Roots Archives Forum

reggae_ragga wrote:always thought steppaz was some electronic technoid type of dub like on dubhead cds, very awful arrangements with tiny cheap instruments.

rockers instead is a live music which is very nice to listen to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PryeuTij3lM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PIVOdFl_1U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX5XSLzLz-Y

this is UK sound system talk that's been taken over by collectors, Ebay pushers and people too young to have hear it in the mid - 70s.

The JA drummers who "invented" those "styles"....don't know what you talking about and when asked they'll tell you a different "definition" depending on the day.
Musicians create music, "experts" create names afterwards.

As ambiguous as other widely used terms that actually are not definitions:"rubadub", "dancehall", "lovers rock",....and of course the biggest one, "roots"!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5M-yABK ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stHRzsBn ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_8v7GG ... re=related

Gwaan Horsey !

Inyaki wrote:this is UK sound system talk that's been taken over by collectors, Ebay pushers and people too young to have hear it in the mid - 70s.

The JA drummers who "invented" those "styles"....don't know what you talking about and when asked they'll tell you a different "definition" depending on the day.
Musicians create music, "experts" create names afterwards.

As ambiguous as other widely used terms that actually are not definitions:"rubadub", "dancehall", "lovers rock",....and of course the biggest one, "roots"!

If these are not good enough to be representative, what terms should we use?

Use whatever terms others understand, just dont expect them to be definitive. I think Inyaki put it very well, musicians dont tend to think in these terms, collectors and selectors do!

My point was that names are inventions and as such relative....depends who you talk to.
Musicians don't see Reggae ( even music as a whole) as a something that should be "defined", classified or limited as if it was a science.

Same old story with Jazz or any art in general.
Writers write books, librarians collect them and classify them. Same way, Reggae "experts" (journalists, reviewers, collectors, etc...) like to classify...musicians create music.
Just my opinion....no need to get nasty

Inyaki wrote:My point was that names are inventions and as such relative....depends who you talk to.
Musicians don't see Reggae ( even music as a whole) as a something that should be "defined", classified or limited as if it was a science.

Same old story with Jazz or any art in general.
Writers write books, librarians collect them and classify them. Same way, Reggae "experts" (journalists, reviewers, collectors, etc...) like to classify...musicians create music.
Just my opinion....no need to get nasty

I like your point. But a question,
Dancehall (I'm speaking bout nowadays dancehall) is a sub-genre of Reggae (I would say?) and music-wise it is much different then all the Rockers and Steppers as mentioned.
Wontya seh so?

Peace love & unity.

one A way..."Nowadays" Dancehall is, as you would say, a sub genre of Reggae
but MOST of it is so ONLY IN NAME.
It is, as you would say, MUCH different to what is termed Reggae.
I would say it is only a sub genre of Reggae because it is being made by Jamaicans and evolved out of Reggae.
MOST of it is not Reggae anymore.
It is Jamaican.....what ???? Rap ? Hip Hop ?
Just a bunch of terms, but Reggae it ain't !
Not nowadays.

one-A-way! wrote: I like your point. But a question,
Dancehall (I'm speaking bout nowadays dancehall) is a sub-genre of Reggae

to me dancehall is older than roots. all the music before the tune "Do the reggae" came out was more of dancehall type, calypso, covers of american music all of that is dancehall. I was listening a TIGER tune wa day and it was not "beep beep" tiger, I am talking about Tiger from 40s/50s or not sure, now the lyrics and the riddim were very similar to "modern" dancehall music. simple lyrics with a lil joke in a it, and de riddim was like a slow dancehall riddim from structure like blue drawers (gimmi de woman dem by capleton).

selecta bing wrote:one A way..."Nowadays" Dancehall is, as you would say, a sub genre of Reggae
but MOST of it is so ONLY IN NAME.
It is, as you would say, MUCH different to what is termed Reggae.
I would say it is only a sub genre of Reggae because it is being made by Jamaicans and evolved out of Reggae.
MOST of it is not Reggae anymore.
It is Jamaican.....what ???? Rap ? Hip Hop ?
Just a bunch of terms, but Reggae it ain't !
Not nowadays.

Tru tru