30 Years Ago This Week

[Rob Strictly-Rockers]

Black Echoes reported that -

Bob Marley was recovering after being shot in the arm and his manager Don Taylor was critically ill after being shot five times when he threw himself in front of Marley. This all happened in the run up to the Jamaican Elections on Dec 15th.
The Heptones released the Party Time single and announced that the album of the same name would be released in January1977.
Other singles released:
Tired Fe Lick Weed In A Bush – Jacob miller
Bionic dread – Dillinger
Pitchy Patchy – Junior Byles
Gimmie Gimmie – Errol Holt
Zion Call – Prince Far I
Starvation – The Pioneers
Regulation 15 – The Revolutionaries
Stop Pickin’ On Me – Max Romeo
The Truth Has Come Again – Jacob Miller
Album released:
Pablo Moses – Revolutionary Dream (Tropical Sound Tracs)

Matumbi headlined a Rock Against Racism gig at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore. Jacob Miller and Inner Circle signed a Worldwide contract with EMI/Capitol
UK Reggae Top 20
1 Soldier And Police War – Jah Lion
2 Black A Kill Black – Gregory Isaacs
3 Pick Up The Rockers – Tapper Zukie
4 Jah Bring I Joy – Bobby Melody
5 Ballistic Affair – Leroy Smart
6 Movin On – Tradition
7 MPLA – Tapper Zukie
8 Three Babylon – Aswad
9 Telephone Line – Tony J/Alton Ellis
10 Bionic Dread – Dillinger

UK LPs
1 MPLA – Tapper Zukie
2 Blackheart Man – Bunny Wailer
3 Far And Distant – Willie Lindo
4 2000 Volts Of Holt – John Holt
5 Aswad – Aswad
6 Hit The Road Jack – Big Youth
7 Man In The Hills – Burning Spear
8 Trenchtown Mixup – Gladiators
9 Rastaman Vibrations – Bob Marley
10 Before The Next Teardrop Falls – John Holt

Popular pre-release in London included:
Tribute To The Duke – Doctor Alimantado
Slave Driver – Horace Andy
Three Wise Men – Earth & Stone
Words Of Wisdom – Jah Stitch
Kingston 11 – Royal Rasses
Eastman Skank – Dillinger
Judas De White Belly Rat – Lee Perry

And finally a play called ‘Irie’ was scheduled for production in the New Year by a California based company called Reggay Ltd.They claimed to have signed a number of would be actors including Bob Andy, Dillinger and Ras Karbi.

Regards
Rob

[Papa Ahmz]

Rockers was the boss style 30 years ago..still true to this day for me

[Litelet]

Cool Rob, go on every week like dis!

[leggo rocker]

But what were YOU all doing 30 years ago....

I was working for a Bank, a hated job. Riding my first motorcycle, a CB200 as immortalised by Dillinger (and others).

And I was dating a very fiesty little blonde...

[I-Lion Tafari]

Hi Rob!
Enjoyed reading this. Thank you. Please go on like dis. When I read it, it seemed like yesterday to me. Am I getting older!?
Cheers,
I-Lion

[James]

I was in college. The Rock Against Racism movement was something I'd only just heard of. I bought from the import bins mostly and Blackheart Man was in there (this was in Northern CA--the import bin was the most likely place to find Reggae, or anything else good at the time).

I haven't thought much about stuff like this in a while. Thanks!

[Rob Strictly-Rockers]

Thanks, I'll try and do more if work allows. Also there are one or two gaps in my magazines (Black Echoes, Black Music, Blues & Soul) from the period.

I think we're all getting older. I had an Afro in 1976 now I've hardly got any hair! I also had a worse job than Leggo Rocker - I worked in an Unemployment Benefit Office.

Regards

Rob

[leggo rocker]

Rob, That was a thankless task in the dark days of '76 - 77...

As for hair, hmm, I remember the stuff. I had a Bowie cut modelled on his as seen on the inner sleeve of the Pin Ups LP.

And James reminded me of those wonderful rock against Racism gigs/marches from London. And there was a gig in Central London - Trafalgar Square, probably in 78/79 though, as part of CND. We charged the Police in an attempt to storm Downing Street.

My God, they really were the good old days.

[Rob Strictly-Rockers]

Hi Leggo,

Yep, those were the days and like you I had a Bowie Cut (before the Afro)in 73/74. Wasn't hair a wonderful thing for making a statement.

Regards

Rob

[leggo rocker]

* sigh *

So without hair, how do we make statements now!

I use my own self printed T-shirts with my own slogans.

Possibly my favourite one has the following printed in Ransom Note font (like Sex Pistols, made from newspaper letters cut ot torn out)...

It reads:

"Don't confuse me for someone who gives a shit"