Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:53 pm
BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:
FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:
We all know by now that British reggae is not Jamaican reggae. British reggae is made by singers and musicians who have lost real contact with the social, economic, political, and cultural influences and inspiration that provide their Jamaican based counterparts with the meat of the material with which they make their music. British artists have to do without Jamaica. All they have are the sounds from back home and the West Indian community here, one engulfed, possessed, repressed, and depressed by the much larger British community. One subjected to it. When a singer here makes a record the Jamaican experience meets the British experience and the result is a new type of reggae, one which too often aspires in form and construction to the requirements of Radio One.
There`s an awareness of reggae music now that there has never been before. Interest is growing fast. It is noticeable now that people who, two years ago, would not have bat an eyelid have suddenly nurtured quite esoteric tastes. But their taste is for Kingston, Jamaica, not London, England. Reggae`s recognition has come via artists in JA not UK.
Why, even those singers who made pop chart hits between 1970 and `73 will be hard pressed to find a credible argument in support of their own artistry, for their records will be compared, unfairly, to sounds made in Jamaica today> And we must remember that even at the height of their successes, they were denied artistic respectability.
In the last two years especially they`ve found the dice heavily loaded against them. First, Pama Records (which was as much a champion of reggae, at the peak of its activities, as Trojan ever was) was greatly reduced, and then Trojan almost completely collapsed. The Harlesden and Neasden connections all but fell on their faces and dozens of artists were left in limbo. Second, the heavy traffic between London and Kingston has reduced Britain`s reggae singers to frustrated pedestrians. They`re treated with indifference or else ignored altogether.
The accent is on Jamaica, and singers and musicians here pull out all the stops in an effort to get close to the JA sound.But whatever they produce will always be months behind Jamaica no matter how good they are. And of course there`s little artistry and no originality at all in duplication. What British reggae needs now is for one of its artists to make a chart hit, not just with the kind of sound that you would call "rootsy", but one which is also distinctly British. Something like Louisa Mark`s "Caught You In A Lie" than T.T. Ross` "Last Date". Something like Mike Dorane`s "The Ghetto", something big and bold to break down the big barrier that stands directly in the way of respect and success for British-made reggae. Something that will remind the reggae, I mean pop, companies that things are happening here too. Something to persuade the wheelers and dealers to take a cab to Dalston, the Bush, or Brixton, instead of a plane to Kingston. Yes there`s talent here too and it`s about time we started paying attention to it.
Ten years ago there was a mere handful of Jamaicans actually making JA styled music in Britain, only two or three JA music labels. Nowadays it`s a very difficult task to keep track of who is who and what is new. But that`s our business anyway. . . .The names here represent the bulk of British based reggae artists. If your name has been omitted please forgive my clouded memory, or else write angry letters of complaint to the editor. Either will be appreciated. . .
Carl Gayle -
Black Music April 1976:
peace
FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:
We all know by now that British reggae is not Jamaican reggae. British reggae is made by singers and musicians who have lost real contact with the social, economic, political, and cultural influences and inspiration that provide their Jamaican based counterparts with the meat of the material with which they make their music. British artists have to do without Jamaica. All they have are the sounds from back home and the West Indian community here, one engulfed, possessed, repressed, and depressed by the much larger British community. One subjected to it. When a singer here makes a record the Jamaican experience meets the British experience and the result is a new type of reggae, one which too often aspires in form and construction to the requirements of Radio One.
There`s an awareness of reggae music now that there has never been before. Interest is growing fast. It is noticeable now that people who, two years ago, would not have bat an eyelid have suddenly nurtured quite esoteric tastes. But their taste is for Kingston, Jamaica, not London, England. Reggae`s recognition has come via artists in JA not UK.
Why, even those singers who made pop chart hits between 1970 and `73 will be hard pressed to find a credible argument in support of their own artistry, for their records will be compared, unfairly, to sounds made in Jamaica today> And we must remember that even at the height of their successes, they were denied artistic respectability.
In the last two years especially they`ve found the dice heavily loaded against them. First, Pama Records (which was as much a champion of reggae, at the peak of its activities, as Trojan ever was) was greatly reduced, and then Trojan almost completely collapsed. The Harlesden and Neasden connections all but fell on their faces and dozens of artists were left in limbo. Second, the heavy traffic between London and Kingston has reduced Britain`s reggae singers to frustrated pedestrians. They`re treated with indifference or else ignored altogether.
The accent is on Jamaica, and singers and musicians here pull out all the stops in an effort to get close to the JA sound.But whatever they produce will always be months behind Jamaica no matter how good they are. And of course there`s little artistry and no originality at all in duplication. What British reggae needs now is for one of its artists to make a chart hit, not just with the kind of sound that you would call "rootsy", but one which is also distinctly British. Something like Louisa Mark`s "Caught You In A Lie" than T.T. Ross` "Last Date". Something like Mike Dorane`s "The Ghetto", something big and bold to break down the big barrier that stands directly in the way of respect and success for British-made reggae. Something that will remind the reggae, I mean pop, companies that things are happening here too. Something to persuade the wheelers and dealers to take a cab to Dalston, the Bush, or Brixton, instead of a plane to Kingston. Yes there`s talent here too and it`s about time we started paying attention to it.
Ten years ago there was a mere handful of Jamaicans actually making JA styled music in Britain, only two or three JA music labels. Nowadays it`s a very difficult task to keep track of who is who and what is new. But that`s our business anyway. . . .The names here represent the bulk of British based reggae artists. If your name has been omitted please forgive my clouded memory, or else write angry letters of complaint to the editor. Either will be appreciated. . .
Carl Gayle -
Black Music April 1976:
peace