A great Spear track from the Jack Ruby era, harder than the best! Credited as the “Burning Spears” on the label most likely because the group was a trio at the time.
Tag Archives: Spear
‘Black Slavery Days: The Sound of Saint Anns’
The album ‘Black Slavery Days: The Sound of Saint Anns,’ originally produced by Jack Ruby in 1975 and subsequently released on Lister Hewan-Lowe’s Clappers label (recently re-issued by Honest Jons) is one of those records that collectors are always looking for. The album, recorded entirely in St, Anns (birthplace of both Winston Rodney and Bob Marley) includes black empowerment anthems inna roots reggae style by the Skulls, The Mercenarys, The Arrows, Original Survivors, with riddims provided by The Clappers All-Stars.
Clappers is well-known for releasing only the rarest, most underground, most sought after records around. To my knowledge, they have only released <10 albums in more than 30 years, including Yabby You’s African Queen (many thanks to Randall Grass at Shanachie for that nugget). I have previously shared another Clappers classic, 1975′s ‘Jack Ruby Hi-Fi.‘
On the Clappers albums, everything is communicated on the hand drawn cover. Here is what is written on ‘Black Slavery Days: The Sound of Saint Anns:’
Many groups have originated out of Ochi Rios. e.g. Burning Spear. Lots of them are totally unknown until a militant Record Company that is anti corporate decided to give the Black Breadrin a break in this time. The group Arrows is a perfect e.g. Arrows features the great Burning Spears brother Elias Rodney. Many record companies refuse to touch their songs. But we at Clappers defend Black Militancy, Seen!
Black Slavery Days was a big hit on the Ochi Rios sound system scene. Sounds such as Soulsville Sounds System used to feature it in their set. Skulls lead singer, Tony Thomas worte all their tunes. Tony used to sing with the original Justin Hinds & the Dominos group.
THE ORIGINAL SURVIVORS, Lead vocalist Jah Blue Evans began his reggae career in the original Burning Spear group. Their sound is typical of what this album is about.
“The Sound Of Saint Anns” (T. S. O. S. A.) also released as
“Black Slavery Days: The Sound Of Saint Anns”
Record date : 1975
Label: Clappers
The Skulls – Black Slavery Days
T.S.O.S.A. – 9 To 5 Dub
The Skulls – Tird World
The Mercenarys – Third World Shuffle
The Arrows – Seek Fire
The Clappers All Stars – How Can A Man Dubwise
The Original Survivors – Come Away Jah Children
T.S.O.S.A. – Theme For Ras’g
The Arrows – Old Broom
The Original Survivors – Beautiful Land
Producer : Jack Ruby
Engineer : Phillip Robinson & Karl Pitterson
Studios :
T.S.O.S.A (St. Ann, JA)
King Tubby & Errol Thompson: Black Foundation In Dub
Included is “Runnin’ Dub” from King Tubby & Errol Thompson Black Foundation in Dub, one of the very best dub albums ever.
Black Foundation In Dub is the instrumental Dub companion to Jack Ruby Presents The Black Foundation and features the dubbing brilliance of the legendary King Tubby among others. The original tracks featured Justin Hinds and the Dominoes, and The Heptones as well as other groups in the Jack Ruby stable. Contains an hour of dub music. ~heartbeatreggae.com
Check It’s Coming Out of Your Speaker…
Tracklist:
1. Marcus Garvey Dub
2. Jah Jah Dub
3. Time Hard
4. Creation
5. Patient Dub
6. African Brightright
7. Running Dub
8. Track Dub
9. Slavery Days Dub
10. Dub Upright
11. Dub In Time
12. Nubia
13. Bawling
14. Burning
15. Harvest
16. Dubn Of Tomorrow
17. Warning Version
Mixing Engineers: King Tubby, Errol Thompson, Sylvan Morris, Chris Wilson
Arranger: Jack Ruby
Producer: Jack Ruby
Backing Band: The Black Disciples
Drums: Horsemouth Wallace, Santa Davis
Bass: Robbie Shakespeare, Aston Barrett
Guitar: Leonard White, Tony Chin, Ranchie
Lead Guitar: Earl Chinna Smith
Keyboards: Bernard Touter Harvey, Earl Wire Lindo
Tenor Saxophone: Tommy McCook, Dirty Harry
Alto Saxophone: Herman Marquis
Trumpet: Bobby Ellis
Flute: Carlton Samuels
Trombone: Vin Gordon
Percussion: Sticky
Recording Studios: Channel One (Kingston, JA), Randy’s (Kingston, JA), Harry J (Kingston, JA), Joe Gibbs (Kingston, JA), Federal (Kingston, JA)
International Year Of The Rasta Child
It is 1979 and Bob Marley and the Wailers are back from their tour of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the U.S. to play Reggae Sunsplash in July and a benefit at the National Arena to honor the International Year of the Rasta Child on Friday, August 18, 1979. Also performing is an artist who recently went solo from his very popular reggae group – Burning Spear. So yes, Bob Marley and Burning Spear have shared the same stage, in fact, they shared it twice in 1979 – once at Reggae Sunsplash and again at the International Year of the Rasta Child concert.
Interesting note, Marley and Spear hail from the same province – St. Annes. It was Marley, only ten years earlier in 1969, who directed Spear to follow music as a career and introduced him to Clement “Coxsone” Dodd at Studio One. Spear, along with his band mates, show up at Studio One and record a strange sounding tune with The Black Disciples called “Door Peep Shall Not Enter.” The rest is reggae history.
From the Midnight Dread Archives: Linton Kwesi Johnson, Mutabaruka, and Cutty Ranks
Also in this exclusive article from the Midnight Dread archives is a shout out to Burning Spear’s “new” cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Estimated Prophet.” If you’ve never heard Spear’s cover, do yourself a favor and find it and listen right now. You don’t want to live life another minute without hearing this wonder of a song.
See Linton Kwesi Johnson and Dennis Bovell this Saturday, June 23, 2012 at the Sierra Nevada Music Festival in Boonville, CA. This will be their only appearance! Don’t miss the living legends!
Please visit www.midnightdread.com for more archives, including interviews, music, and more!
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