Roots Archives Forum

I have troubles finding the difference between Rockers and Steppers. In the Rough Guide to Reggae (which I read over and over again) says something like "steppers is a more militant take on rockers" but no more than that... I've always thought that it's reggae with a march-like drum beat like Culture's "Black Starliner" (from Two sevens clash).
So that is the question
How can I identify a stepper riddim?
Can you list some good tracks or lp? (specially Jamaican, cause I know there's lot of steppers music in England)
Bonus Question: Is Rockers just another name for reggae roots from let's say 75 - 80? Has rockers any particular feature? I wonder because the soundtrack for "Rockers" has a variety of tunes, from the rural sound of Justin Hinds to hardcore sound of Bunny Wailer's "Rockers"
Maybe love songs weren't considered rockers tunes? I don't know, cause Gregory Isaacs sang really good love tunes in roots style...

Please anyone, enlighten me...
Bless
Jah Rastafari

Hi bred... look on Blood and Fire for more infos... There is no consensus on the term... except that Rockers is a drum riddim with a drum kick on all counts... like stepper.

Then... some say there is no difference between rockers and stepper... and I agree that probably no Jamaican drummer woud have the same definition... some other say yes...

I would say yes, the Rockers for me is typically jamaican, of the late 70's (more or less 77-80) with the specificity of having more snare drums, and especially on the third beat (the one of the ONE DROP...). It make so the ROCKERS a little bit warmer and energic than a Stepper which is 100% based on the bass sound of the kick... and as you said very common in UK 80's stuff...

Respects

Thank you very much...
Any other opinion, please???
Bless

C'mon, no one else????

Blessed!

Steppers seems to me to be very occursnt in the 80's - and has a focus on the kick drum, it seems very militant and ponding to the ear

Rockers - definatly occurant in 70's roots scene, veryt cultural and relying on the sanre drum resting pon the 3rd beat.

Respeck

Check disya Site fi more info

http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/

My understanding is that Steppers Rhythms came from the influence of Jonkanoo (Afro-West Indian festival) drumming, especially the double beat typical of Sly Dunbar in the mid-late 1970's. I may be talking rubbish of course!

No - Snow Leopard - your quite true

But as i said steppers has a quitre militant sound to it, easily recogisable

IRIE ITES

Here's how a Reggae musician friend of mine explained it to me.....

ONE DROP = Bass drum and snare on the 3rd beat of 4/4

ROCKERS = Bass on 1st and snare on 3rd

STEPPERS = Bass on all 4 beats snare on 3rd

(Steppers is the original DOOF DOOF, yet another first for Jamaica !!)

Well, I'm quite aware now in terms of technical explanations... now let's make a list...
Please Jamaican tracks or LPs in Steppers style... Only Jamaican

Blessed!

Sorry Selecta Bing, but to me Bass on 1st and snare on third is clearly a dancehall beat. Rockers and steppers both feature the "four to the floor" pattern. The difference comes from the use of the snare, or the rimshot.
But I have never found a clear explanation of the difference. Even the JA drummers I could talk to had different vision of it.