Roots Archives Forum

Hey all. Kinda new to forum. If anyone would be kind to give me some suggestions for reggae songs with similar sound and style I'd be very happy.

1. First off my favorite version of answer riddim
Lone ranger - The answer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKmelL9RI9E
Pretty original sound, bit wacky, never really heard anything like it myself. Might be one of a kind. But if you know the producer/studio maybe you know something similar.

2. Second is this heavy roots sound that focus a lot on bass and drums that you see a lot of King Jammy, scientist and sly and robbie dubs off. Focus is also often on trumpets and vocals are often "slow" if that makes sense. For some reason Johnny Clarke is on many of these riddims. Studio 1 I think. Often the sound is a bit "wonky"
Some examples
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT9_5HIKwE8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaBL74UwjgA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CidKqMi-sY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M8iD24Gl8k
rasta can't stop loving dub - sly and robbie
I realize there is a lot of reggae like this. Just post your favorite songs in similar style and I think I'll be plenty satisfied.

thirdly any tips of 70ths reggae songs that have similar vibes as these songs. that are "playful" "funny". with funny/wonky/uplifting trumpet, flute, melodica or organ melodies. Often similar songs have talk in intro or more talklike "vocals", often less focus on lyrics that are, at least on first glance, meaningful.
gg allstars - 2000tons of t.n.t.
tommy mac cook + stranger cole - last flight to reggae city
Harry J - liquidator
Maxie - wet dream
are the ones I can name on top of my head. Anything you can think of that has a clear 70ths sound to it and being playful in its sound really works. post your favorites!

- Johnny

I always associated #2 with Bunny Lee, Johnny Clarke, flying cymbals and that sort of stuff. In fact, I think most of the tunes you mention were produced by Lee (at least according to the labels). It was pretty much the style of the mid to late 70s, and is sort of personified by Johnny Clarke. Rockers basically...

There are too many good tunes to even begin to remember, but here are a few that are not the typical Johnny Clarke or Cornell Campbell tunes:

Delroy Wilson - Live Good
Michael Rose - Born Free
The Jewels - Jah I
Leroy Smart - It's A Long Time Now

I think Max's answer to #2 is exactly this, flying cymbal, rockers sound. Too much to name artists, especially that some artists (like delroy wilson for example) had been performing for many years before that and all the sound u will find from them will not be "rockers" style.

So, me think, if you want rockers sound, just check out whatever was made in the late 70's, especially whatever was done by Sly & Robbie back then (they kind of invented the rockers sound, or atleast are being credited with it). Rockers is hard to define, most of the time I speak about a more mechanical, aggressive way of playing the drum and the bass.

Example: Delroy Wilson meets Sly & Robbie, great album, with old tunes from delroy recut in a more rockers style.

Another influent singer/producer of that time, straight from my head, is Linval Thompson. And if you like dub, in a rockers style, start out with Aggrovators (Striker) and/or Revolutionaries (Channel One). Both those 'groups' have Sly at the drums and Robbie at the bass (not always tho)

To summarize:

Artists: Johnny Clarke, Cornell Campbell, Linval Thompson, Al Campbell...
Period: Late 70's
Studios/Labels: Many, but mostly Channel One is known for it.

Now i realize re-reading your post that you mostly wanted song examples, and you probably know much about sly & robbie already but... oh well i wrote all this

#1

I am not sure if what you liked most is the toaster or the track itself.

For me this track is typical of the late 70's Studio one recuts and overdubs.
Late 70's, Studio One golden age had passed (especially i think due to this rockers craze on the island).
BUT, they had a huge, huge catalogue of songs and riddim at their disposal, many of which they recut with toasters/DJ's on the track, sometimes redo with the original artists...
but mostly they had the tunes redone by (the soul vendors)(brentord rockers)(sound dimension)(which are mostly just names for the musicians that were in session this day) with amazing B-sides, very light and soulful versions. I personaly just love it, going back to it over and over again.

Ill try to give a few links this time: (sry quality is bad sometimes, like your lone ranger link ^^)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64U9hxhCih0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaUogagVebE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cbo0D5sZ1w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMhFBV4tiJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8I7WRSPltU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci5mMy6al7M

PS: Recuts might not be the good word, most of the time they are new cuts on a old rocksteady/early reggae riddim, with a few effects added, and/or a organ/bongo/guitar let loose through the track. But as i said before, the effects are generally light/soulful, in comparison to the hardest, rockers dub of that period.
PS2: Late 70's also is not 100% accurate, rather all troughout the 70's.
PS3: I mostly put DJ's on the links aformentioned, because of the lone ranger link you sent. But i think Studio one wasnt especially famous for their DJ cuts. They are famous for their immaculate riddims, and the specific atmosphere that emerges from their songs.

#3 OK this time i try to be concise!

Early Reggae / Skinhead Reggae. Typical Harry J sound (RIP)

- Clancy Eccles
- Lloyd Charmers
- Prince Buster
- Early Upsetter (check out this LP - Many Moods of the Upsetter)

a few links...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x68lK2Xtbnw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQuie_5zBks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZA43GJGf-0

You can start with the Trojan Instrumental Box Set, some good tracks in here.

You can download a podcast i made that is i believe in the same style (no talk, only music):

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9_xPM8 ... sp=sharing

I hope all this was helpful to you, and if you like the podcast, don't hesitate and ask for more, got plenty!

Oh i almost forgot, last thing on my mind: KEITH HUDSON

Thanks Max! I'll search more. Very fine tunes you linked.

And thanks a lot Balughetto. as for 2, I try and search more in that era and see if I can find more what I'm looking for. Nice suggestions all good artists but I guess what I look for is a bit vague its not 100% what I look for. Might be that its just a personal thing I have with a few of those songs. For me they have a slightly different sound to many other reggae songs from that period.

as for 1 very nice! spot on. Yeah I meant the sound not the artist. Lone ranger - tribute to bob marley. Is this the same guy that performs in the movie land of look behind? If you haven't seen it you should! Jah Hugh - Down Presser Man fits my taste very nicely! Yeah bad quality but who cares if the track is killer. Hope I can find it a bit better though. And all the others are top tunes I'll add to my collection.

and the skinheadreggae songs posted are also spot on! much appreciated. I heard this term before with this music just didn't think it was commonly accepted. I search for more with that in mind. and the podcast is absolutely awesome I love it. I might get back to you to know what a few of the tunes are.

i am glad u liked it

may be i was wrong using the term skinhead reggae, i myself have trouble defining it (but its definetly related with UK). May be someone can tell us more!

I give you the tracklist of the podcast, sometimes it is useful

Lee Perry - All Combine part 1 & 2
Boris Gardiner - Scarface
Dice The Boss - Gun The Man Down
Upsetters - Prove it
Sound Dimension - Upsetter's Dream
Winston Wright & Larry McDonald - Reuben
Sound Dimension - In Cold Blood
Pablove Black - In Cold Blood Pt 1
Lyn Taitt & The Jets - El Casino Royal
Upsetters - Prove It (take 1)

and a link to a jah buzz studio one tune i just discovered and liked, to bounce back on #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-zpBV4lRhQ

blessings

again, #1

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9_xPM8 ... sp=sharing

focusing on "a love i can feel" riddim.
all tracks studio one, i believe the same sound as you were refering (but not so much deejay-ing).

tracklist:

Intro: The Temptations - A Love I Can See (Original SOUL CLASSIC)
Track 1: John Holt - A Love I Can Feel 7" (a love i can feel riddim)
Track 2: Derloy Wilson - Give Love A Try 12" (?)
Track 3: Barry Brown - Give Love 7" (Heptones Gonna Fight riddim)
Track 4: Carl Dawkins - Rythm Of My Heart 7" (A Love I Can Feel riddim)
Track 5: Carl & Sound Dimension - Rythm Of My Version 7" (A Love I Can Feel riddim)
Track 6: Bob & Marcia - Always Together 12" (Really Together Riddim)
Track 7: Basil Daley - Hold Me Baby Version 7" (Hold Me Riddim)
Track 8: Silvertones & Sound Dimension - I Wanna Be There Version 7" (Pick up the pieces riddim)
Track 9: B.B. Seaton - Proud As I Am 7" (A Love I Can Feel Riddim)
Track 10: Alton Ellis - Let Him Try 12" (Let Him Try Riddim...)
Bonus: Maureen Thomas & Jim Nastic - Wicked Intentions/Original Riddim (A Love I Can Feel riddim)

I was at a reggae club this friday and they also used the term skinhead reggae for this so it seems to be the accepted term.

Ah another very nice tune that.

Thanks for track listing.

... dual