Jamaican 50th Independence Musical Countdown!
- Thread starter ska invita
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perrys response
ska invita
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1971
1970-1971 was the period when Lee Perry hooked up with Bob Marley & The Wailers and recorded what some would say was the best work they ever did. Listening to the music they created in this period next to that of their contemporaries it seems clear they were in their own bubble, making songs that sounded unlike anything else before or since. Hard to disagree when Lee Perry says "every time we recorded together it was something magical, almost too powerful, too strong." So strong that much of the material would be revisited for Bob's Island days. I think i read somewhere (Lloyd Bradley?) that Lee had not long ago bought a new car (a Jaguar imported from England if i remember rightly) and he'd often get Bob Bunny and Peter in the back and just cruise around all day over the island, windows down and breeze blowing, and they'd often write new songs on these drives.
Without a doubt my favourite from this period is Kaya, in particular the 'scat' version (I think only relatively recently made available on some CD releases, along with other outtakes and versions) - love the hand claps and pot cover percussion. Its got a kind of shacked up in a hut in the hills with no electricity but plenty of herb vibe to it that never fails to bring a smile.
David Katz has this on Kaya: Bob and Scratch had driven up to Hanover in the north west of the island to visit Miss Ina, Lee's mother, to get some country vibes. P-Son, Lee's brother recalls:
"My big brother Sonny, the Rasta one, he always keeps the long locks. They was smoking herb in the house, herb run out and they get some money to buy some herbs and the rain set up to fall at the same time, so they tell him he must ride a bicycle to go and buy the herb before the rain fall, and so the lyrics come up. They said they want Kaya before the rain is falling, and then they start to rehearse it same place, because Bob have him guitar. Scratch and Bob come up with the lyrics".
Kaya was recorded at Randy's in 71.
I couldn't find the scat version on youtube so uploaded it myself, but I soon realised why it wasnt on youtube: a filter automatically blocks videos with the word 'scat'in them - cynical world we live in!
Kaya (original) + Kaya Version 2 (scat) - Bob Marley & The Wailers
The UK released African Herbsman LP that contained much of the 70-71 Scratch productions was significantly tidied up from the original JA Soul Revolution release. These have a more drastic Perry-ish mix, vocals on one side, rhythm on the other, and a rougher execution on the vocals, but for me these versions have a lot more charm. Soul Revolution II was an LP of the instrumentals from Pt I (another Lee Perry innovation). Here's a video with both the Kaya cuts from Soul Revolution I & 2.
One last thing, I did hear somewhere that for Perrys Blackboard Jungle LP which also had the drastic left/right mixes that this was so as when it was played out on a (mono) soundsystem you could do a live mix bringing the vocals in and out...possibly a similar thing going on here.
1970-1971 was the period when Lee Perry hooked up with Bob Marley & The Wailers and recorded what some would say was the best work they ever did. Listening to the music they created in this period next to that of their contemporaries it seems clear they were in their own bubble, making songs that sounded unlike anything else before or since. Hard to disagree when Lee Perry says "every time we recorded together it was something magical, almost too powerful, too strong." So strong that much of the material would be revisited for Bob's Island days. I think i read somewhere (Lloyd Bradley?) that Lee had not long ago bought a new car (a Jaguar imported from England if i remember rightly) and he'd often get Bob Bunny and Peter in the back and just cruise around all day over the island, windows down and breeze blowing, and they'd often write new songs on these drives.
Without a doubt my favourite from this period is Kaya, in particular the 'scat' version (I think only relatively recently made available on some CD releases, along with other outtakes and versions) - love the hand claps and pot cover percussion. Its got a kind of shacked up in a hut in the hills with no electricity but plenty of herb vibe to it that never fails to bring a smile.
David Katz has this on Kaya: Bob and Scratch had driven up to Hanover in the north west of the island to visit Miss Ina, Lee's mother, to get some country vibes. P-Son, Lee's brother recalls:
"My big brother Sonny, the Rasta one, he always keeps the long locks. They was smoking herb in the house, herb run out and they get some money to buy some herbs and the rain set up to fall at the same time, so they tell him he must ride a bicycle to go and buy the herb before the rain fall, and so the lyrics come up. They said they want Kaya before the rain is falling, and then they start to rehearse it same place, because Bob have him guitar. Scratch and Bob come up with the lyrics".
Kaya was recorded at Randy's in 71.
I couldn't find the scat version on youtube so uploaded it myself, but I soon realised why it wasnt on youtube: a filter automatically blocks videos with the word 'scat'in them - cynical world we live in!
Kaya (original) + Kaya Version 2 (scat) - Bob Marley & The Wailers
The UK released African Herbsman LP that contained much of the 70-71 Scratch productions was significantly tidied up from the original JA Soul Revolution release. These have a more drastic Perry-ish mix, vocals on one side, rhythm on the other, and a rougher execution on the vocals, but for me these versions have a lot more charm. Soul Revolution II was an LP of the instrumentals from Pt I (another Lee Perry innovation). Here's a video with both the Kaya cuts from Soul Revolution I & 2.
One last thing, I did hear somewhere that for Perrys Blackboard Jungle LP which also had the drastic left/right mixes that this was so as when it was played out on a (mono) soundsystem you could do a live mix bringing the vocals in and out...possibly a similar thing going on here.
ska invita
back on the other side
They've gone and blocked my videos the bastads!! Anyone know how this works? If I rename it "cute kitten" will it survive, or is it a case of Shazam style automated reading of the audio files?
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
I was already going to suggest you put all these vids on their own channel
ska invita
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can someone try and play the bottom video "got to have" ...does it play?
ETA: No - if I sign in to youtube it plays, sign out it doesnt. copyright is shit.
ETA2: I've disputed the claim on fair use grounds...supposedly it can work sometimes - though i might get my account wiped!! fingers crossed
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Loads of embedded YouTube vids on forums appear broken on my phone
ska invita
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ha ha! I think it worked. For now.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
I can't do that on my phone
ska invita
back on the other side
phone and internet dont go together in my book - but lets not derail over that bombshell!I can't do that on my phone
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
I don't have any choice in the matter right now. It's all done by phone at the mo.
ska invita
back on the other side
Big riddim from 71 Run Run
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