Had a great week cratedigging in Vegas during the Thanksgiving Holiday. Enjoy this Best of Smile Jamaica out of the Ark-Ives collection while I was off air.
bless, Bobbylon
0-30 min.
Rita Marley – I Know a Place; Sings Bob Marley and Friends (Shanachie) ’91
UB40 – Folitician (Remix); UB44 (DEP) ’81
Lloyd Parks & Hugh Brown – Into the Night (extended mix): Music Works vol. 2: Lovers Dancehall (Ambassa) ’81 Benny Mardones pop cover
Tena Stelin & Sound Iration – Jah Powers + Dub Seal (Part 3); Wicked Invetion + In Dub (Mr. Modo) ’89
30-60 min.
Blood Sisters – Ring My Bell; Hustle! (Soul Jazz) ’79 disco cover of Anita Ward
Took the Labor Day live cast off for some vacation. Enjoy this Digital Dubplate cooked up in the Secret Dubratory located within the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
bless, Bobbylon
0-30 min.
Aswad – African Children; (CBS); Not Satisfied (CBS) ’82 UK
Carlene Davis – Quicksand; 15 Hits (Sonic)
Black Uhuru – Right Stuff; Dub Factor (Mango) ’82 dub
Culture – This Train; Cumbolo (Shanachie) ’79
Doctor Alimantado – Marriage License; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves) ’81
UB40 feat. Sister V – V’s Version; Baggariddim dj to Version Girl (Virgin) ’85
Fred Locks – Rastafari Rule; Missing Link (VP) ’79
Gregory Isaacs – Sweeter the Victory; Love Is Overdue (Heartbeat) ’74
Just say no to starving kids, eh Nancy? Thanks to your husband, Smile Jamaica was well stocked with fresh roots! Selah!
Greetings,
It was July 2, 1988. Late Sunday Night/early Monday Morning. I jumped in my car and drove from my apartment by the University of Utah campus downtown to community radio station KRCL 90.9FM.
Unloaded a suitcase full of CDs and a crate full of LPs. At 3 am on a hot summer night, I cued up Black Uhuru’s “What Is Life” from the album that made me a Reggae fanatic – Anthem.
Drop the needle pon the record and that began a 30 year legacy of Reggae Radio.
<Sunday Night/Monday Morning, July 2, 1988; 3-6AM, debut of 3 o’Clock Roadblock on KRCL; 30 sec.>
Not Bob Marley. Not Peter Tosh. Not Jimmy Cliff. Not UB40. Black Uhuru lit the Reggae fuse that led to Smile Jamaica
I had returned that Sunday afternoon from a massive cratedig in the Bay Area. Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Berkely, Mill Valley, El Cerrito, Oakland, Santa Cruz.
I was glad my car didn’t break down. It would be bad juju to be late for my debut radio show. Not to mention how would I keep two crates full of vinyl from melting on the side of the road somewhere.
Ronald. Wilson. Reggae. 666 as the Rastas might say. Not I ‘n’ I. I didn’t see eye to eye with Ronnie politically, but I am forever grateful to him as the benefactor of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives, even if it was a misuse of funds.
The 80’s were a time you could get more student grants than student loans. Tuition was a fraction of what it is today. That left me about $2k left over to front load music for a Radio show. LPs and these recent creations called CDs. I was format agnostic. Good Reggae for the masses.
And I have Ronald Wilson Reagan to thank!
<Ronald Wilson Reagan – benefactor of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives; 2 min.>
Ronald Wilson Reagan or as I call him – the Smile Jamaica financial enabler
So from July 2, 1988 to July 14, 2018 – 3 o’Clock Roadblock (July 1988-August 1989) to Smile Jamaica (Oct. ’89), let’s celebrate with the Sequel to my 30th Anniversary showcase (cd versions) from 2 weeks ago.
All vinyl this time out!
After 26 years, I might have to put Yammy down. Yammy is my Yamaha #Subwoofer. Blew a cone tonight listening to Prince Fari Dub Encounter Chapter IV. A moment of silence. Literally. My 1st night in a world without bass https://t.co/pJ664OhGbEpic.twitter.com/nUQCEvkye9
<Digital story on my parents’ excursion into Medical Marijuana; 1 min. 46 sec.>
As an amateur missionary for the benefits of medical marijuana, I had been relaying the story of my parents’ excursions into Seven Leaf pain relief on the past two episodes of Smile Jamaica.
My parents just became snowbirds from Northern Montana to Sun City West, Arizona
Christmas 2017 in the homeland
My Mom has knee pain, anxiety and sleep issues and my dad: neuropathy, back pain and carpal tunnel issues. Last week I told the story about taking my Dad in to get a Medical MJ card.
<Medical Marijuana for Ma and Pa; 90 sec.>
Took a week to get the card, and I was back in Utah. So they went to the dispensary and had a little shopping spree
pain relief pills
topical CBD ointment
pain patch
Because they bought so much and were first time customers, they got a free vape pen. And bought a 4 to 1; CBD to THC cartridge.
Better than Walgreens or CVS
Long story short: they call me for guidance on how to work the vape pen. Trial and error and voila! My parents are vaping like Bob & Rita Marley.
And hour later I get another call….”We’re not feeling anything.” I said, you got the stuff that doesn’t “feel”. Oh. Ok.
Last Sunday I call and looks like Mom wants to try a little more kick to her healing regimen. Why not? It’s medicinal and legal.
Last Friday my sister texts me: Mom and Dad just had a toke!
Me: Cheech & Chong!
Sis:
Me:
I had a listener call me after I told this story and we got into a discussion about having parents who are sick of the pills, cost and side effects of the Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex
Once the (recent) stigma of weed is overcome through the relief of daily pain and social anxiety, cannabis reclaims its rightful place in our 10,000 year history of the Seven Leaf plant.
Revelation 22:2King James Version (KJV)
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
As I concluded my reasoning with the caller on the benefits of cannabis for our parents, he said, “You know Robert? You’re a good son.”
And I said, I really want my parents to enjoy their retirement pain free and unencumbered by the daily pill regimen they are currently under. However, I am definitely taking my vape pen with me on my next visit to Sun City West.
A little dab will do ya!
Bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-nuary 13, 2018 – Annotated Playlist; 1 min. 20 sec.
Set 1:
Soul Syndicate – King’s Highway; High Times All-Star Explosion (Alligator) ’85 Chicago blues label
Winston Edwards – Natty Dub; Natty Locks Dub (Studio 16) ’74 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
Bad Brains – I and I Survive; Rock For Light (Caroline) ’83
Rupie Dan and Jennifer Gad – Blazing Fire; Solid Foundation (Flag) ’92
Carlene Davis – The Harder They Come; Reggae Sunsplash ’81 – Tribute to Bob Marley (Elektra) ’81 Jimmy Cliff cover
Dub Syndicate – Higher Than High; 10″ (Lion & Roots) ’98 UK 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Set 2: Wailers Family Tree
Peter Tosh & the Wailers – 400 Years; Peter Tosh & Friends (Upsetter0 ’70 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
<400 Years – The Middle Passage; 35 sec.>
Bunny Wailer – Forever Loving Jah; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 Bob Marley covers
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Natural Mystic; Exodus 40 (Tuff Gong) Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London; June 1977
<Exodus Live inna London June 1977; 46 sec.>
Rita Marley – That’s The Way; 12″ (Shanachie) ’80 US picture sleeve
Set 3:
Wingless Angels – Inviting You + Shady Tree; Wingless Angels II (Mindless) ’96 Keith Richards, Justin Hinds; nyah drums
<Keith Richards on Smile Jamaica? WTF?; 32 sec.>
UB40 – Don’t Break My Heart; LIttle Baggariddim (A & M) ’85 EP
King Kong – Unity; Rumble Jumble Life (Massive B) 2005
Grace Nelson – Jah Is Real; Ire Hi Fi – Play de Music (Plant Music) 2007 Germ.
Lee Perry & the Upsetters – Jah; Black Ark in Dub (Upsetter) ’77 Dub Album of the hour
Set 4:
Black Uhuru – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; Black Uhuru
Bush Chemists feat. Ras I – Borderline; Light Up Your Chalice (Conscious Sounds) ’99 UK mutant dub
Super Chick – Bees Man; 10″ (Channel One) ’83
Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson – The group that got me into Reggae
Set 5: Vinyl is Vital
Sister Carol – International Style; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 Brooklyn
Laurel Aitken – Je t’aimerai toujours ( I Love You, Yes I Do!) ; Eskapade en France (Unicorn) ’90 Fr. ska EP
The Specials – Sock it to ’em J.B.!; More Specials (2 Tone) ’80 UK tribute to neoliberal hitman, James Bond
Chalice; Dangerous Disturbances; Stand Up! (CSA) ’85 UK
Amp-Ech – Living Dead + Version; Against Injustice (Amp-Ech) ’87 JA
Ska praise to neoliberal hitman, James Bond
Set 6″ Roots Dawtas Rockers – Best of Smile Jamaica 28+ years
Patti Smith Group – Ain’t It Strange; Radio Ethiopia (Arista) ’76
Joan Armatrading – I Can’t Lie to Myself; Walking Under Ladders (A & M) ’81; feat. Sly & Robbie
Tom Tom Club – Bamboo Town; Close to the Bone (Sire) ’83; Tina & Chris from Talking Heads
Martha Velez – Bend Down Low; Escape from Babylon (Sire) ’76: Bob cover, Bob production, Wailers & I-Three. Lee Perry engineer
You’ve got dub in my proto-punk rock
Set 7:
Tapper Zukie – Chalice to Chalice; MPLA (Virgin Front Line) ’78 herbtune
Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now; Cool Runnings Soundtrack (Chaos) ’93 cover of Johnny Nash
Don Evans & the Paragons – Danger in Your Eyes; Full Up – More Hits From Studio One (Heartbeat/Studio One) ’76
Sis Aesha (sic) & Robbie Valentine – King Selassie I + Conditions; 10″ (Sip a Cup) 2001 UK
8 down, 42 to go!
Set 8: Mutant Dub
Luciano & Sis Sanae – What You Gonna Do Now + Free Jah Children; Abassi All-Stars Showcase (Universal Egg) 2006 UK
Alpha & Omega – Solomon and Sheba; Overstanding (A & O) ’92 UK trance dub
Dr. Israel & the Brooklyn Jungle Sound System – Afrika Youth; Black Rose Liberation (Baraka Foundation) 2001 Brooklyn
Dry & Heavy – Night Flight dub; Meet King Jammy in the Jaws of the Tiger (BSI) 2000 Jah-pon
Charlie P & the Dubateers – Lock Me Up + Dub; Hustle (Dubateers) 2011 UK
Happy New Year! 2018. Just got off the road. Two weeks with my family. First week in Albuquerque at my Sister’s place. Cratedigging in 50+ degree weather.
Caught up on some Reggae Revives and picked up reissues from favorite soul/funk labels Now and Then, VamiSoul and Soul Jazz.
Best score were two 60 CD Suitcases. That fetch $80+ on Amazon (when even listed.) Bought mine for $10 each
Ceased making in the era of digital downloads. Now fetch a king’s ransom on Ebay and Amazon
Then drove with my parents due West to Phoenix at their new retirement pad. Beautiful drive from Flagstaff south. 75 degrees all week.
My Dad has neuropathy and is still in pain from recent carpal tunnel surgery. While picking up our dog from the Doggy Hotel and that was right next to the Sun Valley Certification Clinic.
Set up an appointment to fill out a six page questionnaire of his pain history. Wait 2 weeks for his card, so I couldn’t go with him “shopping” for Seven Leaf products. Next year I’m taking my vape pen.
Got in some more cratedigging. Didn’t find much vinyl but picked up some delights at Zia Records.
Zia Records Phoenix
Watched Green Bay sleep walk through a Detroit Lions loss. New Year’s Eve for my Mom’s 75th birthday and flew out at the butt crack of down on New Year’s Day to get back to Utah. Took my first Uber. Cheaper and quicker than a cab ride.
First priority: New roots for Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive listeners. 3 hours of my favorites Roots Reggae delights. Let us enjoy Nuff Roots as our collective New Year’s Resolution
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate – Roots Reggae New Year 2018 Tracklist
0-30 min.
African Head Charge – Gospel Train; Songs of Praise (ON U Sound) ‘90
Yabby You – Judgment Time; One Love, One Heart; (Shanachie) ‘77
Althea & Donna – Make a Truce; Uptown Top Ranking (Virgin Front Line) ‘78
UB40 – Earth Dies Screaming; More UB40 Music (DEP) ‘80
Aswad – Back to Africa; BBC Sessions (Strange Fruit) UK live in the studio
Pioneers – Pusher Man; Give and Take – Best of (Trojan) ‘78
Akabu – Africans United; Warrior Queen (ON U Sound) ’95 UK female group
30-60 min.
Jolly Brothers – Dread Dreader; Conscious Man (Seven Leaves) ’77 Lee Perry/Black Ark prod’n
Barrington Levy – Jah a Creator; Time Capsule (RAS) ‘83
The Congos – At the Feast; Heart of the Congos (Blood & Fire) ’77 Lee Perry/Black Ark prod’n
I have told this story on air many times. I did political interviews on KRCL between 2003 (Iraq War) and 2012 when a new station GM – hired from Clear Channel radio – told me if I wanted to continue doing Progressive Political interviews I had to do two things
Quit expressing opinions
Must be objective.
I said no thanks and quit. I wasn’t going to dumb down my content like the CIA News Network or Washington Compost: being a stenographer of the news.
I quit radio interviews ratherr than being the radio equivalent of a presstitute stenographer
I would put a huge amount of time into that one hour, weekly interview. Post “retirement” I was left with a significant gap in free time.
That’s when I discovered a new time suck: Ancient Aliens on the History Channel.
As an Assyrian-American, a huge part of the show is about the Sumerians who wrote about contact from Astronauts (we humans mistook for Sky Gods.)
Do not scoff! Look to the skies!
I binged watched everything to catch up on all that history/cosmology.
So it wasn’t long before I started combing through the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives “probing” (pun intended) for UFO themed Reggae tunes.
Believe it or not, I could fill a 60 CD suitcase and a record bag full of examples on sets I call UFO-ria (euphoria, get it?).
From the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
Now every July 2 (Roswell UFO crash anniversary) I do 3 hours of Alien fascination that rules the nation!
July 2, 1947 Roswell, New Mexico
just like my traditions of Jah-loween, 4:20 and Bob Marley Tribute shows.
I’ve really gotten into it to the point where someone said, “Do you believe in this for real or is it entertainment?”
I said: I guess I do believe in it. Ancient Astronaut Theory makes the most ‘sensi’. to me.”
From the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
Ancient Astronauts, mistaken by humans as Sky Gods, created mankind to mine gold to take back to their planet Nibiru: the 12th Planet or Planet X.
Guess what? They had wrecked their home world through environmental degradation (just like Earth) and needed gold to re-generate their atmosphere on Nibiru.
If you are on my Twitter at SmileJ_KRCL. I post 3 topics:
Reggae and Radio
Alt-Left, anti corporate Democratic Party snark
UFOria
Now I tell my friends, forced to endure my proselytizing, that I put the “man” in Manichaean and the “fun” in Sumerian Fundamentalism.
Anu is my Sky God. The Greeks called him Zeus
So I did a radio show last week with a UFO set. Just finished up Season 10 DVD of Ancient Aliens.
Guess what? My beef with archaeologists is that their calculations on when these massive structures from antiquity were built was thousand of years off.
Giza Plateau – Anunnaki Tessaract (space ships) powered by the pyramid energy.
Listen to my clip about the Great Pyramid of Giza that proves my point: Not 2500 BC, 10500 BC.
It’s not Khufu/Cheops’ tomb. It’s a power station for the Anunnaki’s Spaceships when they left and landed at the Sinai Spaceport.
Praise Anu! Bobbylon
<Giza pyramid and archaeo-imperialism; 1 min. 50>
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-vember 4, 2017 Annotated Playlist; 49 sec.
Set 1:
I Roy – Jah Is the Best; Best of I Roy (GG’s) ’77 JA vinyl
Impact All-Stars – Java; Java Java Dub (Impact!) ’74 UK – Vinyl Dub Album of the Hour
July 2, 1988 was when I ‘n’ I debuted at 3AM on a hot summer night late Sunday/early Monday on radio station KRCL. The name of the show was 3 o’clock Roadblock named after the Bob Marley song.
That started a 3 decade journey of 29 years of Reggae Radio. After a year or so I moved from early morning graveyard shift to the big show: Smile Jamaica.
Saturdays 1-4 PM in 1989-1990 and then moved back to 4pm. Planted my flag and never left.
If I figure I average about 45 shows a year (with time away for cratedigging on the weekends). That amounts to 1305 + shows. Almost 4000 hours of Reggae.
I celebrated with all vinyl a couple weeks back. Took last Saturday off and cooked up a CD best of 29 years in my Secret Dubratory.
Thanks for the musical memories!
bless, robt
If I remember correctly: Black Uhuru’s What Is Life was the first song I played on Reggae Radio: 3AM July 2, 1088
0-30 min.
Naturalites – Picture on the Wall; Rub a Dubble vol. 2 (CSA) ’88 UK
Rita Marley – Beauty of God’s Plan; Who Feels It Knows It (Shanachie) ‘80
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Brainwashing; African Herbsman (Trojan) ’71 nursery rhyme
Peter Tosh – Recruiting Soldiers; Mystic Man (EMI America) ‘79
Jah Wobble – Dreadlock Don’t Deal in Wedlock; The Legend Lives On (Virgin) ‘80
Johnny Clarke – Crazy Baldheads + Academy Award Version; Authorized Version (Virgin Front Line) ’76 Bob Marley cover
Keith Hudson – Musicology; Rasta Communication (Greensleeves) ‘79
UB40 feat. Sister V – V’s Version; Baggariddim (DEP) ’85 update of group’s Version Girl
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 