Roots Archives Forum

Great choices all around!

I'd like to rate the first UK reggae band the Cimarons - Maka 1978, their magnum opus imo. Their Live album released the same year is great too.
Black Slate's Amigo 1981 and Sirens In the City 1982 are also crucial.
Another good UK album is Reggae Regular - Ghetto Rock 1984.

I'm also partial to Revelation - Book Of Revelation 1979,
this I find a perfect example of that UK sound.
Another lp in that vane is Capital Letters - Headline News 1979,
Brimstone's Jah See And Know 1981 is also nice.

Not as essential but I also like that early Ub40 sound which you can find on albums like Make a Move by Reality 1982 and Weapon Of Peace's Weapon Of Peace 1981, not strange as the producer is Bob Lamb.

There certainly were a lot of good UK bands around!
What I like best about it, is that almost each band had it's own musicians, not just the same 4 studio bands like in JA reggae, it just gives the music a different flavour.

Peace,
DJ

edit
Forgot one I wanted to mention: Tradition, both vocal and dub albums are prime examples of UK roots reggae.

Yeah, Aswad's Hulet is a really good album. Steel Pulse's Handsworth Rev and Tribute to the Martyrs also.

One I don't think has been mentioned, maybe I missed it, is Great British MCs on the Fashion Label. It's acompilation album with early material from Asher Senator, Philip Levi, Macka B, Pato Banton, Peter King, Laurel and Hardy and others.

Peter King.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyX4hnT1dFE

Ah, forgot to mention. Aswad's Live & Direct. One of my fave live albums.

Also Alpha & Omega - Dub Plates selection vol 2

Another album I'd like to mention as I was listening to it recently is
Vivian Weathers - Bad Weathers
No idea why Virgin hasn't reissued this one.
Peace,
DJ