Roots Archives Forum

Has anyone heard of this band that is backed by Aswad? Don't know too much about them so any info would much so be appreciated.

I have a recording of them what i belive to be a album that i realy like. Don't know the name of it thought. Is there more than one album?

Thanks&Praises

Motion was formed by George Oban when he left Aswad after the It's Not Our Wish/Stranger 12" for Grove Music. They released at least 2 12" singles, Walk On By and No Man Is An Island. These I beleive were originally on a label called Double D, owned by an ex member of a pop group called the Monkees. I'm only aware of one lp from them, mine is on the 10/Virgin label, and my copy of Walk On By is on Blue Bird. I missed out on No Man Is An Island, and had to make do with the lp, which is called Motion. It's not that bad a listen, but its not roots reggae, look on it as a jazzy/reggae/blues fusion experiment which, personally I liked. I haven't heard anything from them since, but I do beleive that George Oban has worked with Aswad since his departure.

Thanks for the nice bio lenroy!

Seen
I believe anyone into reggae enough will find that the quest never ends through the diversity of the muzik.

So Motion is just the ONE album name not the band name with G.Oban as the only member of aswad, this what youseh?

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've got an Aswad question as well...I heard a singer using the riddim of Aswad's "Love Fire" song (New Chapter album). Anybody know who sang over that riddim?

I think that the song you're refering to is Dennis Brown/Aswad - The Promised Land. I think it came out 1982/3. Unfortunately, I got posted out of the UK about that time and took a while to find a source to listen to reggae music, so I don't have it as a single, only taped from reggae shows. If you want it, it should be available off the web.

To pick up on lenroy's answer to the 'Motion'topic it leaves me a bit dazzled that the lp has come out on 10records too which must have been a later rerelease. My copy is on the aforementioned Double D Records label, released in 1979.
George Oban named this project Motion and the record got the same title. Although he had left Aswad you can find members Angus Gaye and Tony Robinson contributing to the recordings.
Aside from this lp and the 12"s lenroy mentioned there can be no other recordings found by them.
I vaguely remember that they did some liveshows in London around 1979/1980.

Aswad released the 12" 'Promised land' with the vocals by Dennis Brown in 1983 on their own Simba label using the "Love Fire"-riddim.
It's quite possible that this really is the one in question BUT around 1990/1991 the riddim was rerecorded and digitally mixed by Fattis Burrell for his Exterminator label. There are some dj and vocal recordings around featuring this newstyled riddim-version (Tony Rebel, Luciano, Mikey General etc.).
Anyway, this has been the first and only time that a riddim not originally built in Jamaica found revives through Jamaican dancehall production.
Big Up Aswad !

Maybe one day soon Angus 'Drummie Zeb' Gaye will put out the collection of 12"s from Simba label featuring all the great collaborations they have done from 1982 until 1984 with the likes of Johnny Osbourne, Dennis Brown, Michael Palmer, Jackie Paris or Patrick Andy.

You're correct. My copy is a re release. It was the only way that I could get my hands on No Man Is A Island back then. I'll have to try and track down a 12" copy of that because there's no dub on the lp. I was fortunate that on a visit back to the uk, one of my cousins gave me a cassette with the 12" version on, unfortunately, tapes don't age well.

i want to find this record where can i find it??

You will have to search a long time mate...

There is a copy of No Man Is An Island on Gemm 's website for... £71 plus Gemm's 5% commission and postage! I'll wait, thank you.