Johnny And The Attractions
COMING ON THE SCENE (DR Bird 1968) A great Bluenote Ska record by Johnny And The Attractions: 1968. So good they re-discovered it in 2004 and put it out again.
Reggae, Bluebeat, Ska
Blue Beat and Ska
Blue Beat and Ska – It originated in Jamaica: late fifties early sixties – and gave birth to reggae, it soon came to Britain and if it were to have an alternative name – you might as well call it PRINCE BUSTER! In the early 1960s in the UK early Blue Beat and Ska was … Read more
Hopeton Lewis
This Music Got Soul (1967) This is the ‘B’ side of Rocksteady and is by Hopeton Lewis. In Manchester in the late sixties Blue Beat, SKA and Rocksteady and that Rude Boy stuff was mainly played in the West Indian clubs in Moss Side: The Nile Club and others (Shabeens). The only places that did … Read more
Tommy McCook
Jerk Time – RIO 1966 Riverton City – RIO 1966 Breaking Up – TROJAN RED 1968 Born 1932 Died 5th May 1998 – Atlanta, Georgia Tommy McCook and The Supersonics released several interesting recordings in the sixties including one excellent Blue Beat Hammond Organ track – Jerk Time a 45 played at the Blue Note. It was based on Twine Time by Alvin Cash. Tommy … Read more
Skatalites
Doctor Ring Ting GUNS OF NAVARONE – Blue Beat 1964 Perhaps, Ball of Fire, Magic Star, Dick Tracy – Island 1965, Dr Kildare – Island 1965 The Skatalites were THE Ska studio backing band used by virtually all the Ska, Blue Beat artists in the 1960’s. They were used by Prince Buster, Clement Dodd, Duke … Read more
The Pyramids
The Pyramids recorded Train To Rainbow City – ‘All Aboard! TheT rain To Rainbow City a lot of black vulgar women live there; That is the house of Prince Buster…and over there that is the house of Emanuel Zacki…’ Ruffer than ruff in Phoenix city and one mile to Skaville… ‘ This record was a … Read more
Prince Buster
Al Capone The Ten Commandments of Man The contribution to Ska, Blue Beat, Rock Steady and Reggae made by Mr Cecil Campbell otherwise known as Prince Buster is simple – it was The Biggest! He has been ‘discovered’ several times – the latest in the 1990s with Whine and Grine as the soundtrack on a … Read more
The Mohawks
BABY HOLD ON (PT 1 and 2) The CHAMP – 1968 – Pama Records The Mohawks were a Session and tour backing band. Their hit ‘The Champ’ was played more at the Blue Note club than at the Twisted Wheel. The rumour was that the group were in fact Mohawk Indians, but they weren’t! What a … Read more
Millie Small
My Boy Lollipop YES that’s Roger Eagle with Millie Small who had a number two hit in the UK with My Boy Lollipop in 1964. Rumours at the time suggested that Rod Stewart played the harmonica solo although that has been disproved since. It was in fact Pete Hogman from the Pete Hogman Blues Band. … Read more