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Front Line (record Label)
Front Line was a reggae subsidiary of Virgin Records established in 1978. Over forty albums were issued on the label before it folded in 1979. History Virgin had been releasing reggae records since BB Seaton's "Dancing Shoes" in 1974. By 1975, label owner Richard Branson had begun signing roots reggae artists, and in the three years that followed, Virgin released successful albums by the likes of U-Roy, The Mighty Diamonds, Keith Hudson, Johnny Clarke, Peter Tosh, and I Roy. Johnny Rotten is rumoured to have signed with Virgin because of the company's progressive policy towards reggae. In 1978, Branson decided to form a subsidiary label dedicated wholly to reggae, and called this Front Line. Branson and Rotten travelled to Kingston and signed artists to the label including Prince Far I, Big Youth, Prince Hammer, Tappa Zukie, Sly Dunbar, and The Twinkle Brothers. Many of the artists who had previously released records on Virgin also moved to the new label. Front Line ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), Tom Newman. They grew to be a worldwide success over time, with the success of platinum performers Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Devo, Tangerine Dream, Genesis (band), Genesis, Phil Collins, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, OMD, the Human League, Culture Club, Simple Minds, the Spice Girls, Lenny Kravitz, the Sex Pistols, and Mike Oldfield among others, meaning that by the time it was sold, it was regarded as a major label, alongside other large international independents such as A&M Records, A&M and Island Records. Virgin Records was sold to Thorn EMI in 1992. EMI would later be acquired by Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2012 with UMG creating the Virgin EMI Records division. The Virgin Records name continues to be used by UMG in certain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prince Hammer
Berris Simpson, better known as Prince Hammer, is a Jamaican reggae deejay, singer, and record producer. Biography Simpson was born at the Jubilee Hospital in Kingston and grew up in a Christian family in Kingston.Peter I (2005)Prince Hammer: Life's Trials & Tribulations (interview), reggae-vibes.com, retrieved 29 September 2012 After deejaying on the Vee-Jay sound system in the early 1970s, Simpson initially recorded under his own name (as 'Berris Simpson') in the mid-1970s with producer 'God Son' Glen Brown for whom he recorded "Whole Lot of Sugar" ( also versioned by Sylford Walker as "My Father's Homeland" on the "Lambsbread" album ) and "Tel Aviv Rock", before adopting the 'Prince Hammer' name when he began producing his own recordings on labels that he owned such as Gold Cup and Belva, sold through his own record shop on Orange Street.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p. 229Greene, Jo-Ann''Rastafari Bible'' Review, Allmusic, ret ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Proverbial Reggae
''Proverbial Reggae'' was the second album by Jamaican Roots Reggae band The Gladiators, recorded and released in 1978 on Virgin Records' Front Line imprint British dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson has said the songs on ''Proverbial Reggae'' "combine intelligent, poetic lyrics with majestic melodies, enchanting harmonies, producing inspired, entertaining meaningful music."Linton Kwesi Johnson, Liner Notes to "Proverbial Reggae, Virgin Records, 1978 Track listing All songs by Albert Griffiths unless noted. Side One # "Jah Works" - 3.30 # "The Best Things in Life" - 4.02 # "Dreadlocks the Time is Now" - 3.03 # "Fly Away" - 3.45 # "Marvel Not" - 3.54 (Clinton Fearon) Side Two # "Stick a Bush" - 2.27 # "Stop Before You Go" - 3.00 # "Can You Imagine How I Feel" - 4.10 (Clinton Fearon) # "We'll Find the Blessing" - 3.02 # "Music Makers from Jamaica" - 3.40 Personnel *"Prince" Tony Robinson - Producer *Albert Griffiths - Lead Guitar, Vocals * Clinton Fearon - Bass Guitar, Vocals *Ga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDINGS VIEW; Gregory Isaacs, the Ruler of Reggae" ''The New York Times'', 2 February 1992.Kiviat, Steve (1996),Gregory Isaacs, ''Washington City Paper'', 6 – 12 December 1996 (Vol. 16, No. 49). Early career In his teenage years, Isaacs became a veteran of the talent contests that regularly took place in Jamaica. In 1968, he made his recording debut as Winston Sinclair, with the single "Another Heartache", recorded for producer Byron Lee. The single sold poorly and Isaacs went on to team up with Errol Dunkley to start the African Museum record label and shop, and soon had a hit with "My Only Lover", credited as the first lovers' rock record ever made. He recorded for other producers to finance further African Museum recordings, having a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Culture (band)
Culture are a Jamaican roots reggae group founded in 1976. Originally they were known as the African Disciples. The one constant member until his death in 2006 was Joseph Hill (musician), Joseph Hill. History The group formed in 1976 as the vocal trio of Joseph Hill (formerly a percussionist in Studio One (record label), Studio One house band the Soul Defenders), his cousin Albert "Ralph" Walker, and Roy "Kenneth" Dayes, initially using the name The African Disciples.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 83-85 Roy Dayes also used the name "Kenneth Paley", which is the name that appears on the Culture records released by Virgin Records. The African Disciples soon changed their name to Culture, and auditioned successfully for the "Mighty Two": producer Joe Gibbs (record producer), Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson (audio engineer), Errol Thompson. While at Gibbs' studio, they recorded a series of singles, starting with "See Dem a Come" and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vivian Weathers
Vivian may refer to: * Vivian (name), a given name and also a surname Places * Vivian, Louisiana, U.S. * Vivian, South Dakota, U.S. * Vivian, West Virginia, U.S. * Vivian Island, Nunavut, Canada * Ballantrae, Ontario, a hamlet in Stouffville, Ontario, formerly known as Vivian Other * ''Vivian'' (album), an album by Vivian Green * Vivian (''Paper Mario''), a ''Paper Mario'' character * Vivian & Sons, a British metallurgical and chemicals business based at Hafod, in the lower Swansea valley * , an Empire F type coaster originally named ''Empire Farjeon'', in service in Greece from 1966-87 See also * Saint-Vivien (other) * Vivien (other) Vivien may refer to: * Vivien (name), variant spelling * Vivien, Western Australia, an abandoned town in Australia * , a British destroyer launched in 1918 and sold in 1947 for scrapping See also * Saint-Vivien (other) * Vivienne * ... * Viviana (other) * Vivianite, a mineral * * { ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Abyssinians
The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group, famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement in their lyrics. History The vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning. Their first song was " Satta Massagana", which was strongly influenced by Carlton Manning's "Happy Land". "Satta Massagana" is a Rastafarian hymn sung partly in the Ethiopian Amharic language. They recruited a third vocalist, who was still at school and often unable to attend rehearsals; he was soon replaced by Donald's brother Lynford Manning, who like Donald had previously been a member of their brother Carlton Manning's group Carlton and The Shoes. "Satta Massagana" was first recorded for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd in March 1969, but he decided against releasing it, seeing no commercial potential for what he saw as a song constituting cultural subversion. In 1971, the group purchased the master tapes from Dodd for £90 and released it on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Althea & Donna
Althea & Donna were a Jamaican reggae vocal duo, consisting of Althea Rose Forrest and Donna Marie Reid. They are best known for their 1977 single "Uptown Top Ranking", which was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom in 1978. Career The Jamaican teenage singers Althea Forrest and Donna Reid – then 17 and 18 years old respectively – caused a chart surprise when their reggae song "Uptown Top Ranking" became a no. 1 hit in the UK singles chart in February 1978. They released the album of the same name in 1978, backed by The Revolutionaries, on the Virgin Records subsidiary Front Line, The album was produced by Karl Pitterson. The duo recorded several more singles with little success. In 2001, Caroline Records reissued the album, ''Uptown Top Ranking''. Discography Albums * ''Uptown Top Ranking'' (1978), Virgin/Front Line Singles * "Uptown Top Ranking" (1977), Lightning/Joe Gibbs/Warners (1978), Virgin * "Love One Another" (1978), Lightning/Joe Gibbs/Warners * "Puppy Dog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jah Lloyd
Jah Lloyd, aka Jah Lion, The Black Lion of Judah, and Jah Ali (29 August 1947 – 12 June 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer, deejay and producer. Biography Patrick Lloyd Francis was born in Point Hill, Saint Catherine Parish in 1947.Katz, David (1999) "Obituary: Pat Francis The sound of dub and Rastafarian praise in Jamaican", ''The Guardian'', 26 June 1999 His mother died when he was eight, and he lived with his father, a farmer. After leaving school at the age of twelve he moved to Kingston and settled in Trench Town. Francis began his career in the mid-1960s as a singer in The Mediators along with Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson, and worked as a solo singer with tracks such as "Soldier Round the Corner" and "Know Yourself Blackman" recorded for producer Rupie Edwards.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, In the early 1970s, he worked as a record salesman before turning to production, recording the early efforts by Simpson's new group The Diamond ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Gladiators (band)
The Gladiators are a Jamaican roots reggae band, most popular during the 1970s. The core was Albert Griffiths (reggae artist), Albert Griffiths (lead guitar and vocals; born 1945, died 15 December 2020), Clinton Fearon (bass guitar and vocals) and Gallimore Sutherland (rhythm guitar and vocals). Their two most famous albums are ''Trenchtown Mix Up'' (1976) and ''Proverbial Reggae'' (1978) with songs such as "Hearsay", "Jah Works", "Dreadlocks the Time is Now". "Mix Up", "Music Makers from Jamaica", and "Soul Rebel" – a song written by The Wailers (1963-1974 band), The Wailers. Gladiators also cooperated with the Deejay (Jamaican), toaster U-Roy. History Albert Griffiths, singer and guitar player, was the founder of the reggae group The Gladiators. After some success with the singles "You Are The Girl" (a A-side and B-side, b-side to The Ethiopians' hit record "Train to Skaville") in 1967, he recruited his childhood friends David Webber and Errol Grandison in 1968 to form the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Compact Disc
The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. It employs the Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA) standard and was capable of holding of uncompressed stereo audio. First released in Japan in October 1982, the CD was the second optical disc format to reach the market, following the larger LaserDisc (LD). In later years, the technology was adapted for computer data storage as CD-ROM and subsequently expanded into various writable and multimedia formats. , over 200 billion CDs (including audio CDs, CD-ROMs, and CD-Rs) had been sold worldwide. Standard CDs have a diameter of and typically hold up to 74 minutes of audio or approximately of data. This was later regularly extended to 80 minutes or by reducing the spacing between data tracks, with some discs unofficially reaching up to 99 minutes or which falls outside established specifications. Smaller variants, such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
