Roots Archives Forum

For sure, it's The Cool Ruler for me.

Gregory is always trouble.
Break up the Heinkenstartimes tour 2005.
And is no longer than 30 min on stage.

Vinyl

I got into Sugar much later than Gregory. I only have a couple of Sugar's albums but there are a handful that I still want to get. I have most of Gregory's output from the 70's and early 80's and it is some of my favorite music. He is truly a legend of reggae. I saw him a few months ago, and yes, he didn't sound very good. It is amazing to see some of these roots legends that have been singing for 30 years. People like Burning Spear, Don Carlos, Joseph Hill (RIP), Steel Pulse, and the Abyssinians haven't lost a step. Unfortunately, Gregory Isaacs' talent has diminished considerably. I had to pay the money to see him though. Since he is one of my favorite artists, it was well worth it, but I probably wouldn't do it again. Burning Spear or Don Carlos - I wouldn't even hesitate to pay again.

Intersting discussion.

Actually I think Gregory's good stuff manages to go deep into the eighties. The work he recorded with Gussie in London is still of a very high standard. Very potent sounds.

I wouldn't really want to choose between the two, as others have rightly pointed out, they are both artists in their own right.

So I'll carry on playing and collecting stuff from both of them!

They're both great when they're great, and ARE often great, but when they're not so great they can be dull. I guess that goes for many reggae artists.
Gregory I love for the late seventies African Museum productions, wicked riddims by Sly & The Revolutionaries, and inventive singing from Gregory. Some of his eighties lover's stuff I dig as well, but a lot of it is not to my taste.
Sugar did a lot of super-irie rub a dub stuff in the early eighties. His roots stuff with the African Brothers doesn't do it for me, but then i haven't heard that much. I like Gregory better for roots / rockers and Sugar for rub a dub.