Junior English records have never been sought after in the UK, mostly sold to the older generation of Jamaicans with very little crossover to the younger or white audiences, his first two albums are genuinely very scarce, the later ones used to turn up regularly and cheaply, when the Japanese were buying up UK Lovers rock by the container for pennies a record I don't recall them grabbing his records, they were much more into the female artists, but I may be wrong, it was a long time ago.
Warm & sunny weather here so reviving this cooler than cool Channel One | Well Charge | Dub Me Baby ~ LP VITAL DUB ~ STRICTLY ROCKERS ~ Well Charge ~ LP ~ U.S. edition "The majority of the tracks are dub versions of Mighty Diamonds classic Channel One LP : Right Time / I Need A Roof."
So why the nickname “King of Lovers Rock”? Was it simply the volume of releases inundating the market, or was it recognition of talent (echoes of “Mr Rocksteady” Ken Boothe and “Godfather of Rocksteady” Alton Ellis)? To hear that black Jamaicans embraced and dubbed the artist with that title makes sense, perhaps to lose traction with the M.S. diagnosis. I guess my questions are framed around Lovers Rock being a UK phenomenon, with parts of the world today just now waking up to it. There are a lot of artists from that era I’d like to learn more about. And buy their records. Guess I need to exchange for some Yen.
Heyo. Where do I go from Ranking Joe - Weakheart Fadeaway? I've tried U Roy, who is toasting over versions, whereas Ranking Joe is Toast style vocals on original tunes. Thanks.
You really have to try U Brown & Trinity. There are 2 very nice compilations on Blood And Fire. U Brown´s Train To Zion, and Trinity´s Shanty Town Determination. I really love both of them.
Just to add to the Wailing Souls recomendations earlier, I'm surprised no one mentioned Firehouse Rock and I would also add Wailing. Ive enjoyed their recent album produced by Alborosie, Back A Yard which has a bit of that Roots Radics/Channel One vibe to it, theres also a Dub companion album credited as Alborosie Back A Yard Dub. Dubmart mentioned the poor pressings of the Studio One albums. I have a Studio One CD which sounds like a straight flat transfer which could possibly be picked up at reasonable cost. Incidentally I love Sugar Minott's take on the Fire Coal Man riddim, the clacton sound always reminds me of the end of a Ghost Train ride, the Black Roots 7" I have sounds pretty good, better than the youtube clips available https://youtu.be/dVuIM6k0Lrw Edit; looks like the CD is pricey now The Wailing Souls - Wailing Souls
Don´t want to be unpolite, no one mentioned Firehouse Rock & Wailing, because in a earlier post "Dubmart" told that every album until Stranded is worth picking up. Personally I also enjoy later albums as Lay In On The Line and Kingston 14.
I've never heard him called "King of Lovers Rock", Gregory yes, Junior English no and apart from Gregory there were plenty of others ahead of him in the sales and popularity stakes such as Winston Reedy, I never saw Junior English perform, but doubt he was mobbed by hundreds of female fans, and selling out large venues. In the last twenty years people in the UK have sort or woken up to what they are missing, or in some cases decided to replace their old copies of tunes and big Lovers Rock singles now go for decent money, there have also been some reissues, though nowhere near the level of Roots, but having released a few Lovers tracks I can tell you that even now the demand is hardly massive and tunes like "Silly Games" are readily available at reasonable cost. Lovers was a UK phenomenon, but you always had Jamaican tunes that were thematically similar, and then you had a lot of Jamaican artists such as Gregory and Sugar Minott jump on the bandwagon, the genre got its name from Dennis Harris who called one of his many labels Lover's Rock most notable for putting out early Brown Sugar, (with Soul II Soul's Caron Wheeler), then you had Lloydie Coxsone and the teenage Louisa Mark who was very important early on, then Dennis Bovell bringing chart success with Janet Kay, Winston Edwards with Studio 16, Mad professor with Sandra Cross, Kofi, (ex Brown Sugar), and others and Fashion with Janet Lee Davis etc. There were also a ton of male vocalists, but you get the idea, I think the UK's willingness to embrace female artists and give them careers, something Jamaica almost never did, coupled with a huge and economically important female buying base in the UK meant it was a sub-genre that just couldn't have happened in Jamaica and that's why several Jamaican artists came here to perform and record. I think Soul Jazz put out a couple of comps, the Caroll Thompson album has been reissued, and I think Ariwa have reissued a few bits, some of the DEB music was reissued in the last twenty years and is still available, our reissue of the Janet Lee Davis album on CD should be around cheaply, the two mid-nineties Rodigan comps are a bit Ja. biased, but include some great tracks and aren't silly money, I think a few in demand singles have been reissued, but reissue singles prices are crazy, my advice is to pick up albums and comps, narrow down what you like and feel free to ask questions.
There are some excellent tracks by the Wailing Souls post "Stranded", I just feel that when recommending things you have to be selective and have a cut-off, there are very, very few artists you can say just buy everything, let the person asking see the wood from the trees.
If you want original rhythms then check out Prince Far I, perhaps "Message From The King" also for some reason I feel you might like Dillinger "CB 200" and maybe Jah Lion "Colombia Colly" which is all Lee Perry rhythms.
There’s a fair bit of recent ‘hipster’ action around lovers covers of soul tracks. Athens of the North have put out a couple of comps and some singles, like: For The Love Of You, Vol 2.1, by Various Artists
Interesting, but I think I'll pass, the Blood Sisters is a good cover and has been in demand for years, you also reminded me that this is out:
Talking about artists mobbed by female fans…I saw Gregory several times live at my hometown in the early nineties, and female fans throwing their underwear/panties on stage
His Dim The Light album is a favourite of mine, one side is Lovers with side 2 being a bit more rootsy lyrically. Produced with Jackie Mitttoo at Channel One but still very much a UK vibe. His Crossover album on UB40's DEP label was pretty good too imo. He was brilliant live around this time as well, I recall a very memorable gig at a club in Brighton. Pity Winston has never seemed to equal those successes, he's re recorded some of those tunes but there pale imitations imo. https://i.discogs.com/k349MubzLRQRk...LTY0MDI4/MS0xNDgyNTE1NjM1/LTgwNTYuanBlZw.jpeg Another band from those times worth a mention I think is One Blood and the album Super Showcase. I seem to remember the track The Girl I Adore being played out everywhere at the time. https://i.discogs.com/X0Vjn2utH4VzN...TIzNjcx/OTctMTQzMDMzNDM3/MS00ODI2LmpwZWc.jpeg There was a time when I was quite into the Lovers Rock style and have quite a few 12"s, I just loved the more polished production values on many of those records and they sounded fantastic on a good sound.
Creation Time is a very nice album imo. I own this album since almost 2 months. As every lp on The Jamaican Art Records label, a gatefold jacket, plenty info and foto’s and original master tapes has been used. Highly recomended.
Notifications acting up again, it's always for this thread, maybe the forum thinks I should take a break from it... I had no idea that had been released either, how many unknown recent S1 reissues are there hidden out there? The thing is that this one doesn't even come up if you go to the Studio One label page on Discogs, I don't get how that works because the listing links to the proper Studio One label page but when you go there it is not included in the list. The reissues of Get Ready Rock Steady and Soul Vendors On Tour aren't in the list either, maybe because they're on the Coxone label, but it should still show up since it's linked as a sub-label. It's one of their best, but there's absolutely plenty more that's essential, they are one of the most consistent Jamaican vocal groups in my opinion. Essential albums (besides Wild Suspense): The Wailing Souls - Wailing Souls Wailing Soul - Soul & Power Wailing Souls - Wailing Wailing Souls - Fire House Rock Wailing Souls - Inchpinchers Wailing Souls - On The Rocks Wailing Souls - Stranded Important compilations: Wailing Soul - The Best Of Wailing Soul (*) Wailing Souls - The Very Best Of Wailing Souls - Wailing Souls At Channel One (7's, 12's And Versions) (*) Wailing Souls - Most Wanted: Classic Cuts 1978-1984 These overlap but there are enough differences with mixes and tracks lenghts that I think all needs mention (the last two are basically expanded versions of the first two). For me their Channel One material from the late 70s period between the Studio One and Greensleeves albums is the best, so the *-compilations are important, start with the Pressure Sounds. Noteworthy later albums: Wailing Souls - Lay It On The Line Wailing Souls - Kingston 14 Wailing Souls - Reggae Ina Firehouse Wailing Soul - Stormy Night Wailing Souls - All Over The World They may have put them out already, just without telling anyone, going by how they've been handling things lately... Thanks for letting us know! There is actually a shop here in Sweden that seems to have a S1 connection and has it for sale (for £30/$40 shipped), haven't seen it listed anywhere else yet. I think especially The Same Song but also Unconquered People and Why You So Craven are the most important. I guess we are talking LP here, but on CD The Same Song is around in a few different versions, Pressure Sounds did it (one of their very first releases) with a different cover where the title track is present in the extended mix (I think the corresponding LP has the regular version), then there is also an EMI CD that has four bonus tracks, extended versions and dubs (including the title track, so both short and long versions are present). Nice one, lots of tracks we have before but some new to CD even though not Dennis's own but among the versions (dub or deejay), can never have enough DEB. But no CD... This seems to have become the pattern when they reissue older titles. Although there are some cases where they do CDs as well and even make them "coloured" variations like the vinyl! Perhaps more well known as Vital Dub in this Virgin/FrontLine pressing. Maybe try some more deejay albums on Greensleeves? Weakheart Fadeaway is GREL 2 and GREL 3 is Jah Thomas Stop Yu Loafin’, seems like the perfect next step. I guess you are referring to Hopelessly In Love which Trojan did an expanded version of, but one of the latest announcements from Doctor Bird is a similarly expanded reissue of the second album (weird that they put them on different labels): Carroll Thompson: Carroll Thompson, Expanded CD Edition - Cherry Red Records
I have the Pressure Sounds but in this case I prefer the EMI, I think it has better sound Have you heard Back A Yard, I mentioned it earlier, I really like it. Its wouldnt trump any of the earlier classic albums but it's still a very good listen imo
Is there anyone on this forum familiar with Carl Campbell´s Zion Dub album (1978)? I saw on Discogs that there is an unofficial reissue on Carl´s Records from 2017. I was wondering if this unofficial reissue is worth picking up. If the pressing and sound quality are decent maybe I will grab it. Only 1 original copy available for 270 €. That makes the 20 € for the unofficial reissue interesting I think.
I ordered this reissue yesterday. Will receive it next tuesday. It’s a very short album, running time aprox 25 minutes.
