Rocksteady

[holyzombiejesus]

I've been listening to a fair bit of this stuff of late, although am not really sure what defines the genre, apart from it being earlier than 'normal' reggae (which I don't really like). Seems a bit gentler and maybe poppier, some of the stuff with female vocals almost borders on girl-groups.

This is my favourite song in the word right now.

Been listening to Roland Alphonso, Alton Ellis, Phyllis Dillon and the Gaylads a lot too.

Any recommendations? (Can we take it as a given that the Studio One comps are really good?)

[kalowski]

The last good stuff, I think. As reggae got slower and full of echo I found myself switching off. Ska and Rocksteady for me.
Prince Buster, Alston Ellis, Desmond Dekker, The Ethiopians, Baba Brooks, The Spanishtopians,

[xxxx xxx x xxx]

Been listening to Roland Alphonso, Alton Ellis, Phyllis Dillon and the Gaylads a lot too.

I bet you ha...

Rudies All Round compilation on Trojan Records is sublime from start to finish.

[Brundle-Fly]

You can't go wrong with the Trojan label but we mustn't forget to also tip a pork pie hat to the Blue Beat label.

[Crenners]

Great Trojan Rocksteady boxes, obviously. Some of my favourite stuff in the genre.

Generally prefer the dubbier end of things but if I'm listening to straight reggae, it'll be Rocksteady.

My favourite Rocksteady song is by The Heptones. Got a kind of doo wop soul to it.

[Neomod]

The two Intensified collections (1979/1980) on Mango were my introductions back in the day when I was a mini-skin aged 13.

Well worth digging out.

[holyzombiejesus]

What's the difference between ska and rocksteady?

[Neomod]

What's the difference between ska and rocksteady?

Rocksteady's slower innit.

But I don't think that's a hard and -ahem- fast rule.

[kalowski]

You can't go wrong with the Trojan label but we mustn't forget to also tip a pork pie hat to the Blue Beat label.

My dad loved this so much that for years I assumed Blue Beat was another style, post Ska and pre Rocksteady.

[WhoMe]

Super eerie (also irie), beautiful tune I've been a bit obsessed with the last week or so.

Maybe not really rocksteady so much as early reggae, ah well