March 2009

<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--> Beginning as many engineers, at a young age Hopeton Brown (aka the Scientist) became fascinated by building amplifiers. And oddly enough, the electronics shop that he frequented was owned by the venerable King Tubby. Over time, the Scientist collected enough gumption to ask for a gig mixing records for the producer. And resultantly, the young musical manipulator was actually first given a gig as a repair man. This was before the two conducted numerous conversations about the science of dub and mixing in general.

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<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--> This post is a direct response to Lord a Mercy who commented on a previous post (HERE) by saying the following:

This continual denigration of modern dancehall as being “little more” than homophobia/misogyny is a little tiring. Move beyond the stereotype, stop fetishising (sic) old reggae, and get hip to the new sounds.

Initially, I simply dismissed this seeing as really anything I write here is only an opinion. And those that disagree are more than entitled to believe and express their own thoughts. I do appreciate folks commenting here and I hope that a genuine dialogue results.

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The name Chris Blackwell doesn’t really resonate with most of the music community. It’s an odd thing as well, considering that the label that he founded – Island Records – in 1959 has counted amongst its acts the largest selling reggae artist of all time as well as a little band you may be familiar with called U2. And regardless of what you think of that latter act, the manner in which Island has spread Jamaican music and culture is really the reason that the music is an international sound at this point instead of being cloistered on that island.

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<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--> Every genre has its pitfalls. And a great deal of the dancehall genre is little more than verbal explications of sexual exploits, overt homophobia and misogynistic nonsense. That being said, though, there’re a great deal of early dance hall recordings that can stand next to any classic roots recording and not look too shabby.

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<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--> As a ska enthusiast acclimatizing one’s self to the genre after the ‘80s, the Specials are generally one of the points of entry. Their first album – produced by Elvis Costello – released in 1979 gave the 2-Tone movement a grail of sorts. That disc, though, is made up of a great number of appropriated musical statements.

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<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--> Born in 1948, Winston Rodney hailed from the same area of Jamaica as Bob Marley as well as Marcus Garvey. And while his career would eventually encompass aspects of both men’s lives, Rodney had a few albums to get through before being hailed as a cultural revolutionary.

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<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE &lt;![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]&gt; &lt;![endif]--> The bursting of the American ska bubble really made it difficult for groups to carry on past any point in the late ‘90s. And most of the folks touring and playing this type of music now aren’t doing so in the same configuration as just a decade ago. Band’s life spans have been drastically affected – it’s not anyone’s fault, but playing ska (or at least incorporating that style into one’s work) doesn’t really garner any extra gigs nowadays.

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