Roots Archives Forum

99thfloor wrote:http://www.secretrecordslimited.com

I don't think that site is very helpful though, there are many other releases on other labels and you can't sort the content it in any logical way...

Quoting myself here... I found that if you go to the "shop" section you can actually sort the content by categories which include a general "Reggae/Ska" category and a specific "Burning Sounds Reggae" category (however the latter still includes titles from other labels).

From the Sly and Robbie link:
"Sly & Robbie are the only reggae musicians whose names are internationally known."

Is this true? Kinda sad if it would be true to be honest. And then there are some artists mentioned that S&R have worked with and artistes whose songs they covered. And I'm like.... who the f*ck is Joan Armatrading? Ian Dury? Little Willie John, Al Wilson, Tony Joe White?
Are they really more internationally known than let's say the Barrett Brothers, Jackie Mittoo, Augustus Pablo, Ansell Collins?

I know we Reggae loves are a tiny little minority. But there are more than two Jamaican musicians known internationally aren't there? Sorry for being off topic.

99thfloor wrote: I found that if you go to the "shop" section you can actually sort the content by categories which include a general "Reggae/Ska" category and a specific "Burning Sounds Reggae" category (however the latter still includes titles from other labels).

Ahh okay, they got that at least. Looking at the site right now, they got quite an impressive collection. Most of it not on CD though

Gabranth wrote:"Sly & Robbie are the only reggae musicians whose names are internationally known."

Is this true?

I would say it's pretty accurate, and it is mostly because of their work with non-Reggae artists, and because of their role as producers too. I have seen Sly & Robbie discussed on general music forums, and very little Reggae was mentioned in those threads.

...there are some artists mentioned that S&R have worked with and artistes whose songs they covered.
Are they really more internationally known...

Maybe those aren't all household names, but I would say pretty well known generally.

...there are more than two Jamaican musicians known internationally aren't there?

Music fans who aren't specifically into Reggae really have no knowledge of Reggae musicians. Of the names you mention Augustus Pablo might be known, and that's because he was an artist in his own right (and again producer too). But Pablo is a special case, he, like Lee Perry, seems to strike a chord with Rock fans.

Kinda sad that reggae's so underrated. But that makes up some of its charme too I guess. Anyway I don't know any soul drummers or country organists myself, so when I think about it, it's not that surprising that no one outside of the reggae world knows Jackie Mittoo.

There are two more upcoming from Burning Sounds that I missed in a previous post (they seem to do them four at a time).

Elroy Bailey *Red Hot Dub*: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N64G423

Twinkle Brothers *Rasta Pon Top*: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N9571YL