The Return of Blue Riddim!: Band Readies First New Album In 25 Years

It is with great excitement that I'm able to announce that Blue Riddim Band is readying the release of their first new album in 25 years! For those of you in the know, this is truly an achievement for a band that has persevered and stayed true and devoted to its love of reggae. For the uninitiated, read on and join the celebration!

While reggae has become a global phenomenon, the idea of an American reggae band has often been hard for a lot of music fans to comprehend. However, very few groups have played reggae as convincingly as the Blue Riddim Band who hail from Kansas City. Drawing on influences from Coxson Dodd's Studio One label and Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, Blue Riddim has flourished for four decades by mastering the rhythms that are the basis for all Jamaican music. While other non-Jamaican reggae bands have fallen into the trap of trying to reproduce the crossover sound of Bob Marley and The Wailers, Blue Riddim became students and later experts who could play a range of ska, rock steady, and rockers reggae like the originals they pay homage to on their new album.

At their height in the early 1980's, Blue Riddim had the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at Reggae Sunsplash. Their blazing set of ska and reggae covers and originals as dawn was rising over Jarrett Park on August 15, 1982 is legendary. They earned two encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their 'blue eyed reggae.' Their Sunsplash performance was recorded for the LP 'Alive In Jamaica' released in 1984 which was later nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album in 1985 (see video of the band performing 'Nancy Reagan'). Let that sink in for a minute. The band was nominated for a Grammy!

Shortly after achieving the validation that came with a Grammy nomination, the band was hit by a series of trials and tribulations that made it almost impossible for them to build on the momentum that should have made them household names and stars. Indeed, the reggae historian Roger Steffens has said, "All the attention that UB40 ever got, it should have been lavished on Blue Riddim." Sadly is was not to be. First the band fell into a legal dispute with unscrupulous management that left them broke and unable to use their band name. Then the band was hit by the untimely death's of its co-frontmen Bob Zohn and Scotty Korchak. Lesser band's may have given up. However Blue Riddim has persevered and their legacy as the best American reggae band of all time remains intact.

Now 25 years on, the band have finally regained the right to use their name again and they have re-emerged with a brand new album. 'Tribute' is a complete re-birth for the band, who have linked up with producer Kyle Dykes (A.K.A Leonard Dstroy) who urged them to record new material. Dykes father Jimmy had played in a few Blue Riddim Band spin-offs (Nu Riddim Band and Strategic Dance Initiative -- and appears on the new record), so he had an in with a band that was still reeling from the death of its long time front man Scott Korchak who passed away in September 2007.

I recently connected with the band's bassist Todd 'Bebop' Burd who filled me on the new album and the band's plans to celebrate.

Which original members of the band are featured on this new recording? What's the line-up of the band that recorded the new album?
The guys from the original band are Steve “Duck” McLane (drums) and Jack “Blacky” Blackett (sax). I play the bass and joined in 1983. Jimmy Becker (harmonica) makes a cameo appearance on the CD (he played on the 'Alive In Jamaica' album) .

The band also includes:
Keyboards : Dan Burgner, Joe Miqulion
Guitar : Jimmy Dykes
Trumpet : Jack Lightfoot
Trombone : Chris Bartak
Vocals : Edward Turner

What was the inspiration behind the newly recorded 'Tribute' album?
The inspiration behind 'Tribute' is simply that, a tribute. A tribute to our fallen comrades in our own band and to the originators of rocksteady and dub. All of whom got little or no recognition. This is our tip of the hat to our brothers and mentors. Also, we want to make the point that there is at least one band that can re-create music from that era (`65 to `69) without assistance from computer programs.

This whole project was not planned. Nothing about it was planned out. The new CD, its all something that seemed to come about on its own. To keep an air of rawness, the band was not informed what songs were to be recorded prior to the actual recording session. I kept the air conditioning off and we used a minimal amount of mics. My thought was that recording conditions should be a bit physically uncomfortable to re-create some of the conditions that existed at Studio One and try to catch a vibe that way. For the most part, it seems to have worked.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

The CD was recorded, mixed, and mastered all here in Kansas City. It was produced by me and Leonard Dstroy. Leonard also engineered and mixed it.

What songs did you select to record and why? Who were the original artists that recorded them?
After a thorough scouring of the archives, (i.e. Studio One/Treasure Isle), we arrived at the following selection of songs.

1. Mr. Dub is a Channel One instrumental version of a Horrace Andy song. Original title track unknown
2. Black Stick Rock is originally 'Love Without Feeling' by The Heptones.
3. Only A Dub is an instrumental version of the classic, 'Only A Smile' by The Parragons.
4. Skaravan is a ska version of the classic 'Caravan' by Duke Ellington.
5. Ba-Ba-Boom is by The Jamaicans.
6. Money Maker is an instrumental version of The Heptones, 'Fatty Fatty Riddim'.
7. Ramble is by Rico Rodriguez
8. Drifting is an instrumental version of the “Mudie” label classic 'Drifter' by Dennis Walks.
9. Dub and Learn is an instrumental version of the Alton Ellis classic ;Live and Learn'.
10. Queen of the Rub is originally 'Queen of the Minstrel' by Cornell Campbell.

Below is video from earlier this year of the band performing the track 'Ba-Ba-Boom' from 'Tribute'.

The band just recently secured the rights to use its name again. Can you share a little bit about the long legal battle over the band name and how you finally got it back?
As far as the legal battle concerning the use of the band name and how we got it back. One word: Attrition. We won because we are the last men standing.
　
Are there any plans to re-release your back catalog including 'Restless Spirit'. 'Alive In Jamaica' and 'Nancy Reagan'?
The new CD will be released on “Riddim Records” our own record label, with some celebration in late July or early August. I’ll let you know once we get the exact date. We’re also going to re- release Restless Spirit, Alive Jamaica, and A Major Label-EP on the same label.

Is the band playing any shows to celebrate the release of the album? Are any tour dates planned?
The new release will help to rekindle interest in the band, welcoming a new audience while rallying our established fan base. We have been playing around Kansas City, MO every eight weeks or so, and have recently headlined the Prairie Vibrations reggae festival in Lincoln, NE. Although no major tours are scheduled they are certainly not out of the realm of possibility . We are hopeful that the new project will help create touring opportunities. Roger Steffens is writing the liner notes, and Carter Van Pelt is writing an updated bio. We are going to start with cd`s and the digital download thing. We might go ahead and press a limited amount of vinyl as well. Since we are financing thing thing ourselves, it is a matter of acquiring the capital as we proceed.

You can download two free tracks from 'Tribute' -- 'Mr Dub' and 'Only A Dub' from the band's Web site.

Blue Riddim Band Release New Single From Forthcoming Album "Enter The Riddim"

Blue Riddim Band is readying the release of their latest album "Blue Riddim Band Meets Rougher All Stars: Enter The Riddim." The album is due out in September on Rougher Records and is a follow-up to their fantastic 2010 album "Tribute." The first single from the album "Do Me Like That" featuring Roy Sahyantis is out now and available for download on iTunes and from Rougher Records.



According to Blur Riddim bassist Todd "Bebop" Burd: "We've talked with Roy for over ten years about collaborating, and then everything came together. He hails from Kingston, Jamaica, and lives part time here in Kansas City, MO.  He contributed lyrics to the Black Uhuru album "Anthem", including the title track.  It is also well known within the inner circles of reggae that Roy named the band, "Black Uhuru." Having worked primarily as a lyricist, Roy expressed a desire to finally sing his own song. We're excited about this track and have plans to record again with him in the future." The new single and the album is a collaboration between Blue Riddim with the Rougher All Stars and features a variety of singers and players from all of the labels' projects as well as individuals the band have worked with over time.

While reggae has become a global phenomenon, the idea of an American reggae band has often been hard for a lot of music fans to comprehend. However, very few groups have played reggae as convincingly as the Blue Riddim Band who hail from Kansas City. Drawing on influences from Coxson Dodd's Studio One label and Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, Blue Riddim has flourished for four decades by mastering the rhythms that are the basis for all Jamaican music. While other non-Jamaican reggae bands have fallen into the trap of trying to reproduce the crossover sound of Bob Marley and The Wailers, Blue Riddim became students and later experts who could play a range of ska, rock steady, and rockers reggae like the originals that inspired them.

At their height in the early 1980's, Blue Riddim had the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at Reggae Sunsplash. Their blazing set of ska and reggae covers and originals as dawn was rising over Jarrett Park on August 15, 1982 is legendary. They earned two encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their 'blue eyed reggae.' Their Sunsplash performance was recorded for the LP 'Alive In Jamaica' released in 1984 which was later nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album in 1985 (see video below of the band performing 'Nancy Reagan'). Let that sink in for a minute. The band was nominated for a Grammy!



Blue Riddim Band perform at Reggae Fest in Rock Island, IL on August 9th and at the Midwest Reggae Fest in Cleveland, OH on August 10th.

Blue Riddim Band - America's First Reggae Band

A few weeks ago I called The Untouchables America's first ska band. In that same vein the Blue Riddim Band were America's first reggae band. I picked up their only LP "Restless Spirit" at the famous Princeton Record Exchange in the mid-80's on a whim and it became a staple on my turntable. They had a minor underground hit with "Nancy Reagan" in the mid-80s and they also recorded a great and very hard-to-find 12" remix of the song featuring Ranking Roger called "Nancy Goes To Moscow."

Never heard of them you say? Well then you are in for a treat. This group of blue eyed, white dudes from Lawrence Kansas have the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at a Reggae Sunsplash concert. Their 1982 set as dawn was rising over the stage is legendary and they earned 2 encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their "blue eyed reggae." They toured the US non-stop in the mid-80's. Their Sunsplash performace was nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album. Chances are if you were in college at that time and had a penchant for reggae you crossed paths with BRB.

Here is a great read on the band written by Mike Warren in The Pitch in 2002, a Kansas City entertainment newspaper. Unfortunately singer and trumpet player Scott Korchak passed away in September 2007.

Twenty-three years ago, Bob Marley played Hoch Auditorium at the University of Kansas. Local fans knew and loved Marley's music, but their regular exposure to roots-reggae came from the opening act, Pat's Blue Riddim Band, and that group's frequent visits to KC's Parody Hall and Lawrence's Off the Wall Hall. Kansas City's PBR, as it was, and frequently still is, affectionately known, held its own with the king of reggae that night.

Pat's Blue Riddim Band had a reg-gay old time in the 70's. "We were the first guys down the pike -- we had that opportunity," longtime Blue Riddim drummer Steve "Duck" McLane says, warm memories audible in his voice. "What was really cool [in our career] was having a chance to open for Bob Marley, Sly and Robbie, and Black Uhuru. Every night we'd get clobbered by them, but we'd climb up another notch. It was a real chop-builder."

In its earliest incarnations, PBR consisted of friends who graduated from Shawnee Mission East in '67 and '68. "We were born out of that late-'60s Kansas City scene -- the Vanguard, the Aquarius -- places where people were hanging out," McLane says. "We'd all played jazz and R&B together, in all different kinds of aggregations." McLane, who started hearing reggae when he played in New York and south Florida in the early '70s, immediately knew it was something he wanted to do.

"I came back to KC and said, 'We really ought to try to play some reggae music,'" McLane explains. "It was big-time dance music, and we all love dance music, so we started experimenting. By '74, we had something that was workable, a band called Rhythm Funkshun. That band, basically a rhythm section version of what became PBR, broke up because it was a little bit ahead of its time.

"About a year and a half later, we started PBR," McLane continues. "We were playing 10 percent ska, 10 percent calypso, maybe 25 percent straight-up R&B, and the rest of it would be reggae. People were just everywhere, on top of each other, dancing."

During the early '80s, PBR toured nonstop, burning through two vans and 42 of 50 states. "We just had our nose to the grindstone and never stopped," McLane says. "We really should have taken more time out to record, but it was 'dollar a day, give us what you can' and keep moving. When it got to the point where we could actually play it good, we made a record [1981's Restless Spirit]."

PBR made several trips to Jamaica, where it learned from the genre's best practitioners. "Jamaican musicians are really approachable, and we'd hang out with them -- a cultural exchange," McLane explains. Equally accessible were Jamaican DJs. "When I flew down there in late '81, I brought a box of 25 records, and I thought, What the hell. I'll drive them up to [Kingston radio stations] RJR and JBC. While I was driving to JBC, I heard the song come over RJR -- and I just about drove off the road. I thought, I'm driving around Jamaica, and I'm hearing my own music on the radio!"

Six months later, Blue Riddim became the first American band to play Sunsplash in Jamaica. "We were voted co-'Best Band' of the entire festival," McLane says. "It blew me away that we blew them away. I was expecting pineapples and cantaloupes thrown at us. We're playing these old songs, and we're also from America, and we're also white. It's five o'clock in the morning, and they're going, 'What in the ... ?'

"The lyrics from the very first song, "Smile," are It's best to arrive with a smile on your face, and just at that moment, the sun was creaking up over the mountain and shining down onto the field," McLane recalls. "People are getting the sun in their eyes right as they hear these lyrics, and they started screaming and bawling and jumping up and down. All of a sudden you had 20,000 people jumping up and down." That performance, released in 1984 as Alive in Jamaica, earned the band a Grammy nomination.

Twenty years later, the Blue Riddim Band returns home for an encore. Longstanding veterans, including Scott Korchak (vocals, brass), Jack Lightfoot (trumpet), Jeff Porter (vocals, guitar), Jack Blackett (tenor sax), Joe Miquelon (keyboards) and Todd "Bebop" Byrd (bass) will be joined by folks such as Stephanie Cox (trombonist for the Loose Cannon Brass Band -- still another of PBR's permutations). Says McLane, "It's like any band that's been around for this long -- whoever's left standing who wants to show up can play.

"We lost Bob Zohn, a great singer and songwriter from Florida who died several years back, but basically the core of the band exists here in good ol' Kansas City," McLane explains. "It's great, because a lot of SDI [Strategic Dance Initiative] alums have come into the Blue Riddim fold, and we all play together. For this particular show, we'll have a taste of SDI, a taste of New Riddim [a more recent dancehall version of the band], older Blue Riddim, newer Blue Riddim -- whatever we're serving up at that particular time." For old fans -- and new -- it's a chance to get reacquainted with a band that made the Caribbean feel as if it were just next door.

The bands LPs and CDs are all out of print and hard to find. Here are You Tube versions of live performances:

Nancy Reagan Live at Reggae Sunsplash 1982

Live in San Francisco in 1982

Big Youth & Blue Riddim Band Set To Release Remix Of The Iconic 80's Track 'Nancy Reagan'

I could not be more excited to announce some big news! The legendary Big Youth (one of the original toasters and DJ's who ruled the early 70's reggae scene) has teamed up with leading American reggae band Blue Riddim Band to release a remix of the band's classic 80's reggae anthem 'Nancy Reagan'.  The song 'Nancy Reagan 2011 Remix - Voice Of The People' features Big Youth's classic DJ vocal stylings over the band's most well known rhythm. A limited edition 7' vinyl single will be released through Rougher Records as well as in digital format. The release date is set for May 3rd, 2011. Blue Riddim's latest album 'Tribute' has only been out a few short months, but has already made it  onto some 'Best Of 2010' lists including mine.

I connected with Blue Riddim Band bassist Todd 'Bebop' Burd who filled me on all the details. According to Burd, "Myself and my partner, Emily 'Goldie' Madison started Rougher Records last year. We released the latest Blue Riddim Band album 'Tribute' and also signed another Midwest reggae band RC Dub. Their album is due out this spring. Now we are releasing this single with Big Youth on the A side and a remastered version of the original 'Nancy Reagan' riddim on the B-side." Burd also mentioned that the band is working on a single with Bob Andy regarded as one of reggae's greatest song writers which is due out later this year.

Below is a short promo video of the single.



Blue Riddim Band hold a very special place in the history of American reggae music. This all-white band from Kansas City, Missouri have the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at Reggae Sunsplash. Their blazing set of ska and reggae covers and originals as dawn was rising over Jarrett Park on August 8, 1982 is legendary. They earned two encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their 'blue eyed reggae.' Their Sunsplash performance was recorded for the LP 'Alive In Jamaica' released in 1984 which was nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album in 1985. The record's highlight is a blistering live version of 'Nancy Reagan'(see video below).



Nearly three decades later I'm amazed at how well "Nancy Reagan" has held up as an example of roots reggae from the golden era of rockers. The dub effects on the 12" single of "Nancy Reagan" were as mind blowing as anything being produced by King Tubby, Scratch Perry, or Mad Professor. Even now in the year 2011, the wry humor of "Nancy Reagan" rings true in our contemporary era of right wing greed and relentless hyper-capitalism. With brilliant lyrics including, "All my clothes are from the best designers/All my china is a perfect match', the song may be one of the most overlooked reggae rhythms ever recorded. The track was originally recorded at the Channel One studio in Jamaica in 1982 while the band was on the island to perform at Reggae Sunsplash and was released as an EP along with five other songs.

This is not the first time the song has been versioned.  In 1985 the 'Nancy Reagan' track inspired a young fan of the band living in California to use the track to create a protest song that would be critical of the ongoing Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and his view that it was being perpetuated by Reagan. Calling in a few favors, he was able to land the help of reggae enthusiast David Lindley, who mixed the "Nancy Reagan Re-Election Remix" side, and of Ranking Roger of The English Beat and General Public , who featured on "America & Russia/Selective Service System" and a free-style toast over the basic 'Nancy Reagan' track. Read more about that story and have a listen to the Ranking Roger track below.



The song 'Nancy Reagan 2011 Remix - Voice Of The People' remix featuring Big Youth will be available from Rougher Records on May 3, 2011. Make sure to pick up a copy!

Ranking Roger & Blue Riddim Band Collaborate On 'Nancy Reagan' - The Story Behind An Overlooked Protest Song Of The 80's

During the 1980's in the U.S., alternative music continued to be a strong voice of protest against President Ronald Reagan and his policies. Perhaps the catchiest song to poke fun of the Reagan's came from the Blue Riddim Band, an American reggae band, who wrote and recorded the satirical track 'Nancy Reagan' about the President's wife. With brilliant lyrics including, "All my clothes are from the best designers/All my china is a perfect match', the song is a fantastic piece of Studio One inspired bass, drums and brass that may be one of the most overlooked reggae rhythms ever recorded. It used humor to make a cutting political statement about where the First Lady's (and our country's) misguided priorities lay during the 1980's.

More significantly, this all-white band hailing from Kansas City, Missouri have the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at Reggae Sunsplash. Their blazing set of ska and reggae covers and originals as dawn was rising over Jarrett Park on August 15, 1982 is legendary. They earned two encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their 'blue eyed reggae.' Their Sunsplash performance was recorded for the LP 'Alive In Jamaica' released in 1984 which was nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album in 1985. The record's highlight is a blistering live version of 'Nancy Reagan'(see video below).



According to noted Reggae music author, historian, DJ and commentator Carter Van Pelt, few groups have played reggae outside Jamaica as convincingly as the Blue Riddim Band. The group coalesced as Rhythm Function in the mid-70s under the guidance of multi-instrumentalist and composer Bob Zohn and percussionist Steve "Duck" McLane. The group earned a reputation skillfully playing soul and R&B at clubs in the South and Northeast of the U.S. The original line-up included McLane (drums, bass, percussion & vocals), Zohn (guitar, drums & lead vocals), Andy Myers (bass & trombone), Scott Korchak (trumpet & lead vocals), Pat Pearce (keyboards, percussion & vocals), Jack Blackett (saxophone), and Howard Yukon (guitar, percussion & vocals.


So what was the band like live? According to Gavin B. who was at the 1982 Sunsplash performance, "I was operating the video camera that was doing the pan shots of the crowd in this video and I was stunned at the enthusiastic reaction of the mostly all Jamaican crowd. Look closely at the crowd shots and you'll see an ecstatic Winston Rodney (aka Burning Spear) skanking away to the music. He was good friends with the band and was largely responsible for getting BRB as performers at Sunsplash." The band were voted co-'Best Band' of the entire Sunsplash festival. According to McLane, they were surprised by the reaction they received, "It blew me away that we blew them away. I was expecting pineapples and cantaloupes thrown at us. We're playing these old songs, and we're also from America, and we're also white. It's five o'clock in the morning, and they're going, 'What in the ... ?'"

The 'Nancy Reagan' track soon became the band's calling card and it inspired a young fan of the band living in California to showcase the track and Blue Riddim Band further. Roberto was known to Southern California reggae fans as host of a weekly reggae radio program. He envisioned creating a protest song that would be critical of the ongoing Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and his view that it was being perpetuated by Reagan. Calling in a few favors, he was able to land the help of reggae enthusiast David Lindley, who mixed the "Nancy Reagan Re-Election Remix" side, and of Ranking Roger, who featured on "America & Russia/Selective Service System" and a free-style toast over the basic 'Nancy Reagan' track.

According to an interview he conducted with the Los Angeles Times when the record was released in early 1985, Roberto explained that the record's packaging was designed to reflect his anti-Reagan message: the record sleeve features a newspaper-style layout with the headline 'Special $18 Million Inaugural Edition' over a striking Paul Bedard painting of Nancy Reagan holding a bowl of jelly beans while five starving black children stand at her feet. The $18-million figure, Roberto said, represented the amount spent on the 1985 inaugural celebration. "I can't see how they can spend $18 million on a four-day gala when there are people dying of starvation in this world," he said. "There is a time and a place to party, but that is just too much."

According to the Los Angeles Times story, Roberto first met Ranking Roger in 1981, when Roger and fellow General Public founder Dave Wakeling were still members of The Beat. "Roger did not have to do this (record)," Roberto said, "but he was sympathetic with my concerns and my concept that came from being fed up with the current administration." While recording one of the songs in New York, Roberto tracked down veteran Jamaican producer-engineer "Maxi" McKenzie, who mixed the two tracks with Ranking Roger.

Operating as a one-man record label and basing himself in Orange County, California, one of the most pro-Reagan parts of the U.S.. Roberto set out to get his message and record out. According to the interview with the Los Angeles Times, Roberto said, "It might be an impossible task," he admitted, "but you've got to start somewhere. Those who are offended will be offended anyway. But if I can open some eyes, raise some people's consciousness, then I'll be satisfied."

So what did the band think of the final product? I had always assumed that the band had collaborated directly with Ranking Roger. Apparently that was not the case. I recently connected with Todd " Bebop " Burd who joined Blue Riddim on bass in 1983, about the collaboration with Ranking Roger on the remix of 'Nancy Reagan'. According to Burd, "'Nancy Reagan' was originally recorded at Channel One in Jamaica in 1982 while the band was on the island to perform at Reggae Sunsplash and was released on our label as an EP along with five other songs."

"The remix of Nancy Reagan was produced in 1985 by this guy named Roberto in California. He knew Ranking Roger; he knew us; he borrows the master tape; flies to LA; records Roger; flies back to Kansas City; flew in Maxie from Channel One in Jamaica to mix the whole thing in New York. We never saw each other during the recording process. Ranking Roger joined us briefly on stage on Catalina Island a few years later."

What was Blue Riddim Band's reaction to the finished tracks? According to Burd they weren't completely happy. "So one day , we show up at the band house to discover several boxes of the new remix . The response to the cover varied from shock to hysteria. The song 'Nancy Reagan' was never really a political statement , it was more of a well natured poke. Roberto never checked with us on the art work , and next thing we know is we've got this LP with Nancy Reagan handing out jelly beans to starving Ethiopians . To say he took liberties is an understatement. According to Burd, the remix played well in California on College radio , but it didn`t help that the " Alive at Sunsplash" record came out at the same time and was receiving more press because of the Grammy Nomination."


I interviewed Carter Van Pelt to get his take on Blue Riddim Band and their legacy in Reggae history and why they never seemed to get the credit they deserved as one of the greatest Reggae bands of all time.

Put Blue Riddim Band into context for me. In particular around the song 'Nancy Reagan'. Was 'Nancy Reagan' a protest song or a good natured poke?
It was a strange diversion for the band to record a novelty song considering how serious they were about their music overall. I can't imagine anyone in the group was really good natured about the Reagan's, but humor is the greatest way lampoon the powerful.

The song seemed to be very popular with people in the know about reggae in the 80's but did it get airplay beyond college radio reggae shows?
Probably not, but I'm not sure. They had a big ally in Ken Williams here in New York, who played their music. They were respected by all who heard them, especially the Jamaican musicians. Tommy McCook was one of their biggest advocates.

Why did the band record so little during their years together? I'm only aware of 'Alive In Jamaica' and 'Restless Spirit'
Duck has said their biggest mistake was being the 'ultimate road warriors,' because they didn't leave enough of a recorded legacy. They have an unreleased album recorded at Channel One in Kingston in 1982. Chris Blackwell had Jack Nuber (engineer for Bob Marley, et al) record
a session in Kansas City circa 1980. Blackwell opted not to do anything with them because he said he'd have to spend too much money to market them while eager Jamaican acts were a dime a dozen.



What is the band's legacy?
Their legacy is hampered by the fact that the recorded work has never been officially released on cd and there isn't much of it to begin with. It really hurt them when Bob Zohn died, because he was the main songwriter.

Anyone who ever saw them live will attest that they were one of the greatest live reggae groups, and they couldn't have impressed the Jamaicans at Sunsplash if that weren't the case. Ask Sly Dunbar about them, and he'll remember Duck as a wicked drummer. Also check out on the youtube videos from San Francisco, and how they would switch instruments -- Bob Zohn playing drums and singing, Drew switching between bass and trombone, etc. They did have a strange way of going through keyboardists, faster than Spinal Tap went through drummers, but I digress.

I think another strength of the group was the way they arranged the Jamaican originals. Check out the way they play the "Full Up" rhythm on the the cover of Michigan and Smiley's "Thank You Jah" (see below). The rhythm section, esp. Bob Zohn's guitar, is just absolutely perfect. Jack Blackett murders the opening tenor solo, and they were off to the races. The combination singing between Zohn and Scott Korchak is great too.



One of my favorite quotes about them is from Roger Steffens, who said, and I paraphrase, "All the attention that UB40 ever got, it should have been lavished on Blue Riddim." The problem that ultimately hampered them is that they were victims of white audiences' perceptions of 'authenticity,' which is sometimes a bullshit concept but it something that white musicians who perform in black idioms have to deal with. While they should have to deal with it to an extent, frankly, it says more to me that Tommy McCook, Lloyd Parks, Mikey Dread, and Sly Dunbar loved them than the fact that no major record deal ever materialized and they are relatively unknown. If there is any such standard to be met, they exceeded it in my opinion.

Steffens was definitely a big fan and advocate ... I also have a copy of one of Roger's shows from the night after Blue Riddim was in LA, and Johnny Osbourne jumped onstage and took the mic for several songs, and he (JO) couldn't stop talking about how good they were. Again, you can't beat that kind of validation.

For more information about the band, you can visit their MySpace Web site. They are still performing shows around their hometown of Kansas City. KCUR-FM public radio in Kansas City recently did a story on the history and impact of the band including an extensive interview with Duck McLane. Its definitely worth a listen. The band has also recently released a new CD titled 'Ska Inferno' which is available on CD Baby.

Finally, below is a download link for the long out-of-print version of 'American & Russia/ Selective Service System (Nancy Goes To Moscow) featuring Ranking Roger. Have a listen to this piece of American reggae history. Thanks to Sonchey from Life In Monochrome for the link.

Ranking Roger & Blue Riddim Band - Nancy Reagan Goes To Moscow

Blue Riddim Band Release Remastered 30th Anniversary Version of Classic 'Nancy Reagan' Track

Today marks the 30 year anniversary of the release of the Blue Riddim Band classic reggae track 'Nancy Reagan'! To honor the original, Rougher Records have re-released a special 30th anniversary, remastered edition of the track. The song has the distinction of being one of the best and most overlooked American reggae songs ever recorded and released.  The timing of this release couldn't be better as the Republican Party is weeks away from beginning the process of selecting a Presidential nominee who will seek to claim the mantle of conservative Republican values and economic policies espoused by Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan.  These policies have continued to make the 1% very wealthy and the 99% struggle to make a living.   The track is available for download from iTunes.  Below is a short video teaser:



During the 1980's in the U.S., alternative music continued to be a strong voice of protest against President Reagan and his policies. Perhaps the catchiest song to poke fun of the Reagan's came from the Blue Riddim Band, an American reggae band, who wrote and recorded the satirical track 'Nancy Reagan' about the President's wife. With brilliant lyrics including, "All my clothes are from the best designers/All my china is a perfect match', the song is a fantastic piece of Studio One inspired bass, drums and brass that may be one of the most overlooked reggae rhythms ever recorded. It used humor to make a cutting political statement about where the First Lady's (and our country's) misguided priorities lay during the 1980's. It couldn't be more relevant today in this era of Occupy Wall Street protests around the U.S.

More significantly, this all-white band hailing from Kansas City, Missouri have the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at Reggae Sunsplash. Their blazing set of ska and reggae covers and originals as dawn was rising over Jarrett Park on August 15, 1982 is legendary. They earned two encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their 'blue eyed reggae.' Their Sunsplash performance was recorded for the LP 'Alive In Jamaica' released in 1984 which was nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album in 1985. The record's highlight is a blistering live version of 'Nancy Reagan'(see video below).



According to noted Reggae music author, historian, DJ and commentator Carter Van Pelt, few groups have played reggae outside Jamaica as convincingly as the Blue Riddim Band. The group coalesced as Rhythm Function in the mid-70s under the guidance of multi-instrumentalist and composer Bob Zohn and percussionist Steve "Duck" McLane. The group earned a reputation skillfully playing soul and R&B at clubs in the South and Northeast of the U.S. The original line-up included McLane (drums, bass, percussion & vocals), Zohn (guitar, drums & lead vocals), Andy Myers (bass & trombone), Scott Korchak (trumpet & lead vocals), Pat Pearce (keyboards, percussion & vocals), Jack Blackett (saxophone), and Howard Yukon (guitar, percussion & vocals.


So what was the band like live? According to Gavin B. who was at the 1982 Sunsplash performance, "I was operating the video camera that was doing the pan shots of the crowd in this video and I was stunned at the enthusiastic reaction of the mostly all Jamaican crowd. Look closely at the crowd shots and you'll see an ecstatic Winston Rodney (aka Burning Spear) skanking away to the music. He was good friends with the band and was largely responsible for getting BRB as performers at Sunsplash." The band were voted co-'Best Band' of the entire Sunsplash festival. According to McLane, they were surprised by the reaction they received, "It blew me away that we blew them away. I was expecting pineapples and cantaloupes thrown at us. We're playing these old songs, and we're also from America, and we're also white. It's five o'clock in the morning, and they're going, 'What in the ... ?'"

The 'Nancy Reagan' track soon became the band's calling card and it inspired a young fan of the band living in California to showcase the track and Blue Riddim Band further. Roberto was known to Southern California reggae fans as host of a weekly reggae radio program. He envisioned creating a protest song that would be critical of the ongoing Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and his view that it was being perpetuated by Reagan. Calling in a few favors, he was able to land the help of reggae enthusiast David Lindley, who mixed the "Nancy Reagan Re-Election Remix" side, and of Ranking Roger, who featured on "America & Russia/Selective Service System" and a free-style toast over the basic 'Nancy Reagan' track.



According to an interview he conducted with the Los Angeles Times when the record was released in early 1985, Roberto explained that the record's packaging was designed to reflect his anti-Reagan message: the record sleeve features a newspaper-style layout with the headline 'Special $18 Million Inaugural Edition' over a striking Paul Bedard painting of Nancy Reagan holding a bowl of jelly beans while five starving black children stand at her feet. The $18-million figure, Roberto said, represented the amount spent on the 1985 inaugural celebration. "I can't see how they can spend $18 million on a four-day gala when there are people dying of starvation in this world," he said. "There is a time and a place to party, but that is just too much."

According to the Los Angeles Times story, Roberto first met Ranking Roger in 1981, when Roger and fellow General Public founder Dave Wakeling were still members of The Beat. "Roger did not have to do this (record)," Roberto said, "but he was sympathetic with my concerns and my concept that came from being fed up with the current administration." While recording one of the songs in New York, Roberto tracked down veteran Jamaican producer-engineer "Maxi" McKenzie, who mixed the two tracks with Ranking Roger.

Operating as a one-man record label and basing himself in Orange County, California, one of the most pro-Reagan parts of the U.S.. Roberto set out to get his message and record out. According to the interview with the Los Angeles Times, Roberto said, "It might be an impossible task," he admitted, "but you've got to start somewhere. Those who are offended will be offended anyway. But if I can open some eyes, raise some people's consciousness, then I'll be satisfied."

So what did the band think of the final product? I had always assumed that the band had collaborated directly with Ranking Roger. Apparently that was not the case. I interviewed Todd "Bebop" Burd who joined Blue Riddim on bass in 1983, about the collaboration with Ranking Roger on the remix of 'Nancy Reagan'. According to Burd, "'Nancy Reagan' was originally recorded at Channel One in Jamaica in 1982 while the band was on the island to perform at Reggae Sunsplash and was released on our label as an EP along with five other songs."

"The remix of Nancy Reagan was produced in 1985 by this guy named Roberto in California. He knew Ranking Roger; he knew us; he borrows the master tape; flies to LA; records Roger; flies back to Kansas City; flew in Maxie from Channel One in Jamaica to mix the whole thing in New York. We never saw each other during the recording process. Ranking Roger joined us briefly on stage on Catalina Island a few years later."

What was Blue Riddim Band's reaction to the finished tracks? According to Burd they weren't completely happy. "So one day , we show up at the band house to discover several boxes of the new remix . The response to the cover varied from shock to hysteria. The song 'Nancy Reagan' was never really a political statement , it was more of a well natured poke. Roberto never checked with us on the art work , and next thing we know is we've got this LP with Nancy Reagan handing out jelly beans to starving Ethiopians . To say he took liberties is an understatement. According to Burd, the remix played well in California on College radio , but it didn`t help that the " Alive at Sunsplash" record came out at the same time and was receiving more press because of the Grammy Nomination."

I interviewed Carter Van Pelt to get his take on Blue Riddim Band and their legacy in Reggae history and why they never seemed to get the credit they deserved as one of the greatest Reggae bands of all time.

Put Blue Riddim Band into context for me. In particular around the song 'Nancy Reagan'. Was 'Nancy Reagan' a protest song or a good natured poke?
It was a strange diversion for the band to record a novelty song considering how serious they were about their music overall. I can't imagine anyone in the group was really good natured about the Reagan's, but humor is the greatest way lampoon the powerful.

The song seemed to be very popular with people in the know about reggae in the 80's but did it get airplay beyond college radio reggae shows?
Probably not, but I'm not sure. They had a big ally in Ken Williams here in New York, who played their music. They were respected by all who heard them, especially the Jamaican musicians. Tommy McCook was one of their biggest advocates.

Why did the band record so little during their years together? I'm only aware of 'Alive In Jamaica' and 'Restless Spirit'
Duck has said their biggest mistake was being the 'ultimate road warriors,' because they didn't leave enough of a recorded legacy. They have an unreleased album recorded at Channel One in Kingston in 1982. Chris Blackwell had Jack Nuber (engineer for Bob Marley, et al) record
a session in Kansas City circa 1980. Blackwell opted not to do anything with them because he said he'd have to spend too much money to market them while eager Jamaican acts were a dime a dozen.



What is the band's legacy?
Their legacy is hampered by the fact that the recorded work has never been officially released on cd and there isn't much of it to begin with. It really hurt them when Bob Zohn died, because he was the main songwriter.

Anyone who ever saw them live will attest that they were one of the greatest live reggae groups, and they couldn't have impressed the Jamaicans at Sunsplash if that weren't the case. Ask Sly Dunbar about them, and he'll remember Duck as a wicked drummer. Also check out on the youtube videos from San Francisco, and how they would switch instruments -- Bob Zohn playing drums and singing, Drew switching between bass and trombone, etc. They did have a strange way of going through keyboardists, faster than Spinal Tap went through drummers, but I digress.

One of my favorite quotes about them is from Roger Steffens, who said, and I paraphrase, "All the attention that UB40 ever got, it should have been lavished on Blue Riddim." The problem that ultimately hampered them is that they were victims of white audiences' perceptions of 'authenticity,' which is sometimes a bullshit concept but it something that white musicians who perform in black idioms have to deal with. While they should have to deal with it to an extent, frankly, it says more to me that Tommy McCook, Lloyd Parks, Mikey Dread, and Sly Dunbar loved them than the fact that no major record deal ever materialized and they are relatively unknown. If there is any such standard to be met, they exceeded it in my opinion.

Blue Riddim Band Return With First Album In 25 Years - 'Tribute' Pays Respects To The Titans of Rocksteady and Dub

Blue Riddim Band, America's original reggae band have returned to action for the first time in 25 years with a stirring collection of songs that honor the artists and songs that have influenced them throughout their nearly four decade career which includes a 1986 Grammy nomination for best reggae album. The inspiration behind 'Tribute' is simply that, a tribute, to the band's fallen comrades who have passed away (Scott Korchak and Bob Zohn), and to the originators of rocksteady and dub that have guided the band throughout their long career. 'Tribute' is similar in some ways to UB40's 'Labour Of Love series of albums, in that the 10 songs featured on the album are a tip of the hat to the band's Jamaican mentors who recorded some of the genres most well known and iconic tracks during 1965-69.

While reggae has become a global phenomenon, the idea of an authentic American reggae band has often been hard for a lot of music fans to comprehend. However, very few groups have played reggae as convincingly as the Blue Riddim Band who hail from Kansas City. Drawing on influences from Coxson Dodd's Studio One label and Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, Blue Riddim has flourished for four decades by mastering the rhythms that are the basis for all Jamaican music. While other non-Jamaican reggae bands have fallen into the trap of trying to reproduce the crossover sound of Bob Marley and The Wailers, Blue Riddim became students and later experts who could play a range of ska, rock steady, and rockers reggae like the originals they pay homage to on 'Tribute'. Their performance during the 1982 Reggae Sunplash Festival remains legendary.

The new album features three original members including Steve “Duck” McLane (drums) and Jack “Blacky” Blackett (sax) and bassist Todd 'Bebop' Burd (who joined in 1983). It also features a cameo appearance by Jimmy Becker on harmonica who played on the band's Grammy nominated 'Alive In Jamaica' album. The band is rounded out with Jack Lightfoot (trumpet), Chris Bartak (trombone), Dan Bergner and Joe Miquelon (keyboards), Jimmy Dykes (guitar) and Edward Turner (vocals).

To keep an air of rawness to the sound, Burd and co-producer Leonard Dstroy did not inform the band what songs were to be recorded prior to the actual recording session. To add even more authenticity to the proceedings, the air conditioning in the studio was turned off and a minimal amount of mics were employed to capture the recordings. Burd believed that the recording conditions should be a bit physically uncomfortable to re-create some of the actual conditions that existed at Studio One in the 60's and try to catch a vibe that way.

Below is live video of the band performing tracks from the new album including the Rico Rodriguez classic 'Ramble', The Jamaicans 'Ba Ba Boom' (featuring Turner on lead vocals) and a ska version of Duke Ellington's 'Caravan':

The boot camp approach has worked wonders and the songs which include a mix of well known and obscure tracks from the Studio One/Treasure Isle archives are fantastic, among the best ska, 60's era reggae and dub you are likely to hear in 2010. McLane's drumming in particular is sublime, and he may be one of the most underrated reggae drummers of all time. The band's horn section (always among its strongest features) remains at the fore and continues to carry the memorable melodies of these classic songs. Vocalist Turner is a great addition to a band that was always identified by the unique vocals of its original singers Zohn and Korchak.

The track listing from 'Tribute' includes:

1. 'Illiterate Dub' is a Channel One instrumental version of a Horrace Andy song. Original title track unknown
2. 'Black Stick Rock' is originally 'Love Without Feeling' by The Heptones.
3. 'Only A Dub' is an instrumental version of the classic, 'Only A Smile' by The Parragons.
4. 'Skaravan' is a ska version of the classic 'Caravan' by Duke Ellington.
5. 'Ba-Ba-Boom' is by The Jamaicans.
6. 'Money Maker' is an instrumental version of The Heptones, 'Fatty Fatty Riddim'.
7. 'Ramble Dub' is by Rico Rodriguez
8. 'Dub Drifter' is an instrumental version of the “Mudie” label classic 'Drifter' by Dennis Walks.
9. 'Dub and Learn' is an instrumental version of the Alton Ellis classic 'Live and Learn'.
10. 'Queen of the Rub' is originally 'Queen of the Minstrel' by Cornell Campbell.

I'm hoping to help arrange a performance by the band in New York City sometime in 2011. In the meantime you can listen to or purchase a copy of 'Tribute' from Amazon.com:

Marco On The Bass Podcast Series: A Celebration of 80's American Ska & Reggae

This week's podcast is a joint effort with my fellow ska blogger Tone and Wave. Together we've put together a podcast that celebrates and pays respects to a variety of bands and artists from the 1980's who were responsible for establishing and helping to build the foundation for the American ska scene that exploded in the late 80's and early 90's. We've focused on bands that were playing ska and reggae either right before the advent of 2-Tone in the UK or at roughly the same time.

I've focused my podcast on ska and reggae bands that you may or may not have heard of before. What's striking is how many bands started popping up in so many different places around the U.S.. They include rarities from more popular bands (The Untouchables, Bim Skala Bim) and hard-to-find gems from bands you may have never heard of before (The Boilers, The Nails, Blue Riddim Band). While 2-Tone often gets the lion share of the attention for combining the energy and anger of punk with the rhythms of reggae, there were American bands who were playing their own variation of 2-Tone styled ska and reggae years before their British brethren.

Here are highlights about several of the bands in this week's podcast:

Heavy Manners - Caught the attention of Peter Tosh of The Wailers when they opened a show for him in Chicago. Impressed with their live show and musicianship he ends up taking them into the studio to produce their first album which includes the song 'Taking The Queen To Tea'.

The Boilers - One of the best live bands from the large and diverse NYC SKA scene of the mid and late 1980's. The band features a young Jeff Baker (AKA King Django) on trombone and vocals. He would go on to form Skinnerbox and lead the well-known Stubborn All-Stars. He is also a respected ska and reggae producer and solo artist.

The Nails - Boulder, Colorado-based band that moved to New York in the late 70's and recorded one ska single 'Transcontinental Ska'. The band morphed into a well-known alternative rock band and had an underground college rock hit with '88 Lines About 44 Women'.

The Terrorists - New York City's premiere reggae band. The band sold out shows all over New York in the late 70's and early 80's with their faithful reggae rhythms. The band were so good they attracted the attention of Jamaican producer extraordinaire Lee 'Scratch' Perry who joined them for a short time and produced the 12' track 'Love Is Better Now'. They also claimed Roland Alphonso of The Skatalites as a featured member for a few years.

Blue Riddim Band - Can undoubtedly claim the title of America's first reggae band. The truth is it's hard to describe Blue Riddim because they were so unbelievably good. Seven white guys from Kansas City who laid down reggae grooves so massive that the speakers shook on their bases. The first American band to be invited to play Reggae Sunsplash. I've included their rockin' live version of the satirical 'Nancy Reagan' from the 1982 Reggae Sunsplash.

Tone and Wave has included bands that were not traditionally defined as ska bands, but who included ska influences in their sounds or recorded ska songs that added to the growing canon on American ska. Have a listen to The Plugz and Crazy 8's for a great example. For more detailed information on the Tone and Wave play list go to the Tone and Wave blog.

Below is the track listing for both mixes. Enjoy!

Marco On The Bass Mix

Heavy Manners - Taking The Queen To Tea [Chicago 1982]
The X-Streams - Rhythm Of Life 7" [Arizona 1980]
The Boilers - Coeur A Voil [New York 1988]
Bim Skala Bim - Jah Laundromat [Boston 1985]
The Nails - Transcontinental Ska [New York 1980]
The Terrorists - Love Is Better Now 12" [New York 1981]
The Untouchables - Tropical Bird (b-side to The General 7" single) [Los Angeles 1983]
The Hoovers - I Got You Babe [San Francisco 1980]
The Uptones - Outback Master [San Francisco 1983]
Blue Riddim Band - Nancy Reagan (live at 1982 Reggae Sunsplash)[Kansas City 1982]

Tone and Wave Mix

The Plugz - Touch for Cash [Los Angeles 1981]
The Donkey Show - Insomnia [Los Angeles 1989]
Camper Van Beethoven - Skinhead Stomp [Redlands, CA 1985]
Talk Back - Rudy [Los Angeles 1984]
Kill Me - Mr. Potato Head [New York 1985]
The Young Executives - Original Sin [Bellvue, Washington 1982]
Cryin' Out Loud - Live it Up [Hoboken, NJ 1985]
Crazy 8s - Find Myself a Sunny Spot (live) [Oregon 1988]
Eddie Vedder - Reggae Woman [Los Angeles, 1988]

Marco On The Bass + Tone and Wave Podcast

Big Youth & Blue Riddim Band Release 30th Anniversary Re-Mix Of 'Nancy Reagan'

America's original reggae band have linked up with reggae legend Big Youth to release a new version of the band's classic 80's track 'Nancy Reagan' which has been re-titled 'Nancy Reagan Remix 2011 - Voice Of The People'.  The original was a good natured poke at U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his wife and a statement about where the First Lady's (and our country's) misguided priorities lay during the 1980's.  It has been updated to reflect the state of the world in the 21st century and Big Youth delivers scorching lyrics describing today's geo-political situation at home and abroad breathing new life into the track.

Blue Riddim Band hold a very special place in the history of American reggae music. This all-white band from Kansas City, Missouri have the distinction of being the very first American reggae band to be invited to play at Reggae Sunsplash. Their blazing set of ska and reggae covers and originals as dawn was rising over Jarrett Park on August 8, 1982 is legendary. They earned two encores from the crowd of 20,000 Jamaicans who were mesmerized by their 'blue eyed reggae.' Their Sunsplash performance was recorded for the LP 'Alive In Jamaica' released in 1984 which was nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album in 1985. The record's highlight is a blistering live version of 'Nancy Reagan' (see video below).



Nearly three decades later I'm amazed at how well 'Nancy Reagan' has held up as an example of roots reggae from the golden era of rockers. The dub effects on the original 12" single of "Nancy Reagan" were as mind blowing as anything being produced by King Tubby, Scratch Perry or Mad Professor. Even now in the year 2011, the wry humor of 'Nancy Reagan' rings true in our contemporary era of corporate greed and relentless hyper-capitalism. With brilliant lyrics including, "All my clothes are from the best designers/All my china is a perfect match', the song may be one of the most overlooked reggae rhythms ever recorded. The track was originally recorded at the Channel One studio in Jamaica in 1982 while the band was on the island to perform at Reggae Sunsplash and was released as an EP along with five other songs.

This is not the first time the song has been versioned.  In 1985 the 'Nancy Reagan' track inspired a young fan of the band living in California to use the track to create a protest song that would be critical of the ongoing Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and his view that it was being perpetuated by Reagan. Calling in a few favors, he was able to land the help of reggae enthusiast David Lindley, who mixed the "Nancy Reagan Re-Election Remix" side, and of Ranking Roger of The English Beat and General Public , who featured on "America & Russia/Selective Service System" and a free-style toast over the basic 'Nancy Reagan' track. Read more about that story and have a listen to the Ranking Roger version below.



I recently connected with Blue Riddim Band bassist Todd "Bebop" Burd who filled me in on the how the band connected with Big Youth to record the update and to discuss the launch of Rougher Records which is behind the release of the track.  Read on!

How did you link up with Big Youth? He knew the band from back in the day right?
Yeah, he was dancing his ass off at Sunsplash! Every since then, he`s been an avid supporter of the band. We were his backing band for a U.S. tour in 2000. We've stayed in touch over the years and his council is HIGHLY valued in our camp. After we released "TRIBUTE", more than a few of the remaining old cats took notice including Big Youth. We also have a single in the works with Bob Andy. We've talked with others as well. Many of the veterans/originators of the music feel like much of what was great about the early days of rocksteady/reggae has been forgotten in Jamaica. We get the impression the old guys dig what we`re doing. We`re just humbled to be able to see this project materialize and to work with one of the true greats of reggae music.

What was it like working with Big Youth in the studio?
I`m tempted to describe having him fly to Kansas City, recording for days for stories sake.  But, we did everything over the Internet. That`s how we roll these days! Our engineer, Leonard Dstroy totally MASHED UP the mix on this track! All right here in Kansas City! We've always been proud to represent our home town and we keep all our production local. For old school reggae, the coasts ain't got nothing on K.C.! ( Laughing) Having worked with him before,  I can tell you he`s super easy going. Just one of the guys. Totally humble.

This is a remix of the Nancy Regan riddim right?
We remastered the original (which is the "B" side of the vinyl , soon to be released as a single in it`s own right, 30th anniversary) and Big Youth voiced over that. What you hear is the original mix remastered. It was originally mixed by Jack Nuber who also mixed several Bob Marley records (can`t recall at the moment). So it is his mix with us dubbing in Big Youth and working a little studio magic to make it all come together.

Any plans to tour/perform together?
It`s a lot easier to produce records than it is to put a band on the road! We have plans in the works. It`s complicated to put it all together. International travel ain't what it used to be and can present many
challenges. But we`re confident that we will be backing up Jah Youth (again) in the very near future. You`ll be the first to know, Marc!

Tell me a bit about Rougher Records?
The label was formed by myself and my partner, Emily 'Goldilocks' Madison. We both play in bands and have faced the same stigma of being reggae bands from the Midwest . We talked about how people around here tend to be ashamed to represent our area and always look elsewhere for "real music". We talked about the need to have an administrative body outside of our bands to handle the business end of the music. I realized that after 30 plus years of playing and producing this music that my skills combined with Emily s would present a formidable label that could compete on an international level. It is a full time job for two people but we feel that that the Internet has leveled the playing field and with hard work, anything is possible. We are pleased with the results thus far and intend to keep looking for artists to add to the roster.

Have a listen to the track below:



The song 'Nancy Reagan 2011 Remix - Voice Of The People' remix featuring Big Youth is now available from Rougher Records and the band has also released a limited edition 7" vinyl single featuring the 'Nancy Reagan 2011Remix - Voice Of The People/ version on the A side and a 'Remastered Original Nancy Reagan' on the B side. This is a limited first run pressing that will be numbered to 200 so be sure to get one soon before they are all gone!

Marco On The Bass Podcast Series: Best Songs of 2009

I wanted to take an opportunity to wish all my readers and visitors a very Happy New Year. I also wanted to take one last look back at some of the best music I wrote about in 2009. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview and talk to some amazing ska and reggae musicians this year and write about their stories and their music and I wanted to highlight some of my favorites from the past year.

This podcast is just under one hour of hard to find and out of print ska and reggae classics from the U.S. and U.K. during the golden era of ska from the late 70's through the mid 1990's.

Here is the podcast play list and a bit about each track:

1. Joe Jackson - The Harder They Come

This cover of the Jimmy Cliff classic was originally recorded and released by Jackson as a non-album single in 1980. Jackson and his band do the song justice mixing in just enough punk energy to make it unique.

2. The X-Streams - Rhythm Of Life

Signature track from an unreleased Warner Brothers demo the band recorded with Producer Paul Wexler in Los Angeles in 1980. They could have been contenders as one of the best American ska bands of the 80's.

3. The Selecter - Return Of The Selecter

In lieu of a full band reunion to celebrate their 30th anniversary, Neol Davies' recorded an update of the original 1979 track and made it available for free on his Web site.

4. Blue Riddim Band - Rock It Sistah (Live)

Talk to anyone who ever saw Blue Riddim live and they will search for words to try to tell you what it was like. The truth is it's hard to describe the band because they were so unbelievably good. Seven white guys from Kansas City who laid down reggae grooves so massive that the speakers shook on their bases. They were the hardest working band in America, traveling coast to coast playing small venues and leaving behind dazed audiences who are still trying to piece together their shattered preconceptions. They weren't just the best white reggae band on the planet they were one of the best reggae bands ever. This track is taken from a live set recorded in San Diego, California in 1981 with the original members and available on the recently released 'Ska Reggae Revival' LP.

5. The Beat - Dangerous (Live Radio Session)

Taken from a live radio session from Ranking Roger's version of The Beat recorded for Mark Lamarr's God's Jukebox show on BBC Radio 2 this past June. Great to hear Roger and his band have written new original songs. Hope we get to see him over on this side of the pond sometime soon.

6. Bigger Thomas - Moving (Live)

Taken from the still impossible to find and never to be re-released NYC Ska Live compilation that was recorded and released in 1990. Still a mainstay of our set, though I'm not sure we've ever played the song as fast and furious as we did that night in March 1990 at the Cat Club in New York City. Joe Massott was a no-show to film the American version of 'Dance Craze'. Ah to imagine what could have been...

7. Big Audio Dynamite - Harrow Road (Ska Mix)

Ultra rare ska mix featuring Ranking Roger on this paean to one of Mick Jones favorite places in London. The two have had a mutual musical appreciation society for many years (Jones was a member of General Public for a minute and Roger guested on a never released version of 'Rock The Casbah' ).

8. Bim Skala Bim - Jah Laundramat

Perhaps the best American ska band of all time who recently reunited for a few shows in their hometown of Boston, MA. Here's to hoping they take the reunion of the road or at least to New York City....

9. The Specials (MK2) - Farmyard Connection

A super rare outtake by the 90's incarnation of the band of my favorite Fun Boy Three song of all time. The Specials take the original which lays out the class inequities of herb production and make the music more muscular and the tone more righteous and angry.

10. The Boxboys - Come See About Me

The first L.A. ska band who help to kick-off the Mod revival centered around the famous O.N. Klub. This cover of the Diana Ross & The Supremes song is sung by Betsy Bitch who went on to bigger and better things in the world of Heavy Metal.

11. The Members - Offshore Banking Business

My introduction to this eerily prophetic track came during a screening of 'Urgh - A Music War' while I was at University in the early 80's. My initial introduction to the band had been through their big U.S. hit 'Working Girl' which was a staple on MTV in 1982. Therefore I was unprepared for the brass and bass-driven skank of the song that featured singer Nicky Tesco toasting “a lesson in home economics” and the unmistakable horns of Rico Rodriguez and Dick Cuthell. An overlooked classic.

12. The Boilers - Brighter Days

The Boilers were the brightest and most talented band to come out of the mid 80's ska explosion in New York City. This sublime track (written and recorded in a mere 4 hours) appears on the long out-of-print and never to be re-released NY Beat: Hit & Run compilation that helped nurture ska in the U.S.

13. Headline - Don't Knock The Bald Head

One of the joys of writing this blog has been the opportunity to discover and pay respects to all the bands that contributed to the entire canon of 2-Tone era ska. One such band that caught my eye and ears was Headline. They were a 6-piece ska-pop band signed to Virgin Records who released several singles, including the catchy "Don't Knock The Baldhead/Highway Hassle" and a self-titled album in 1980. Based on their sound and their look, Headline quickly became UK media darlings, who were noteworthy for their sense of fun as well as their wild stage entrances. Bad Manners went on to cover the song and make it a mainstay of their set.

14. The Terrorists - Hail The Day

New York City's premiere reggae band who sold out shows all over the city club scene in the late 70's and early 80's with their faithful reggae rhythms. The band were so good they attracted the attention of Jamaican producer extraordinaire Lee 'Scratch' Perry who joined them for a short time and produced the 12' track 'Love Is Better Now'. They also claimed Roland Alphonso of The Skatalites as a featured member for a few years.

15. Capital Letters - Do We Really Need a Government?

Capital Letters were one of the main players in the distinctive homegrown British roots reggae scene that emerged in the late 70's and were the first group to be signed to the Greensleeves label. Along with groups like Matumbi, Aswad, Black Roots and Steel Pulse, Capital Letters managed to break down many of the prejudices that reggae music could only be made in Jamaica. This song is taken from the highly sought-after `Bread and Water' 7" EP, a ska-flavored quartet of tracks, which was released in 1980 - a nod to the 2-Tone scene that was taking place in the UK at the time.

16. The Untouchables - Lebanon

While I have always loved each and every 2-Tone band and their take on U.K. life and politics, The Untouchables were the first mainstream American ska band (though signed to Stiff and produced by Jerry Dammers). I was proud to have an American band featuring American themes and accents that I could connect with and look up to. Kevin Long, the lead singer of the band placed the band squarely into an American context. "We're American. We don't sing in English accents. I have no particular affection for Union Jacks. We used to put up an American flag behind us onstage to let people know we're here, this is where we're from and this is where we want to make it." The song 'Lebanon' captures the conflict an American Marine is feeling during an early 80's deployment to Beirut and is still eerily relevant given the numbers of young American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Happy listening and Happy New Year! Hope you will visit again in 2010.

Marco On The Bass Podcast - The Best Of 2009