Jamaica Observer
The ''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by ...
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
deejay
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals), mobile DJ ...
.
Biography
Scorcher worked as a deejay on several
sound systems Sound system may refer to:
Technology media
* Sound reinforcement system, a system for amplifying audio for an audience
* High fidelity, a sound system intended for accurate reproduction of music in the home
* Public address system, an institution ...
from the early 1970s. Although his first single, "Leggo Mi Hand
Babylon
Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...
" was not a commercial success, he had several hits in the mid-1970s with tracks such as "Jolly Bus-Ting" and "Engineers Affair".Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, In 1978 his profile was raised further by his "Peace Truce" single, which celebrated the
armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
between rival
political faction
A political faction is a group of people with a common political purpose, especially a subgroup of a political party that has interests or opinions different from the rest of the political party. Intragroup conflict between factions can lead to ...
s that would culminate in the ''
One Love Peace Concert
The One Love Concert (OLPC) was a large concert held on 22 April 1978 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's ...
''. The same year, Scorcher joined
Nicodemus
Nicodemus (; ; ; ; ) is a New Testament figure venerated as a saint in a number of Christian traditions. He is depicted as a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin who is drawn to hear Jesus's teachings. Like Lazarus of Bethany, Lazarus, Nicode ...
Prince Jammy
Lloyd Woodrowe James (born 26 October 1947),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", 1997, Rough Guides, better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a Jamaican dub mixer, sound system owner and record producer. He began hi ...
's ''Tapetone'' sound system, which soon became Jamaica's top system. His first album, ''Rasta Fire'', was also released on the
United Artists
United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...
offshoot Ballistic, on which he was backed by
The Revolutionaries
The Revolutionaries (sometimes known as "Revolutionaires") was a Jamaican reggae band.
Career
Set up in 1975 as the house band of the Channel One Studios owned by Joseph Hoo Kim, The Revolutionaries with Sly Dunbar on drums and Bertram "Ranchi ...
. In 1979 he had a hit with "Roach in a De Corner" (on the "
Real Rock
"Real Rock" is an instrumental reggae song by the Jamaican band Sound Dimension. It was recorded in 1967 at Jamaica Recording Studio in Kingston, Jamaica, and released as a single in 1968 by Studio One. The song was produced by Clement "Coxsone ...
" rhythm), which was followed by the similar "Frog In a Water" (on the "My Conversation" rhythm),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Guides, both songs appearing on his 1980 album ''Roach In A De Corner''. He worked with
Ansell Collins
Ansel Collins is a Jamaican musician, composer, singer, songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Dave Barker as Dave and Ansel Collins.
Biography
Born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica, He also set up his own ''Scorcher'' label and began production work on both his own recordings and for artists such as
Tony Tuff
Winston Anthony Morris (1 April 1955 – 20 April 2024), known professionally as Tony Tuff, was a Jamaican conscious roots reggae singer and a member of The African Brothers in the late 1960s and 1970s before embarking on a solo career.
Biogr ...
.
Discography
Albums
*''Rasta Fire'' (1978)
United Artists
United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...
/Ballistic
*''
Tony Tuff
Winston Anthony Morris (1 April 1955 – 20 April 2024), known professionally as Tony Tuff, was a Jamaican conscious roots reggae singer and a member of The African Brothers in the late 1960s and 1970s before embarking on a solo career.
Biogr ...
Meets Errol Scorcher'' (1978) Mal's (split with
Tony Tuff
Winston Anthony Morris (1 April 1955 – 20 April 2024), known professionally as Tony Tuff, was a Jamaican conscious roots reggae singer and a member of The African Brothers in the late 1960s and 1970s before embarking on a solo career.
Biogr ...
)
*''Roach In A De Corner'' (1980) Scorcher
*''Unity Showcase'' (1980) 12 Stars (
Horace Andy
Horace Andy (born Horace Keith Hinds, 19 February 1951) is a Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as " Skylarking", as well as "Government Land", "Angel", "Spying Glass", and "Five Ma ...
and Errol Scorcher)
Singles
*"Leggo Mi Hand
Babylon
Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...
"
*"Jolly Bus-Ting"
*"Engineers Affair"
*"Peace
Truce
A ceasefire (also known as a truce), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...
" (1978)
*"Steppin" (1978) Ballistic
*"Roach In a De Corner" (1979) Sir Collins
*"Frog In A Water" (1979)
*"Girls Be Careful"/"Roach in the Toilet" (1980), Scorcher
*"Mosquitoes" (1980)
*"Sounds of Hon. Marley" (1980) Dance Hall
*"Rope In" Scorcher
*"Borrow Man" Scorcher
*" DJ Spirit" Scorcher
*"Scorcher Possie" (1981) Volcano
*"Under Me" (1981) Crazy Joe
*"Wife & Sweetheart" (1981) Techniques
*"Rude Boy Step"
*"Letting Go"
*"Prisoner In Love" (1983) Bridget International