Tag Archives: dub poetry

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-vember 3, 2018: Vote for We!

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Greetings,

Wow. That was quite the election without objection. Say what you want about Pres. 45, he motivates people to the polls. Although 5 billion dollars seems like quite a squandering of resources for such lack of choice.

But listening to Reggae for 3 plus decades, I learned to give the Hairy Eyeball to the isms and schisms.

So, this Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives delves into the real politik. And the same thing for breakfast.

I also think The Cream has it on the money too….

<Same thing for breakfast  & The Cream’s Politician; 85 sec.>

The Cream – Politician

I’m a political man
And I practice what I preach
I’m a political man
And I practice what I preach
So don’t deny me, baby
Not while you’re in my reach
I support the left
Though I’m leaning, leaning to the right
I support the left
Though I’m leaning to the right
But I’m just not there
When it’s coming to a fight
The Cream – I support the left, but I’m leaning to the right aka “The Same Thing for Breakfast”

Best outcome for I ‘n’ I

  1. Michigan legalized the collie weed
  2. Missouri medical MJ
  3. Utah Proposition 2 – Medical Marijuana puff puff passed

Now I get to say: 10 down, 40 to go!

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-vember 3, 2018 Annotated Playlist: 79 sec.

 bless, Bobbylon

Set 1:

  • Jimmy Riley – Poor Immigrants; Put the People First (Shanachie) ’82 Ho Ho Kus, NJ vinyl
  • Aggrovators – A Crabit Version; Johnny in the Echo Chamber (Attack) ’75 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Dillinger – Daylight Saving Time; The Deejays Meet Downtown (Voice of Jamaica)
  • Yellowman & Fathead – Duppy or Gunman; Mister Yellowman (Shanachie) ’82 duppy = Jamaican ghost
  • Bob Andy & Marcia Griffiths – Still the Most; Sweet Memories ‘75
  • Black Roots – Tribal War (12” mix); Black Roots (Makasound) ’85 UK
  • IBA – Babylon Don’t Like; Many Lives (Mt. Nebo)  2006 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • Lee “Scratch” Perry – Lion a de Winner; 12” (Upsetter)

Set 2:

  • Bunny Wailer – Sun Is Shining; Hall of Fame (RAS) 50 Bob Marley covers for his 50th birthday
  • Sarah B Band – Mali’o; Realign My Mind (Sarah B Band) 2011 SLC group
  • Dennis Brown – Money in My Pocket; Words of Wisdom (Shanachie) ‘79
  • The Gladiators – Pocket Money; 12” (Virgin Front Line) ’81 UK

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica – 29 Years: UK Ska

  • The Selecter – Celebrate the Bullet; Celebrate the Bullet (Chrysalis) ’81 

<Celebrate the Bullet released the same week Reagan was shot; 40 sec.>

  • The Beat – Best Friend; I Just Can’t Stop It (Go Feet!) ‘80
  • General Public – Tenderness; All the Rage (IRS) ’84 Beat spinoff
  • Fun Boy Three – Farmyard Connection; Waiting (Chrysalis) ’84 two herb farmers named Peter & Bob
  • Aswad – Dub Fire; New Chapter of Dub (Mango) ‘82 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 4:

  • Peter Tosh – 400 Years; Live at My Father’s House (bootleg) Summer 1978, Roslyn, NY
  • Yabby You – Run Come Rally; One Love, One Heart (Shanachie) ’83 comp.
  • Gregory Isaacs – Coke Seller; Do Lord (Xterminator) ’88
  • Super Chick – Bees Man; 10” (Hitbound) ’83 JA

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • The Wailing Wailers – Simmer Down; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’65 JA

<Simmer down, control your temper! 80 sec.>

  • Prince Far I – Tribute to Bob Marley; Voice of Thunder (Trojan) ’81 UK
  • Clint Eastwood – Ganja Baby; Jah Lights Shining; (Vista Sounds) ’79 UK
  • Mystic Youth feat. I-Skeeda & the Irie Ites – Relaxation; Best Wishes (Sunspot) youth in San Francisco feat. Female vox
  • Laurel Aitken – Witch Doctor From Amsterdam; Eskapade en France (Unicorn) ’90 Fr. EP

Set 6: Election Special

  • Keith Poppin – Same Thing For Breakfast; 7” (Spider Man) 
  • Clint Eastwood & General Saint – Vote For We; Stop That Train (Greensleeves) ‘83
  • The Heptones – Mr. President; Party Time (Mango) ’77 UK vinyl
  • Popa Georg (sic) – Vote Fe Me; 12” (Witty)
  • Bullwackie’s All-Stars – Recording Connection; Black World Dub (Wackie’s) ’79 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7:

  • The Wailers – Slave Driver; Live 1973-1975 (Starbucks) 11/23/73 live at Leeds Polytechnic
  • Ken Boothe – Satisfaction; Freedo Street (Beverley’s) ’70 Rolling Stones cover
  • Aisha – I Know a Place; 12” (Ariwa) ’88 UK

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Blackalicious feat Niki Giovanni – Ego Trip; Nia (Mo Wax) ’99 female dub poet:
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – Palestine; Back to Roots (Acid Jazz) ’95 UK dub poet
  • Thievery Corporation – Revolution Solution (Brendan Lynch rmx); CD Single (ESL) 2004
  • Asian Dub Foundation – Return to Jericho (Dub Version); King Size Dub vol. 4 (Echo Beach) ‘98
  • Humble I & Weeding Dub – Guide Me; Sound of Reality (Control Tower) 2009 Fr.
  • Natacha Atlas – I Put a Spell on You; Ayeshtheni (Mantra) 2001 Screamin’ Jay Hawkins cover

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-gust 25, 2018 (Podcast & Playlist) – The Wailers of Mutant Dub!

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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.

[audiomp3=”https://smilejamaicakrcl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/dubstep082518.mp3″%5D%5B/audio%5D

Wailers of Mutant Dub

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Annotated Playlist: Jah-gust 25, 2018; 89 sec.

Set 1:

  • Tinga Stewart – Fire; Key to Your Heart (Calabash) ’83 FL. vinyl
  • Augustus Pablo – El Rockers Chapter Three; Rockers International (Greensleeves) ’80 Dub Album of the Hour
  • Third World – 96 Degrees in the Shade (1865); 96 Degrees in the Shade (Mango) ’77

<Morant Bay Rebellion; 77 sec.> 

  • Aswad and Shabba Ranks – Fire; Lunatic Soundtrack (Mango) ’91
  • Zema – Check It Out; Strangers at the Gates (Melchizedek) ’97 So Cal female
  • Barry Brown – Sensemilla; Far East (Hitbound) ’81 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • Papa Face & the Fashionaires – Girls; 10″ (Top Notch) ’82 UK

Set 2:

  • Bunny Wailer – Work; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95: 50 Bob Marley songs for his 50th birthday
  • Hollie Cook – Desdemona; Twice (Mr. Bongo) 2014 UK dubstress
  • Linton Kwesi Johnson – Sonny’s Lettah; Mi Revalueshenary Fren (LKJ) live poem in Nymegen, Netherlands

<Sus law in UK against black youths; 40 sec.>

  • GT Moore – Ganja Flower; 10″ (Jah Works) 2002 UK militant steppers herbtune

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 28+ Years1

  • The Clash – Police on My Back; Sandinista! (Epic) ’80 Eddy Grant/Equals cover
  • Black Slate – Legalise Collie Herb; Amigo (Ensign) ’80 UK herbtune
  • Dhaima – Ina Jah Children; Uptown Top Ranking (Object Enterprises) ’77 female
  • Lenox Miller & Jah Coller – Better Must Come + Jah Coller Speakers His Mind; Jack Ruby Hi-Fi (Auralux) ’80 Jack Ruby prod’n; Junior Byles cover
  • Aisha & the Mad Professor – Children of Dub; There Is More to Life (Ariwa) 2005 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 4:

  • Peter Tosh – Pick Myself Up; Kentucky Fried Rockers (bootleg) opening for the Rolling Stones in Lexington, KY, 1978
  • Food-a-Rama- Angellina; 10″ (Hitbound) ’80 update of Ken Boothe’s Artibella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • Wailing Wailers – Ska Jerk; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’65 JA: based on Junior Walker’s Shotgun

<Ska Jerk = Shotgun; 71 sec.>

  • John Holt – Police in Helicopter; Police in Helicopter (Greensleeves) ’83 UK herbtune
  • Mother Liza – Joy to Your Soul; Chant Down Babylon (Sonic) JA
  • Icarus – Sinking Deep; State of Mind (Russian Roulette) ’82 UK
  • Bim Sherman & the Voluntary – Drifint Away; Century (Century) ’84 UK

Set 6:

  • The Wailers – Stop That Train; Live 1973-1975 (Starbucks) May 24, 1973 live at the Paris Theatre London/Live on the BBC

<Wailers on the BBC; 69 sec.>

  • Sinead O’Connor – Prophet Has Arise; Throw Down Your Arms (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) 2005 Abyssinians cover
  • Equators – Feelin’ High; Hot (Stiff) ’81 UK ska herbtune
  • King Tubby – Bag a Wire; 10″ (Select Cuts) ’75
  • Herbman Band – Dub O Much; See Mi Yah (Funfundvierzig) ’91 Germ. Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7: Jamaican Jukebox of 45s

  • The Ability – Rasta Never Give Up; 7″ (Sky High) 7″ Jamaican Jukebox Set
  • Charley Ace – Ten Commandments of Joshua; 7″ (Scorpion) ’72 about Michael Manley; Prince Buster update

<Michael Manley as Joshua>

  • Cynthia Richards – Sentimental Reasons; 7″ (Duke Reid)
  • Bobby Hunt – Mother’s Love; 7″ (Flash) ’76
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – Uganda; Dub Ranting (Radical Wallpaper) ’81 UK dub poet, picture sleeve; 9 poems EP
  • Neville Martini – The Cliques; 7″ (Clandisc) ’76

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Thievery Corporation feat. Pamela Bricker – Around the World ; 8 Trk CD Single (4ad) ’98
  • Khato (Smith & Mighty rmx) – No Compromise; King Size Dub Chapter 4 (Echo Beach) ’98 female vox
  • Alpha & Omega – Africa; Watch & Pray (A & O) ’92 UK trance dub
  • Pama International – Float Like a Butterfly; Float Like a Butterfly (Asian Man) 2005 UK tribute to Muhammad Ali
  • Aldubb feat. Alcapone JJ – Free Sensimilla Now; 10″ (One Drop) 2009 Germ. herb dub
  • Dubcheck feat. Everton Sylvester – Reparation; Down Memory Gap Lane (Unitone World) 2001 w/ dub poet

Words of  Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-ly 28, 2018 (Podcast & Playlist) – City Too Hot!

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Greetings,

So hot I worry if my record bag might start to melt black wax from the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives to KRCL. 5 mile trip.

Utah 4 seasons, late July it’s too sunny and too hot. Too hot to even want to blog.

bless, Bobbylon

  • Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: July 28, 2018 Annotated Playlist: 47 sec.

Set 1

  • Cornell Campbell – Have Mercy Oh Jah; Stalowatt (Third World) ’76 UK vinyl
  • Creation Rebel & New Age Steppers – Chemical Specialist; Threat to Creation (ON U Sound) ’81 UK white vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Jimmy Riley – It’s Too Hot; Magic (Omar) ’84
  • Sonya Spence – Peace & Love; In the Dark (Skynote)
  • Alpha Blondy & the Solar System – Mystic Night Move; Masada (World Enterprise) ’92 Ivory Coast tribute to Bob Marley
  • Inner Circle – Mary, Mary; Best of (Island) ’79 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcements
  • Winston Fergus – Praise Him; 10″ (Dubwise) ’98 UK

Set 2:

  • Bunny Wailer – Can’t Stop Them Now (Real Situation); Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95: 50 Bob songs for his 50th Birthday
  • Upsetters – My Girl; Africa’s Blood (Trojan) ’71 Smokey Robinson cover
  • Gracy & the Herbman Band – Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow; See Mi Yah (Funfundvierzig) ’91 Germ. female singjay & male toaster
  • Lee “Scratch” Perry – City Too Hot; 12″ (Upsetter) ’77 UK

Set 3:

  • Benjamin Zephaniah – I Love Me Mudder (poem); Riot in Progress; 7″ picture EP of poems (Workers Playtime) ’82 UK
  • Aswad – Can’t Stand the Pressure; Aswad (Mango) ’76 UK
  • Sheryl Ralph w/ Cedella & Sharon Marley – I’m Hurtin’ Inside; Mighty Quinn (A & M) ’89 Soundtrack to Denzel Washington movie
  • Linton Kwesi Johnson & the Dub Band – Sonny’s Lettah + Iron Bar Dub; Independent Intavenshan (Island Jamaica) ’78 best of UK dub poet
  • Dub Specialist – Starring Dub; DUB (Heartbeat/Studio One) Dub Album of the Hour
Dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah with his mudder, Valerie

Set 4:

  • Peter Tosh – Jam + Legalize It; Dealing With the Shytstem (bootleg) 11/5/82 dubble disk vinyl – Live at the Roxy, LA

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • Wailing Wailers – What’s New Pussycat?; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’66 JA Tom Jones cover

<Reggae does pop: Marley vs. Tom Jones, WTF? 66 sec.>

  • Jah Woosh – Penetrate the Works of Jah; Marijuana World Tour (Original) ’79 UK
  • Leroy Smart – Strictly Sensi; Live Up Roots Children (Striker Lee) ’85

<No bush herb. Only in the chalwa!18 sec. >

  • Lillian Allen – Why? – Dub Version poem + Freedom is Azania (South Africa Must Be Free); Conditions Critical (Redwood) ’87 Toronto dub poet
  • Akimbo – Kalimba 2; So Long Trouble (Forward Sounds) ‘8 UK instrumental
Bob Marley covers Tom Jones. Not a good idea.

Set 6:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Jah Live; 7″ (Tuff Gong) ’74 JA – can’t kill Jah

<Jah Live single and the death of HIM; 2 min. 3 sec.>

<Ethiopian Communists take over in ’74>

  • Steel Pulse – Handsworth Revolution; Reggae Sunsplash ’81: Tribute to Bob Marley (Elektra) ’81 JA
  • Aisha – Good Ambition; There Is More to Life (Ariwa) ’95
  • Papa Face & Red Man – Dance Pon the Corner; 10″ (Top Notch) ’82 UK toasters
  • Black Uhuru/Sly & Robbie – Big Spliff; Dub Factor (Mango) ’83 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7: Jamaican Jukebox of 45’s

  • Bruce Ruffin – Ooh Child; 7″ (Beverley’s) ’71 Five Stairsteps cover
  • Paul Davidson – Midnight Rider; 7″ (Hometown) ’74 Gregg Allman cover
  • King Burnett – Babylon a Fall; 7″ (Justice League) ’74 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
  • Cedella Booker – Daddy’s Mommy; 7″ (Ghetto Youths) ’96 picture sleeve

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Noiseshaper fear. Carl Douglas – Kung Fu Fighting; Rough Out There (Echo Beach) 2005 Austria Mutant Dub Set – cover of classic
  • Dubcheck – Duppy Train; Down Memory Lane (Unitone World) 2001
  • Tena Stelin – Mother’s Song; 10″ (Roots Hi-Tek) 2006 UK militant steppers
  • Natacha Atlas – Yalla Chant; Diaspora (Nation) ’95 Dub Arabic chanteuse

  • Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Jah-ly 14, 2018 (Podcast & Playlists): 30 Years of Reggae Vinyl!

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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!

 

<Who wants to live in a world without bass? 30 sec.>

bless, Bobbylon

Hoping Interwest Electronics can bring Yammy the Subwoofer back from the dead

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: 30 Years of Vinyl: July 14, 2018; 83 sec.

Set 1:

  • Prince Far I – Reggae Music; Free From Sin (Trojan ’79 UK vinyl: 30 years of Reggae Vinyl
  • Black Beard – Electrocharge; I Wah Dub (More Cut) ’80 UK Dub Album of the Hour
  • Jah Lion the Humble One – Dis Ya Sound; The Humble One (Virgin Frontline) ’78 UK
  • Sister Carol – Principle; Liberation For Africa (Serious Gold) ’83 DC
  • Zap Pow – Irie Land; Reggae Rules! (Rhino) ’80 US 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • Bunny Wailer – Love Fire; In I Father’s House (Solomonic) ’80 JA
When you hear the beat, you gonna move your feet!

Set 2:

  • Peter Tosh – Get Up Stand Up; Dealing With the Shytstem (bootleg) 11/5/82 at the Roxy; LA CA
  • Sophia George – Tenement Yard; Fresh (Winner) ’85 UK
  • Eek a Mouse – Do You Remember; Skidip! (Greensleeves) ’82 UK 

<The Middle Passage; 54 sec.>

  • Jah Shaka – Revelation 18; Hits From the House of Shaka (Jah Shaka) ’85 UK

<Revelation 18 and UFOs; 18 sec.>

Earth lightened by his glory? UFO

Set 3:

  • Casselberry & DuPree’ – Coming in From the Cold; City Down (Icebergg) ’86 Milwaukee; Bob Marley cover
  • Gregory Isaacs – Mothers Day; Reggae It’s Fresh (Tad’s) ’88 US
  • Itals – Herbs Pirate; Brutal Out Deh (Nighthawk) ’81 St. Louis herb tune
  • Musical Youth – Pass the Dutchie; 12″ (MCA) ’82 UK; youth update of Mighty Diamonds Pass the Kutchie
  • King Tubby Meets the African Brothers – Original Sound; In Dub (Nature Sounds) 70’s Dub Album of the Hour
How does it feel when you got no food

Set 4:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – One Love; Wailing Wailers (Studio One) ’65 JA
  • The Meditations – Do Mama Do; Message From the Meditations (United Artists) ’76 US
  • Lovindeer feat. Wailing Souls; Man Shortage; De Blinkin’ Bus (TSOJ) ’82 JA
  • UB40 feat. Chrissie Hynde – I Got You Babe; 12″ (DEP) ’85 cover of Sonny & Cher

Set 5: Heavy politics set

Papa Kojie & Blue Riddim – Nancy Reagan (ORA International) ’85 US

<Man a fight man over lollipops; 33 sec.>

  • Pablo Moses – Bomb the Nation; Tension (Alligator) ’84 Chicago blues label
  • The Wild Bunch – Mr. President; Wild Bunch (Ariwa) ’84 UK female group
  • Ruffy & Tuffy – If the Third World World War is a Must; Climax (Black Star) ’88 Finland; twin youths

<World War III: No Cold War 2.0; 89 sec.>

Meme all you want. If this is what it takes to prevent Cold War 2.0? You may kiss the bride

Set 6:

  • Jimmy Riley – Sweet Sensimilla; Put the People First (Shanachie) ’82 US herbtune

<North Dakota legalization in 2018; 37 sec.>

  • Anthony Johnson – Dread Locks; Reggae Feelings (Vista Sounds) ’83
  • Zema – Blood Money; Zema (Melchizedek) ’86 SoCal female
  • Black Survivors – President; 12″ (Witty) UK
  • Sly & Robbie – Plastic Dub; Overdrive in Overdub (Sonic) Dub Album of the Hour

North Dakota legalization

10 down, 40 to go!

Set 7:

  • Sister Netifa – Woman Determined; Women Determined (A Luta) ’89 UK female dub poet
  • Carlton Livingston – Call of the Rastaman; 100 Weight of Collie Weed (Greensleeves) ’84 UK
  • Junior Delgado – Disarm the World; High Times All Star Explosion (Alligator) ’85 Chicago blues label
  • X-O-Dus – See Them a Come; 12″ (Factory)*80 UK
Female heroes through history

Set 8: Mutant Dub

<What is Mutant Dub? 18 sec.>

  • Singers & Players w/ Sister P – Holy Scripture; Vacuum Pumping (ON U Sound) ’88 female tour of the Bible: Mutant Dub Set
  • Alpha & Omega – Africa; Watch and Pray (A & O) ’88 UK trance dub
  • The Clash – This Is England; 12″ (CBS) ’85 UK picture sleeve
  • Bim Sherman & Akabu – Stop That Train; 12″ (ON U Sound) ’80 UKKeith & Tex update
  • Steel Pulse – Heart of Stone; Reggae Fever (Island) ’80 UK Request

Words of Wisdom:

 

 

 

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives (Stream + Tracklist) May 12, 2018: Happy Mother’s Day!

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Bob and his beloved mother, Cedella. Happy Mother’s Day from Smile Jamaica!

Greetings,

To my beloved mother, Jeannette and my sister, Stacey. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mother’s, Mom’s, Mommies & Mamas.

Harvested tracks out of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive celebrating motherhood.

By tradition, I will always begin each show with this beautiful country ballad about a youth who does chores, babysits and gets good grades. Youthman tallies up  his bill and presents it to mom for reimbursement.

Mom, takes a look and this is what she says:

<No Charge>

No Charge by Tammy Wynette, Reggae version by Sonya Spence

Now our little boy came up to his mom
In the kitchen this evenin’ while she was fixin’ supper
And he handed her a piece of paper he’d been writin’ on
And after wipin’ her hands on her apronn
She read it, and this is what it said.
For mowin’ the lawn, five dollars
For makin’ my own bed this week, one dollar
And for goin’ to the store, fifty cents
An’ playin’ with little brother while you went shoppin’, twenty-five cents.
Takin’ out the trash, one dollar
Gettin’ a good report card, five dollars
And for rakin’ the yard, two dollars
Total owed, fourteen seventy-five.
Well, as mom looked at him standin’ there expectantly
And I could see the mem’ries flashing through her mind
And so she picked up the pen, and turnin’ the paper over
This is what she wrote.
For the nine months I carried you growin’ inside me, no charge
For the nights I’ve sat up with you
Doctored you, and prayed for you, no charge
For the time and the tears
That you’ve cost through the years, there’s no charge
And when you add it all up
The full cost of my love is no charge.
For the nights filled with dread
And all the worries ahead, no charge
For advice and the knowledge
And the cost of your college, no charge
For the toys, food and clothes and even for wipin’ your nose
There’s no charge, son
And when you add it all up
The full cost of my love is, no charge.
Well, when he finished readin’
He had great big old tears in his eyes
And he looked up at her standing there and said
Mama, I sure do love you
Then he took the pen,
And in great big letters
He wrote paid in full.
Lord knows when you add it all up
The cost of real love is, no charge…
bless, Bobbylon
This one will bring a tear to your I ‘n’ I

Smile Jamaica Annotated Playlist: May 12, 2018 – 3 Hours Mother’s  Day; 38 sec.

Set 1:

  • Paul Simon – Mother and Child Reunion; Paul Simon (Warner Bros.) ’72

<Paul Simon at Dynamic Studios: Kingston JA; 23 sec.>

  • Mother Earth – The Quiet Storm; A Breath of Fresh Air (Ariwa) ’84 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Sonya Spence – No Charge; In the Dark (Skynote) ’78 Tammy Wynette mother’s day
  • Mighty Diamonds – Hey Mommy; Speak the Truth (RAS) ’94
  • Burning Spear – Mother; Man in the Hills (mango) ’76 US vinyl
  • Daweh Congo – Mother Arose; Human Rights & Justice (Roots & Culture) 2004
  • Desmond Dekker – Honor Your Father & Mother; Israelites: Best of (Trojan) ’63
Paul Simon paid union wages while recording in Jamaica.

Set 2:

  • Jimmy Cliff – Dear Mother; Follow My Mind (MCA) ’75
  • Peter Roots – Poor Mama; 7″ (Belleville International) 2002 Fr.
  • Black Roots – Childless Mother; All Day, All Night (Nubian) ’87 UK
  • Papa Levi – Baby Mother; 12″ (Jah Records)) ’86 UK picture sleeve

Set 3:

  • Nicky Thomas – Mama’s Song; Love of the Common People (Trojan) ’70
  • Heptones – Mama Say; Night Food (Mango) ’76 US vinyl
  • Jah Messengers – Mama Mama; Reggae Time (Heartbeat) ’93
  • Lloyd Charmers & the Hippy Boys – Mama Look Deh; Psychedelic Reggae (Trybute) ’69 
  • Reggay Boys – Mama Look Deh; 7″ (Amalgamated) ’68
  • Chosen Brothers – Mother I Love You; 12″ (City Line) ’77 Bronx
  • Ja Man All Stars – Dub Zone; In the Dub Zone (Blood and Fire) ’77 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 4: Jamaican Jukebox 7″ 45’s

  • Benjamin Zephaniah – I Love Me Mudder; Dub Ranting 7″ EP (Radical Wallpaper) ’82 UK picture sleeve: 7″ Jamaican Jukebox set
  • Barry Brown – Thank You Mama; 7″ (Observer) ’83
  • Dennis Brown – Song My Mother Used to Sing; 7″ (Aquarius)
  • Doctor Alimantado –  Mama (I Thank You); 7″ (Vital Food) ’77
  • Chantells – Baby Mother; 7″ (Communicating) ’74
10 poems, 2 sides, 33 and 1/3

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • Peter Tosh – Mama Africa; Mama Africa (EMI America) ’83 US
  • Yellowman – Honor Your Mother; Jack Sprat (Hit) ’82 JA
  • Simple Simon – Obey Your Mother and Father; Reggae Move (Vista Sounds) ’83 UK
  • Little John –  I Love My Mommy; Give the Youth a Try (Live & Learn) ’83 DC
  • The Meditations – Mother Love; No More Friend (Greensleeves) ’83 UK

Set 6:

  • Cedella Marley Booker – Mother Don’t Cry; Awake Zion (Rykodisc) ’84 on Bob’s deathbead: 5/11/81

<Bob going to a better place, “Mother don’t cry”>

  • Jimmy Riley – Black Mother Prays; 20 Classic Hits (Sonic) ’83
  • Mighty Maytones – Father and Mother; Madness (Burning Sounds) ’76 UK
  • Horace Andy – Mother and Child Reunion; Mr. Bassie (Heartbeat/Studio One) Paul Simon
  • Jah Shaka Meets Aswad – Addis Ababa; In Addis Ababa Studio (Jah Shaka) ’84 Dub Album of the Hour
Mother Don’t Cry, I’m going to a better place

Set 7;

  • Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals – Mama’s Trippin’; Voodoo Child (bootleg) Bonn, Germany Apr. 1998
  • Judy Mowatt – Hush Baby Mother; Working Wonders (Shanachie) ’86
  • Hugh Griffiths – Mother Africa; Mother Africa (My-o-lanta) ’86 UK vinyl
  • Anthony Johnson – Mother, Mother; Reggae Feelings (Vista Sounds) ’83 UK vinyl
  • Gregory Isaacs – Motherless Children; Sly & Robbie Present (RAS) ’80

Set 8:

  • Creation Rebel – Mother Don’t Cry; Psychotic Jonkanoo (Statik/ON U Sound) ’81 UK mutant dub
  • Fun-da-Mental feat. Thievery Corporation; Mother Africa Feeding Sister India DJ-Kicks (!K7) ’99
  • Nicodemus – Mother-in-Law; She Love It In the Morning (Hitbound) ’82 US
  • Prince Alla – Mama Don’t Fight; Reggae All Stars (Freedom Sounds) ’78 JA vinyl
  • Donna V – Black Mother Cry; 7″ (Grade One) ’94
  • Michael Rose – Mama Africa; 7″ (RCR) 2008 for Darfur, Sudan
  • Ari Up – Baby Mother; Dread More Dan Dead (Collision) 2012 UK dubstress
RIP mutant dub mama

Words of Wisdom:

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Digital Dubplate, April 2018 – Spring Roots!

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Greetings,

While we spend two Ark-ive shows raising money for your station that rules the nation, KRCL, enjoy this 3 hour Roots Mashup cooked up in Smile Jamaica’s Secret Dubratory.

Thanks for listening. Thanks for donating. Enjoy!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica’s 420 Cannabliss Show: KRCL 90.9FM krcl.org – Sat. April 21, 2018: 4-7 Mtn. Time

0-30 min.

  • Culture – Rally Round Jahoviah’s Throne; International Herb (Shanachie) ‘79
  • Linval Thompson – I Spy; Look How Me Sexy (Greensleeves) ‘82
  • Eek a Mouse – Wa Do Dem; Wa Do Dem (Greensleeves) ‘81
  • Judy Mowatt – My My People; Mellow Mood (Trice) ‘75
  • Wailing Souls – Riddim of Life; On the Rocks (Greensleeves) ‘83
  • Michigan & Smiley – Rub a Dub Style; Live at Reggae Sunsplash ’82 (Genes) Aug. 1982 in Montego Bay, JA
  • Beres Hammond & Zap Pow – Bubbling; And Friends (Ejaness) ‘78ish 
  • Jennifer Lara – I Am in Love; Studio One Presents (Studio One) ‘81

30 min.-1 hr.

  • Prince Far I – Jah Footsteps; Ten Commandments (Rhino UK)
  • Frankie Paul – The Beginning; Fire Deh a Mus Mus Tail (Blacker Dread) ‘86
  • Lee “Scratch” Perry – Big Neck Police; Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Cornbread (Upsetter) ‘78
  • Lady Ann – Doctor, Doctor; Bad Gyal Inna Dance (Jump Up) ‘84
  • Lone Ranger – Natty Burial; M16 (Hitbound) ’82 on Peter Tosh original
  • Mikey Dread – Saturday Night Style; African Anthem (Dread at the Controls) ‘79
  • Randy’s All-Stars – Mission Impossible; Randy’s 17 North Parade (Pressure Sounds)  70’s cover of the TV Theme (1 hr.)

60 – 90 min.

  • Eddy Grant – Another Revolutionary; Killer on the Rampage (Ice/Portrait) ‘83
  • Hortense Ellis – Jah Mysterious Works; Holding Up Half the Sky (Shanachie) ’80 extended mix
  • Augustus Pablo – Cool Melody; Rockers International (Greensleeves) ’80 melodica style
  • Gregory Isaacs – Financial Endorsement; Love Is Overdue (Heartbeat) ‘74
  • Earl Zero – Shackles and Chains; Visions of Love (Epiphany) ‘79
  • Pam Hall – Children of the Night; Music Works vol. 2 (SPV) ’82 Stylistics cover

90 min. – 2 hr.

  • Linton Kwesi Johnson – Wat About Di Workin’ Class?; Making History (Mango) ’84 UK dub poet
  • Toots & the Maytals – Louie, Louie; Funky Kingston (Mango) ’73 Kingsmen cover
  • Pablo Moses – Music Is My Desire; A Song (Mango) ‘80
  • Love Joys – Watch Them; Reggae Vibes (Wackies) ’81 female duo
  • Special AKA – Racist Friend; In the Studio (2 Tone) ’84 UK 2 Tone ska w/ Rhoda Dakar on vox
  • Ken Boothe – Run Coming Back; Rare Grooves From Studio One (Heartbeat/Studio One) ‘67
  • Cedric Myton & the Congos – Scoffers and Scorners; Face the Music (VP) ’81 

2-2 and 1/2 hr.

  • Mighty Diamonds – Why Me Black Brother Why?; I Need a Roof (Hitbound) ‘76
  • Lorna Bennett – It’s My House; Reggae Songbirds (Heartbeat/Hignotes) Diana Ross cover
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – You’re Under Arrest; Rasta (Workers Playtime) ’83 UK dub poet
  • Roland Burrell – Johnny Dollar; Crucial Reggae (Mango) ‘82
  • Itals – Jah Glory; Calling Rastafari (Nighthawk) ‘83
  • Rita Marley – Beauty of God’s Plan; Harambe (Shanachie) ‘82
  • Brigadier Jerry – On the Road; On the Road (RAS) ’90

2 and 1/2 – 3 hr.

  • Ringo – Special Request All-Stylee; King Stur-Gav Hi Fi Lee Unlimited (Live &  Learn) ’83 live in the dancehall
  • African Head Charge – They Took I; Sankofa (Bonjo) ’97 UK
  • Phyllis Dillon – Picture on the Wall; I Shall Sing! (Trojan) ’72 Carl Dawkins cover
  • Michigan & Smiley – Diseases; Dancehall – the Rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture (Soul Jazz) ‘81
  • Prince Far I & DJ Buzz – Love Everyone/Fear No Devil; ON-U Sound Present Reggae Archive vol. 1 (ON U Sound) ’79?
  • Johnny Nash – Stir It Up; I Can See Clearly Now (Columbia) ’72 Wailers cover
  • Sonya Spence – Give Thanks; In the Dark (Skynote) ‘78
  • The Beat – Stand Down Margaret/Whine and Grine – I Just Can’t Stop it (Go Feet!) ’80 UK 2 Tone

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Digital Dubplate – Rootsy-licious!

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Greetings,

Had to sneak away for a work conference last weekend during Smile Jamaica. Because I like to have fresh roots every Friday, enjoy this Digital Dubplate of Roots Reggae from disks waiting to be rinsed out in my office.

A whole heap of memories in these 3 hours. Spinning roots for almost 30 years!

All killer,  no filler!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Digital Dubplate (Feb. 2018) 

0-30 min.

  • Dennis Brown – Together + Brothers (dub); Junior Delgado – Brothers (DEB Music)
  • Doctor Alimantado – Return of Muhammad Ali; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves)  ’74 boxing
  • Clint Eastwood & General Saint – Stop That Train; Stop That Train (Greensleeves) ’83 UK dj duo
  • Candy McKenzie – Breakfast in Bed; Lee “Scratch” Perry Presents (Upsetter) ’77 Dusty Springfield cover
  • Aswad – I a Rebel Soul; Aswad (Mango) ’76 UK
  • Dillinger – Check Sister Jane; Top Ranking (Rhino)  ’84 dj to Johnny Clarke’s Bob tune – Waiting in Vain 

30 – 60 min.

  • Benjamin Zephaniah & the Wailers – Stop de War; Rasta (Workers Playtime)  ’83 UK dub poet
  • 15 16 17 – Girls Imagination; Magic Touch (DEB Music)  ’78 two sisters & a cousin cover Smokey Robinson – Just My Imagination
  • Culture – This Train; Cumbolo (Shanachie) ’17
  • Hopeton Lindo – Black History; Rockers Vibration (Heartbeat) ’84 Mikey Dread prod’n
  • Rod Taylor – His Imperial Majesty; Rockers Vibration (Heartbeat)  ’84 same riddim as Black History
  • Lady Ann – Informer; Dancehall (Soul Jazz)  ’81 female deejay
  • Ijahman Levi – Jah Heavy Load; Inside Out (Jahmani) ’89 update to his 70’s classic
  • Capital Letters – Vinyard; Vinyard (Greensleeves) ’82 UK youth group, herbtune 

60-90 min.

  • Junior Murvin – Bad Weed (Disco Mix); Police & Thieves (Deluxe Edition) ’77 Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark hertbtune
  • The Upsetters – Dyon Aswa; Return of the Superape (Upsetter)  ’78 Black Ark
  • Grace Jones – Love Is the Drug; Compass Point Sessions (Island) ’80 Sly & Robbie, Roxy Music cover
  • Frankie Paul – Pass the Kushempeng; Big Blunts vol. 1 (Tommy Boy) ’84 herbtune
  • Dambala – I Chuwumeka; Azania (Dada Music) ’83 UK

90 min – 2 hr.

  • Foundation – Beverly Hills; Flames (Mango) ‘88
  • Carlene Davis – Ism Schism; 15 Classics of (Sonic)
  • Eagles – Country Living; Reggae Classic (DCC) ‘73
  • Fred Locks – Key Of Life + Acapella; Missing Link (VP) 2000
  • Winston Francis – Going to Zion (Extended); Rare Grooves From Studio One (Heartbeat/Studio One)
  • Sisters Jam – People of This World; Rockers International (Greensleeves) female group, A. Pablo prod’n
  • Cookey Monster – Space Age Nigger; Age of Reggae (Twinkle)  ’84

2 – 2 and 1/2 hr.

  • Yellowman – Pooping Contest; Yellow Man, Fat Head and the One Peter Metro (Absissa) ’82 – rude, scatological
  • Eddy Grant – War Party; Killer on the Rampage (Portrait/ICE) ‘82
  • Jennifer Lara – A Change Is Gonna Come; Studio One Presents (Studio One) ‘81
  • Gregory Isaacs & U Roy – Love Is Overdue (Discomix); Love Is Overdue (Heartbeat) ‘74
  • Donovan Carless – Be Thankful; Randy’s 17 North Parade (Pressure Sounds) ‘70’s cover of William DeVaughn soul classic
  • Linton Kwesi Johnson – Di Eagle an’ Di Bear; Making History (Mango) ’84 UK dub poet
  • Love Joys – Jah Light; Reggae Vibes (Wackies) ’81 female duo
  • Cedric Myton & the Congos – Where He Leads; Face the Music (VP/Go Feet) ’81

2 and 1/2 – 3 hr.

  • Lloyd Parks & Hugh Brown – Into the Night (Extended Version); Music Works vol. 2 (Ambassa) ’81 Benny Mardones pop hit
  • Pablo Moses – Dubbin is a Must; A Song (Mango) ‘80
  • Rita Marley – Fussing & Fighting; Harambe (Shanachie) ‘82
  • Earl Zero – None Shall Escape the Judgment; Visions of Love (Epiphany) ’80 12” mix of Johnny Clarke original
  • Special AKA – Free Nelson Mandela; In the Studio (2 Tone) ’84 UK 2 Tone ska
  • Sonya Spence – Give Thanks; In the Dark (Skynote) ‘78

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-cember 2, 2017 (Stream + Tracklist) Vinyl Cratedig Rinse-out!

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Zia Records on West Sahara in Las Vegas. Great source for black wax

Greetings,

2017 was a topsy turvy year for the Smile Jamaica Ark-ives. Massive home remodel was supposed to start Nov. 2016. Alas, weather, Questar natural gas company and Salt Lake City zoning couldn’t agree on when to move my gas line. WHICH WAS UNDER MY HOUSE!

Stones Throw’ record label brags about “my vinyl weighs a ton!” Mine actually did. I had so many records packed into my Record Room that it sunk the floor below the baseboards.

Surprised a racoon or Burmese python didn’t come in through the hole in my floor, sunk below the baseboard!

So the depressing and frustrating delays didn’t even start until March 2017. Seven months of building out an actual physical archive. No more storing boxes of CDs in the bathroom, bedroom, garage and hallway!

Pre-remodel: Bedroom
Pre-Remodel storage shed
Pre-Remodel – Garage

Like any home remodel it was a daily grind of aggravation and interruption to my routine. (If you see me ask me about the bong and the Koran story.)

But once it was done, $25k in over-runs regardless, it has been awesome! New roof, new garage, new AC/furnace/gasline, siding.

I’m no longer that house on the block that looks like a shack with strange smells and jungle drums booming to the street!

Before….
…After

***

From my usual cratedig excusion during Thanksgiving Week to Las Vegas 2016 through Fall 2017,  I had done a moratorium on cratedigging. Didn’t see the point in just stacking up new titles til my Archive was finished.

During any major remodel, you can’t really leave the city in case the workmen need a decision. My house was built in 1901. A half ass renovation conducted in the early 90’s and I bought it in 1995.

So there were a lot of problems that needed construction troubleshooting.

Once I paid my final tab to my contractor: $5,059. Ouch! I was stoked to make up for lost time and hit Vegas with a vengeance.

And as I said on Smile Jamaica last week. Glad to be only a cliche’ and not a criminal in the land of 8 down!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Dec. 2, 2017 Annotated Playlist: 69 sec.

Set 1:  4:20 Set

  • Cornell Campbell – Stalowatt; Stalowatt (Third World) ’76 UK 

<Stalowatt = stalwart; 10 sec.>

  • Scientist – 11 Guava Road Dub; King of Dub (Kingdom) ’81 Dub Album of the Hour
  • Mungo’s Hi-Fi & Soom T – I Need Weed; 10” EP (Scotch Bonnet) 2013 UK picture sleeve; female weedstepper
  • Clint Eastwood – Ganja Baby; Jah Lights Shining (Vista Sounds) ’79 UK
  • Barrington Levy & Jah Thomas ? – Collie Weed; Hunter Man (Burning Sounds) ’83 UK
  • I Roy – African Herbsman; African Herbsman (Joe Gibbs) ’81 US to Johnny Clarke’s African Roots
  • Chariot Riders – Sensimilla Dub; Sensimilla Dub (Crystal) ’80 JA dub take
Las Vegas cratedig 2017 – Moondog Records.

Set 2:

  • Tony Tuff – Sweet Reggae Music; Wha We a Go Do (Top Rank) ’84 JA
  • Jimmy Cliff – I Am the Living; I Am the Living (MCA) ’80 US

<Jimmy Cliff: pop star or reggae singer? 32 sec.>

  • Crucial Bee – Give Thanks & Praise; Just a Sting (All-Star) US Virgin Islands
  • The Ethiopians – Good Ambition; No Baptism (Crystal) ‘70
  • Sister Carol – Santa Claus; 12” (Grade One) Christmas tune
More Pop than Reggae

Set 3: Wailers Family Tree

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Zimbabwe; Zimbabwe (Island) ’82 UK vinyl box set

<Zimbabwe in the news; 1 min. 5 sec.>

  • Marcia Griffiths – Trenchtown Rock; Marcia (RAS) ’89 DC Marley cover
  • Peter Tosh – 400 years; Dealing with the Shytstem (bootleg) Nov. 5, 1985 LA, Roxy
  • Rita Marley – One Draw; 12” (Shanachie) ’81 US picture sleeve herbtune

<Rita the Teacher schooled by Herbie, Smokey & Milla; 16 sec.>

  • Bunny Wailer & the Solomonic Reggae’stra  – Love Fire; Dub D’sco vol. 1 (Solomonic) ’78 JA
  • The Wailers – Get Up Stand Up Dub; Marley Dub (Tabou1) Dub Album of the Hour

<Adventures in cratedigging – Marley vinyl box set; 85 sec.>

2017 Ebay offering $225. Amoeba Records 1992 – $75

Set 4:

  • Judy Mowatt – Mellow Mood; Mellow Mood (Ashandan) ’75 JA Marley cover
  • Eddie Hooper & Storm – Pass It on; 12” (HCR) ’79 disco/reggae/calypso hybrid

Set 5:

  • Mutabaruka – Postpone Christmas; High Times All-Star Explosion (Alligator) ’85 Chicago blues label

<No Xmas music before Black Friday! 32 sec.>

  • The Mighty Invaders – Hatred; Invasion! (Rave) ’83 Syracuse, NY w/ female vox
  • Twinkle Brothers – New Song for Jah; New Songs for Jah (Twinkle) ’89 UK
  • Ras Imru – The Marshall; 12” (Jah Shaka) ’81 UK

Set 6: Roots Dawtas

  • Vibal Smash feat. Queen Ekanem – Take a Load Off Dreadlocks; 12” EP (ECKO) ’87  LA cover of The Band’s The Weight  

<Soundtrack to my Vegas crate dig – 36 CDs of Bob Dylan w/ The Band; 35 sec.>

  • Azanyah feat. Marva Shelton – Guiding Light; “The One” (Path of Light) ’87 Atlanta, GA militant jazz

<Rhodesia to Zimbabwe; South African to Azanyah; 31 sec.>

  • Sister Netifa – Don’t Talk to Me Babylon; Woman Deterimined (A luta) ’89 UK female dub poet
  • Lloyd Brevett and the Skatatlites – Stream in the Meadow; African Roots (Moon Ska) ’76 Dub Album of the Hour
Take a load off dreadlocks!

Set 7:

  • Lee “Scratch” Perry – Judgement in a Babylon; 12” (Lion of Judah) ’81 JA picture sleeve – Christ Blackwell is a vampire

<Lee said Chris killed Bob Marley to take away his royalties; 36 sec.>

  • Tad’s Logic Dub Band – Science; Chapter 1 Mix (Tad’s) ’84 UK dub of Thomas Dolby’s She Blinded Me With Science
  • Ras Karbi – Discrimination; Seven Seals (Rockstone) ’84 JA cover of Five Man Electrical Band’s Signs

<Reggae cover of Five Man Electrical Band’s “Signs”; 24 sec.>

<I am a stud, I do not drink blood – Lee “Scratch”; 46 sec.>

Hey Chris, I am a stud I do not drink blood!

Set 8: UFOria

<Great moon watching for some vinyl UFOria; 36 sec.>

Awesome Moon on the night of this Smile Jamaica podcast

<Space Dust at Blade Runner 2049 in Las Vegas; 25 sec.>

  • Prince Jammy  – Martian Encounter; Destroys the Invaders (Greensleeves) ’82 UK 
  • Prince Lincoln & the Royal Rasses – Spaceship; Natural Wild (United Artists) ’80 UK

<Aliens gwan whip you, and put you in your rightful place; 9 sec.>

  • Lone Ranger – UFO; Barnabas in Collins Wood (Wave) ’79 JA
  • Prince Jammy – War in the Asteroid Belt; Destroys the Invaders (Greensleeves) ’82 UK
  • Bush Chemists – Star Dub; 10” (Jah Tubby’s) 2005 UK Star Wars Stormtrooper theme
Better than popcorn, Soda and milk duds while watching Bladerunner 2049 in Las Vegas in the land of 8 down!

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-vember 4, 2017 (Stream + Tracklist): Ancient Astronaut Theory Suggests!

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Greetings,

I have told this story on air many times. I did political interviews on KRCL between 2003 (Iraq War) and 2012 when a new station GM  – hired from Clear Channel radio – told me if I wanted to continue doing Progressive Political interviews I had to do two things

  1. Quit expressing opinions
  2. Must be objective.

I said no thanks and quit. I wasn’t going to dumb down my content like the CIA News Network or Washington Compost: being a stenographer of the news.

I quit radio interviews ratherr than being the radio equivalent of a presstitute stenographer

I would put a huge amount of time into that one hour, weekly interview. Post “retirement” I was left with a significant gap in free time.

That’s when I discovered a new time suck: Ancient Aliens on the History Channel.

As an Assyrian-American, a huge part of the show is about the Sumerians who wrote about contact from Astronauts (we humans mistook for Sky Gods.)

Do not scoff! Look to the skies!

I binged watched everything to catch up on all that history/cosmology.

So it wasn’t long before I started combing through the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives “probing” (pun intended) for UFO themed Reggae tunes.

Believe it or not, I could fill a 60 CD suitcase and a record bag full of examples on sets I call UFO-ria (euphoria, get it?).

From the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives

Now every July 2 (Roswell UFO crash anniversary) I do 3 hours of Alien fascination that rules the nation!

July 2, 1947 Roswell, New Mexico

just like my traditions of Jah-loween, 4:20 and Bob Marley Tribute shows.

I’ve really gotten into it to the point where someone said, “Do you believe in this for real or is it entertainment?”

I said: I guess I do believe in it. Ancient Astronaut Theory  makes the most ‘sensi’. to me.”

From the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives

Ancient Astronauts, mistaken by humans as Sky Gods, created mankind to mine gold to take back to their planet Nibiru: the 12th Planet or Planet X.

Guess what? They had wrecked their home world through environmental degradation (just like Earth) and needed gold to re-generate their atmosphere on Nibiru.

If you are on my Twitter at SmileJ_KRCL. I post 3 topics:

  1. Reggae and Radio
  2. Alt-Left, anti corporate Democratic Party snark
  3. UFOria

Now I tell my friends, forced to endure my proselytizing, that I put the “man” in Manichaean and the “fun” in Sumerian Fundamentalism.

Anu is my Sky God. The Greeks called him Zeus

So I did a radio show last week with a UFO set. Just finished up Season 10 DVD of Ancient Aliens.

Guess what? My beef with archaeologists is that their calculations on when these massive structures from antiquity were built was thousand of years off.

Giza Plateau – Anunnaki Tessaract (space ships) powered by the pyramid energy.

Listen to my clip about the Great Pyramid of Giza that proves my point: Not 2500 BC, 10500 BC.

It’s not Khufu/Cheops’ tomb. It’s a power station for the Anunnaki’s Spaceships when they left and landed at the Sinai Spaceport.

Praise Anu! Bobbylon

<Giza pyramid and archaeo-imperialism; 1 min. 50> 

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-vember 4, 2017 Annotated Playlist; 49 sec.

Set 1:

  • I Roy – Jah Is the Best; Best of I Roy (GG’s) ’77 JA vinyl
  • Impact All-Stars – Java; Java Java Dub (Impact!) ’74 UK – Vinyl Dub Album of the Hour
  • Junior Murvin – Roots Train; Police & Thieves (Mango) ’77 Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark prod’n
  • Lorna Asher – Your Mama is Calling; Straight to Your Heart (Twinkle) ’99
  • Hepcat – Pharaoh’s Dream; Right on Time (Hepcat) ’97 SoCal ska
  • Massive Dread – This is Massive; This Is Massive (Nyam Up) ’82
  • Dub Syndicate – Higher Than High; 10″ (Lion & Roots) ’98 UK 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement

Set 2:

  • Black Uhuru – Love Crisis; Black Sounds of Freedom (Greensleeves) ’77 original; ’81 rmx

<Various Black Uhuru lineups; 31 sec.>

  • Louisa Marks – Caught You in a Lie; 12 the Hard Way
  • Sheriff Lindo & the Hammer – Sky Dubbing; Ten Dubs That Shook the World (Crucial Vibes) ’88 Australian dubber
  • Junior Dan – Gives Thanks No Skanks/Yanks & Ises; 10″ (Hi Try) ’77 UK

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 28 Years

  • Gregory Isaacs – Hot Stepper; Night Nurse (Mango) ’82
  • Jean Binta Breeze – Time Gawn + Arising; Tracks (LKJ) ’90 UK female dub poet
  • Linton Kwesi Johnson – Sonny’s Lettah (Anti-Sus Poem); Forces of Victory (Mango) ’79 UK dub poet

<Sus: similar to stop and frisk in England; 28 sec.>

  • Ini Kamoze – Them Things Deh; Mini LP (Mango) ’84
  • Monty Alexander; Evening Time; Tribute to Reggae’s Keyboard King: Interpretations and Improvisations – Reggae’s Keyboard King (VP) 2004 Instrumental tribute to Jackie Mittoo

Set 4: Wailers Family Tree

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – One Love/People Get Ready ’77 + 2017 rmx; Exodus 40 (Tuff Gong) Ziggy’s rmx next to original

<Bob’s Exodus; 1 min 23 sec>

<Song Analysis: One Love/People Get Ready 77 vs. 2017 rmx; 20 sec.>

  • Peter Tosh – Get Up Stand Up; Honorary Citizen (Columbia/Legacy) ’82 live Boulder, Collie-rado
  • Bunny Wailer – Roots; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 Bob Marley covers

Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital

  • Lone Ranger – Annie Palmer; Barnabas in Collins Wood (Wave) ’79 JA – wicked witch of Jamaica who terrorized the slaves
  • Sister Carol – International Style; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 Brooklyn
  • Chalice – Back Weh Evil Forces; Stand Up! (CSA) ’85 UK
  • Jah Woosh – Marijuana World Tour; Marijuana World Tour (Original) ’79 UK herbtune
Singing about Annie Palmer – the evil witch who terrorized Jamaican slaves

Set 6: Rockers do Reggae

  • Robert Plant – Lively Up Yourself (live); Principles of Moments (box set edition) (Es Paranza) ’83 Bob Marley
  • Led Zeppelin – Dy’er Ma’ker; Houses of the Holy (Atlantic) ’73 Dy’er Maker = Jamaica if you say it fast
  • Garland Jeffreys – Christine; Escape Artist (Epic) ’81 NYC bi-racial rock/soul singer
  • UB40 feat. Chrissie Hynde – I Got You Babe; 12″ (DEP) ’85 UK Sonny & Cher cover

<Sony & Cher vs. Chrissie Hynde & UB40; 47 sec.>

  • Jah Pelicaho & the Wailers – Mystical Cosmic Vibration; 21st Century Dub (ROIR) Jah-ponese dub album; Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7: UFOria

  • Audio Active – Adventure in Time & Space; Happy Happer (On U Sound) ’95 Jah-pon
  • U.F.O. feat. DeeDee Bridgewater – Flying Saucer; Saint-Germain-des-Pres IV (Wagram) 2004 Fr. future jazz
  • Derrick Morgan – Moon Hop; Original Reggae Recordings (Trybute) ’70
  • Elegants – Little Star (Static Revenger Mix); Destroy All Humans! (Lakeshore) 2005 video game soundtrack of 50’s doo woop
  • Audio Active – The Adventure is Still Going On; Happy Happer (ON U Sound) ’95 Jah-pon
Smile Jamaica loves UFO-ria

Set 8: Mutant Dubstresses

  • Afro Omega – It’s on the People; demo; SLC dub group
  • Thievery Corporation feat. LouLou – The Time We Lost Our Way; Cosmic Game (ESL) 2005 French chanteuse
  • Soom T – Ganja Ganja; Ode to a Carrot (Jahtari) 2008 Glasgow Weedstepper
  • Dry & Heavy – New Creation; From Creation (Beat) 2002 Jah-pon
  • Alpha & Omega – The Homeless People + No Man’s Land (dub); Overstanding; (A & O) ’92 UK trance dub

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-ly 29, 2017 (Stream + Tracklist): You’ve got Jazz Vinyl inna mi Roots Reggae!

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Herbie Mann – what’s this guy doing on Smile Jamaica?

Greetings,

Doing Reggae Radio for three decades, you do what you can to mix it up and stay out of ruts.

About six weeks ago, a listener Stephen – hit me up on Twitter asking me if I had heard of an obscure Reggae album by a traditional jazz flute player, Herbie Mann.

Indeed I had. My sister lives in Albuquerque. So we meet there for Christmas now, instead of me having to make a 600  mile drive through the frozen North to get to Montana.

Whenever I go anywhere, I pick up the Yellow Pages (now have to do it from their app.) Where are the Record stores?

ABQ has a good boutique shop called Mecca. Past downtown as you get to Old Town. I chat up the owner on soul reissues and what I call Mutant Dub: Dubstep, lounge, experimental ambient.

The tiny shop crammed with disks and cds lends itself to a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Along the lines of the movie High Fidelity

Last Christmas I walk in and he greets me. Reaches behind the counter and pulls out a record. “Now that you’re here, maybe you want this”

It was a copy of herbie Mann “Reggae’. Once I saw the vinyl sleeve and knew it was vintage and not recent, all I had to say was put in on my pile.

1974. Love that era of Reggae and Rock. Everything was real music. Not synthed overdubs.

Legit if Tommy McCook, Mick Taylor and Albert Lee are in the mix

I tend to buy in waves and so I have a queue of about 100 priorities. Vinyl gets played first.

It took me about 6 months for this to jump from the crate to the turntable. Damn good on the riddims and the flute. Nothing soft or cheesy. I don’t know a lot about jazz. But I know an encyclopedia’s worth of Reggae.

When Stephen inquired about this. I dropped the 18 minutes of Side 2 during this week’s Vinyl is Vital segment. Smokey Robinson’s My Girl.

After Tosh and before Marley, that instrumental gem fit hand in glove with the Roots.

3 decades of Smile Jamaica – It’s Reggae when I say it’s Reggae. Gonna play Ella Fitzgerald covering The Cream inna rub  a dub style this Saturday!

bless, robt

Mecca Records on West Central ABQ, New Mex. Shop there. These stores are dying out and it saddens me. My lifestyle is under threat: cratedigging

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-ly 29, 2017 Annotated Playlist: 1 min. 50 sec.

Set 1:

  • Bunny Wailer – Rockers; In I Father’s House (Solomonic) ’80 JA vinyl
  • Augustus Pablo feat. The Crystalites & Big Youth; Melodica Melodies (Trojan) ’81 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Ken Boothe – In the Summertime; Freedom Street (Beverley’s/Jet Set) ’70 – Mungo Jerry cover
  • Wingless Angels – Rasta Army; Wingless Angels vol. II (Mindless) ‘96 – Keith Richards, Justin Hinds nyah group; 18 sec.
  • The Equators – Police on My Back; Hot (Stiff) ’81 UK ska update of Eddy Grant & the Equals
  • Prince Alla – Sensimilla; More Love (Jah Warror) 2002
  • Christine Miller & Roots Hi Tek – The Light; 10” (Roots Hi Tek) 2009
Keith Richards and his Rasta Army

Set 2:

  • Peter Tosh – Rastafari Is; Honorary Citizen (Columbia/Legacy)  Nov. 5, 1982 live the Roxy – Los Angeles
  • Jay Tees – Come to Me; 10″ (Music Lab) ’81 JA female duo

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 27+ Years

  • Althea & Donna – Jah Rastafari; Uptown Top Ranking (Virgin Front Line) ’78 
  • Sylford Walker & Welton Irie – Give Thanks and Praise to Jah + Rolling Stone; Lambs Bread International (Blood & Fire) ‘79
  • Wailing Souls – Jah Is Watching You; On the Rocks (Greensleeves) ‘83
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – Rasta; Rasta (Workers Playtime) ’83 UK dub poet
  • E.T & Randy’s All Stars – Ordinary Version 3; Rough Guide to Dub (Rough Guide) 2005 Dub compilation of the hour

Set 4:

  • Mike Brooks – Rum Drinker; Classical Anthology (M-10) herbtune
  • Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers – 666; Hey World! (EMI America) ‘86
  • Christine Adelsi – Babylon Shores; 10” (King Earthquake) 2012 UK militant steppers

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

Herbie Mann – My Girl; Reggae (Atlantic) ’74 – flute player covers Motown w/ the Tommy McCook Band; Request

<New Orleans Jazz flute + Motown Reggae; 90 sec.>

<Flautist Herbie Mann, Mick Taylor -gits; Albert Lee; Tommy McCook Band: 80 sec.>

Set 6:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Natural Mystic; Exodus (Tuff Gong) ’77 original
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Natural Mystic (Ziggy rmx); Exodus 40 (Tuff Gong) 2017 remix

<Exodus – movement of Bob’s people; 2 min. 45 sec>

<Natural Mystic: Original & Ziggy’s rmx; 40 min.>

  • Mikey Ras Starr – Jah Man of Calvary; Fire & Rain (Makasound) 70’s
  • Judy Mowatt – I Am Not Mechanical; Only a Woman (Shanachie) ‘82
  • Willi Williams & Brentford Rockers– Armagideon Version; Version Dread (Studio One/Tuff Gong) ’82 Studio One Dub Album of the Hour
Bob ’77 & Ziggy 2017 – Version Galore!

Set 7:

  • Rita Marley – A Jah Jah; Who Feels It Knows It (Shanachie) ‘80
  • Dillinger – Crabs in My Pants; Cocaine (Charly) ’83 JA disco
  • Tena Stelin – Intelligent Design; 10” (Dub Corner) 2007 UK mutant dub

<Putting the “fun” in Rasta fundamentalism – Tena Stelin, conspiracy theorist/UFOlogist; 40 sec.>

Tena Stelin – Putting the “fun” in Rasta Fundamentalism, UFOlogy and conspiracy theories

Set 8:

  • Thievery Corporation feat. Lou Lou – Time and Space; Temple of I & I (ESL) 2017 DC dubbers w/ female vox: Mutant Dub Set
  • Creation Rebel/New Age Steppers – Chemical Specialist (Cherry Red/ON U Sound) ’81 dub to Jah Woosh
  •  “Woodpecker Sound”
  • Jeb Loy & the Oil Wells – Things that Made the U.S.; Wild Paarty Sounds vol. 1 (Cherry Red/ON U Sound) ’81 UK
  • David Holmes feat. Sarah Cracknell – Gone (Kruder & Dofrmeister Session TM); This Films Crap Let’s Slash the Seats (1500) ‘98

Words of Wisdom: