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.
Took the Labor Day live cast off for some vacation. Enjoy this Digital Dubplate cooked up in the Secret Dubratory located within the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
bless, Bobbylon
0-30 min.
Aswad – African Children; (CBS); Not Satisfied (CBS) ’82 UK
Carlene Davis – Quicksand; 15 Hits (Sonic)
Black Uhuru – Right Stuff; Dub Factor (Mango) ’82 dub
Culture – This Train; Cumbolo (Shanachie) ’79
Doctor Alimantado – Marriage License; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves) ’81
UB40 feat. Sister V – V’s Version; Baggariddim dj to Version Girl (Virgin) ’85
Fred Locks – Rastafari Rule; Missing Link (VP) ’79
Gregory Isaacs – Sweeter the Victory; Love Is Overdue (Heartbeat) ’74
Not counting box sets, the most I have ever paid for a CD. $80
Greetings,
Advice after forty years of cratedigging: Buy low, sell high. I ‘n’ I built the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives when people were shedding vinyl for these over priced gadgets called the compact disk.
Titles I bought for 4 bucks on Haight Ashbury fetches hundreds now on ebay and discogs.
It’s not that I’m cheap. I spend the GDP of small third world nations on music. But I believe a record that is worth hundreds that I paid less than a Lincoln for, makes the sound oh so sweet.
Vinyl to the left, CDs and books on the right: The Smile Jamaica Ark-ives
Yet I have wish lists. Things I can’t find cratedigging and must scope online. One of my “white whales” was the 8 track version of Thievery Corporations silky herb tune, Lebanese Blonde.
<$80 dollars for Lebanese Blonde; 55 sec.>
I was coming back from a cratedig in Missoula, Montana. I saw a disk on the new record rack that had a cool cover, name and song titles.
Thievery Corporation – Richest Man in Babylon
Heading back to Salt Lake from my parents’ house in Fort Benton, Montana, I detour through Missoula to cratedig in their cool indie stores: Rockin’ Rudy’s and Ear Candy.
I pushed it too far and hit the dreaded Monida Pass at sundown. Anyone travelling on I-15 heading North knows that pass right at the Idaho Montana border. Not a good place to be in a snow storm.
Twice in 25 years of driving that stretch I had to go 100 miles back to Butte, on icy roads, because the pass was closed to traffic.
Monida Pass
I left Missoula too late and hit this pass at the worst time: dusk. As the sun went down at 7,000 feet I watched the road ice up ahead of me.
What every Montana kid is prepared for yet still dreads. Driving over an iced free way with only the guard rails to keep you out of the ditch.
Shit, this is how people die. Slide off the road on Monida. You have about 15 minutes before your car is totally iced over and NO CELL SERVICE.
He died doing what he loved: record shopping.
All right. Here we go. My All Wheel Drive Subaru. This is what I bought you for. Slow way down to about 25 MPH and just pick your way through the sheer ice. Even with AWD, do not hit the brakes.
I soldiered through. What usually takes 15 minutes, took me over an hour. Foot off the gas, when a truck would go by kicking up crystals to make visibility almost zero.
Once you hit Spencer, Idaho on the other side of the Pass, the road thaws a little. All through this, I am listening to Richest Man in Babylon and focused on their supple riddims, heavy bass and international vocalists. Kept me from freaking out through the worst of the road hazards.
As soon as I got home, I ordered their entire catalog. So, yeah $80 for one of their rare singles. Priceless.
bless, Bobbylon
Thievery Corporation led to my last half hour Mutant Dub Sets: 21 sec.
As Judy Mowatt sang: Many are called but few are chosen. I have been offered a job. General Giorgio of the Space Force needs me.
Gen. Giorgio Tsoukalos, Leader of Trump’s Space Force. My new boss.
I will be the Minister of Lunar Agriculture; 103 sec.
From Space Dust to the Tree of Life
Scoffers tell I ‘n’ I that this is just more cash for the Military Industrial Complex. Maybe so, but as an Ancient Astronaut Theorist, I think the Anunnaki might return to put a stop their puny creation, mankind’s, weaponization of Space.
I plan to Make the Anunnaki Great Again! As a Sumerian Fundamentalist, I am with my people!
<Ancient Astronaut Theorists approve of the Space Force; 25 sec.>
<Happy Birthday to the World’s First Hippie – Haile Selassie I> 68 sec.
Greetings,
Ras Tafari Makonnen: The Head Creator
Haile Selassie I: Power of the Trinity
<Power of Jah Trinity; 27 sec.>
Negusa Negast: King of Kings; 30 sec.
Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Elect of God, Ever Living God, Earth’s Rightful Ruler
<Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah; 13 sec.>
Without this little short man (Selassie was 5 foot 2) Reggae consists of love songs, novelty records and pop and soul covers. This is the heart of Smile Jamaica.
Rastafari gospel love songs to His Imperial Majesty from the Rastas. In Jamaican, when Nationalist hero Marcus Garvey was recruiting blacks to return to Africa, he prophesized: “Look to the east where a black king will be crowned. That will be the signal to load up the Black Star Liner (as opposed to the Titanic passenger liner White Star Line) to go back to Africa
<Garvey’s prophecy; 63 sec.>
Marcus Garvey: Look to the East, where a king will be crowned leading all blacks back to Africa
From that moment the movement grew from the impoverished in Jamaica who wanted a black Jesus not a colonial white Jesus. Selassie was the reincarnation of Jahova (Jah).
He ruled in Ethiopia until the communists in the hinterlands took advantage of corrupt Selassie courtiers who refused to acknowledge famine in the provinces. Selassie was deposed and most likely murdered in the basement of his Imperial Palace in 1974.
<Selassie’s downfall; 30 sec.>
I call myself a Rasta enthusiast or empathizer and even a Sumerian Fundamentalist like myself, is powerfully moved by such beautiful musical devotion that we will hear on this Ark-Ive Podcast.
Haile Selassie – July 23, 1892.
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: July 21, 2018: Happy Birthday His Imperial Majesty; 95 sec.
Smile Jamaica: 30 Years of Rastafari Gospel love songs
Set 1:
Naturalites – Picture on the Wall; Rub a Dubble vol. 1 (CSA) ’86 UK – 3 hours for Haile Selassie – July 23, 1892
Roots Radics/Bunny Wailer – Roots Raddics; Dub D’sco vol. 1 (Solomonic) ’77 JA vinyl Dub Album of the Hour
Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus – Ethiopian National Anthem; Movements (Dynamic) ’78 JA vinyl; nyahbinghi style drumming
<National Anthem of Ethiopia; 23 sec.>
Black Uhuru – I Love King Selassie; Tear It Up” Live (Mango) ’83
Chalawa – Jah Collie Weed; Capture Land (Green Weenie) ’78 Can. vinyl 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
African Princess – Jah Children Cry; 12″ (Jah Shaka) ’85 UK vinyl comp
Royal flag of Ethiopia
Set 2:
Keith Hudson – I Broke the Comb; Rasta Communication (Greensleeves) ’78
<The Old Testament Nazirite Vow and Dreadlocks; 84 sec.>
Sister Carol – Jah Is Mine; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 on McCartney/Jackson Girl is Mine
Peter “Roots” Lewis – Jah Is My Salvation; Wicked Roots (Reggae Retro) 2000
Hugh Mundell – That Little Short Man; 12″ (Rockers International) ’78; Selassie was 5 foot 2
Set 3:
Jacob Miller – False Rasta; Don’t Give Up Your Culture (Moll-Selekta) ’77
<Beware the Follow Fashion Dread; 47 sec.>
Judy Mowatt – Many Are Called; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76
Aswad – He Gave the Sun to Shine; New Chapter (CBS) ’81 UK
Ranking Trevor – Give Thanks and Praise Unto Jah; 12″ (Greensleeves) ’78 UK to Heart & Soul
Augustus Pablo – Chant to Selassie I; East of the River Nile (Shanachie) ’78 Dub Album of the Hour
Set 4:
Cedric Myton & the Congos – Where He Leads; Face the Music (VP) ’81
Burning Spear – Jah Is My Driver; Farover (Heartbeat) ’83
Daweh Congo – Jah Is My Shepherd; Human Rights & Justice (Roots & Culture) 2000
Hortense Ellis – Jah Mysterious Works; Women in Reggae (Shanachie) ’75 extended
Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital
Leroy Smart – Jah Jah Forgive Them; Live Up Roots Children (Striker Lee) ’85 UK
Clint Eastwood – Whip Them Jah Jah; Step It in a Zion (Third World) ’78 UK
Michigan & Smily – Jah Ruled Over I; Step By Step (Hitbound) ’82 Brooklyn
Jah Malla – Jah Love; Jah Malla (Modern) ’81 US – children of Reggae players in JA
<Jah Malla: songs of Reggae players: Val Douglas, Roland Alphanso, Ernest Ranglin, Sylvan Morris; 30 sec.>
Zema – Selassie; Zema (Melchizedek) ’86 So Cal female singer
2nd gen Reggae group
Set 6: Wailers Family Tree
Peter Tosh – Iziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised); Legalize It (Columbia) ’76
Bunny Wailer – Rasta Dread (Natty Dread); Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 50 tunes for Bob’s 50th Birthday
Rita Marley – Good Morning Jah; Who Feels It Knows It (Shanachie) ’80
<Rita encounters Haile Selassie; 81 sec.>
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Conquering Lion; One Love Peace Concert: Kingston, JA 4/22/78
Dub Specialist – Fire Coal Version; Version Dread (Studio One/Heartbeat) ’75 17 Dub Shots From Studio One
Set 7:
Cymande – Rastafarian Folk Song; Cymande (Sequel) ’74 UK – World’s first hippie
Aisha – One God, One Aim, One Destiny; True Roots (Ariwa) ’95
Winston Jarrett – Selassie Is the Chapel; By the Rivers of Babylo (Shanachie) ’95 comp: cover of the Orioles Crying in the Chapel
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Selassie Is the Chapel; Rebel Box Set (JAD) ’66
Set 8:
Alpha & Omega – Who Is the Ruler; Watch and Pray (A & O) ’89 UK vinyl trance dub
Doctor Alimantado – Chant to Jah; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves) ’75
Johnny Osbourne – Jah Promise; Truths & Rights (Studio One/Heartbeat) ’80
Misty in Roots – How Long Jah; Live at the Euro Countervision (Kaz) ’79
Bim Sherman – Lamb of Judah; Bim Sherman Meets U Black and Horace Andy in a Rub a Dub Style (Original) ’79
Wailing Souls – Jah Gives Us Life; Very Best of (Greensleeves) ’78
The first song I played after being off air for six weeks with a blood infection/Sepsis that landed me in Intensive Care
Just say no to starving kids, eh Nancy? Thanks to your husband, Smile Jamaica was well stocked with fresh roots! Selah!
Greetings,
It was July 2, 1988. Late Sunday Night/early Monday Morning. I jumped in my car and drove from my apartment by the University of Utah campus downtown to community radio station KRCL 90.9FM.
Unloaded a suitcase full of CDs and a crate full of LPs. At 3 am on a hot summer night, I cued up Black Uhuru’s “What Is Life” from the album that made me a Reggae fanatic – Anthem.
Drop the needle pon the record and that began a 30 year legacy of Reggae Radio.
<Sunday Night/Monday Morning, July 2, 1988; 3-6AM, debut of 3 o’Clock Roadblock on KRCL; 30 sec.>
Not Bob Marley. Not Peter Tosh. Not Jimmy Cliff. Not UB40. Black Uhuru lit the Reggae fuse that led to Smile Jamaica
I had returned that Sunday afternoon from a massive cratedig in the Bay Area. Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Berkely, Mill Valley, El Cerrito, Oakland, Santa Cruz.
I was glad my car didn’t break down. It would be bad juju to be late for my debut radio show. Not to mention how would I keep two crates full of vinyl from melting on the side of the road somewhere.
Ronald. Wilson. Reggae. 666 as the Rastas might say. Not I ‘n’ I. I didn’t see eye to eye with Ronnie politically, but I am forever grateful to him as the benefactor of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives, even if it was a misuse of funds.
The 80’s were a time you could get more student grants than student loans. Tuition was a fraction of what it is today. That left me about $2k left over to front load music for a Radio show. LPs and these recent creations called CDs. I was format agnostic. Good Reggae for the masses.
And I have Ronald Wilson Reagan to thank!
<Ronald Wilson Reagan – benefactor of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives; 2 min.>
Ronald Wilson Reagan or as I call him – the Smile Jamaica financial enabler
So from July 2, 1988 to July 14, 2018 – 3 o’Clock Roadblock (July 1988-August 1989) to Smile Jamaica (Oct. ’89), let’s celebrate with the Sequel to my 30th Anniversary showcase (cd versions) from 2 weeks ago.
All vinyl this time out!
After 26 years, I might have to put Yammy down. Yammy is my Yamaha #Subwoofer. Blew a cone tonight listening to Prince Fari Dub Encounter Chapter IV. A moment of silence. Literally. My 1st night in a world without bass https://t.co/pJ664OhGbEpic.twitter.com/nUQCEvkye9
<Help me celebrate 30 years of Reggae Radio; 7 sec.>
Greetings,
After six weeks of Radio training, I ‘n’ I made my radio debut (most likely) July 2, 1988. KRCL 90.9FM was the station. 3 o’clock Roadblock was the show. Hot summer night I cruised down to the station located at 800 S. 200 W. in SLC and dropped the needle pon the record for the very first time.
Well stocked with tunes funded by the Student Loan Program….
<Special thanx to Ronald Wilson Reagan; 39 sec.>
Ronald Wilson Reagan – Rastas called him 666. But he gave me student loan cash to build the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive
3-6 AM Sunday nights/Morning morning. Named after the Bob Marley tune, but I always led off with a Black Uhuru tune – the group that got me into Reggae. Hook, line and sinker.
<July 88 to Aug 89: 3 o’Clock Roadblock on KRCL; 24 sec.>
3 o’clock Roadblock from July 1988 to Aug. 1989 on KRCL
The first time I guest hosted Smile Jamaica, I was so nervous I couldn’t cue up a record!; 20 sec.
But I got the hang of it and after 30 years, (56% of my entire life). And spinning tunes on Saturdays is my favorite thing on earth to do. 23 sec.
So on today’s Ark-Ive let us celebrate that legacy with 40 tracks that I might have played that first Summer night at 3 in the morning to Night owls, insomniacs and graveyard shifters. Thank you for listening along the way
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives – 30 Years of Reggae Radio Playlist: June 30, 2018; 96 sec.
The very first song of a 30 year Reggae Radio legacy. Selah!
Set 1:
Black Uhuru – Party Next Door; Anthem (Island) ’83: 30 years of Reggae Radio
❤ o’clock Roadblock used to start every show with Black Uhuru; 16 sec.>
Augustus Pablo – Roadblock; Ital Dub (Trojan) ’75 UK vinyl dub album of the hour – 3 O’clock Roadblock 1988-89
Naturalites – Picture on the Wall; Rub-a-Dubble vol. 1 (CSA) ’86
<The best Reggae song of all time; 65 sec.>
Culture – Down in Jamaica; Cumbolo (Shanachie) ’79
Sister Carol – Black Cinderealla; Black Cinderella (Heartbeat/Jah Life) ’84
Ethiopians – Well Red; Original Reggae Hit Sound (Trojan) early 70’s 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Don Carlos – Prophecy; Prophecy (Blue Moon) ’84
This LP made me a Reggae fanatic Fall 1986
Set 2:
Burning Spear – Distant Drums; People of the World (Blue Moon) ’88
Aswad – Bubbling; To the Top (Simba) ’86 UK
Carol Kalphat & Clint Eastwood – African Land/African Melody; ON U Sounds Presents the Reggae Archives vol. 1 (ON U Sound) ’79 Hit Run 12″
Tower Records, Las Vegas
Set 3:
Eddy Grant – Electric Avenue; Killer on the Rampage (Ice) ’83
Pablo Moses – Dubbing Is a Must; A Song (Mango) ’80
Smile Jamaica is a Roots Reggae radio program. Other than the Mutant Dub I spin in the last half hour, I would venture that 80% plus of what I have played for nearly 30 years comes from around 1970-1985. The Wailers, Burning Spear, Culture and their Rasta co-horts.
Turn off your Wolf Blitzers, Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow and get your news from this guy: Burning Spear
So much great heartical music about peace and love, socialism (small s), the plight of the poor and the 400 year legacy of slavery in Jamaica.
Songs from that era chanting down Babylon. Still have resonance and prophecy today. So when the outrage of immigrant children in cages hit the news cycle, I knew the perfect song to play.
o t Same thing for breakfast: 2014 under Obama’s Presidency
On community radio Deejays are not allowed to espouse political support for any cause, candidate or party. I don’t need to do that. I can let the music do the talking.
Jimmy Riley – Have mercy upon poor immigrants. When Occupy Wall Street went hot, it was so easy and enjoyable to string a whole 3 hour Ark-ive backing the 99%ers.
Theme song: Peter Tosh – The Day the Dollar Died (1978)
That is why Reggae music from 40 plus years ago still has relevance. The Dreads and Dawtas warned us it would come to this. That is why you should listen to Smile Jamaica and ignore the Fake News Media
1979 Reggae. Fire bun the CIA News Network
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Annotated Playlist: June 23, 2018; 52 sec.
Set 1:
Jimmy Riley – Summer Time; 12″ (DEB) 70’s cover of Porgy & Bess Broadway tune
Jimmy Riley – Poor Immigrant; Put the People First (Shanachie) ’82
Black Uhuru – Chill Out; Liberation Anthology (Island) 2 disk best of ’83
Gladiators – Dub ina Babylon; Singles Collection (Heartbeat/Studio One)
Gracy & Herbman Band – Forward Up; See Mi Yah (Funfundvierzig) ’91 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement; female singer
<Canada legalizes cannabis; 12 sec.>
Eek a Mouse – Wild Like Tiger; 10″ (Hit Bound) ’83 JA
Crystalites – Rasta Is Love; Scrub a Dub (Crystal) ’74 JA vinyl dub album of the Hour
9 down plus Canada, 41 to go!
Set 2:
Bunny Wailer – Wake Up and Live; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95; 50 Bob covers
Belle Stars – Miss World; 80’s Romance (Salvo) ’81 UK New Wave female group
Daweh Congo – Herb Tree; Human Rights & Justice (Roots & Culture) 2000 herb tune
Jimmy Burke – Be Like a Star; 7″ (Reggae Bee) ’75 UK
Benjamin Zephaniah – Riot in Progress; Dub Ranting 7″ EP (Radical Wallpaper) ’81 UK dub poet, picture sleeve
Inner Rose – Rise Up; 7″ (Inner Rose) 2012 Fr.
Hughie Izachaar – Ganja Smuggler; 7″ (Reggae on Top) ’99 UK herbtune
Lightman – Meanwhile in the City; Spring Time (Semi Sounds) 2004 Dub Album of the Hour (Finland)
There’s a natural misty(?) flowing through the air?
Set 7:
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Lonesome Feeling; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’65 JA vinyl
<Wailers 1st LP in 1965; 55 sec.>
Aisha – Coke Ain’t No Joke; There s More to Life (Ariwa) ’95
Fred Locks – Rastafari Rule; The Missing Link (VP) 2000
Junior byles – Fun and Games (Take Two); Curly Locks (Heartbeat) rare early 70’s Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
Junior Murvin & Chris Jay – Wise Man; 10″ (Dubwise) ’98 UK
Set 8: Mutant Dubstresses
Thievery Corporation feat. LouLou Ghelchknai- Time + Space; Temple of I & I (ESL) 2015 Mutant Dubstress Set
Deepchild eat. Andy B – Racist Friend; King Size Dub Chapter 69 (Echo Beach) 2009 Germ. Special AKA cover
Flying Lotus feat. Dolly – Roberta Flack; Man Machine (Mojo) 2009
Soom T – Jungle of Peace; Ode to a Carrot (Jahtari) 2008 Glaswegian weed stepper
Natacha Atlas – Duden; Essential Lounge: Bombay (UBL) 2006 UK
Afro-Mystik – Momentary Visions; Morphology (OM) 2003 US
Lou Lou of Thievery Corporation
Smile Jamaica is hosted by Robert Nelson on 90.9 FM KRCL in Salt Lake City, Utah (Saturdays, 4-7 p.m. MT). Ark-ives available weekly here at the Smile Jamaica blog.
Smile Jamaica 