Monthly Archives: February 2021

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-bruary 20, 2021 – NASA vs. The God of Covid

Leave a comment
NASA rover Perserverance lands on Mars to do battle with Nergal, the Sumerian God of Covid

Greetings,

Congratulations to NASA and the Jet Propulsion Lab. They landed their Perserverance rover on Mars and have been road  tripping across the red planet sending back data.

NASA rover successfully lands on Mars

From previous fly overs and images captured there are a lot of strange anthropomorphic sites on the surface of the planet.

Martian Stonehenge?
Martian bullfrog?
Martian fertility goddess?

The most famous image is at Cydonia: The Face on Mars.  In 1976, NASA’s Viking orbiter (couldn’t land a vehicle on the planet then) captured an image of a mesa with an obvious human face.

Cydonia – Rock face mesa (or temple?) on Mars. Not a trick of the light. Two eyes, bejeweled helmet, nose, two lips. Humanoid!

The unimaginative scoffers at NASA tried to write it off as a trick of the light and shadows. But another photo captured it with even more clarity.  Even after more pictures surfaced the agency still adheres to the notion Cydonia is an optical illusion.

Now is the time to put up or shut up. Send Perserverance to the base of the mesa shaped rock formation and let’s get a close up.

But that strategy is not without risk. Many of the Russian rovers who tried to map the surface were mysteriously fried and knocked out just to be a Martian junk yard.

Could it be the Martians don’t want to be found? Ancient Astronaut Theory says yes!

Marvin the Martian gives the hairy eyeball to NASA planetary exploration

<NASA on Mars! For how long? 45 sec.>

What do I think? Thanks for asking! Mars has always been associated as a war planet of hostile intent.

Mars gets its name from the Roman God of War. The reddish hue of the planet gives off a malevolent vibe down below on Earth. Hindus called the red planet Angakara after their God of War and the occult. Wikipedia mentions that In ancient China, the advent of Mars was taken as a portent for “bane, grief, war and murder”.

Angakara – Hindu God/ancient astronaut. Mars and the God of war

My hypothesis is this. Cydonia is a temple to the Sumerian God Nergal. Consulting multiple episodes of Ancient Aliens, reading the text  of my many Sumerian religion books (don’t call what came first mythology!), this is my analysis:

In the main 7 Ancient Astronaut pantheon of so-called Sumerian Gods, Nergal is the most malevolent. His planet is Mars.

Who is Nergal? The Greeks plagiarized him as Hades. God of the Underworld. Associated with fire, war, destruction, devastation, plagues, death. Pestilence. Consider him the God of Covid!

Nergal – Sumerian God of Death

<Nergal (Mars) – The God of Covid; 2 min 55 sec>

The Martians who worship him, do not want their temple at Cydonia defiled. They can see what happens when mankind discovers/invades. Ask the Mayans and Aztecs the tender kindness shown to them by Conquistadors four hundred years ago. They are  gonna protect what’s theirs. I don’t expect that cute little rover, Perserverance, to have a very long life.

Nergal on high alert since Trump created the Space Force

<Your Ace From Outer Space; 77 sec.>

China and Elon Musk are trying to get to Mars as well. I ‘n’ I play the song by Alpha Blondy “Interplanetary Revolution” on this Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive podcast. The Martians know we never come in peace and they will not allow Starbucks, McDonald’s or Amazon on the Red Planet. No strip mining for minerals for Iphones.

Heed my prophecy, this will lead to weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And why does any of this matter? I ‘n’ I found a fresh stack of UFO tunes by Burning Spear, Alpha Blondy, Cornell Campbell and I ‘n’ I wanted to rinse them out on my typical UFOria sets on Smile Jamaica!

As I ‘n’ I always say: Look to the skies! Do not scoff!

Fly Me to the Moon? Mr. Spear needs to re-record as Fly Me to Mars

Reggae lost a giant this week. U Roy, age 78, joined Jah’s Heavenly Choir after a lifetime of diabetes. He wasn’t the first Jamaican to chant over Rock Steady riddims in the mid 60’s, but he was the most popular through his inventive lyrical style. He was the forefather to what came after: toasting (think Ranking Roger of the (English),  Beat), 70’s Reggae deejay chanters, dancehall ragga and especially hip hop and rap.

Many of the NYC hip hop originators like Kool Herc came from Jamaican emigrants who brought their record collections north from the Island. His records helped develop the most successful new music format since rock or soul. No U Roy, no Public Enemy, Jay Z or Snoop Dogg.

The last song on this Ark-ive podcast continues his origination: Your Ace From Space which led indirectly to Neil Armstrong skanking on the Moon a year later.

Now Bob Marley and Peter Tosh have someone to chant over their riddims in Jah’s abode.

bless, Bobbylon

<RIP U Roy – inventor of toasting, deejay, hip hop and rap; 56 sec.>

U Roy – “I originate while others imitate”. Indeed

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Feb. 20, 2021

Set 1:

  • Sister Frica – One in the Spirit; Rockers All-Star Explosion (Alligator) ’78 Chicago vinyl; ’85 comp.
  • The Revolutionaries? – Ital Step; Vital Dub Strictly Rockers (Hitbound) ’76 Brooklyn vinyl dub album of the hour
  • U Roy – The Originator; Rock With I (RAS) ’78; RIP inventor of deejaying
  • Zema &  the Gladiators –  Trouble Never Set; Jubilee (Melchizedek) 2009 SoCal female artist
  • Jackie Opel & the Skatalites – Valley of Green (Take 2); 4 Track EP (Top Deck) ’65 UK green vinyl
  • Culture – International Herb; Livity (RAS) ’98 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement

Set 2:

  • Rico Rodriguez – Rico’s Special (Reloaded); 10” (Above Rock) ’76 NY picture sleeve; trombone
  • Horace Andy – Better Collie; Prime of Horace Andy (Music Club) ’75 herbtune
  • Barry Brown – Stand Firm; Far East (Hitbound) ‘81
  • L.S. Diesel Meets Digidub – Skunk Funk (The Mix); King Size Dub Volume 1 (Echo Beach) ‘95
14 down, 36 to go. Lost South Dakota legal/medical weed

Set 3:

  • Rockers Hi Fi – Transmission Central; Thievery Corporation: DJ Kicks (!K7) ’99 dub comp
  • Big Youth – Get Up Stand Up; Trojan Tribute to Bob Marley Box Set (Trojan) ’76 Marley/Tosh cover
  • Roots Uprising – Master Blaster Jammin’; 12” (Top Ranking) ’81 Miami – Stevie Wonder cover/Marley Tribute
  • Sly Dunbar – Sesame Street Theme; Front Line Dub (Virgin Front Line) ’79 comp; Dub Album of the Hour
Stevie Wonder cover/Bob Marley tribute

Set 4: Jamaican Jukebox 7″

  • Susan Cadogan – Piece of My Heart; 7” (OB International) Janis Joplin/Erma Franklin cover ’80: 7” Jamaican Jukebox Set
  • Lui Lepkie – Tribute to Bob Marley; 7” (Joe Gibbs Ultra Sound) ‘81
  • Carlton Livingston – Cold Cold Winter; 7” (Grade One)
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – 13 Dead; Dub Ranting; 7” EP (Radical Wallpaper) ‘82 UK 8 track picture sleeve
8 track, 7″ 33 and 1/3 UK dub poetry

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • Ken Boothe – This Love of Ours; Reggae For Lovers  (Generation) ’79 Missisauga, Ont. Canada
  • Prince Far I – The More We Are Together; Musical History (Trojan) ’83 UK herbtune
  • Gedeon Jerrubaal – Jedna Milosc, Jedna Nie Nawisc; Reggae From Around the world (RAS) ’88 DC; Polish Reggae mixed by Adrian Sherwood
  • Amjam – Every Little Thing; Live Off the Board (Celluloid) ’87 live at CBGB punk club
  • Baby Rose – Barb Wire; Can Jam  Reggae Rockers Disco Style (Rocktone) ’81 Toronto, CA; Nora Dean cover
Polish Reggae on Smile Jamaica!

Set 6: Wailers Family Tree

  • Bob Marley & the Wailing Wailers – Stir It Up; Wail ‘N Soul ‘M Singles (JAD) ’67
  • Peter Touch – Selassie Serenade; Arise Blackman (Trojan) ’69 B-side organ instrumental
  • Marcia Griffiths – Steppin’ Out of Babylon; Women in Reggae (Shanachie) ’79 comp.
  • Bunny Wailer – Rise & Shine ; Solomonic Singles vol. 2 (Solomonic) ‘81
Short lived Wailers boutique label: Wail ‘N Soul ‘M (1966-1968)

Set 7: Best of Smile Jamaica 31+ Years

  • U Roy – Music Addict; Music Addict (RAS) ’87 RIP:
  • Aisha – Tribulation; High Priestess (Ariwa) ‘88
  • Black Uhuru – Sinsemilla; Tear It Up! Live (Mango) ’82 live in London
  • Dr. Alimantado – Sons of Thunder; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves) ‘73
  • 4th Street Orchestra – Ah Who Seh? Ah Who She? Go Deh! (Rama) ’76 Dennis Bovell dub album of the hour
RIP at age 78. Inventor of toasting, deejay talkover, hip hop, rap

Set 8: UFO-ria. NASA on Mars

  • Burning Spear – Fly Me to the Moon; Mistress Music (Slash) ’88
  • Alpha Blondy – Interplanetary Revolution; Cocody Rock!!! (Shanachie) ‘84
  • Cornell Campbell – Stars; The Minstrel (Westside) ‘75
  • Laurel Aitken – Apollo 12; The Pama Years (Grover) ‘69
  • Bam Bam – Star Wars + Dub; Power of  a Woman (Bam Bam International) ’87 LA Vinyl/Roots Dawta
  • U Roy – Your Ace From Space; Version Galore (Treasure Isle) ‘68
U Roy – Your Ace from Space joins Jah’s Heavenly Choir

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-bruary 13, 2021 – Lovers rock Reggae

Leave a comment

 

Greetings,

<Smile Jamaica Lovers Rock Showcase; 80 sec.>

For three plus decades if you have listened to Smile Jamaica, you know that with the Ark-ives I ‘n’ I have given regular showcases for 420, Jah-loween, Mutant Dub, UFOria, Bobfest, Roots Dawtas, etc.

But not a full show of the Reggae genre called Lovers Rock. This format is very popular in places like the United Kingdom and the Pacific Islands. For me, it’s a little too smooth when I’m going more for grit. Many a Reggae love song won’t make the playlist if I ‘n’ I hear strings overdubbed on the track.

The day before Valentine’s Day was all Lovers Rock Smile Jamaica.

I ‘n’ I subscribe mostly to Big Youth’s “No more songs about girls”. But there are many people in JA UK and worldwide who favor more of the John Holt’s, Beres Hammond’s and Eddie Lovette’s than the Spear’s, Tosh’s and Prince Fari’s.

Me being a Reggae curmudgeon, I  ‘n’ I can and will chant down Babylon all the live long day. But in places like mid 70’s UK, in the dancehalls and shebeens around London, if you wanted the dawtas to come down and rub a dub, you better juggle-in some sweet ladies and smooth operators to the mix.

The gals dress up nice, want to go out and have a dread buy her a drink, take her on the dancefloor for a little rub a dub session and see ya later! And they weren’t gonna leave their seat for heavy militant Rasta protest.

Doing the Rub a Dub

Women artists and groups like Brown Sugar, 15 16 17 (2 sisters and a cousin), all the great Mad Professor dawtas like Aisha, Kofi and Sandra Cross ruled the airwaves with smoother Reggae focusing mostly on themes of love and love lost.

Aisha – Smile Jamaica’s favorite Roots Dawta

So maybe there is a way, I ‘n’ I can split the difference. Can I keep to the rootsy Reggae riddim accompaniment while blending in a focus of all romance and not have it sound wimpy or soggy?

Started with Gregory Isaac singing about the Night Nurse “only you alone can quench this here dry unproductive cough, cough, cough”. Dubbled up the Roots Dawta quotient,  hit the Lovers Rock stalwarts like Barrington Levy, Cornell Campbell and George Faith. End it with a half hour of Mutant Lovers.

Mutant Dub

Listen for yourself. Would this Ark-ive edition get the lovelies on the dancefloor or is it still the Roots head fraternity in the corner burning spliff and plotting revolution?

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Lovers Rock Special Playlist: Feb. 13, 2021 

Set 1:

  • Ronnie Davis – All I Have Is Love; Crucial (Big Mac Soul Power) Can. Vinyl; Gregory Isaacs cover
  • Jah Shaka – Deliverance – Commandments of Dub Chapter 6 (Jah Shaka) ’87 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse; Night Nurse (Mango) ‘82
  • 15 16 17 – Someone Special; Magic Touch (DEB) ‘79
  • Toots & the Maytals – My Name Is So Strong; Pass the Pipe (Mango) ‘79
  • Cornell Campbell – Girl of My Dreams; Natty Dread in a Greenwich Farm (Striker Lee) ‘75
  • The Silvertones – Take a Little Love; Rare Reggae Grooves From Studio One (Heartbeat/Studio One) ‘79
“Night Nurse, only you alone can quench this dry, unproductive cough, cough cough…..”

Set 2:

  • June Lodge – Kiss and Say Goodbye; Someone Loves You Honey (Joe Gibbs) ’80 Manhattans cover
  • Culture – Roots Girl; Roots & Culture (Jah Life) ‘82
  • Junior Delgado – Love Tickles Like Magic; Treasure Found (Incredible Music) ‘75
  • Brown Sugar – I’m in Love With a Dreadlocks; I’m in Love With a Dreadlocks (Soul Jazz) ’79 UK female lovers rock trio
  • George Faith w/ Dillinger – To Be a Lover; To Be a Lover (Mango) ’77 Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark prod’n

Set 3:

  • Pat Rhoden – Boogie On Reggae Woman: Just My Imagination vol. 3 (Trojan) ’75 Stevie Wonder cover
  • Akabu – My Love; Warrior Queen (ON U Sound) ’95 UK female group
  • Aswad – Hooked on You; To the Top (Simba) ‘86
  • Leroy Smart – This Love; King Tubbys at the Controls vol. 2 (Original) late 70’s
  • Blackbeard – Electrocharge;  I Wah Dub (EMI) Dub ’80 Album of the Hour

Set 4:

  • Afro Omega – All My Love; Pick Up the Pieces EP (Afro Omega) 2006 SLC w/ female vox
  • Joe Higgs – My Baby Still Loves Me; Life of Contradiction (Esoldun) ‘75
  • Empress Rasheda – True Love; Hail H.I.M. (Roots) ‘95
  • Barrington Levy – Loving You; Time Capsule (RAS) ‘82***End of Set 4

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital Lovers Set

  • The Heptones – Soul Sister; Legends From Studio One (Trenchtown) ’72 Allen Toussaint cover: 
  • Barry Brown – True Love Is the Answer; Step It Up Youthman (Jackpot) ’79 UK
  • Jah Woosh – Falling in Love; Dreadlocks Affair (Trojan) ’75 UK dj to Midnight Train to Georgia
  • Honey Boy – Will You Be My Girl; In Dreamland (Taretone) ’81 UK
  • Sheila Hylton – Breakfast in Bed; 12” (Ballistic) ’79 UK Dusty Springfield cover

Set 6: Wailers Family Tree Lovers Rock

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Turn Your Lights Down Low; Exodus (Tuff Gong) ’78 Peter Tosh feat. Gwen Guthrie – Nothing But Love; Wanted Dread & Alive (EMI America) ’81 US vinyl
  • Marcia Griffiths – The Way I Feel About You; Steppin’ (Shanachie) ‘79
  • Bunny Wailer – Love Fire; Solomonic Singles vol. 2 (Solomonic) ‘78

Set 7:

  • Linton Kwesi Johnson – Lorraine; Bass Culture (Mango) ‘80
  • Aisha – Love Is So Simple; High Priestess (Ariwa) ‘88
  • Susan Cadogan – Say a Little Prayer; Songs of Aretha (Ariwa) 2019 Aretha Franklin covers

Set 8: Lovers Rock Mutant Dub Set

  • Singers & Players – Thing Called Love; Revenge of the Underdog (ON U Sound) ’82 
  • New Age Steppers – My Love; 7” (Statik) ’81 UK picture sleeve
  • Bim Sherman – You Are the One; ON U Sound Reggae Archives vol. 2 (ON U Sound) BB Seaton cover
  • Claude Fontaine – Love Street; Claude Fontaine (Innovative Leisure) 2019 Fr. dawta
  • Dry & Heaven – Love Explosion; Full Contact (BSI) 2000 Jah-pon w/ female vox
  • UB40 – Love Is All Is Alright; UB44 (Virgin)
Roots Dawta: Claude Fontaine – French Mutant Lovers Rock

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-bruary 6, 2021 – Happy 76th Bob Marley!

Leave a comment

Greetings,

<28 days of Bob Marley T Shirts; 1 min. 44 sec.>

  • Bob baseball cap? Check!
  • Bob hoodie? Check!
  • Bob necklace? Check!
  • Bob ID card? Check!
  • Bob mask/face diaper? Check!
  • Bob lighters, stash tin and grinder? Check, check, check!

Wore a Bob watch for 20 years til the face faded out. Johnny Law got my Bob pipe and I ‘n’ I have never come across a Bob bong.

“Hello Bong Hut. Do you ship to zip code 84112?” CLICK. “Hello? Hello?”

Now let’s celebrate Bob Marley’s 76th birthday on Smile Jamaica on his actual birth date: Feb. 6, 2021 – Feb. 1945….carry the one, by I ‘n’ I liberal arts math: 76 years!

Last year when Rona was raging the most, since I ‘n I couldn’t go into work, I cleaned out my closets and pulled together a closet full of Bob Marley T-shirts. Feb. 1 to Feb. 28th.

It’s not Bob Marley birth day it’s Bob Marley birth month! Gwan see if I ‘n’ I have 28 T shirts. I’ll probably go up until Apr. 20th flying Bob’s visage on  my person. (Never go on the Zoom camera at work. Hate Zoom. Hate. Hate. Hate it.)

Choice for Feb. 6, 2021 – livicated to the African Herbsman easy skanking his way through a crocus bag of Kaya

<Happy 76th Birthday Tribute to Bob Marley; 2 min. 29 sec.>

The Digital Millennium Copywrong Act makes this showcase mostly cover tunes. But I ‘n’ I do get to play 4 Bob tunes and stay legal. Back in the good old days I might have done Bob from Catch a Fire to Uprising or Bob A-Z (Ambush to Zimbabwe), but the love is  there from Bob’s family and contemporaries and I ‘n’ I (the Royal Rasta we)

A couple stories from three decades of Bob’s life and works. I ‘n’ I been tracking the Wailers from before their main Island albums (Catch a Fire ’73 to Uprising ’80)

The group was tired of being ripped off. Selling 80,000 copies of a hit ska single and collecting all of $25 dollars. Latest Smile Jamaica chronological album is a collection of when the group started their own label in true independent spirit: Wail ‘N Soul ‘M. It lasted a couple years yet the vicious Jamaican record industry wouldn’t let them into the record shops, radio payola and pressing plant. It lasted two years, but had some great post ska pre-rocksteady gems and a brilliant logo. And I ‘n’ I will hear more in the months to come. Rare and fresh roots!

<Wail ‘N Soul ‘M label; 84 sec.>

Wailing Wailers: Wail ‘N Soul ‘M logo

<Bob Marley the perfectionist aka The Skipper; 49 sec.>

Another quick story: When Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer went solo, Bob became the captain. And much like James Brown, he would fine band members if they missed a note or were late for sound check. Even the I Three (Rita, Marcia, Judy) would pay up if they missed a dance step. They all called him The Skipper.

The Skipper runs a tight ship

<Marley musical tributes; 32 sec.>

Most people didn’t know Bob was terminally ill. He was on a highly (ha ha)  successful tour backing Uprising. Disco mixes of “Could You Be Loved” and “Comin’ in From the Cold” were finally being played in the black dance clubs. His show was a rock experience like any stadium white act. He had crossed over.

Then he collapsed while running in New York Central Park. But May 11,. he went up to Jah’s Heavenly Choir. A whole heap of Reggae stalwarts wrote up lyrics, went into the studio and record fitting tributes which are showcased on this podcast of Smile Jamaica.

<Bob as Prophet Joseph; 18 sec.>

What greater tribute to Bob’s life could there be when Judy Mowatt composed Joseph comparing Bob to the Biblical Prophet Joseph. Leading the people out of Babylon back to Zion. Tremendous ballad.

Judy Mowatt

<Redemption Song the fitting end; 1 min. 34 sec.>

The fitting end was the last song on the last album Bob recorded while alive: “RedemptionSong” from Uprising. Two of my 4 Bob selections are the 12″ band mix, uptempo but the ballad version is sublime.

Bob and his acoustic guitar singing about:

Old pirates yes them rob I, take I to the merchant ship, minutes after they took I from the bottomless pit. But my hand was made strong, by the hand of the Almighty.

We forward in this generation triumphantly.

*****

As poignant an ending as John Lennon’s “Starting Over”. Had he lived and grew his audience through 80’s and MTV, touring, success in the black market, his world wide following for revolutionaries everywhere he would have been right up there with the Michael Jackson’s, Prince’s, Madonna’s and Springsteen’s.

Selah!

bless, Bobbylon

The Skipper leads the band of Jah’s Heavenly Choir

Smile Jamaica Ark-ives: Feb. 6, 2021 – Bob Marley Birthday Tribute

Set 1:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Smile Jamaica; Pressure Drop (Island) ’77 UK Lee “Scratch” Perry mix 
  • Chalawa – Natural Mystic; Exodus Dub (Weston) Canadian dub album of the hour
  • Cedella Marley Booker – He’s a Rastaman; Awake Zion (Rykodisc) ’84 Bob’s Mom
  • Ijahman Levi – Bob & Friends Over There; Inside Out (Jahmani) ‘87
  • Ranking Joe – Tribute to Bob Marley; Rebel DJ (Jam Rock) ’81 Miami vinyl
  • Winston Reedy & Tim Hain – Reggae Man; 12” (Priority) ’85 UK
Bob’s Mom

Set 2:

  • Ky-Mani Marley – Dear Dad; CD Single (Gee Street) ’99 child 10 of 11
  • Session feat. Azeem – Tribute to Bob Marley; Tribute to Marley (M. Al’s) ’81 Oakland, CA vinyl.
  • The Abyssinians – Jah Marley; Last Days (Tabou1) ‘97
  • Sue Chaloner – Missin’ Mr. Marley; 12” (CNR) ’81 Can.
Child 10 of 11

Set 3: 7” Jamaican Jukebox Set

  • Faith D’Aguilar – Reggae Pioneers; 7” (Gorgon) 
  • Lone Ranger – Tribute to Marley; 7” (Studio One)
  • Prince Ital Joe – I Miss Bob Marley; 7” (Royal Safari Music) Hollywood CA
  • Errol Scorcher – Sounds of Hon. Marley; 7” (Dance Hall)

Set 4:

  • Bobby & Carol Kalphat – Memories of Bob; 7″ (Hit Vibes)
  • Alpha Blondy – Mystic Night Move; Masada (World Enterprise) ’92 Ivory Coast
  • Macka B – Bob; Everybody Loves Bob Marley (Neos) 2006 comp.
  • Shaka Man – If It Wasn’t For the Rastaman (Tribute to Bob); 2030 A.D. (Majicaa) 80’s LA vinyl
  • Jah Thomas – Tribute to the Reggae King; 12″ (Midnight Rock) ’81 JA
  • Moods Unlimited Orchestra – Could You Be Loved; Get Up Stand Up (Image) ’95 mellow instrumentals

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • Culture – Psalms of Bob Marley; Good Things (RAS) ’89 DC
  • Papa Finnigan & Junior Ranking – Tribute to Bob Marley; Two the Hard Way (Heartbeat) ’82 DC Cambridge, MA
  • Sister Carol – Dedicated to Bob Marley; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 Brooklyn
  • Horace Andy – Bob Lives On; Exclusively (Solid Groove) ’81 UK
  • Jah Batta – Great Superstar; 12″ (Top Ranking) ’81 Miami; dj to Horace Andy

Set 6:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailing Wailers – Freedom Time; Wail ‘N Soul ‘M Singles (JAD) ’66
  • Mikey Dread – In Memory (Jacob, Marcus, Marley); S.W.A.L.K. (Heartbeat) ’82
  • Bankie Banx- Remember Bob; Soothe Your Soul (Redemption)
  • Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Jammin’) – Hotter Than July (Motwn) ’80
  • Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Dub); 7″ (Tamla) ’80 US

Set 7:

  • Judy Mowatt – Joseph; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76 Bob as Biblical prophet
  • Toots & the Maytals – Marley’s Gone (HIs Songs Live On); Live at Reggae Sunsplash (Genes) ’82 Montego Bay JA
  • Winston Groovy – Night Shift; 12″ (Sound City) ’84 UK

Set 8:

  • Randeesh – Bob Marley Is a  River of Love; Courage
  • I-Three – He’s a Legend; Beginning (EMI America) ’86
  • Everton Blender – Bob; Piece of the Blender (Heartbeat)  ’96
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Redemption Song; 12″ (Tuff Gong) ’80 JA band version
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Redemption Song; Uprising (Tuff Gong) ’80

Podcasting at the Marriot Library

Leave a comment
Podcasting: Ipod + broadcasting

Podcasting at the Marriott Library – Robert J. Nelson

Contact: robert.nelson@utah.edu

  • Head, Media Studios – Marriott Library, University of Utah
  • Audio Projects Librarian
  • Host, Reggae Radio show Smile Jamaica: KRCL 90.9FM; 1989-Present
  • Host, Radio Interview program Radioactive: KRCL 90.9FM 2003-2012

  • Podcasting – definition and personal experience
  • Podcasting is digital storytelling
  • Podcasting demographics
  • Podcasting: best tips & bad habits
  • Podcasting in the Audio Studio/Marriott Library/home
  • Covid-19 Audio Studio/podcasting impacts
  • Questions?

WHAT IS PODCASTING?

A mash-up of the IPod, Apple’s pre-Smartphone digital music player + “casting” as in radio /television broadcasting

Oxford English Dictionary definition:

A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically. 

Smile Jamaica’s experience in pre-podcasting/digital archives

  • Circa 2001: upload .mp3s of individual Smile Jamaica shows to KRCL webpage for stream or download
  • Promote through personal email list and Usenet discussion group: Rec.Music.Reggae: link to Smile Jamaica page
  • Hosted until the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) enforcement required KRCL to shut down streams over copyright infringement.  Circa 2005.

The DMCA criminalizes the act of circumventing an access control, whether or not there is actual infringement of copyright itself. In addition, the DMCA heightens the penalties for copyright infringement on the Internet(3)

Author’s personal collection

Digital  Radio Archive/Podcast insights

Smile Jamaica Archives: 40 years of record collecting (author’s personal collection)

Goal: How to get listeners world wide to consume Smile Jamaica if they don’t live in Northern Utah to hear the show live on terrestrial radio?

Issues are the exact same for modern podcasters:

  1. On-Demand media democratization – podcasts are usually free
  2. Digital media utility – listeners can listen on their time, not my time
  3. Market to target audience – why Smile Jamaica? A music archive for Reggae music collectors/obsessives. All vinyl or cd. No digital
  4. Storytelling imperative – no stories on Itunes Music, Pandora, Prime

Podcasting Demographics

Monthly Online Audio Listening by Age:

Age Range 2018 2019 2020
12 to 34 85% 87% 86%
35 to 54 69% 70% 76%
55 up 33% 40% 42%
  • Course assignments
  • Professional development
  • Anecdotal research
  • Life long learning
  • Personal enrichment and narratives

Podcast assignment

  • 5-8 minute length
  • Topic: intersection of human and natural systems related to the concept of sustainability. Must incorporate equity.

Podcast workflow:

  1. Writing assignment for an auditory outcome – write the narrative for the body of the podcast first:
    • Consider your audience (script written with audience in mind) – where do they live? interests? hobbies? cultural/political identification?
    • Make it conversational
    • Avoid jargon or inside jokes which shut-out the listener
    • Present any data/survey results in context. Overwhelming your listeners with a lot of figures can be hard to follow.
    • Don’t assume listeners are as well versed in the topic as you are
    • Brevity is essential. Make every sentence/concept impactful – think in terms of a lawyer giving opening arguments in a trial
    • Vocalizing a narrative script avoids annoying place holders like “ands” “umms”, “y’knows”
    • Credits and acknowledgements at the end.

2. Format of any interview results

    • Write out your questions
    • Ask open ended questions that begin with: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? – These responses can not be answered “yes” or “no”.
    • Avoid asking questions that begin with “Did” or “Do”? 
      • They reflect a bias and it stops the conversation
      • If you do ask “Did” or “Do” ask your guest to elaborate why “yes” or “no”

3. Read your narrative aloud several times

  • Make it personable and conversational
  • Don’t drone or mumble
  • Speak with authority and confidence

4. Record your narrative

Marriott Library resources:

  • Audio Studio – schedule a time with Robert to record (on campus Tuesdays and Thursdays)
  • Podcast Kits – check out from the Knowledge Commons Desk on Level 2 of the Marriott Library
  • Podcast Booth (in development) – A podcast recording booth on Level 2 Protospace. Hoping to come online in March

Home:

  • Smartphone recorder/digital recorder
  • Record in a space away from windows, air returns, barking dogs, crying babies, television, etc.
  • Hang a heavy blanket over windows.
  • Consider upgrading your microphone to record digitally to a laptop
Blue Snowball. USB condenser mic. Check out from Knowledge Commons in the Marriott or $50 for your own

5. Edit your Audio

  • I teach Audacity. It’s easy to record and edit. Garage Band is another free and easy option.
  • Import your audio and edit a final mix. 
    • If you don’t know how to edit sound, I can assist
    • YouTube tutorials are also very easy to learn sound
  • Make sure your Audio is in the sweet spot of sound.
    • YouTube video audio: Average on a sound meter should read between -12db and -9b
    • Peaks should be no higher than -1db. If you get a red clip mark on the audio, it is too loud and should be de-amplified to the ideal
    • Record 20 seconds of room tone (silence) and then use the noise reduction filter  under Effects to improve recording.
    • On Audacity your wave amplification of sound should be “colored” between -5db and +5db

6. Record your introduction after you have finished your podcast edit:

  • It should be no longer. than 30 seconds
  • It should capture the objective of the assignment:
    • A statement of your research question
    • How your results relate to sustainability
    • How your ‘cast incorporates equity
    • Your methodology
    • A brief statement of your research findings
  • Place edited intro audio before the narrative on your final podcast edit

Podcasting in a Pandemic:

  • Unmediated access suspended
  • Media Studios, (usually Robert), acts as sound engineer to ensure social distancing, PPE
  • 1 mic recording, no mask, using a disposable microphone cover