The Channel One Reggae Sound

[manticore]

Channel One Studios was possibly the most important Jamaican studio in the mid to late 70s golden age of roots music, and it was where Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare really established themselves as two of the greatest, most innovative musicians in the history of popular music as part of The Revolutionaries house band.

Dunbar in particlar produced rhythms of extraordinary touch and subtlety, every tiniest beat on the drum is considered and just so, often counter-intuitive to the rock and pop music ear and creating spaces for your mind to inhabit. The studio was set in the serious ghetto, sometimes gang warfare would be going on outside the door, and it seems to me you can feel that in the urgency of a lot of the music.

I suppose the most famous groups to record were The Mighty Diamonds and The Wailing Souls, but plenty of others made extraordinary music there, like this gorgeous thing from Earth and Stone, a duo about whom almost nothing is known - In Time to Come:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN0LNGXXRuU

I really can't imagine anything more uplifting than this from The Wailing Souls - Jah Jah Give Us Life to Live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18FACoInR9Q

Anything to say? Any favourites?

[Sebastian Cobb]

I've seen them do oldskool one-deck sets a few times. Great bunch of lads.

They have a regular show on worldwidefm if you're interested.

[manticore]

I've seen them do oldskool one-deck sets a few times. Great bunch of lads.

They have a regular show on worldwidefm if you're interested.

Thanks for the information, I'll have a listen, but that's a different thing - it's a UK based sound system founded by Mikey Dread and others who chose their name in homage to the Jamaican Channel One record label in the OP.

Another classic from Channel One, from 1977:

John Holt - Up Park Camp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf8LXH0PuYE

[The Boston Crab]

Absolutely love this King Tubby vs Channel One record:

https://m.mixcloud.com/Dubhifi1/king-tubby-vs-channel-one/

Hammered it to buggery way back when.

[NattyDread 2]

Niceness.

So many riches, but this one popped into my head first when thinking of my favourites. Clint Eastwood on the Drifter rhythm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vXBKaunkGg

[manticore]

Niceness.

So many riches, but this one popped into my head first when thinking of my favourites. Clint Eastwood on the Drifter rhythm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vXBKaunkGg

Love that rhythm, and the Dennis Walks original is a peach too. Should do a Harry Mudie thread really.

Later Channel One production from 1982, in a very different mode. On the 'I Hold the Handle' rhythm, without the horrible lyric - The Lone Ranger, Uptown Style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCEJElLJZC0

[Sebastian Cobb]

My bad, thought they were related. I've got this on the pressure sounds label. I own far less Reggae than I ought.

[manticore]

I think that's the only Pressure Sounds Channel One compilation I haven't got, because I saw a a slightly less than enthusiastic review of it once. Will have to investigate. I owe a huge amount of the music I listen to to the reissue labels like Pressure Sounds, Blood and Fire, Heartbeat, Soul Jazz etc. They did an amazing job.

Another obscure group who only made the one classic single for Channel One it seems - Creole: Beware of Your Enemies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P-qdkk8Noo

[Sebastian Cobb]

I've got that and no76 - the sound doctor/Lee Perry and the black ark.

[manticore]

Some of Gregory Issacs' best but less well-known music was produced at Channel One with The Revolutionaries, this being one of the finest examples, and sexy as hell too - Cool You:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA7C0XOJZJ8

[Rocket Surgery]

Thanks for the information, I'll have a listen, but that's a different thing - it's a UK based sound system founded by Mikey Dread and others who chose their name in homage to the Jamaican Channel One record label in the OP.

Incidentally, that's not the same Mikey Dread of 'Dread At The Controls'/collaborating-with-the-Clash fame, either. He died 10 years ago.

Channel One Sound (UK) are highly Selassi-I recommended though, despite all the confusion.

Great stuff in this thread, cheers.

[manticore]

Incidentally, that's not the same Mikey Dread of 'Dread At The Controls'/collaborating-with-the-Clash fame, either. He died 10 years ago.

Channel One Sound (UK) are highly Selassi-I recommended though, despite all the confusion.

Great stuff in this thread, cheers.

Yes sorry, I should have made it clear it was a different Mikey Dread to the famous Mikey of beloved memory.

I haven't posted any Mighty Diamonds here as perhaps a lot of people would have already heard them, but 'Right Time (I Need a Roof)' must be the ultimate work that studio produced, and the most original and influential. This song modernises an already classic rhythm to blissful effect - I Need a Roof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpRnWlMVPPc

For comparison - the original Studio One rhythm on which it was based - Larry Marshall, Mean Girl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3YsoNb0bAo

The way the extremely lax Jamaican copyright laws allowed musical ideas to be constantly reworked and re-invented made for some fantasic music, though obviously a lot of people were not happy about being ripped off.

[manticore]

According to the CD I have this one from 1979 was recorded at Channel One, then taken to King Tubby for the dub treatment. Diffferent sound to the usual, because the musicians were the Soul Syndicate rather than The Revolutionaries and the producer was different too.

Gorgeous bassline and guitar on this, deep, heavy roots music - Rod Taylor - In The Right Way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P32yInubFf8

[manticore]

A more famous one from even later, with a differnt vibe again, a beautifully poised number fronm Ini Kamoze, backed by Sly and Robbie - Trouble You Trouble Me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYqiDJ_O3g