Roots Archives Forum

I don't know much about being able to tell whether a record is an original or a repress so I'm looking for some help here because I know there is a lot of knowledge on this board.
First album I need help with is Big Joe- African Princess
I picked up a copy of this today at a used record store but I'm a little confused. I got the copy on Thompson Sounds (the one with the image of Africa on it) and the credits say that the Radics are the backing band and was mixed by Scientist. The musicians that are listed in Roots Archives are not the Radics. Where there two different versions of this album? Also, is there a chance this was an original or has this album been repressed?

2nd album I need help with is the Jack Ruby produced Black Slavery Days.
[cover=451,557]
There was also a copy of this but it looked pretty new so I didn't think it was an original. It had the same artwork as listed here in RA and was on the Clapppers label but it also listed it was on the Honest Jons label. Is this a repress?

Thanks for the help
Bless
jp

Honest Jons is the repress.Go for the 12 inch of the skulls - black slavery days on two can records. It is superior to any other release, 7, 10 inch, LP..

http://www.rootsvinylguide.com/10150

And the roots radics were not a solid traditional group. People went and came, so its likely that the musicians listed here on RA did the recording session of that Big Joe album.

Thanks for the feedback ED...still think I might pick up the black slavery days even though it's a repress since it's such a killer album.

I also realize that the Radics had different lineups, but the album actually lists
Stlye on drums
Flobba Holt on bass..yes it is spelled wrong on the album
Bingy Bunny on Guitar
Steely on piano
Gladdy on organ
Skully on percussion

Here on RA they list Horsemouth and Sly on drums, Familyman and Robbie on bass, Chinna on guitar, Ossie Hibbert on organ and Ansel Collins on piano...that's quite a differnt lineup so I'm a little confused.

The informations is wrong on that LP. Those rhythm where used on a slew of different Linval-production and from what I've seen the Roots Radics were never credited to them. The group didn't even exist at the time. The album was backed by the Revolutionaries in one form or another. Great set. The only Big Joe LP I lack... but some day I'll find it.

i agree with ED 12" skulls is excellent

the only downside is that you wont find it anywhere (heavily sought) or when it does pop up its way too expensive (+£100)

i was lucky to obtain that 12 through trading
thats the way to go these days if you dont have big pockets

I figured the info was wrong since the album is from 78 and that was too early for the Radics. I just think that it's strange that it is completely wrong...it's not like they mixed up one musician, it's the whole lineup that's wrong.
So was this album repressed on Thompson Sound or is there a chance that this is an origianl. I'm not finding much info on this release and even if there was a repress I can't find it in any of the online stores. Is this a hard to find album?

'African Princess' on the Thompson Sounds label is a repress from around early 1990s. Like so many others, this suffers from inferior pressing quality and badly rebuilt cover art adding in this case wrong information.
1978 was not too early for the Radics, but they didn't play on this sessions.