile, the increased volume of recordings being purchased and licensed by the company led to the formation of a series of subsidiary labels, most of which showcased the output of a single producer. Included among these were Amalgamated (for Joe Gibbs), High Note (Sonia Pottinger), Upsetter (Lee Perry), Jackpot (Bunny Lee), Clandisc (Clancy Eccles) and Downtown (Robert ’Dandy‘ Thompson). So substantial was the volume of material obtained for release that further labels such as Blue Cat, Big Shot and Duke were also created to fulfil a similar function to the parent label, issuing recordings from an array of producers. Over the next year or so more than thirty different labels under the Trojan umbrella were launched.Soon after its creation, Trojan also began releasing albums, with the TRL (S) series featuring packages considered more up-market and the TTL line (later superseded by TBL) aimed at the budget-price market, predominantly featuring various artist compilations, the most successful of which were the popular ’Tighten Up‘ volumes.In 1969, the company enjoyed their first taste of mainstream success, when Tony Tribe’s upbeat version of Neil Diamond‘s ’Red Red Wine‘ briefly entered the lower reaches of the UK singles chart on 16th July, re-appearing the following month to peak at number 46. Rather than proving a one-off success, the record in fact marked the beginning of a deluge of hits for Trojan and its associated labels. In the Autumn, the Upsetters, led by saxophonist, Val Bennett, hit the number five spot with their double-header, ’Return Of Django‘/’Dollar In The Teeth‘, while the Pioneers’ ‘Long Shot Kick De Bucket’ peaked at number 21. These were swiftly followed by top ten singles from Jimmy Cliff (‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’) and the Harry J All Stars (‘Liquidator’).The hits continued into 1970, with Desmond Dekker, the Melodians, Toots &amp; the Maytals, Bob &amp; Marcia, Nicky Thomas, Horace Faith, Freddie Notes &amp; the Rudies, as well as the aforementioned Jimmy Cliff, all breaking into the charts. In the spring of 1971, ‘Double Barrel’ by Dave (Barker) &amp; Ansel Collins gave the company their first British number one, while further chart entries were provided by Bruce Ruffin, Greyhound and The Pioneers.Aside from the more commercially successful releases, Trojan also showcased work from an array of artists previously considered virtual unknowns outside the shores of Jamaica. Among these were a number of performers who were later to become major international recording stars, including Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, U Roy and a Kingston-based vocal trio called Bob Marley &amp; the Wailers.The dramatic rise in the company‘s fortunes since its humble beginnings just a year or so before were nothing short of phenomenal. While its incredible success could certainly be credited in some part to the British West Indian ex-patriot community, it was undoubtedly the buying power of the white and proudly working class youth movement, the skinheads, which had the most profound effect. Unable to identify with either the teen-based style of bubblegum or the psychedelic sounds so favoured by the middle-classes, skinheads found the direct, unpretentious approach of Reggae in keeping with their lifestyle and attitudes and readily adopted the music as their own. But as Reggae became mainstream, Trojan’s releases developed a more sophisticated sound, which although initially proved successful, ultimately led to the disenchantment of the music‘s loyal skinhead following. Nonetheless, the hits continued for the company into 1972, with singles from Greyhound, The Pioneers, Dandy (Livingstone) and Judge Dread. The same year Trojan finally severed all links with Island, which began to concentrate its efforts into promoting UK-based acts.Over the next few years, Trojan released further UK chart hits, with singles by Dandy, Judge Dread and John Holt all breaching the top thirty, while Ken Boothe’s soulful rendering of Bread‘s ’Everything I Own‘ gave the company its second UK number one. Meanwhile, back in Jamaica, the sound of Reggae was changing. Increasingly apparent was the rise in black consciousness and the growing influence of the Rastafarian faith, while Dub had also begun to make its mark, with the pioneering sound engineer, King Tubby continually furthering the boundaries of the sound with his innovative mixing style.In 1975, Trojan was sold to Saga Records and despite a number of worthwhile releases, sustained commercial success proved elusive. Despite this, the company continued to present some of the best in Jamaican sounds, showcasing the work of leading vocalists, including Linval Thompson and Sugar Minott, DJs, such as the late Prince Far I, and leading Dub masters, Scientist and Prince Jammy.Ten years on, the company changed hands yet again and its new owners embarked on an extensive re-issue programme, with the imprint quickly becoming established as world leaders in field of vintage Jamaican sounds. In the summer of 2001, Trojan was acquired by Sanctuary Records Group who immediately set about raising the label’s standards even higher. Today, Trojan‘s future looks brighter than ever and with some of the leading authorities in the field of vintage Jamaican music contributing to future releases, there are undoubtedly some truly exciting times ahead.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-6036473184245964502?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-56408758504355772612008-11-01T04:28:00.001-07:002008-11-01T04:35:24.015-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQw-qQ_I5lI/AAAAAAAAADI/XfalbfXU4Cc/s1600-h/stax-records-logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263650960324486738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQw-qQ_I5lI/AAAAAAAAADI/XfalbfXU4Cc/s320/stax-records-logo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Stax Records was the creation of brother and sister, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton.</div><br /><div>Twelve years older than Jim, Estelle was brought up in the county of Middleton, Tennessee. Always strongly interested in music, as a teenager, she had been a fan of pop music, played the organ and sung soprano in the family gospel quartet.She came to Memphis in 1935 at the age of sixteen to get her teaching certificate. While attending Memphis State University she met her husband to be Everett Axton. One year1ater she returned to Middleton to become her brother's first grade teacher. In 1941 she married Everett and moved back to Memphis.By this time she was married and had school aged children of her own. Jim twelve years younger, would later joined her in Memphis, where Estelle worked as a teller at the Union Planter's Bank in Memphis.<br />Estelle stayed home for ten years raising her two children, before going to work at Union Planters Bank in 1950. There she stayed until she opened the Satellite Record Shop in 1961.<br />Jim Stewart was born July 29, 1930 in Middleton, Tennessee. His parents Ollie and Dexter Steweart ran a farm with Dexter also doing carpentry and brickwork on the side. Stewart's father bought him a guitar when he was ten. Many Saturday nights he would listen to the Grand Ole Opry and try to ply along with it. Constantly practicing Stewart learned by ear. Eventually he and a friend from a band that played at local square dances.<br />After high school he went to Memphis where he hoped to develop a career as a country fiddler. Influenced by the Western Swing of Bob Willis ant Texas Playboys, Pee Wee King and Tex Williams, as well as the honkey tonk sounds of Hank Williams, Moon Mullican and Ernest Tubb, he played odd jobs while working at Sears Roebuck during the day. Stewart could be heard on WDIA playing in the early morning as a member of Don Powell's Country Cowboys.<br />By late 1950 Stewart was working for the First National Bank.<br />He went into the Army in 1953 and was in the Special Services where he played the violin. He studied business at Memphis State in preparation for a banking career and graduated in 1956. Stewart's intentions were to become a banker, but while working in a bank, he still played fiddle in Western swing bands around Memphis.<br />Playing at the Eagle's Nest. Jim Stewart is pictured at the far rightAfter getting out of the Army, Stewart returned to his job at the bank and got a job playing at the Eagle's Nest on Lamar Avenue. Stewart took advantage of the G.I. Bill and got a B.A. from Memphis State University majoring in business management and minoring in music.<br />Stax Records The Satellite Record Shop<br />By 1957 Stewart's interest in recording led him to tape a couple songs that he took to Sun Records as well as a few other local labels. With the exception of Erwin Ellis, his barber who owned the small Erwin Records, no one would give him the time of day. Ellis loaned Stewart his first recording equipment, educated about the value of publishing and and taught him the basic mechanics of running a small independent record label and establishing an affiliate publishing company.<br /><br />Jim Stewart began fooling around recording music in his wife's uncle's garage around 1957 and he put out his first record in 1958, a country and western song named "Blue Roses" by a disc jockey named Fred Bylar (Satellite 100). At this time Stewart was equal partners in the new label with Bylar and a rhythm guitarist named Neil Herbert, as a three had put in three or four hundred dollars. Only a few hundred copies were pressed with virtually no copies being sold on its only airplay was on KWEM, the station where Bylar worked.<br />Stewart, Bylar and Hebert had been recording Satellite's releases in Stewart's wife's uncle' two car garage on Omni Street using a portable reel-to-reel tape record owned by Erwin Ellis. Wanting to buy a state of the art Ampex 350 monaural tape recorder Stewart asked his sister Estelle Axton for help by taking out a mortgage on her house. After convincing here husband Everett to go along a second mortgage was taken out. With the $8000 - $9000 Herbert and Bylar were bought out, the Ampex recorder was financed and badly needed operating capital was provided.<br /><br />Estelle took out a $2500 on her house and they began a record label they called Satellite (probably because Sputnik, the Russians' first earth satellite, was launched in October, 1957, and dominated the news). In 1958, Estelle became involved when Jim Stewart asked her to invest in his record company, she took out a second mortgage on her home and they bought new recording equipment. The label was located in Brunswick, Tennessee in an old storehouse.<br />In the spring of 1959 Stewart recorded his first black group, the Veltones. The Veltones' "Fool in Love"/"Someday" was released in in the summer of 1959. In September it was picked up for national distribution by Mercury Records for an advance of $400 - $500. The record went nowhere and Stewart received no further money from Mercury.<br />In 1960, they moved the label back to Memphis to rented for $150 a month the old Capitol movie theater on East McLemore and College. Short on money, Estelle decided to convert the candy counter into a record shop to generate additional income.Estelle ran a record shop in the front of the building from which they would derive much of their early income.<br />After signing the lease, they set about renovating the theatre. In the next few months after everyone's regular workday and on weekends, acoustical drapes were hung, a control room was built on stage, carpeting was put on the floors, baffles were built with burlap and ruffle insulation on the one outside plaster wall to cut down on echo and a drum stand was built. The hanging of the ceiling baffles was the only work that they paid professionals to do.<br />Although the renovations only cost $200 - $200, they again found themselves cash strapped. Unable to find local investors, Axton again refinanced her house to get another $4000 of badly needed operating capital. As luck would have it, their next recording would provide their first hit.<br />They recorded a local disc jockey named Rufus Thomas, who had had a minor hit with Sun Records earlier called "Bearcat". Rufus and his 17 year old daughter Carla recorded a duet titled "Cause I Love You" and it became a local hit in Memphis. The song came to the attention of Jerry Wexler, who was Vice President of Atlantic Records, he leased the record and obtained a five year option for future Satellite product for $5000. After "Cause I Love You", Carla Thomas recorded a song she had written called "Gee Whiz". The record came out on Satellite, but Wexler immediately claimed it for Atlantic, and it was released nationally on Atlantic. "Gee Whiz" went to Billboard #5 and became the first big national hit for Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton.<br />The Mar-keysEstelle Axton's son Packy played tenor sax in a rock and roll band named the Royal Spades. Along with Packy was Steve Cropper on guitar, Charlie Freeman on guitar, drummer Terry Johnson baritone sax player Don Nix and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn. This group became the Mar-Keys and recorded an instrumental named "Last Night" which became the next big hit for Jim and Estelle. When this song started up the charts, Jim Stewart became aware of another record company in California called "Satellite" so rather than risking litigation, the name of the company was changed to "Stax", the ST from Stewart and the AX from Axton.<br />Booker T and the MGsA young piano player named Booker T. Jones lived in the neighborhood near the Stax studio, and started hanging around. He joined up with Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn from the Mar-Keys and with Al Jackson and they became the backbone of the "Stax Sound". They also recorded on their own as Booker T. and MG's (standing for Memphis Group) and soon had a giant hit named "Green Onions". Steve Cropper became an important producer for Stax and both wrote songs and produced many other acts for Jim Stewart.<br />In 1962, Johnny Jenkins came to the Stax studio to record a single for Atlantic. When the recording session for Jenkins turned into a disaster, they used the last half hour of studio time to record Jenkin's 21 year old driver, Otis Redding. He recorded a ballad he had written called "These Arms of Mine". "These Arms of Mine" was released in October of 1962 on Stax's new rhythm and blues subsidiary named Volt. It made the charts in March of 1963 and in September of 1963, Otis came back into the Stax studio and recorded "Pain In My Heart" which became an even bigger hit.<br />With the success of Booker T. and the MG's, Carla Thomas, The Mar-Keys and Otis Redding, Stax studios became a magnet for other acts. Atlantic Records brought in two of their recording acts, the duo Sam and Dave and Wilson Pickett, to Memphis to record at the Stax studio. Stax Records itself had added William Bell, Eddie Floyd, the Mad-Lads and a top notch producing and song writing duo named Isaac Hayes and David Porter. In 1965 Stewart hired a very successful black Washington DC disc jockey named Al Bell as national sales director. From the beginning, Al Bell took over the effective leadership of the company and greatly expanded it's roster of artists.<br /><br />On December 10, 1967, Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash and had his biggest hit, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," posthumously. Shortly after losing their most important artist, the distribution deal Stax had with Atlantic was to expire and had to be renegotiated. To the horror of Jim Stewart, he found out that the original contract had given Atlantic the ownership of all of the Stax masters. Atlantic owned the entire Stax catalog! The negotiations dragged on for several months, but Stax had no leverage, since Atlantic already owned their catalog. Instead of giving up and signing with Atlantic, Stewart sold the company in May 1968 to Gulf and Western for several million dollars. At this point the Stax numbering system was changed. The most successful act on Stax/Volt other than Otis Redding was Sam and Dave, even though Sam and Dave's material was being released on Stax, their contract was with Atlantic so they were no longer on Stax.<br />Sam and DaveEven with the loss of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave, the company did very well without Atlantic. They had additional hits by Booker T. and the MG'S, Johnnie Taylor, and William Bell. Stax had formed a subsidiary label called Enterprise in 1967 and released an album by one of their producers named Isaac Hayes called "Presenting Isaac Hayes" but it was not very successful. After the break with Atlantic, Hayes made another album called Hot Buttered Soul and it went triple platinum.<br /><br />Al Bell and Jimmy StewartAfter a couple of years, sales were down and there were internal troubles at Stax. External pressure was coming from Gulf and Western who really didn't have a clue about the creative aspects of a record company. Jim Stewart thought he could rescue the company and he and Al Bell repurchased the company from Gulf and Western in July 1970. At this point, the numbering system changed again. Soon the company was challenging Motown for the lead in black album sales, with new artists such as the Soul Children, the Staple Singers, Frederick Knight, Jean Knight, Rance Allen, Mel and Tim and the Emotions. Richard Pryor was signed to the company and had a giant debut album called "That Nigger's Crazy" on Partee, the comedy subsidiary. Other new subsidiary labels were also formed including Gospel Truth, Hip and Respect.<br />Stax just before it was torn down Historic marker where Stax stood<br />In 1972, Al Bell made a deal with Columbia Records for the distribution of Stax product. Columbia gave Stax a six million dollar loan for expansion. In October of 1972, Al Bell used the money to buy out Jim Stewart. Even though he no longer owned the company, Stewart agreed to stay on as President for up to 5 years, but Al Bell ran the company. The handshake deal between Al Bell and Clive Davis, President of Columbia Records called for Columbia to pay Stax for every record it delivered, irrespective of sales, an unheard of agreement. In 1973, Clive Davis was fired and Columbia altered the deal, cutting the payments to Stax by 40%. This led to the financial decline of the label and in January 1975, Stax was unable to meet it's payroll and a bankruptcy judge ordered it's closing on January 12, 1976.<br />The Stax masters prior to 1968 are owned by Atlantic Records, but the Stax masters produced after the split with Atlantic are now owned by Fantasy Records of San Francisco. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-5640875850435577261?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-81699985195168178322008-11-01T04:16:00.000-07:002008-11-01T04:19:31.852-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQw7BVt43zI/AAAAAAAAADA/1PpZQJ3_9jM/s1600-h/studio_one.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263646958684790578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 316px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQw7BVt43zI/AAAAAAAAADA/1PpZQJ3_9jM/s320/studio_one.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div>Studio One is one of reggae's most renowned record labels, having been described as the "Motown" of Jamaica. It was founded by Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd in 1954, along with a studio by the same name, which was located on Brentford Road in Kingston. Dodd had previously issued music on a series of other labels, including World-Disc, and ran Downbeat one of the three or four largest and most reputable sound systems in the Kingston ghettos. The label and studio were closed when Dodd relocated to New York City in the 1980s.<br />It has produced records by (and had a large hand in shaping the careers of) such artists as Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Burning Spear, Toots &amp; the Maytals, John Holt, Horace Andy, Ken Boothe, and Alton Ellis. Noted rival Prince Buster began his career working for Dodd's sound system, and noted producer Harry J recorded many of his best-known releases at Studio One.<br />Studio One had a large hand in shaping most of the major movements in Jamaican music during the 1960s and 70s, including ska, rocksteady (though Duke Reid's rocksteady output at his Treasure Isle label overshadowed Dodd's), reggae, dub and dance-hall. The Skatalites and the Sound Dimension were among several prominent ensembles to record backing tracks and instrumentals at Studio One.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8169998519516817832?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-31614847119843980472008-11-01T03:52:00.000-07:002008-11-01T04:43:13.281-07:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQw3VcW68VI/AAAAAAAAAC4/zpfi9Jl5aRY/s1600-h/Pama701.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263642906018378066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQw3VcW68VI/AAAAAAAAAC4/zpfi9Jl5aRY/s320/Pama701.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>The PAMA Records story began in a small office at 16 Peterborough Road in Harrow, London, where the Palmer Brothers (Harry, Jeff and Carl) had been issuing soul music on their Pama label (which may have been lifted from the 1958 version (left)), as well as running their own property business. One of my favourite tracks is one of these soul records released much later, a real stomper from 1970 - Say You Need Me by Barbara Perry (Pama PM 795). The brothers Palmer though, had already decided the Jamaican music scene was far more profitable and so begun part of music history.<br />Their first signings included Joyce Bond, The Marvels, The Crowns, Betty Lovett, Norman T Washington and The Other Brothers. During the latter part of 1967 they began releasing rock steady, partly in competition to Island/Trojan Records.<br />Harry was the main driving force and was responsible for licensing the tunes, initially from Clancy Eccles and Alton Ellis, later establishing links with Bunny Lee and Lee Perry. Carl looked after the accountancy side of the biz, and Jeffrey founded the London Apollo Club to showcase up and coming black talent. A young Junior English actually won a Pama talent contest run at their Club 31 in Willesden NW London, and then made his first record with them. It was at Pama where Junior learnt his trade through meeting the aforementioned musical luminaries.<br />Another aspiring young musician was Delroy Washington, who later went on to be one of the UK's most respected stars of the 1970's. Delroy worked in Pama's record shop in Harlesden, and while employed by Pama, he also sang in a group called The Classics who made a few songs for Pama. Delroy met his biggest influence - Bob Marley (who was on tour at the time with Johnny Nash) while working in the shop.<br />It became more obvious the more we delved into the history of Pama records that we began to realise that the Pama sound was actually a very indigenous sound. Whereas UK soul was merely imitating an American sound from far away, UK reggae was for the most part played and appreciated by people much closer to the source of the music - Jamaicans living in England.<br />Though the fanbase was initially limited to these ex-pats and a secret but growing legion of white admirers (who picked up on the music and treated it as the key to a mystery they were pledged never to reveal), the musicians were nearly always Jamaican. This was not true at Pama however, because they did use a range of home-grown talent in their British recordings.<br />These local fans/musicians brought very different backgrounds and offered different contributions. Of course, the Jamaican musicians were the stars, but due to the fact that a lot of Pama releases were recorded in England, there was a lot of local interest. In fact, Pama signed at least three UK based bands - The Mohawks, led by keyboardist Alan Hawkshaw, Mood Reaction, the first white band to be signed to a reggae label and The Inner Mind, led by Huddersfield based organist Ian Smith.<br />The Inner Mind, as well as recording much of their own material, also backed such names as Laurel Aitken, Owen Grey, Alton Ellis, and Winston Groovy (who came to Britain in the mid 1960's and formed a band The Ebonites for touring in the UK and Europe, and became one of Pama's top artists from 1968 - 73). The Inner Mind also played at the Santa Rosa in Birmingham, the Club 67 in Wolverhampton, &amp; London's Mr Bees, Colombo's and the Pama-run Apollo Club, who described them at the time as 'The greatest white reggae band on earth'.<br />In the meantime, Derrick Morgan had introduced his brother-in-law Bunny Lee, to the music business. Lee hadcome to England and forged a deal with Pama to operate the Jamaican end of things. Derrick Morgan soon becameone of Pama's biggest stars and producers and also hit the British charts with Moon Hop.<br />This skinhead anthem became a hit all over Europe, and would have climbed higher than the number 48 position it achieved in the UK, if Trojan hadn't released Skinhead Moonstomp by Symarip and gazumped Pama. This trick was supposedly in revenge for Lee licensing Derrick's Seven Letters to both Trojan and Pama. Forever to be known as Mr Skinhead Reggae, Derrick left the music business due to his failing eyesight, but made a limited comeback during one of Britain's many ska revivals, and is still seen gigging occasionally.<br />The Unity, Gas, Crab and Nu-Beat labels were formed in 1968 with 1969 seeing the introduction of Punch and the changing of Nu-Beat to New Beat to emphasize the change in musical styles. The biggest hit to come from the Pama stable has to be Wet Dream by Max Romeo, another huge worldwide hit. Wet Dream got to number 10 in the British charts, and managed to sell 250,000 copies without one single airplay. Later artists who hit with Pama include Derrick Morgan, Pat Kelly and Laurel Aitken.<br />Further vinyl battles were carried out via Pama's Straighten Up series of albums, a direct copy of, and in direct competition to Trojan's Tighten Up series. Pama tricks didn't stop there however, and the This Is Reggae series of album covers were complete copies of Atlantic's This Is Soul series.<br />The Pama distribution network is largely in the realms of legend, but the delivery man was seen once, in 1973, outside Pauls For Music record shop in Finsbury Park, London.<br />The demise of the Pama Records is not at all well documented, but it seems to coincide with a general slump in reggae sales around the late 70's/early 80's. There is also the story that Harry found god on a trip to the USA and quit the music biz to devote his life to Christianity.<br />The truth is probably less sensational, and Pama just lost their way, with too many below-par releases. Pama finally succumed in 1974, only to be briefly resurrected in 1975 for a few singles and one album. That is not quite the end though, as Pama resurfaced a short time later as Jet Star, one of the biggest distribution networks for Jamaican music.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3161484711984398047?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-40274681484818868522008-10-25T04:22:00.000-07:002008-10-26T22:11:59.263-07:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVNZCcx5OI/AAAAAAAAABQ/s1B-40xvhaY/s1600-h/SkinheadMoonstomp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261696832201942242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVNZCcx5OI/AAAAAAAAABQ/s1B-40xvhaY/s320/SkinheadMoonstomp.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div> THE MUSIC<br /></div><div>By 1968 not only had the fashion changed but so had the music, and gone was the romantic, sweeping Rocksteady beat of Duke Reid and in came the brash, faster sound of the reggay, reggie or reggae.<br />Horn man Lester Sterling's 'Reggie On Broadway', Stranger Cole's 'Bang A Rang', Lee Perry's Upsetters with 'Return of Django' and, of course, Desmond Dekker's number one pop chart entry 'Israelites' were staple favourites of the skinhead crowd and younger West Indians as the decade drew to a close.<br />1969 through to 1971 were the best chart hitting years for reggae music mainly fuelled by the massive buying power of the skinheads who had adopted it as their own which caused over twenty records to hit the pop charts. From powerful organ instrumentals like 'Liquidator' by Harry J's All Star band, featuring Winston Wright on funky hammond, to Dave &amp; Ansil Collins, two yelping Dj pieces with 'Double Barrel' and 'Monkey Spanner' respectively, the reggae style was moving units. Max Romeo's lewd 'Wet Dream' reputedly sold 250,000 copies and made number ten in the pop charts with out a single airplay as the BBC had banned it.<br />Beneath the charts was a strong flow of new records coming out each week and eagerly snapped up by skinheads even before the West Indians themselves could grab a copy. There had been UK pressed Jamaican R&amp;B and ska records all through the sixties starting with Melodisc's Blue Beat label at the end of 1960 and the Starlite imprint run out of the jazz label Esquire, plus the home grown recordings put out by Sonny Roberts independent Planetone label. Island Records came next, along with Rita and Benny King's R&amp;B Discs, (Rita and Benny Discs) later to name change to Ska Beat, but two companies really held the marketplace by the end of the decade.<br />The biggest and responsible for almost every pop chart hit was Trojan Records working out of north west London. The original Trojan label was part of a tie up with Lee Gopthal's Beat &amp; Commercial (B&amp;C) distribution company and Island Records owner, white Jamaican, Chris Blackwell. The pair were already pressing Studio One, Coxsone and Treasure Isle labelled records and selling them via Gopthals 'Musik City' record stores as well as wholesaling out to other West Indian record shops by 1967. Trojan was one of producer Arthur 'Duke' Reid's original Jamaican imprints and was intended by Island/B&amp;C to use as a nameplate along with Treasure Isle for his productions they were to release in the UK. Island/B&amp;C issued twelve singles and one rare album between summer '67 and the beginning of '68 with the now familiar logo and all orange design Trojan label. By the end of 1968 more labels had been added to the roster including Amalgamated for producer Joe Gibbs and Down Town to provide an outlet for the UK studio work of Dandy Livingstone. As the skinhead boom was starting in late 1968 Lee Gopthal decided to split B&amp;C away from Island and took all the subsidiary labels with him just as the '600' series Trojan singles were going into production. Trojan/B&amp;C also started to distribute Graeme Goodalls Doctor Bird Group of labels which included Attack, JJ, Rio and Pyramid as well as carrying on with Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd's Studio One output.<br />Trojan/B&amp;C began adding new labels at a speedy rate to keep up with the rapid input of various Jamaican producers whose work was selling by the cartload to the new white market in the UK. Upsetter for all Lee Perry work, Jackpot for Edward 'Bunny' Lee productions and Grape for the home grown skinhead material from artists like Freddy Notes and the Rudies, to name but three of more than twenty. The Trojan empire was growing and producers and artists both sides of the Atlantic were aware of the new markets opening up and old hands like singer/producers Laurel Aitken and Dandy Livingstone began catering especially for the skinheads. Laurels Pama releases like the jumping 'Skinhead Train' along with 'Jessie James' were club staples while Dandy's chart entry for Trojan, 'Reggae In Your Jeggae', kept the skins happy with it's pumping rhythm and chant like chorus.<br />Not every thing was rosy for Trojan though, as they had a serious rival in Pama Records with a base in north London and were formed by brothers Harry and Jeff Palmer, in 1967. The original mauve Pama label was set up to release US recorded soul music but by summer 1968 the demand was such for Jamaican product that the decision was made start licensing and releasing it. In keeping with Trojan Records, Pama set up a number of offshoot labels to cater for the late rocksteady and early skinhead reggae issues from various producers. The first was Nu-Beat with a UK recorded tune, 'Train To Vietnam' by the Rudies closely followed by other labels such as Unity, Crab and Gas. By early 1969 Pama had almost as many labels as Trojan under their belt with superb design work on most. 'Punch' with its fist smashing through the pop charts or 'Camel' with the grinning cartoon animal all carried first class reggae music to the skinhead and West Indian community. The original Pama label had gone through a colour change with it turning to a tan brown for the rocksteady and reggae releases in 1968, and only reverting to the soul mauve for US imported tunes or home grown funky things such as The Mohawks with 'The Champ'. Pama had the jump on Trojan to start with as they had the massive 'Wet Dream' chart single on their subsidiary Unity, but they didn't have either Lee Gopthals distribution network or, indeed, his ear for adding strings to sweeten the sound. This UK over dubbing aided the singles to not only sell well to the younger generation but also added enough sweetener to make them accessible for radio play and move in to the mainstream.<br />By 1969 Trojan were way ahead in the pop chart stakes notching up hit after hit with their saccharin sweet string arrangements while Pama had very healthy sales but couldn't crack the pop charts. Pat Kelly's moving 'How Long' on Pama subsidiary Gas sold enormous quantities but only through more specialist shops and outlets that didn't file chart returns hence no mainstream recognition.<br />Long play albums were a tricky market to crack as singles were the way most Jamaicans had traditionally heard and bought recorded music and one of a skinheads most prized possessions was his collection of reggae 45s. But Trojan took the plunge and released 'Tighten Up Volume 1' early in 1969 at the give away price of just under fifteen shillings or 75p. It contained a strong selection of their previous years hits and originally came on the all orange label design. It was an instant success and Volume 2 appeared in the autumn of the same year and reached number two in the UK album charts before disappearing three weeks later as budget price albums were to be disregarded in future weeks chart returns.<br />Both Pama and Trojan started to put out compilation album series. 'Club Reggae' and 'Reggae Chart Busters' followed alongside the 'Tighten Up' series for Trojan often duplicating tracks, while Pama hit out with the 'Straighten Up', 'This is Reggae' and 'Hot Numbers' string of albums. Pama also released generic round ups of their better labels such as 'Best of Crab' and 'Nu Beats Greatest Hits' which are chock full of quality skinhead reggae although all the tracks had obviously been out as 45s.<br />The Trojan album sleeve art left a little to be desired. Travel shots loaned from BOAC or scantily clad young ladies romping with snakes or in mounds of Dolly Mixtures were the order of the day, where as early Pama albums carried interesting shots of singers and club scenes along with sleeve notes - a novelty in the reggae market. Sadly, Pama soon turned to the pretty girl covers too and, if anything, their shots were more explicit than Trojan.<br />Single artist albums were also emerging both from Trojan and Pama. These albums were interesting affairs for the enthusiast as they normally carried many of the hit singles for that particular performer and sometimes, the odd recording that was actually nothing to do with him! Also it was quite often the first time the UK buyers had seen a picture of the singer if he hadn't visited these shores on tour. Desmond Dekker's 'This Is' collection for Trojan did very well in the mainstream due to his chart activity while Clancy Eccles Dynamites had the 'Fire Corner' LP and Derrick Harriott's Crystalites with 'The Undertaker' album mopped up any spare money the skinheads had in their pockets. Interestingly, many albums that appeared to be single artist concerns were actually producer fronted and utilised a pool of musicians who assumed different group identities depending who offered the fee. Though Harriott and Eccles were accomplished vocalists both were catering for the fashionable skinhead market with semi-instrumental session albums they had produced with the above releases. There were a great number of superb single artist albums available such as Keith 'Slim' Smith's sublime Pama release of 'Everybody Needs Love' or 'Says Fire' from skinhead stalwart Laurel Aitken on Doctor Bird to name two, but the compilation album had the edge in sales and desirability.<br />A few other labels were issuing current material such as Melodisc who had retired their Blue Beat label in 1967 as out of date and installed the modern titled 'Fab' imprint. There was very little difference in the output as Blue Beat, and now Fab, had been predominantly for issuing Prince Buster's vocals and productions. He had always been abreast of the times with the ska, rocksteady and then reggae beats so it was business as usual, although Fab never managed to gain a large foothold in the skinhead market. 'Bamboo' and then slightly later 'Banana' had been set up by Junior Lincoln to deal with the output of Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd's productions after the demise of the Island/B&amp;C distribution deal of the 'Studio One' and 'Coxsone' imprints. The sound was decidedly different to the jumping skinhead music coming out of Pama and Trojan, with a much more mellow feel thanks in part to keyboard ace, Jackie Mittoo, who was the principle arranger. Whilst the music is sublime it didn't really fit the bill for the average skinhead in 1970 although it was very popular with West Indians.<br />By the middle of 1973 the skinhead faze had moved through to the short lived smoothie fashion which in turn gave way to the suedehead with longer hair, loafer shoes and patterned trousers, and with Glam Rock just around the corner there many defectors. The reggae sales suffered as the skinheads faded away and both Trojan and Pama, by the end of 1972, were releasing a considerable percentage of weak, watered down, string laden UK recordings which found no favour with the remaining skinheads or the general public. Both companies were to soon close many of their labels and minimalism operations due to lack of sales. Also the rise of the 'back to Africa' and 'black awareness' lyrics didn't help the cause of reggae in the UK. Most of the white skinheads couldn't identify with this new form of the music and as they didn't like the slower rootsy beat they deserted it for Bolan and Bowie.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-4027468148481886852?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-80712250195862588112008-10-25T04:19:00.000-07:002008-12-02T22:49:09.065-08:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/STYq67IpDgI/AAAAAAAAAG8/oubO8-jwnck/s1600-h/SkinsOnly.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275451205305830914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 284px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/STYq67IpDgI/AAAAAAAAAG8/oubO8-jwnck/s320/SkinsOnly.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVMd0_J_TI/AAAAAAAAABI/ZoifxGSrwbU/s1600-h/moonwalk%20-%20front[1][1].JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261695814975749426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVMd0_J_TI/AAAAAAAAABI/ZoifxGSrwbU/s320/moonwalk%2520-%2520front%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Phenomonen of the Skinhead Movement and Reggae Music<br /><br />THE CULT<br />The Skinheads of '69 and Jamaican reggae music seem strange bedfellows but they are almost thought of as synonymous with each other these days. The love affair of the British youth with black based music started a decade before any Dr. Marten boot ever thudded its way across a record shop floor.<br />We have to go back to the mid 1950's to find the roots of this devotion to black music and the birth of the 1969 skinhead movement. In Jamaica, American R&amp;B, very early soul records, and a slice of Nat 'King' Cole's smooth jazz, were the mainstream sounds played by the radio and in the dancehalls around that time. As the British black population swelled and inner city clubs started playing the same records for their immigrant customers, the local white lads also started to appreciate their new neighbours musical tastes.<br />As early as 1954 The Duke Vin sound system had been pumping out the latest R&amp;B, Doo-Wop and pre-soul sounds to the West Indian population resident this side of the Atlantic. The sound system, or mobile discotheque to Europeans, was an integral part of Jamaican life. With out door and inside dances every night of the weekend and any public holiday it was a national pastime, so it was only natural that the same entertainment would surface within the Jamaican community in London and eventually every major city in the UK.<br />The Ska appeared around 1961in Jamaica as the music for the lower urban classes. It blended elements of US R&amp;B with touches of the native Poccomania religion and jazz in the blasting horn solos of masters like Don Drummond.<br />By1963 young white Mods who frequented the black clubs, in places like Soho and Brixton, were dancing to the pulse of the 'Blue Beat', as the Ska was called, after the label responsible for releasing the majority of the music in the UK. Not only did the Mods champion black music but they also took some of their styling from the artists and young Jamaicans in general.<br />The main influence from Jamaica on the Mods was the Rude Boy or 'Rudie' culture of the young ghetto youths that was hitting the island by1965. Problems had started in Jamaica after it gained independence in 1962 as a multitude of rural youths and young men flocked to its capital, Kingston, searching for work. The ghetto dwellers of Western Kingston could see no improvement now the colonial rule had gone and the massive influx of rural people only turned the heat up as flash points ignited, with violence, injury and death commonplace. This harsh living produced the dissatisfied ghetto youth who adopted his own stance against this forced way of life - the Rude Boy. The Rude Boys image was one of being cool &amp; deadly and sharply dressed, and they certainly didn't want to fling themselves around the dance floor like the white American tourists did when trying to dance to the ska beat. The Rude Boys wanted a slower tighter rhythm where they could look good while dancing. The music that they called for evolved pulling down the ska beat to a much slower tempo. The Rudies music was often played and sung by people who came from the same impoverished background as the ghetto dwellers and understood their needs and plight. Artists such as the Wailers, Alton Ellis, Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker and Prince Buster all produced work either glorifying or commenting on the Rude Boys. There's a great sleeve shot of a young Rudy by the name of Derrick Morgan wearing a snappy two piece suit, trilby and thick shades on his Island album 'Forward March' as early as 1963 although the music is decidedly uptempo ska at this time.<br />The young Jamaicans this side of the ocean soon picked up on this style as did their white counterparts in the clubs, the Mods. By 1967 the Rude Boy culture had grown to epidemic proportions in the poor areas of Kingston and a great number of Jamaican singers were commenting with tunes like Joe White's 'Rudies All Around' and Prince Buster's set of three 'Judge Dread' singles. Many of the songs were issued in the UK as the Rude Boy style was shaping the Jamaican rhythm further to the cool beat to be known as Rocksteady. Even in the UK there was comment on the Rudy phenomenon from one Robert Livingstone Thompson, better known as Dandy, on a Ska Beat single called 'Rudy A Message To You' where he berates the wayward youths to 'stop your messin' around'. A near identical copy of this single was one of the first 2Tone releases by The Specials in 1979 using the same trombone player who was on the original, Reco Rodriguez.<br />The first skinheads, or 'peanuts' as they were also known, started to appear around 1967 as the Mod movement fractured into the more affluent or art-school orientated ' trendy mods' and the so called 'hard mods'. The hard mods were becoming dissatisfied with the elitism in the movement and the expensive tailored fashions that the trendy mods wore. Whilst they, too, would've liked the latest in Saville Row fashion, they had average jobs and average incomes which precluded them from being at the cutting edge of the group. While the neat and tidy aspect remained, along with the short serviceable hair, they took to wearing more work orientated clothing topped off with tough, hardwearing work boots.<br /><br />Time moved on and the original Mods of the early 60's grew out of the group while their younger brothers carried forward the new hard mod styles adapting and changing to make them their own. By late 1968 the skinhead was here. The Mods were all but gone and a new youth culture was firmly on the rise. The Mod favoured Levi jeans, Ben Sherman shirts and general neatness of person continued with the early skinheads as did the thick overcoat worn by the immigrant Jamaicans to ward off the hostile British winter. The overcoat became the beloved Crombie by 1970, although any coat would do at first as long as it was hard wearing and serviceable. The working class, work wear ethic was very firmly in place and the fashionable names so beloved by the Mods were distinctly 'out', except Levis who continued to vie with Wrangler as the number one jean.<br />The stereotypical boots &amp; braces skinhead uniform was formed by the end of 1969, with Dr. Martens boots topping the footwear stakes as the original Hard Mod work boots were declared an offensive weapon. This was due to them normally coming with steel toecaps which could, and did, cause considerable damage at football matches and other close combat sports. The only exceptions were for evening outings where the rough and rugged style was swapped for a more Mod influenced Two-Tone Tonic suit or Levi Sta-Prest trousers and smart casual shoes such as Frank Wrights fabled tasselled loafers.<br />Regional fashions were very much in evidence with one town favouring brown boots and another oxblood. The same applied to the reggae records. Different clubs favoured different tunes thus creating a big demand in one town while the same record was unsaleable just a few miles away. Actually getting hold of the prized reggae 45's was quite a task if you weren't near to a major city as most record retailers didn't hold any stock and everything had to be ordered.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-8071225019586258811?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-3794967189440605582008-10-25T04:16:00.000-07:002008-11-01T05:10:55.344-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVT0vc2JdI/AAAAAAAAACY/yAvKGDAWQHI/s1600-h/marten.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261703905208051154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVT0vc2JdI/AAAAAAAAACY/yAvKGDAWQHI/s320/marten.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Dr Klausus Maertens, now known as Dr Martens, first invented the famous sole in 1945, following a skiing accident. The Dr Martins brand began on April 1st 1960 when the first pair of boots was born. Almost five decades later the brand goes from strength to strength and still represents many sub-cultures including skinheads, mods, punks etc. Dr. Martens History. By 1959 the two decided that they needed a company to produce and distribute the shoes, then called Dr. Maertens, in other parts of the world. At first, many manufacturers rejected the concept of an ‘air cushioned sole’ as a short-lived gimmick. However, the R. Griggs Group, located in the village of Wollaston in England, decided to go along with the idea by creating the first work boot with the revolutionary sole. On the first of April 1960, the first cherry red eight-eyelet work boot was produced and named 1460 (1/4/60). To sell the brand name better in England, the name was anglicized to Dr. Martens. The range was branded AirWair and the rest is history. Today the Dr Marten brand is recognized around the world as one of the most comfortable shoe designs in history. Over time it has changed from a specialized fashion statement to one of the most comfortable boots in the field. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-379496718944060558?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-56613529470452202312008-10-19T21:42:00.000-07:002008-10-26T22:13:57.323-07:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVN736fk8I/AAAAAAAAABY/z8EaQvupvpI/s1600-h/nubeat008lz0.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261697430669202370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVN736fk8I/AAAAAAAAABY/z8EaQvupvpI/s320/nubeat008lz0.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A great skinhead reggae label, which ran from 1968 to 1971, and released about 100 singles, undergoing a change of spelling (from Nu Beat to New Beat) and colour along the way. As Derrick Morgan did with Crab, Laurel Aitken took over this Pama label with sheer volume of his releases. These included "Scandal In Brixton Market", "Frankenstein" and "Skinhead Train".<br /><br />Laurel was supposed to have signed for PAMA Records after Carl Palmer bailed him out of jail in Birmingham, England. Mr Aitken had been arrested on stage and remanded in jail for having a paternity suit filed against him, and the prospect of a huge fine or six weeks in prison helped hasten his decision to sign, as Carl Palmer had paid his fine on that condition.<br />Other great tracks include "Tonight", "I Can't Stand It", "Tonight" and "La La Means I Love You" by Alton Ellis, "Push, Push" from The Termites, "Mother Radio" by Joe Higgs, "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" from Derrick (Morgan) &amp; Patsy, "My Testamony" by The Maytals (right) and "Hold Them One" from Roy Shirley (above left).<br /><br />Nu Beat Discography<br /><br />NB-001<br />Train To Vietnam/Skaville To Rainbow City<br />The Rudies<br />NB-002<br />Rain &amp; Thunder/Swing Baby Swing<br />The Soul Tops<br />NB-003<br />Cover Me/Darling<br />Fitz &amp; The Coozers<br />NB-004<br />Rocksteady Cool/I Have Changed<br />Frederick Bell<br />NB-005<br />Engine '59/My Girl<br />The Rudies<br />NB-006<br />Festival '68/I Really Love You<br />Clancy Eccles<br />NB-007<br />Rhythm &amp; Soul/True Romance<br />Bunny &amp; Ruddy/Monty Morris<br />NB-008<br />Hey Boy Hey Girl/Music Be The Food Of Love<br />Derrick &amp; Patsy/Derrick Morgan<br />NB-009<br />Easy Snapping/My Lonely Days<br />Theophilus Beckford/Eric Morris<br />NB-010<br />I Can't Stand It/Tonight<br />Alton Ellis<br />NB-011<br />On The Town/Simple Simon<br />Bunny &amp; Ruddy/Monty Morris<br />NB-012<br />Young Love/Days Like These<br />The Imperials<br />NB-013<br />Bye Bye Love/My Lovely Days<br />Alton Ellis/Monty Morris<br />NB-014<br />La La Means I Love You/Give Me Your Love<br />Alton Ellis<br />NB-015<br />Blue Socks/Solas Market<br />Reco Rodriquez<br />NB-016<br />I Love You/Searching<br />Derrick Morgan/Junior Smith<br />NB-017<br />Push Push/Girls<br />The Termites<br />NB-018<br />The Horse/Hot Line<br />The Versatiles<br />NB-019<br />Rhythm Hips/Deltone Special<br />Ronald Russel/The Soul Rhythms<br />NB-020<br />Mini Really Fit Dem/Soul Train<br />Alton Ellis &amp; The Soul Flames<br />NB-021<br />Let's Have Some Fun/Making Love<br />Devon &amp; The Tartons<br />NB-022<br />Blowing In The Wind/Money Girl<br />Max Romeo/Larry Marshall<br />NB-023<br />Mr Rhya/After Dark<br />Lloyd Terrell<br />NB-024<br />Woppi King/Mr Soul<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-025<br />Suffering Still/Reggae '69<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-026<br />Another Heartache/Come On Little Girl<br />Winston Sinclair<br />NB-027<br />I'll Do It/Give You My Love<br />Derrick &amp; Paulette<br />NB-028<br />You've Lost Your Love/Little Girl<br />The Flames<br />NB-029<br />Rescue Me/Unity Is Strength<br />The Reggae Girls<br />NB-030<br />Rodney's History/Tribute To Drumbago<br />Carl Dawkins/The Dynomites<br />NB-031<br />My Testamony/One Dollar Of Soul<br />The Maytals<br />NB-032<br />Hailse Selaise/Blue Dance<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-033<br />Lawd Doctor/Big Fight In Hell<br />Laurel Aitken/Laurel Aitken &amp; Girlie<br />NB-034<br />Crimson In Clover/What A Situation<br />The Uniques<br />NB-035<br />Run Powell Run/A Message To You<br />Laurel Aitken/Reco<br />NB-036<br />Splash Down/Finders Keepers<br />The Crystalites<br />NB-037<br />I'll Make You Love Me/Lovers Prayer<br />The Uniques<br />NB-038<br />Buss You Mouth/Rough Way Ahead<br />The Ethiopians<br />NB-039<br />Save The Last Dance/Walk Right Back<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-040<br />Don't Be Cruel/John B<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-041<br />Island In The Sun/Work It Up<br />Winston Groovy<br />NB-042<br />Josephine/Champagne &amp; Wine<br />Winston Groovy<br />NB-043<br />Shoo Bee Doo Bee/Babylon Gone<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-044<br />Lanlords &amp; Tenants/Everybody Suffering<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-045<br />Jesse James/Freedom<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-046<br />Pussy Price Gone Up/Give Me Back Mi Dollar<br />Derrick Morgan/Laurel Aitken<br />NB-047<br />Skinhead Train/Kent People<br />Laurel Aitken/The Gruvy Beats<br />NB-048<br />Mr Popcorn/Share Your Popcorn<br />Laurel Aitken/The Gruvy Beats<br />NB-049<br />I've Got Your Love/Blue Mink<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-050<br />Scandal In Brixton Market/Soul Jerker<br />Laurel &amp; Girlie<br />NB-051<br />Frankenstein/I Can't Stand It<br />King Horror/Winston Grievy<br />NB-052<br />Soul Of Africa/Dallas, Texas<br />Tiger<br />NB-053<br />Standing At The Corner/You Send Me<br />Winston Groovy<br />NB-054<br />Nobody But Me/Baby Please Don't Go<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-055<br />Yellow Bird/For Your Love<br />Winston Groovy<br />NB-056<br />I'll Never Love Any Girl/The Best I Can<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-057<br />Reggae Popcorn/Take Me Back<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-058<br />Here Is My Heart/Birds &amp; Flowers<br />Winston Groovy/The Groovy Beats<br />NB-059<br />Election/Tomorrows World<br />The Freedom Singers/Flece &amp; The Live Shocks<br />NB-060<br />Pick My Pocket/Freedom<br />The Versatiles/Freedom Singers<br />NB-061<br />Same Old Feeling/So Much Love<br />The Classics<br />NB-062<br />Nobody Else But You/Version<br />Joel Lace/Live Shocks<br />NB-063<br />Baby I Need Your Loving/Think It Over<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-064<br />Musical Scorcher/Three Dogs Night<br />Tiger<br />NB-065<br />Sex Machine/Since You Left<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-066<br />Groovin/Sugarmama<br />Winston Groovey<br />NB-067<br />Witchcraft Man/Night In Cairo<br />Inner Minds<br />NB-068<br />Not Known<br />NB-069<br />Pum Pum Girl/Freedom<br />Inner Minds<br />NB-070<br />Not Known<br />NB-071<br />History Of Africa/Honey Bee<br />The Classics<br />NB-072<br />Packanga/Version<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-073<br />Tennessee Waltz/Oldman Trouble<br />Winston Groovey<br />NB-074<br />Your Testimony/Train Coming<br />The Freedom Singers<br />NB-075<br />African Beat/Black Man Land<br />Tiger<br />NB-076<br />Give To Me/With Hot<br />The Versatiles/Tiger<br />NB-077<br />Not Known<br />NB-078<br />True Love/The Best I Can<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-079<br />Only Heaven Knows/Freedom Psalms<br />Sheila/Grant &amp; Richard<br />NB-080<br />Monkey Spanner/Version<br />Lloyd &amp; Larry/Lloyd &amp; Larry All Stars<br />NB-081<br />Coco/Hey Girl Don't Bother Me<br />Marvels<br />NB-082<br />Blackman/Tell The People<br />Rupie Edwards All Stars<br />NB-083<br />Love &amp; Creation/Version 2<br />The Righteous Flames<br />NB-084<br />Mary/Soldier Boy<br />Jamaicans/Conscious Minds<br />NB-085<br />Not Known<br />NB-086<br />Walk A Little Prouder/Version<br />Carl Dawkins/Youth Professionals<br />NB-087<br />Mother Radio/Little Deeds<br />Joe Higgs/Dawn Sharon<br />NB-088<br />Have You Ever Been Hurt/Our Day Will Come<br />Tiger<br />NB-089<br />I Can't Stop Loving You/El Paso<br />Laurel Aitken<br />NB-090<br />Hold Them One/Two Three Four<br />Roy Shirley<br />NB-091<br />Three In One/One In Three<br />Errol Dunkley/Rupie Edwards All Stars<br />NB-092<br />Valley Of Tears/Because I Love<br />Cock &amp; The Woodpeckers<br />NB-093<br />Everyday And Every Night/I Fall In Love Everyday<br />Cock &amp; The Woodpeckers<br />NB-094<br />I Will Never Let You Down/This Magic Moment<br />Lorenzo<br />NB-095<br />Iron Sound/Version<br />Lester Sterling<br /><br />One Dollar of Soul<br />The Johnson Boys</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-5661352947045220231?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-77286851306915676412008-10-18T20:39:00.000-07:002008-10-26T22:16:38.461-07:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVOj0zq62I/AAAAAAAAABg/Oxfv2mAfaAU/s1600-h/unity502mv9.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261698117030046562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVOj0zq62I/AAAAAAAAABg/Oxfv2mAfaAU/s320/unity502mv9.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Another legendary Pama label which lasted from 1968 to 1973, releasing some 75 singles. One of Unity's first smashes was one of the first reggae songs "Bangarang" from Lester Sterling and Stranger Cole. The successes went on and on..."Wet Dream" by Max Romeo, who followed up with "Wine Her Goosie", "Mini-Skirt Vision", and "Rent Crisis".<br />There were many Slim Smith classics released on Unity, among them "For Once In My Life ", "Somebody To Love", "Sunny Side Of The Sea", "Keep That Light Shining", and the magnificent "Honey".Bunny Lee and His All Stars kept up the pressure with instrumental versions of most of the hits on Unity, with "Hook Up", "Daydream", "Ivan Itler The Conqueror", and "Death Rides A Horse", all great skinhead hits.<br />One 45 that sticks out on UNITY however is the double header from Prince Buster - "Thirty Pieces Of Silver" and "Everybody Ska". Its fairly obvious that Pama was up to its old tricks, but what a song to pirate. Apart from the re-releases etc on the major labels, this must have been the only domestic release from the Prince not to have been released by Melodisc.<br />Among the other great releases on the Unity label were songs from John Holt, Ken Parker, Ernest Wilson and Tommy McCook. Special mention goes to "Derrick Top The Pop" from Derrick Morgan, "Wake The Nation" from Jeff Barnes and Hugh(U) Roy, and a instrumental effort from Wailer Peter Touch entitled "The Return Of Al Capone".<br /><br />Unity Discography<br /><br />UN-501<br />Last Flight To Reggae City/Watch Dem Go<br />Tommy McCook &amp; Stranger Cole/Junior Smith<br />UN-502<br />Bangarang/If We Should Ever Meet<br />Lester Sterling &amp; Stranger Cole/Stranger Cole<br />UN-503<br />Wet Dream/She's But A Little Girl<br />Max Romeo<br />UN-504<br />Everybody Needs Love/Come Back Girl<br />Slim Smith/Junior Smith<br />UN-505<br />Reggie On Broadway/Love Can Be Wonderful<br />Lester Sterling/The Clique<br />UN-506<br />The Avengers/Donkey Man<br />Laurel Aitken<br />UN-507<br />Belly Woman/Please Stay<br />Max Romeo<br />UN-508<br />For Once In My Life/Burning Desire<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-509<br />Spoogy/Monkey Fiddle<br />Lester Sterling/Tommy McCook<br />UN-510<br />Zip-Pa-Di-Do-Da/Broadway<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-511<br />Twelfth Of Never/Solid As A Rock<br />Max Romeo/The Tartons<br />UN-512<br />Regina/Bright As A Rose<br />Lester Sterling<br />UN-513<br />Let It Be Me/Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things<br />Slim Smith &amp; Paulette<br />UN-514<br />When I Get My Freedom/Life Can Be Beautiful<br />Stranger Cole<br />UN-515<br />Somebody To Love/Confusion<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-516<br />Wine Her Goosie/Fire Ball<br />Max Romeo/King Cannon<br />UN-517<br />1,000 Tons Of Megaton/Five Card Stud<br />Lester Sterling/King Cannon<br />UN-518<br />Man About Town/Man At The Door<br />Lester Sterling<br />UN-519<br />Peyton Place/Red Gal Ring<br />D Tony Lee<br />UN-520<br />Slipaway/Spanish Harlem<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-521<br />Not Known<br />UN-522<br />Thirty Pieces Of Silver/Everybody Ska<br />Prince Buster<br />UN-523<br />Not Known<br />UN-524<br />Sunny Side Of The Sea/Place In The Sun<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-525<br />The Return Of Alcapone/Q Club<br />Peter Touch/Lennox Mood<br />UN-526<br />Pepper Seed/Ambitious Beggar<br />R Williams<br />UN-527<br />Blessed Are The Meek/My Conversation<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-528<br />Dreams To Remember/Peace Makers<br />The Hippy Boys<br />UN-529<br />Sun Valley/Drums Of Fu Manchu<br />Peter Touch/Headley Bennett<br />UN-530<br />What You Gonna Do/Hot Coffee<br />The Reggae Boys/Headley Bennett<br />UN-531<br />Lonesome Feeling/Bright As A Rose<br />Lester Sterling<br />UN-532<br />Mini Skirt Vision/Far Far Away<br />Max Romeo<br />UN-533<br />Hook Up/Full Up<br />The Bunny Lee All Stars<br />UN-534<br />Dream Boat/Tommy's Dream<br />Tommy McCook<br />UN-535<br />Peanut Vendor/100,000 Tons Of Rock<br />Tommy McCook<br />UN-536<br />No Matter What/Walk Through This World<br />Doreen Schaffer<br />UN-537<br />Keep That Light Shining On Me/Build My World Around You<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-538<br />How Much Is That Doggie In The Window/As Long As He Needs Me<br />Doreen Schaffer<br />UN-539<br />Love Me Tender/This Feeling<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-540<br />Derrick Top-The-Pop/Capones Revenge<br />Derrick Morgan/Glen Adams<br />UN-541<br />Daydream/Joy Ride<br />Bunny Lee Allstars<br />UN-542<br />Honey/There Is A Light<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-543<br />Ivan Itler The Conqueror/The Spice<br />Bunny Lee Allstars (Featuring Lloyd Willis)<br />UN-544<br />Melting Pot/Death Rides A Horse<br />Max Romeo/The Hippy Boys<br />UN-545<br />Clap Clap/You've Got Your Troubles<br />Max Romeo&amp; The Hippy Boys/Max Romeo<br />UN-546<br />Return Of Jack Slade/Fat Man<br />Derrick Morgan<br />UN-547<br />What A Cute Man/Buy You A Rainbow<br />Max Romeo<br />UN-548<br />Sometimes/Lash-La-Rue<br />John Holt/Bunny Lee All Stars<br />UN-549<br />Sea Cruise/Niney's Hop<br />John Holt/Lee's All Stars<br />UN-550<br />Did My Little Girl Cry/Change Partners<br />Little Freddy/Peter Austin<br />UN-551<br />Why Did My Little Girl Cry/Change Partners<br />Freddie McGregor/Peter Austin<br />UN-552<br />Walking Along/Ware Fare<br />John Holt/Donald Lee With Jackie Mittoo &amp; Bunny Lees All Stars<br />UN-553<br />When You Were Mine/The Angles<br />Ken Parker/The Clarendonians<br />UN-554<br />My Special Prayer/Never Hurt<br />Errol Dunkley<br />UN-555<br />Ten Cent/Stay With Me Forever<br />Soulmates/Doreen Shaffer<br />UN-556<br />Give Her All The Love/Nobody But You<br />John Holt/Busty Brown<br />UN-557<br />Do It My Way/Where In The World<br />Monty Morris<br />UN-558<br />Goodnight My Love/Lover Girl<br />Corsairs<br />UN-559<br />Drink Wine Everybody/Someone To Call My Own<br />Delroy Wilson<br />UN-560<br />Fish In The Pot/Feel It<br />Max Romeo<br />UN-561<br />No Love/A Little Tear<br />Little John (John Holt)<br />UN-562<br />Duppy Conqueror/Version<br />The Wailers/The Upsetters<br />UN-562<br />Slip Up/On Broadway<br />Lester Sterling/Dave Barker<br />UN-563<br />Skankee/Skankee Version<br />Niney's All Stars<br />UN-564<br />Love Makes The World Go Round/Version Inst<br />Ernest Wilson<br />UN-565<br />More Balls/Bum Ball<br />Mark Anthony &amp; The Jets/Tony King<br />UN-566<br />Peace And Love/Version<br />The Third Dimension<br />UN-567<br />Blessed Are The Meek/The People's Voice<br />Dave Barker &amp; J. Smith/Jeff Barnes &amp; The Uniques<br />UN-568<br />1.000 Tons Of Version/Wake The Nation<br />Jeff Barnes/Jeff Barnes &amp; Hugh Roy<br />UN-569<br />The Conquering Ruler/Bedweight<br />Derrick Morgan<br />UN-570<br />Jenny/The Race<br />Slim Smith<br />UN-571<br />Macabee (Version)/Music Book<br />Max Romeo/Soul Syndicate<br />UN-572<br />Rent Crisis/Version<br />Max Romeo<br />UN-573<br />Big Haire/Skank In Skank<br />Dirty Harry/Young Doug</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7728685130691567641?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-24202166797534181012008-10-18T20:35:00.000-07:002008-10-26T22:18:58.243-07:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVPFFZSxLI/AAAAAAAAABo/-xxfi9N8CS8/s1600-h/punch1ap9.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261698688418497714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVPFFZSxLI/AAAAAAAAABo/-xxfi9N8CS8/s320/punch1ap9.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Over 100 releases from 1969 1972, and not a duff beer in there. From the first rel ease, by The Dynamics, The Burner,to classics such as Lively Up Yourself by Bob Marley and the<br />Wailers, Punch is a classic label. With songs like Strange by Busty Brown and A Broken Heart from B(D)obby Dobson, and many from the Upsetters including "Return of the Ugly”, the eternal "Clint Eastwood", "Dry Acid", "The Result" and “Roll On” (lead by Roland Alphonso).<br />There were also classic cuts from Ken Booth “Artibella” and “Paul, Marcus &amp; Norman” (As The Conscious Minds), as well as cuts from Hugh (U) Roy “Scandal” and “NannyScank”, along with "Ram You Hard" by John Lennon and The Bleechers and "Run Babylon" from The Maytones. A highly collectable label, and deservedly so.<br /><br /><br />Punch Discography<br /><br />PH-1<br />The Burner/Juckie Juckie<br />The Dynamics<br />PH-2<br />Mix Up Girl/Qua Kue Shut<br />The Creations<br />PH-3<br />Jump In A Fire/Give To Get<br />The Viceroys<br />PH-4<br />Strange/Your New Love<br />Dobby Dobson<br />PH-5<br />Too Experienced/Mule Jerk<br />Winston Francis/Jackie Mittoo<br />PH-6<br />Can’t Take It Anymore/Anyway<br />David Isaacs/Lloyd Douglas<br />PH-7<br />Trying To Be Free/I’ve Got It Bad<br />Martin Riley<br />PH-8<br />History/Just Be Alone<br />Harry &amp; Radcliffe<br />PH-9<br />Hello Dolly/Never Get Away<br />Girl Satchmo/Errol Donaldson<br />PH-10<br />Broken Heart/Tribute To A King<br />Busty Brown<br />PH-11<br />Oh Happy Day/Spinning<br />Norman T Washington<br />PH-12<br />The Masquerade Is Over/Love For Ambition<br />Dobby Dobson<br />PH-13<br />The Bigger Way/Chatty Chatty<br />Winston Blake/Itals<br />PH-14<br />Love Is The Key/High Tide<br />Lloyd &amp; Devon/The Virtues<br />PH-15<br />Herbert Splifington/Oh Lord, Why Lord<br />Winston Blake/Itals<br />PH-16<br />Goosy/Soul Stew<br />Pat Satchmo/The Upsetters<br />PH-17<br />Games People Play/Serious Joke<br />The Upsetters<br />PH-18<br />Return Of The Ugly/I’ve Caught You<br />The Upsetters/The Upsetters (&amp; Count Sticky)<br />PH-19<br />Dry Acid/Selassie<br />Count Sticky &amp; The Upsetters/The Reggae Boys<br />PH-20<br />Prisoner Of Love/Soul Juice<br />Dave Barker/The Upsetters<br />PH-21<br />Clint Eastwood/Lennox Mood<br />The Upsetters/Lennox Brown<br />PH-22<br />You Betray Me/Will You Still Love Me<br />Dave Barker<br />PH-23<br />Ram You Hard/Soul Stew<br />John Lennon &amp; The Bleechers/The Mediators<br />PH-24<br />Wonderful World/Purple Mast<br />Pat Satchmo<br />PH-25<br />Shocks Of Mighty 1 &amp; 2<br />Dave Barker<br />PH-26<br />Sweeter Than Honey/1,000 Pearls<br />Norman T Washington<br />PH-27<br />The Result/Feel The Spirit<br />The Upsetters<br />PH-28<br />In The Mood/Slide Mongoose<br />Pete Weston/Pete Weston &amp; His Band<br />PH-29<br />I'm Proud Of You/Version<br />Victor Griffiths<br />PH-30<br />Artibella/Version Of Artibella<br />Ken Boothe<br />PH-31<br />Last Goodbye/Mothers Pride<br />Norman T Washington<br />PH-32<br />Smile/Musical ID<br />Ranny Williams<br />PH-33<br />Morning/Version<br />Ken Boothe<br />PH-34<br />Scandal/Son Of The Wise<br />Hugh Roy<br />PH-35<br />Serious Love/Musical Combination<br />Rupie Martin/Charlie Ace<br />PH-36<br />Oh My Darling/Ball Of Confusion<br />A.Royn /B.Smith(D.Alcapone)<br />PH-37<br />Mr Car Man/Chiney Man<br />Eli Reynolds<br />PH-38<br />Greatest Love/I Love You Madly<br />Busty Brown<br />PH-39<br />True Love/Roll On<br />Carl Dawkins/Roland Alphonso &amp; The Upsetters<br />PH-40<br />Party Time / Peace &amp; Love<br />Cybermen<br />PH-41<br />The Ark/False Reader<br />Trevor &amp; Keith<br />PH-42<br />Reggae Meeting/Soulbone<br />Dave Barker/Martin All Stars<br />PH-43<br />Death In The Arena/Man Cometh<br />Rupie Martin/Julia Ceaser<br />PH-44<br />For Our Desire/Version<br />King Sporty/Winston Wright<br />PH-45<br />Bye Bye Happiness/Sufferation We Must Bear<br />Modifies<br />PH-46<br />Son Of Thunder/Only If You Understand<br />The Upsetters/The Punchers<br />PH-47<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-48<br />My Heart Is Gone/Version II<br />John Holt/Pratt All Stars<br />PH-49<br />Silver &amp; Gold/Bump &amp; Bore<br />Charlie Ace/Phil Pratt All Stars<br />PH-50<br />Heart Made of Stone/I May Never See My Baby Anymore<br />Jackey (Jackie) Robinson/Bob Taylor<br />PH-51<br />Not Known<br />PH-52<br />Not Known<br />PH-53<br />Book Of Books/Musical Dove<br />Charlie Ace/Winston Harris<br />PH-54<br />Fight The Good Fight/Fight Beat<br />Bill Gentles<br />PH-55<br />Hold The Ghost/Duppy Dance<br />Herman/Aquarius Soul Band<br />PH-56<br />What Do You Fall In Love For/Too Much<br />Agros/The Slickers<br />PH-57<br />Get Out Of This Land/Landmark<br />Sammy Morgan/Sydney All Stars<br />PH-58<br />Listen To The Beat/Sounds Only<br />Herman/Aquarians<br />PH-59<br />Johnny Too bad/Version<br />The Slickers<br />PH-60<br />Strange Things/Want Money<br />John Holt/Winston Wright<br />PH-61<br />Mosquito One/Out De Light<br />El Paso<br />PH-62<br />Love I Madly/Especially For You<br />Lloyd Terrell/Matador All Stars<br />PH-62*<br />Love (You) Madly/Especially For You<br />Charlie Ace<br />PH-63<br />Iron Bird/Cat Hop<br />Top Cat<br />PH-64<br />Not Known<br />PH-65<br />Cholera/Blackbird<br />Justins/Lloyd All Stars<br />PH-66<br />Come Ethiopians/Zion Gate<br />The Robinsons/The Matadors<br />PH-67<br />Do Something/Run Babylon<br />Charlie Ace/The Maytones<br />PH-68<br />Not Known<br />PH-69<br />What A Confusion/Small Axe<br />Dave Barker/Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers<br />PH-70<br />Stop Your Crying/Suffering Thru The Nation<br />Ken Boothe/Conscious Minds<br />PH-71<br />Put Your Sweet Lips/Stand By Me<br />Raphael Stewart/Justines<br />PH-72<br />You Inspire Me/Version<br />Busty Brown/The Upsetters<br />PH-73<br />Chie Chie Bud/Version<br />Max Romeo<br />PH-74<br />There Is A Land/Goodnight My Love<br />Winston &amp; Errol<br />PH-75<br />Hard Fighter/Back To Africa Version<br />Little Roy/Count Ossie<br />PH-76<br />Don't Say/Version<br />James Brown/Trans-Am Allstars<br />PH-77<br />Down Presser/Got The Tip<br />Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers/Junior Byles<br />PH-78<br />Not Known<br />PH-79<br />Cheerio Baby/Civilisaton<br />The Classics<br />PH-80<br />Not Known<br />PH-81<br />Fussing And Fighting/Man I Should Be<br />Slickers<br />PH-82<br />Don't Give Up/Version<br />Paul Freeman/The Upsetters<br />PH-83<br />Where Love Goes/You Can Run<br />Donald Smythe/Hurricanes<br />PH-84<br />You'll Be Sorry/Knock Three Times<br />David Isaacs<br />PH-85<br />Not Known<br />PH-86<br />Not Known<br />PH-87<br />Sincerely/Hold On I'm Coming<br />Owen Grey<br />PH-88<br />Soulful Love/One For All<br />Pat Kelly/Hugh Roy &amp; The Paragons<br />PH-89<br />Lonely World/Put It On<br />Afro/Alton Ellis All Stars<br />PH-90<br />Not Known<br />PH-91<br />Rudies Medley/Rude Boy Version<br />3rd &amp; 4th Generation<br />PH-92<br />Not Known<br />PH-93<br />Christmas Message/Cool It Girl<br />Denzil Dennis<br />PH-94<br />Winey Winey/There Is A Place<br />Phil Pratt All Stars<br />PH-95<br />Royal Chord/Version<br />Jaylads<br />PH-96<br />Solid As A Rock/Version<br />Rupie Edwards All Stars<br />PH-97<br />Paul, Marcus &amp; Norman/Version<br />The Concious Mind<br />PH-98<br />Nobody Told Me/Don't Play That Song Again(Version)<br />Carl Lewis/Wing<br />PH-99<br />123ABC/Zee<br />Combinations<br />PH-100<br />Butter Cup/I Care<br />Winston Scotland/Ronald Wilson<br />PH-101<br />Screw Face/Face Man<br />Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers<br />PH-102<br />Lively Up Yourself/Live<br />Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers/Tommy McCook<br />PH-103<br />Don't Be A Loser/Jamaican Girl<br />Roy Shirley<br />PH-104<br />NannyScank/Scank Version<br />Hugh Roy/Pitts-Burg Allstars<br />PH-105<br />Darling Ooh Wee/Merry Up Version<br />Erroll &amp; U-Roy Junior/God Sons<br />PH-106<br />Dungeon/Kiss Me Honey<br />Wailing Soul/Nora Dean<br />PH-107<br />Foward March/Plenty Of One<br />Derrick Morgan<br />PH-108<br />A Sugar/Version<br />Roy Shirley<br />PH-109<br />Pharoah Hiding/Hail To Power<br />Junior Byles/The Upsetters<br />PH-110<br />Have I Sinned/Version<br />Lloyd &amp; Ken<br />PH-111<br />Round &amp; Round/Version<br />Melodians/The Upsetters<br />PH-112<br />People Like People/Softie<br />George Meggie/Max Romeo<br />PH-113<br />Trying To Wreck My Life/Version<br />Leroy Samuels<br />PH-114<br />You Should Have Known Better/Known Better<br />Tuff Gong All Stars<br />PH-115<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-116<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-117<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-118<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-119<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-120<br />Not Known<br /><br />PH-121<br />Fattie Bum Bum/Fattie Bum Dub<br />Laurel Aitken<br /><br />Unknown - Winston Scotland Buttercup</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-2420216679753418101?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-36410073149188747012008-10-18T20:29:00.000-07:002008-11-01T05:18:32.490-07:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVRbH_7kpI/AAAAAAAAACI/mj_EbmXdo3U/s1600-h/Gas164.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261701266097803922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVRbH_7kpI/AAAAAAAAACI/mj_EbmXdo3U/s320/Gas164.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Starting with "Gimme Little" by Junior Smith, released in 1968, Gas released over 70 singles until the last in 1971.The label seemed to change from green to yellow sometimes, but maybe the record stamper was using up his ink!!!<br />Some classy releases on Gas included Lester Sterling's "Reggie In The Wind", The Uniques<br />"Too Proud To Beg", Roland Alphonso's "1,000 Tons Of Megaton", "Tell Me Now" by Marcia Griffiths, and Alton Ellis' "Suzi e", "Diana" followed by the immortal "Back To Africa".<br />The real star of Gas though, was the great Pat Kelly, who released such gems as "How Long Will It Take", "Festival Time", "If It Don't Work Out", "Workman Song", "Tell Me Now", "Striving For The Right", "Personally Speaking" and "Tammy". Some great rock steady as well as skinhead reggae make Gas a collectors item.<br /><br />Gas Discography<br /><br /><br /><br />GAS-100<br />The Horse/Action Line<br />Eric Barnett/The Versatiles<br />GAS-101<br />Gimmi Little/Trip To Warland<br />Junior Smith<br />GAS-102<br />Got To Play It Cool/Jezebel<br />Fitzroy Sterling<br />GAS-103<br />Reggae In The Wind/Try Me One More Time<br />Lester Sterling/The Soul Set<br />GAS-104<br />Long Life/Oh Tell Me<br />Billy Gentle/The School Boys<br />GAS-105<br />Diana/English Talk<br />Alton Ellis<br />GAS-106<br />Te Ta Toe/Lonely And Blue<br />Eric Barnett/Milton Boothe<br />GAS-107<br />Pictures Of You/Searching For My Baby<br />Nola Campbell<br />GAS-108<br />Ring Of Gold/You've Got It<br />The Melodians<br />GAS-109<br />Choo Choo Train/The Load<br />Soul Cats<br />GAS-110<br />Workman Song/Never Give Up<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-111<br />Tell Me Now/The Weight<br />Marcia Griffiths/Stan Hope<br />GAS-112<br />1,000 Tons Of Megaton/Musical Resurrection<br />Roland Alphonso<br />GAS-113<br />Soul Call/Musical Gate<br />Soul Rhythms<br />GAS-114<br />Walking Proud/Why Baby<br />Martin Riley/Lloyd Charmers<br />GAS-115<br />How Long Will It Take/Try To Remember<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-116<br />Personally Speaking/Trouble Trouble<br />The Melodians/Lloyd Robinson<br />GAS-117<br />Too Proud To Beg/Love And Devotion<br />The Uniques<br />GAS-118<br />Wanted/I'll Always Love You<br />Baba Dise/The Sensations<br />GAS-119<br />Never Gonna Give You Up/Let Me Remind You<br />The Shades<br />GAS-120<br />Throw Me Corn/Temptation<br />R Williams/The Hippy Boys<br />GAS-121<br />Jane T/Believe Me<br />Tony &amp; The Hippy Boys<br />GAS-122<br />Phrases/Give Me Faith<br />The Reggae Boys<br />GAS-123<br />Unchained Melody/You're My Girl<br />Honeyboy Martin/Sammy Jones<br />GAS-124<br />Festival Time Parts 1 &amp; 2<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-125<br />If It Don't Work Out/I Am Coming Home<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-126<br />I Who Have Nothing/You Send Me<br />Nellie<br />GAS-127<br />Not Known<br />GAS-128<br />Look What You Going To Do/Hold On To What You Got<br />Vincent Brown<br />GAS-129<br />People Are Wondering/Long Time<br />The Show Boys<br />GAS-130<br />Pink Shark/Swing Free<br />Eric Barnett<br />GAS-131<br />When I Am Gone/She Brings Me Joy<br />The Clarendonians<br />GAS-132<br />The Vow/Why Didn't You Say<br />Slim Smith &amp; Doreen/James Nephew<br />GAS-133<br />Stagger Back/The Creeper<br />Cannon Ball King<br />GAS-134<br />Walking The Dead/Got What You Want<br />Carl Bryan/Trevor &amp; Keith<br />GAS-135<br />Ba Ba/Power Cut<br />Reggae Boys/Glen Adams<br />GAS-136<br />Too Much Loving/Roaring Twenties<br />Mood Reaction<br />GAS-137<br />King Kong/Please Stay<br />The Desectors<br />GAS-138<br />Sail Away/Fight A Broke<br />The Mavells<br />GAS-139<br />Some Day We'll Be Together/Instrumental<br />The Marvels/Derrick Morgan<br />GAS-140<br />Not Known<br />GAS-141<br />Leaving On A Jet Plane/Phrases<br />Glen Adams/The Reggae Boys<br />GAS-142<br />Satan Girl/The Pum<br />Ethiopians/The Matadors<br />GAS-143<br />Change Of Heart/Run Away Man<br />Mood Reaction<br />GAS-144<br />Tammy/I Am Not Your Guy<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-145<br />Striving For The Light/When A Boy Falls In Love<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-146<br />Something Sweet The Lady/Love Letters<br />Pete Western &amp; His Orchestra/Bim, Bam &amp; Clover<br />GAS-147<br />Bumper To Bumper/Fat Turkey<br />Eric Barnett<br />GAS-148<br />Change/Runaway Man<br />Mood Reaction<br />GAS-149<br />Not Known<br />GAS-150<br />What Kind Of Life/It's All In The Game<br />Slim Smith/Martin Riley<br />GAS-151<br />Suzie/Denver<br />Alton Ellis &amp; The Flames<br />GAS-152<br />Lift Your Head Up High(Original)/Every Day Tomorrow(Version)<br />Stranger Cole<br />GAS-153<br />So Alive/Mercy Mr DJ<br />G G All Stars<br />GAS-154<br />I Love You Madly/Greates Love<br />Busty Brown<br />GAS-155<br />Pipe Dream/Suck Suck<br />Ranny Bop<br />GAS-156<br />Daddy, Daddy Don't Cry/I Like It<br />Tony King<br />GAS-157<br />I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself/Whats He Got That I Aint Got<br />Pat Kelly<br />GAS-158<br />Teach Me/Sea Breeze<br />Pat/Rhythm Rulers<br />GAS-159<br />It's Christmas Time Again/If I Could See You<br />Norman T Washington<br />GAS-160<br />To The Other Man/Raindrops<br />Hortense Ellis/Music Blenders<br />GAS-161<br />Lord Deliver Us/Originator<br />Alton Ellis/Neville Hinds &amp; Matadors<br />GAS-162<br />Hotter Than Scorcher/Someday Could You See<br />Hammers<br />GAS-163<br />Work Out/Too Long<br />Donald Lee<br />GAS-164<br />Back To Africa/Delivered<br />Alton Ellis/Neville Hinds<br />GAS-165<br />Greedy Boy/Please Stay<br />Nora Dean/Keith (Slim Smith)<br />GAS-166<br />I Shall Sing/Stand By Your Man<br />Hortense Ellis<br />GAS-167<br />Blood &amp; Fire/33 66<br />Niney &amp; The Destroyers/Roland Alphonso<br />GAS-168<br />What You Gonna Do About It/Halfway To Paradise<br />Ernest Wilson &amp; Freddie/Dobby Dobson<br />GAS-169<br />Give To Me/Why<br />Ken Boothe<br />GAS-170<br />Not Known<br />GAS-171<br />Love/With All Your Heart<br />Pat Kelly</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-3641007314918874701?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-61631637871574509612008-10-18T20:12:00.000-07:002008-11-08T21:51:46.016-08:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVPzPvIowI/AAAAAAAAABw/yZiaIfih-2A/s1600-h/escort805st4.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261699481468445442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVPzPvIowI/AAAAAAAAABw/yZiaIfih-2A/s320/escort805st4.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Escort didn't really set the reggae world on fire on its introduction in 1969, and by the time of its demise in 1971, theEscort label was fortunate to have clocked up over 50 releases. One of Escorts best songs was"What Am I To Do" from Tony Scott, interesting not for the quality of the song, but more for the backing, better known elsewhere as "The Liquidator" by Harry J. Other releases were from such artists as Willie Francis, Owen Grey and the great King Stitt.<br /><br />One quite amazing release on Escort though was "Remember" by Stranger Cole. This song has all the hallmarks of one of the first pieces of dub music ever recorded. It isn't mixed as a dub, but played live with instruments cutting in and out, miles out of tune.<br />Another classic single has to be the Escort release of Bob &amp; Marcia's "Young, Gifted &amp; Black" Released without the strings so prominent on the Trojan version, this song has become a legend among certain collectors. Up to their usual tricks, Pama couldn't just release a different version of the song, but had to also release another version by Denzil &amp; Jennifer. If that wasn't confusing enough, Pama had to release both versions on the same label, with the same number: ES-824.<br /></div><div> </div><div>Escort Discography<br /><br /><br />ES-801<br />Hold The Pussy/Wh-a-pen<br />Kid Gungo/King Cannon<br />ES-802<br />Adults Only/Calalue<br />Calypso Joe<br />ES-803<br />Shine Eye Gal/Who Nest<br />Vincent Foster<br />ES-804<br />Rich In Love/Zumbelly<br />Glen Adams/The Woodpeckers<br />ES-805<br />What Am I To Do/Bring Back That Smile<br />Tony Scott<br />ES-806<br />Early In The Morning/Mr Lonely<br />The Jamaicans<br />ES-807<br />My Love/Windsor Castle<br />Stranger &amp; Patsy/Sweet Confusion<br />ES-808<br />Don't Let Me Down/Romper Room<br />Marcia Griffiths/Reggaeites<br />ES-809<br />Elisabethan Serenade/Don At Rest<br />Sweet Confusion<br />ES-810<br />Pretty Cottage/To Me<br />Stranger Cole<br />ES-811<br />Why Did You/Do You Remember<br />Stranger &amp; Patsy<br />ES-812<br />Hotter Scorcher/Conquer Lion<br />Sweet Confusion<br />ES-813<br />Not Known<br />ES-814<br />Please Stay/Voyage From The Moon<br />Lascelles Perkins/The Matadors<br />ES-815<br />Not Known<br />ES-816<br />Darling If You Love Me/Saturday Night<br />Tony Scott<br />ES-817<br />Bandit/Family Man Mood<br />Errol Wallace/Aston Borrot<br />ES-818<br />Boss A Moon/Brotherly Love<br />S S Binns/Bunny Lee Allstars<br />ES-819<br />Leana Leana/Nana Na Na Nana<br />Stranger "Soul" Cole<br />ES-820<br />Shanghai/Soul Of England<br />Lloyd Charmers<br />ES-821<br />Mango Tree/The Removers<br />J J Allstars<br />ES-822*<br />Pussy/Let Me In<br />Stranger Cole<br />ES-822*<br />Fight For Your Right/Soul Fight<br />Busty Brown<br />ES-823<br />It Grows/We Had A Good Thing Going<br />Martin Riley<br />ES-824*<br />Young Gifted And Black/My Cheri Amour<br />Bob &amp; Marcia/Barrington Biggs<br />ES-824*<br />Young Gifted And Black/I Am Satisfied<br />Denzil &amp; Jennifer/Owen Grey<br />ES-825<br />Stampede/You Were Meant For Me<br />Kuraas/King Stitt<br />ES-826<br />Remember/Loneliness<br />Stranger Cole<br />ERT-827<br />Pop A Top Train/Doing The Moon Walk<br />Fitzroy &amp; Harry<br />ERT-828<br />Not Known<br />ERT-829<br />Bits &amp; Pieces/Nimrod Leap<br />The Pacesetters<br />ERT-830<br />Little Things/Till The Well Runs Dry<br />Stranger Cole<br />ERT-831<br />Everything With You/Picture On The Wall<br />Stranger Cole<br />ERT-832<br />Pussy/Let Me In<br />Stranger Cole<br />ERT-833<br />While There Is Life/Come On Over<br />Gregory Isaacs/Harry Young<br />ERT-834<br />Midnight Sunshine/You Are My Sunshine<br />Family Man/Gregory &amp; Sticky<br />ERT-835<br />African Melody/Man From Carolina<br />G.G. Allstars<br />ERT-836<br />Hi Shan/Soul At Large<br />Lloyd Charmers<br />ERT-837<br />Crock Iron/Memphis Bop<br />Ranny Bop<br />ERT-838<br />Lonesome Feeling/Hopscotch<br />Barbara Andrews/Ranny Bop<br />ERT-839<br />Woman A Love In The Night/World On A Wheel<br />Lord Spoon<br />ERT-840<br />Engine No 9/Do It<br />Moose/Kurass<br />ERT-841<br />Not Known<br />ERT-842<br />Run For Cover/To The Rescue<br />Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers<br />ERT-843<br />A Day Will Come/Version<br />Tartons/Robi's All Stars<br />ERT-844<br />Work It/Good Lover<br />The Melotones/Soul Man<br />ERT-845<br />Man Short/She Want It<br />Busty Brown/Dave Barker<br />ERT-846<br />Me A Tell Yuh/More Echo<br />Victors/Lloyd All Stars<br />ERT-847<br />Knock On Your Door/Set Me Free<br />John Holt/Uriel Aldrige<br />ERT-848<br />Burn Them/Poor Boy<br />Willie Francis<br />ERT-849<br />Chicken Thief/Tomorrow<br />Lloyd Clarke/Stranger Cole<br />ERT-850<br />Yester Me, Yester You, Yesterday/Yes Sir<br />Little Roy/Matador All Stars<br />ERT-851<br />My Love Come True/This Feeling<br />Slim Smith<br />ERT-852<br />Life Keeps Turning/My Girl<br />Slim Smith<br />ERT-853<br />Bachelor Boy/Colour Rights<br />Bill Gentles/Scorpions<br />ERT-854<br />Love Brother/Version<br />Hermen<br />ERT-855<br />One Woman/What Should I Do<br />Lloyd Terrell/Charmers<br />ERT-856<br />Not Known<br />ERT-857<br />Peace Treaty (My Love)/Brainwash<br />The Concious Minds<br />ERT-858<br />Girl Tell Me What To Do/Be Careful<br />Firzroy Sterling<br />ERT-859<br />My Girl/Plus One<br />Slim Smith/Reco<br />ERT-860<br />Rasta Never Fails/Version<br />The Charmers (Ken &amp; Lloyd)<br />ERT-861<br />Love &amp; Unity/Wah No Dead<br />The Maytones<br />ERT-862<br />African Mueseum/Version<br />Sounds Combine<br />ERT-863<br />Bend Down Low / The Burning Feeling<br />Groovers</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-6163163787157450961?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-75808175465632161052008-10-17T18:34:00.000-07:002008-11-01T05:21:50.927-07:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVQXp7VvvI/AAAAAAAAAB4/4TwDjqUPCek/s1600-h/camel13ro5.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261700106974248690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVQXp7VvvI/AAAAAAAAAB4/4TwDjqUPCek/s320/camel13ro5.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Camel kicked off its illustrious career with The Techniques "Who You Gonna Run To", and quite frankly, the quality neverwavered. With releases like The Upsetters "Taste of Killing" and "For A Few Dollars More", Owen Grey's "Girl", along with The Maytones "Sentimental Reason", The Federals (singer Scotty, right)"You Better Call on Me" and The Uniques "Watch This Sound", this is a classic Pama label. Camel released over<br />100 singles: between 1969 and 1973 and as far as I know, changed colour just the once.<br />Other releases on Camel included Slim Smiths "Spanish Harlem" and Alton Ellis' "Wonderful World" and Pama weren't afraid to release such revolutionary sounds as the Lee Perry productions "The Coming of Jah" and "Rasta Band Wagon" by Max Romeo. Camel later released a few mediocre tunes during 1975 including "Wolverton Mountain" by Roman Stewart and "Guilty" from Tiger.<br /><br />Camel Discography<br /><br />CA-10<br />Who You Gonna Run To/Hi There<br />The Techniques<br />CA-11<br />Down In The Park/Love Oh Love<br />The Inspirations<br />CA-12<br />Can't Get No Peace/For A Few Dollars More<br />Monty Morris/The Upsetters<br />CA-13<br />Taste Of Killing/My Mob<br />The Upsetters<br />CA-14<br />Danny Boy/Reggae Happiness<br />Cannon Ball King<br />CA-15<br />Sad Mood/Give It To Me<br />Delroy Wilson/Stranger Cole<br />CA-16<br />Strange Whispering/Hard To Handle<br />The West Indians/Carl Dawkins<br />CA-17<br />Hold On Tight/100lbs Of Clay<br />The Scorchers/The Royals<br />CA-18<br />Facts Of Life/I'll Be Waiting<br />The Melotones/The Termites<br />CA-19<br />Every Where Every One/Go Find Yourself A Fool<br />The Techniques<br />CA-20<br />Since You Been Gone/Cool Down<br />Eric Fatter/W Hines<br />CA-21<br />Wonder Of Love/Cinderella<br />The Inspirations<br />CA-22<br />Run For Your Life/When We Were Young<br />Carl Bryan/Two Sparks<br />CA-23<br />Your Sweet Love/Keep It Moving<br />Soul Cats<br />CA-24<br />Midnight Spin/Money Money<br />Val Bennett/Soul Cats<br />CA-25<br />Girl What You're Doing To Me/Woman A Grumble<br />Owen Grey<br />CA-26<br />History/Just Be Alone<br />Harry And Radcliffe<br />CA-27<br />Sentimental Reason/Lover Girl<br />The Maytones<br />CA-28<br />No More Teardrops/Love Me Or Leave Me<br />Monty Morris/The Maples<br />CA-29<br />Cat Nip/Coo Yah<br />Hippy Boys/Lloyd Charmers<br />CA-30<br />Confidential/House In Session<br />Lloyd Charmers/Tony Cowan<br />CA-31<br />The Warrior/Don Juan<br />The Sensation/Johnny Organ<br />CA-32<br />Power Pack/Throwing Stones<br />Winston Wright/Two Sparks<br />CA-33<br />Beware Of Bad Dogs/Short Cut<br />Soul Mates<br />CA-34<br />Don't Take Your Love Away/Two Lovers<br />Owen Grey<br />CA-35<br />Nobody Knows/Somewhere<br />Junior English/Tony Sexton<br />CA-36<br />Bongo Nyah/Bad Name<br />The Little Boys/The Creations<br />CA-37<br />Every Beat Of My Heart/Don't Cry<br />Owen Grey<br />CA-38<br />Drink &amp; Gamble/King Of The Road<br />Young Freddie/Lennox Brown &amp; Hue Roy<br />CA-39<br />The Three Stooges/The Isle Of Love<br />Bunny Lee Allstars<br />CA-40<br />In This World/You Better Call On Me<br />The Federals<br />CA-41<br />The Worm/Afro<br />Lloyd Robinson/Neville Hinds<br />CA-42<br />Gold Digger/The Mine<br />The Matadors<br />CA-43<br />Scrooge/In The Days Of Old<br />Little Roy<br />CA-44<br />London Bridge/Things &amp; Time<br />Neville Hinds/The Scorchers<br />CA-45<br />Dark Of The Sun/Dreader Than Dread<br />The Matadors<br />CA-46<br />You Come Run/Skank King<br />Little Roy<br />CA-47<br />Black And White Unite/Jumbo Jet<br />The Maytones/Glorias Allstars<br />CA-48<br />News Room/Jumping Dick<br />Glorias All Stars<br />CA-49<br />Since You Left/Bird Wing<br />The Maytones/Glorias All Stars<br />CA-50<br />Don't Sign The Paper/Packing Upm Lonliness<br />Owen Grey<br />CA-51<br />Bring Back Your Love/Got To Come Back<br />Owen Grey<br />CA-52<br />Fight Them/Dreadlock<br />Little Roy<br />CA-53<br />Watch This Sound<br />The Uniques<br />CA-54<br />Eveyday Tommorow/Lift Your Head Up High<br />Stranger Cole<br />CA-55<br />Feel It/Serious<br />Sister/G.G. Allstars<br />CA-56<br />Everybody Bawlin/Mr Brown<br />Dennis &amp; Lizzy<br />CA-57<br />Selassie Want Us Back/Make It With You<br />Little Roys/Roy &amp; Joy<br />CA-58<br />1970/Version Of '70<br />Ron Sig<br />CA-59<br />You Girl/Facts Of Life<br />Roy Shirley &amp; Slim Smith<br />CA-60<br />Groove Me/No Other One<br />Owen Grey<br />CA-61<br />Judas/Me Nah Tek<br />The Maytones<br />CA-62<br />Donkey Shank/Donkey Track<br />Delroy &amp; The Tennors/Murphy's All Stars<br />CA-63<br />Hold On/ Cleanliness<br />The Ebony Sisters/The Maytones<br />CA-64<br />I Will Never Fall In Love Again/La Fud Del<br />Winston Harewood/La Fud Del All Stars<br />CA-65<br />Talk About Love/Love Music<br />Pat Kelly/Phil Pratt Allstars<br />CA-66<br />Black Equality/Big Thing<br />Max Romeo/Winston Blake<br />CA-67<br />Heavy Load/Version<br />Pressure Beat<br />CA-68<br />Rice And Peas/All The While<br />Dandy And Shandy<br />CA-69<br />Be My Wife/Hit Me Honey<br />Delroy Wilson/Walters All Stars<br />CA-70*<br />Guilty/Funny Funny Man<br />Tiger<br />CA-71<br />Silhouettes/That Did It<br />Winston Wright<br />CA-72<br />Crying/It May Come<br />Stranger Cole/Dennis Alcapone &amp; Delroy Wilson<br />CA-73<br />Nothing Can Separate us/Girl I Want You To Understand<br />Owen Gray<br />CA-74<br />This A Butter/Version<br />Dennis Alcapone/Phil Pratt All Stars<br />CA-75<br />Running Back Home/Version<br />Rocking Horse/The Soul Syndicate<br />CA-76<br />I Love you The Most/Version<br />Derrick Morgan &amp; The All stars<br />CA-77<br />When Will We Be Paid/He's Got The Whole World<br />Martin Riley/Willie Francis<br />CA-78<br />Linger Awhile/Version<br />John Holt/Lloyd's All Stars<br />CA-79<br />Seven In One Medley/Part Two<br />Gaylads<br />CA-80<br />Marcus Is Alive/Freedom Train<br />Willie &amp; Lloyd/The Gladiators<br />CA-81<br />Spanish Harlem/Slipaway<br />Slim Smith<br />CA-82<br />The Coming Of Jah/Watch And Pray<br />Max Romeo<br />CA-83<br />Put Me Down Easy/I Want To Go Back Home<br />Groovers<br />CA-84<br />I Am Just A Sufferer/We Want To Know<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CA-85<br />Rasta Band Wagon/When Jah Speaks<br />Max Romeo<br />CA-86<br />Wonderful World/Version<br />Alton Ellis/Fab Dimension<br />CA-87<br />Black Cinderella/Our Anniversary<br />Errol Dunkley/Phil Pratt All Stars<br />CA-88<br />Audrey/So Nice<br />Winston Shand<br />CA-89<br />Take Me Back/Where Do I Turn<br />Slim Smith<br />CA-90<br />Africa Arise/Holy Mount Zion<br />Laurel Aitken/Gi Ginri<br />CA-91<br />Aint No Sunshine/You Are Everything<br />Ken Boothe/Lloyd &amp; Hortense<br />CA-92<br />Only Love/The Ten Commandments Of Joshua<br />Charley Ace<br />CA-93<br />Not Known<br />CA-94<br />Wonderful World/Version<br />Alton Ellis/Fab Dimension<br />CA-95<br />My Confession/Daddy's Home<br />Cornell Campbell/Pat Kelly<br />CA-96<br />Darling Forever/Version<br />The Clarendonians<br />CA-97<br />Not Known<br />CA-98<br />Presenting Cheater/Official Trombone<br />Ansel &amp; Elaine/Ron Wilson<br />CA-99<br />Ten Times Sweeter Than You/Fat Boy<br />Winston Francis<br />CA-100<br />Lean On Me/Samba Pati<br />B B Seaton/The Now Generation<br />CA-101<br />Jamaica Song/Out Of Love<br />Lloyd Charmers<br />CA-102<br />The Man In Your Life/Version<br />Les Foster &amp; Ansel Collins<br />CA-103<br />Must I Be Blue/Version<br />Owen Thompson<br />CA-104<br />Not Known<br />CA-105<br />Room Full All Full/Version<br />The Twinkle Brothers<br />CA-106<br />Everday Is The Same Kind Of Thing/Sweat Of Your Brow<br />Shorty Perry/Sister<br />CA-107<br />Rainy Weather/Version<br />Roy &amp; Joy/The Den Brothers<br />CA-108<br />Baby Someday I'll Want To Know/Version<br />Dennis Brown Dennis Brown<br />CA -2001<br />Miss Wire Waist/Wire Dub<br />Carl Malcolm/Justin Hinds<br />CA-2002<br />Wolverton Mountain/Version<br />Roman Stewart/Carl Pitterson All Stars<br />CA-2003<br />Knotty Screwface/Face Dub<br />Yvonne Harrison/Underground Express<br />CA-2004<br />Lonely Days/Lonely Dub<br />Gregory Isaacs/GG All Stars<br />CA-2005<br />Not Known<br />CA-2006<br />Every Night/Ethiopia<br />Ruddy &amp; Sketto<br />CA-2007<br />La Vien Rose/Spanish Eyes<br />Laurel Aitken<br />CA-2008<br />Lonely Days/Version<br />Gregory Isaacs<br />CA-2009<br />Everybody´s Somebody´s Fool/Version<br />Barbara Jones/The Sunshot Band</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7580817546563216105?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-79631023918567450262008-10-16T22:35:00.000-07:002008-10-16T22:38:29.031-07:00FOREWORD<br />Before you go any further, I want to clear something up... Whilst I have listed many well known brands here this is not a list of clothes that you must wear or we wont let you in the crew, it is just a guide to some of the well known brands that seem to have become skinhead clothing over the years. I truely believe that it is how you feel inside that makes you a skin and it is the wish to be identified as a skin that makes us want to race out and buy "the right" brands.<br />As I was growing up and even now, I could not afford most of these items but found suitable substitutes at much lower prices. Fred Perry's can easily be replaced with $7 Polo shirts from Lowes, Best and Lest or Big W. Target and K-Mart sell button-down collared shirts that look just as good as Ben Shermans for around $20. Places like the Swell Store sell quarter-inch braces for $45 dollars when you can easily make your own simply by buying dodgy braces from woolies and quarter-inch elastic from any good material shop for around a tenner. I think Docs are probably the most expenses item on the list but with the sheer amount of people wearing them these days there are plenty of second hand outlets out there. You can even by $5 skully caps from Lowes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/skinhead_shirts.html" target="ben_sherman">Ben Sherman (Shirts)</a><br />The Ben Sherman company started out in a small shed in Brigton UK in the late 50's and hit the scene in the early sixties with their stylist button down collar shirts, tapered fit, bakc pleats, loop and additional collar button, which proved to be an instant success with the Mods, He opened his first shop in Brighton in '63 and quickly build a large empire of outlets. Mr Ben Sherman was know as a party animal and was often seen out in Carnaby Street, London during the swinging sixties, he died 1987 a very happy and wealthy man.<br />His products were quickly adopted as part of the Skinhead uniform in the late sixties and they have been a staple of Skinhead fashion ever since. There has recently been a resurgence into popularity as factories have sprung up throughout the world including Sydney, which has meant that prices are now very affordable and the range of patterns and prints has improved beyond Ben's wildest dreams.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/newandused.html">Bomber Jacket</a> Also known as Flight or Flying jackets These jackets have always been popular with Skins. The bomber is durable, waterproof, stylist and generally speaking cheaper than a harrington or leather and much easy to find thought the world. <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/newandused.html"></a>Their are two main styles: The original (as pictured) with it's harrington style front pockets, front zip flap to keep out the cold and leather zip tabs and bright orange lining... The Spicer, a cheaper copy with slash front pockets, no zip flap but some do have a hiden hood. There are some people who reckon that the Spicer is the superior jacket but I am not one of them, I know a few people who have had multiple Spicer's whilst I still have my original from over 15 years ago...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/braces_suspenders.html">Braces</a><br />Probably the most unique article of clothing adopted by the Skinhead movement.<br />Braces have been popular since the late sixties but have gradually got thiner and thinner. In the early years they were generally around 1" thick and were the button-on y-back variety . These days the clip-on, cross-over variety are the most popular and if your braces are wider than 1/4" there are concidered too wide (by some). There has been much talk as to whether diferent colours mean different things - it was often said that Red = Facist (But in some cites Red = Communist), White=White Power (Some cities White=SHARP), Black or Blue are probably the safest colors and Daglo and Rainbow are definately NOT cool. In my opinion judging somebody by the colour of their braces is no better than judging them by the colour of the skin or their hair!<br />Braces can be worn either up or down - <a href="http://freespace.virgin.net/lol.marcus/garnett.htm" target="Alf">Alf Garnett</a> always wore his down and was credited with starting this trend. There is also a myth that wearing them down this means you are ready for action!<br /><br />Crombie (Overcoat)<br />Whilst it is almost too hot to wear a Crombie in Australia, I felt that any 'Skinhead Clothing Guide' would not be complete without mentioning it.<br />A Crombie is a wool blend 3/4 length overcoat, with 3 concealed button, one slit in the back, a hanky pocket and two side pockets with flaps, most popular in black, but also available in navy or camel (Light Brown). Wearing a hanky in the top pocket was very popular, mostly red but favourite football team colours were popular too.<br />The Crombie became largely associated with the suedehead movement, who wore bowler hats, smart clothes, highly polished brouges, black crombies and carried either walking sticks or umbrellars to emulate the classic english city gent. This enabled many of them to get up to all sorts of mischief without drawing undue attention to themselves. This was not a common cult movement in Sydney but there were a few of us around in the mid to late 80's when both the general public and the police were continually out to give us a hard time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/skinhead_boots.html">Doctor Martens (Boots and Shoes) </a><br />Dr. Martens were invented in the 1945 by a couple of Germans- Dr.Marteans and Funck (engineer). Apparently Martean had a skiing accident injuring his foot. To make things easier whilst it healed, he and an engineering mate Dr.Funck set about developing a shoe with an air cushioned sole- one that would be comfy yet durable. Funck suggested selling these shoes to others, as they had sold well to German mates.<br />In 1958, Bill Grigg's spots an ad in Shoe Record by Marteans and Funck. They were looking for a overseas companies to produce their unique sole. The Grigg family then acquired global rights to use the air cushioned sole.(Bet they are counting their dollars and thanking the beer god for that decision!). So their factory in Wollaston-Northamptonshire(England) started making the boots and shoes as we know today. The first boot was produced on the 1st April 1960, hence it's name, the1460. "Airwair- with Bouncing Soles" comes from a doddle Bill Grigg had made.<br />The emergence of the skinhead movement saw the first adoption by a British subculture of Dr. Martens boot. In 1968/69 skinheads wore concealed steel toe caps. Steel caps were often polished or painted white, though they were classed as offensive weapons so Dr. Martens soon banished these other styles. The 8 eyelet Air Wear brown was by far the most popular with the laces drawn through the heel tag and the trousers high enough to reveal it. Black Dr. Martens virtually were never worn until well into 1969/70. It became a fad in early 1970 and brown boots were often dyed black. As the year went on Dr Martens developed many other styles but the 8 hole and 11 hole seemed to be the most popular with Skins preferring the ox-blood and cherry red versions.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/skinhead_polos.html">Fred Perry (Polos, Jumpers, Cardigans etc)<br /></a>Fred Perry was Britain's first tennis player to win the Winbledon men's singles, in 1933 he repeated ths achievement in 1934 and 1935, during this period he also three U.S., one French and one Australia Championships. He was well known as one of the world best dressed players and it was not long before he decided to bring out his own brand of sports clothing. although his intial range was white, it was not long before a range of colours were introduce and eventually pipping on the sleeves and collars, the unique weave and tuff fabric make it popular on both the teniss court and as street wear, these were shirts that could be worn during the day and still concidered acceptable night wear. In the mid sixties they were a popular choice with the British Mod movement as they were distictly "British". With the Skinhead cult hot on it's heels, the look was easily adopted and has remain popular ever since.<br />Nowadays, the Fred Perry (street wear) range has been extended to include jumpers, cardigans, Harrington style jackets, windcheaters, hoodies, socks and even underwear. Unfortunately with fame come a price increase, some shops can now charge up to AU$130 for a standard polo. As a result many young skins wear no-name polos to emulate their predecessors.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/skinhead_boots.html">Grinders (Boots)</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/newandused.html">Harrington (Jacket)</a><br />What is a Harrington? - it a lightweight jacket, named after Rodney Harrington, a character on TV's Peyton Place, who was always wearing them. Zip up front and button up collar in a range of colors including black, blue, red, gray and bone and always have a tartan lining. Since the 60's London has been the starting point for many of the most important trends which have always been characterised by songs, symbols and also clothes. <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/newandused.html"></a>Some of those have resisted through the years but only few of them have become a cult: one of these is certainly the Harrington Jacket. Basic but reliable, simple but fashionable the Harrington has nothing to do with new fibres or innovative textiles. People love the Harrington Jackets because of it's unique character: wearing a Harrington Jacket has something to do with a choice, skinheads adopted these jackets as part of everyday wear in the late sixties and they have proved a very popular item ever since. Many other companies now make them including Ben Sherman, Lonsdale and Merc.Levi (Jeans, Jackets and Sta-Press)<br />Invented in 1873, Levi's® jeans are the original, authentic jeans. Levi were the most popular, although Wrangler were also popular too. The Levi's that were worn were always 'Red Tags', 501's or 505's usually with a small stitched in turn-up. The turn-up could be anything from a quarter of an inch to an inch. Some skinheads wore their jeans with an inverted turnup, but this is not very popular these days. The length of jeans can vary, but is usually short enough to show a bit of boot and/or sock. If wearing shoes then usually white socks are worn, but I know many skinheads who prefer to wear red, or Argyle patterned.<br />As well as traditional denim jeans, also popular were Cords or White Jeans. Cords usually had a White tab, instead of red and a zipper fly, and the Jeans a Red Tab. Another popular feature of denim jeans was 'Bleaching' where the jeans were treated to the effects of a bottle of bleach which resulted in a patchy light and dark effect on the denim.<br />Levi also made Sta-Press, these are smart dress trousers which have a crease right down the front and which never need ironing. Once again the best examples of these were made by Levi's, and they were made (as far as I know) right up until the start of the 1980's. The early ones had a much straighter leg than the late ones and side pockets which were almost vertical and closed with a button. These came in a wide variety of colours, although the easiest to find these days always seems to be light blue or beige. Levi's also made them in 'Tonic', which are extremely smart indeed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/skinhead_polos.html" target="lonsdale">Lonsdale (Shirts etc)</a><br />Like a lot of Skinhead clothing the Lonsdale company started life suppling Boxing equipment thru a little shop in Beak street, North London. In the early years, the brand was popular mainly for it's T-shirts and Sweatshirts but more reasently the company has branched out into all sorts of street and casual wear including, hoodies, spray jackets and even their own range of Harrington style jackets. They still continue to make sports equipment but no longer is the label only associated with the noble arts.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/unity2/newandused.html">Tredair (Boots and Shoes)</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-7963102391856745026?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5914032267269759905.post-60725649862141863072008-10-16T22:15:00.000-07:002008-11-01T05:22:51.738-07:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVQ7kBUMCI/AAAAAAAAACA/2_B7I_tSBO4/s1600-h/crab1eh1.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261700723863990306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ui_UboTujng/SQVQ7kBUMCI/AAAAAAAAACA/2_B7I_tSBO4/s320/crab1eh1.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>From the first release in 1968, to the last in 1971, Crab was the most consistent label for skinhead reggae. kicking off with "Children Get Ready" by the Versatiles, the pressure never slows down. The Versatiles had a few more releases like "Spread Your Bed", "I Am A King" and "Promises, Promises" before Derrick Morgan almost made the label his own with about 18 releases.<br /><br />Some of his Boss tunes released on Crab included: "Make it Tand Deay", "Send Me Some Loving" "Hard Time", "Man Pon Moon", the great and original "Moon Hop" which became a British chart hit in 1970, "The Story" and "Take a Letter Maria", along with many others.<br />Sandwiched in between were recordings by Ernest Wilson, "Private Number", "Just Once In My Life" and "Freedom Train", The Uniques "My Woman's Love", Rudy Mills "Wholesale Love", The Tennors "True Brothers", and others by Rupie Edwards, Eric Barnett, The Kingstonians and The Paragons. The killer track on CRAB for me though, is tucked away on the B-side of a G.G. Grossett number called "Run Girl Run" and is "The Drifter" by Dennis Walks. Miss this tune and be forever lacking in this life. Truly a Boss Sound from the Brothers Palmer.<br /><br /><br />Crab Discography<br /><br />CRAB-1<br />Children Get Ready/Someone To Love<br />The Versatiles<br />CRAB-2<br />Fire A Muss Muss Tail/Blacker Black<br />The Ethiopians<br />CRAB-3<br />River to The Bank/Reggae Limbo<br />Derrick Morgan/Peter King<br />CRAB-4<br />Reggae Hit The Town/Ding Dong Bell<br />The Ethiopians<br />CRAB-5<br />Spread Your Bed/Worries A Yard<br />The Versatiles<br />CRAB-6<br />Reggae City/Mellow Trumpet<br />Val Bennett/Cannon King<br />CRAB-7<br />I Am A King/I've Been Waiting<br />The Versatiles<br />CRAB-8<br />Seven Letters/Lonely Heartaches<br />Derrick Morgan/The Tartans<br />CRAB-9<br />Private Number/Another Chance<br />Ernest Wilson<br />CRAB-10<br />Run Girl Run/The Drifter<br />G G Grossett/Dennis Walks<br />CRAB-11<br />The First Taste Of Love/Dance All Night<br />Derrick Morgan/Tartons<br />CRAB-12<br />Work It/You Mean So Much To Me<br />The Viceroys<br />CRAB-13<br />Take Your Hand From My Neck/Equality And Justice<br />The Paragons<br />CRAB-14<br />Please Please/The Destroyer<br />The Caribbeans/The Matadors<br />CRAB-15<br />When There Is You/My Woman's Love<br />The Melodians/Slim Smith &amp; The Uniques<br />CRAB-16<br />Walking By/Promises Promises<br />Vincent Gordon/The Viceroys<br />CRAB-17<br />Freedom Train/You Should Never Have To Come<br />Ernest Wilson/Stranger Cole<br />CRAB-18<br />Don't Play That Song/How Can I Forget You<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-19<br />Hold Down/Who Will She Be<br />The Kingstonians/Barry York<br />CRAB-20<br />Tears On My Pillow/I'm Trapped<br />Rudy Mills<br />CRAB-21<br />Just Once In My life/Mighty Organ<br />Ernest Wilson &amp; Freddy/Glen Adams<br />CRAB-22<br />Mek It Tand Deay/Gimme Back<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-23<br />Send Me Some Loving/Give Me Back<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-24<br />A Heavy Load/Wholesale Love<br />Rudy Mills<br />CRAB-25<br />Brother Ram Goat/What A Condition<br />T Beckford/Starlighters<br />CRAB-26<br />Baff Boom/Feel Bad<br />Tennors<br />CRAB-27<br />Death A Come/The Sword<br />The Viceroys/Matador All Stars<br />CRAB-28<br />Hard Time/Death Rides A Horse<br />Derrick Morgan/Roy Richards<br />CRAB-29<br />True Brothers/Sign Of The Time<br />The Tennors<br />CRAB-30<br />Man Pon Moon/What A Thing<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-31<br />Long About Now/They Got To Move<br />Bruce Ruffin/Lloyd Robinson<br />CRAB-32<br />Moon Hop/Harris Wheel<br />Derrick Morgan/Reggaeites<br />CRAB-33<br />Greater Sounds/Live The Life I Love<br />GG Grosset<br />CRAB-34<br />Not Known<br />CRAB-35<br />Long Lost Love/Uncertain Love<br />Rupie Edwards<br />CRAB-36<br />I Want Everything/Cherry<br />The Tennors<br />CRAB-37<br />Quaker City/Double Up<br />Eric Barnett<br />CRAB-38<br />Devil Woman/Nobody Cares<br />The Tender Tones<br />CRAB-39<br />Without My Love/Here I Come Again<br />Little Roy/Winston Sammuels<br />CRAB-40<br />Big Thing/Exclusively Yours<br />Winston Blake/Rupie Edwards<br />CRAB-41<br />Sharp Pan Ya Machette/Redemption<br />Rupie Edwards All Stars<br />CRAB-42<br />Elusive Dream/Hi Cup<br />Ernest Wilson/Sir Harry<br />CRAB-43<br />Not Known<br />CRAB-44<br />A Night Of Sin/Telephone<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-45<br />Sentimental Man/It's A Lie<br />Ernest Wilson &amp; Freddie<br />CRAB-46<br />Oh Baby/The Rat<br />Derrick Morgan/The Thunderbirds<br />CRAB-47<br />Need To Belong/Let's Have Some Fun<br />Derrick &amp; Jennifer<br />CRAB-48<br />The Pill/Spring Fever<br />Bim &amp; Bam/Tommy McCook<br />CRAB-49<br />Immigrant Flight/Bang Shangalang<br />Bim &amp; Bam/Peter Austin &amp; Hortense<br />CRAB-50<br />Thinking About My Baby/I Wonder<br />UB Barrett<br />CRAB-51<br />I Wish I Was An Apple/The Story<br />Derrick Morgan &amp; The Mohawks<br />CRAB-52<br />Take A Letter Maria/Just A Little Loving<br />Derrick Morgan/Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-53<br />Rain Is Going To Fall/This Game Ain´t Fair<br />Denzil Dennis<br />CRAB-54<br />Rocking Good Way/Wipe These Tears<br />Derrick &amp; Jennifer<br />CRAB-55<br />Tennants/Western Standard Time<br />Jennifer Jones/Rico Rodriquez<br />CRAB-56<br />I Am Disgusted/Fire In Me Wire<br />Bim &amp; Clover<br />CRAB-57<br />My Dickie/Brixton Hop<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-58<br />I Can't Stand It No Longer/Beyond The Wall<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-59<br />Endlessly/Who's Making Love<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-60<br />Having A Party/Man With Ambition<br />DD Dennis<br />CRAB-61<br />Band Of Gold/Midnight Sunshine<br />Joan Ross/The Hammers<br />CRAB-62<br />Hurt/Julia<br />Derrick Morgan<br />CRAB-63<br />I Like The Way/Tell Me Why<br />Winston Groovy<br />CRAB-64<br />I´ve Got To Find My Way To Win Mary Back/Wanna Be There<br />Winston Groovy<br />CRAB-65<br />In The Ghetto/Something Sweet<br />Rip &amp; Law<br />CRAB-66<br />Birmingham Cat/Now Your On Your Own<br />The Invitations<br />CRAB-67<br />Searching So Long/Drums Of Passion<br />Derrick Morgan/Morgan All Stars</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5914032267269759905-6072564986214186307?l=kulturaskinhead.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>AggroCulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06792960022094229869noreply@blogger.com0