Roots Archives Forum

Hello there!

I am new to the forum, my name is Jordi and I am from Barcelona.

I have always loved reggae music and I have started (without even realising at first!) building my little collection of reggae, ska and rocksteady on vinyl.

I was just wondering if any of you please could tell me if there are any good record guides on reggae, specially jamaican 7 inches pressings?.

Is it very hard for me a lot of times to know which are first or latter pressings on many labels, which songs are on the B sides, etc.....I have hundreds of unanswered questions!.

Thanks you very much in advance for your attention and keep it up!

Jordi.

I've never come across a guide to reggae singles but for LPs and artists the best book i've come across is

'The Rough Guide to Reggae' - 3rd edition or later by Rough Guides

For a general overview and historical overview

'Bass Culture - When Reggae Was King by Lloyd Bradley

Good Luck!

Hi Jordi and welcome,

Check out "Roots Knotty Roots" by Michael Turner and Robert Schoenfeld available both as a book and online.

I hope this helps.

The short answer is no, but RKR, Roots Knotty Roots, available as a book, software and a website is a useful place to start, unfortunately Jamaican labels often repress using the original stampers and similar labels so matrices aren't always a useful guide.

Study ebay auctions, especially from the reliable sellers, this will give you some idea, then make friends with experienced collectors who will answer your questions and let you handle their records are my best suggestions.

To be expert at telling whether a Jamaican pressing is from the sixties, seventies or brand new requires years of experience and the opportunity to inspect the record in the flesh, unfortunately there is no real alternative.

http://www.strictly-vibes.com/

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/

http://www.graalrecords.fr/
http://www.graalrecords.fr/disco.htm

Peace

Dubmart wrote:The short answer is no, but RKR, Roots Knotty Roots, available as a book, software and a website is a useful place to start, unfortunately Jamaican labels often repress using the original stampers and similar labels so matrices aren't always a useful guide.

Study ebay auctions, especially from the reliable sellers, this will give you some idea, then make friends with experienced collectors who will answer your questions and let you handle their records are my best suggestions.

To be expert at telling whether a Jamaican pressing is from the sixties, seventies or brand new requires years of experience and the opportunity to inspect the record in the flesh, unfortunately there is no real alternative.

What he said. It's knowledge built up over years of collecting...and it's much like vocabulary in that's it's one-time transferable, you can't tell sopmeone every word you know, but it's in there.

"Reggae Discography" by Hermann Moter.
It lists about 3000 LPs with country of origin, label, and cat.number.
First published in 1983. Don't know, if there ever was an (updated) reprint.

Lost Shoe wrote:"Reggae Discography" by Hermann Moter.
It lists about 3000 LPs with country of origin, label, and cat.number.
First published in 1983. Don't know, if there ever was an (updated) reprint.

is this still available around Lost shoe ??

also, if you like the black ark sound, or lee perrys productions in general, you cant be without 'give me power, a complete discography'. by david katz.

ital kemar

DUDLEY 1NE wrote:

is this still available around Lost shoe ??

I'm afraid not. I guess you have to find it second hand.