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Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-tober 10, 2022 – 33 Years of Smile Jamaica

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Greetings,

<Autobiography of Reggae & 33 Years of  Smile Jamaica; 1 min. 56 sec.>

I ‘n’ I parents are Snowbirds. Winter and Spring in Arizona. Summer and Fall in Fort Benton, Montana. North Central Montana. Along the Highline.

Wheat fields, UFOs, and cattle mutilations

Since they are retired, and Fort Benton has more cows than people, they don’t have a lot to do.

Fort Benton is the birthplace of Montana. Founded in 1846, it is the longest inhabited township in the state. Before the railroads it was the farthest spot where steamboats could haul freight on the Missouri River. About 1200 people live there.

Floated the Missouri River many times, inner tubes, as a youth in Fort Benton

As you might expect, Fort Benton has several good museums and statues. Moms worked as a guide for visitors coming out of their Covid spiderholes after two years of lockdown: Canada, Czech Republic, Japan. France, she told stories to  them all.

One day a guy in his mid 50’s approached and introduced himself. Larry C was a classmate of mine. (1983, 36 students.)  He was a skinny kid with blond hair who kept to himself. Didn’t really interact much and hadn’t thought of him in about 40 years.

Then he said something incredible: “Does Bob do a radio show in Salt Lake City?” My Mom nearly fell out of her chair. Yes! Larry does some sort of work that takes him to Utah and by some higher serendipity, found I ‘n’ I doing Smile Jamaica.

Mom and I figured it was because I ‘n’ I do mention, quite often, about being from the land of “where the men are men and the sheep are nervous.”*

*Please don’t cancel me!

Fort Benton MT – site of the original 70’s cattle mutilations. Second biggest wheat producing county in America. #3 target when Putin launches his nukes. (Home of America’s Minutemen missiles). Home of the original Shep dog story.

The loyal dog who stayed at the train station awaiting his deceased master whose casket left by train

Now has a hemp processing plant which is the second biggest employer in town after the city. Also a dispensary now that Montana legalized the hippie lettuce!

Author was my high school Biology teacher

I tell this story about the legacy of 33 years of hosting Smile Jamaica, one of the longest running – if not THE longest running Reggae Show in America. A deejay in Florida had 30 plus years before he passed away. The killer Reggae show on KGNU – Boulder, Collierado, Reggae Bloodlines might be longer, but they have had multiple hosts.

Celebrating not a Milestone but a Smilestone! (14 sec.)

I was in The Pie Pizzeria by the U of U campus. They were playing KRCL. My roommate and I heard an ad for new volunteers on the community station that rules the nation! I ‘n’ I was trained and debuted end of June 1988: late Sunday/early Monday graveyard – 3 O’clock Roadblock.  (Like Smile Jamaica a Bob Marley jam). Learned the ropes. Entertained the select few night owls, cab drivers, cat burglars, insomniacs and graveyard workers.

Oct. 89, my Reggae mentor, John “Rutabaga” Reese invited me to co-host Smile Jamaica. Then, Sat. 1-4pm. Of course! Rutabaga left Summer of ’90 and I guess I’ll just stay until I ‘n’ I joins Jah’s Heavenly Choir.

 <How it all started: Smile Jamaica ’89; 77sec.>

My 45 was a gift from a generous listener!

So I’n’ I thought to celebrate 33 Years with the best recollection of albums and CDs I would have acquired those early years (1986 Black Uhuru Anthem LP to about ’90 prime time). I always knew on the vinyl which are the first, because I would write “Nelson” on round Avery labels and attach to the corner of the LP.

I quickly learned not to do that, because the adhesive on the stickers can leave a round stain on the vinyl, diminishing its value!

<Labeling records; 61 sec.>

Reggae archaeology: I ‘n’ I know the early years of collecting because I used to label all my vinyl with name on stickers. Don’t do that!

Conclusion: Something like Smile Jamaica: Same time, same host for a third of a century? In this chaotic era of failing newspapers, $44 billion for Twitter, podcasts and streaming. It is pretty impressive to be something stable from the Dinosaur Media/Legacy Media era.

I always joke, me and The Simpsons, the only things that don’t change. Sunday Night FOX. Saturday Afternoons – Smile Jamaica

Selah!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-ives: Jah-tober 8, 2022 – 33 Years of Reggae Vinyl

Set 1:

  • Black Uhuru – What Is Life; Anthem (Island) ’84 US/UK
  • UB40 –  Present Arms in Dub; Present Arms in Dub (DEP) ’81 UK dub album of the hour
  • The Abyssinians – Forward on to Zion; Forward (Alligator) ‘82 Chicago blues label
  • Judy Mowatt – Just a Stranger Here; Mellow Mood (Ashandan) ’75 JA
  • Big Youth – Get On Up; Rock Holy (Nichola Delita) ’80 JA
  • Jah Lion – Colombia Colly; Colombia Colly (Mango) ’76 UK/US 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • Bingy Bunny – Coca-Cola Bad Boy; 12” (12 Star) ’80 JA
Not the first album in the Ark-Ive, but the one that made I ‘n’ I a Reggae Fanatic!

Set 2:

  • Johnny Nash – Stir It Up; I Can See Clearly Now (CBS) ’72 US Bob Marley cover
  • Culture – Iron Sharpen Iron; Africa Stand Alone (April) ’78 JA
  • Dennis Brown – Spellbound; Spellbound (Joe Gibbs) ’80 FL
  • Bam Bam – Stop the War;  EP ’85 LA – Roots Dawta pic sleeve
  • Third World – Now That We’ve Found Love; 12” (Island) ’85 UK pic sleeve
Bob Marley worked as a songwriter for pop singer. Quit and went back to the Wailers to give us Catch a Fire and Burnin’

Set 3:

  • Dambala – I Nation Time; Azania (Dada Music) ’83 UK
  • Lee “Scratch” Perry – Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Cornbread; Roast Fish Collie Weed & Cornbread (Upsetter) ’78 JA
  • Babatunde Tony Ellis – No Place to Run Sweden; No Place to Run (MNW) ’79 Sweden
  • Sheila Hylton – Breakfast in Bed; 12” (Ballistic) ’79 UK Dusty Springfield cover
  • Dr. Alimantado – In the Mix; In the Mix (Keyman) ’85 dub album of the hour
Roast fish, Collie Weed, Cornbread – 3 major food groups

Set 4:

  • Kwame – Hellhounds on My Trail; Follow I (Polydor) ’80 US
  • Louise Bennett – Color Bar; Woman Talk (Heartbeat) ’86 Cambridge, MA; female dub poet collection
  • Misty in Roots; Wandering Wanderer; 12”  (People Unite) ’81 UK
Been tracking this Roots Dawta dub poetry collection over the past month or so

Set 5:

  • Musical Youth – Pass the Dutchie; 12” EP (MCA) ’82 UK

<#2 after Peter Tosh, cassette – Spring 1983; 21 sec.>

  • The Upsetters feat. The Heptones – Zions Blood; Super Ape (Mango) ’76 US/UK Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark prod’n
  • Hortense Ellis – Sweetheart; Dance. Hall Session (Studio One/RAS) ’87 DC
  • Mighty Diamonds – Pass the Knowledge; 12” (Music Works) ’82 JA
Spring ’83 on cassette: #2 addition out of about 1 million items in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives

Set 6: Wailers Family Tree

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Buffalo Soldiers; Legend (Island) ’83 US/UK – E.T. Thorngren rmx: Wailers Family Tree
  • Peter Tosh – No Sympathy; This Is Reggae Music vol. 3 (Island) ’72 comp. original mix
  • Marcia Griffiths – Tell Me Now; Marcia At Studio One (Studio One) ’80 JA
  • Bunny Wailer – Serious Thing; 12” (Solomonic) ’86 JA
Original pressings had 80’s synth remixes. Which have not aged well, unfortunately.

Set 7:

  • Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers – 666; Hey World! (EMI America) ’86 US
  • Papa Kojie & Blue Riddim –  Nancy Reagan Re-Election Remix; 12” EP (ORA International) ’85 UK pic sleeve
  • John Holt – Police in Helicopter; Police in. Helicopter (Greensleeves) ’82 UK herbtune
  • Sharon Black – Love Is Overdue; 12” (Clintones) early 80’s Gregory Isaacs cover
“She sit pon the lap of Mr. T, while her husband plans World War III”

Set 8:  Mutant Dub

  • Dub Syndicate – The Show Is Coming; Tunes From the Missing Channel (ON U Sound) ’84 UK
  • Singers & Players feat. Sister P – Holy Scripture; Vacuum Pumping (ON U Sound) ’81 UK
  • The Clash feat. Mikey Dread – Crooked Beat; Sandinista! (Epic) ’80 UK
  • Keith Levene – If 6 Was a 9; Keith Levene’s Violent Oppostion EP (Taang!) ’88 UK Jimi Hendrix cover
  • Bim Sherman – Golden Locks; Across the Red Sea (ON U Sound) ’82 UK
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – Big Boys Don’t Make Girls Cry; 12” (Upright) ’84 UK pic sleeve; dub poet
Crooked Beat would make a great Reggae or Mutant Dub Radio Show name

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: 24th Annual 420 Show (4/22/17): Green Smoke, Black Wax!

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Tree House of Horror Stylee – FOX runs the Simpson’s Halloween special after Oct. 31st because of their World Series telecasts: 24 sec.

<Say it with me!>

Greetings,

Some time around 91 or 92 a fellow DJ on KRCL used to do a little segment called 4:20 Funk. Station management told him to stop it. When he told me this, I immediately started doing the 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcements.

In 1993 that led to my first 3 hours Cannabis Service Showcase. Station management was none too pleased and I dared them to challenge me. Smile Jamaica is a cash cow at Radiothon so I knew I had some leverage.

Sometime around 2008 I discovered how to rip audio from CDs to import to Audacity and cut marijuana soundbytes like this:

<Watch out for Johnny Law! 16 sec.>

The cops and sheriff deputies in Fort Benton, MT always had the best dope

For the past ten years my harvest (pun intended) has grown to 107 soundbytes on my Itunes SOUNDBYTES_CANNABIS playlist. Plus I have about 2 dozen I didn’t rip that I found this year.

Whenever I listen to something and a bongrip or herb salutation appears, I play it on Smile Jamaica and then put it on the edit pile for 2018; Jah willing.

The ones I especially love are the 60’s and 70’s anti-marijuana Public Service Announcements (thus my Cannabis Service Announcements).

Let it not be said Smile Jamaica did not give equal time to to the prohibitionists!

<Marty was a good boy til his first joint>

So enjoy this exploration in musical free speech and hope for the day when Pres. Tulsi Gabbard legalizes marijuana in the United States and I can shout to the heavens: 50 D0WN, ZERO TO GO!”

Hawaiian Congresswoman submitted a bill to end federal marijuana criminalization.

bless, robt

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: 24th Annual 420 Herbal Extravaganza; 52 sec.

<Smile Jamaica’s 107 420 soundbytes between the songs 29 sec>

<24th Annual 420 Smile Jamaica; 1st all vinyl edition; 19 sec.>

Set 1:

  • Jah Woosh – Marijuana World Tour; Marijuana World Tour (Original) ’79 UK 
  • Sly & the Revolutionaries – Marijuana; Black Ash Dub (Trojan) ’80 UK vinyl
  • Lovindeer – Free the Marijuana; De Blinkin’ Bus (TSOJ) ’83 JA

<End poverty in Jamaica; 9 sec.>

  • Chalawa – Jah Collie Weed; Capture Land (Green Weenie) ’78 Can.

<Chalawa = sacred chalice; 13 sec.>

  • Brigadier Jerry – Kushumpeng; Jamica Jamaica (RAS) ’85 DC

<Kushumpeng = African bong; 5 sec.>

  • John Holt – Police in Helicopter (Holt) ’83 JA

<Burn the herb fields? We’ll burn your sugar cane, cassava, potato; 12 sec.>

Set 2:

  • Culture – International Herb; International Herb (Virgin Front Line) ’79 UK
  • Brown, Eagle & Spear – Draw the Challace; Brown, Eagle & Spear (New Name) ’88 JA
  • Junior Byles – Cally Weed; Rasta No Pickpocket (Nighthawk) ’86 St. Louis
  • Loi – One Draw; 12” (Abraham) female vox covering Rita Marley
  • I-Shensound – Deep in Dub Purple; King Size Dub (Hypoxia) ’95 UK
Don’t be a gerbil, get down with the herbal

Set 3:

  • Carlton Livingston – 100 Weight of Collie Weed; 100 Weight of Collie Weed (Greensleeves) ’84 UK

<Bad idea: driving 55 in a 35 carrying 100 weight; 17 sec.>

  • Desi Roots – Weedfields; Doing it Right (Hawkeye) ’80 UK

<Jamaica’s Operation Eradication; 33 sec.>

  • Inner Circle – Tired fe Lick Weed inna Bush; Reggae Thing (Capitol) ’76 US

<City weed betta than bush weed; 8 sec.>

  • Johnny Clarke – No Lick No Cup; 10” (Jamaican Recordings)

Set 4: Jamaican Jukebox of 45’s

  • Stranger Cole & Gladdy – One Toke Over the Line; 7” (Gay Feet) Brewer & Shipley cover

<One toke over the line, sweet Negus>

  • Hopeton Lewis – Dreadlocks Chalice; 7” (Thorough Bred) ‘75
  • Al Campbell – Pass the Chalice; 7” (God Bless Muzik)
  • Ronnie Davis – Kaya; 7” (Attack) ’78 Bob Marley cover

Set 5:

  • Meditations – Woman Piabba; Message From the Meditations (United Artists) ’78 US
  • Lone Ranger – Legalise the National Herb; Hi Yo Silver, Away! (Greensleeves) ’82 UK
  • Jah Lloyd – Dispencer; Black Moses  (Virgin Front Line) ’79 UK
  • Tamlins – Better Collie; 10” (Irie Ites) 2012 Fr.

Set 6:

  • The Toyes – Smoke Two Joints; 12” (Neurotic) ’95 US
  • Peter Broggs – Interntional Farmer; Rise and Shine (RAS) ’85 DC
  • Teddy Brown – Get Stoned; 12” (Eruption)
  • Bush Chemists – Light Up Your Spliff; Light Up Your Spliff (Conscious Sounds) ’96 UK

<Healing of the Nation; 35 sec.>

Set 7: Jamaican Jukebox 7″ 45’s

  • Black Uhuru vs. Black Sabbath – Guess Who’s Coming for Sweetleaf; 7” (blank) 
  • Hughie Izachaar – Ganja Smuggling; 7” (Reggae on Top) ’99 UK
  • Collie Buddz – Herb Tree; 7” (Massive B) 2009 US
  • Ranking Joe – Ganja Pipe; 7” (Education) 2005 Fr.
  • Chariot Riders – Sensimilla Dub; Sensimilla Dub (Crystal)  ’80 JA
Where else you gwan hear Black Sabbath on a Reggae show but on Smile Jamaica!

Set 8: Mutant Dub Space Dust 420

  • Alpha Steppa Meets Alpha & Omega – Highest Grade; 7” EP (Steppa) 2012 South Korea: 420 Space Dust
  • Fred Locks – Collie Herb; 10” (Sip a Cup) 2003 UK
  • Peter Tosh – Legalize It (Secret Circuits Echodelic Shockdown Mix);  2012 10” picture sleeve EP
  • Weeding feat. Humble-I – Sound of Reality; 10” (Control Tower) 2009 Fr.
Keep safe, keep blazing!

 

Words of Weeds-dom

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-tober 10, 2015 (Stream + Tracklist): Happy 26th Anniversary to I ‘n’ I

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Smile Jamaica debut: Oct. 1989 – 26 years on air!

Greetings,

<Happy 26 Years of Smile Jamaica; 30 sec.>

In October of 1989 I began an excursion on the version: Radiothon (fund-drive) ’89 was when my bredrin Rutabaga Reese invited me to co-host KRCL’s long running Reggae program Smile Jamaica (then on from 1-4 pm Saturdays). I had just resigned from the grind of the Graveyard (Mondays 3-6 am) and figured I would finish my undergrad degree at the U of Utah and then head to Collie-fornya for Grad School.

Funny how things change. I stayed. Rutabaga and I shared Saturdays for about nine months and around July 1990 was when I took over the reigns solo.

For me programming Smile Jamaica is my absolute favorite thing on earth to do. And I like to say give thanks to KRCL for investing in the show and I ‘n’ I.  Same guy, same channel, same time, same format.

I started in Oct. ’89. The Simpsons (post Tracey Ullman) started Dec. ’89. Both programs still running well-hot!

bless, robt

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Smile Jamaica: Oct. 1989; The Simpsons: Dec. 1989

High-Lights of the Jah-tober 10, 2015 Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: 59 sec.

Playlist:

Set 1:

  • Winston Jarrett – Solid As a Rock; Atra 10 Track (Atra) ’72 UK vinyl
  • Chalawa – Natural Mystic; Exodus Dub (Westons) ’77 Can.; Dub Album of the Hour
  • Sly & Robbie – Sesame Street; Many Moods of Sly, Robbie & the Taxi Gang (Sonic) ‘79 kids cover
  • Judy Mowatt – Slave Queen; Black Woman (Shanachie) ‘76
  • Bunny Wailer – Reggae Burden; Gumption (Shanachie) ‘90
  • The Specials – Rat Race; 2 Tone Collection: A Checkered Past (Chrysalis) 2 Tone Brit ska
  • Black Slate – Legalise Collie Herb; Amigo (BBR) ’80 UK; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • The Tamlins – Irie Collie; 10” (Irie Ites) 2012 herb tune
download
Brought to you by the letter S for Sensi. Now you know why Oscar is so grouchy

Set 2:

  • The Wailers – Kinky Reggae; Catch a Fire (Tuff Gong) ’73: JA vs. US/UK mixes

<Catch a Fire LP: Different mixes – JA original vs. Blackwell overdubs; 28 sec.>

<Kinky Reggae differences in mixes; 71 sec.>

  • Althea & Donna – Sorry; Uptown Top Ranking (Virgin Front Line) ‘78
  • Willi Williams – Jah Righteous Reighn; 10” (Uptempo) ’84 Sugar Minott prod’n
images (1)
Completely different mix on the Jamaican vs. the Island US/UK version

Set 3: Best of 26 years 

  • Third World – Third World Man; 96 Degrees in the Shade (Mango) ’77

<Rasta Man not Bionic Man; 18 sec.>

  • George Faith – I’ve Got the Groove; To Be a Lover (Mango) ’77 Scratch prod’n/Black Ark
  • Sister Audrey – English Girl; Roots Daughters (Ariwa) ’88 Mad Professor prod’n
  • Wailing Souls – Things and Time; Channel One: Hitbound the Revolutionary Sound (Heartbeat) ‘77
  • Soul Syndicate – Redder Than Red; Ghetto-ology Dub (Easy Star) ’79; Dub Album of the Hour (Sugar Minott)
download (2)
Steve Austin. Bionics are not ital!

Set 4: Jah-loween Stylee

<Jah-tober is for Jah-loween; 22 sec.>

  • Don Carlos – Night Rider (In Danger); Deeply Concerned (RAS) ’88; “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”
  • Ijahman Levi – One Step From Hell; Two Double Six 701 (Jahmani) ‘94

<Two Double Six 701 – Ijahman’s inmate number caught with weed; 15 sec.>

  • Bunny & the Kiemanaires – Devil’s Angel; From GG’s Reggae Hit Stable (Jamaican Gold) ‘71
  • Junior Dan – Look Out for the Devil + version; Junior Dan (Hi Try)
tumblr_muz3oeiK6h1rnfmxqo1_400
Halloween falls on Saturday this year!

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital 

  • Icarus – Land of Tarot; State of Mind (Russia Roulette) ’82 UK
  • Bert Brown & Olubayo – Iry Feeling; Escape From Babylon (Bertene)  ’83 NY
  • 10 Foot Ganja Plant – State of Man; Spycatcher (ROIR) 2013 NY
  • The Chantells – Eva; Waiting in the Park (Phase 1) ’77 UK
  • Sister Candy – Keep on Bubbling; Showcase (Raiders) ’84 UK
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Ultra rare

Set 6:

  • Peter Tosh – Get Up Stand Up; Live at the Jamaica World Music Festival (Peter Tosh Foundation) 11/27/82; Montego Bay, JA

<Tosh: Live at the Jamaica World Music Festival: 11/27/82, sunrise; 13 sec.>

<Peter Tosh: The Sun/Son of Reggae; 18 sec.>

download (3)
25 minutes of fire and brimstone!

Set 7: Mutant Dub

  • African Head Charge – Irie Day; Akwaaba (Acid Jazz) ’95 UK: Mutant Dub Set
  • Rockers Hi Fi – Round Reversion; Rockers to Rockers (Gee Street) ’95 UK
  • Rootah – Mr. Vibes; Jahtarian Dubbers vol. 3 (Jahtari) 2012 Germany
  • Mankind Liberation Front – Dope Dreams; Grass Soundtrack (Mercury) 2000
  • New Blood – Worries in the Dance; Jungle Massive vol. 1 (Payday) ’95 jungle
  • Ben Wa – Macrocardio Dub Infarction; Devil Dub (Black Hole) ’98 San Francisco
download (4)
Ben Wa great mutant dub out of San Francisco

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: 25 Years: The Silver Jah-bilee (Jubilee)

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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:

  • 90.9FM in Utah
  • Stream:  Tune In Radio
  • 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)
loma-prieta-world-series-earthquake-300x199
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.

cordoba2
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.

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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.

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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.

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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
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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.

PapaPilgrim
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.

1983-reagan-sdi-4-apr-60
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.

tower-records
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.

dj-reggae
“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.

Black_Uhuru_Anthem
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:

  • 90.9FM in Utah
  • Stream:  Tune In Radio
  • Ark-Ive. Here on Smile Jamaica blog; without commercial interruptions
  • Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL for live alert and stream upload/blog posts
sipacup
For 25 Years. bless, robt