JImmy Cliff's New Album "Rebirth" Released Today

The legendary Jimmy Cliff's full-length follow-up to last year’s Sacred Fire EP was released today! The entire album is available for streaming on Rolling Stone. The lead single, “One More”, is also available as a free download through Cliff’s website.

Produced by Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong,  Rebirth mixes 10 original vintage-sounding ska and reggae tracks with covers of The Clash’s “Guns of Brixton” and Rancid’s “Ruby Soho”.

Cliff has been a busy man this year and backed by Armstrong and the Engine Room, has performed at Coachella and sat in with both Paul Simon and the E Street Band.  Reviews of the album from the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and NPR have been mostly positive.

Check out Cliff performing "One More" and "World Upside Down" from "Rebirth" on "Later With Jools Holland" in the UK.

Bim Skala Bim Announce Annual Summer Tour Dates

Iconic American ska band Bim Skala Bim are reuniting for their annual set of summer shows across New England, including a stop at the Middle East in Boston. The line-up will include original members Jim Jones, Mark Ferranti, Vinny Nobile, Rick Barry, Jim Arhelger, and Dan Vitale. John Cameron, Jackie Starr and other special guests including Dana Colley, saxophonist with the band Morphine, will make appearances at most of the shows.

While the band has tended to play these summer reunion shows close to their old stomping grounds, the good news is that The Middle East Show will be webcast on WBCN online for anyone around the world who would like to listen.  The show kicks off live at 10 pm EST on Friday July 20th.

Tour Dates:
Wednesday July 18th at Newport Blues Cafe in Newport, RI
Thursday July 19th at Dover Brickhouse in Dover, NH
Friday July 20th at Middle East in Cambridge, MA w/ Allstonians and Void Union (Webcast on WBCN)
Saturday July 21st at Beachcomber in Wellfleet, MA
Sun July 22nd at The Beach House in Falmouth, MA.

I have three requests for the webcast show:  "I Took A Fall," "Solitary Confinement" and "Jah Laundromat."

Pauline Black's Autobiography "Black By Design" Now Available on Kindle

Good news for fans of e-books and Amazon.com! Pauline Black's excellent 2-Tone autobiography "Black By Design" is finally available for Kindle's in the U.S. for just $9.99!  As an added bonus, the Kindle version and paperback version include a brand new additional chapter- 'Raisin In the Sun- Women Don't Resign'.

While the book provides a insiders view of the birth of The Selecter and 2-Tone in Coventry, its really more a tome about the search for identity. The book pulls no punches when it comes to painting a picture of the trials and tribulations Black faced as the adopted bi-racial child of white parents living in the suburbs of London. More importantly, it examines issues of racial identity during a time that the U.K. was struggling to confront its own racism and the challenges of assimilating Black and Asian immigrants into British society and culture.

I asked Black about the process of writing her book during an interview I conducted with her two summers ago. Here is what she shared with me about the difficult questions and topics related to race and identity that she explores:

I have been writing short stories and opinion pieces for BBC Radio 4 in the UK for years, since the early 90’s. I also wrote a novel in the mid 90’s “The Goldfinches” which picked up publishing interest, but then the recession hit and money was scarce and the interest evaporated. Therefore I did not approach my book as a novice. I knew that I wanted to write my own memoir. When a “ghost writer” is used it is usually obvious. The main difference between my first outing into the book world and now, is that I got a literary agent. Without a literary agent it is almost impossible these days for a writer to be taken seriously by publishers. Publishing interest in my memoir was there from the beginning, largely because I was the only female among the bands that did the legendary “2-tone tour” in 1979 and also because I have extended my repertoire over the past 30 years to include, acting, presenting, radio broadcasting & writing, while still remaining active as a musician throughout the 90’s and Noughties. Therefore my story covered a wider brief. I didn’t want my memoir to be just about the brief period of the 2-tone years. Fortunately my literary agent and publisher agreed with my approach. For the book to have been signed by influential, maverick publisher “Serpent’s Tail” is very much a dream come true. They have a great publishing history reflecting many of the books that have influenced me throughout my life, most notably many of the “Harlem Renaissance” writers like Langston Hughes and Nella Larsen. 

Primarily, “Black By Design” is about my search for my cultural and racial heritage, which, I discovered, had surprisingly original beginnings. It vigorously discusses the twin evils of “racism” and “sexism”, which gave me the motivation to join a 2-tone band in 1979 and enter the ongoing musical polemic offered by that inclusion. 

I wanted my book to be “ideas driven”, to ask some difficult questions about what it meant to grow up black in a predominantly racist Britain in the 50’s and 60’s and how being adopted into a white working class family influenced my decision to choose music as a career path. I didn’t want to write some dishonest potted history of my private life or just a scrupulously kept diary. Hopefully I have achieved my goal.

I highly recommend the book.  It really is a must read!

Horace Panter of The Specials Shares A Piece Of The Specials History

Now you can own a special piece of 2-Tone history!  Horace Panter of The Specials (who has a degree in Fine Art) has converted a picture of the original cassette demo tape of the rough mix of "Enjoy Yourself" which was recorded at Horizon Studios in Coventry in 1980, into a limited edition print available on his excellent web site Horace Panter Art.

According to Panter:

"The cassette is an artefact, or a piece of memorabilia, from the early days when The Specials recorded some of their classic tracks at Horizon Studios in Coventry (now demolished to make way for a shopping mall). The year 1980, hence a limited edition of 80 prints at £80 ... geddit?!"

Horizon Studio has long gone. It has been demolished. But it is important that it is not forgotten because of its importance to ska music history.  Coventry was always a city that was buzzing with music, musicians and venues. Many of them recorded at Horizon. The studio, with its various associated owners, producers, musicians and engineers produced such memorable music and many 'hits'. Both The Specials and The Selecter recorded their iconic albums at Horizon.

 Based on the popularity of the print, Panter has just made created a line t-shirts featuring the print that are also available for sale via his web site (see below). I'm planning to get one.  Are you?

Eddie Vedder A Reggae Crooner?

Well crooner may be pushing it, but before he launched off into rock stardom, Eddie Vedder dabbled in reggae music. Before joining Pearl Jam, he lived in San Diego in the late 80's and was very fond of listening to the Sunday night reggae show on local alternative radio station 91X. According to friends and roommates at the time, Vedder also owned a small collectio of reggae records including a few of Bob Marley's best known albums.

Some time during 1988, Vedder recorded a four song demo tape of his own songs including one titled "Reggae Woman." Though I would not say it's one of the best reggae songs I have ever heard (the rhythm guitar is slightly off and it meanders into rock), its still interesting to hear Vedder attempt a Marley-like "No Woman, No Cry", lover's rock song. His interest in reggae and Bob Marley has continued throughout his Pearl Jam years, and has been known to sing Marley songs accapella. He has also added part of The Beat's "Save It For Later" as a coda to "Better Man."

Have a listen (if you dare) to Vedder's 1988 demo of "Reggae Woman" below:



Hat tip to Tone & Wave for sharing this and enlightening me about Vedder's interest in reggae music.

Versions Galore 4th Anniversary Guest Mix #1 By Marco On The Bass!

As the late, great John Peel once said, "I know loads of cover versions that are regarded as being better than the original." Its a sentiment that I ascribe to whole heartedly, and one that my fellow music blogger Leopold Stotch, of the excellent Versions Galore has dedicated his time and passion to celebrating.  His blog remains one of the first I visit each day for its incredibly diverse and eclectic batch of the best and most interesting cover versions you will ever hear.  Even better, Stotch regularly posts fantastic reggae, ska, dub and rocksteady cover versions of songs that often surpass the originals in soul, musicianship and danceability.

Stotch is marking the four year anniversary of Versions Galore this week by inviting a number of guest bloggers to submit cover mixes.  I'm honored and excited that he asked me to submit a mix of some of my favorite cover versions and that he selected it as the first mix to be posted.

Here is a link to the mix: Versions Galore 4th Anniversary Guest Mix #1: Marco On The Bass 

Below is a little bit about each cover song in the mix:

The Back Stabbers – The Professionals
Belize’s The Professionals morph The O’Jays 1972 Top 10 Philly Soul hit “Backstabbers into horn-drenched reggae that retains its ominous warning.

Baltimore – The Tamlins
The Tamlins were a 70’s Jamaican reggae vocal group that gained wide attention for their Sly and Robbie produced dub reggae version of the Nina Simone lament about inner city life in Baltimore

Heart-Shaped Box – Little Roy
Aging Reggae lifer Little Roy (with help from UK producer King Fatty) finds the sweet humanity hidden inside one of Kurt Cobain’s darkest songs making it bob and weave its way into your memory.

You’ll Never Find – Dub Pistols
U.K. reggae/club collective Dub Pistols pay homage to John Holt’s reggae cover of Lou Rawls 1976 R&B hit by sampling Rawls singing the memorable chorus and Holt’s killer bass line.

Cupid – Amy Winehouse
Ska aficionado and noted Specials fan Winehouse recorded a soulful rock steady version of the Sam Cooke classic that mines its sadness while remaining eminently danceable.

It’s a Shame – Alton Ellis
The Stevie Wonder penned Motown hit for The Spinners, about a man who complains about a lover “messin” around on him, was memorably covered by Jamaican reggae and rock steady innovator Alton Ellis in 1971.

Sugar Sugar – Bigger Thomas
Long running New Jersey ska and reggae band recorded a poppy dub/reggae version of the 1969 hit recorded by the fictional TV show band The Archies. Ron Parker, the Father of Bigger Thomas guitarist Steve Parker was in the studio band that recorded the original providing a perfect musical symmetry.

Cecilia – Suggs
Madness lead singer Suggs recorded a Sly & Robbie produced pop reggae version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, which pays homage to St Cecilia, patron saint of music.

Golden Years – Special Beat
Early 90’s 2-Tone ska super group Special Beat, featuring Ranking Roger of The Beat and Neville Staple, Horace Panter and Lynval Golding of The Specials recorded this never before released ska demo version of David Bowie’s hit from the Station to Station LP.

Orgasm Addict – SKAndalous All-Stars
The SKAndalous All-Stars were a late 90’s U.S. ska super group featuring members of The Slackers, The Skatalites, Mephiskapheles and Stubborn All-Stars who recorded an albums worth of 3rd wave ska covers of punk classics including Buzzcock’s paean to onaism.

Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum) – Los De Abajo
Mexico City-based Latin ska band Los Del Abajo recorded Spanish and English language versions of the Fun Boy Three track featuring a guest appearance from Specials and Fun Boy Three front man Neville Staple.

Strawberry Fields – Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Argentine ska band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs recorded a 60’s styled Jamaican ska version of The Beatles “Strawberry Fields” sung in English and Spanish that features Blondie’s Debbie Harry as well as horn lines worthy of The Skatalites.

Tu Gotnisht (Do Nothing) – King Django
New York ska legend and trombonist King Django (The Boilers, Skinnerbox, Stubborn All-Stars) recorded an all Yiddish-language album of klezmer meets ska and reggae songs including this faithful cover of The Specials “Do Nothing”.

Fast Car – Wayne Wonder
Jamaican vocalist Wayne Wonder puts a Dancehall reggae spin on Tracy Chapman’s narrative tale of generational poverty.

For The Turnstiles – Bim Skala Bim
Boston’s Bim Skala Bim, who were one of the first American ska bands to emerge in the early 80’s, recorded a sublimely soulful reggae version of Neil Young’s rocker.

Live And Let Die – Byron Lee
Jamaican music pioneer, producer and leader of The Dragonaires was a fan of The Beatles, recording reggae versions of many of their most popular tracks. He later recorded this incredibly soulful version of Paul McCartney & Wings theme song for the James Bond movie of the same name.

We Gotta Get Out Of This Place – The Ska-Dows
The Ska-Dows were one of the many U.K. ska bands that sprouted in the wake of the 2-Tone explosion. Signed by Chas Chandler, bassist of The Animals to his Cheapskates Record label in the late 70’s, the band recorded a rollicking ska version of The Animals hit from 1965.

Happy 4th Birthday Versions Galore!

Fishbone EP Cover Photo Shoot Outtake Revealed

The cover of Fishbone's self-titled, six-song EP release in 1985 remains one of the most iconic album covers of all time. Village Voice music critic Robert Christgau famously opined of the cover, "Looking like postmodern vaudevillians who've just signed themselves in at the mental hospital, with sartorial details appropriated from the Specials, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimi Hendrix, Stepin Fetchit, and whoever, these six black L.A. teenagers show a flair for visual outrage worthy of George Clinton himself..."

Photographed by John Scarpati (who has recently released a book of his photos of bands called "Cramp, Slash, & Burn: "When Punk and Glam were Twins"), the energy conveyed in the album cover photo is mesmerizing.  The six members of the band are crammed into a small, decrepit room.  Two (Kendall and Chris) levitate in mid jump.  Drummer Fish seems bemused by the scene in front of him.  Norwood and Dirty Walt both seem to be summoning some unseen spirits and Angelo, looking straight at the camera, with a big smile on his face, appears to welcome the viewer into the mad, crazy world of the band and the bouncing, kinetic sounds contained on the vinyl grooves inside. The photo is pure visual gold.

So imagine my utter surprise when an outtake from the same photo shoot finally emerged this weekend after 27 years! The newly released photo captures the band in another moment of manic mayhem.  Kendall is in the middle of a perfectly executed Bruce Lee-like roundhouse kick to Norwood's face.  Fish seems to be looking for cover in the corner.  Dirty Walt looks quizzically at the camera and Angelo is covering his face in nervous exasperation.  Chris Dowd covers his face in mock horror.  A case of art imitating life? 

Credit/respect to Alex Gonzales from VEVO, a huge Fishbone fan who saw the photo exhibit, bought the photo, shared it on Facebook, tagged Fishbone members and let thousands of fans see it.