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.
Isaiah 63:1. Verse I turned to at random from Gideon Bible at my sister’s wedding. Reggae lyrics synchronicity: “Who is this man from Bozrah with his garments dipped in blood?” Eerie
<Bozrah and the Hairy Eyeball: Wedding Bell Blues; 2 min 38 sec>
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.>
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
My Uncle Anunnaki
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
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
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
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, 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
Vinyl is Vital out of Jah-waukee. Great female duet on Marley. Smile Jamaica approved!
Here is what I have for you this afternoon, Jah-gust 2, 2014:
3 hours: “all killer no filler”
I’m gonna tell you a story about how I got the Hairy Eyeball at my sister’s wedding twenty years ago. It invokes a Biblical dude named Bozrah with his garments dipped in blood
Beware the Hairy Eyeball: The minute I walked into the Church during my sister’s wedding the lights went out all over Fort Benton Montana. July 1994. My mom gave me the “hairy eyeball”
Dub Album of the Week: DJ David Rodigan selects: Rodigan’s Dub Classic: Serious Selections Volume 1 (Rewind Selecta). Tubby’s, Jammy, Scientist. So the music never haffee Stop
Rockers doing Reggae: First Saturday of the Month: Jackson Browne, The Clash, Elvis Costello
4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement. Seven Leaf 10″ every half hour.
2 down, 48 to go!
Roots Dawtas: new Hollie Cook and other mutant dubstresses
Vinyl is Vital midway
Wailers Family Tree: Bob 9/23/80: Jah-sylvania; ’77 Tosh rarities from dubble disk upgrade of Equal Rights. Bunny Wailer Rule Dancehall ’87
Mutant Dub to end the show. Including one from Spiritual Rez name checking the Anunnaki.
bless, robt
Anunnaki – LOOK AT HIS WRISTWATCH!. Returning from the 12th Planet Nibiru to Earth in 2800AD
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
<Countdown to the A-Pot-Calypse Love Song: World War III soundclip: #1; 35 sec.>
My friends call me Nelstradamus.
Not really, that is what I call myself to remind them of my dire political prophecies. Nelson + Nostradamus = Nelstradamus.
Nostradamus’s secret conduit to his predictions. The Seven Leaf vapors.
I remember saying to my coffee mates in 2003 that once we invaded Iraq, it would be a new Millennial Crusade. Like smashing your first right in the middle of a hornet’s nest. The Iraqis would most certainly not be greeting us with garlands of flowers and sweet meats.
Redder than Red – Perpetual Wars: North Africa/Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central/South Asia. The real legacy of 9/11 and Iraq 2003
Perpetual war in dozens of West Asian, North African and Subcontinental countries. It’s quicker and easier to count the nations of Jah-frica who *aren’t* at war. Forget peace in the Holy Land. And will the last Christian Assyrian, Chaldean, Yacoubite, the indigenous people – my people – leaving Iraq and Syria please remember to turn out the lights.
Prince Far I: “Jonah went to Nineveh to warn the Nation. Tell them about Jah Love.” Jonah’s (Mar Yunis) tomb in Mosul was destroyed by ISIS jihadis
When Ukraine went hot at the end of the Sochi Olympics, I texted my pals: “World War III. Coming this summer.” They scoffed. I brooded. Sure enough right around the 100 year anniversary of World War Uno, (Aug. 1914) events are shaping up to see another European continental war of brother killing brother. We are back to the modern equivalent of Dr. Strangelove: “we can win a tactical nuclear war.” Yes we can? No effing way!
President Superfly stars in “Cold War the Sequel”: Jihad? More like Yeee-hawwwwd!
<Countdown to the A-Pot-Calypse Love Song: World War III soundclip #2; 21 sec.>
My remote viewing antennae are finely tuned via thousand upon thousand of Reggae prophecies predicting this would happen if mankind didn’t repent.
<Countdown to the A-Pot-Calypse Love Song: World War III soundclip #3; 21>
Rather than be depressed I chose to embrace a nihilistic approach by virtue of those same Reggae lyrics. Listen keenly to this tune I played on this week’s stream that lit up the phones like a Vegas jackpot live on air.
Out of Boston, Jah-suchusetts: “Either way, you’re gonna get probed!”
<Spiritual Rez – Let’s Go Out with a Bang; 2 min 48 sec.>
<A-Pot-Calypse Right Now!: Smile Jamaica intro; 63 sec.>
Lyrical satirical
Girl, they say the end is coming soon
They’re talking about impending doom and total annihilation
Girls, what if what they say is true
There’s nothing really left to do but each other
If the nuclear bombs get deployed tonight
You’ll be glad you got some Afternoon Delight
So take my hand and come into my room
If the end is coming we should be too
Oh yeah: Let’s go out with a bang!
Girl, the tidal wave’s approaching
We might as well start groping
It’s not too late
Girl, if we’re all going down
You might as well be going down
…On me
Get it beyond we’re not an Alien Tribe
All I want is what’s between those thighs
If the Spaceships have surrounded the Globe
Either way you’re gonna get probed
Oh yeah: Let’s go out with a bang!
People are dying
And we’re 69ing
It’s a total panic
And we’re getting tantric
Oh yeah: Let’s go out with a bang!
Fellow devotees of the Anunnaki. Best Reggae novelty song since Smoke Two Joints and Monster Hash. Smile Jamaica approved!
bless, robt
Check the Playlist for photos and soundbytes.
The July 26, 2014 Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive
Playlist:
Louise Bennett – Linstead Market; Jamaican Folk Songs Sung By Louise Bennett (Smithsonian Folkways); ’55 10” vinyl; NYC
Jah Shaka – Coronation Dub; Coronation Dub: Commandments of Dub – Chapter 9 (Jah Shaka); ’89 UK Dub Album of the Week
Dennis Brown – The Writing is on the Wall; Complete A & M Years (A & M) ‘81
Jimmy Cliff – American Plan; Club Paradise (Sony) ’86 Soundtrack
Niney & Max (Romeo) – Aily & Ailaloo; Blood and Fire (Trojan) ’71; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
<2 Down, 48 to go!; 3 sec.>
Hollie Cook – Win or Lose; Twice (Mr. Bongo) 2014; Mutant dubstress UK***End of Set 1
Louise Bennett – Jamaica’s national treasure
Peter Tosh – Jahman inna Jamdung; Equal Rights (Legacy Edition) ’77; dubble disk rarity
<His Imperial Majesty Birthday>
<Peter Tosh: Jamdung definition; 35 sec.>
Dayjah Meets the Disciples – Rebirth (The Mix); King Size Dub Volume 1 (Echo Beach); ’95 female vox Jah-many
Carlton Livingston – Tale of Two Cities; 10”; 2010 UK mutant dub update
Bingui Jaa Jammy – Congo Natty; African Reggae (Putumayo); 2009 Burkina Faso West Africa***End of Set 2
Roots from the Mother Continent of Jah-frica. Found in Missoula, Jah-tana
Spiritual Rez – Let’s Go Out With a Bang; Apocalypse Whenever (Spiritual Rez) 2014 Armageddon love song
Lady Ann – Nice Like Me; Bad Gyal Inna Dance (Jump Up); 2008 J’can female deejay
Gyptian – Sensi; Hi Grade Ganja Anthems 3 (Greensleeves); 2010 herbtune set
Bunny Wailer – Saturday Night; Rule Dance Hall (Shanachie) ’87 Sam Cooke cover***End of Set 3
Fukashima, War inna Holy Land, Nukes over Ukraine, 777 Plane crashes every other day. “Let’s go out with a bang”
Bob Marley & the Wailers – No Woman, No Cry; Live Forever (Tuff Gong) dubble disk last live show: Pittsburgh, Jah-sylvania; 9/23/80
King General & Century – They Say (Sensimilla Can’t Smoke); 10” (Love Dub Music); 2006 mutant dub herb tune***End of Set 4
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).
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.
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).
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.
Bitterroot Valley, Jah-tana. Like driving through a summer postcard
Jah-tana Runnings:
Wind my way tillButte, 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 Missoulafor 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)
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
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)
Good movie but better Soundtrack. Hastings: Bozeman, Jah-tana
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
Fort Benton, Jah-tana. North Central. Midpoint between Great Falls and Havre.
I work in an Academic Library (The Marriott Library at the University of Utah). Part of my duties is to assist patrons at the Help Desk on Level 2.
It is really quiet in the Summer. I thought I would work up a little birthday posting on account of His Imperial Majesty.
I went to the Marriott’s webpage and found a copy of the above photo: Drawn by Alvin Gittens. Hanging on the fifth floor of the Marriott Library.*
*Alvin’s son Chris trained me at KRCL 90.9FM. His father was flown in to Addis Ababa to paint an impatient Emperor. HIM was only willing to sit for about the half the time Gittens’ usually devoted to his portraits. Chris passed away about a decade ago of cancer.
As I was finishing the caption above, a dapper black gentlemen approached my desk. This is a case of serendipity or synchronicity or kismet. The patron wanted to know, in a crisp African accent, where the Library kept its History books on Ethiopia. The Zion of Rastafari. The Kingdom of His Imperial Majesty. Goosebumps!
East Africa. Capital is Addis Ababa (New Flower)
The Library of Congress Classification for Ethiopian History (or its former name Abyssinia) is in the DT 371-390 shelves.
While I walked this gentleman and his wife to the section, I asked him if he knew today (July 23) was Haile Selassie’s Birthday. His eyes lit up. “How did you know that!”. I told him about Smile Jamaica and my 26 years of devotion to Ethiopian-esque and especially paying tribute and respect to His Imperial Majesty.
He was amazed. I recommended several books I had read. This man is a Physician who was writing a novel set in his home country. We chatted about our mutual admiration for Selassie. He was proud that his country had come out of 25 years of Civil War and repression to be the fastest growing economy in Africa.
It was really nice to know that my admiration of Selassie could be of use in my professional job. And even better: I recruited another soldier of Jah’s Army by virtue of the Rastafari Gospel that I “preach” for 26 years doing Reggae Radio. I let the music function as hymns to HIM.
Go on the Google and search for Ethiopian Angel images. Love their art
A suggestion: It is preferred to call believers in HIM: Rastafari. Singular and plural. As Bob Marley said, “Don’t bother me with your isms and schisms”
<Carlene Davis – Isms and Schisms; 4 min>
That said there are two important caveats: The Rastafarians – the Reggae group out of Rasta Cruz, Collie-fornya. And Leonard E. Barrett’s crucial academic book The Rastafarians
Vinyl outta Rasta Cruz, Collie-fornya. Featuring the greatest performer name in the history of Reggae Music: Herb Daly
Barrett’s book was a huge influence on me. Some of the lessons learned were how important Hinduism was to early Rastas. When Jamaicans threw off the yoke of slavery, British plantation owners imported Hindu laborers from Britain’s India Colony. Blacks and Indians worked side by side.
Hindu influences include:
Reincarnation: Some sects of Rastafari believe that HIM is the embodiment of Christ returning to Earth.
Ganja – Hindus brought Cannabis from India to Jamaica where blacks partook of the Seven Leaf as well
Kali – The Hindu Goddess of destruction where the ritual consumption of cannabis was part of worship. Rastas also ritually smoke cannabis or Collie. “Collie gives you wisdom.”
Dreadlocks – Hindu Sadhus flashed dreads as a physical manifestation of belief. Rastas adopted the practice and modified it with the Old Testament Nazarite Vow
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-IvesI 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
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!
26 years of Reggae Radio on KRCL: 45 shows avg./year, 3 hours per show for 26 years: 3500+ hours (146 straight days, Selah!)
<26 Years of Reggae Radio: 3500 hours; 50 sec.>
Plus 3 months of Global Gumbo summer of ’89 (30 or so). Plus 9 years of Radioactive (over 400 hourly interviews of Progressive politics). Before KRCL went pro during the daytime I loved to fill in on shows like Breakfast Jam, Roots and Blues and Drive Time. Plus, I kept the chair warm for Reggae Ambassador Wednesday Night stalwart Papa Pilgrim for about six months when he recovered from surgery. Add another 1000 hours. Give thanks!
Reggae Radio in the era of Ronnie Raygun. Fighting war with his lollipops and jellybeans. He did fund my Ark-ives with his student loans though. Ron also believed in Extra Terrestrials.
Too much Tribal War. Driving me crazy. Brother killing brother. Old as Cain and Abel but there are more than a dozen countries in the Middle East, nearly that many in Africa and Ukraine vs. Russia., actively killing and bombing and destroying themselves. Jah-pon is about to re-militarize. WTF? Whatever happened to the Summer of Love?
Armageddon around the corner, I am afraid we are all Fukashima’d.
A reality so horrifying there is a press embargo. We are all Fukashima’d
Here are two songs to fit my bummer mood.
1. Sun Ra Arkestra – Nuclear War
2. Spiritual Rez – Let’s Go Out With a Bang
Either way you’re getting probed! I try to stay positive, but Reggae always points the way. I’m going to play some prophecy, (actually Ska-phecy), from The Special AKA when this happened in the Holy Land 30 years ago.
Bombs to settle arguments, the order of the boot
Can you hear them crying in the rubble of Beirut?I can still see people dying, now who takes the blame?
the numbers are different, the crime is still the sameFrom the graves of Belsen where the innocent were burned
To the genocide in Beirut, Israel was nothing learned?I can still hear people crying, now who takes the blame?
The numbers are different, the crime is still the sameBombs to settle arguments, the order of the boot
From the graves of Belsen, to the ruins of BeirutI can still see people dying, now who takes the blame?
The numbers are different, the crime is still the same
Here what you can expect to here this afternoon on July 12th Ark-Ive
Dub Album of the Week: Aswad – New Chapter of Dub (Mango) ’82; so the music never stops
A CD set worth of scores from my Vegas/Cedar City crate dig: Culture, Joe Gibbs 12″ collection, Tosh bootleg
Wailers Family Tree: Bob’s last live performance; Pittsburgh, Jah-sylvania, Peter Tosh – rarities from dubble disk version of Equal Rights ’77. Introducing Bunny Wailer – Rule Dance Hall ’87.
Vinyl is Vital midway – The Black Wax World Tour
420 and Seven Leaf Meditations from Ganja Farmers like Niney and Tosh
<Osterity vs. Jah-sterity: Smile Jamaica’s Seven Leaf Utopia; 90 sec.>
Mutant Dub in the last half hour brought to you by the letter A: African Headcharge, Natacha Atlas, Al Haca Sound out of Jah-spana (Spain)
Extended Mix vinyl singles
Roots Dawtas: new Hollie Cook, Marcia Griffiths, Aisha
bless, robt
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
Happy Anniversary to I ‘n’ I: 26 Years of Reggae Radio: July 4, 1988: 3 O’Clock Roadblock
Greetings,
Monday July 4, 1988 I unveiled a Graveyard hour Reggae, World and Ska show called 3 O’Clock Roadblock. Thus, I ‘n’ I (WE) celebrate together 26 years. Give Thanks!
Before I ‘n’ I move forward, let’s see how last week’s Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive charted on Mixcloud:June 21, 2014
Yes I! Another Top Ten Black Wax result for 26 years of Love & Devotion at 33 and 1/3 or 45 REVOLUTIONS! per Minute
I moved to Utah to go to University Fall 1986. I had spent the previous 3 years in Bozeman, Jah-tana. Go Bobcats!
My last (and coldest) year at Montana State, I discovered their community/college radio station KGLT.
My musical tastes were sort of in limbo. I had just started subscribing to this new magazine, Spin.I was big into college rock: The Minutemen, (Double Nickels on the Dime,), The Replacements (Pleased to Meet Me) and Husker Du (New Day Rising).
When I wasn’t listening to the local radio, I was watching MTV when the station actually played music videos: The Cult, Big Audio Dynamite, Jesus and Mary Chain.
Before the Real World and all that junk, I watched this about two hours a night in the mid 80’s
I was alienated from most contemporary Rock (too many synth drums, Neil Young as a Republican), Hair Metal balladry (Perfect for the culturally bereft Reagan “Just Say No” era). The Clash fell apart.
And the only King of Pop for me is the King of Kings: The Negus; Negusa Negast; Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Elect of God, ever-living Jah. Earth’s Rightful Ruler
<Smile Jamaica Reggae History Lesson: Definition of Negus. 17 sec.>
Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia. Born July 23, 1892. From the line of King David. My brother, David: also born July 23. Baraka!
So when I got my Student Loan check from Uncle Ron, I had some easy cash for these new fangled things called the Compact Disk. Moving from 25,000 people in Bozeman to a couple hundred thousand in Salt Lake City gave me more musical choices.
I bought a little blues, I picked up some quality world music. Mostly in Salt Lake stores long gone: Smokey’s Records, Raspberry Records, The Mad Platter. The (real) Cosmic Aeroplane.
My first Reggae acquisitions: Jimmy Cliff Harder They Come soundtrack and Reggae Greats. Bob Marley’s whole catalog had just been reissued on CD for midline price. Bought them all. Sly and Robbie – Taxi Fare: The very first CD purchase. Steel Pulse – True Democracy. UB40 – Labour of Love
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: The first CD addition; Fall 1986; Smokey’s Records, Salt Lake City, Utah
***
As usual my timing sucked. When I was scouting Utah as a move, I dialed in to their excellent Indie station: KCGL. Listened to it every day all day when I relocated. Alas, about six weeks into Fall of 1986, it was bought out and converted to a religious station. WTF?
As Bob Marley said, “When one door closes, another will open.” A friend I had met in the dorms turned me on to Salt Lake’s Community station, KRCL.
That’s how I learned about Reggae Radio: from their Saturday Afternoon program, Smile Jamaica (then heard 1-4pm.)
My friend was a Jewish kid from Baltimore, computer programming major who had a really great CD collection and the stereo setup to make it pop. The dorms at the University of Utah were glorified closets encased in brick. Excellent environment for sound ricochet.
I told my buddy Neal that I had been, sort of, gravitating towards Reggae out of these compelling sub genres thanks to my radio consumption of Smile Jamaica.
He went to his book shelf and grabbed Black Uhuru’s Anthem off a rack. Popped it into his Nakamichi super duper CD player. Bose 901 speakers. Itched up the volume for a Friday night. And KABOOM!!!
Foundation album in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. This release took me from casual observer to Reggae and Dub fanatic on the first listen!
Sly & Robbie were in high demand during the midpoint of this decade of wretched excess wiring the groove of synthesized drum & bass. Perfect for Roots Reggae. Dylan, Springsteen, Clapton and The Stones? Meh, not so much.
Michael Rose’s Afro Arab singing was right in line with my understanding of African vocalists like King Sunny, Youssou N’Dour and Fela Kuti.
Female singer Puma Jones’ a-syncopated harmonies clashed with Ducky Simpson’s growl foreshadowed my complete and never ending immersion in Reggae ever since. 28 years of collecting it. 26 years of promoting it on the extra terrestrial Radio waves.
Uhuru – Swahili for freedom. The late, great Puma Jones rockin’ the sexiest underarm hair since Patti Smith
Black Uhuru – Anthem. More than any of the 70s Roots or UB40’s pop groove.
This was protest music for me. Anthems for the underdogs. I had found something to synchronize my politics, too, as a life long anti-authoritarian Progressive who has voted Third Party since 1984 when I became old enough to vote.
Pretty much all my expendable income was and is going to Roots Reggae from Fall of 1986 till I join Jah’s Heavenly Choir.
“I see a Vision of Jah Rainbow in his Heavenly Abode”
I tell you how I got on KRCL with this Anniversary Preview Post. This Ark-Ive Stream Edition Podcast celebrates that legacy with All Vinyl.
Give thanks,
Hit the link above or below and feast your ears on these musical treats
Vinyl liberated from 112 degrees Las Vegas: Third World, Jimmy Riley, Josey Wales
Roots Dawtas. Hard hitting UK Dub poetesses
Seven Leaf and 420 Cannabis Service Announcement
<Seven Leaf Jah-sterity; 1 min 34 sec?>
Osterity: “Do as I say, not as I do”. Jah-sterity: Legalize It, I will advertise it”.
Mutant Dubwize to end the program. Black Wax stylee
Heavy Roots & Culture stretched out with Extended Mix dubjams
bless, robt
The Playlist:
Black Uhuru – What Is Life?; Anthem (Mango) ’84 US
The Scientist Meets Ted Sirota’s – Scientific Strut; Heavyweight Dub (Liberated Zone) 2013; Dub Album of the Week
Jimmy Riley – I Wish It Would Rain; Rydim Driven (Mango) ’81 US: Temptations soul cover
Misty in Roots – City Runnings; In Progess (People Unite) ’84 UK
Sister Netifa – Daughters of the Soil; Woman Determined (Aluta) ’88 UK female dub poet
John Holt – Police in Helicopter; 12” (Holt) ’83 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement***End of Set 1
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: 3 different Vinyl mixes of the first Reggae Grammy Winner: US, UK, Jamaican
Third World – The Story’s Been Told; 12” (Island) ’79 German pressing
Mighty Diamonds – One Brother Short; Vital Selection (Virgin Front Line) ’81 UK best of
Jean Binta Breeze – Tracks + Nanny; Tracks (LKJ) ’91 UK dub poet. Nanny national hero of Jamaica***End of Set 2
LKJ Production: UK female dub poet
Josey Wales – Who We Baby; 12” (Volcano) ‘83
The Selecter – Deep Water; Celebrate the Bullet (Chrysalis) ’81 2 Tone ska; Pauline Black vox
Niccodemus (sic) – Spar With Me; Dance Hall Style (Black Joy) ’82 UK***End of Set 3
2 Tone Brit Ska with Pauline Black on vox
10 Ft. Ganja Plant – Sing and Dance; Skycatcher (ROIR) 2013 Upstate Jah York
Sis Nya – Serious Time; Jah Music (Jah Shaka) ‘87 UK female vox
Michael Palmer – Ghetto Living; Ghetto Living (Bebo’s Music) ’85 Wheaton, Maryland
Barrington Spence – Jah Jah Train; Speak Softly (Trojan ‘76 UK***End of Set 4
Jah Jah Train a comin’ Better get on board!
Sister Carol – Liberation For the African; Liberation For Africa (Serious Gold) ’83 NYC Sevenleaf Vinyl set
Lovindeer – Free the Marijuana; De Blinkin’ Bus (TSOJ) ’82 JA
Lion Youth – Natty Bring de Couchi; Love Comes & Goes (Virgo Stomach) ‘81 UK clear vinyl
The Heptones – Sensemenia Collie; One Step Ahead (Sonic) JA***End of Set 5
The Anunnaki will return to Earth when we Free the Weed!
Carlton Livingston – 100 Lbs. of Collie; 10” (Roots Injection) 2010 mutant dub herbal update of his classic 420
Capital Letters – Fire; Headline News (Greensleeves) ’79 UK youth group
Junior Ross and the Spears – You Can’t Run; Babylon Fall (Stars) ’76 JA
Jennifer Lara – Hand to Mouth; High Times All Star Explosion (Alligator) ’85 Jah-cago; blues label/reggae ***End of Set 6
Before CNN: The CIA News Network
Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus – Black Vibes; Revelation (Trojan) ’82 UK niyabinghi drums
New Age Steppers feat. Ari Up – Stormy Weather; Foundation Steppers (ON U Sound) ’82 UK Billie Holiday feat. Female vox
Singers and Players feat. Sister P. – Holy Scripture; Vacuum Pumping ’88 UK mutant dub set
Motion Detector – Dubtrain; 12” (LSF) 2002 US red vinyl
The Outsider – Rumours of War; The Outsider Meets the High-Tech Roots Dyanmics (Jah Works) ’93 UK melodica dubs
26 Year Reggae Radio Anniversary: July 2, 1988; 3 o’Clock Roadblock; 3 to 6 AM Monday graveyard
Greetings,
26 years ago I embarked on a new hobby:Reggae Radio. It was Spring of 1988. My college roommate and I were in the Pie Pizzeria near campus at the University of Utah. They had the local community radio station on their Hi Fi: KRCL 90.9FM
Types of Radio:
Commercial: For profit, various formats, funded via advertisements
College: Managed by students, “college rock” indie format, funded via grants, radiothons, student fees and University support. Non-commercial (no adverts)
Public Radio: may or not be affiliated with a University. Mostly geared to NPR talk comment and similar. Funded mostly via Radiothons, donors, local businesses. Non-commercial (no adverts)
Community Radio: Usually done as a community asset rather than a campus entity. Funded via Radiothons*. Non-commercial (no adverts)
KRCL 90.9FM, where I have deejayed now for 26 years is a Community Radio station
*Radiothon is where the station interrupts regular programming, for a week or ten days at a time, to entice listeners to pay to become members. The price of not taking advertising. (By license, non-commercial stations are not allowed to accept advertising.) We run Public Service Announcements for non-profit groups and charge local business underwriting. “Smile Jamaica is sponsored by One Stop Smoke Shop.” Lowkey, non-advocacy. Can’t say, “Come on down to One Stop Smoke Shop”.
The Smile Jamaica Mothership
Back to my story….
Roomie and I were having a slice and heard that KRCL was looking for new volunteers to host shows. The two of us had been involved with the re-start of the U of U’s college station called KUTE. Even though KUTE only broadcast in the student union, it did give me a little bit of experience on how be “on mic”.
Long story short: I had been doing a Reggae show on KUTE called Positive Vibrations. My roommate was into contemporary 80’s music and they weren’t looking for that. I got the nod to be trained. He did not.
Chris Gittins (RIP) was a long time programmer at KRCL and he trained me on the ins and outs, the rules and regs. Great guy. Very good mentor. KUER’s station manager John Greene (or as I call him Juan Verde) was KRCL’s station manager. Another top rank radio man.
Haile Selassie portrait painted by University of Utah’s Alvin Gittins. Chris was his son
In most community radio stations you have to pay your dues. And that means graveyard slots. Mine was 3-6 AM Monday Morning. I would try and sleep for a few hours, Sunday night, and then set the alarm with plenty of time to drive to the station. During the coldest winter in decades.
I called my show 3 O’clock Roadblock from Bob Marley. However, it wasn’t Bob but Black Uhuru who were my favorite Reggae group. I always started off a show with one of their selections.
Not Bob, not Peter not UB40: Black Uhuru and this album started my lifetime fascination with Reggae music & culture
My first show was 4th of July Weekend (July 2), 1988. It was fun and gave me plenty of time to figure out how to do radio without a ton of people listening in.
I went to San Francisco in early June to “load up” on Roots: Vinyl discards in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, Reno. Started buying some CDs too. CDs were fresh and the Vinyl was cheap as people got out of the wax and into the aluminum (or whatever Cds are made of.)
June 1988, Bay Area crate dig: Needed fresh wax for new Reggae Radio show: Back when Box Sets actually came in a box
I programmed 3 O’clock Roadblock from July 1988 to August 1989. I couldn’t hack the disruption every Monday after crashing at 6 AM and trying to sleep.
But then the host of Smile Jamaica at the time, John “Rutabaga” Reese, was looking to transition back to a true weekend lifestyle. I apprenticed with him starting October 1989 (Radiothon weekend). We did the show together, alternating sets, for a while. Then every other weekend. Summer 1989 I came back from another crate dig in the Bay Area and he called me to say he was ready to let me fly solo.
And I never stopped. So today is a celebration of 26 years of Reggae Radio. More than half my life.
26 years, average 45 shows a year times 3 hours = 3500+ hours of Reggae
I come from the land of the ice and snow. I don’t do well in the heat. I just got back from a combo style work gig in Las Vegas built around a couple days of cratedigging. In 112 degree heat. Vinyl is Vital, indeed!
So to celebrate 26 years, today’s Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive, will be devoted to the Black Wax Attack. Had a nice little score of Vinyl rarities for sure-ty last week. Made sure they didn’t melt in my car from the Record Shop to my hotel room. I have been rinsing them out all morning. Pulling together 3 bags of vinyl: Lps, 7″, 10″ and 12″ singles. Soundtrack to this blog post! I am the ultimate multi-tasker: I listen as I write.
112 Heat, Las Vegas. Praise Jah it was only 1 mile from here to my hotel room. Don’t leave your kids, your dogs nor your black wax in the car at these temps!
When you crate dig for Reggae vinyl there is always going to be these titles: UB40 Labour of Love, 70’s Third World, 80’s Jimmy Cliff and Steel Pulse. Surprisingly little in Bob and Peter. They must sell as soon as they get to the racks.
The reason for that is: the major labels, who dabbled in Reggae, sent promotional vinyl. Free wax in return for airplay. Often times, they would issue special dance mix singles. THAT is what I look out for.
Here is the harvest of driving around Las Vegas in 112 degree temps with my brake sensor going off because it couldn’t handle that high temp at low elevation
Jimmy Riley: Rydim (Mango); Sly & Robbie, great soul vox on an LP of blissful soul covers
2 Third World Promo singles I didn’t have: Sense of Purpose & the Story’s Been Told (German pressing!)
The Smile Jamaica Cratedig Trifecta: Rare, Disco Mix, Picture Sleeve. Automatic purchase!
Osbscure Josey Wales Jamaican dancehall 12″
Several cool pic sleeve offerings for annual Record Store Day: Mazzy Star and Ronnie Spector with the E Street Band
Driving back from Vegas, I stopped in for gas and hit up Cedar City’s record shop: Groovacious
Found some nice titles on CD. A Euro Horace Andy, a Culture re-issue I didn’t recognize.Joe Gibbs 12″ Comp for $4 (Roots sounds better at $4 than $14).
$3.99 plus tax. Niceness!
Beastie Boy instrumental, Ohio Players, Brothers Johnson 70’s funk;. some psychedelic African revives and the fave of the dig: A Peter Tosh bootleg from 1978
bless, robt
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
I dubble dog dare you to listen to six hours of Roots Reggae. The latest Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive, June 21 and then 3 hours of July 5. (4 pm Mountain Time.) Celebrating 26 years with All Vinyl Anniversary Show
You can help Smile Jamaica move up the charts. Here is where last week’s show is (June 21, Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive)
31 listeners over 2 days
Vinyl: 13
Reggae: 69
Dub: 38
Still got several days. Let’s light one more firecracker this 4th of July Weekend. Give Thanx
bless, robt
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.
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Smile Jamaica 