The Jamaican music industry is nearing 60 years old, and the seven-inch single may have seen its last days. Vinyl production in the West Indies has dramatically fallen, and most dancehall is being consumed in its home country via sound system mixtapes and pirated DVDs – a trend expertly documented by Dave Stelfox in an article from last year.
Despite this, the seven inch is still at the heart and soul of the reggae experience for many new fans and aficionados alike – understanding the seven-inch is mandatory if you want to comprehend reggae’s complex progression. David Katz, author of People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry and Solid Foundation: An Oral History of Reggae, selects his 20 best:
"In the early 1950s, Jamaican entrepreneurs began issuing 78s; the style was the indigenous folk form called mento, and such releases were aimed at visiting tourists or shipped abroad to compete with calypso. A cultural revolution arrived when downtown Kingston sound system operators began pressing 45s of local talent adapting American rhythm and blues. Many early labels drew from the imagery of their American counterparts, but as ska rose to the fore as a thoroughly home-grown form, the label artwork gradually became more individual. Meanwhile, Jamaican expatriates started issuing 45s on small UK independents, typically featuring graphics-free logos. Though the quality of foreign pressings was typically better, some were actually mastered from Jamaican 45s and many were totally unauthorised.
"Back home, African imagery appeared on some labels in the rocksteady era; it became more commonplace once reggae emerged in the late ‘60s when business-like reggae labels were also established in New York and Toronto. Unfortunately, the quality of Jamaican vinyl was affected by the oil crises of the 1970s, resulting in a general decline; the few seven-inch singles cut at 33rpm mid-decade suffered from poor fidelity, while the subsequent ten and twelve-inch extended singles lost popularity in the early 1980s. A rugged, durable look then appeared on singles as dancehall began to assert itself; then, once digital music took over, many Jamaican label logos became more streamlined and less artistic, though some continued to thrive on cartoon imagery and obscure jokes.
"These days original vintage reggae vinyl can cost a real packet, with a copy of the ultra-scarce ‘Selassie Is The Chapel’ by Bob Marley changing hands for a couple of grand. Gone are the days when reggae seven-inches were a dime-a-dozen at the Notting Hill Record & Tape Exchange bargain basement, but sometimes jumble sales and car boot fairs can still turn up the odd delight (such as the copy of the highly prized ‘Lambs Bread Collie’ by Light of Saba that I bought for 50 cents on the street of a US city a few years back). The sad truth is that record dealers from the UK, US, Canada, Japan and Switzerland have plundered the most obvious sources in Jamaica, with even ex-jukebox stock now being scarce, but those in the know will regularly scour international mail order lists. Unfortunately, All Tone Records, formerly run by Alton Ellis’s son, has just been impounded by the ugly capitalists that want to ruin Brixton market by making it ‘Brixton Village’, but if you’re only just starting out as a reggae collector, a good place to find original 7”s is Reggae Revive on Chamberlayne Road, London; check Dub Vendor in Battersea for general reissues and further information."
01. HIGGS & WILSON
‘MANNY OH’ / ‘WHEN YOU TELL ME BABY’
(WIRL, 1958)
One of the first locally recorded non-mento discs, adapting American R&B and doo-wop. Produced by future Prime Minister Edward Seaga
02. THEOPHILUS BECKFORD / TRENTON SPENCE & HIS GROUP
‘EASY SNAPPING’ / ‘GOIN’ HOME’
(BLUE BEAT, 1960)
The A-side’s offbeat cadence formed a proto-ska rhythm on this early Coxsone production; B-side is standard blues ballad.
03. THE FOLKES BROS / COUNT OSSIE’S AFRO COMBO
‘CAROLINA’ / ‘I MET A MAN’
(BLUE BEAT, 1960)
A landmark that brought Count Ossie’s Africa-influenced Burru drumming to the top of the Jamaican charts; B-side is spiritual Afro-blues.
04. DON DRUMMOND
‘SCHOOLING THE DUKE’ / ‘JET STREAM’
(ALL STARS, 1962; RE-ISSUED ON COXSONE, 1970s)
The A-side’s uncommon melodic arrangement convinced Tommy McCook to lead the Skatalites; B-side is melodic blues. Nice, thick vinyl pressing.
05. THE HEPTONES / JACKIE MITTOO
‘FATTIE FATTIE’ / ‘JUMP FOR JOY’
(COXSONE , 1967)
Suggestive A-side, often adapted in later eras, shows rocksteady on the wane; B-side is organ creeper. Solid pressing.
06. LEE ‘KING’ PERRY / SUGAR & WATER
‘PEOPLE FUNNY BOY’ / ‘HE DON’T LOVE YOU’
(UPSET, 1968)
The A-side, perhaps the first reggae, is one of the period’s wildest; the B-side (some copies mislabelled) is a spirited take on soul standard.
07. HOPETON LEWIS & HUGH ROY / TOMMY McCOOK & THE SUPERSONICS
‘TOM DRUNK’ / ‘MABROUK’
(TREASURE ISLE, 1971)
Bizarre mutation of Guess Who hit is given the deejay treatment by U-Roy; McCook’s B-sdie is a chilling sax instrumental.
08. NINEY & THE OBSERVERS / THE OBSERVERS
‘BLOOD & FIRE’ / ‘MUD & WATER’
(OBSERVERS, 1971)
Landmark minimalist recording by oddball producer/vocalist, paving the way for declamatory roots reggae; B-side is accentuated dub.
09. THE BURNING SPEARS / KARL BRYAN & THE AFROKATS
‘NEW CIVILIZATION’ / ‘MONEY GENERATOR’
(IRONSIDE, 1972)
One of Spear’s brightest, most optimistic numbers is backed by positively eerie soprano sax instrumental on top-quality vinyl pressing.
10. PAT SATCHMO / LLOYD & KERRY
‘WHAT’S GOING ON’ / ‘TUBBY’S IN FULL SWING’
(HIGH SCHOOL, 1972)
A-side is Jamaican rendition of Mavin Gaye; B-side has false Staple Singers intro that descends into trombone madness. Incredible!
11. DENNIS BROWN / TOMMY McCOOK
‘CHEATER’ / ‘HARVEST IN THE EAST’
(IMPACT!, 1972)
One of Brown’s finest, backed by moody horn version expertly produced by the young Clive Chin. Pressed on heavyweight plastic.
12. JOHNNY CLARKE / THE AG(R)OVATORS
‘JOSHUA’S WORLD’ / ‘HORN VERSION’
(CLOCKTOWER, 1974)
Stunning ‘flyers’ anthem warning of Gun Court peril; B-side is riveting trombone cut. Thin, crisp vinyl press.
13. JACOB MILLER / AUGUSTUS PABLO
‘BABY I LOVE YOU SO’ / ‘KING TUBBY MEETS THE ROCKERS UPTOWN’
(ISLAND, 1975)
A-side is nice enough, but the flip is a sonic landmark as Tubby dubs Pablo’s melodica to higher heights.
14. THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS
‘RIGHT TIME’ / ‘I NEED A ROOF’ / ‘BACK WEH [MAFIA]’ / ‘COUNTRY LIVING’
(BLACK WAX, 1973)
Four harmonic killers from the Diamonds at Channel One crammed onto a nicely centred seven-inch, heralding the new ‘rockers’ phase.
15. ANSEL COLLINS
‘STALAG 17’ / VERSION
(RILEY INC, 1976)
Organ thriller ‘Stalag’ first surfaced on the flip of a Big Youth track; this clean pressing features a compelling dub.
16. MA
X
ROMEO / THE UPSETTER
‘WAR IN A BABYLON IT SIPPLE OUT DEH’ / ‘REVELATION DUB’
(UPSETTERS, 1976)
Roots reggae at its finest; Romeo warns of a slippery society under siege; Perry dubs the flip into oblivion.
17.JIMMY RILEY/ SLY & ROBBIE & THE REVOLUTIONARIES
‘LOVE & DEVOTION’ / ‘DRUNKING MASTER’
(TAXI, 1979)
Sly & Robbie’s melodic rhythm pushes Riley into sonic overdrive ; B-side accentuates the arriving dancehall form.
18. PAPA MICHIGAN & GENERAL SMILEY
‘ONE LOVE JAM DOWN’
(56 HOPE ROAD, 1980)
A-side is wonderful salutation of the way reggae music cuts across social and cultural barriers; B-side is echoing dub masterpiece.
19. TENOR SAW
‘PUMPKIN BELLY’ / ‘VERSION SLENG TENG’
(JAMMYS, 1983)
Saw wails proverbs on the best vocal cut of the mighty Sleng Teng riddim; B-side shows the computer as invincible.
20. COCOA TEA
‘BURN SATAN’ / VERSION
(XTERMINATOR, 1998)
Tea gets straight to the point on chilling anti-Pope/QEII/New World Order-burning anthem: an exquisite niyabinghi with digital accentuation, fantastically balanced.
David Katz
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simon