Smile Jamaica 20+ Jah-loween Jah-mboree: Sat. Oct. 25; 4-7 PM. 90.9FM krcl.org. The Undead are most certainly not Ital!
<Wolfman Jack; 13 sec.>
High-lights of this week:
Jah-loween Cauldron of Wickness: preview to next Saturday’s Jah-loween Jah-mboree; 3 hours of the Ranking Dreads vs. the Living Dead!
Dub Album of the Week: Augustus Pablo – East of the River Nile. Classic far east melodica sound ’78
Livicated to Peter Tosh: Oct. 19, 1944: story of his revenge against A-sad-ica. Because there is nothing “merry” about America for the poor man. 24 sec.
Roots Dawtas: Mutant dubstresses: Hollie Cook, Ranking Ann, Sevendub, Grace Jones
Seven Leaf: GT Moore mutant dub, Sugar Minott
Wailers Family Tree: dubble dose of Tosh, Marley last live show, Bunny Rule Dance Hall. Pato Banton pays tribute to Tosh
3 hours of Jah-loween and spooky soundbites “Chopped” up in my Secret Dubratory
<Peter Tosh crashes the market from beyond the grave! 34 sec.>
Peter Tosh – Day the Dollar Died; Mystic Man (EMI America) ’79: Happy Birthday, Stepping Razor: Oct. 19, 1944; 9 sec.
Ranking Ann – Love on a Mountain Top; Slice of English Toast (Ariwa) ’82 Mad Prof singjay
Englishman – Vampiar; Turning Point (Mighty Roots) ’95 DC bassie*
<Vampiar’s sucking the blood of the Ragamuffins; 8 sec.>
Tosh Unholy Trinity of Jah-loween Tunes: Dracula, Vampire, Mark of the Beast
Set 3:
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Is This Love; Live Forever (Tuff Gong) 9/23/80; Pittsburgh, Jah-sylvania
Sugar Minott – International Herb; 12” (Hamma) ’83 herbtune
Sevendub – Untitled Tribute (Peace Dove Mix); Dub Club Edition: Rock With Me Sessions (Collision); 2006 mutant dub female vox
Keith Hudson – Darkest Night; Flesh of My Skin, Blood of My Blood (Atra) ‘75*
<Blacula; 59 sec.>
“Hold di candle, take off your bangle, turn your neck pon di right angle. (Blackula) is the best in all di business. He’ll chew your neck like Wrigley’s”… Lone Ranger
Set 4:
Bunny Wailer – Reggae in the U.S.A.; Rule Dance Hall (Shanachie) ‘86
Zema – Joy in the Morning; Black Sheep (Melchizedek); female artist out of Los Jah-ngeles
Noah House of Dread – Don’t Let The Devil Hold You Back; Heart 2 (ON U Sound) ’88*
<The Thing With Two Heads; 55 sec.>
“I’ll give you some head…and shoulders to cry on”…Debbie Harry, Blondie
Set 5: Jah-loween Vinyl is V-Ital Set:
<Vinyl Evyl; 95 sec.>
The Gladiators – Duppy Conqueror; The Gladiators (Virgin) ’80 UK; Vinyl is Vital Jah-loween set. Marley cover. Duppy = Jamaican Ghost*
Winston Hubert McIntosh; Oct. 19, 1944-Sept. 11, 1987 on guitar and baritone vox in Jah’s Heavenly Choir
Greetings,
Smile Jamaica pays tribute to the man who put the militant wrath to Roots Reggae. Peter Tosh born Oct. 19, 1944.
Let us honor him by spinning his music today pon your Hi Fi. Vinyl Preferred
<Smile Jamaica Peter Tosh Listening Day; Oct. 19; 23 sec.>
Huge huge influence on me. Not just for Reggae Music but my personal politics. Tosh did not do “Lesser of Two Evils”.
He defined support for the Seven Leaf with Legalize It. No pussy footin’
<Peter live in the studio: Don’t Wanna Get Busted; 2 min 26 sec.>
Here are my personal Tributes in the form of Reggae History Lesson vox files from the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive Podcasts.
Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die…Peter Tosh
bless, robt
No. 1: Tosh History Lesson: Oct.. 18, 2014
Peter was murdered in terrible circumstances on the eerie foreshadowed date of Sept. 11, 1987.
From Wikipedia:
On 11 September 1987, just after Tosh had returned to his home in Jamaica, a three-man gang came to his house demanding money.[13] Tosh replied that he did not have any with him but the gang did not believe him. They stayed at his residence for several hours and tortured him in an attempt to extort money from Tosh. During this time, Tosh’s associates came to his house to greet him because of his return to Jamaica. As people arrived, the gunmen became more and more frustrated, especially the chief thug, Dennis “Leppo” Lobban, a man whom Tosh had previously befriended and tried to help find work after a long jail sentence.[13] Tosh said he did not have any money in the house, after which Lobban put a gun to Tosh’s head and shot once, killing him. The other gunmen began shooting, wounding several other people and also killing disc jockeys Doc Brown and Jeff “Free I” Dixon. Leppo surrendered to the authorities. He was sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted in 1995 and he remains in jail. The other two gunmen were never identified by name.[14]
Many rumors about why and who killed The Bush Doctor….
I remember how I found out about this tragedy. My sister was in SLC and I went to pick her up at the airport. I pick up a newspaper and at the top of Page 2: “Reggae star murdered in Jamaica”
F-Bomb! I had just bought his album, No Nuclear War, and expected I would get to see him on tour to promote it. Nope.
Was looking forward to a 1988 American Tour to support this album that came out Sept. 1987, within days of his murder
Ah, but the story doesn’t end there. 38 days later, on Peter’s birthday, Oct. 19th, 1987 the Stock Market suffered the greatest crash since The Great Depression in 1929.
Wikipedia:
Black Monday refers to Monday, October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world crashed, shedding a huge value in a very short time. The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already declined by a significant margin. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) dropped by 508 points to 1738.74 (22.61%).
Black Monday? More like Peter Tosh’s Hairy Eyeball
I like to think that Peter Tosh got in his licks from beyond this world. Praise Jah, his birthday fell on a Sunday this year. Because the conditions are ripe for another crash.
De-dollarization is what Ukraine is really about. Russia doesn’t want to sell energy in the reserve currency: dollars. They will accept rubles, yuan (Chinese currency) or gold. Tosh predicted this with his tune The Day the Dollar Died.
<Peter Tosh: Livicated to his legacy, prophecy and his supernatural powers; 1 min 55>
Dollar or green toilet paper?
No 2 Peter Toshisms. Peter had a unique lexicon of word mashups that twisted convention into cynical reality. Here are a few off the top of my head:
“No such thing as a diatribe, I preach livatribes”
““The Crime Ministers who shit in the House of Represent-A-T’ief”.
America – A-sad-ica; because there is nothing “merry” about America
<Toshism: America = A-sad-ica>
Edward Seaga – head of right wing Jamaican Labour Party – Edward CIA-ga
House of Representatives – House of Represent a Thief
Poltics = Politricks
Prime Minster – Crime Minsister
System – Shitstem
Militant dread in full kuffiyeh
No. 3: Reggae History Lesson: Peter Tosh pays a steep price for “Legalize It, I will advertise it” at the One Love Peace Concert
From Wikipedia:
The One Love Peace Concert was a large concert held on April 22, 1978 at The National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
The One Love Peace Concert brought together 16 of Reggae’s biggest acts, and was dubbed by the media as the “Third World Woodstock”, “Bob Marley plays for Peace” and simply, “Bob Marley Is Back.” The concert attracted more than 32,000 spectators with the proceeds of the show going towards “much needed sanitary facilities and housing for the sufferahs in West Kinston.” The concert was kicked off at exactly 5:00 PM with a message from Asfa Wossen, the crown prince of Ethiopia, praising the concert organizers’ efforts to restore peace in Jamaica. This introduction to the event is important in illustrating the growing prevalence of the Rastafari movement in everyday Jamaican culture. The concert was divided into two halves, with the first half devoted to showcasing some of Reggae’s newer talent, and the second half devoted to the more established artists.
Tosh harangued the audience from the stage. Taunting the cops and poltrixters on legalizing herb and supporting colonial states like Rhodesia and South Africa. The cops caught up to him later and beat him nearly to death.
One Love Peace Concert movie: Bob, Peter, Jacob Miller, Dennis Brown and more; Apr. 22, 1978
Ark-Ive. Here on Smile Jamaica blog; without commercial interruptions
Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL for live alert and stream upload/blog posts
<Smile Jamaica 20+ years of Jah-loween; 60 sec.>
Here are the High-lights of today’s Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive
Your station that rules the nation….
<Don’t touch that dial!>
Peter Tosh Birthday tomorrow. Oct. 19, 1944 marks the birth of Peter Tosh (born Winston Hubert McIntosh).
He was murdered….wait for it…. Sept. 11, 1987. I’m going to tell you a story about how Peter crashed the stock market on the anniversary of his Oct. birthday 5 weeks after his murder. Then we’ll hear him prophesize about it in The Day the Dollar Died. What about WTC Building 7?
Peter Tosh prophecy: The Day the Dollar Died. Russia and China are in process of that very notion. Nelstradamus told you!
<Zombies love the Roots ‘n’ Dubbers; 17 sec.>
Next week is Jah-loween Show. Twenty plus years of ghosts, vampires, witches and zombies. I’ll tell you why I do it 6 days early instead of one day late. (Halloween is Friday this year). Last week I played about 44% of the show. Nuff Jah-loween tunes this week as well! Pick up your cross and follow me! Lee “Scratch” Perry
All treats no tricks! Gorillaza have a dubble dose of Jah-loween on Smile Jamaica
Ark-Ive. Here on Smile Jamaica blog; without commercial interruptions
Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL for live alert and stream upload/blog posts
“Vncent Price: Can you dig it!>
Can you dig it? Pon the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives DVD Player this Jah-loween Season. Vincent Price unleashes plagues of Biblical proportions against the Hospital Staff who killed his wife in surgery. That is not covered under Obamacare!
<Greetings: This week on Smile Jamaica: 55 sec. intro>
Jump straight to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive Jah-tober 11, 2014: Stream. Below is the Annotated Playlist with photos and captions and soundbites
Reggae History Lessons: Robert Palmer Meets Scratch; When Doves Cry; Hooters Reggae, Jamaican minorities in the music business
Tributes: Malala Yousafzai Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Primal Scream
Fire and Brimstone: France’s war on the Seven Leaf
Back from two weeks of Radiothon: raising cash to keep Smile Jamaica commercial free. No Walmart for I ‘n’ I. Selah!
Getting into the Halloween, I mean Jah-loween, uh…spirit! The Island of Jamaica. Out of many one is the national motto.
Much like I have in excess of 800 4/20 Seven Leaf Reggae and Dub jams, I probably have 666 or so Reggae Jah-loween gems.
Superstition plus the evil metaphor of the living dead sucking the blood of the righteous, makes Reggae well attuned to the undead or Un-Dread.
Michael Rose of Black Uhuru: “I n I are the Living Dread Inna dis ya Dawn of the Living Dead!”
Black African folk tradition plus British concepts of spooks and spirits. Immigrant communities from Syria, India, China add their traditions of the Evil Eye into the stew.
Plenty of Reggae tunes devoted to witches, vampires, ghouls/duppies, zombies, mummies, werewolves and other assorted witchcraft and soul theft.
The French law on drug use is severe: every use, no matter the circumstances, is liable to penalty. The maximum penalties for cannabis use are a sentence from two months up to a year and/or a fine from 500 Euros to 25,000 Euros. ($636 – $31,815)
In what would be one of the more aberrant recent decisions of the French justice system, two pro-pot activists risk spending a year in jail for wearing T-shirts emblazoned with a picture of a cannabis leaf.
A zealous public prosecutor this week demanded 12-month prison terms for Jean-Pierre Galland, president of the Cannabis Information and Research Collective, and Laurence Duffy, head of the campaign group’s Lyon branch, for contravening article 630 of the French public health regulations.
The law bans French citizens from “portraying in a favourable light and promoting or inciting the consumption of any product classed as a banned substance”. The pair are also accused of selling CDs bearing the deeply suspect title of “A little piece of hemp music”.
This shirt could get you a year in jail in France. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite….Bullshit all the way!
Set 2:
Aisha – Evil Spirits; High Priestess (Ariwa) ’88 female; Mad Prof. prod’n*
Culture – We Deh Yah Still; Lion Rock (Heartbeat) ‘88
4th Street Orchestra – One Life to Live; (Scientific) Higher Ranking Dubb (Rama) ’77 UK, Dennis Bovell
Junior X – Legalize It; 7” (Dollar Production); Tosh cover; Request
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: One of the earliest and still most beloved female Roots Reggae offering in the Ark-Ives
Set 3: Rockers do Reggae
Robert Palmer – Love Can Run Faster; From the Heart of the Congo (RUNNetherlands) ’78; Lee Perry prod’n
<Love Can Run Faster; 29 sec.>
Lee “Scratch” Perry Black Ark gem
Primal Scream – Higher Than the Sun (A Dub Symphony in Two Parts); Screamadelica (Sire) ’91 UK
Prince wrote and composed “When Doves Cry” after all the other tracks on Purple Rain were complete. In addition to vocals, he played all instruments on the track. The song’s texture is remarkably stark. There is no bass line, which is very unusual for a dance song; Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided, after a conversation with singer Jill Jones, that the song was too conventional with it intact.[4] During live performances of the song on the Purple Rain Tour, Brown Mark, Prince’s then-bass player, added bass lines in this song and other songs without a bass line.
Out of Denver, Collie-rado. Prince’s original was bass free. WTF?
The Hooters – All You Zombies; Nervous Night (CBS) ‘85*
The Hooters were formed in 1980 and played their first show on July 4 of that year. They took their name from a nickname for the melodica,[1] a type of keyboard harmonica which is German in origin and created by Hohner after a friend of Eric Bazilian lent Rob Hyman a Hohner model Piano-36 which was used on their recordings and never returned to the friend.[That same year, Bazilian and Hyman were asked to write, arrange and perform on the debut album of a relatively unknown singer named Cyndi Lauper, She’s So Unusual, which was being produced by their former producer and friend, Rick Chertoff. Hyman co-wrote the song “Time After Time” (and also performed the distinctive harmony vocals during the chorus), which would go on to hit Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart and was subsequently nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Jah-loween. Nuff Reggae tunes about witches, vampires, ghouls, zombies, duppies, Frankenstein. “Pick up your Cross and follow me!” — Lee “Scratch” Perry
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
Ark-Ive. Here on Smile Jamaica blog; without commercial interruptions
Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL for live alert and stream upload/blog posts
Greetings,
Give thanks and Praise for those of you who made a pledge to Smile Jamaica during KRCL’s recent Fall Fund Drive. The Reggae ‘n’ Dub massive pulled together 20,000 dollars for my 25 years and KRCL’s 35 years. Even held our own against the Ute football homecoming game. bless indeed!
Community/Public Radio is the last bastion of media that is for its listeners and not for advertisers. Always is a blessing to see an ethnic music program, Reggae: Smile Jamaica, holds it own against the rock and indie programs in planting that flag for Saturday Afternoons devoted to Roots ‘n’ Dubwize. We – all together = have the skillz to pay the bills!
Six hours in the chair pleading for kasheesh. Now let’s get on with the tunes for the next six months.
Sat. Jah-tober 25; 4-7 PM. Smile Jamaica’s 20+ Jah-loween Extravaganza. 3 hours of all kiiller spooky tunes and horror flick sound bytes. Boo-tiful!
I started the Smile Jamaica blog during the 20 Days of Jah-pril. Cannabis Service Month. That annual 4:20 blowout, with all the sound bytes segueing between the Cannabliss and Seven Leaf meditations, is probably my favorite show during the year.
For the same reasons, my co-favorite Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive show takes place on the last Saturday before Halloween. Same method to my madness as on or near 4/20. Take 35 or so songs devoted to Evil Forces and otherworldly spirits and stitch in sound bytes and clips from various Horror movies!
We will be hearing a Reggae cover of this plus Vincent Prices’s sound interlude during Jah-tober Jah-loween on Smile Jamaica
Here is the High-lights for today’s show: Jah-tober 11, 2014 Ark-Ive
Dub Album of the Week: Delixx – Uprising in Dub (Micron) ’80. Trumpet instrumentals of Bob’s last album. So the music never has to stop!
Cannabis Service Announcements: Let’s see how many Seven Leaf Disco Mix 10″ and 12″s I’ve got in the crate this week.
Mutant Dub: Last half hour of UFO-ria
Rockers do Reggae: First Saturday tradition since last Sat. was Radiothon: Good and rare. Check it!
Lee “Scratch” Perry rarity
Dub re-imagination out of Denver, Collie-rado
From the Ark-Ives. Mystery Rockers do Reggae inna Jah-loween Style. Cyndi Lauper connection, MTV staple, one hit wonders
Roots Dawtas: Every generation: 70’s (Marcia G.); 80’s (Aisha), The Selecter; 90”s (Zion Train); 2010ers(?): Hollie Cook
Wailers Family Tree: Bob in Pittsburgh 9/23/80: Last Live Performance; Tosh Live @ One Love Peace Concert (4/22/78); Bunny Wailer “Rule Dance Hall” ’87; Marcia Steppin’
Vinyl Is Vital – Whole Heap of Jah-loween! (Midway of 3 hours; 5:30 live)
Lone Ranger’s Unholy Trinity of Jah-loween: Barnabas Collins – Soap Opera vampire. Annie Palmer (Jamaican witch). Frankenstine (sp.)
bless, robt
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
Sept. 1989: co-host Smile Jamaica. 25 years uninterrupted. Slice of the cake: Red – for the blood of Africa; Gold for the riches of Africa; Green for the bounty of Africa – the Red, Gold & Green
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
Ark-Ive. Here on Smile Jamaica blog; without commercial interruptions
Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL for live alert and stream upload/blog posts
Greetings,
Smile Jamaica: The King’s Music, Jamaican Blues, Your College for Musical Knowledge with the Dub Confessor. All killer, no filler. Roots Reggae Sounds for your listening pleasure, 25 years! 10 sec.
Today marks a Quarter of a Century laying down the Roots on Smile Jamaica
Wheel it back 25 years to 1989:
Pete Rose lifetime ban for betting on baseball
Berlin Wall came crumbling down
Bay Area Quake Series. Bad mojo for my beloved Giants
Panama Invasion on my Birthday (Dec. 20)
Bay Bridge collapse in the 1989 Bay Area Quake. Drove over this bridge about a dozen times cratedigging. Visited SF first post quake New Year’s ’89 week.
My radio career at KRCL 90.9FM was late June 1988 til Aug. 1989: 3 AM to 6 AM Sunday Night/Monday Graveyard: 3 O’clock Roadblock. Reggae, World and Ska program.
My listening audience must have consisted of a couple dozen bored 7-11 clerks, insomniacs and cab drivers.
Juggled wax and these new fangled doo-dahs called the Compact Disk through the Alaska Clipper winter of 1988. Twice, that brutal winter, (I hail from the Highline in Northern Montana so I know Winter like I know Roots Reggae), AAA had to jump my crappy Chrysler Cordoba*
You know what a let down doing 3 hours of Reggae in the middle of the dead cold night, drag ass to the car with a crate of Records and 2 suitcases full of CDs, and then hear that telltale click click of a dead battery? Bumba klaat! Fiyah bu’n!
In the immortal words of Ned Flanders, “Son of a Diddly!”
*My Cordoba did not have “rich, Corinthian leather” but pea green crushed velour.
My Green 1981 Chrysler Cordoba did not survive the Alaska Clipper: Winter of ’88: Salt Lake City, Utah
At the end of Summer ’89 I let station management know that I was going to retire from Graveyard Rockers. I had a new girlfriend, it was my last year in college and I couldn’t stagger through Monday and half of Tuesday dead tired from getting home at 7AM as everyone else was Risin’ & Shinin’.
Yeah, and I wasn’t gonna schlep Roots and Vinyl from the University Student Housing on the hill to the Westside of SLC – KRCL’s home – another cold ass winter for a dozen diehards and shift workers marking time. There was no podcast or stream options in ’89.
I had a great time. Hang on tightly, let go lightly. I figured I would just sub on Smile Jamaica from time to time to keep my skills sharp.
KRCL 90.9 FM. Born Dec. 1979. I have been a volunteer there since June of 1988
The guy who was doing Smile Jamaica was a dude named John “Rutabaga” Reese. Prince Far I sings, “The humble calf suckles the most milk”. That’s how Rutabaga was for me. Salt of the Earth Utah kid, loved his Roots Reggae – he had impeccable taste in good One Drop and Rub a Dub Roots Rasta Reggae. Plus he turned me on to Adrian Sherwood and the ON U Sound I call Mutant Dub when I took over the reins on Saturday Afternoon.
John had a crate in a funky bohemian clothing store on the West side of Salt Lake called Grunts and Postures. Even before I met him through KRCL, I had pulled some gems from that crate: Aswad – Bubblin’ 12″; Bob Marley picture sleeve of Buffalo Soldiers. Some really experimental vinyl from ON U Sound: African Head Charge, Dub Syndicate, Singers & Players, New Age Steppers. Mark Stewart and Tackhead Sound System. Suns of Arqa South Asian trance dub.
Salt Lake City funky chic. East side. In its West Side location, I dug a whole heap of crates
I got in to Reggae around Oct. 1986. Someone hyped me to KRCL and Saturday Reggae, early Winter 1987. Back then Smile Jamaica was on at 1pm til 4pm!
I had a listener call me last month and thank me for 25 years and he said that for him, 3 hours of Smile Jamaica was his version of “going to church”.
I told him I knew exactly what he meant because as a “civilian” listener circa 1987, I listened to the Show with the fervor of a Jihadi and the active absorption of Roots Reggae as a University Academic wanna be Undergrad.
I would listen on my Hi Fi in my dorm room with a pad and paper writing down titles that John played and would announce. John played long, half hour sets. Sometimes he didn’t always announce the set list. I learned good quality Roots via Rutabaga’s radio selection.
Rutabaga Reese’s #1 Smile Jamaica influence on Iyah. Trouble You, a Trouble Me!
Ten Random and Essential Rutabaga Reese era Smile Jamaica selections that were a HUGE influence on me:
Don Carlos – Prophecy (Blue Moon)
UB40 – Signing Off (DEP)
Peter Broggs – Rastafari Liveth (RAS)
Burning Spear – Marcus Garvey (Mango)
Benjamin Zephaniah – Rasta (Workers Playtime) – UK dubpoet
Rita Marley – One Draw 12″ extended mix (Shanachie). My favorite Seven Leaf tune Summer of ’88
African Head Charge – Stebeni’s Theme. (ON U Sound). Mutant dub African music with female vox
Alpha Blondy & the Wailers – Jerusalem (Stern’s). The best Sons of Abraham Peace Song sung in French, African, Hebrew and Arabic via Cote d’Ivoire
Culture – Two Sevens Clash (Shanachie); 7/7/77 July 7, 1977 – When the Two Sevens Clash’d. Just another Doomsday
Bunny Wailer – Blackheart Man (Mango). Bought this off the display rack on first sight, cratedigging at the Cosmic Aeroplane, Oct. 1986
Impulse buy – Put the cover pon my dorm room wall. Loved the music even more
I could name a 100 more Rutabaga boomshots and not stop for a breath!
When I got involved at KRCL Summer of ’88, Rutabaga and another dread named Papa Pilgrim were great mentors to me in how to “do” radio. Segues, being on the mic. (Praise Jah, I was so stiff and monotone. I wanted to let the music do the talking. My air check was just the facts about the 4-5 songs per half hour set over a featured dub album for the music never stops.)
Papa Pilgrim did a Wed night show called Nite Roots. His show was as popular mid week as Smile Jamaica was on Saturday Afternoon. Roots Reggae fans in Northern Utah had a dubble dose of great radio. Many towns much bigger than SLC have their Reggae Radio shows in the middle of the Night.
KRCL’s Wed. Night Reggae Ambassador, Papa Pilgrim. Spinning Nite Roots for Jah’s Heavenly Choir. Selah!
Rutabaga let me “sub in” on a hot summer Saturday, July 1988. I was so nervous laying the needle on the record. Took me 3 attempts to drop the needle and back cue the platter on my Rita Marley 12″. It was the major leagues from my fumbling around late night Sundays mumbling for the Nite Owls. It was great fun and I think half of the show turned out to be requests.
To quote philosopher Sally Field, “You like me! You really, really like me!”. Getting to do Radio of any sort is a pretty rare thing in this country and I got my taste of volunteer broadcast media. Give thanks!
When I gave up the ghost on 3 o’clock Roadblock I figured I would just tag along every now and then on either Saturdays or Wed. 10pm. Great times, both, for Roots Rub a Dub Reggae!
Rutabaga decided he wanted to share Smile Jamaica. I had no problem saying yes. So he and I tag teamed together Radiothon (Oct.) 1989. We alternated sets each Saturday until Spring Radiothon ’90. Then we did every other week until All Star Break July ’90.
<Your Station that Rules the Nation!>
My fellow UFOrian, Ronald Reagan was pretty generous with his Student Loan kasheesh back in the day. I would take a huge chunk of my Sept. loan check and put it in a savings account. Summer that year I would do a full court blitz of Nevada and Northern California cratedigging for quality Roots Reggae.
Smile Jamaica’s 3 favorite things about Ronnie Raygun: 1. Believed in UFO’s. Star Wars was aimed at Alien Invasion not the Soviets; 2. Funded the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives via his Student Loan and Pell Grant Program 3.
It was early July 1990 and I had just returned with a trunk full of Roots hauled from Reno, Auburn, Collie-fornya, Sacramento, San Francisco, North Oakland, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, El Cerrito, San Mateo, Mill Valley.
Vinyl: Lps, 10″s, 12″s, 7″s, Cds, Cassettes, Books and magazines. T shirts, badges, stickers. Anything Red Green and Gold down to my shoelaces. Posters, tapestries bumper stickers. Rasta or African necklaces, pendants, charms and pins.
North Beach (SF) Tower Records at Columbus & Bay. I would stay at the Travelodge across the street and literally cratedig until closing time and walk back to my room. Tower went out of business 2006. I shed tears. Like losing your girlfriend to a sudden illness
For some reason I remember that it was the night of the 1990 All Star game. I was subbing on a Tuesday Night KRCL rock show rinsing out my favorite non-Reggae delights. Groups like Camper Van Beethoven, The Minutemen, The Replacements. The Clash. The Studio Line rings and it was Rutabaga. After a little chit chat, he offered that he was “retiring” from Smile Jamaica. We weren’t going to alternate weeks. I became solo host of Smile Jamaica the following Saturday and have never looked back for 25 years.Forward ever, backwards never!
I love doing every minute of every show. Some people sing or play instruments or draw. My artistic talent is stitching Reggae and Riddim based musics together in a flow.
“Itch its up, Selekta! Nuff drum ‘n’ bass mek you wine up yer waist, put a smile pon yer face!”
Sat. Sept. 20, 2014. 90.9FM. 4-7 PM Mtn. Smile Jamaica Best of 25 Years: Vinyl is V-Ital Selection!
What better way to celebrate 25 years of juggling wax on the Radio? Same day (Saturday). Same time (since 1990 from 4-7PM). Same guy (yours truly). Same station: 90.9FM. Just like the Simpsons Sunday Night, you have Smile Jamaica Saturday Afternoon. Give thanx and praise, let Chalice blaze!
Saturday, 4-7 PM Mountain Time. 90.9FM. Vinyl is V-Ital. I spent this (Sat.) morning in the Ark-Ives harvesting 50 albums I pulled from year one and two of collecting Reggae Music: 1987-1988. Not my all time favorites. But a variety of what I purchased as I learned how to buy quality Reggae and the serendipity of what you find when you leave no crate unturned in a music Mecca that is the Bay Area.
The album that lit the fuse! Tracked this in the U of U dorms with a friend Oct. 1986. Never looked back. Reggae-myelitis for which there is no cure!
High-lights:
Black Uhuru – Anthem (Mango). The album that started the obsession. On 3 O’clock Roadblock I started every show with a Michael Rose or Jr. Reid Black Uhuru scorching roots gem. 30 sec.
The Congos – Heart of the Congos. The Holy Trinity of Roots: Lee “Scratch” Perry mix, Black Ark brooding sound, Cedric Myton’s beautiful falsetto
Countryman Soundtrack. For Bob Marley’s sublime “Jah Live”
Rare roots cover of Zimmy’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Arthur Louis)
Roots Dawtas: songbirds, toasters, folkies
Seven Leaf Herbal Meditations
Mutant Dub in the last half hour. ON U Sound and the role those Black Wax dub jams meant for my development of quality Mutant Dub*
*Smile Jamaica is the intergalactic portal for what I have been calling Mutant Dub for two plus decades. Therefore, I “discovered” Mutant Dub just like Columbus “discovered” India.
Vinyl is V-Ital, rhymes with Ital!
bless, robt
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
Saturday, Sept. 20; 4-7 PM Mtn. Time – 25 Years with All Vinyl!
Greetings,
<Smile Jamaica, The King’s Music; Jamaican Blues for 25 Years>
Here is the Sept. 13, 2014 Ark-Ive edition of Smile Jamaica
Read below for the Weekly High-lights of the 3 hour show!
Be sure to tune in next Saturday. (9/20). 4-7 PM. Mountain Time. Live celebrating 25 years in the chair laying down Roots, Dub and your college for musical knowledge. “Don’t be a faka, listen to Smile Jamaica!”
My favorite Vinyl from 1986-87 when I became a Reggae Fanatic. Been strolling through the Ark-Ives. Letters A and B and I already pulled 50+. An average Smile Jamaica is about 33-35 songs.
<Smile Jamaica 25 Years of Vinyl: 9/20/14; 30 sec.>
Annotated Playlist: History Lessons, sound bytes, photos & captions.
Reggae/Cannabis History Lessons
Sleng Teng, the Birth of Dancehall (Computerised) Reggae
Marley Anti-War (NO WAR IN SYRIA!)
Marley biography. Bob in Germany
Operation Eradication: Anti-marijuana crop burning imposed on Jamaica by Reagan for monetary/trade assistance. Neoliberal war on the poor
The Middle Passage: African Slavery
High-Lights of 9/13/14 Smile Jamaica:
Dub Album of the Week: Skatalites Jazz-Frican drums & horns
Wailers Family Tree: Bob Live ’80; Peter Jah-loween preview, Bunny ’87
Vinyl is V-Ital: Lps black wax, 7″ Jamaican Jukebox, 10″ Disco Mix
Roots Dawtas: Euro Dubstresses, Sister Carol does Bob Andy, 2 Tone ska, Collie-rado dubhoppers
Mutant Dub World Tour: Jah-cago, UK, Fr., Collie-rado
Operation Eradication: Neoliberal attack on Marijuana in Jamaica as the “poor man’s banker”. To get US money, Jamaican gov’t had to eradicate a source of income for poor rural farmers: Cannabis, The Seven Leaf, Collie Weed. Raaas claat, Bumba claat, Fiya burn!…Literally
Set 7: Jamaican Jukebox: 45 7″ RPM
Lloyd Hemmings – Africa; 7” (Jama) ’74 UK
<Reggae History Lesson: Slavery & the Middle Passage; 70 sec.>
Stanley Braveman – Pumps & Pride; 7” (Rebel Force)
Roland Burrell – Johnny Dollar; 7” (Sonic) ’83
Don Taylor – Africa Must Be Free; 7” (Foundation Sounds)
The Middle Passage: 12 million plus Africans made this journey on floating coffins. “We were packed like sardines in a tin. When the boat overload, they throw some of us overboard” — Prince Far I with Singers & Players “Dungeon”
Set 8: Mutant Dub
Jai Alai Savant – Low Frequent See; Flight of the Bass Delegate (Gold Standard Laboratories) 2007 Jah-cago
Dubterror – Shinobi; Dubterror (Universal Egg) 2009 UK
King General & Bush Chemists – Joker Smoker; Money Run Tings (Conscious Sounds) ’96 UK herbtune
Kanka – Make It This Time; Sub.Mersion (Hammerbass) 2009 Fr.
Heavyweight Dub Champion feat. Lady K – Trouble; Return of the Champion (Champion Nation) 2009 Collie-rado
Aswad – Pass the Cup; BBC Sessions (Strange Fruit) ’82; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
<Cannabis History Lesson: Pass the Cup; 15 sec.>
Black Uhru. The group that got me into Reggae: Oct. 1986
Set 2:
Peter Tosh – You Can’t Blame the Youth; Equal Rights (Legacy Edition) (Columbia/Legacy) ’77; bonus track from dubble disk; riddim shower (1): Original
Ben Harper – You Can’t Blame the Youth; Reggae Sampler (Virgin) ’97 CD EP; riddim shower (2); cover
Lee “Scratch” Perry – Stay Red; 10” (Upsetter); ’73 herb tune
Aisha – Evil Spirits; High Priestess (Ariwa) ’88 UK female/Mad Professor
Prof. Tosh: Education as brainwashing. You can’t blame the youth!
Set 3: Rockers doing Reggae
Bob Dylan – Dead Man, Dead Man; Shot of Love (Columbia); ’81
<Bob Dylan, “loping whiteboy Reggae”; 44 sec.>
The Members – Clean Men; 1980: The Choice is Yours (Virgin) ’80; UK new wave/pub group
<The Members: Whiteboy UK Reggae; 14 sec.>
BLK JKS – Skeleton; After Robots (Secretly Canadian) 2009 black South African hybrid
Jai Alai Savant – Data Massagana; Flight of the Bass Delegate (Gold Standard Labs) 2007 Jah-cago; take on Abyssinians tune; 7 sec.
Familiar with the One Drop
Set 4:
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Redemption Song; Live Forever (Tuff Gong); last live performance: 9/23/80, Pittsburgh Jah-sylvania
<Thought 34 of 56 Thoughts From 56 Hope Road; 37 sec.>
4th Street Orchestra – Scientific (Hurting Dubb); Scientific (Higher Ranking Dubb) (Rama) ’77 Dennis Bovell w/ female vox
Robbie Levi – War; 10” (Digital Conscious); 2010 cover of Marley’s Selassie speech
<Haile Selassie’s War Speech at the United Nations; 25 sec.>
H.I.M. Haile Selassie I Speech to the United Nations (excerpt) New York City, NYOctober 4, 1963
“…until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed; Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil…”
Dennis Alcapone – I Want a Draw; Good Old Days of the 70’s (Teams); herb tune cover of Mike Brooks “Rum Drinker”
<Cannabis History Lesson: I Want a Draw; 13 sec.>
Haile Selassie at the United Nations; Oct. 4, 1963
Set 5: Vinyl is Vital
Gregory Isaacs/Prince Far I – Uncle Joe/Come Off Mi Toe; Crucial Cuts (Virgin Front Line); Vinyl is Vital set: ’83 UK
AmJam – 99 Ties – Live at CBGB (CBGB); ’87 NYC: American/Jamaican feat. Leisha Salesman on vox
Meditations – Woman Piabba; Message From the Meditations (United Artists) ’76 US; herb tune by Winston Watson
<Nelstradamus Picks 6 to legalize in 2014; 40 sec.>
Bloodfire Posse – Pink Panther; Are You Ready? (Synergy) ’86 UK; Henry Mancini theme
Vinyl is Vital
Bunny Wailer – Camouflage; Rule Dance Hall (Shanachie) ‘87
Roots Nation – Dungeon; Temperature’s Risin’ (Rare Roots) 2011 Dover, Jah Hempshire. Jah-loween in Jah-gust set. Willi Williams herbtune cover
<2 down, 48 to go: Jah Hempshire for Legalization 2014; 35 sec.>
Gladiators – Duppy Conqueror; Live at Maritime Hall (2B1); Marley cover, duppy = J’can ghost
<Jah-loween History Lesson: Duppy – Jamaican ghost, malevolent spirit who hangs out in the Boneyard; 6 sec.>
Omar Perry – The Ghostmakers; Can’t Stop Us (Homegrown/Makafresh ) 2009; Lee’s son
Funky Porcini – Flesheater Boulevard; Zombie (Crippled Dick Hot Wax!) 2000 mutant dub
<Smile Jamaica’s second favorite Holiday after 4/20: Jah-loween!; 10 sec.>
Jah-loween in Jah-gust: Jamaican ghost = Duppy
Set 4: UFO-ria!
<Smile Jamaica Cosmology: Skygods vs. Ancient Aliens; 48 sec.>
Prince Lincoln & the Rasses – Spaceship; Natural Wild (NMC) ’80 UFO-ria; Joe Jackson prod’n: the Aliens gonna whip you and put you in your rightful place! 5 sec.
The Anunnaki – Dem a sting and dem a shock! Up in the Sky, near and far!
Greetings,
Jump straight to the Jah-gust 16, 2014: Smile Jamaica Ark-ives
Otherwise, follow me for the road map to last week’s show. Complete with Annotated Playlist, Soundbites and history lessons, photos and captions.
Livicated to the UFO-ria lovers of Smile Jamaica. The Old Testament space travelers. Do not scoff!
<Sky Gods or Ancient Astronauts?; 10 sec.>
bless, robt
Jacob’s Ladder UFO story. Genesis 28:12: “As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway”.: Ancient Alien Theory suggests…
Dub Album of the Week: Augustus Pablo – Eastman Dub (Greensleeves) ’88
Seven Leaf Stylee: Bunny and Ricky, Vivian Jones, Horace Andy, Ancient King. Two down, 48 to go!
Roots Dawtas: Marcia Griffiths, Naima, Jenifah Gad, Pauline Black
Jamaican Jukebox: Rare and sublime 7″ black wax at 45 RPM
Disco Mix: Extended 10″ and 12″ black wax
Vinyl is V-Ital: UK, Canada, France, Oakland, Collie-fornya
Mutant Dub: World Tour – UK, Jah-stria, Jah-many, Jah-scow, Scotland
Playlist SET 1:
Anthony Johnson – Oh Jah; Early Days (Corner Stone) JA vinyl
Augustus Pablo – Only Jah Jah Dub; Eastman Dub (Greensleeves) ’88 Dub Album of the Week
Dennis Brown – Prophet Rides Again; Complete A & M Years (A & M) ‘83
Marcia Griffiths – Where Were You; Steppin’ (Shanachie) ‘79
10 Ft. Ganja Plant – Got to be a Soldier; Bush Rock (ROIR) 2009 Upstate New York
Black Uhuru – Mother of Iration; Dynasty (RAS) 2001; over “Leaving to Zion” riddim; Andrew Bees vox ; 15 sec.
Bunny & Ricky – Bushweed Corntrash; 10” (Upsetter) ’72 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement***End of Set 1
Dennis Emmanuel Brown (1957-1999): The Crown Prince of Reggae; (if Bob is our King)
Set 2: Jamaican Jukebox of 7″ 45s
Asher Meggie – Rocky is the Road; 7” (56 Hope Road); ’82
Clint Eastwood – Hooligan; 7” (Heavy Weight); over John Holt/Paragons riddim
Jah Wally Stars – Frelimo; 7” (New Flower) named after freedom fighters of Mozambique SW Africa ; 16 sec.
Mafia & Fluxy – Mascot; 7” (River Bank); 2001 mutant dub tribute to the Anunnaki and the Old Testament Prophets; 4 min.
Flying Saucers by Tena Stelin – Lyrics transcribed for the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives:
Flying Saucers Them a chat bout on-ya Flying Saucers Up in the Sky near and far It’s coming like Star Wars…Watch it!
Please tell me: what is the meaning? The meaning of these sightings? So many people claim to see the same thing I guess it must mean something
Talking about Extra Terrestrials! Ask yourself: is it real or is it impossible? Watch out!
In the Book of Ezekiel It’s like he describes a Crystal Ship
I’ve got to wonder if he was for real? Was he just a raving lunatic? Hallelu-Jah!
Enoch walked with God And he was found not
Elijah was taken up into a Chariot A Chariot of Fire!
Inna Ancient Mesopotamia They talked about the Anunnaki They said they came from beyond the Sky Oh tell me! Was they telling a lie?
El Kuluwm means the Source El Kuluwm the highest course All and Iley and Allah is the Same So the Rastaman tell me no feel no way
<Ancient Aliens Roll Call; 10 sec.>
Anu – Supreme Sky-God of the Sumerians. The God of Heaven, Lord of Constellations , King of gods, spirits and demons. He who dwelt in the highest heavenly regions
Like His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I: Anu – Lord of Lords holding his Holy Chalice. This album is in the All Time Top Ten of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives.
Anunnaki – “Those who from the Heavens, came to Earth”. “Those who came from the Sky”. Mesopotamian Gods
My Sumerian ancestors, The Anunnaki. Coming back to Earth in 2800 AD with wristwatch pon his wrist!
El Kuluwm – (God) a term created by the Black Supremacist Nuwaubian Movement. It represents The All (i.e. God)
El Kuluwm – The All
Enoch – Great Grandfather of Noah. He walked with God and disappeared. Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer, for God had taken him.
<Enoch takes a ride to Heaven; 35 sec.>
Enoch – Noah’s great-Grandad. “Beam me up, Yahweh!”
Extra Terrrestraisls – Sentient beings from planets, solar systems or galaxies outside Earth
“We beat you humans to Interstellar Space Travel because we legalized the Seven Leaf”
Ezekiel – Hebrew Prophet who saw a space ship made of Crystal. Ezekiel 1:22: Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome.
Prophet Ezekiel’s Crystal Ship : “Wheels within wheels. Rings full of eyes.”
Elijah – Hebrew Prophet who was taken up to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire (obviously a Spaceship). 2 Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Prophet Elijah’s Chariot of Fire.
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Who Colt the Game Dub (Ascension); Lee Perry prod’n***End of Set 2
Who Colt the Game – dominos scene from The Harder They Come classic. This movie and the first 2 Wailers albums made Americans and Europeans Reggae fanatics circa 1973
Set 3:
Cornel Campbell – The Sun; Natty Dread in a Greenwich Farm (Striker Lee) ‘75
Leroy Sibbles – Do Your Thing; Studio One Funk (Studio One/Soul Jazz) ‘70
Version feat. Naima – Jah Jah Love; 10” (Webcam Hi Fi) female vox mutant dub***End of Set 3
Foundation album in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Beautiful falsetto
Set 4:
Errol Blackwood – Mandela; Waking Up the Dream (Socan) ’94 Ft. Lauderdale
The Selecter – Street Feeling; Too Much Pressure (Chrysalis) ’80 2 Tone ska feat. Paul Black on vox
Centry – King of Kings (Loveub Music); 10” 2007 mutant dub instrumental
Ancient King – Get the Best; Conquering Sound (I Grade); herb tune Am. Virgin Islands 2005***End of Set 4Foundation Ska album in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Pauline Black on vox
Set 5: Vinyl is V-Ital! Vinyl World Tour
<Cratedigging Memory Lane: Vivian Jones 12′ and Rough Trade, San Francisco, Collie-fornya; 1:16 sec.>
Vivian Jones – Got a Light; 12” (Jah Shaka) ’86 UK; herbtune Request ; 23 sec.
Kayawah Movement– Shame and Scandal; Culture Rock (Only Roots); update of rock steady classic Fr. Vinyl
Barrington Levy – Full Understanding; Run Come Ya! (Puff) ’81 Canada
Lion Zion – Reggae in America; Reggae in America (House of Natty) ’76 Oakland; Lee Perry mix***End of Set 5
Vivian in the UK is a male’s name as well. “Take a lick off my spliff”. Foundation record in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Seven Leaf Request. Two down, 48 to go!
Set 6:
Bad Brains – I Luv I Jah; Omega Sessions (Raybeez) DC Punks
Horace Andy – Collie Weed; Prime of Horace Andy (Music Club) herbtune, best of***End of Set 6
Bad Brains. H.R. (Human Rights on Throat). I did 400 Interviews on KRCL. This one was by far the WORST. Still love the guy and the band. Foundation Artist in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
Set 7:
Jimmy Cliff – The Lion Awakes; Club Paradise Soundtrack (Columbia) ‘86
<RIP Robin Williams; 27 sec.>
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Roady; Based on a True Story (Quango) New Zealand feat. Female vox
Winston Fergus & Chris Jay – Rough Road; 10” (Dubwise) ‘98***End of Set 7
Smile Jamaica say: better Soundtrack than Film. Foundation Record in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Bought at the mall, 1986
Set 8: Mutant Dub
Alpha & Omega – Survivor; Serious Joke (A & O) 2002 UK; mutant dub set
Dubblestandart – Return from Planet Egalica (Superlistener Dub); Streets of Dub (Select Cuts) 2007 Jah-stria
Dubmatix feat. Kulcha Ites – Wobble Weeble; Clash of the Titans: The System Shakedown Remixes (Collision) 2011 Jah-many
Zeb & Scotty – Bring the Sensi; Ode to a Carrot (Jahtari) Scotland
Foundation Mutant Dub Artist in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Trance dub with female vox
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 