Tag Archives: Fort Benton

Smile Jamaica Ark-ives: Robert’s Reggae Roadtrip in Rona-ville!

May 7, 2021 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

“We will throw your sorry ass off this plane!”

Greetings,

<Robert’s Rona Roadtrip Diary; 2 min. 20 sec.>

Every time….

“You’re getting on a plane?

Yep.

“Wow. Seems risky.”

Ok, Karen. I ‘n’ I have no choice. I’m the eldest and tasked with the responsibility of helping my Mom with my Dad. (Temporarily dain bramaged from a build up of excess spinal fluid. Called NPH.)

Brain surgery to install a shunt drain of excess spinal fluid that flows down a tube and is absorbed harmlessly into the stomach lining.

Since the Rona Pandemic of 2020 I ‘n’ I have boarded/de-planed 10 different planes. At first they were mostly empty. Now they are packed to the rafters. Guess I’ll take my chances with a 99% recovery rate and hope for the best.

So far so good: Bobbylon 43 The Covid 0

Here’s a diary of my trip.

Day 1: SLC to Denver to Phoenix

I ‘n’ I love the cattle car of Southwest Airlines. Pay 15 bucks extra for Early Bird boarding and aim for the back corner of the plane. Didn’t matter. Both legs of the journey were full. In the airport and on the plane I felt the flight staff were more strict on mask compliance than last year or during Xmas 2020. It seems like the more people are vaxxed the stricter they have become.

I wear my mask b/c it’s a bitch when you are scolded for pulling it down to take a sip of anything. It’s ridiculous anyway b/c they make you take down your mask at TSA checkpoint. So I pass on my gamboo to the security person and he/she gives me their cooties. Lovely.

Day 2: Cratedigging

Phoenix has great record shops. Several boutique vinyl mostly shops. Their local CD/Vinyl/DVD chain is called Zia and they are terrific. Didn’t find a whole lot this time, except at one store called In the Groove. Snagged about a dozen rare Greensleeves label 12″ vinyl records. Yes I!

Spent $200 filling in gaps for the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Keep the vinyl shops alive before, during and after The Covid

The other thing? Mask optional. Where some stores had finally opened back up to actual “digging” as opposed to “curbside delivery”, the staff at In the Groove weren’t wearing a mask and there was no “No Mask, No Service” sign on the door

So neither did I’n’ I. I do the old hang off the ear just in case. It was strangely self conscious and exhilarating at the same time. Wow, how quickly we have been accustomed to breathing in our own carbon dioxide and huffing microscopic boogers that accumulate on those face diapers*

*My Pops: “Jesus Christ, would you quit calling masks a face diaper.” So good to have the old cantankerous dad back in the fold which we missed for almost two years!

Pops was days away from one of Cuomo’s Nursing Home/Covid Death Houses and battled back to flash the Hairy Eyeball directed at his ingrate first born!

Except stay six feet apart and keep wearing your face diaper

That was 2020 for I ‘n’ I. Keeping my Pops dodging the Covid. Thanks to Ishtar, the Granter of Wishes! Others weren’t as fortunate.

Day 3: 420 on 4/20; 107 sec.

Arizona legalized the hippie lettuce in 2020. They didn’t waste any time converting medical only Weed Huts into rec stores. There is a terrific shop in Sun City West that helped my Pops with CBD cream for his neuropathy, 1:1 vape cartridges for my Mom – restless leg syndrome.

Got Mom a nice vape pen for Mother’s Day* since I ‘n’ I broke hers in Dec. (For some reason I am lethal on vape pens, either lose them somewhere or they quit charging.)

*I have always been a good son!

Hey Mom! Charging you an Uber fee for our Roadtrip thru Rona-ville!

I ‘n’ I figured April 20th is like Black Friday for potheads. So I called early. Found out they opened at 8am that sacred day. Sale of 40% off cartridges. Got there by 8:20AM.

Jumped in the long line assuming that was for recreational customers. Asked the guy in front of me. Nope, that was for Medical. Spun the wheel and won a $10 pre-roll. Nice.

Walked right up to rec line like a celebrity. Got in their system and went to the budtender. Nice young woman named, wait for it!…..Marley. (Last trip thru Vegas my budtender’s name was Kaya.) I ‘n’ I was so excited I violated the six foot rule. But at least I had my face diaper on.

The Natural Mystical way to beat back the Rona

Walked out with a little bit of everything. Indica (for sleep); Sativa (for cratedigging); Hybrid (for everyday life). The most unusual thing was that they took credit cards. I ‘n’ I have bought weed in Washington, Collie-rado, Nevada and now Phoenix. Everywhere else was cash for the kasheesh. How civilized. Just like going to Mall-Wart or Olive Garden.

Well fortified, let’s get on the road….

Doing it for the Vitamin C. Beat back The Vid

Day 4: Sun City West, AZ to Mesquite, NV (350 miles)

It’s a three day drive from Phoenix to Fort Benton, Montana (North Central part of the state.) 1296 miles

Early high-light (pun intended) was the Last Chance Rest Stop on an Indian reservation just before you cross from AZ to NV.

Alien gear, weed gear and Trump gear “Still My President”. It’s a little disturbing that I’m obsessed with two of the three. Bought some alien schwag, Area 51 T shirt and a bunch of fridge magnets.

Someone call a Karen. Al Leon is wearing his face diaper below his nose!

Pull in to the Virgin River Casino. Had a nice dinner. Near miss with Pops as he went ass over tea kettle. Dude still needs his cane. Two nice bikers helped my Mom and I get him back on his feet.

Pops safe in his room, Mom and I hit the machines. Video Poker for I ‘n’ I. Headed to the exact spot where I won $1000 last fall.

Royal Flush buys a lot of Vape cartridges and pens!

Nevada is a Karen state. Plexiglass is like gambling in a phone booth. I strategically aimed for an end machine close to the bar. Even then the cocktail server doesn’t venture often into the 25 cent video poker machines.

Of course you have to wear a face diaper. I ‘n’ I fire up my Sativa cart and do a little Dr. Ted recreation. (Vaping through a mask). Mmm. Strawberries.

Alas, lightning did not strike twice. The best I ‘n’ I could muster was 4 8’s (400 quarters.) But I got to play about 90 minutes and only dropped 60 bucks. I was crosseyed exhaling strawberry essence through my face diaper (sorry Pops!)

Someone call a Karen, Jed isn’t vaping THROUGH his mask

Day 5: Mesquite NV to Idaho Falls ID (550 miles)

Time to grind out the longest and dullest stretch of the 3 day journey. Since Utah and Idaho are 2/3 thirds of the Mormon Triangle States, there will be no vaping nor gambling.

There was ice cream. It was hilarious watching my parent’s little dog Bella go through a bowl of vanilla ice cream like she was going to the dog pound for the long sleep.

Santaquin, UT. Masks for the employees, didn’t see any on the customers.

Hit Idaho Falls, check into the hotel room (so tired I ‘n’ I forgot my face diaper but didn’t need it. Utah and Idaho are coming out of it and getting on with it.) Pizza Hut in the room and half a Law & Order re-run. One toke from Blueberry Indica and I was in dreamland.

Day 6: Idaho Falls ID to Fort Benton MT (401 miles)

It wouldn’t be Montana if you didn’t have to worry about snow in April. Montana’s spring lasts from Memorial Day to June 1st.

The Monida Pass between Idaho and Montana is the stuff of nightmares. BFD. We’re going. Praise Anu, a few snow flurries, some low level fog. I give it a B+ by the usual whiteout conditions I ‘n’ I have been used to. Home sweet home.

Fort Benton, MT – aka the Birthplace of Montana….and I ‘n’ I

Chillin’ in The Birthplace of Montana

Small Axe Mini-Series, Steve McQueen (Amazon Prime)

When you long haul it that early in the spring, you have to book a few extra days before I ‘n’ I would fly back to SLC. Not much to do, so I had some binge time. My parents have Amazon Prime. I carved out the time to watch a fantastic 5 movie series from UK director Steve McQueen.

Collectively it is called Small Axe.

From the Wailers song: You are the big tree, we are the small axe. Sharpened to cut you down.

Five individual films chronicling the West Indian/UK immigrant experience. Unremitting racism, immigrant mistrust, depression of the daily beat down for the color of your skin, lack of educational opportunity.

After the 2020 BLM protests you could truly see that endemic racism is a global phenomenon that didn’t start with an Orange dude still selling MAGA schwag.

Fort Benton down with the hemp

17 down, 33 to go. Montana legalized marijuana in Nov. 2020. They haven’t started recreational sales yet but it is legal to possess. Oct. 2021 retail starts….supposedly.

Fort Benton is a town of about 1500 people. Down from about 1800 when I grew up there. Too cold for industry, kids moving off the farm.

But there isn’t a house to be had because of a local hemp processing plant. Yes, hemp. Not cannabis, but I can imagine that will be on-deck now that legal marijuana will need suppliers. They are employing 35 employees in a huge plant on the hill close to my house. They would be the largest non-school/government employer in the entire county.

Indhemp are making hemp powder for supplements, oil, seeds, CBD extraction and I understand they have expanded to process hemp fiber.

And I ‘n’ I can’t wait until recreational is legal so I can walk up to the old NAPA auto parts store downtown and buy some vape from the Fat Hippie.

Fort Benton’s local dispensary!

Rona in Fort Benton-a

So basically after a week of living out of a suitcase, the day after we get home, I wake up and am not feeling all that great. Achy, feverish, low appetite. Are you kidding me? Is it the Rona?

I’ve been talking shit for a year and now it caught me. On the road, 1300 miles of 99% time spent in a car with people/pets I have herd immunity with. In the house I grew up in?

Is the streak over? Bobbylon 43, The Covid 0. Bad news if the Rona scores at all!

I immediately took a vape hit…..waited…..yes, could it be? Strawberries! I ‘n’ I didn’t lose my sensi (pun) of taste! My Mom said to quit being a wuss and come up and empty the dishwasher.

I ‘n’ I didn’t get my jab yet because I knew I had this massive trip in front of me. And I have talked to a couple people who had side effects. One guy had a tingling rash up and down his arms. My sister thinks it caused her outbreak of shingles.

So, a day later a friend of Pops comes over for a beer. He was setting up for a gun show in Great Falls. His tongue felt weird. And then he had trouble breathing. His tongue was swelling. He high tailed into Instacare. Epi pen. 24 hours in ICU.

He was totally gobsmacked, a week early he had a 24 hour bout of uncontrolled hiccups that was worse than ICU.

I asked him if he had been recently vaccinated? Yep, two plus weeks earlier. Moderna. I asked an innocent question. Could his back to back adverse health incidences – uncontrolled hiccups, anaphylactic shock – be a consequence of his jab? Oh, no. Take off your tin foil hat and believe the narrative.

And that’s why I’m waiting for the Sputnik V.

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Playlist: May 1, 2021

Jacob Miller – Each One Teach One; Classic Rockers vol. 2 (Rockers) ’89 UK vinyl comp.
Sir Coxsone Sound – Black Wars Dub; King of the Dub Rock Part 2 (Tribesman); ’82 UK vinyl dub Album of the hour
The Pioneers – Long Shot; Give and Take (Trojan) ’68 – Kentucky Derby Set
The Pioneers – Longshot Kicked the Bucket; In the Beginning (Jet Star) ‘69
The Race Fans – Bookieman; 7” (Upset) ’68 JA
Dillinger – Race Day; CB 200 (Mango) ‘76
Sugar Minott – One Horse Race; 7” (Chris & Squidley)
The Special AKA – Skinhead Symphony (Longshot Kick the Bucket); Stereo-typical A’s, B’s and Rarities (EMI) ‘80
Mr. Bojangles – Selassie I Cup; 7” (Joe Gibbs Record Globe) ‘77***End of Set 1
Roots Gwaan – Good Trees; Exalt H.I.M. (Conscious Riddims) herbtune
Hollie Cook feat. Horseman – Cry; Hollie Cook (Mr. Bongo) 2011 UK dawta
The Ethiopians – Train to Skaville; Norman & Joey Jay: Good Times 3 (React) ’67 comp.
4^th Street Orchestra – Hawaii 5-0; 10” (Rama) ’77 UK TV theme***End of Set 2
Slim Smith – Rougher Yet; Full Up (Heartbeat/Studio One) ’67 comp. Best of Smile Jamaica 31+ Years Set
Samuel the First – Sounds of Babylon; Keep on Coming Through the Door (Trojan) ’70 comp.
Barry Brown – Sensimilla; Far East (Hitbound) ’81 herbtune
Hortense Ellis – Jah Mysterious Works; Holding Up Half the Sky (Shanachie) ’80 comp.***End of Set 3
The Beat aka The English Beat – Jackpot; I Just Can’t Stop It (Go Feet!) ’80 UK 2 Tone ska
Thievery Corporation feat. Perry Farrell – Revolution Solution; CD Single (ESL) DC dubbers
K – Right Direction; Nemozian Rasta (I Grade) 2001 female
The Congos – Music Maker; 12” (99) ’81 NY***End of Set 4
Winston Jarrett – Ishen Galore; Wise Man (Tamoki Wambesi) ’79 UK herbtune: Vinyl is Vital Set
Freddie McKay – Settle For Me; Alcatraz (Mr. Tipsy) ’85 JA
Devon Russell – People Get Ready; Roots Music (Studio One) ’82 JA
Kingpin – Hottest Shot; Lovers Delight (Ariwa) ’93 UK lovers rock
Norma King – Hot Child in the City; 12” (Zion Love) ’89 Can. Nick Gilder pop cover***End of Set 5
Robert Palmer – Love Can Run Faster; 7” (Island) ’77 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n; Rockers do Reggae Set
Graham Parker – Howlin’ Wind; Howlin’ Wind (Mercury) ’76
Sinead O’Connor – The Glory of Jah; Theology (Koch) 2007
The Long Beach Dub All-Stars – Astro-Dub; Sunny Hours EP (Dreamworks) 2001
Ja-Man All-Stars – Dub Zone; In the Dub Zone (Blood & Fire) ’77 Dub Album of the Hour***End of Set 6
Bob Marley & the Wailing Wailers – Thank You Lord; Wail ‘N Soul ‘M Singles (JAD) ’67: Wailers Family Tree
Peter Tosh – Crimson Pirate; Arise Blackman (Trojan) ’69 Jackpot 7” organ instrumental
Phyllis Dillon – Long Time No Nice Time; Trojan Bob Marley Tribute Box Set (Trojan) ’72 Wailers cover
Bunny Wailer – Rule Dancehall + version; Solomonic Singles vol. 2 (Solomonic) ‘87***End of Set 7
Dry & Heavy – Rumble Dub; 10” EP (Green Tea) 2000 UK – Jah-pon: Mutant Dub Set
Seeed – Million Dead Tongues; King Size Dub Chapter 6 (Echo Beach) 2000 Germ. comp
David Holmes – Slash the Seats; This Film’s Crap Let’s Slash the Seats (Go Disks!) ‘95
Ellen Allien feat. Miss Kitten – Rippin Kitten (BPitch Control) 2004 comp.
Kid Loco – Here Copmes the Munchies; Kill Your Darlings (Bella Union) 2001 Fr.
Alpha & Omega feat. Lee “Scratch” Perry – Dub Fire;
Trample the Eagle and the Bear (Alpha & Omega) 2005 UK trance dubbers
Rara Avis – Guyatri Mantra; Essential Lounge: Bombay (UBL) 2005 Hindi dub

Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate June, 2020 – Crategdigging inna Pandemic!

June 5, 2020 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

Greetings,

I ‘n’ I been on lockdown since the Utah Earthquake: March 17, 2020. All the Smile Jamaicas “curated” out of the Secret Dubratory within the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives.

Spring forward to mid May. The plan was to fly to Phoenix, drive my parents to Albuquerque for my nephew Aitch’s graduation. Poor kid, born two months after the 9/11 tragedy. Now, the New Mexico Gator Aid player of the year – baseball scholarship to Pepperdine University – his season gets scrapped b/c of the Covid.

Hayden Walker, lefty like his Uncle. Soon to be a San Francisco Giant is my hopes for this kid!

My plan was in between the graduation ceremony (which, of course never happened) and the party, I ‘n’ I was gonna make my pilgrimage to Roswell.

Jews have Jerusalem. Muslims have Mecca. I ‘n’ I have Roswell, New Mexico.

Change of plans. New route: Sun City West, AZ to Fort Benton, Montana.

Diary of a Cratedigger:

Day 1: Flight from Salt Lake to Phoenix.

Flying is surreal. Had no problem with getting an Uber to the airport. The airport was abandoned on a Monday. The big travel day. Two cars at drop off, no wait at the airline, no wait through security.

More workers than flyers. Get to the TSA line. I ‘n’ I have my mask on. So does the TSA ID checker. Put my phone on the scanner, show my driver’s license. The officer says, “Please remove your mask so I can check you against your ID.”

I ‘n’ I was like, “What? You want me to take off my mask? I thought the whole point of masking up was to prevent potential aerosol spread of the Covid? Now you want me to expose myself to the other flyers’ goomba who were ahead of me in line? I’m sure they all had dry cough and were sneezing Covid like a machine gun. Why don’t I just lick the ticket scanner while I’m at it. WTF”.

Of course I said none of that. And spread my germ cocktail all over the effing place.

A couple of restaurants open. But most closed. Flying felt like going to a funeral. Surprisingly half full plane, no one in the middle seats. No beverage service. Guy in the seat ahead of me was mask shamed before take off. Phoenix 105 degrees.

No beverages, just here to check for masks

Day 2: Sun City West, AZ to Cedar City, UT – 432 miles.

Left 105 degree Arizona. I’m driving a stuffed Buick Enclave where my only view is the side mirrors. Passenger manifest: Pops (recovering from a neurological condition called NPH – wet, wobbly and wacky). Beloved mother and bunny killer Bella.

Do not trust the sweet face of Bella the Bunny Killa

The plan was to stay at the Virgin River Casino in Mesquite, Nevada. Two problems:

Nevada still a “Shelter in Place” state. No resort rooms until this week.
The dispensary in Mesquite, was like a Seinfeld episode. Remember the Soup Nazi? Had to call in an appointment, meet at a set time, order off a web menu, stay in the car, wear your mask. “Sorry you didn’t say Simon Says, NO VAPE FOR YOU!“

A loaded car, a fidgety dog, a dad in a wheelchair in 105 weather. Another first world problem/Covid inconvenience.

So we stopped in North Las Vegas. I ‘n’ I told my Mom, there will be an Uber fee for this trip. Roll into Reef Dispensary in NLV. Mom and I walked right up. She got her CBD/THC “diet coke” vape. And I’n’ I got my elephant tranquilizer vape.

We arrive to our non-smoking, non-vaping, non-whatnot motel and unload for the night: Cedar City, Utah.

From 105 to 35 degrees in 400 miles. Everything is curbside. Cedar City is deserted. Highways are mostly empty. No reason to sight see because nothing is open. Everything is in a holding pattern and tense.

Taking Bella for a walk – looking for poor bunnies to kill – you could feel the Covid around every corner.

Dystopian almost. Three people and a rabbit killer trying to be normal. Will we actually make it to Montana. Second best Covid state when it comes to total cases. Third best in mortality (17 dead.)

Day 3: Cedar City, Utah to Idaho Falls, Idaho – 405 miles

Pretty uneventful. Grinding down an empty highway looking for handi-capable rest stops. Forced to listen to The Bridge on Sirius XM. 1400 miles of wimp rock: Cat Stevens vs. Seals and Croft to see who plays The Eagles in the Mellow Rock championship.

Idaho Falls is a beautiful river city, but we never got farther than curbside at Olive Garden.

Mom and I ‘n’ I vaped while watching Game 6 of the Bulls-Jazz Finals on ESPN. I ‘n’ I should be two months into a season watching my beloved San Francisco Giants struggle to reach .500.

Day 4: Idaho Falls, ID to Fort Benton, MT – 401 miles

Left Idaho Falls, 29 degrees. I ‘n’ I still in shorts and sandals from Phoenix. Heavy fog over the Monida border pass. Giving me vertigo. Ah, what would it be to not have treacherous weather heading into Montana.

We sailed home. Beautiful rivers and green wheat fields. Arrive at the birthplace of Montana and the house I ‘n’ I grew up in.

What better place to hide from the Covid than a river town where the mosquitos are the size of house flies.

Two days later Mom gets this letter from the Chouteau County Health Department:

It has been brought to our attention you may have recently returned from travel out of state in a non- business related capacity.

You are required to do a 14 day self quarantine upon arriving in Montana. This directive is established by Executive Order of the Governor of Montana and is MANDATORY for visitors and residents alike.

This is essential because travel from another state or country is a common source of Covid-19 infection; with 25% of COVID cases in Montana being travel associated.

First and foremost, people don’t want to get sick and don’t want others to get sick. Montanans understand that. The Governor is confident that most Montanans will take this directive seriously and understand their role in cutting off the chain of transmission to save lives and minimize long term impacts to our economy.

Self-quarantine means that the resident MUST stay within the boundaries of the property on which they are residing in while in Montana and CANNOT leave those boundaries or interact with other people.

This includes the resident being prohibited from grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations/convenience stores, bars, places of worship/churches, schools, gatherings.

Exceptions will only be made in the event of medical emergency, fire, natural disaster or other acts of God preventing the ongoing healthful habitat in a residence.

Self-quarantine must be maintained through the expiration of June 1, 2020 for those arriving prior to June 1.

Please call us when you have completed your self-quarantine

This is the world of Covid-1984. The state of Montana had license plate cameras and then harvested my Mom’s GPS locator info from her fancy Iphone. Since when did I need a passport to travel within the United States? But then, maybe trampling a few civil rights is how Montana smashed their curve.

How nice of the Governor of Montana to let my parents escape a burning house or act of God. To abide by this stricture, my parents would have starved before their 14 day home confinement were up.

And this applies to guests too. So how did I spend my self-quarantine?…….a favorite from Fort Benton keggers circa 1983. Judas Priest – Breaking the Law

Day 5: Cratedigging in Missoula.

Ah, the People’s Republic of Missoula. Once we got unpacked, found some rabbits for Bella to munch on and got the house ready for “self quarantine”, I got on the Google and tapped in “Record Stores — Missoula, Montana.”

It’s not enough that they are still in business. (How many will be fatal victims of the Covid. I shudder to think. I fear that more than the critter killing 80 year olds.) They have to be open for customers.

Curbside record shopping is a joke. I have a curbside record hut, it’s called Amazon. I ‘n’ I wanna go in and dig through the crates. Don’t care about curbside.

Rockin’ Rudy’s – still in business – open to customers
Record Heaven, Rockin’ Rudy’s vinyl sister; 2 for 2
Ear Candy records – 3 for 3.

I’m going!

More than a Record Store, it’s a lifestyle roots ‘n’ culture shop

Pack up, grab my vape works and hit the road. Still freezing, but the drive over mountain pass at Lincoln (home of the Unabomber), was free and clear. More rivers to cross, per Jimmy Cliff. Listening to a mix of Led Zeppelin Radio and Little Steven’s Underground Radio. Heard nuff Christopher Cross to last 10 lifetimes.

Cratedigging in a pandemic

Captured the address for my parent’s to sign up to make cannabis legal: New Approach Montana

Time to grow cannabis alongside the wheat and barley as Jah intended

Montana, as a Shelter in Place state. (As my Pops said – Jesus Christ, the whole state is already shelter in place). Mask mandatory. I ‘n’ I was talking to my Sister getting my vape on before a day of cratedigging. Anyone approaching Rock and Rudy’s without mask was turned away.

Grape Ape vape, 82% Sativa. I’m ready to dig. Fiya burn the Covid!

Rockin’ Rudys – $250 (Reggae, Stones bootleg, Marley banner I didn’t have)
Ear Candy – $30 (more of a college rock shop where I am looking for dubstep fill ins I didn’t have)
Record Heaven – $150. Very impressed. About $120 of that was Reggae collectors titles and 12″ mix I didn’t have. Bravo. That is more Roots Reggae than I’ve purchased in either Vegas or Phoenix in the past year.

Who knows? Maybe by 2022 KRCL will let me back into the station to juggle some of this great black wax on the turntables.

Better vinyl selection, new and collectors, than cities 10 times its size

So there you have it. Cratedigging under quarantine. I ‘n’ I write this blog post from the state prison at Deer Lodge, MT. I left the premises in Fort Benton and spread my goomba to Missoula. They had me before I put the first Bob Marley bootleg CD in the player!

Dammit, shoulda turned off my locator setting on my fancy Iphone!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate – 2020 Roots Reggae Mashup

Zema – Fear Not; Black Sleep (Melchizedek) SoCal female Zap Pow – Last War; Zap Pow (Island) ’78
Yellowman – Lost Mi Love; Mr. Yellowman (Shanachie) ’82

Yabby You – Carnal Mindl; One Love, One Heart (Shanachie) ’84

Winston Jarrett – Babylon Red; Bushwackers Gangbangers (Bigmore) 2010

White Mice – Youths of Today; White Mice (Intelitc)

Wackies All-Stars – Version Pipe; Dub Generals (Wackie’s) (30 min.)

U Roy – Natty Rebel; Natty Rebel (Virgin Front Line) ’76

UB40 – Little By Little; Signing Off (DEP/Sound) ’80

Zion Tribe – Feelin’ High; Barre Chords (Zion Tribe) Equators ska/herb tune, SLC

Toots & the Maytals – Funky Kingston; Funky Kingston (Mango) ’74

Willie Nelson – The Harder They Come; Countryman (Lost Highway) 2005 Jimmy Cliff cover

Wendy Shaw – Jah Rastafari; Passing Through the Flames (Issachar) ’92

War – Why Can’t We Be Friends; Why Can’t We Be Friends (United Artists) ’75 (1 hr.)

Third World – Lagos Jump; All the Way Strong (Columbia) ’83

Twinkle Brothers – Distant Drums; Love (Virgin Front Line) ’78

The Pioneers – Chucky; 20 Original Famous Hits (Pioneer International)

The Gladiators – My Thoughts; Serious Thing (Nighthawk) ’84

The Ethiopians – One; Clap Your Hands (Sir JJ) ’69?

Tena Stelin – Orthodox Music; Wicked Intention (Mr. Modo) ’89

Tapper Zukie – City of Mt. Zion; Peace in the Ghetto (Virgin Front Line) ’78 (90 min.)

Sugar Minott – Africa Is the Black Man’s Home; Ghetto-ology (Easy Star) ’79

Sister Carol – Gimme Mi Freedom; Lyrically Potent (Heartbeat) ’99

Sammy Dread – Black Princess; Wrap Up a Draw (Seven Leaf)

Ras Midas – Kude a Bamba; Confirmation (JML) ’76

Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus – I’m a Man (Just Like You); Know Now (Shanachie) ’89

Ranking Dillinger – Don’t Take Another Man’s Life; None Stop Disco Style (Clocktower) ’77 (2 hr.)

Queen Majeeda – Down in a Africa; Conscious (Heartbeat) ’93 female dub poet

Prince Alla – Thank You Lord; Lion a Go Bite Yu (Headphone)

Pablo Moses – Music is My Desire; A Song (Mango) ’80

Noah House of Dread – Dem People; Heart 2 (ON U Sound) ’88

Misty in Roots – Ghetto in the City; Live at the Euro Countervision 78 (Kaz) ’79

Miliant Barry – Mojo Working; Green Valley (Manic) ’79 (2 and 1/2 hr.)

Mikey Dread – African Map; Dread at the Controls (Trojan) ’79

Mighty Diamonds – Country Living; Stand Up to Your Judgment (Channel One) ’78

Michael Franti – Ganja Babe; Live at the Baobab (Boo Boo Wax) 2000

Marcia Griffiths – I’ve Got to Go Back Home; Naturally (Shanachie) ’79

Love Joys – Jah Light; Reggae Vibes (Wackies) ’81 female duo

Likkle Mai – My Old Flame; Roots Candy (Beat) 2006 Jah-pon Dubstress

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-gust 8, 2015 (Stream + Tracklist): Ancient Aliens a Gwaan!

August 11, 2015 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

download (1) — Every night the sun goes down a little earlier. Can’t skywatch until the stars come out

Greetings,

<Have yourself a ball! 5 sec.>

My Weekends define Rinse ‘n’ Repeat

Friday: Bomb out of work around 4pm
Hail up my bredrins Bourbon Lad and Aquaboy* for what we call Prayer Group

*(my friend was bit by a shark)

Shark Attack

They prattle on about their impending retirement while I choose the music
6:30 – Grab some dinner
7-9 pm – Ancient Aliens on History Channel.
11pm – Watch 1 Episode per night when the sun goes down. Can’t skywatch in the daylight
Midnight – Decompress while looking for UFO’s in the moonlight
Read a Chapter of Ancient Alien Expert: Zecharia Sitchin: Earth Chronicle Series: The Lost Realms (Book 4) – About the Maya and new world Alien contact

images (1) — My night time reading. Book 4 of 7: The Earth Chronicles

Saturday: Start putting my music together for Smile Jamaica…

<Roadmap for Jah-gust 8, 2015 Ark-Ive; 90 sec.>

Wailers Family Tree: Wailers Catch a Fire mix ‘n’ match. Tosh live. Bunny does Bob; Melody Makers love Jah. 3 takes of Stir It Up
Roots Dawtas: Contemporary Reggae stylee
Disco Mix ‘n’ Vinyl Is Vital: Black Wax Attack
Mutant Dub: Intergalactic Dubwize
Best of 27 Years: My faves from 80’s Reggae Radio
Tribute to HIM – Held over, never left over from Selassie’s birthday: July 23, 1902

Set 1:

Junior Byles – Thanks & Praise; Rasta No Pickpocket (Nighthawk) ’86 St. Louis, MO vinyl
Alek6 – Inside; Inside (Hammerbass) 2010 Fr.; Dubstep Album of the Week
Aswad – Pass the Cup; BBC Sessions (BBC) 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement; Live in the Studio: 6/3/82

<The Cup = Chalice: 30 sec.>

Black Roots – I Am Flying; On the Ground (Sugar Shack) 2012 UK reunion
Sister Carol – Get It Straight Africans; Jah Disciple (RAS) ‘89
Enforcer – Pension; 10” (Narrows)

<Youth better save for your pension! 13 sec.>

Bunny Wailer – Pieaka (Bus Dem Shut); Gumption (Shanachie) ’90; dancehall Bob Marley cover

<Wailers Family Tree: Bunny does Bob in a Digital Stylee! 20 sec.>

Set 2:

Peter Tosh – Not Gonna Give It Up; Live at the Jamaica World Music Festival (Tosh Foundation) 11/27/82: Montego Bay, JA
Alpha & Omega – Rastafari; Voice in the Wilderness (A & O) ’96 trance dub w/ female vox
Johnny Nash – Stir It Up; I Can See Clearly Now (Columbia) ’72 Bob cover

<Johnny Nash cover Bob Marley; 20 sec.>

Johnny-Nash (1) — Johnny Nash – Texas Soul covers Bob Marley

Set 3: Roots Dawta Set

Ayo – Get Out of My Way; Gravity at Last (Wrass) 2008; Roots Dawta Set: German-Nigerian singer songwriter
Gracy & the Herbman Dub – Real; Movements (Funfundvierzig) ’94 Germany
Zema – Fear Not; Black Sheep (Melchizedek) 2005 SoCal
Etana – Jamaican Woman; I Rise (VP) 2014 JA

<Etana: Don’t call her a gospel singer; 18 sec.>

images — Jamaican singer Etana gave me the hairy eyeball on the Radio for calling her a reggae-gospel singer

Set 4:

The Wailers – Stir It Up (JA & US/UK mixes); Catch a Fire (Tuff Gong) ‘73

<Jamaican Mix and US/UK overdubs; 78 sec.>

<Stir It Up Mix ‘n’ Match; 50 sec.>

Heptones & the Observers – Mr. Do Over Man (Observer Gold) ‘78

bob_marley_the_wailers-stir_it_up_s_4 — Dry Jamaican Mix vs. Psychedelic Remix

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital Set

Twinkle Brothers – Respect and Honour; Respect & Honour (Twinkle) ‘87 UK
Ashanti Roy & Sister Bunny Brissett – Food For a Rainy Day; Berlin Wall (High Times) ’92 JA
Ringo – Ganja Exchange; Woman a Ginal (Top Ranking) ’81 Miami FL; herbtune

<The pathway out of O-sterity: Ganja for the Foreign Exchange; 9 sec.>

Gregory Isaacs & Prince Far I – Uncle Joe/Come Off Mi Toe; Crucial Cuts (Virgin Front Line) ‘83 UK

<Prince Far I’s Words of Wisdom; 14 sec.>

Set 6: Best of 27 Years

<From year 1 and 2; 27 sec.>

The Beat (aka The English Beat) – Big Shot; Dance Craze (2 Tone) ’81 2 Tone Ska Soundtrack
Cedella Marley Booker – Put It On (Lord I Thank You); Awake Zion (Rykodisc) ’84; Bob’s mom on a Bob tune

<Gospel Reggae from Bob’s mom; 34 sec.>

Albert Griffiths & the Gladiators – Country Living; Country Living (Heartbeat) ‘85

<Fort Benton, Montana – Country Living; 20 sec.>

Yellowman – Beat It; Galong, Galong, Galong (Shanachie) ‘85

FORT_BENTON_HISTORIC_DISTRICT,_CHOUTEAU_COUNTY,_MONTANA — Country Living: Fort Benton, Montana

Set 7: Livicated to His Imperial Majesty: July 23, 1892

Third World – Jah Glory; 96 Degrees in the Shade (Mango) ’76: Livicated to Jah: July 23, 1892
Dillinger – Only Jah Can Help; Songs For Jah (Reggae Best) over Wayne Jarrett vox
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers – Get Up Jah Jah Children; Hey World! (EMI America) ‘86
Hell and Fire – Show Us the Way; Hit Bound! The Revolutionary Sound of Channel One (Heartbeat) ‘77

download (6) — Livicated to the Lion of Judah: b. July 23, 1892

Set 8: Mutant Dub

<Smile Jamaica’s 2nd favorite hobby>

Sir Larsie I – Hail Up Harderwise; Dub Budz Vol. 1 (Phoenix Upliftment) 2006 Mutant Dub Set
David Holmes feat. Sarah Cracknell – Gone (Second Night Without Charge); This Films Crap Let’s Slash the Seats (Go) ’95 Soundtrack
Systemwide – Snipers; Pure and Applied (BSI) 2002 Portland dub w/ female vox
New Age Steppers – Radial Drill; New Age Steppers (Statik/ON U Sound) ’81 Adrian Sherwood UK
Audio Active & Laraaji – Think Cosmically; The Way Out Is the Way In (All Saints) ’95 Jah-pon

download (3) — Audio Active – From Jahpon to the Galaxy looking for Space Dust

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: May 30, 2015 (Stream + Tracklist): Ancient Aliens over Skygods

June 2, 2015 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

hqdefault (7) — Is not Reggae: Rastafari Gospel music?

<Tune in to your Dub Frequency>

Greetings,

Is Reggae music gospel music? Yes and no. What attracted me to Reggae back in the mid 80s was certainly the Rastafari themed music from stalwarts (pronounced stal-a-watt in Jamaica) like Marley, Tosh and Spear.

Of course there is plenty of non-religious Reggae: love songs, pop and soul covers.

I doubt Reggae would have had such cultural saturation in the West on the backs of novelty hits like “Fattie Boom Boom” and “Israelites” or AM covers with a shuffle beat. Something about Reggae’s heavenly message attracted interested Westerners looking for something exotic and non-mainstream.

In the 70s lots of people in the West opted out of Christianity, (especially Catholicism and Judaism), and went for something new. Some went to cults. Others went for Reggae: Movement of Jah People while also protesting against the “system.” Or the corrupt and greedy “shit-stem” as Peter Tosh called it. Socialism with a small “s”.

downloadjj — Tired of doing the Judeo-Christian bit? Choose: Jim Jones or Haile Selassie

You don’t have to be a Rasta to sing or enjoy Reggae. But the conventional wisdom is that Reggae is identified as a counter cultural exploration of worship of His Imperial Majesty as a Black Jesus. West Africans ripped from the continent, put down in Jamaica in bondage and expected to worship their master’s white god.

Rebelling against that physical and mental slavery, while still preserving Christian traditions, led to Rastafari in Jamaica: Look to a black king crowned in East Africa. The return of Jesus who will lead blacks out of “Babylon” (The West, Jamaica, UK, America, etc.) to “Zion” (Africa or better still Ethiopia.)

I’m not a Rasta. My roots are in Northern Europe and Iran. I consider myself a Rastafari empathizer. Someone who understands and appreciates the religion as a devoted observer. Not a devotee.

downloadhs — The Smile Jamaica formula: 50% Rasta music; 20% Mutant Dub; 20% Seven Leaf; 9% UFOs; 1% Lovers Rock

I grew up a twice a year Methodist: Christmas Eve and Easter. The only time the Nelson family really went to weekly Sunday service was the two years my Dad was on the City Council in Fort Benton Montana.

Not that I haven’t been trying to be a “missionary” for the secular consumption of Reggae music. I celebrate Jah for the inspiration in thousands of Reggae tunes that fill my soul with joy. But I am careful not to endorse HIM out of respect for true believers. I don’t want to be a part of what Jacob Miller complained about: Too much commercialization of Rastafari!

downloadss — Yours truly, Bobbylon, is a Rasta empthazier. I ‘n’ I look to the heavens for Ancient Aliens. Not Skygods

The reason I bring this up: I had an interview with Jamaican Reggae singer Etana. So I do what I normally do before a phone interview: go on Wikipedia and read up on the artist’s entry.

Etana wikipedia entry

Her album I Rise starts off with a gospel cover of a brilliant Bob Marley cover tune: Selassie is the Chapel. Itself an update of an old American gospel tune. Covered by Elvis.

Etana’s entry mentioned her recording genres thusly: Reggae, Gospel.

downloadetana — Reggae Singer Etana. Gave me the Hairy Eyeball for calling her a Reggae AND Gospel singer. Mea culpa!

While introducing her to the radio listeners, I casually mentioned Etana was a Reggae and Gospel artist coming to town. She interrupted me and corrected me. She was most certainly NOT a Gospel singer. Her music was not geared to religiosity.

No worries. I did political interviews for 9 years. You don’t have to agree with me to have a conversation.

But when you lead off your album with a Rasta cover of a full on gospel song you can see where I might have been mistaken!; 21 sec.

By the way, I am not religious either. What earthlings worshipped as Skygods were Ancient Aliens colonizing Earth to mine gold to take back to their homeworld, Nibiru, beyond our galaxy.

Set your I watch alarm to 2900AD. That’s when the Anunnaki return to Earth.

hqdefault (8) — Skygods came from here. The 12th Planet. Do not scoff!

In fact Etana the Reggae Singer, meet Etana the Sumerian King

Etana was an ancient Sumerian king of the city of Kish. According to the Sumerian King List, he reigned after the deluge. The list also calls Etana “the shepherd, who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries”, and states that he ruled 1560 years.

Ascended to Heaven in a Chariot of the Gods (Erich Von Daniken)

Chariots_Of_The_Gods — Read this book. It makes sensi to me!

Here is what I have for you during the next 3 hours of Roots Reggae, Dubwize and Gospel; 18 sec.

Annotated Playlist (photos, captions, Reggae History Lessons, soundbytes)

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: May 30, 3015:

Set 1:

Wayne Jarrett – Saturday Night Jamboree; 12” (Dub Irator) ‘80
Bullwackies All Stars – Recording Connection; Black World (Wackies) ’79 Dub Album of the Week
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers – 666; Hey World! (EMI America) ‘86

<Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL. Tweet number 666; 27 sec.>

Aisha – Ask Jah Jah; Raise Your Voice (Twinkle) ‘95
Fun Boy Three – Farmyard Connection; Waiting (Chrysalis) ’83 2 Tone Ska; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement

<Peter & Bob trying to make a living. Planting herbs; 28 sec.>

Gregory Isaacs – Soon Forward; Sly & Robbie (Present) ‘79

Smile Jamaica’s Tweet 666

@TheConner88 Been on the road. I am saving tweet 666 for something appropriate. Tune in around 4:10 bless or curse, robt

— Robert Nelson (@SmileJ_KRCL) May 30, 2015

Set 2:

Peter Tosh – Don’t Wanna Get Busted; Talking Revolution (Pressure Sounds) ‘ 77 live at KZEL Portland, Oregon; herbtune; 28 sec.

<Acoustic live Tosh; 21 sec.>

Judy Mowatt – Many Are Called; Black Woman (Shanachie) ‘76
Big Joe; Don’t Huff & Puff; At the Control (Jackpot) ’78
Dennis Brown – Give a Helping Hand; 10” (Niney)

downloadpt — Eerie foreshadowing of Peter’s murder to 2001

Set 3:

Etana – How Long; I Rise (VP) 2014; female artist; 27 sec.

Barry Brown – My Woman; 10” (Hitbound) ‘80
***Etana Interview***

<Interview with Etana. Do not call her a gospel Reggae artist!; 3 min; 12 sec.>

Etana – Selassie is the Chapel; I Rise (VP) 2014; Marley cover; Orioles gospel original
Mike Brooks – Who Have Eyes to See; Earth Is the Fulness (Moll-Selekta) Extended mix
Steel Pulse – Sound System; Countryman (Mango) ’82 Request

downloadeta — Chastised me for calling her a Reggae Gospel artist. No religion inna her mixdown. I stand corrected!

Set 4: Best of Smile Jamaica’s 25 Years

<Reggae Radio: June 1988-May 2015: nearly 27 years; 19 sec.>

Sister Carol – Jah Is Mine; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84; Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney update

<Jah is Mine = The Girl Is Mine; 11 sec.>

Prince Far I – The Lord’s Prayer; Psalms For I (Carib Gems) ’78 Bible verses

<Prince Fari and his Old Testament voice: Fire ‘n’ Brimstoned! 18 sec.>

Jah Lion – Hayfever; Colombia Colly (Mango) Black Ark mix on Susan Cadogan’s “Fever”; Little Willie John/Peggy Lee update

<Fever: Little Willie John to Peggy Lee to Susan Cadogan; 20 sec.>

Jacob Miller – Keep on Knocking + Dub; Who Say Jah No Dead (Greensleeves) ’74 Augustus Pablo singles

images (36) — The late Prince Far I: scorched voice of the Old Testament Prophets

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

Don Carlos & Gold – Travelling So Long; Show-Down vol. 3 (Hitbound)
I Roy – African Descendent; Hell & Sorrow (Trojan) ’73 UK
Lillian Allen – Riddim an’ Hardtimes; Revolutionary Tea Party (Redwood) ’87 Emeryville, Colly-fornya; Canadian dub poet
Cimarrons – With a Little Luck; Reggaebility (Pickwick) ’82 UK; Paul McCartney tune

<Reggae History Lesson: Cimarons – Jamaican freedom fighters; 31 sec.>

monument-to-nanny — Cimarrons – “Wild pigs”:. Escaped slaves who became the Jamaican Maroons. Freedom Fighters trying to liberate Jamaica from British colonial occupation

Set 6:

Rupie Edwards & Sidy – Herbert Spliffington; Rupie’s Scorchers (Reggae Retro); herb instrumental

<High Steppers post ’68-’72 in Reggae; 34 sec.>

Gracy & Mystic Dan – Nah Miss Yu Love; Low Budget (Funfundvierzig) ’93 Germany
Inner Circle – We a Rockers; Best of (Island)
Robert Emanuel – You Can’t Push I Over; 10” (Mainline) ‘77

10809544_639357792861996_244281387_n — High Steppers: After Rock Steady. Before One Drop

Set 7:

Lee “Scratch” Perry – Grim Reaper; On the Wire (Trojan) 2000
Sarah B Band – Decision; Realign My Mind (Sarah B) SLC band
Scotty – Musical Chariot; Unbelievable Sounds (Trojan) ’70

Srachy — Lee “Scratch” Perry blowin’ smoke

Set 8: Mutant Dub

Bob Marley & the Wailers/Bill Laswell – Rebel Music (3 o’clock Roadblock; Dreams of Freedom (Axiom) ’97 Ambient Translations of Bob Marley in Dub
Dubblestandart – Marijuana Dreams; Marijuana Dreams (Echo Beach) 2010 Austria
Alpha & Omega – Behold; Daniel in the Lions Den (A & O) ’90 UK trance dub with female vox
Aldubb Meets Ras Perez – Prophecy; Aldubb Meets Ras Perez (One Drop) 2010 Germany
African Head Charge – Throw It Away; Great Vintage vol. 2 (ON U Sound) ’89 UK

images (37) — Before Smile Jamaica 1989, there was 3 O’Clock Roadblock. July 1988-August 1989

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica: Mutant Dub Christmas (Online Only Ark-Ive)

December 25, 2014 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

Merry Dubs-mas from the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives; 30 sec.

Playlist below the Christmas Greetings

Since I am with my fams in Jah-buquerque (No more Monida Pass driving through blizzards to get to Northern Montana. The Birthplace: Fort Benton).

So before I hit the road, I cooked up a 3 hour online only show in my Secret Dubratory. Mutant Dub Christmas!

I have several hundred Reggae Christmas jams, but not surprising nothing along the lines of “I saw Mommy kissing E.T.”

Take this as my gift to the dubbers and dawtas out there who love my twisted take on what I call Mutant Dubwize

bless, robt

My Assyrian Yimma (beloved Mother) would like to wish the Smile Jamaica massive: Eidokon avee Brekha — Have a Merry Christmas!

3 Hour Playlist: Mutant Dub Christmas 2014

30 min.:

Alpha & Omega – Liberate the Nation; Almighty Jah (A & O/Greensleeves) ’92 UK trance dub w/ female vox
Thievery Corporation feat. – The Outernationalist feat. Ras Pidai; Richest Man in Babylon (ESL) 2002 DC
Bob Marley/Bill Laswell – Waiting in Vain; Dreams of Freedom (Axiom) ’97: Ambient translations of Marley in Dub
Gorillaz – Starshine; Spacemonkeyz Versus Gorillaz – Laika Come Home (Virgin) 2002 UK
Mad Professor – Studio 54 Dub; Afrocentric Dub (Ariwa) ’99 cover of Blondie’s Rapture w/ female vox
Bomb the Bass feat. Justin Warfield – Bug Dust Powder; clear (Quango) ’94 UK; Kruder & Dorfmeister Session – tribute to William Burroughs Naked Lunch
Benga – 26 Basslines; Diary of an Afro Warrior (Tempa) 2008 dubstep

Santa is a punk. I travelled by tessaract, not reindeer all the way from Nibiru

1 hour:

Djosos Krost feat. Jah Bobby – Creation; No Sign of Bad (Quango) 2004; vox dub poet. Djosos Krost = Jesus Christ (Danish)
Likkle Mai – Rock to Sleep; Roots Candy (Beat) 2006 Jah-pon; female singer from Dry & Heavy
Sizzla – Rain Showers (Bronx Dogs Dub Mix); Dub Selector (Quango) 2001
Ticklah feat. Rob Symeonn – Pork Eater; Ticklah vs. Axelrod (Easy Star) 2007
DJ Vadim feat. Skinny Man, Singa Blinga & Killa Kela – Ballistic Affair; The Soundcatcher (BBE) 2007; Russian dubber; Leroy Smart update
Deep Dish feat. Stevie Nicks – Dreams; George Is On (Thrive) 2005; Fleetwood Mac vs. Iranian house rmxers

90 min.:

2 Bad Card – Mentally Ska’d; Hustling Ability (ON U Sound) ’95 UK; mutant ska?
Kode9 & the Spaceape – Kingstown; Mary Ann Hobbs: Warrior Dubz (Planet Mu) 2006 UK
Aldubb feat. Ras Perez – Let There Be Dub; Let There Be Dub (One Drop) 2010 Jah-many dubstep
La Roux – In 4 the Kill Pon de Skream; Major Lazer; Lazerproof (Mad Decent) 2010 dubstep rmx of female hit
Dub Syndicate feat. Bim Sherman – Cuss Cuss; Strike the Balance (ON U Sound) ’90 UK; Lloyd Robinson reggae cover
Dubphonic – All You Weed Is Love; Relight (Hammerbass) 2009 Fr.
Dry & Heavy – Smoker’s Cough; Full Contact (BSI) 2000 Jah-pon

2 hours:

St. Germain – Montego Bay Spleen; Boulevard (Blue Note) 2000 Fr.
Sevendub feat. Angelique Willikie – Rock With Me (Temperature Rising Mix) Dub Club Edition (Collision) 2006 Fr.
50 Hz – Skiddy Dub; Aotearoa Dub Combinations (Kog Transmissions) 2000 New Zealand
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Pull the Catch; Fat Freddy’s Drop (Fat Freddy’s Drop) 2009 New Zealand
Judith – Such Is Life; Universal Roots U.K. Reggae Stars volume 1 (Universal Roots) 2008 UK
London Underground – Watch Your Step; Compilation 80-84 (ON U Sound) ’89 UK dub group
The Ruts – Babylon’s Burning (Apollo 440 rmx); Babylon’s Burning Reconstructed Dub Drenched Soundcapes (Collision) UK punk group rmx stylee

Santa gives coal to naughty kids. Aliens dispense high energy death rays

2 1/2 hours:

Roots Manuva – Haunted; Awfully Deep (Big Dada) 2005 UK toaster
Morcheeba – Aqualung; Charango (Reprise) 2002 UK
The Orb – Little Fluffy Clouds (Dance Mix 2); U.F. Off (Island) ’98 UK Best of
Nightmares on Wax – Wait a Minute; Smokers Delight (Warp) ‘95UK
Power Steppers – Aural Exciter; Bass Re-Enforcement (Universal Egg) ’96 UK
Dub Colossus – Black Rose (Sidestepper rmx); Return to Addis EP (RealWorld) 2009 female Ethiopian singer in the mix
Dreadzone – One Way; Second Light (Virgin) ’95 UK

3 hours:

Noiseshaper – Bushmaster; Real to Reel (Miracle Sounds) 2006 Jah-stria
D’incise – Anarchy for Y3k; Dub Buds vol. 1 (Phoenix Upliftment) 2006
Natacha Atlas – Kidda; Best of (Mantra) 2005; Moroccan/Belgian
Grand Analog – Weekend Love; Calligraffiti (Urbnet) 2007 Canada
Manasseh Meets the Equaliser – Shining; Shining (Acid Jazz) ’96 UK; Marley cover
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

Go Giants!

October 26, 2014 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

Unknownps — Pablo Sandoval – Senor Octubre

Greetings,

<Even year magic: San Francisco Giants and the World Series>

The Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Holy Trinity of Obsessions

Reggae and Dubwize
Green Bay Packers NFL
San Francisco Giants baseball

aaron-rodger-game-winner — Smile Jamaica’s second favorite green

Sunday Night conundrum: My two favorites are playing at the same time. Praise Jah for DVR. Packers versus Saints. So I’m watching the World Series live while I “chop up” the Smile Jamaica Jah-loween Monster Hash 3 Hour Blast.

World Series: Royals vs my Giants. Madison Bumgarner is the Royals nightmare. Three down, 1 to go!

***

bochy — Manager Bruce Bochy throwing the hairy eyeball against the weaksauce American League with their lame Designated Hitters. Fiya bun the DH!

Been a fan of both teams since I was in elementary school. Suffered through decades of thin gruel till they started getting good with the sugar high (ha ha) of Barroid Bonds, the pre-perv Brett Favre era.

I got the dubble dose in 2010-2011. Giants finally broke through since they relocated from NYC to San Francisco in 1958. (I was so happy I bought a new car the day after they spanked the Rangers 4 games to 1).

Then when Brett Favre was showing his ding a ling to a bunch of gals, Aaron Rodgers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 leading the Packers to victory in the Super Bowl.

From the San Francisco Chronicle, “Buster Posey said listening to the online Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives this past year helped raise his batting average 17 points over 2013.”

And after a roller coaster season, here comes the Giants again. However, I must admit. I grew up a Dodgers fan until something outrageous happened that made me hate Dodger Blue like Rastas hate pork chops.

Growing up in Fort Benton, Montana our family would pack up for two weeks every summer. Big old Ford Station wagon. My dad had to drive about 1250 miles each way. Back in the wooly days before MADD, he’d grab a sixer of Olympia beer and head out on the open road.

My grandfather lived in Turlock, Collie-fornya (home of Niners QB Colin Kapoernick) but if we were gonna check Disneyland and Knottsberry Farm, we would head for our relatives who lived in Hawthorne (home of the Beach Boys).

Probably through that connection I was a Dodgers fanatic. Here is what kind of fan I was: I won my age group’s Punt, Pass and Kick competition in Fort Benton. Rather than compete at the next level in Great Falls, I stayed home to watch the Dodgers play the Oakland A’s in the World Series.

Oct. 1974. The era of 3 channels; no VCR’s; no DVR’s. The A’s spanked the Dodgers 4-1. I remember Dodger first basemen Bill Buckner being thrown out at home and I started crying. (9 years old.) I wasn’t a bit surprised he effed up that grounder to first as a Red Sock in 1986.

79-27Fr — Bill Buckner 12 years before immortal infamy as a Red Sock

Wheel it forward a few years. The old school Dodger manager, Walter Alston, retired. Tommy Lasorda took his place. Brash and Italian where Alston was serious and pensive. Lasorda might have been a paisan but he was Hollywood all the way.

Tommy Lasorda is the reason I became a Dodger hater and a life long San Francisco Giant fan. What happened? Tommy Lasorda committed the heinous crime of playing himself in a television episode of the 70’s crap TV show Fantasy Island. Mar. 28, 1978: That was an unforgivable sin.

MV5BMjY3NjA0MjAxMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMzAxOTU1MTE@._V1_SX640_SY720_ — Fantsy Island Mar. 1978: Steve Garvey, Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban), Dodger player, Sicilian ham actor/manager Tommy Lasorda. There is a thin line between love and hate

The next week the 1978 baseball season started. In order to be an anti-Dodger, the only play was to become a San Francisco Giants fan. 35+ years later whenever I see that camera hog Tommy Lasorda I throw the malocchio his way.

Go Giants!

bless, robt

att00413 — Pre-Steroids Barry Bonds. Never won a World Series ring

Smile Jamaica Playlist: Aug. 2, 2014 (Stream + Playlist); Isaiah 63:1 – Bozrah vs. The Hairy Eyeball

August 7, 2014 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

Greetings,

Jump straight to Smile Jamaica Jah-gust 2, 2014 Stream

Summer of Roots continues into its 3rd month: Jah-gust on Smile Jamaica

<August? No, Jah-gust!; 16 sec.>

Here is what I featured on this week’s edition of Smile Jamaica: Aug. 2, 2014

I tell you the story about how Reggae and the Bible and the Hairy Eyeball all mashed up at my sister Stacey’s wedding 20 years ago.

<Bozrah and the Hairy Eyeball: Wedding Bell Blues; 2 min 38 sec>

07walkers — Sista Stacey; her youngest Hayden; eldest Mason – Jah-buquerque, New Jahxico

I love the TV show Ancient Aliens. When I retired from doing political interviews on Radioactive KRCL (2003-2012), I ditched the hopeless of change and embraced my Ancient Alien heritage. Modern Aliens, the Greys? Meh…

<Hovercraft soundbyte; 27 sec.>

Unknown — Smile Jamaica’s version of “church”. Every Friday Night H2 Channel. The Anunnaki are coming back in 2800 AD.

<UFOria>

Jah-gust 2, 2014: Smile Jamaica Playlist with photos, captions and sound bytes.

bless, robt

PLAYLIST:

The In Crowd – Born in Ethiopia; His Majesty Is Coming (Creole) ’78 Fr. Vinyl;
Prince Jammy – Jammin’ for Survival; Rodigan’s Dub Classics: Serious Selections Volume 1 (Rewind Selecta) ’96 dub comp; Dub Album of the Week
Laurel Aitken – Heile Heile (The Lion); Woppi King (Trybute) tribute to HIM by ska legend
The Abyssinians – In a Kalda; Reunion (AO!) ’98 song about horse racing in JA
Black Roots – Oh Mama Africa; On the Ground (Sugar Shack) 2012 UK
Gregory Isaacs & Kenny Knots – Bush Ganja + Love Is the Key; 10” (Inner Sanctuary) 2005 4:20 Cannabis Servic Announcement
Hollie Cook – 99; Twice (Mr. Bongo) 2014 mutant dubstress out of UK***End of Set 1

The+In-Crowd+-+His+Majesty+Is+Coming+-+LP+RECORD-566657 — His Majesty is Coming….Look busy!

Bob Marley & the Wailers – Jammin’; Live Forever (Tuff Gong) last live Pittsburgh, Jah-sylvania; 9/23/80: Stanley Theatre
Sarah B Band – Realign My Mind; Realign My Mind (Sarah B Band) 2011 SLC group
Danny Red – Little More High Grade; 10” (Sip a Cup); 2003 mutant dub herbtune***End of Set 2

artworks-000056951768-9famdd-t200x200 — 2 down, 48 to go! Sip a Cup (.i.e. smoke the chalice). High Grade for half the price if we legalize it!

Mike Brooks – Train to Buzz Rock; 10” (Teams); Bozrah with his garments dipped in blood: Isaiah 63:1
Zema – Free at Last; Black Sheep (Melchizedek) female roots out of So Cal
Bunny Wailer – Put It On; Rule Dancehall (Shanachie) ‘87***End of Set 3

12-prince-allah-bosrah — Isaiah 63:1. Man from Bosrah with his garments dipped in blood.

Jackson Browne – Everywhere I Go; I’m Alive (Elektra) ’93 Rockers do Reggae set
The Clash – Guns of Brixton (w/ Paul Simonon intro) – London Calling (Epic) ‘79

<Paul Simonon on Reggae and The Clash; 1 min 25 sec.>

<Reggae History Lesson: Paul Simonon’s bass prowess; 35 sec.>

Ben Harper – Burn One Down; Voodoo Child (bootleg); herbtune; Bonn, Germany; 10/20/97
The Members – Offshore Banking Business/Pennies in the Pound (Virgin) ’79 UK New Wave group***End of Set 4

paul-simonon-bw — Paul Simonon, bassie for The Clash: When they kick at your front door, how you gonna come? With your hands on your head or on the trigger of your gun

Casselberry and DuPree – Positive Vibration; City Down (Icebergg) ’86 Milwaukee, Jah-sconsin; Marley cover; Vinyl is Vital set
Derrick Morgan – Great Collie Herb New Style; Sly-Robbie + the Taxi Gang: Purpleman + Friends (Vista Sounds) ’83 UK herbtune

The Eclipse Band – Corrupted Society; Inner Reggae Rhythm (Only Roots) ’78 Fr.
Dillinger – Melting Pot; Badder Than Them (A & M) ’81 US
Barry Brown – Masses of the People; Stand Firm (Justice) ’80? JA***End of Set 5

!BwcBw0Q!mk~$(KGrHqIOKjQEwWoKrtE6BMI7Uic3-w~~_35 — Vinyl is Vital out of Jah-waukee. Great female duet on Marley. Smile Jamaica approved!

Spiritual Rez – Anunnaki Invasion! + Bring It On; Apocalypse Whenever (Spiritual Rez) 2014; Boston, Jah-suchusetts

<Anunnaki Return from the Heavens; 12 sec.>

Jean Binta Breeze – Lovin Wasn Easy; LKJ Preents (LKJ) ’96 UK female dub poet
Winston Fergus – Ganja Defenders; 10” EP (Dubwise) mutant dub herbtune***End of Set 6

anunnaki_stargate — Not the Sumerian ZZ Top but the Anunnaki. “Those who come from the sky”. Coming back in 2800 AD.

Peter Tosh – Babylon Queendom; Equal Rights (Legacy Edition) (Columbia/Legacy) ’77 dubble disk rarity
The Emotions – More Questions Than Answers; Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles (Stax); US soul females do reggae
Elvis Costello & the Imposters – Watching the Detectives; Spectacular Spinning Songbook (Hip O Select) 2011 Rockers do reggae***End of Set 7

costello HS 67 — Perhaps the greatest white bwoy Reggae tune of all time.

Red I feat. Brother Culture – Jahdgement Time; Jahdgement Time (Red I) 2012 mutant dub out of Phillipines. Mutant dub set
Dubblestandart vs. Sly & Robbie – Preemptive Dub (dub rmx); King Size Dub 10 (Echo Beach) Jah-stria dub
Gussie Ranks & Alcapone – Bully Bwoy + Herb Affair; 10” (Digital Conscious) 2010 herbtune

mj14W8jSPPKBvM46h4eUecw — 2 Down, 48 to go!: Washington DC legalization on the ballot; Nov. 2014

Smile Jamaica: Jah-tana Cratedigging Report!

July 26, 2014 Robert Nelson Leave a comment

frs3427 — Fort Benton, Jah-tana the Birthplace of Jah-tana and Smile Jamaica

Greetings,

Back from the land of my birth: Fort Benton, Jah-tana. Put a thousand miles on the Dubmobile. I took the long way home

Wheel it back to July 12…

Finished up Smile Jamaica, Saturday Night Stylee from SLC north on a hot evening jag to Idaho Falls. Nice to have late night sun to cruise to. Heavy duty bass tunes to keep me awake without caffeination. Every. Step. of the Way. Bunk for the night. Get in to a Super Full Moon dark sky about Midnite. (213 miles).

10347812_10202017449549564_1829321688531138663_n — Super Moon – the Subwoofer of Moons. I looked for UFO’s. No luck, sadly. New Season of Ancient Aliens on H2 cable/satellite. Friday nights. Smile Jamaica approved

Straight up I-15. Sunday Morning. No road rage here. 6am and I am up. As Bob sang, “Sun is shining and the weather is sweet. Makes me wanna move my dancing feet.” In Jah-tana in July, the Sun is up at 5am and sets after 11pm.

Caffeine + bass = caffabass. Better set the cruise control or Johnny Law will give I the Hairy Eyeball.

coffee-iv-drip — Caffeine the Subwoofer of stimulants. Lot of miles of open terrain at maximum volume on the Subaru Hi Fi. Sonicboomya

A heinous drive in the Winter. Until my fams started having Xmas in Jah-buquerque, New Jah-xico a few years back, I got stopped at the Monida pass 3 times in 20+ years You have two choices when the Roads on I-15 get shut down between Spencer, Idaho and Lima, Jah-tana. Or as I call it the 30 Miles of White Knuckles at 25 MPH.

Live like a refugee with thousands of other Snowbirds from Canada, long haul and livestock trucks and other Holiday travelers in the school gymnasium in Lima (population 227)
Hope to Jah you can get a hotel room in Dillon, Jah-tana (-50 miles back over brutal roads) or worse Butte (-112 miles).

s278bigholepass — Montana + Idaho = Monida Pass. 30 Miles of Vertigo at 50 MPH winds and 30 below. Do not be on this road after dark from November to May. Smile Jamaica Public Service Warning

***

Summer is a different story than White Out Jah-tana

I cross the Continental Divide a half dozen times, half a dozen rivers. Spring Wheat is a carpet of green. Winter Wheat starting to turn golden brown.

22536_IR6ZP_Bitterroot_Valley_Attractions_md — Bitterroot Valley, Jah-tana. Like driving through a summer postcard

Jah-tana Runnings:

Wind my way till Butte, Jah-tana. (Hastings chain book/music/movie spot in any Metro city of the Big Sky state.) Lots of cheap rock catalog stuff: Black Sabbath, Alice and Aerosmith for $5. New Beats Antique. (205 miles)

Headed for the People’s Republic of Missoula for two days of cratedigging and bookdigging (Rockin’ Rudys, Ear Candy Records). Saw the new Planet of the Apes movie. Good but the Hercules trailer looks better. North of $300 at Rockin’ Rudy’s. Lots of buttons, magnets and T-shirts. Added to my Dylan and Drake bootleg collection. Took three clerks and the owner came out as they rang me up. I am known as a “whale” in the Cratedigging biz. Lots of great used stock I read about in Rolling Stone and Mojo. Bob & Gene, Cheech and Chong. Some Missoula reggae, The New CSNY reissue. Ear Candy: Bombay Disco and a group called Kadavar. Checked everywhere but no Vinyl for I’n’ I to be had in Jah-tana. The vagaries of cratedigging. (118 miles)

kadavar-abrakadavar — Not ze German ZZ Top: Kadavar: Ear Candy Records Missoula, Jah-tana

One day back in my old University town, Bozeman, Jah-tana. Main Street stroll: Cactus Records, Vargo’s Jazz and Books. A beer at the resurrected Rockin’ R

storefront — Main Street Bozeman. I lived two blocks from here from Sept. 1984-June 1986. Bought 100’s of albums

Not finding good luck in Bozeman lately. The Anchorman 2 and American Hustle Soundtracks was about it. Funny story buying Bob Marley and Johnny Cash Tee shirts in the mall. More to come…(202 miles)

Then home to the Hi Line (North Central Montana) through Helena (the Capitol) and Great Falls. 35 miles to the Birthplace of Jah-tana: Fort Benton. (225 miles).

bless, robt

mapmtvis — Fort Benton, Jah-tana. North Central. Midpoint between Great Falls and Havre.

Smile Jamaica Ark-ives: July 12, 2014 (stream + playlist): Jah-tana Roadtrip

July 20, 2014 Robert Nelson 6 Comments

This CD suitcase kills fascists–Woody Guthrie

(Quick jump to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: July 12, 2014 w/ Playlist)

Read on for today’s Smile Jamaica Jah-o-graphical History Lesson

Greetings,

The photo above is from the Aluminum (i.e. CD) share of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives I come from the land of the ice and snow. From the Midnight sun where the hot springs flow. Cratedigging in the land of my birth. Fort Benton, Jah-tana. Others might call it the Big Sky state: Montana

areainfo — The oldest bridge spanning the Missouri River – Fort Benton: The Birthplace of Jah-tana

Found some great music this far North. Til I get back, enjoy last week’s edition of Smile Jamaica: July 12, 2014 Thanks for listening on the Mixcloud Here’s how we did on the Mixcloud charts for the July 5 Ark-Ive Episode

Vinyl: 7
Dub: 16
Reggae: 33

Give thankx for listening and keep spreading the word on 26 years of Roots Reggae!

So have you all ever heard the American folk tale about Shep? The loyal dog who lived in a train station. He waited for his (deceased) master everyday to return until he slipped on the railroad tracks and was killed by a train that could not stop in time. That is the definition of loyalty and love. He is from Fort Benton!

The story of Shep

shep1 — Shep – Looking down on Fort Benton from Jah’s Heavenly Abode as he plays fetch with Bob Marley

I’m gonna sprinkle some more photos from Fort Benton in between the sets of the Playlist below

bless, robt

MG_1198-AerialH — As far as the steamboats could go up the Missouri River: Fort Benton Valley. When the railroads came, the town became a much smaller farming community

Playlist: July 12, 2014

Freddie McKay – Tribal Inna Yard; Tribal Inna Yard (Iroko) ’83 Fr. Vinyl
Aswad – Dub Fire; New Chapter of Dub (Mango) ’82; Dub Album of the Week
Ranking Roger & Blue Riddim – America and Russia/Selective Service System (Nancy Goes to Moscow) (ORA) ’85 La Habra, Collie-fornya
Aisha – Prophecy; High Priestess (Ariwa) ’88 UK; Faybiane Miranda cover
Rod and the Ideals – Helicopters; American Dream: Cali’s Prop 215 Soundtrack (Tru Reelz) 2013 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Echo Gallo – Happy Birthday Selassie I; Dub Royal: Best of Dub Flash (Dub Flash) Mutant dub: HIM b. 7/23/1892***End of Set 1

DSCN9716_zps083ef668 — Lewis & Clark and Sacajawea: Bronze sculpture overlooking the levee. Fort Benton’s contribution to the 1976 Bicentennial

The Special AKA – War Crimes; In the Studio (2 Tone) ’84: Israel v. Lebanon/PLO
Jimmy Cliff – Children’s Bread; The KCRW Session (Interscope); 2013 Live on the radio in Collie-fornya
Sister Aricka – By the Rivers of Babylon; 10” (Dub Jockey) 2010 mutant dub***End of Set 2

Thunderbolt_and_Lightfoot_movie_poster — Filmed in Fort Benton.Summer of ’73. I watched them film a scene. Cameraman told me to move. I was in his way

Peter Tosh – Bush Doctor; Live at My Father’s Place (Rock Beat); live on WLIR; Long Island FM, 1978
Horace Andy – Fly Like an Eagle: See and Blind (Heartbeat Europe) ’98; Steve Miller cover
Culture – This Way; The Healing of the Nations (Fuel 2000); roots compilation
Icho Candy & Errol Scorcher – Captain Selassie/Under Me; Joe Gibbs 12” Super Groover vol. 5 (Ethnic Music) ‘82***End of Set 3

the-historic-grand-union — Grand Union Hotel, 1882. On the National Register of Historic Places. When I lived here it was a flophouse

Peter Tosh – Hammer (Extended Version); Equal Rights (Deluxe Edition); dubble disk bonus ‘77***End of Set 4
Mighty Maytones – Show Us the Way; One Way (GG’s Hit) ‘79 Vinyl is Vital set; JA
Prince Ras Murray – Informer; Militant Dread (Striker Lee) ’77 UK over Johnny Clarke’s Legalize It cover
Michael Palmer – Jah Is On My Mind; Star Performer (Tonos) ’84 UK
Iheka Chama – Sheltered Me; Mandingo Tribe (Clapper’s) ’81 Brooklyn; Nigerian group covers Bread/Ken Boothe***End of Set 5

Fort-Benton-Indians-Fort-Benton-Montana-1200x789 — Fort Benton was in the vicinity of the Piegan (Blackfoot) Native Americans before the arrival of white settlers and US soldiers

Bob Marley & the Wailers – Zion Train; Live Forever (Tuff Gong) Wailers Family Tree set: 9/23/80; Pittsburgh, Jah-sylvania
Marcia Griffiths – Lonesome Feeling; Naturally (Shanachie) ’78 Bob cover
Bunny Wailer – Rule Dance Hall; Rule Dance Hall (Shanachie) ‘87***End of Set 5

WW_E_of_GF.JPG_2044394251 — Putting the Wonder in Wonder Bread. Chouteau County is the second biggest wheat producing county in the Nation!

Hollie Cook – Win or Lose; Twice (Mr. Bongo) 2014; `mutant dubstress
Ranking Joe & Jah Warrior – Solomon’s Weed + Solomon’s Dub; 3 the Roots Way (Jah Warrior) ’99 mutant dub herbtune
Patrick Andy – Self Control; 10” (Channel One) ‘83***End of Set 7

1886 Blizzard.preview — Lowest temp recorded in Fort Benton: -49 F. 1969 The Saudi Arabia of cold.

<Smile Jamaica comment on -19 below temps; Winter 2014>

[/audio

Al Haca Sound Sytem feat. Ras MC Tweed – Kingdom Rise, Kingdom Fall; Inevitable (Different Drummer) 2003 from Jah-spana (Spain); mutant dub set
Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras & the Congos – Happy Song; Meet the Congos (Icon Eye) 2012
The Archive feat. Ras Puma – Message for the Messenger (ESL) 2012 Washington DC
African Head Charge – Dinosaur’s Lament; Environmental Studies (ON U Sound) ’82 Adrian Sherwood
Natacha Atlas – Yalla Chant; Best of (Mantra) Al-Jahrian singer 2005

wagonboss — Charles M. Russell – The Wagon Boss. Fort Benton in the background. Look for coiled rattlesnake in southeast corner of painting

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.

	Macey Cross on Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Previe…
	Smile Jamaica Ark-Iv… on Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-ly…
	Ruben P. Chapman on Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Mar. 2…
	Tim Klingman on Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Mar. 2…
	Tony on Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Mar. 2…