Wackie's US Vinilo y CD

Review: Here's a precious reissue of a 12" single by Abbashantie (not to be confused with UK sound system giant Aba Shanti) and Neville & Jerry. Both were Jamaican reggae vocal duos who recorded for Wackie's, a still-going-strong US label and studio founded by Lloyd Barnes aka Wackie's or Bullwackie. The single was originally released in 1980 and features two utter groundshakers: 'Break Down The Walls' by Abbashantie and 'Abbashantie Rock' (with Wackie's Rhythm Force).

Review: The musicians are Itopia augmented by Leroy Sibbles and Jackie Mittoo. Also Annette Brissette on drums - her solo album provides three outstanding cuts here, featuring Menelik in fine style on percussion. 12"s by Barrington Spence and Lloyd Hemmings take dub honours from the Wackies mixing desk; also Sugar Minott, Leroy Sibbles' redemptive version of Lionel Richie's 'Truly', and the rhythms behind still-unissued vocal tracks by Milton Henry and - best of all, the killing super dub cut - 'The Shades'. More resplendent dub from Bullwackies.

Review: Another carefully considered reissue from Wackie's tackles two of Kingston born John Clarke's tracks from 1978. They first landed on the Jumbo Caribbean Disco label (which was actually based in Brooklyn) and here are just some of the tens of gems he recorded for the imprint. Both tracks are super hazy dubs with the clipped rhythms of "Big Leg Mary" and burrowing lead coming on heavy, while "Wasn't It You" is a smooth and deadly jam. This one has been known to fetch upwards of 100 quid on second hand markets, so move fast to secure yourself a sure fire winner.

Review: "Visions Of John Clarke" was a little thrown together for its original release in 1979. Still, its sleeve carried a ringing endorsement from Bullwackies himself - president of the John Clarke fan club - and the album attracted the interest of no less than Studio 1 boss Coxsone Dodd, whose bid for distribution-rights was thwarted when the Brooklyn label Makossa quickly put in for a full licence. The singer - not to be confused with Johnny Clark - had been running with the Wackies operation for the past six years, ever since moving from Jamaica to New York. He'd cut memorable sevens with co-founder Munchie Jackson for the Tafari label - like "In Search of The Human Race" and "Recession" - and with Lloyd Barnes for such Bullwackies imprints as Versatile and Wackies. Several are collected by these two albums, with another layer of modification: for example, on "Wasn't It You", Lloyd Barnes and Prince Douglas give a new treatment - and adding guitar - to the jumbo Caribbean disco twelve; on "Pollution" they remove the horns from the Wackies seven (though generally Baba Leslie is in full effect here).

Review: The rather infamous Wackies label was the first to release Tyrone Evans' 1983 long player For Lovers Only. One of the standout tunes on that record was 'Rise Up', recorded at the label's own studio. The Disco Mix here is a cover of a 1982 tune by Max Romeo with a baseline that sounds a lot like The Police. On the flip is a different version of the same tune but picking a favourite here is silly - both are compelling and quirky collisions of dub, disco, reggae and soul with a Latin injection.

Review: Engineer Douglas Levy was part of the original Wackies set up from 1974-75, alongside Lloyd Barnes and Jah Upton. For a while he would have his own label - Hamma - within the Bullwackies group; but besides Sugar's International Herb, this 1980 dub album is his finest work. Wackies' fans have been clamouring for its reissue ever since Rhythm & Sound began making the catalogue available again. Many of the rhythms are derived from a tape given to the studio by Sly and Robbie, containing their versions of recent Joe Gibbs hits. And there are brilliant treatments of Tribesman Dub - the rhythm for Tyrone Evans' Black Like Me - and Wayne Jarrett's definitive interpretation of Every Tongue Shall Tell. Elsewhere Jah Batta takes deejay duties - likewise Prince Douglas himself. (And there are lovely skewed graphics by team regular Leslie Moore, self-styled 'LAM International'). But the deadliest cut of all reworks another gift, Steel Pulse's Handsworth Revolution, which arrived in a parcel of records from England the same weekend as the session: March Down Babylon Dub, with Bullwackie himself at the microphone in his Chosen Brothers guise, as steely and apocalyptic as Douglas Levy's fabulous production.

Review: Engineer Douglas Levy was part of the original Wackies set up from 1974-75, alongside Lloyd Barnes and Jah Upton. For a while he would have his own label - Hamma - within the Bullwackies group; but besides Sugar's International Herb, this 1980 dub album is his finest work. Wackies' fans have been clamouring for its reissue ever since Rhythm & Sound began making the catalogue available again. Many of the rhythms are derived from a tape given to the studio by Sly and Robbie, containing their versions of recent Joe Gibbs hits. And there are brilliant treatments of Tribesman Dub - the rhythm for Tyrone Evans' Black Like Me - and Wayne Jarrett's definitive interpretation of Every Tongue Shall Tell. Elsewhere Jah Batta takes deejay duties - likewise Prince Douglas himself. (And there are lovely skewed graphics by team regular Leslie Moore, self-styled 'LAM International'). But the deadliest cut of all reworks another gift, Steel Pulse's Handsworth Revolution, which arrived in a parcel of records from England the same weekend as the session: March Down Babylon Dub, with Bullwackie himself at the microphone in his Chosen Brothers guise, as steely and apocalyptic as Douglas Levy's fabulous production.

Review: Around 1980, London-based Bullwackies fan Ed Brennan circulated amongst his friends a homemade cassette of his own favourite Wackies productions. In turn, Lloyd Barnes made his own selection from this Pirate's Choice - adding several debut cuts, but retaining Ed's title and much of his artwork (omitting the barcode which he had snipped from a can of drink!). Like the Coxsone re-appropriation, this makes for a superlative compilation. Lloyd Barnes trumps Ed Brennan throughout, kicking off with a killer one-off rhythm from the vaults, featuring Bobby Sarkie of The Immortals, before teaming Joy Card's 'Black Girl' (originally on 12") with a previously unreleased singjay version by Barrington Spence. Other highlights include Clive Hunt's reading of Wayne Jarrett's 'Darling Your Eyes', Joe 'No Equal Rights In A Babylon', Auxumite's 'Interpretation Of New Sensation' (by Wackies songwriting regular Andrew McCalla), and Sugar Minott singing beautifully over an exclusive horns mix of his 'Sometime Girl' 12". "From over 150 singles and 20 albums these 10 extracts are showing you the quality and range of Jah reggae music", as the cover puts it. Another master-class from Bullwackies country.

Review: Both volumes of Reggae Goodies came out around 1977 on Bullwackies' City Line imprint (which celebrated the NY subway track ending at White Plains Road, and Wackies' headquarters). They are based on a compilation of 7" A-sides which had appeared over the previous few years also on labels like Versatile, Rawse and Senrab. The original sleeve-note of Volume 1 reflected that 'today, reggae music is reaching its peak and this album is a perfect example of the roots of its success. This is an exceptionally well put together album with various artists at their best.' No one could argue - with spectacular contributions like Don Carlos' 'Black Harmony Killer', Wayne Jarrett's 'African Woman' (to Baba Leslie's 'Black Horns Rhythm'), Joe Morgan's 'Basement Session', and the first time out for Stranger Cole's intense 'Capture Land', later redone by Wackies and also Half Moon affiliates Tamu. Volume 2 derives more from Wackies' Sounds Unlimited Studios in New York, and aims rather for the Lovers in the dance. Ad hoc lineups like Wanachi (with Jah Jah's Call also appearing on Creation Dub) and the Chosen Brothers - here it may be Lloyd Barnes with Wayne Jarrett on one track, and Leroy Sibbles on another - appear alongside regulars like 'Jah Junior' Delahaye, KC White, and those 'three attractive young beauties' The Love Joys - with a different mix of their version of The Abyssinians' 'Sweet Feelings' than turns up on their debut album. 'Reggae Goodies' it's more than just an album. It's an experience which can only be shared by you. Get your copy now. There'll never be another of its kind.

Review: Both volumes of Reggae Goodies came out around 1977 on Bullwackies' City Line imprint (which celebrated the NY subway track ending at White Plains Road, and Wackies' headquarters). They are based on a compilation of 7" A-sides which had appeared over the previous few years also on labels like Versatile, Rawse and Senrab. The original sleeve-note of Volume 1 reflected that 'today, reggae music is reaching its peak and this album is a perfect example of the roots of its success. This is an exceptionally well put together album with various artists at their best.' No one could argue - with spectacular contributions like Don Carlos' 'Black Harmony Killer', Wayne Jarrett's 'African Woman' (to Baba Leslie's 'Black Horns Rhythm'), Joe Morgan's 'Basement Session', and the first time out for Stranger Cole's intense 'Capture Land', later redone by Wackies and also Half Moon affiliates Tamu. Volume 2 derives more from Wackies' Sounds Unlimited Studios in New York, and aims rather for the Lovers in the dance. Ad hoc lineups like Wanachi (with Jah Jah's Call also appearing on Creation Dub) and the Chosen Brothers - here it may be Lloyd Barnes with Wayne Jarrett on one track, and Leroy Sibbles on another - appear alongside regulars like 'Jah Junior' Delahaye, KC White, and those 'three attractive young beauties' The Love Joys - with a different mix of their version of The Abyssinians' 'Sweet Feelings' than turns up on their debut album. 'Reggae Goodies' it's more than just an album. It's an experience which can only be shared by you. Get your copy now. There'll never be another of its kind.