SIR COLLINS 7" 45 RPM - PART 1
DKR-153 - INVADERS - YOU TOUCH MY SOUL / VERSION
DKR-154 - SIR HARRY - POWER HOUSE / VERSION
DKR-158 - INVADERS - STORY OF LOVE / HOLY MOUNTAIN
Proudly announcing our Sir Collins reissue series, featuring some of the deepest and rarest early roots reggae, straight from master tapes. Clancy Collins aka Sir Collins must be now, one of the longest active producers in reggae music, with a history in the music stretching back to the 1950's. His body of work as a producer touches Jamaica, England, and even America, and begins in the ska era, right up to the present day. From a collector's point of view, much of his discography is as elusive and confusing as it is legendary, with many very rare blank-label-only releases and tricky catalog numbers. For this first collaboration with the Collins family, we've chose six of our favorite records from Collins oeuvre, all of which you might loosely describe as 'early roots reggae', and all of which were in desperate need of reissue and rediscovery. From our previous releases by them on the Ujama and Invader imprints (still available, see here!), by now you must know we love The Invaders. Though little is recalled about this harmony group from Trenchtown & Greenwich Farm, their small output during the 1970's was deadly enough, cutting records for Studio One (mostly as harmonizers), Prince Jazzbo, GG's, Lloyd 'Printer' Campbell, and most notably, Sir Collins. "You Touch My Soul" is something of legend among collectors and Studio 1 fiends alike. Sir Collins had the distinction of being among a handful of outside producers to have rented Coxsone Dodd's Studio 1, and produced his own music there. "You Touch My Soul" is one such record, unmistakably by its sound, cut at Brentford Road. A deep, uptempo rhythm underpins the Invaders beautiful vocals, while a majestic trombone comes in and out of the mix. The flipside of the record features a straight instrumental version of the rhythm, as originally only released on the very rare NY issue of the tune on the Waricka label (the UK issue on Sir Collins' own Music Wheel label was on a 4-track EP including other vocal cuts by other artists, and no version). The next tune, "Power House" by Sir Harry, another rare beast from the vaults. This track is alternately know by several names, usually based on the cryptic words spoken by Sir Harry in the intro, and bears no real official title, the original release being only on a blank label. The title "Power House" comes from Charlie Morgan's excellent Studio 1 discography, and we've used it here as a nod to his invaluable work. But on to the music, Sir Harry's tune is not so much his own, as the old time chatter only interjects a few odd phrases here and there. Really the tune is a phenomenal instrumental workout on the same rhythm as "You Touch My Soul", with organ and bongo drum overdubs propelling the awesome rhythm forward, while the Invaders' vocals are heard ever so faintly in the background, bleeding thru from the other track on the 2-track master. Rounding out the trio for part 1 is another Invaders 45, "Story of Love" backed with its deejay version, "Holy Mountain." Another tune only released on a blank label originally, and thus the identity of the artists has long been speculated, but the mastertape revealed the mysterious Invaders again! "Story of Love" is an excellent early '70s tune, with great harmonies and organ, the flipside "Holy Mountain" being a deejay version on the same rhythm, with the vocalist chatting thanks and praises in Amharic, roots indeed. Part 2 of Sir Collins reissues, with 3 more killer 45's is soon to come...stay tuned!
Listen tunes:
STOP POINT 7" 45 RPM
DKR-148 - BIG JOE - WEED SPECIALIST / VERSION
DKR-149 - TONY BREVETT - JUST BEEN FEELING BAD / VERSION
Winston Edwards' STOP POINT label was just one imprint used by the producer in the early-mid '70s, as he moved between London and Kingston, releasing music on both fronts. In the UK his productions primarily came on the FAY MUSIC and DIP imprints. The two tunes we've plucked from his catalog for reissue use a familiar and favorite rhythm. Whether it's another lick or simply another mix of the 'Heaven & Earth/Conquering Lion' rhythm (again, see here!), we can't say, and none involved can recall, but it's great stuff either way and we needed to get these back out there to complete the version excursion. Big Joe's toast to the herbman, "Weed Specialist", bears one of our favorite intros to a record ever. Originally released on DIP 7" in the UK, and a blank label pre-release in JA, it was never released with its own dub version, unfortunately. Our man Tony Brevett (also of legendary group The Melodians) recalls Big Joe voicing the tune at King Tubby's! And it's Tony who sings the other cut, "Just Been Feeling Bad", a confessional tune about realizing he's done his woman wrong. This one was released in the UK on Fay Music 7" and on the elusive Miami Records imprint in JA. It features a prominent organ overdub likely done in the UK, but the rhythm and voicing are pure Kingston, JA. Each tune is backed with a straight instrumental version of the Brevett cut, as sadly Tony's tune also never had a proper dub issued.
Listen tunes:
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