Monthly Archives: October 2018

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-tober 20, 2018 – Oh, Bumba Klaat!

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Greetings,

Jah-tober 20th Smile Jamaica, livicated to the late great Peter Tosh – born Oct. 19, 1947.

Jah-tober is Jah-loween on Smile Jamaica,

Peter was at the pinnacle of the masses of Reggae songs devoted to the Halloween menagerie: vampires, ghosts (duppies in Jamaica), witches, mummies, anti-Christs, zombies and general evil. I and I have hundreds of Jah-loween tunes on CD, black wax: LP, 12″, 10″ and 7″.

Peter’s additions to the canon?

  • Dracula
  • Vampire
  • Mark of the Beast – about his brutal beating at the hands of Jamaican cops
  • Jumbie Jamboree – ska update of a classic soca song about the cousin of the duppy – jumbies.
  • With the Wailers: Mr. Brown (who drives around in a coffin) and Duppy Conqueror.

There is one more….

My very first Reggae LP was Peter Tosh – Wanted Dread & Alive; Christmas 1981. Thanks mom!

My American copy had this track list:

Coming In Hot 3:37
Nothing But Love 5:01
Reggae-Mylitis 6:31
The Poor Man Feel It 4:09
Cold Blood 4:37
Wanted Dread And Alive 4:24
Rastafari Is 6:14
That’s What They Will Do 4:35
Fools Die

It was only after I got into Reggae that I discovered that was not the intended track list.

For European markets: lose Poor Man Feel It, Cold Blood and That’s What They Will Do. Substitute: Rok With Me, Guide Me From My Friends and Oh, Bumbo Klaat.

Peter’s tale of how a Jamaican spirit (Duppy) had him paralyzed. The only way to free himself from malevolent possession was to scream the Jamaican equivalent of Mother F******: Oh Bumbo Klaat

Bum: coarse word for our four letter “c” word. Klaat as in cloth – menstrual rags, not to be indelicate.

Such a foul epithet would horrify Jamaicans to hear uttered anywhere. But Peter mustered all his energy and burst out: OH BUMBA KLAAT

The duppy was so shocked at hearing such an utterance that he let go of Peter and the Stepping Razor broke free of his paralysis:

<Smile Jamaica story on Peter’s possession: Oh Bumbo Klaat; 102 sec.

Oh bumbo klaat, oh ras klaat
Oh bumbo klaat, oh ras klaat

[Verse 4]
One night, an evil spirit held me down
I could not make one single sound
Until Jah told me, “Son, use the word”
And now I’m as free as a bird

[Chorus]
Oh bumbo klaat, oh ras klaat
Oh bumbo klaat, oh ras klaat

***

I was very happy to be cratedigging in SLC, at Get In Here Records  I scored the above 12″ black wax aboved.

Tosh’s tragic end belied an “Omen”. I had just got into Reggae bigly as 45 would say around Sept. ’86. A year later I was working at Graywhale CD and used my employee discount to buy 2 CDs:

  1. Ramones – Halfway to Sanity
  2. Peter Tosh – No Nuclear War.

I think the Tosh album dropped on Sept. 3, 1987. On Sept. 12, I remember going to the SLC airport to pick up my sister off the plane. On page 2 of the paper that morning:

Reggae singer Peter Tosh killed in Jamaica.

Peter Tosh dead on, …wait for it: Sept. 11.

The other 9/11 tragedy

Peter the mystic did not go quietly to Jah’s Heavenly Choir. He got his “revenge” on his birthday that year: Oct. 19, 1987:

<Peter Tosh murder: Sept. 11, 1987. Black Monday – Oct. 19, 1987; 75 sec.>

Black Monday was the worst stock market collapse since the Great Depression. Only, since, eclipsed by the Great Recession of 2008.

Dow Jones stock market lost 22.6% of its valuation in one day. Peter Tosh exacted his revenge against the “shystem” in A-sad-ica. Because for the poor there is nothing “merry” about America.

Poor man feel it, indeed!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-tober 20, 2018 – Annotated Playlist: 67 sec. 

  • Anicia Banks – Thank You Lord; 7″ (Ashandan) ’77 Curtis Mayfield/Bob Marley cover
  • Dread and Fred – Dub Connection; Powerhouse (Dub Venture) ’96 UK vinyl Dub Album of the Hour
  • Max Romeo – I Chase the Devil; War ina Babylon (Mango) ’76 Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark prod’n
  • Sister Carol – Blackman Time; Call Mi Sister Carol (Heartbeat) ’94 I Roy update
  • Pato Banton – One World (Not Three); Live at the Maritime Hall San Francisco (2B1) 2001 Police cover
  • Johnny Clarke – Easy Skanking; Tribute to Bob Marley in a Dancehall (Rhino UK) ’78 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement; Bob Marley cover
  • Lee “Scratch” Perry & Full Experience- Disco Devil; 12″ (Upsetter) ’77 update of Max Romeo

Set 2:

  • Yabby You – Anti Christ; One Love, One Heart (Shanachie) ’83 comp.
  • Garland Jeffreys – We the People; Escape Artist (Epic) ’81 Dennis Bovell 12″ mix
  • Wendy Shaw – Sensimilla Crisis; Sing Out (Izachaar Muzik) mid 90’s herbtune

<North Dakota. Next to legalize?; 16 sec.>

  • Moses – When the Vampire (Comes to Your Neighbourhood); 12″ (Wackies) ’82 Bronx

<Vampire = Informers in Jamaica>

10 down 40 to go

Set 3: Jamaican Jukebox 7″ 45 Jah-loween

  • Dennis Alcapone – Mr. Brown; 7″ (Observer) ’70 Mr. Brown in his coffin

<Mr. Brown, the talk of the town in his coffin; 49 sec.>

  • Yami Bolo – Traitors; 7″ (Yam Euphony) Traitors = Vampires
  • Carl Dawkins – Witchcraft; 7″ (Sir J.J.) ’72
  • Lone Ranger – Frankenstine (sic); 7″ (Greedy Puppy) ’79
  • Twinkle Brothers – Mark of the Beast; 7″ (Twinkle) 2000
  • 4th Street Orchestra – Rolling Down the River; Yuh Learn! (Rama) ’77 Dennis Bovell dub album of the hour

Set 4:

  • Wailing Wailers – I’m Still Waiting; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’65 JA vinyl

<Song story: I’m Still Waiting; 79 sec.>

  • Mad Professor feat. Love Clinic – Studio 54 Dub; Black Liberation Dub 5 (Ariwa) cover of Blondie’s Rapture w/ female group
  • Don Carlos – Night Rider (In Danger); Deeply Concerned (RAS) ’87 I’m a ghostbuster
  • The Specials – Ghost Town; 12″ (2 Tone) ’81 UK 2 Tone ska

<Ghost Town – fighting closed the clubs down; 39 sec.>

Set : Vinyl is Vital Jah-loween

  • Inner Circle – Duppy or Gunman; Rock the Boat (Trojan) ’74 UK Ernie Smith; Duppy = Jamaican ghost – Vinyl is Vital Jah-loween
  • The Ethiopians – Satan’s Kingdom; No Baptism (Crystal) ’70 JA
  • U Roy – Evil Doers; Crucial Cuts (Virgin Front Line) ’83 UK comp. dj to Gladiators
  • Leo Graham & the Upsetters – Voodooism + Dub; Voodooism (Anachron) ’89 Neth. Black Ark reissue

Set 6: Best of Smile Jamaica 29 Years – Jah-loween

  • Keith Hudson – Darkest Night; Flesh of My Skin, Blood of My Blood (Atra) ’75: Best of Smile Jamaica 29 Years – Jah-loween
  • Yellowman & Fathead – Me Kill Barnie; Them a Mad Over Me (Hitbound) ’82 about Soap Opera vampire Barnabas Collins

<Please sir. May I have a cup of blood?>

  • Aisha – Evil Spirits; High Priestess (Ariwa) ’86
  • Scientist – The Mummy’s Shroud; Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampire (Greensleeves) ’81
  • The Revolutionaries – False Ruler Dub; Kool Roots Dub (Pressure Sounds) ’79 Dub Album of the Hour
Barnabas Collins

Set 7: Wailers Family Tree Jah-loween

  • Peter Tosh – Oh Bumba Klaat; Wanted Dread & Alive (Rolling Stone) ’81
  • The Wailers – Duppy Conqueror; Live 1973-1975 (Starucks) 11/23/73 Live at Leeds Polytechnic
  • Bunny Wailer – Blackheart Man; Blackheart Man (Mango) ’76 even the lions fear him
  • Peter Tosh – Jumbie Jamboree; The Toughest (Heartbeat/Studio One) ’64? Jumbie = ghost

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Heavweight Dub Champion – Exorcism; Return of the Champion Nation (Champion Nation) 2009: Boulder, Collie-rado
  • Alpha & Omega – Mystical Things; Mystical Things (BSI) 2001 UK trance dub
  • Got to Move feat. Bim Sherman – Melting Pot pt. 2 (The Mix); King Size Dub Chapter 1 (Echo Beach) ’95
  • Mungo’s Hi Fi feat. Pupajim – Boat People; Forward Ever (Scotch Bonnett) 2011 UK
  • Weeding Dub feat. Humble-I – Sound of Reality; Sound of Reality (Control Tower) 2009 Fr. herb tune
  • Thievery Corporation feat. Femi Kuti – Vampire; It Takes a Thief (ESL) 2010 Best of

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-Loween Digital Dubplate 2018!

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, 

Greetings,

While raising kasheesh for your station that rules the nation, KRCL, I hunkered down in my Secret Dubratory and cooked up a 3 hour Digital Dubplate tis the season.

Halloween? No Jah-loween. All my ripped audio from my Horror DVD collection trailers followed by vampires, ghosts, demons and duppies.

Boo-tiful, Bobbylon

Digital Dubplate Jah-loween 2018 Halloween movie trailers included:

  1. Halloween
  2. Frankenstein
  3. The Mummy
  4. War of the Worlds
  5. Wolfman
  6. Creature From the Black Lagoon
  7. Village of the Damned
  8. Carnival of Souls
  9. Fearless Vampire Killers
  10. The Abominable Dr. Phibes
  11. Deranged
  12. Young Frankenstein
  13. It’s Alive
  14. To the Devil a Daughter
  15. Nosferatu (1979)
  16. Humanoids From the Deep
  17. Motel Hell
  18. Thriller
  19. The Hunger
  20. Toxic Avenger
  21. Lifeforce
  22. Beetlejuice
  23. Night of the Creeps

0-30 min.

  • Max Romeo – Horrorzone; Horrorzone (Nu Roots) 2016
  • Little Roy – Frankenstein; Longtime (ON U Sound) ’96
  • Future Pigeon – The Mummy; Echodelic Sounds of Future Pigeon (Record Collect) 2006 LA
  • Lucky Dube – Dracula; Prisoner (Shanachie) ’90
  • Funky Porcini’s Zombie – Flesheater Boulevard; Jerry von Rooyen Remixes (Crippled Dick Hot Wax) 2000

30-60 min.

  • Scientist – Night of the Living Dead; Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires (Greensleeves) ’81
  • David Lindley & El Rayo-X – Werewolves of London; Very Greasy (Elektra) ’88
  • Tino – Loch Ness Monster Dub; Hallowe’en Dub (Tino Corp.) 2002
  • Aisha – Evil Spirits; High Priestess (Ariwa) ’86
  • Hollie Cook – Desdemona; Twice (Mr. Bongo) 2014

60-90 min.

  • Black Uhuru – Vampire; Sinsemilla (Mango) ’80
  • Twinkle Brothers – Evil Doers; New Songs For Jah (Twinkle) ’89
  • Alan Pillay – Demonic Forces; Wild Paarty Sounds (Cherry Red/ON U Sound) ’81
  • The Toasters – Frankenska; Thrill Me Up (Skaloid) ’88
  • Prince Buster – Ghost Dance; Jamaica’s Pride (Bluebeat) ’67
  • The Gorillaz – Dracula; Gorillaz (Virgin) 2001
Drinking Red Stripe in the boneyard

90 min. – 2 hr.

  • The Crystalites – Blackula; Black Magic Woman (Trojan)
  • Andrew Tosh – Evil Ones; Make Way For the Youth (Tomato) ’89
  • Capleton – Mark of the Beast; I Testament (Def Jam) ’97
  • Dub Chek – Monsta; Down Memory Gap Lane (Unitone World) 2001
  • Sly & Robbie – Theme from the Twilight Zone; Many Moods of Sly, Robbie & the Taxi Gang (Sonic) ’86

2 – 2 and 1/2 hrs.

  • Milton Henry – Them a Devil; Who Do You Think I Am (Wackies) ’85
  • Bomb the Bass feat. Benjamin Zephaniah & Sinead O’Connor – Empire; clear (Quango) ’95
  • Mystic Bowie & the Pallbearers – Voodoo Man; Rebirth (Zimbra) 2001
  • Singers & Players – Dungeon/Merchant Ship/Jah Army Band; Revenge of the Underdog (ON U Sound) ’82
Dungeon: Packed like sardines in a tin. When the boat overload, they threw some of us overboard

2 and 1/2 – 3 hrs.

  • Easy Star All-Stars feat. Mikey General & Spragga Benz – Thriller; Thrillah (Easy Star) 2012 Michael Jackson/Vincent Price cover
  • Sinead O’Connor – Vampire; Throw Down Your Arms (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) 2005 Devon Irons cover
  • Sky High & the Mau Mau – Cemetary Robbery; Origination (Sky High)
  • Pablo Gad – Blood Suckers; Blood Suckers (Reggae on Top) ’79
  • The Toyes – Monster Hash; The Toyes (CD Tunes) ’96 Boris Pickett cover

Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate: Harvest Roots!

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Greetings,

While I ‘n’ I embark on raising funds to keep Smile Jamaica pon the airwaves and the Interwebs, enjoy a 3 hour Harvest of Roots.

And you know what kind of Harvest I ‘n’ I are a talkin’ bout?

The Seven Leaf!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate – Seven Leaf Harvest Time

0-30 min.

  • Don Carlos & Gold – Harvest Time; Raving Tonight (RAS) ’83
  • Future Pigeon – The Mummy; Echodelic Sounds of Future Pigeon (Record Collect) 2006 LA
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Kaya (rmx); Kaya 40 (Tuff Gong) 1978/2018
  • H.R. – Who’s Got the Herb?; I Luv (Railroad) ’91 throat of Bad Brains
  • Eek a Mouse – Ganja Smuggling; Wa Do Dem (Greensleeves) ’81
  • Eek a Mouse – Ganja Smuggling; Live at Reggae Sunsplash (Genes) ’82 

30-60 min.

  • Dub Lounge International – Dub Hangover; Dub Lounge International (Ancient Vessel) 2008 Seattle
  • Zap Pow – Irieland; Beres Hammonds and Friends (Ejaness) ’80
  • Inner Circle – Mary, Mary; Best of (Island) ’79
  • Sugar Minott – Herbman Hustling; 20 Super Hits (Sonic) ’84
  • Mighty Diamonds – Sensemilla; Get Ready (Rohit) ’88
  • Israel Vibration – Red Eyes; Forever (RAS) ’91

60-90 min.

  • Frankie Paul – Stick of Sensi; A We Rule (RAS) ’97 cover of Sugar Minott’s Oh Mr. DC
  • Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers – African Herbsman; Joy and Blues (Virgin) ’93 
  • The Ethiopians – Let Me Blow My Smoke; Owner Fe De Yard (Heartbeat) ’94
  • Peter Tosh – Legalize It; While Relaxing (bootleg) Live at The Bayou; Washington DC, 3/14/1979
  • Bunny Wailer – Cease Fire; Roots, Radics, Rockers Reggae (Shanachie) ’83
….and light the chalice!

90 min. – 2 hrs

  • Triston Palma – Sinsemilla; Return of the Rub-a-Dub Style 2011
  • Reggae on Top All-Stars – Herbs Dub; Chalice Dub Part 2 (Reggae On Top) 2003
  • Peabody & Sherman – Black Uhuru vs. Black Sabbath; 7″ (90 min.)
  • Zion Train – Healing of the Nation; Homegrown Fantasy (China) ’95 w/ female vox
  • Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus – Sip Your Cup; Rally Round (Shanachie) ’85 best of
  • Prince Far I – Lambs Bread Collie; Ten Commandments (Rhino UK)
  • Soom T – Smile Jamaica Mega Ganja Mix

.

2-2 and 1/2 hrs

  • Lee Perry – Free Up the Weed; Roast Fish, Collie Weed and Cornbread (Upsetter) ’78
  • Eric Smith – Marijuana; Rocky Road (CTA) 2007
  • Tippa Irie – Senci (Remix); Sign of the Times (Resin Music) 2003
  • Sister Carol – Red Eye; Lyrically Potent (Heartbeat) ’96
  • U Roy – Chalice in the Palace; 12″ (Virgin Front Line) ’76 Live at the Lyceum, London
  • Linval Thompson – Lick Up the Chalice; Look How Me Sexy (Greensleeves) ’82
  • Wailing Souls – Ishen Tree; On the Rocks (Greensleeves) ’83
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – Get High; Rasta (Workers Playtime) ’83 UK dub poet

2 and 1/2 – 3 hr.

  • Zion Tribe – Herbissimo; Barre Chords (Zion Tribe) ’97 SLC
  • The Itals – Herbs Pirate; Calling Rastafari (Nighthawk) ’83
  • Carlton Livingston – Chalice in Mind; Crucial Reggae (Mango) ’82
  • Horace Ferguson – Sensi Addict; Dancehall (Soul Jazz) ’87
  • Rastafarmers – International Herb; Dread in America (Natural Mystic) ’94

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Sept. 28, 2018 (Podcast & Playlist): Lucky Dube and Dracula!

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Greetings,

It was October 2003. My bredrin Grizzlite and I headed up to Park City to catch one of my favorites from the 90’s: Lucky Dube. Terrific South African roots singer in the era of apartheid.

A huge favorite with the Pacific Islander community, the club was packed. Everyone singing along on a cool fall night in the mountains.

Grizz and I got a beer and angled ourselves and positioned ourselves on the patio with a view of the stage. Everyone bumping along to Lucky’s melodic Peter Tosh-esque vocals.

All of a sudden the packed dance floor scattered and the music screeched to a halt. A youth had been shot. Later I found out it was a gang assassination. Tribal war in the Polynesian community. Assassins were dispatched from California. They knew their target would be out in the open and vulnerable at a must see event: Lucky Dube is on a par with Bob Marley among the Island community.

Before we knew it, the paramedics had wheeled the victim pass Grizz and I on a gurney. One of the EMT’s was straddling his chest doing CPR. Right next to me, a massive Island dready stepped up and punched the dying man in the face, caving in his nose.

Murder at Park City Lucky Dube concert, Oct. 2003

As we head into Jah-loween season, would you like to know the song that Lucky was performing when the violence took place???

<Dracula; 1 min. 52 sec.>

The Park City show was Oct. 16, 2003. Four years later, nearly to the day: Oct. 18, 2007 Lucky Dube was cut down in a carjacking.

Lucky Dube carjacking

One of the many eerie and sad coincidences in 30 years of Reggae culture for I and I

bless,

Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Sept. 29, 2018: Annotated Playlist

Set 1:

  • Zap Pow – This Is Reggae Music; Reggae Rules! (Rhino US) ’80 US vinyl
  • Agrovators – Kaya; Kaya Dub (Justice) ’78 JA vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Don Carlos & Gold – Harvest Time; Raving Tonight (RAS) ‘83
  • Hollie Cook – Superfast; Hollie Cook (Mr. Bongo) 2014
  • Israel Vibration – Licks and Kicks; Live Again! (RAS) ‘97 California live
  • The Ethiopians – Obeah Book; Slave Call (Heartbeat) ’77: Obeah = Jamaican black magic
  • Yellowman – Operation Eradication; One in a Million (Shanachie) ’82 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement

<Operation Eradication in Jamaica; 67 sec.>

  • The Gladiators – Evil Doers; 12” (Virgin Front Line) ’77 UK
Jamaican army on their way to burn the weed fields. Tips from the locals: stand down wind of the bon fire

Set 2:

  • Dennis Brown – Africa We Want to Go; Reggae Nuggets (Mojo Magazine) 50th anniversary of UK’s Trojan Records
  • Bananarama – Tell Tale Signs; Deep Sea Skiving (London) ’83 UK new wave female group; bonus 12”
  • The Itals – Give This Love a Try; Modern Age (RAS) ‘98
  • Barry Brown – Dreadfull (sic) Day; 10” (Hitbound) ‘83 JA
Bananarama on Smile Jamaica? WTF?

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 29 Years

  • Jimmy Cliff – Many Rivers to Cross; The Harder They Come Soundtrack (Mango) ‘72

<Reggae popularity: The Wailers Catch a Fire and The Harder They Come; 16 sec.>

  • Fred Locks – Wheat and Tears; Missing Link (VP) ‘78
  • Judy Mowatt – Get Up Chant; Love Is Overdue (Shanachie) ‘87
  • Ranking Dillinger – See and Blind; None Stop Disco Style (Abrahama) ‘78
  • 4th Street Orchestra – Higher Ranking; Scientific Higher Ranking Dubb (Rama) ’78 UK Dub Album of the Hour

Set 4:

  • Peter Tosh – Mystery Babylon; Scrolls of the Prophet (Columbia/Legacy) remix of Babylon Queendom
  • Bunny Wailer – Blackman Redemption; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 50 Bob Marley covers for his 50th Birthday
  • The Skatalites – Malcolm X; Rough Guide to Ska (Rough Guide) Request
  • Ranking Joe & Cha Cha – You’ll Never Know; 10” (Above Rock) 2010 UK ska rocksteady w/ female Chinese singer

Set 5: Vinyl ls Vital

  • The Wailing Wailers – Love or Affection; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’65 JA  

<Love or Affection; 1 min. 39 sec.>

  • Paulette Tajah – Last Night; Lovers Delight (Ariwa) ’83 UK 
  • Nigger Kojak & Liza – Two Bad Duppy; Showcase LP (Nigger Kojak) ’80 JA
  • Three Dimension – Roadblock; Roadblock (Nubian) ’87 UK herbtune

Set 6:

  • The Wailers – Slave Driver; Live 1973-1975 (Starbucks) 11/23/73 Live at Leeds (UK) Polytechnic

<UK Tour 1973; 62 sec.>

  • Dubblestandart feat. Ari Up – Surrender Dub; Return From Planet Dub (Collision) 2009 Jah-strian dub w/ female vox
  • Adrian Sherwood – Zero Zero One; 10” (Green Tea) 2001 UK mutant dub
  • Dub Specialist – Starring Dub; 17 Dub Shots From StudioOne (Heartbeat/Studio One) Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7: Jah-loween 

  • Lucky Dube – Dracula; Prisoner (Shanachie) ’90 South African 
  • Future Pigeon – The Mummy; Echdelic Sounds of Future Pigeon (Record Collection) 2005 LA
  • Sinead O’Connor – Vampire; Throw Down Your Arms (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) 2005 Devon Irons cover
  • Earth & Stone – The Devil Must Have Made You; Kool Roots (Pressure Sounds) ‘79
Murdered shortly after his SLC performance where a youth was murdered in Park City

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Tena Stelin – Flying Saucers; 7” (Mascot) ’99 UFOria

<Aliens in the Bible; 28 sec.>

  • Thievery Corporations – Warning Shots; It Takes a Thief (ESL) 2010 DC best of
  • Desmond Williams – Dread a the Roughest; Delights of the Garden (ESL)
  • Alpha & Omega – It Hurts + It Must Be Dub; Mystic Things (BSI) 2001 UK trance dub w/ female vox
  • Spiritual Rez – Let’s Go Out With a Bang; Apocalypse Whenever (Spiritual Rez) 2014 about Alien invasion

<When the Aliens attack. let’s go out with a bang! 47 sec.>

Words of Wisdom: