The Gladiators ...underappreciated?

[blackarkrock]

Bellyman wrote :swaby974 wrote :"Back To Roots" lp from 1982 was produced by a french.
I didn't know if it was released in others countries(before Tabou1).

link" target="blank">link" target="blank">
These are exactly the same, and I doubt the recordings were produced by the french guys who are mentioned on the european release 'Back to Roots'. Maybe they put up some money (and herb) to get the permission to release this album outside USA and JA.

Kackie Knafo is the French guy who produced the album. By producing one means pay for the sessions. Jackie had a concert promotion business in Paris and organized the first Burning Spear concerts in France, had the Gladiators at his place for a month because they had been dumped by an unscrupulous tour promoter.

He then went to JA with them and recorded the Back to roots album.

Prior to that period, during the Virgin albums, the Gladiators were managed by Prince Tony Robinson, who stole the tapes and released the album under a different name and a different song sequence on his own label. Typical Tony.

I met Jackie and he let me release Back to roots. Cool guy. He had bought a sex shop in the red light district of Paris Pigalle and everytime a Jamaican artist friend of his would visit town, they made sure to come check him at his store!!!

I also met Tony in Miami in the late 90's. He wanted to license some material for which he had no rights. Nice guy but...

Thanks for this info!

Reminds me of Culture´s "Africa Stand Alone" (April Records 1978). In an interview (probably in NME) after the release of this, Joseph Hill stated that the tapes were stolen and released without the groups knowledge and permission.

I recall that the Gladiators LP was first released as "Babylon Street" on Jam Rock Records (or TR International) - it appeared on the Sounds reggae charts on January 16, 1982 - and only later in 1982 as "Back To Roots" on L´Escargot France / Stunt Sounds UK. Can you confirm this?
And when/where were the bonus live tracks on the Tabou1 CD recorded?


Afterthought:
This makes me wonder if the Jam Rock LP "Reggae To Bone" also was released without the group´s permission...
Or did they really re-unite with Tony in 1982/83?
Hmm...

[Mighty M]

top songs:Serious thing,Naturality

[MatejkoFarI]

I don't know. I first heard their debut album and immediatelly fell in love with it. The riddims were heavy, the vocal harmonies were perfect, really liked the message. It still is one of my fauvorite reggae LP's. But then I heard proverbial reggae and other followups and was very dissapointed. I didn't like them at all. So, for me, just their first LP, averything rest - sorry, not for me.

[giant panda]

top songs:Serious thing,Naturality

Nice to see someone else appreciates Serious Thing. Great song on a great album. It's completely solid, with no frills, all skills. It has one of their best closers too, in My Thoughts.

I don't know. I first heard their debut album and immediatelly fell in love with it. The riddims were heavy, the vocal harmonies were perfect, really liked the message. It still is one of my fauvorite reggae LP's. But then I heard proverbial reggae and other followups and was very dissapointed. I didn't like them at all. So, for me, just their first LP, averything rest - sorry, not for me.

maybe give them another chance? Proverbial Reggae isn't instantly accessible to everyone. The first 2 songs (Jah Works and The Best Things in Life) are surprisingly dread/mystic. Fantastic songs, but depending on your expectations it may repel you. I think this might have been the case for me as well, I can't recall with certainty but suspect I had the same initially reaction.

[gbougard]

I recall that the Gladiators LP was first released as "Babylon Street" on Jam Rock Records (or TR International) - it appeared on the Sounds reggae charts on January 16, 1982 - and only later in 1982 as "Back To Roots" on L´Escargot France / Stunt Sounds UK. Can you confirm this?

Back to roots came out before in France. Stunt had a licence.

And when/where were the bonus live tracks on the Tabou1 CD recorded?

82 in Amsterdam. i saw these concerts and was with the group the whole time they were in Paris. Awesome. It was at Mutualite.

Afterthought:
This makes me wonder if the Jam Rock LP "Reggae To Bone" also was released without the group´s permission...
Or did they really re-unite with Tony in 1982/83?

Their relationsip with TR is a complex one...

[blackarkrock]

I recall that the Gladiators LP was first released as "Babylon Street" on Jam Rock Records (or TR International) - it appeared on the Sounds reggae charts on January 16, 1982 - and only later in 1982 as "Back To Roots" on L´Escargot France / Stunt Sounds UK. Can you confirm this?

Back to roots came out before in France. Stunt had a licence.

And when/where were the bonus live tracks on the Tabou1 CD recorded?

82 in Amsterdam. i saw these concerts and was with the group the whole time they were in Paris. Awesome. It was at Mutualite.

Afterthought:
This makes me wonder if the Jam Rock LP "Reggae To Bone" also was released without the group´s permission...
Or did they really re-unite with Tony in 1982/83?

Their relationsip with TR is a complex one...

Thanks a lot!

So, to clarify, was "Back To Roots" on L´Escargot released in 1981 before "Babylon Street" - or was it released in 1982 before the Stunt Sounds pressing?
The latter is what I have believed so far...

And I sure wish I had seen the group live back then!

[Paddy]

Available for few days

Clinton Fearon still at his best in Paris :

http://www.franceo.fr/emission/clinton-fearon/83011947

Is it a painting by Fluoman in the back ?

[blakbeltjonez]

Afterthought:
This makes me wonder if the Jam Rock LP "Reggae To Bone" also was released without the group´s permission...
Or did they really re-unite with Tony in 1982/83?

Their relationsip with TR is a complex one...

i would think anyone who's been involved with Tony Robinson has had a "complex relationship" with him!

kind of a shame he's got that kind of rep, i love a lot of
what's come out on TR GrooveMaster/High School/State Line etc.

[Sammy]

"anyone who's been involved with Tony Robinson has had a "complex relationship" with him!"

Can you enlighten me on this matter? I am interested to know more. I remember Junior Byles singing in "Dreader Locks" 'Prince Tony is a phony', I suppose Byles was upset cause he produced a song "Let Locks Grow" (Curly Locks riddim) by Barrington Spence.

[gbougard]

So, to clarify, was "Back To Roots" on L´Escargot released in 1981 before "Babylon Street"

yes