Roots Archives Forum

For me the best Gladiators release is the Virgin 12" Evil Doers/ Pocket Money. Never bettered imo. The instrumentation, vocal interplay and mixing is just sublime.
In 1978 I saw The Gladiators at the Brighton Top Rank. Fantastic.

I agree chromium1 that 12" is absolutely fantastic. That must have been a wonderful concert back in '78. Got any photo's???

j j

Lee Perry produced track "Time" is one of my favorite Gladiators tracks, tough roots vibe...


Talking to roots fans over the years, I feel like most people have great respect for early Gladiators material--not so underrated in my opinion.

Saw the group a few years ago with Albert's son on vocals, was not particularly impressive, but perhaps off-night?

Original Gladiators are mighty and striclty roots.
Why is Albert Griffiths no longer on board?

I-Lion Tafari wrote:Original Gladiators are mighty and striclty roots.
Why is Albert Griffiths no longer on board?

he is too sick to continue and passed the torch on to his son

correct, he passed the torch on Father and Sons, a fine Gladiators album from 2005.

j j wrote:I agree chromium1 that 12" is absolutely fantastic. That must have been a wonderful concert back in '78. Got any photo's???

j j

How I wish I had. But no, unfortunately not.
In the late 70s every thursday was reggae night at the Brighton Top Rank Suite. The first I saw there was Dillinger. Somewhere I have a small promo b&w photo - he threw some into the crowd.
Then there was the Gladiators, Culture, Gregory Isaacs, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, Eek a Mouse, Barrington Levy and others I can't remember (Ranking Dread was one).
The reggae gigs continued into the early/ mid 80s but by this time there was a bit of a heavier element in the crowd and the good feeling diminished slightly for me.
Before it was punks, hippies, soul fans and rastas.... but by the mid 80s I detected a heavier mood.

About Tony Robinson. I can witness that, when I visited Albert Griffith at his home back in summer of 1994 (with his guitarist of back then Brian Silverman, who drove me there), I asked about TR: "a thief, the man a thief" was the reply I got. "Thief a man, you even steal a rastaman" G. Isaacs

Here is how I see it: Richard Branson from Virgin invested in Jamaican reggae. Loaded with cash, producers like TR could afford great studio time, engineer, bands, etc. and focused on quick money, probably the major part for himself. That said, what type of money is Tony doing today? The bands, for those alive, have survived him financially, and perhaps physically (is the guy alive?) Virgin, with Tony Robinson, like Dodd, Island, CB, were a unique opportunity to promote the artists internationally. Looking back, I am convinced many jamaican artists would have loved to record for free for these labels way back then. These Virgin recordings still act as a "reason to buy" concert tickets and/or music from these artists today. No better PR possible.