This LP from the boot sale was inside the wrong sleeve so picked this one from Ebay - not sure it's right but will have to do. It's no great shakes as a sing-along record with boozy pub crown led by Bernard Bedford - whoever he might be? Not much gleaned from the internet. A short extract here to give you some idea of how it sounds. I have fond memories of the TV show from Leeds Varieties in the 60's and 70's which sounded similar to this but somehow better. I suppose it was the injection of ...

The result of musical training that began as young as age 5, CHERRI BOMB serves up an impressive full-length debut on  THIS IS THE END OF CONTROL . Out this week on Hollywood Records, the album shows a band that performs at a level well-beyond their years - something no doubt guided and honed by manager Samantha Maloney (drummer formerly of HOLE, MOTLEY CRUE, PEACHES among others) and the production team of Red Decibel (Adam Watts, Andy Dodd & Gannin Arnold), while brought to a perfect mix by Chris Lord-Alge. Hollywood Records Cherri Bomb

Lloyd Brevett the upright bass player and founding member of the seminal Jamaican ska group The Skatalites passed away this morning at Andrews Memorial Hospital in St. Andrew, Jamaica where he was being treated following a stroke and a series of seizures. Brevett was 80 years old. Together for just 18 months between 1963-1965, The Skatalites recorded many timeless instrumentals including “Eastern Standard Time” and “Guns of Navarone” for a variety of producers, most notably Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd.

A poem by William Dodd.

macaronic \mak-uh-RON-ik\, adjective: 1. Composed of a mixture of languages. 2. Composed of or characterized by Latin words mixed with vernacular words or non-Latin words given Latin endings. 3. Mixed; jumbled. noun: 1. Macaronics, macaronic language. 2. A macaronic verse or other piece of writing. Macaronic is related to the word macaroni. Specifically, the pasta is named after the Southern Italian dialect maccarone, which was also associated with a mixture of Latin and vernacular languages. IJS I'm Just Saying: Used to add emphasis, or express irony. Can also be used to express sarcasm. Can be used on the back ...

More greats from the reggae pile. Another double "A" side with Desmond Dekker and The Maytals sharing the honours on this 1968 single on the Pyramid label. Wikipedia says of Desmond Dekker - "He was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres in St. Andrew, Jamaica and grew up in Kingston, where he attended the Alpha Boys' School. After his mother took ill and died, his father moved him to St. Mary, and then to St. Thomas, where he apprenticed as a tailor before returning to Kingston and taking a job as a welder, singing around his workplace while his co-workers encouraged him. In ...

More reggae from 1974 - this time Winston Jarrett on the Atra label. Wikipedia says - "Born in 1940 in Lime Tree Gardens, Saint Ann Parish, Jarrett grew up in the Jones Town area of Kingston after moving there with his mother at the age of five. There, he was taught to play guitar by Jimmy Cliff and Alton Ellis. Jarrett's introduction to the music industry was as a member of Alton Ellis's backing band The Flames in the early 1960s, formed when Ellis's original singing partner Eddie Perkins emigrated to the US, singing on hits such as "Dancecrasher ...

Double "A" sided single featuring the Soul Vendors and The Ethiopians on the Studio One label from 1967. The Soul Vendors - "The Soul Vendors the group that gave us 'Rock Steady', the phrase originated by Coxone Dodd, the record producer and owner of Studio One studio. This new sound was much slower than Ska, stronger base line and a persistent shuffling rhythm together with some very fine sax and trumpet solo's, and the organ was used to greater effect. The vocal styles were very soulful, heavily influenced by the USA soul and R & B records of that period. "Rock Steady" by Alton Ellis issued in 1967 on the Treasure Isle label sums up the new style, using repeat upbeat guitar riff and the brass section answering the vocals, beautiful sax solo, even a vocal backing group, all added up to a suberb production by Duke Reid who went on to make this new sound his own. " Wikipedia says of The Ethiopians - "The group started out recording for Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd in 1966. Dillon had previously released some mento songs under the name Sparrow">Jack Sparrow. Around late 1966, Morris left the Ethiopians. Having left Dodd, the Ethiopians started recording at Dynamic Studios for the W.I.R.L. label, releasing the rocksteady "Train to Skaville", which was their first success. In 1968, they recorded the song "Everything Crash", their first big hit. The song criticised the political situation in Jamaica at the time, such as water rationing and power cuts that led to unrest; such as an incident in which ...

More ska from 1965 on the Blue Beat label. Classic Prince Buster that wasn't a big hit like Al Capone etc. but sounds pretty good to me now. Wikipedia says - "Cecil Bustamente Campbell, O.D. (born 28 May 1938), better known as Prince Buster, and also known by his Muslim name Muhammed Yusef Ali, is a musician from Kingston, Jamaica. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music. The records he made on the Blue Beat label in the 1960s inspired many reggae and ska artists. Campbell began his ...

Kathargo Records 2012 Pure Steel Promotion had Switzerland's Rizon listed as melodic power rock. Given the fact that I had never heard of this group I approached this release with caution. Lately the bulk of promo material I've accessed from Pure Steel has been of the traditional heavy metal variety so I found myself wondering exactly what would be in store for my ears. With two albums already to their name ("Evolution" in 2005 and "Sudden Life" in 2008) this 7 (!) piece band proved that you shouldn't judge a band by their promo description. The band (lead ...

More ska/rock steady on the Rio label from 1967. Bob Andy's official website says - "Bob Andy (born Keith Anderson) emerged as a solo star in 1966 with the smash hit "I've Got to Go Back Home", a song which has become a much-loved anthem for Jamaicans. He had served his singing and songwriting apprenticeship with the legendary vocal group THE PARAGONS, which he founded with Tyrone (Don) Evans and Howard Barrett, later joined by John Holt. The Paragons had several hits for producer Coxsone Dodd including the Number One "Love At Last", penned by Bob. As one ...

A rock steady single on the New Beat label from 1971. La La Means I Love You was originally a hit for The Delphonics in 1968. Todd Rungren did a passable version on his Wizard- A True Star album in the 70's or perhaps the early 80's? I think I prefer the original though this has a certain charm. Wikipedia says - "Ellis was born in 1938 and grew up in Kingston's Trench Town district. Born into a musical family, he learned to play piano at a young age. He attended Ebeneezer and Boys' Town schools, where he ...

Excellent instrumental ska track by Roland Alphonso on this single that also features Andy & Joey. Made in 1965. Wikipedia says - "Alphonso came to Jamaica at the age of two with his Jamaican mother, and started to learn saxophone at the Stony Hill Industrial School. In 1948 he left school to join Eric Deans' orchestra and soon passed through other bands in the hotel circuit and first recorded as a member of Stanley Motta's group in 1952, going on to record frequently as a session musician. In 1956 he first recorded for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, although these early recordings were lost before they were mastered. In 1959 he joined the band of Cluett Johnson named Clue J & His Blues Blasters and backed many of Dodd's recording sessions in a typical Jamaican R&B; style. He also acted as arranger at many of Dodd's recording sessions. By 1960, he was recording for many other producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd "The Matador" Daley and King Edwards, as well as continuing to work for Dodd, contributing alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, and flute to recordings. During this period he played in many different bands, such as The Alley Cats, The City Slickers, and Aubrey Adams & The Dew Droppers. In 1963, after few months spent in Nassau, Bahamas, he took part ...

A single on the Ska Beat label from 1965. Not much info on her website but a short biog. says- "It all started for me at Studio One, the record label that was like the Motown label in America. It was owned by Coxson Dodd, the master mind behind us all. He signed me n the early 1960s, and i had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful performers and musicians who were also signed with him includng Bob & Rita Marley; Peter Tosh; Bunny Wailer; Slim Smith; Wilson">Delroy Wilson; joe Higgs; Ken Boothe; and the Skatalites. I really liked Bob ...

Another ska single on the Blue Beat laebl from 1961. Bobby Kingdom also known as Bobby Muir but further info. very slim on this artist. If you know any more do enlighten us! Wikipedia says - "Blue Beat Records was a label of Emile E. Shalit's Melodisc Records company. Melodisc specialised in Calypso and Mento music, and was formed in London, England in 1947, with strong ties to the West Indies. Shalit founded Blue Beat in 1960 as a label which focused on U.S inspired Jamaican Blues and R&B; recordings which would later evolve into ska- after the positive ...