Blind Owl Blues – The Mysterious Life and Death of Alan Wilson by Rebecca Davis – A review

Blind Owl Blues ~ a review

Just finished reading this. If you’ve ever wondered who that quiet guy in Canned Heat was, the one standing at the back looking sheepish, playing a blinding bit of bottleneck, or singing that high falsetto vocal on ‘On The Road Again’, then read this book.

An illuminating entre into the late 60s psychedelic band scene on the West Coast and for those uninitiated into Blues music past and present.

The book suffers from the ‘relatively’ recent rash of online self publishing; it desperately needs an editor’s hand and a true story-teller at the helm, but we get the information we came for and it’s that which counts. Wilson, underrated and overlooked has his story told and we are assured throughout that the facts as they are presented are well researched and balanced.

You’ll be introduced to some of the characters in the story, Bob Hite the frontman and singer, Henry Vestine the talented but drug addled lead guitarist and Larry Taylor the driving and truly talented bass player.

Wilson and his compatriots were there right at the birth of the Blues revival and he and some of his friends rediscovered a number of the artists who would go on to lead that revival, at the same time as giving honour to the past, they blew the cobwebs off of their old  78s, re-worked the old tunes and re-dedicated their blues to the power of amplification.

Wilson wrote both of their biggest hits, ‘On the road again’ and ‘Going up the country’, they played the Monterey and Woodstock festivals and their output soundtracks the 60s as well as anything by anyone else. Many Blues revivalists consider Wilson to be THE under-rated figure of that age and the book tries to re-balance history, place him centrally as an important figure and to chart his compulsive obsessive love of Blues music as it transformed into and equally obsessive love of nature, particularly Sequoia trees. Intrigued?

U-Roy UK tour 2013 Don’t bother, you’ll come home disappointed. A Review.

Brighton 27th March 2013 U-Roy

Simple as this, Headlining on the promotional material, U-Roy was on the Mic in  2 and a half hour period for about 8 minutes.

Banditry. The promoter will be getting a letter from the trading standards authority telling them why a customer was desperately unhappy at the way in which he and many others were treated. General Trees and Little Twitch, who were not hardly highlighted on the poster for the gig, took the Mic and rocked the house for an extended period and did so with nuff style, some great tunes, well-selected and some fine toasting and boosting of a now non existent Stur Gav ‘Sound’, in my opinion a wallet of cds and a few self promoting specials by the likes of Blender and Coco Tea do not constitute a Jamaican Sound System, but I was prepared to let this one drop… not however the shit way the punters were treated by both promoter and U-Roy.

Daddy Roy, or Robber Roy as I think I’ll be referring to him from now could have taken the Mic at any point he so wished, and yet he preferred to stand with the selector, staring at an iPad for much of the gig, occasionally looking on with a wry smile. Probably thinking of the money he was raking in for doing…. urr… exactly zilch! Perhaps he was on eBay trying to buy up some of his rare back catalogue on auction.

Bandit Bizness by Promoter and Daddy Roy

Truly shameful performance by someone I once had a great deal of respect for. This was an example of something I’ve seen before and yet another occasion where ‘white bwoy a follower’ stand and listen to supposedly roots and culture artistes tell them about all about one love, unity, peace and love and equality while having their wallets washed out by people who don’t live what they preach and teach.

Shame on you.

More Tasty Bogumils

Hi Lp favorite collector Bogumil shit here I took a well-deserved break from the potato crop for the purchase of some much need for regeneration Lps Damn, have a few of my favorites here to see ..

If this best, wonder what could be worst? And what is so majics about accordion, do it explode in his face on final crescendo?

Cavemanos?

Viagra in you teas Mr?
Yes you will need it Mr. I am hungry for you like a wolf.

Happy Pianos? Bryan Smith, spelt with luxurious Y.. love of pianos .. got brYan arrested.

Larry oh Larry, recorded in Nashville? Yes, but with epileptic session musicians, him not say.

By day mild mannered hammond organ player, by night, Porno cinema owner, Bremen Germany, specialising in unusual actions with vegetations.

Lynn, oh Lynn, you went for cheap cosmetic dentistry with special offer at veternarians. And your pink cock hat is just wrong wrong wrong girlfriend!

Rare 70s re-issue with single tone of red appearing, original early 70s of this lp only brown brown and more of it brown.

A Colourful Storm special..

121 Bigmikeydred Reggae Radio – a colourful storm special

December 06, 2012 12:21 PM PST

A while back a team of guys asked me to come up with something for their organisation, A Colourful Storm, with pleasure I complied, and this is it.
An aural expedition into the Carribean, I hope you like it, it’s long, and sometimes the pace drops, though generally, I really like it and really enjoyed doing it.
It’s always nice to be asked. I’m posting it up as a bigmikeydread reggae radio ‘show’ so that listeners to my normal show can get hold of it and enjoy it, and to spread the word.
Normal service will resume at a later date.. until then..

Tracks may include:

Seventy Two Nations – Dadawah – Peace and Love Lp – Trojan
Distant Drums – Rico Rodriguez – Jama Rico – Two Tone records Lp
Fly Away – Lopez Walker – Blood and Fire Children Of Jah cd
Tears From My eyes – Jackie Opel – Ska down Jamaica Way – Top Deck Warner – Cd/Lp/Double cd promo
Goombay Drums – Blind Blake – Authentic Bahamian Calypsos – Art Lp
Roll On My Carribbean Sea – Bahama Lullaby Lp – Island Artistes Ltd
High Tide and Low Tide – Wailers – Catch A Fire – Deluxe edition un-dubbed lp version – Island cd
King In My Empire – Cornel Campbell – Rhythm and Sound 10″
Blood On his Lips – Scientist – The Evil Curse of the Vampires Lp
Climbing Up The Mountain – Missionary Quintet Bahamas – Folkways 10″ Lp
East of the River Nile – Augustus Pablo – Dub Reggae and Roots from the melodica king Ocho Cd
Rose Hall – The Revolutionaries – Thrillseekers 7″ Single
Dark End of the Street – Pat Kelly – Lee’s 7″ Single
Can’t Take Another World War – Clint Eastwood and General Saint – Greensleeves Two Bad Dj L.p.
Ark of the Covenant – Congos – Heart of the Congos Lp – Black Art / Blood and Fire
Ghostbusters – Early B – Blaack Solidarity 7″ Single
Trip To Mars – Prince Buster All Stars – Rocka Shaka Vol 5 Cd
Look Out for the Devil + Dubwise – Junior Dan – Honest Jons cd/10″
Plant Up – Prince Far I – Dub Encounter Chapter 3 Pressure Sounds Cd
Slipping Into Darkness – Carl Bradney – PK Records 10″ / Blood and Fire cd
The Firmament – Alpha and Omega – Dubplate Selection Vol2
Brain Mark – Jackie Mittoo – Champion of the Arena – Blood and Fire Cd/lp
Poem (track 6) Count ossie & the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari – proper/Retro Records Cd
Silent Satta – Augustus Pablo – Dub Reggae and Roots from the melodica king Ocho Cd
East of the River Nile – Augustus Pablo – Dub Reggae and Roots from the melodica king Ocho Cd
Chuck It – Jack Wilson and Demon Rockers – honest Jon’s/unity cd
Man of the Living – Wayne Wade – Yabby U 12″ Single
Got A Light – Vivian jones – Shaka 12″ Single
Ayahtolla – Jackie mittoo – Blank 12″
Garden Of Life – Leroy Sibbles – Big Spanner Ajax 12″
Tabu – Cyril Diaz – Soundway 10″
Righteous Rastaman – Early B – kingjam 10″
The Vampire – Upsetters – Upsetter 7″ Single
Rose Lane – Lennie Hibbert – Creation Studio One Lp
Fidel At The Control – Heaveyweight Dub – Inner Circle – Simply Vinyl Double Lp
Shockers Rock – Skatalites/Brentford All Stars – Studio One sorchers Instrumentals – soul Jazz triple Lp
Money Generator – Karl Bryan – Studio One sorchers Instrumentals – soul Jazz triple Lp
Off the Beaten Track – African Headcharge – off The Beaten Track – On U Sound Lp
The Hindu – ? – The Junkanoo Club Presents Nassau’s Star Entertainers – Art Lp
Danny Boy – Lord Lebby – Favourite Calypsos – Kalypso Lp
Cry of The Destitute – Umoja Dub lp
Jo Jo – Edmund White – Grass Roots of Jamaica – Dynamic Sounds Lp
White Boy A Follower – Churchical Chants of the Nyahbinghi Lp
Door Peep Shall not Enter – Burning Spear – Burning Spear Studio One Lp
When Will be The End – The Ethiopian (leonard Dillon) – Everything Crash Studio One Lp
Poppy Day – Trini Calypsonian – out The Fire, Smithsonian cd
Edward The VIII – Carreser – The Real Calypso – Smithsonian Cd
Farmyard Cha Cha Cha – Alerth Bedasse – Chins Calypso Sextet Cd4

You can donate to Bigmikeydread Reggae Radio here – http://bigmikeydread.podomatic.com/ look down the right hand side and hit the Paypal button.
Your donations are the ONLY funding the show receives and are what keeps it going! – THANK YOU.

You can hook up with the show and Mikey at the Bigmikeydread Reggae Radio Facebook Group – http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_5364049933

Thanks for listening, and come back soon for the bestest in Jamaican music, chat, sillyness, then and now. – all the best – Mikey

And you can read about interesting stuf on Mikey’s Blog at – http://bigmikeydread.wordpress.com/

Send to Friends | Leave a Comment | Download | Permalink

Bigmikeydred Reggae Radio meets House of Reggae – Brand New Second Hand

120 Bigmikeydread Reggae Radio meets House of Reggae – Brand New Second Hand

This was such a pleasure, good fun with a good friend, nuff new tunes from a West London ‘that day’ trawl gave rise,..
Hope you enjoy the obvious frivolities…

Tracks are:

1.PETER TOSH – BRAND NEW SECOND HAND
2.GENERAL TREES – PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER
3.SIMPLE SIMON – CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
4.MICHAEL PALMER – GUNSHOT A BUST
5.EARLY B – SUNDAY DISH
6.JOSEY WALES – BOBO DREAD
7.ERROL SCORCHER – FROG IN THE WATER
8.DERRICK MORGAN – BETTER JAMAICA / DUB
9.DELROY WILSON – LOVE GOT ME DOING THINGS
10.DELROY WILSON – HAVE MERCY
11.JAH STITCH – FULL CONTROL
12.SELVIE WONDER & LUCIANO – NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
13.LUCIANO – JONAH
14.RETREAT!!! PLEASE RETREAT, BACK TO WHENCE YOU CAME!
15.CUTTY RANKS – RETREAT (SOUND BOY SURRENDER)
16.TERROR FABULOUS – COOL WHEN MI COME ‘BOUT
17.U-ROY – HAT TRICK
18.TALL MAN A DON
19.TRINITY – TEEN JAM
20.SHABBA – HARD N’ STIFF
21.JOSEY WALES – WANT NO A.I.D.S.

You can donate to Bigmikeydread Reggae Radio here – http://bigmikeydread.podomatic.com/ look down the right hand side and hit the Paypal button.
Your donations are the ONLY funding the show receives and are what keeps it going! – THANK YOU.

You can hook up with the show and Mikey at the Bigmikeydread Reggae Radio Facebook Group – http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_5364049933

Thanks for listening, and come back soon for the bestest in Jamaican music, chat, sillyness, then and now. – all the best – Mikey

And you can read about interesting stuf on Mikey’s Blog at – http://bigmikeydread.wordpress.com/

Send to Friends | Leave a Comment | Download | Permalink

Rub A Dub Style – the Roots of Modern Dancehall – by Beth Lesser

This book is a must own for anyone interested in the history of Jamaican music, particularly the wonderfully vibrant era of Dancehall in the late 70s, 80s and early 90s.

Full of first person testimony and coverage of many artistes who rarely got recorded, let alone talked about after the event in any country other than Jamaica, or by the most dedicated of fans overseas.

Artists like Brigadier Jerry, Johnny Ringo, Early B, Charlie Chaplin, General Echo, Welton Irie, Lone Ranger, Sugar Minott all get an airing, and it’s great to really get a feel for the energy of Jamaican music during this era.

Anyone interested in ‘Reggae’ cannot deny that this was a time when Jamaican music was made for Jamaicans by Jamaicans and was undiluted by corporate strivations to make it appeal to bed sit hippies and bearded spliff heads with a degree in economics from Loughborough University.

For example, having never been interested in exploring the sub genre of slackness in 80s Jamaican music I now find myself ordering Welton Irie and Johnny Ringo Lps.

Beth was there, knew the artistes and loves the music and that shows.

The book as I have said is an absolute must own, in that it is so cork up with information and first person tale, that this alone makes it’s appeal.

Unfortunately the book suffers from the almost total lack of narrative voice and the narrative through line becomes little more than a fragmented exploration of the many aspects of ‘Dancehall’ and the Sound Systems that tell the tale. It’s a little boring how lack of authorial talent means that many people who have the opportunity to do something really amazing pass it by. Also the unfortunate frequency of typographical screw up, misspelling and grammatical error detract from the book and at times make it a frustrating read. There IS a reason why self publishing isn’t always the right or best option whatever the aim. However, it is just SO FULL of stuff you need to know, the sheer excitement of learning more makes it a page turner and a book I for one will return to again and again.

You can get it as an electronic download or online at lulu.com. I’ve got the paper version, and as I write it’s sitting by my bed awaiting another read, I think I might go to bed early tonight and ignore the wife’s appeals to my energetic side

Musical Artifact no1 – Stanley Motta MRS 78rpm Record Sleeve

There is so much you can learn..

There is so much you can learn from just one object, one step in your collecting and accumulation. This sleeve is just one such object. (Pictured Below), it was very kindly sent to me by a seller on eBay, gratis, thanks Phil, you know who you are!

Tab Smith and the Duke

To begin with; it came with a 78rpm single of Tab Smith’s ‘My Mother’s Eyes’ on Down Beat in it. This tune was Duke Reid’s sign on tune for his Treasure Isle Time radio show in Jamaica in the early days of Jamaica’s self-produced musical excursions, it is also on an interesting record label – Down Beat.

Down-Beat

Down Beat was the label owned by Dada Tewari a wealthy immigrant to Jamaica of Indian extraction. He owned this label and the Caribou label; which alongside a staple diet of Mento and Calypso featured some of the earliest self-produced Jamaican Shuffle Blues, Boogie and Ska productions, notably those featuring Cuban Laurel Aitken, later to be the Skinheads Reggae and Ska artiste of choice.

Down Beat as far as I am aware exclusively licensed and released U.S. music, mainly American Shuffle Blues, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues, the Tab Smith tune, being an example of this. The records were as far as I am aware, pressed in Jamaica.

Motta and MRS

Stanley Motta was Jamaica’s first producer to release a record recorded in Jamaica, in Jamaica. By that I mean, the song was both recorded in a studio in Jamaica and then given release there, up until this release. ‘DAN WILLIAMS AND HIS ORCHESTRA – VOCAL LORD FLY    MEDLY OF JAMAICAN MENTO on MRS SSS.2033X / 01A released 1952 (probably recorded late ’51) nothing recorded in the actual country had been released there as far as is known. There are some people, notably Ernest Ranglin, who claim that Jamaican Mento was recorded in New York, sometime before this ’52 release and of course there were people recording in Jamaica, like Ken Khouri around this time, just that they had not at this point actually released anything commercially. The sleeve you see contained one of the single 78rpm discs produced by Motta and his company.

Further useful information can be gleaned as to exactly where his operation was located and what songs had up to the point of this sleeve’s printing, been released from the sleeve.

One small simple and rather tattered object can tell you so much about musical history.