To celebrate Bobstock or Bob Stalk as in Stalk of Sensi!, I am putting in some clips of readings from Smile Jamaica of Bob’s lyrical wisdom from the little book 56 Thoughts From 56 Hope Road
Each week I read a Thought on Smile Jamaica
Thanksgiving 2012 I picked up a blood infection while cratedigging in Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas I first noticed in St. George.:“That’s weird, I’ll just dump some Neosporin on it on my way to the Record shop.”
I found this little book at Zia’s Records in town. No crate was left un-dug as I was starting to fade. Watching a Family Guy marathon in my Hotel Room on Thanksgiving Day was pretty much one rung above comaville for I ‘n’ I.
Barely made it back to SLC and went straight into the Hospital for 5 days.
You’re never really prepared to go into Intensive Care, but I had slipped that little book into my bag. Five days with nothing but tubes sticking out of you. I had that book to distract me from my stupidity and mortality.
So now I read a passage every week on Smile Jamaica to celebrate Bob’s wisdom and guidance. Selah!
Enjoy the Best of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Bob Marley Tributes
bless, robt
WWBMD? What Would Bob Marley Do? Light a candle for his 70th birthday!
Tracklist for Online Only Marley Tribute
30 min.:
<56 Thoughts From 56 Hope Road; No. 24; 13 sec.>
Cedella Marley Booker – He’s a Rastaman; Awake Zion (Rykodisc) ’84; Bob’s mom
Culture – Psalm of Bob Marley + Dub; Good Things (RAS) ‘89
Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Jammin’); Hotter Than July (Motown) ‘81
Sister Carol – Dedicated to Bob Marley; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ‘84
The Melody Makers – Lyin’ in Bed; Time Has Come (EMI) ’88 Best of (30 min.)
1 hour:
<56 Thoughts From 56 Hope Road: No. 25; 38 sec.>
Mikey Dread – In Memory (Jacob, Marcus, Marley)(S.W.A.L.K.) (Heartbeat) ‘82
Alpha & Omega – Freedom Fighters; Sound System Dub (ROIR) ’95 Best of; UK trance dubbers
Prince Far I – Tribute to Bob Marley; Voice of Thunder (Trojan) ‘81
Bunny Wailer – Stay With the Reggae; Marketplace (Shanachie) ‘85
Lui Lepkie – Tribute to Bob Marley; Late Night Movie (Joe Gibbs) ‘81
Everton Blender – Bob Marley/World Corruption; Live at the White River Reggae Bash (Heartbeat) ‘99
Abyssinians – Jah Marley; Last Days (Tabou1) ‘98
Big Youth – Hit the Road Jack (Tribute to Bob, Peter, Bunny); Jamming in the House of Dread (ROIR/Danceteria) Live at Reggae Japansplash; Osaka, Jah-pon 8/30/90
Twin heroes of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
<56 Thoughts From 56 Hope Road. No. 35; 43 sec.>
2 hr. 20 min:
Randeesh – Bob Marley Is a River of Love; Courage (Mountain Lion) 2004
Isaac Haile Selassie – Dear Bob (Tribute to Bob Marley); CD Single (Resin Music) ‘99
Joel Zoss – Bob Marley International; Back to the Island (Rounder) 2001
Dennis Alcapone – Natty Bid Goodbye; Good Old Days (Teams)
Bunny Wailer – Final Statement; Hall of Fame (RAS/Solomonic) ‘95
Looking back on 28 plus years of seeking and collecting Reggae and Dub has led to 25 plus years of playing that harvest every Saturday afternoon on Smile Jamaica!
Especially now that Vinyl has made a roaring comeback from its decline* during the late 80’s and 90’s. I never gave up on it for one minute. And now that the Digital Music era is in ascendance, Vinyl as “artifact” has never been more important. And that is why I ‘n’ I don’t play Digital. Drop the needle pon de Record!
*Vinyl is the only music source growing in sales. CD’s are in a coma. Even Digital is flat because of the Great Recession.
<Paying Tribute to Vinyl: 25+ years worth on Smile Jamaica. Class of ’89; 12 sec.>
Operator! What’s the number for 9-1-1? I need more vinyl for my sock hop!
<Celebrating 25 Years with 3 hours of All Vinyl!; 44 sec.>
HIgh-Lights to listen for:
Seven Leaf – 4 down, 46 to go!
<4 down, 46 to go!>
Bob-ruary Tribute: Jah-bruary or Urb-ruary is Bob Marley month on Smile Jamaica
Roots Dawtas: singer, harmony, deejay dub poetess
Disco Mix: Dubstep, Mutant Dub, 10″, 12″, picture sleeves, red Vinyl, herbtune
7″ Jamaican Jukebox
Mutant Dub: Tosh rmx herbtune, Hindi-dubbers, African crossover,
Enjoy a Vinyl-icious 3 hours of Roots ‘n’ Dubwize!
Smile Jamaica much prefers Collie-rado’s Inversion Galore to Utah’s Winter Smog. 4 down, 46 to go!
Greetings,
<Inversion Galore. Surviving Utah’s Winter Smog>
Settling into Jah-nuary. Middle of winter. The two month period of hibernation between the Green Bud Bowl Packers last game and opening Season for my beloved San Francisco, Giants baseball.
Weeping and Wailing and gnashing of teeth 😦
Green Bud Bowl Packers legendary collapse. Dread only had to do one thing and one thing only: catch the effing ball. Game over. Super Bowl 49. Fiyah bun!
<Green Bud Bowl Packers epic collapse against Seapukes: No Superbowl for I ‘n’ I; 17 sec.>
***
Grinding it out at work trying to avoid the flu and the colds brought about by Utah’s chunky air. Flu shot was a dud. Everyone in my family except me got it. Praise Jah! One of my best friends had to go to the emergency room with fluid in her lungs. Utah from November to March great for skiiers. Not so much for those with ashthma.
So playing rope a dope in cutting through the Post Holiday blah’s with the Kool Roots of Reggae ‘n’ Dubwize.
High-lights of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-nuary 24, 2015; 64 sec.
Wailers Family Tree: Bob & Peter Live in Leeds UK; Tosh live acoustic radio performance; Bunny chants down Botha and Apartheid South Africa, Marcia Griffiths – Steppin’ ’79
Dub Album of the Week: Aba-Shanti Ites. Mutant dub instrumentals
Soundtracks: Reggae on celluloid
Best of Smile Jamaica 25 Years: Marcia G, Prince Lincoln UFOria, Dillinger PSA on STD’s
Vinyl is V-Ital: Roots Dawtas: lovers rock, deejay Seven Leaf, dub poet
Mutant Dub: UFO skywatching soundtrack
<Songs to watch the sky for UFO’s. They are out there. Do not scoff!; 8 sec.>
bless, robt
Galaxy poll on the Terrestrial Drug War
Smile Jamaica Playlist: Jah-nuary 24, 2015:
Set 1:
Kojak – Glory to Jah; Chant Down Babylon (Gorgon) JA vinyl
Aba-Shanti-I &the Shanti-Ites – Tower of Bable (sic); Verse III (Falasha) ’99; Dub Album of the Week: mutant dub style
Black Slate – Mozart in Trenchtown; World Citizen (Unit 8) 2014 UK roots reunion
<Black Slate: UK Roots Reunion; 29 sec.>
Akabu – Fate of the World; Warrior Queen (ON U Sound) ’95 UK female roots group
African Brothers – Gimme Gimme African Love; 10” (Main Line) ’77, Tony Tuff Sugar Minott group
Iba – Babylon Don’t Like; Many Lives (Mt. Nebo) 2006; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
<4 down, 46 to go!; 7 sec.>
Big Youth – Honesty; Screaming Target (Trojan) ’72; on Slaving riddim
UK Roots Reunion. One of Smile Jamaica’s Best of 2014
Set 2:
The Wailers – Stop That Train; Burnin’ (Deluxe Edition) (Tuff Gong); Live at Leeds UK; 11/23/73
Cedric ‘Im Brooks – Jah Light It Right; Light of Saba (Honest Jon’s) ’76 horn jazz + nyahbinghi instrumental
Dennis Brown – Give a Helping Hand; 10” (Observer Gold)
Rhoda Dakar – 007; Cleaning in Another Woman’s Kitchen (Moon Ska) 2007; singer in Special AKA, Bodysnatchers ska covers Desmond Dekker
2 Tone Ska-stress: Bodysnatchers, Special AKA, sang a song about date rape that is brilliant and harrowing “The Boiler”
Set 3: Reggae tunes on Soundtracks
Lee “Scratch” Perry – Dreadlocks in Moonlight; Countryman Soundtrack (Mango) ‘82
Western Roots – Rockers Galore; Babylon Central Soundtrack (ESL) 2010 mutant dub
Blessing to MLK: When he moved from Civil Rights to Anti-War and Pro Worker Rights, “They” took him out
Greetings,
Livicated* to MLK and his fight for human rights
*livicate – never dead/dedicate
<MLK>
Heinous!
<Smile Jamaica Approved: Green Bay Packers; 36 sec.>
WTF? Heinous. Just heinous. The Green Bud Bowl Packers peed a sure victory down their leg to a guy (QB Wilson) who probably doesn’t go for 4 down, 46 to go.
I must have had two dozen text messages from people. Ran the gamut from condolences to ha ha.
There weren’t any tears at the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
Not a fan
The mood at the Ark-Ives was more like this:
Green Bay? WTF!
Forward ever, backwards never
bless,robt
The High-lights of Jah-nuary 17, 2015: Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives; 45 sec.
Winter in Utah. Great for the skiiers. Not so great in the Valley. Bad air was killing all my friends: asthma, bronchitis, flu shot was a dud. I got a massive head cold sitting on the tarmac in Jah-buquerque trying to get home. Decongestant nah work. Maybe a cordless drill in my ear canal will free up some earway.
<Winter in the Salt Lake Valley: Chunky Style air; 12 sec.>
Happy New Year 2015 in the Salt Lake Valley: Inversion galore!
Tis the season of the Hazy Shade of Winter. If your breathing is wrecked or the flu has you down for the count, just spin last week’s Smile Jamaica. Best way to complement your sick leave
Best of Smile Jamaica 25 Years: The Reagan Year (1988) radio debut; 15 sec.
Wailers Family Tree: The Wailers Duo (Bob + Peter) Live at Leeds; 11/23/73. Tosh harangue that nearly got him killed after the One Love Peace Concert; 4/22/78 Kingston, JA. Introducing Bunny Wailer’s album Liberation ’88. Judy Mowatt classic Black Woman
Dub Album of the Week: Bullwackie’s All Stars – Free For All (Wackies). Heavy urban dub JA via NY.
Seven Leaf: Junior Dan, Mike Brooks, Aldubb
<4 down, 46 to go!>
Vinyl is V-Ital midway
Jamaican Jukebox: 7″ vinyl rarities
Disco Mix: Extended mix vox and dubwize vinyl
Roots Dawtas: Aisha lovers rock, The Selecter 2 Tone ska, Judy Mowatt, Mutant Dubstress Molara, Iskeeda, Alpha & Omega trance dub
Mutant Dub: UFOria skywatching soundtrack; last half hour
Eyes to the skies!
Set 1:
Horace Andy – Tune in to the Airwaves; Don’t Stop (Island in the Sun) ’85 NY vinyl
Bullwackies All Stars – Free For All; Free for All (Wackies) Dub Album of the Week
Prince Far I & the Arabs – Foggy Road; Message From the King (Virgin Front Line) ‘78
The Selecter – Selling Out Your Future; Celebrate the Bullet (Chrysalis) ’81 UK 2 Tone ska feat. Pauline Black
Junior Dan – Sligoville Tobacco; 10” (Hi-Try) 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement (melodica instrumental)
<Reggae History Lesson: Sligoville Jamaica Rastas; 46 sec.>
Mike Brooks – Rhum (sic) Drinker – Classical Anthology (Teams) ’75; best of; herbtune
<You know me as a Rum Drinker, yah I’m a Sensi Smoker; 12 sec.>
Sligoville Tobacco. 4 down, 46 to go!
Set 2:
The Wailers – Burnin’ & Lootin’; Burnin’ (Deluxe Edition) (Tuff Gong); Live at Leeds UK; 11/23/73; 28 sec.
<Live at Leeds: Bunny stays home: England cold; 28 sec.>
Aisha – It’s Not Right; True Roots (Ariwa) ’94 UK
Eric “Rebel Lion” Bubbles – Roots of Black People (Progressive International) ‘79
Smile Jamaica’s favorite Lovers Rock Roots Dawta
Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica: 25 Years
Austin Campbell – the Hotter the Battle; Babylon a Fall Down (Trojan); Best of 25 Years Set (1988-1990)
The Morwells – Educate Your Mind; Bingy Bunny: Kingston 12 Toughie (RAS) ‘75
Judy Mowatt – Put It On; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76; Wailers cover
Singers & Players – Thing Called Love (Don’t Fight); Revenge of the Underdog (ON U Sound) ’82 mutant dub
A+ Record. 1976
Set 4: Peter Tosh: harangue + Legalize It/Get Up Stand Up; 46 sec.
Peter Tosh – Speech + Legalize It/Get Up Stand Up; Talking Revolution (Pressure Sounds) 4/22/78: One Love Peace Concert; Kingston JA
Chanting down the shitstem
Set 5: Vinyl is V-Ital
Dean Fraser – Sensimilia; Christmas Sting (Thunder Bolt) Vinyl is Vital Set; over Hallelujah Choir riddim JA
Basement 5 – Paranoiaclaustrophobia Dub; Basement in Dub (Island) ’80 UK Mutant Dub; future members part of Big Audio Dynamite
<Jurassic era Mutant Dub. Big Audio Dynamite; 39 sec.>
Bim Sherman – Haunting Ground; Haunting Ground (Revolver) ’86 UK best of
Mystic Youth feat/ I-Skeeda & the Irie-Ites – Save the Roaches; Best Wishes (Sunship) female singer; junior high Bay Area reggae group; 52 sec.
Before Political Correctness: Junior High Reggae Band saves the roaches. 4 down, 46 to go!
Set 6: Jamaican Jukebox of 7″ 45s; 33 sec.
General Echo – Love Bump; 7” (Jah Man) ’80 JA; 7”
Augustus Pablo & Lloyd Young – Our Man Flint; 7” (Black Art)
Lanford Graham – Where You Come From; 7” (Jungle Rock)
Delroy Gordon – Dizzy Spell; 7” (Portland)
Second rate Neo Liberal Hit Man to James Bond
Set 7:
Bunny Wailer – Rise and Shine; Liberation (Shanachie) ‘88
The Mutants have taken over on Smile Jamaica: New Year’s Bass-gasm of Modern Dub: A-Zed
Greetings,
<10th Annual: Mutant Dub New Year: 3 hours of A-Zed; 30 sec.>
Happy New Year! Let’s start it off with all dub and bass. Neo-Dub, Modern Dub, Mutant Dub.
Gonna give the Orthodox Roots stalwarts the week off to explore my fascination with the crossover dub sound: drum & bass, electronica, downtro, lounge, dubstep, militant steppers, techno, ambient, etc. etc.
I listen to Roots Reggae at home and Mutant Dub in my car. Knives to the treble!
“Knives to the treble”…Joe Strummer, The Clash
Let’s see how it sounds stretched out to 3 hours instead of the usual last set on the weekly Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives.
Mutant Dub Kingpins
Mutant Dub:Where Jamaican echo meets Modern Dance music’s wobble
bless, robt
<What is Mutant Dub? 14 sec.>
Set 1: A-F
Alpha & Omega – City of Dub; Dub Magic (Zion Gate) ‘99
UK trance dubbers w/ female vox
Burning Babylon – Dub Tragic; Garden of Dub (I-Tones) 2006 Jah-suchusetts; Dub Album of the Week
Dubblestandart feat. Devon D – We All Have to Get High; Immigration Dub (Groove Attack) 2007 Jah-stria; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement; quotes The Doors “Out here on the perimeter,there are no stars we is stoned immaculate”
<Jim Morrison Lyric; 30 sec.>
Easy Star All Stars feat. Sluggy Ranks – Speak to me + Breathe (In the Air); Dub Side of the Moon (Easy Star) 2003; Pink Floyd cover with bong rip effects
Future Pigeon – Mummy Rock; Echodelic Sounds of Future Pigeon (Record Collection) 2006 Los Jah-ngeles, Collie-fornya; herbtune
Hope every one had a Merry Christmas or whatever Sky Deity you give thanks & praise to
Greetings,
Jump straight to the Jah-cember 27, 2014: Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive
<Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives sends seasons greetings to the Sky Deity of your choosing; 8 sec.>
Praise Anu! Smile Jamaica’s favorite sky god. Sumerians
***
Snuck away for a combo birthday/Christmas/cratedig with my family. Jah-buqureque, New Jah-xico. Flu shot ahead of time. Feeling good when everyone else in the vicinity had the crud.
Fly back, Friday AM the day after Christmas. Decided why not end the year, last Ark-Ive of 2014, with an All Vinyl Black Wax Attack.Yes I! Selah!
3 things that make Cabin Fever bearable: a roaring fire, burning a spliff, Irish coffee and the sound of vinyl pon your turntable
<Nyquil cocktail for 3 hours on air>
2 hour fog delay. Everyone cooped up on a non-moving tin can. Six in the Morning. Right there on the tarmac. Babies crying, everyone sniffling, coughing and wheezing.
Get back to the Ark-Ives, immediately start inoculating myself: Zicam for the Zinc; Nyquil just in case. Ate two oranges for the Vitamin C. Whatever…..
<One extra present after Christmas. Can’t hear the cue speaker on where to drop de needle pon de record with a massive head cold; 35 sec.>
All Vinyl Show. Had to crank the cue speaker to hear where to drop de needle pon di wax
Smile Jamaica’s Lessons in Deejaying: Why They Call it the “One Drop”
Similar to the Radio Board at KRCL. VU Meters on the top. Bump the red, don’t peg the red. Otherwise cipped signal feedback on the listener end. Speaker volume (cue, monitors, headphones) to the right. Higher the slider, the louder the gain (volume) over the air, if Track Button is lit, aka “hot”
Radio Studio setup 8 Tracks: 3 CDs, 2 Turntables, 1 Microphone, 1 Computer. Any sound on a “hot” track goes over the airwaves.
1 CD for my Dub Album of the Week
If a deejay wants to sample a portion of a song without that song going onto the airwaves, he puts the Track into “cue” mode
The cue speaker is on a different, internal sound channel within the mixing board. Separate from the Tracks that go over the airwaves. The deejay hears those “live” Tracks over the studio’s monitor speakers.
Had to turn the cue volume up to 11 to hear where to drop the needle on the vinyl, back-cue (reverse direction) on the Turntable till dead silence. This is where the next song starts on beat 1 – hot on the air. The One Drop!
Eyes and Ears in synch when you drop di needle pon de record! Searching for the One-Drop
Here’s the nitty gritty on Smile Jamaica’s Year-End Vinyl Blowout! (Jah-cember 27, 2014; 1 min. 55 sec.)
Rarities/Vinyl Only classics out of the Ark-Ives
Roots Dawtas
Seven Leaf, 4 down, 46 to go.
<Smile Jah-pocrypha: Skilers want to be in their cars, heading home in time to hear the Smile Jamaica 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement>
Prince Far I – Jamaica; Jamaican Heroes (Trojan) ’80 UK, boxing theme
1983 Rock Steady reunion. Sleeper classic from the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Black Wax wing
Set 2: Roots Dawtas
Judy Mowatt – Mr. Dee Jay; Mr. Dee Jay (Ashandan) ’81 JA
Maxine Miller – How Many Times; Showcase (Wackies); ‘80 NY early Bob Marley doo wop lovers rock
Sophia George – Tenement Yard; Tenement Yard (Winner) ’86 JA
Marcia Griffiths – Feel Like Jumping; At Studio One (Studio One) JA
<Reggae History Lesson: Judy and Marcia, 2/3 of the I Threes; 17 sec.>
Hey Mr. Deejay, play that song for me
Set 3:
Jackie Mittoo – Eleanor Rigby; Jackie Mittoo (United Artists) ’78 Los Jah-ngeles, Collie-fornya; Beatles Hammond B 3 cover
Heptones – Soul Sister; Legends From Studio One (Trench Town) ’72 Allen Toussaint New Oreans soul cover
The Gaylads – Little Candle; Vision of Reggae (Tamoki Wambesi); Roy Cousins prod’n best of
Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse; 12” (Island) ’82 Roots Radics on the riddims
Keyboard wizard minor key vibe on The Beatles classic.
Set 4: Seven Leaf Herbal Vinyl Set
<Seven Leaf Set Livicated to Rockers International from WNMC, Traverse City, MI; Reggae Radio in town skiing; 45 sec.>
<Revelations 22:2 – The Healing of the Nations; 30 sec.>
Jacob Miller – Healing of the Nations; Reggae Greats (Mango) ’84 US: Seven Leaf Set: Revelations 22:2 “the leaves were used for medicine for the healing of the nations”
<Cannabis History Lesson: Jacob Miller; 24 sec.>
Barrington Levy – Sensimelea; Poor Man Style (Trojan) ’82 UK
Pioneers – Feeling High; Greatest Hits (Trojan) ’76 UK
I Roy – African Herbsman; African Herbsman (Joe Gibbs) ‘ over Johnny Clarke – African Roots ’81 JA
Carlton Livingston – 100 Weight of Collie Weed; 100 Weight of Collie Weed (Greensleeves) ’84 UK
<Don’t go 55 inna 35 with 100 Weight of Collie Weed in your vehicle; 12 sec.>
Read your Bible!
Set 5:
Krieger-Densmore Reggae Bonanza – Kinky Reggae; 12” (Rhino) ’83 Marley cover by ½ The Doors
<Smile Jamaica’s brush with Ray Manzarek, The Doors; 58 sec.>
Yellowman – Strong Mi Strong; 12” (Columbia) ’84 Bill Laswell mix
Pama International feat. Dawn Penn – Betterment Blues; Trojan Sessions (Trojan) 2006 UK
They most certainly are out there. Eyes to the skies! Do not scoff
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 