Roots Archives Forum

Does anyone have infos about the Slickers, especially on their "Breakthrough" album. I read that the Pioneers sometimes recorded as Slickers ???

greetings

all i can say is break through was recorded at tad's or maybe tad's is the distributer of the record, me no know, the label says "tads". we got this record in the shop 1 week ago. i could find out what the sleeve is saying within next days,

The SLICKERS and the PIONEERS were two different groups.
The only thing they had in common ,beside their sound, was each group had as a member one of the Crooks brothers, Joe and Sydney.
They also recorded for Joe Gibbs who used to change the credit names of recordings (not uncommon in Jamaica).
In fact a whole Pioneers album (many rivers to cross) was credited to the Slickers!

(sometimes this kind of confusion is intentional)

TAKEN FROM THE LINER NOTES TO BREAK THROUGH

Break Through has been produced by Clive "Lizzard" Hunt in both Black Ark and Harry J studio between 1976 and 1978. Tad's

Here is a presentation text that I get from the label Makasound which also re-released it :

They are one of Jamaica's most mysterious groups and they caused controversy with the song popularized by the soundtrack of the movie "The Harder They Come", in 1972.The Slickers and their 1970's "Johnny Too Bad" occupy a special place in Jamaican music.
Originally founded by Winston Bailey, Roy Beckford and Derrick "Joe" Crooks, the formation changed in 1975, when Winston Bailey was replaced by Abraham Green.
Then in 1980, Green himself left the band to form The Survivors with Winston Bailey.
The career of The Slickers had really taken off in 1966, with a handful of songs recorded at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio. Soon after that, they also worked with Clement "Coxsone" Dood and at Joe Gibbs.
Another group recorded massively at Joe Gibbs between 1967 and 1969: The Pioneers. The own brother of Derrick "Joe" Crooks, Sydney Crooks, was a member of The Pioneers. Derrick himself played with them between 1962 and 1965!
Sydney "Pioneers" Crooks!
Derrick "Joe" "Slickers" Crooks!!
Some of The Pioneers' titles issued by Joe Gibbs were purely and simply attributed to The Slickers, even though the real Slickers were also recording for Joe Gibbs. This confusion endured for several years. Both styles are almost identical with very similar voices. Distinguishing the two requires quite a sharp ear. One can only wonder how Joe Gibbs intervened in this situation, for he was a producer who often ripped off his artists.
The icing on the cake was a Pioneers' album attributed to the Slickers in 1976 (LP: Many Rivers To Cross – Klick.) And this one was not issued in Jamaica but in England. Maybe Sydney Crooks himself was trying to sow doubt. The Pioneers had a contract with the English label Trojan, so why not use the name Slickers that had already aroused confusion a few years earlier? Moreover, the album was supposedly recorded in Japan! A clever way to avoid possible problems in the future.
Change the name, the label, the country and there you have it. Jamaican style!
Meanwhile, the real Slickers had never left Jamaica. They issued remarkable hits such as "Man Beware", "Fussing & Fighting", "When I Come Home", or "Run Fattie", on a regular basis. Their flagship title, "Johnny Too Bad", aroused greed in everyone. Violent quarrels still rage about the copyright, more than 35 years after the original release. It seems that the true author of the song was the terrible badman from Kingston Trevor Wilson, brother of the popular singer Delroy Wilson. Several people, including Bunny Wailer, Winston "Pipe" Matthews of The Wailing Souls, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Niney the Observer, and Delroy Wilson largely substantiate this version.
Of course, the three members of The Slickers claim to be the authors of the song. The truth will probably always elude us. Maybe the best thing to do is to listen to this unforgettable piece.
Between 1971 and 1981, they released around thirty singles that were quite notable and most importantly not controversial. But fame was taking its time. "Johnny Too Bad" was reissued in 1977, this time recorded by Bunny Wailer.
In 1979, when they released their most surprising album, The Slickers were almost forgotten. Partly recorded at Lee Perry's Black Ark, Breakthrough was issued by label Tad's in the USA. Roy Beckford took on "Johnny Too Bad" Upsetter style. Derrick "Joe" Crooks made the chorus and Abraham Green provided the lead vocal on most tracks. This first true Slickers album only deepened the legend and mystery of an almost accursed group.
Coming with some unreleased tracks, here is at last the 2007 Breakthrough, totally livened up and as astonishing as ever.

top band, got the breakthrough album and its very good. some of their 7s from the early 70s are worth looking for too. and maybe even re-issued ernie b :]

ites

ital kemar

This album is the connection between the Slickers and the Pioneers
[cover=6697,4683]
It is actually a Pioneers record, released for some reasons unknown under the monicker 'The Slickers'.

thanx a lot for the very interesting infos!
By the way what do you think about the 2007 ReRelease of "Breakthrough"? Normally the Makasound releases are great, but for me personally "killing" all the versions on this one is a shame!!!

I agree with you zamente - it seems as though Makasound redubbed vocals (or something) on some of the songs from their release of Breakthrough.

I was disappointed with this as well, but still love most releases on Makasound.

Novice

I was a little dissapointed too,
I had never heard this album until I bought the Makasounds version and I was hoping to hear the "DISCO STYLE" versions that appeared on the Tad's vinyl release.

But NO.......
Now even the Tad's re issue on vinyl does not seem to have those versions either!!

waa'appin ?

I still think it is a cool album and I love the version of JOHNNY TOO BAD
but would have liked to hear those Disco versions.

Are they as good as I imagine ?

Hi selecta bing,

to answer your question - the disco versions are BLACK ARK!!! - nuff said

For me personally the original album is a MUST!