guillaume bougard

I wonder why new acts would want to play Reggae music the way they suppose it was played 25 years ago. Most of them were not even born at the time....

Nasio, Midnite and co bore me to tears, no matter how "good" (should I say accurate?) their songs are.

They are the Reggae equivalent of revival groups that do Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin shows... They do renditions of "roots" reggae, making that music even more a "classical" music.

By "classical" music, I mean one that is taught in music school.

The roots reggae format is now fairly widespread in Europe the US and Japan, with local groups backing old Reggae stars such as Alton or Horace, playing as well as many JA backing bands.

Wayne Marshall, Elephant Man, deliver us some new shit!
__________________________________________________ ________________________________
Guillaume Bougard
bjkl@club-internet.fr

daniel frankston

I am curious as to what you consider to be 'revival' music? If Burning
Spear's new album sounds "the way it was played (by him) 25 years ago", is
that also 'revival' music? Is Luciano a revivalist? Is Ras Michaels'
latest album also revivalist, as it is very similar to what he was putting
out back in the day?

Are you implying that anyone who wasn't born 25+ years ago shouldn't be
playing roots music? What options does that leave to artists like Warrior
King and Bushman other than to ride the latest riddim de jour? Perhaps you
can edify us by giving some examples of current non-dancehall artists that
you don't feel fall into this category.

From your mention of Wayne and Elephant, I suspect you are saying that
reggae needs to keep moving forward. I don't disagree with that sentiment.
Personally, I am far more impressed with the "roots" productions of younger
artists like Warrior King, Nasio, Jr. Kelly and Bushman than anything that
has been put out by (former) stalwarts like Steel Pulse and Third World.

I see Luciano's music as following in the lineage of Dennis Brown. So too,
Bushman is following Luci's lineage. I see nothing wrong with that, so long
as the artist is not just rehashing old lyrics over rehashed studio one
rhythms.

And is it any different if an artist trys to play reggae 'the way they
suppose it was played' just 5 years ago? I suspect there are many artists
who try to 'cash in' on the current popularity of roots music, by altering
their style. But that has been the case troughout the history of reggae.
One could argue that Buju 'cashed in' by changing from slackness to a
conscious style. So too, I see many artists today trying to 'cash in' on
the current popularity of dancehall artists like Sean Paul and Elephant man.

The way I see it, in the end you must be true to your self. And if what
inspires you is the ska music of the 60's, the roots music of the 70's, the
computer driven riddim of the 80's or the current dancehall craze, then so
be it.

jcomiskey

I agree. Isn't just about all music built on what comes before, especially
Jamaican? Even the hardest dancehall has that african beat albeit in digital
form. I like all forms of Jamaican music because it does combine elements from
everywhere and is not restricted to certain musical limitations. If some modern
practitioners choose a more retro sound what's wrong with that? Good music is
good music regardless the label stuck to it. Crap is still crap whether it's
new or old.

allen kaatz

Maybe they love the sound of it? People can do what they want, right?

Al

Most of them were not even born at the time....

werner de bruijn

it was played 25 years ago. Most of them were not


because it's the music they love?

Led Zeppelin shows...

Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit here?

Werner.

--
*********************************************
"Strickly Drum an' Bass mek yu wine up yu waist!"
*********************************************

guillaume bougard

"Daniel Frankston" <frankston@earthlink.net> a écrit dans le message de news: ZDCfb.1851$gA1.1029@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.n et...
I am curious as to what you consider to be 'revival' music? If Burning
Spear's new album sounds "the way it was played (by him) 25 years ago", is
that also 'revival' music?

Please remember I spoke about NEW acts. Many old acts are playing the music the public expects them to play or what they've been known to play (Israel Vibration, Spear...)

Is Luciano a revivalist? Is Ras Michaels' latest album also revivalist, as it is very similar to what he was putting out back in the day?

Luciano does not ape 70's music. Again I'm speaking about NEW acts.
Are you implying that anyone who wasn't born 25+ years ago shouldn't be playing roots music?

If they play a contemporary typer of music, no problem with them playing roots, but guys like Nasio seem to craft their sound so as to sound like 70's music and atmosphere.

What options does that leave to artists like Warrior King and Bushman other than to ride the latest riddim de jour?

Their albums or singles are not trying to sound like they were recorded 25-30 years ago. So they don't fall into that category.

Perhaps you can edify us by giving some examples of current non-dancehall artists that you don't feel fall into this category.

Along roots acts not imitating themselves or 70's sound, I'd include WC. Abijah is borderline...

From your mention of Wayne and Elephant, I suspect you are saying that reggae needs to keep moving forward.

Your suspicions are correct!

I don't disagree with that sentiment. Personally, I am far more impressed with the "roots" productions of younger artists like Warrior King, Nasio, Jr. Kelly and Bushman than anything that has been put out by (former) stalwarts like Steel Pulse and Third World.

So am I, except for Nasio, which falls into the revival category in my opinion. Older acts are re-doing the same music every album they release. Part of the reason is that they believe the public likes to hear them in a certain way they've been used to for 3 decades. Part of the reason is also some sort of intellectual laziness. What's funny in TW's case is that solo albums (too rare in my opinion) are more fresh and new than TW's albums.
I see Luciano's music as following in the lineage of Dennis Brown. So too, Bushman is following Luci's lineage. I see nothing wrong with that, so long
as the artist is not just rehashing old lyrics over rehashed studio one rhythms.

You forgot to mention Frankie Paul in that chain. When you make copies of copies of copies of cassettes, the sound quality degrades at each new generation: to me Bushman is one generation too many.

And is it any different if an artist trys to play reggae 'the way they suppose it was played' just 5 years ago? I suspect there are many artists who try to 'cash in' on the current popularity of roots music, by altering their style. But that has been the case troughout the history of reggae. One could argue that Buju 'cashed in' by changing from slackness to a conscious style. So too, I see many artists today trying to 'cash in' on the current popularity of dancehall artists like Sean Paul and Elephant man.

Absolutely, but there is a huge difference between joining the dancehall bandwagon, which is dynamically moving forward (I'm not saying it's perfect, some of it sounds like crap) and joining the "roots reggae" bandwagon, which is not innovative any longer. They way Buju turned conscious was not detrimental to the creativeness of the music and the arrangements, which reminded of roots (I'm talking mostly about "Till Shiloh", after that, he's fallen into the Spear IV category, unfortunately), but had sounds, arrangements and productions that were definitely new music.

Now even non JA artists (Beyonce, Blue Cantrell, R Kelly, Chingy, etc...) are joining the Dancehall bandwagon. You just need to have a Ragga/Dancehall tune in your album, these days. Things have come a long way: 25 years ago, apart from the occasional Stevie Wonder Reggaeish tune, no US act would have done a single with a Jamaican DJ. Imagine Earth Wind and Fire with the DJ of the year in 79! "Let's groove" or "September" with Dillinger or Lone Ranger.

Among risk takers, I kinda like the way Ziggy Marley has taken some artistic risks with his new album: no reggae, guitar songs...
The way I see it, in the end you must be true to your self. And if what inspires you is the ska music of the 60's, the roots music of the 70's, the computer driven riddim of the 80's or the current dancehall craze, then so be it.

True, it's not going to change the face of the earth anyway! But a lot of artists are going the easy way: they learn Roots Reggae by heart and rehash the music they have memorized, down to the gestures and gimmicks: they seem to have learned when and how to shout "Jah" and have the audience reply "Rastafari". It's got nothing to do with religion or beliefs, it's just part of the poses one is supposed to make during a reggae gig (try and live the Rasta way if you're a French reggae artist from the wetsern suburbs of Paris, which are like Hinsdale or Evanston near Chicago, very wealthy). Now the latest craze is turbans. 10 years ago, no turbans at reggae gigs, now you have to count those who don't wear a turban. I realize my observations are more fitting for French or US Reggae groups.

When I operated TABOU1, I did release a lot of roots, and some of it was new music. I don't think I would want to put these out again if I started a new label. Even re-issues of gems from the past now seem too much, as Blood & Fire and other labels have released nuff records from the 70's. Sure, there will aways be fabulous stuff buried in some producer's vaults, but releasing them on CD for the first time is not going to change anything in the history of Reggae. Who needs another Tubby's album?

One thing is certain, the public here in France has a strong appetite for Roots/rasta acts. In the mid 90's, when Morgan Heritage came for their first tour, people were eagerly waiting for them and they had a triumphant tour. First time Luciano came here, he mashed it up. So I guess as long this appetite for Rasta/exoticism is strong there will be acts meeting that demand. I'd personnally would rather go see Kelly Rowlands (the Barbie doll from Destiny's Child) at Olympia than artists parodizing themselves or their idols. Of course, I'm exaggerating a bit, but not a lot.

Guillaume

gypsydread

New shit smells worse than old shit.

jcomiskey

<< New shit smells worse than old shit.

LOL! Certainly can't argue that...

souljah

Greetings, on Sat, 04 Oct 2003 16:34:01 GMT, "Daniel Frankston"


One of the problems is (don't no if that applies to GB, but certainly
to me) that Steel Pulse and Third World are not sounding better, but
at least different than they did 20 years ago. Not specifically the
artists you mention here above, but a lot of the 'revivalists' sound
like that most pop-and-rock-influenced style of roots-reggae to hit
the decks. They are in fact 'copying' the style of bands like Steel
Pulse and Bob Marley & The Wailers and others, designed for the major's markets.

But one of the problems is, where Luciano is capable of riding modern
digital riddims, and frequently is found using new digital producers,
the revivalists aren't and don't. They think reggae needs to be played
without any flexibility the way it was played before Sleng Teng. The
Lucianos of this time know better than that.

Take care,
--
Each One Teach One -
"Courage is not the absence of fear,
but the triumph over it." Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Souljah - souljah@tomaatnet.nl
===========================
Playing:
Before - The Excitement (Germaican Records)
- The Biggest Rhythms (Greensleeves Instrumentals)
- Greensleeves Rhythm Album #45 Coolie Dance
- Greensleeves Rhythm Album #46 Amharic
Now - Gentleman - Runaway EP
- Gentleman - Trodin' On
Later - Sanchez - Who Is This Man?
- Sanchez - He's Got The Power

jesse i

So it's okay for modern artists like Luciano to sing Rasta lyrics,
because they record in the current JA studio system, but it's not okay
for artists like Nasio because he sings over a live band playing a 70s
style one-drop riddim?

Maybe I'm taking the above out of context (couldn't quote from your
article properly Guillaume because you posted in html) but I feel that
the above mentioned gimmicks and "let me hear you say 'Irie'" lines are
just as common to the new (roots) artists you're okay with as they are
to the revival set.

As for Nasio, I don't mind his music, but don't find it real exciting.
But one of the things I like about Midnite is that they DON'T rely on
cliches - they're not a pastiche of all that has come before, but rather
seriously deep and progressive lyrics set to classic and powerful live
roots reggae.

respect,

--
--- Jesse I --- Chant Down Babylon
jesse@cnl.com.au Melbourne, Australia
http://www.chantdown.com 106.7 PBS FM / Sat 3-5pm