“Ranking Dread (born Winston Brown, c.1955, died 1996) was a Jamaican reggae deejay who grew up in the Kingston ghettos of Rema and Tivoli. He became famous for his work with the Ray Symbolic sound system in the 1970s. He later lived a life of crime and died in a Jamaican prison.
Ranking Dread first became known as a deejay on the Ray Symbolic sound system in Jamaica, but by the late 1970s he had moved to London, where he worked with Lloyd Coxsone’s sound system. He released four albums starting with Girls Fiesta in 1978, produced by Linval Thompson, and worked with producer Sugar Minott on his third album, Lots of Loving. He had a minor UK hit in the early 1980s with “Fatty Boom Boom”, but in the mid-1980s, he faded from the music scene but became notorious for his criminal activities, and was labelled “the most dangerous man in Britain and the number one Yardie Godfather”. This was backed up by his appearance on a British television programme in the late 1980’s entitled The Cook Report. However, when interviewed by Ben Chin in 1990 for a Canadian TV documentary, he denied all allegations put to him.
He had been involved with Jamaican gang leader Claude Massop, and was wanted by Jamaican police in connection with over thirty murders. He travelled to the United Kingdom, where he lived under several aliases including Errol Codling, became the head of a Hackney drug-dealing and armed robbery gang, and was wanted by the police there in connection with rape, murder, prostitution, and dealing in crack cocaine.”
Visit the RECORD STORE DAY website for venue details and directions (just click the link at the top)!
ABOUT RECORD STORE DAY:
“The original idea for Record Store Day was conceived by Chris Brown, and was founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave and Brian Poehner as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally.
This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on…Record Store Day is now celebrated the third Saturday every April.”
Houy Meas & Dara Chom Chan: “Nek Na Min Rom (Who Isn’t Dancing?)”
…from the 2010 Lion Productions compilation Groove Club Vol. 3: Cambodia Rock Intensified!
About the Compilation:
“‘There were no deluxe studios for the musicians who recorded the devastating tracks contained on this double-LP collection. Nothing so grand. Most of these tracks were recorded live, with traditional instruments finding a place alongside any keyboards or guitars that could be found.
And yet, it was these experiments of Khmer rock musicians which transformed the nightlife of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh—and which many years later have seduced countless listeners around the world with their groovy sound. Alas, in 1975 came an entirely different type of transformation: the rise to power in Cambodia of the fanatical, anti-Western Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot. Within roughly four years, implementing their “concept of Year Zero,” Pot and his regime were responsible for the deaths of an estimated two million Cambodians, many in the notorious “killing fields.” Even the most famous and beloved Khmer musicians could not escape. Sinn Sisamouth (“the Emperor of Khmer Music”), Ros Sereysothea (“The Golden Voice of the Royal Capital”), and Pan Ron—all featured on this collection—met their deaths at the hands of the Khmer Rouge…’ (Cover notes)
Tha rock is hot. 2xLP collection of raw Khmer psych & soul from the years just prior to the Pol Pot takeover. The artist bios included in the liner notes are expansive, illuminating and deeply tragic. Sold out in many shops, I’d highly recommend you purchase these Cambodian Groove Club collections before they’re all gone.”
El Guincho: “Hindou” (from his 2010 Piratas de Sudamérica EP)
About the EP:
“Piratas de Sudamérica…[is] a series of limited-edition five-song EPs that are set to ‘run concurrently to [his] main albums.’ Each features rearranged and reinterpreted South American standards and “lost classics” and includes guest collaborators.”
Sukay: “Huayrasan” (from their 1992 LP Sukay Instrumental)
“Sukay is a musical group known for playing music of the Andean regions of Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Bolivia. Sukay was started by Edmond Badoux from Switzerland and Quentin Howard from the United States in 1974. In 1975 they traveled to South America for a year where they studied Andean music in many small villages in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Upon returning from the trip they began to tour the United States and set up their home base in San Francisco, CA. They were joined by two Bolivian musicians, Gonzalo Vargas and Javier Canelas, to make Sukay a powerful influence in the United States for indigenous Andean music.
Edmund Badoux started a new group, Chaskinaquy with Francy Vidal in the 1980s. They are still based in California.”
Deep Forest: “Sweet Lullaby” (from their 1992 self-titled LP)
“The Baegu lullaby heard in Sweet Lullaby is from Northern Malaita in the Solomon Islands.
The lullaby was recorded by ethnomusicologist Hugo Zemp in Fulinui in 1969. The song is called Rorogwela and is sung by Afunakwa.
The lullaby is about a young child crying because his parents are not around. In response his older brother sings this song to comfort, as well as tell him the reality, with an appeal for his deceased parents to protect this child in the land of the living (local ancient belief is that the dead care for loved ones they left behind).
Celsus Eloga Talifilu and his relatives helped to transcribe and translate the lyrics of this lullaby. Celsus is son of Saverio Talifilu who was the Baegu headsman that organized the recording session with Hugo Zemp.”
