Paul Cowley - Specialized Project

Stephanie Houtman
Strictly Rockers Records
Paul Cowley
TOP 10 REQUESTED
SONGS FOR COMBAT CANCER
Matt Griffiths
Rude Boy George - The Erin Bardwell Collective - Swagga - Imani Hekima
A lot of people and institutions seem sceptical about the value of
cultural forms such as music compared with more practical pursuits
such as business and I think that scepticism is manifested in the fact
that arts funding and music funding is often the first to go when it
comes to some public expenditure cuts. But I think it’s also about
the way in which people over the last 50 years or so have found it
increasingly difficult to talk about the value of the culture and art
that they enjoy. This is because some traditional ways of talking
about the value of culture have been eroded . Perhaps we have
lost sight as creativity as the embodiment of the finest achievements of civilisation.
Music is an extremely versatile medium of communication. It is capable
of exploring all the features that are often lost in verbal communication. Moreover, it does so in an explicit and structured way,
which makes it an interesting and useful window into human communication, in general.
Not everyone will have grown up with a relationship to music that I have, however during my time working in music education I have
seen first-hand how it inspires children to accomplish things that seem difficult to do in their normal social interactions. Problem
solving, developing ideas, working with others and finding common ground are all due in part to music's intrinsic emotional value.
I have just been in conversation with a musician who was expressing a reasonable concern that Specialized branch too far by releasing CD’s that contain so many artists and that in his view we’re diluting our output to the point of depreciating our cause. What I
have seen by working with Specialized is the development of a musical community that has begun to see beyond their original domestic scene and have instead begun to consider the value of developing established ideas into new ones. For me Jamaican music
particularly has always been about the advancement of ideas, technology and style. Just look at the short amount of time that traditional music of the Caribbean moved from ska to reggae to dub to dancehall and then into modern music forms that fill today’s music
charts. Even though we work in the tribute genre we’re also very much about development, advancement and exploration.
I’m sometimes thanked very sincerely for the work I put into Specialized and I often respond by say ‘there’s more to come yet’ I’m
not always sure what that is but it has to be something and so that’s what it’ll be . The Editor
YOUTH MUSIC UK & SPECIALIZED – OFFICIAL YOUTH MUSIC PRESS RELEASE
The specialized Project are very honoured to be working with Youth Music UK. The following is a press
release from their Executive Director Matt Griffiths
“We are delighted that the Specialized Project will be supporting our work. The vital funds raised by
Specialized will help the charity in its work to bring music–making opportunities to children and young
people living in challenging circumstances. These include coping with disability, special educational
needs, living in poverty or in care. Through almost 400 music projects supported by Youth Music, it
helps over 90,000 children every year. For many, participation in a music project for the first time is a
life-changing experience and many would otherwise be missing out on the chance to make music.
Youth Music’s Executive Director, Matt Griffiths said: “We are very grateful to the Specialized Project
for backing our work. Many artists have shown their dedication to charitable giving in the past but few
are aware they could direct these efforts to help create music-making opportunities for disadvantaged
children. There is great potential for the Specialized Project and its artists to benefit thousands of children and young people living in challenging circumstances.”
Although Youth Music makes a huge difference to many young lives each year, for every child it supports, there is another one waiting for the charity’s help.
Raising funds through unique initiatives such as the Specialized Project will help the charity to support more young people in need.
Youth Music wants every child to have access to music-making, regardless of background or circumstances. It invests over £9m every year in music learning
activities for those with least opportunity and engages in research to contribute fresh thinking to the music education sector and identify the best ways to
engage young people..”
Every year, they provide more than 90,000 young people with the opportunity to make music, helping them to overcome the challenges they face in their
lives. Their music projects support young people to develop their creative and social skills, make positive contributions to their community and improve their
wellbeing.
Their ongoing research allows us to identify the best ways to engage young people and drive fresh thinking in music education. We also provide a growing
online community for thousands of music education professionals.
They know that many young people still need their help. Join us all in their mission to give every child the chance to make music.”
7 YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DIAGNOSED
WITH CANCER EVERY DAY IN THE UK
Every penny made by The Specialized project goes to supporting young people and their families who are experiencing
profound difficulty. None of the Specialized team take payment of any kind for their work and are relentless in their
efforts. Artists working with Specialzed also willingly donate their time, expertise and costs and we are continually
astounded by and grateful to their incredible generosity.
Considering that we support UK based charities it is equally impressive that this generosity is given not just by people in
the UK but also from across the world. At a time when we are to believe that the world is currently suffering charity
fatigue we see no evidence of that.
And as a very wise man once said…...
Latest news and rumours coming out of Specialized in April and May
THE RETURN OF PEOPLE POWER – SPONSOR THE NEW
SPECIALIZED CLASH ALBUM!. The donation is a minimum of £20
and can be paid by card through paypal or through your paypal
itself (i.e your own account) or cheque made payable to Specialized.
The address to paypal donations to is
[email protected]
For regular Specialized updates visit www.specializedproject.co.uk
Congratulations to
Nick and Scottie of
‘All Systems Go Records’ who along
with the expert
assistance of The
Feckin Ejits and
Skacasm raised
£1020 at their gig in
Pontypridd
The line-up for The Big One 4 is very
nearly complete with over 30 artists
confirmed for the three day event.
This year’s Big One will comprise of
two stages. Announced acts include
The Uptown Ska Collective, The
Melodians, Rico Rodriguez and
Specialized Patron Lynval Golding
You may have noticed that
our Specialized icon ‘TC’ has
become a film star by appearing in an episode of The
Professionals and the video
for Reunion song by The
Feckin Ejits. Thanks to Mick
Jenner for making them
Specialized
Records are working towards its
own releases.
Talks are ongoing
with two bands
concerning the
albums that
they’re currently
recording as well
as a series of
compilation
albums
The Specialized Radio Show is now available for
catch up on the Specialized website every Thursday.
Paul Willos show has been broadcasting on
Wolfman Radio each Wednesday for the past 12
weeks. The Catch Up edition features extra tracks
from the Specialized archive
We’ve been testing our toes in the
murky waters of artist booking and
have recently secured two prestigious London gigs for The Equators
Bluebird Parade always extend
themselves well beyond the call
of duty, as well as completing a
version of Rock the Casbah that
will rock your socks off…. they’ve
also produced a video for the
track . Spahni’s Dub Dancers and
The Reggaskas are also planning
videos
So far 12 bands have submitted completed tracks for the Combat Cancer album
including a sensational ska version of
London Calling by Spahnis Dub Dancers
with Dennis Bovell. Tracks by The Riots,
Anti Pasti, The Abnormal , Urang
Matang & French Boutik are also in.
The Meet the Artists video series has
taken a break recently but is set to
return in May
And finally.. Our website has new
software to control pictures posted
on Facebook after a pair of Pandas
boobs were selected by Facebook
for a story about Rude Boy George
Share your Specialized news with us email [email protected]
Rude Boy George bassist Marc Wasseman tells the TC Times how they recreated the Clash’s punk/hip hop crossover The Magnificent 7
R
emember how jaw dropping good
Driving in my car was last year.
Well i reckon they’ve done it
again. The Magnificent 7 that are Rude Boy
George
How did you decide to get involved with Specialized?
We are all 2-Tone ska and reggae fanatics
and have played in ska and reggae bands
here in New York for many years, so it
seemed like a perfect fit in many ways. We
also wanted to give back. I have a young
family member who was diagnosed with
brain cancer and while she is in remission,
it’s taken quite a toll on her and our family.
Our singer Roger’s wife is an oncology nurse
and cares for patients with cancer on a daily
basis, so we are all pretty aware of the important role organizations like the Teenage
Cancer Trust play it making things a bit easier for patients and their families.
York to record Sandinista. So in many ways
its really a New York City song! It was really
the first attempt by a rock band to write and
perform a rap song and remains of the earliest examples of a hip hop record with political and social commentary about the way
capitalism and consumerism effects life for a
working person.
-interpret 80’s new wave all the time, we
wanted to do something that would pay
respects but stand alone as our version. We
figured Joe and Mick would be drum and
bass fans, so when our drummer Dave started to play a drum and bass pattern we had a
place to start and then slowly but surely
everything fell right into place.
As a band who specialize (forgive the pun) in
cover versions how do you go about taking a
song like The Magnificent 7 and make it your
own?
We wanted to try and put our own spin on
the song, so we spent some time talking
about ways we could do that. Once we started playing it, our drummer Dave hit on a
particular drum pattern that made it all click.
We rehearsed it a lot and recorded the rehearsals so we could listen critically and
make changes. Once we had the form of the
song sorted out, we spent a lot of time fineThe Clash have an exceptional body of work
tuning the little things that would make the
and possibly wrote some of the most influen- song stand out. Our keyboardist Pam came
tial songs in rock history, how did you decide up with great sound effects that add so
which track to cover?
much and Roger and our singer Megg
The Magnificent Seven was very popular
worked out different parts on the vocals that
here in the U.S. when it was first released in turn it into a song for two singers. All the pre
the early 80’s and the 12″ remix was particu- -production paid off as the recording went
larly popular here in New York City. I revery smoothly. We had a lot of fun in the
member hearing it on WKTU (a Black radio
studio!
station) between four to five times a day!
We are all fans of The Clash and were familI’ve always loved the song because Mick
iar with the song but approached reJones and Joe Strummer wanted to write
arranging it with open minds and open ears.
song inspired by all the rap and hip hop mu- We didn’t want to do a straight cover and as
sic they were hearing while here in New
we make it our business to re-imagine and re
There are hundreds of musicians taking part in
Combat Cancer and sometimes we lose sight
of those who assist the bands in creating
these tracks. Can you name check the studio
you used and tell us a little about the studio
personal that helped you?
We recorded the track at Orange Music
Sound Studio in West Orange, NJ which is
about 20 miles from New York City. It’s a
great semi-private studio owned by the music producer Bill Laswell (Sly and Robbie,
Mick Jagger, PIL, Motorhead, Ramones,
Iggy Pop and Yoko Ono). It has a lot of history (Frankie Valle & The Four Seasons recorded there in the 60’s!) and we recorded our
Confessions album so we are very comfortable there. The track was engineered by
James Dellatacoma, who works with Bill
Laswell. We’ve worked with James quite a
bit over the last two years, so he has a really
good feel for the band and makes great
suggestions and recommendations for trying different things. He also has a great ear
and we trust him to let us know when someThanks Rude Boy George, you’ve been
magnificent
Song
City of the Dead
Arrangement
Gabriela Giacoman and Serge Hoffman
Recording Studio
Cargo Studios, Montreuil, France
Mixing Studio
Yeah!Yeah!Yeah! Studios, Hamburg , Germany
Studio Personal
Recording Engineer : Antoine Demantké
Mixing Engineer: Dennis Rux
"French Boutik are the one band whose music captures the ESSENCE of the 60’s… the energy... the style... the pre Altamont spirit of cool; but they cover a VERY 2014 canvas with that
magical, musical paint. It’s like they were all put in a time machine mid-60’s and were unleashed today with a desire to make modern music, but in the only way they know how...with
that stylistic, mid-century modern vibe and chic that really sets them apart." -- Warren Peace,
host of We are the Mods!
www.studiocargo.com
www.yeahyeahyeahstudios.com
M
any of us take up some exercise in
order to lose some weight and that’s
all very positive and good - but then to
take on the best road race in the world in aid of
The Teenage Cancer Trust… that’s just heroic. Paul
Cowley has had an exhilarant couple of weeks.
Firstly his beloved Bristol City convincingly won
their first league championship in his life time and
the following week he positioned himself at the
start line for the 2015 London Marathon. We
asked Paul to describe the experience for us.
I
first got to know about specialised though the
founder Paul Willo, who I met while following
the specials when then reformed in 2009. I
have been interested in the teenage cancer trust for
many years, attending their concerts at the Albert
Hall as often as possible. The reason I started running was to lose weight, at 1 point I was 19stone+,I
am hovering around 13.i have since run many races
raising money for local charities. when Specialized
started, I was really interested in joining in fundraising for them, the 1st event I ran for Specialized was
the Ashton Court 10k for the beat cancer campaign.
This year I decided to do a joint challenge to run the
bath half (for the 2nd time) and the big one, the
London marathon. The training and the Bath half
marathon went without any problems, it was a good
pain free warm up for London. Then it was on to
London 26.2 miles a distance I’ve never ran before.
T
he build-up went well until I picked up a hip injury , which caused
be some big problems in training, and apart from gym work, and
cycling, I couldn't do any long distance running for the last 4
weeks leading up to London, but there was no way I was going to miss the
chance to run in the greatest race in the world.so the 26th May I was on
my way. Alarm at 6am,peanut butter sandwich, and banana for a pre-race
breakfast, and then off to the train station for a short journey to the start
line.
The day was wet, and cold to start, but the atmosphere was buzzing,
Taking in the pre-race atmosphere I warmed up on Blackheath ready for
the 10.10am start time. The race started well, and the miles were ticking
away nicely, and no pain from my hip. The outstanding thing for me on
the day was the crowds, I’ve never experienced crowds so huge, and so
loud, it really did helped when things started to get tough, which for me
was around mile 19, my hip really did start to play up, and was causing
me a lot of pain, I was on for a decent time, but decided to slow things
down to guarantee that I finished the race. The last 5 miles were painful,
people were dropping like flies all around me, but there was no way I
was going to give up. As I headed back into central London the crowds
were massive, and it really lifted me over the final stages, the mile signs
then turned in signs show yards,600 yards,400 yards,200 yards, seeing
Buckingham palace in front of me was such a buzz, then the last turn,
and I’m on The Mall with the finish line in front of me. As I approached
the line I had my arms in air because I was so happy that I had completed my 1st marathon, and the biggest one in the world.it was very emotional. Just after I crossed the line an official put the marathon medal
put around my neck, the jewel in the crown of running medals.
Running the London was an amazing experience and it was fantastic to
run it and yes I would do it again and help raise funds for Specialized &
the Teenage Cancer Trust. After spending a few days recovering, I am
now already planning future events to raise more for specialized.
Paul, we are
truly humbled
by your feat.
You are a ……
Some of the pictures we are hoping to recreate
The 2016 Calendar was first mentioned at The Big One Three where our 2 magnificent Madness
themed calendars were on show and for sale, despite not knowing the featured band. As well as the
kind congratulations on producing the 2015 calendar there were enquiries from interested people
wanting to take part in the calendar and The Big One is always a good chance for discussing ideas.
This year we are aiming to publish two different calendars again and if enough sponsor money is raised
they will be size A3 which is much more impressive looking and does the pictures more justice.
This year we are theming the calendar on The Clash, using album covers, iconic pictures and lyrics for
recreating. Already we have enough pledges to nearly fill the two calendars and pictures from shoots
are coming in. We will be adding teasers to our Facebook page soon!
In order to take part in the calendar models need to raise £50 to go towards publishing, our 2015 Miss
April is organising not one but TWO skittles nights (one involving The Special Brew) to raise some
money for hers. Other people have asked friends and family or donated the money themselves.
If you would like to be involved with the Specialized Calendar in any way or would like to sponsor one
of our pages please contact: Karen Le Cras email [email protected]
Hey guys, as some of you are aware I'm busy starting to raise funds towards
my Specialized calendar shoot. I have arranged two skittle nights to be held in May.
First night up with be with The Special Brew and Special Brew family (May 7th), Second
Night will be my Family, Friends and a league Skittle team (That I play for, May 12th).
I will be holding a raffle on both nights (As well as at my works) for one overall main First
Prize... A night for two in Holm House Hotel & Spa, Penarth. Value of
£170. www.holmhousehotel.com
Various other prizes will be up for grabs to be won on both nights, Including a £25 gift
voucher for Cardiff`s newest Burger Bar `Five Guys` plus a selection of other gift`s. I`m
asking £5 per person to play, which will include one free strip of tickets into the raffle +
Buffet. Extra raffle tickets can be purchased on the nights at £1 per strip. All monies
raised will be going towards The Specialized Project in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.
Kay Robinson
www.facebook.com/SpecializedCalendar
(white man) in hammersmith palais
tommy gun
london calling
pressure drop
police & thieves
white riot
the guns of brixton
english civil war
I fought the law
TOP 10 REQUESTS
With over a hundred artist requesting songs it was clear that some were
more desired than others. I fought the Law and English Civil War we’re
both asked for over twenty times and we could have filled the four cd
album with these ten songs along. Over the next few pages I’ll take you
through the top ten Clash songs requested by artists contributing to the
album. By the way you’ve probably noticed that there are only nine listed
above. That’s because the most popular gets a page to itself
Another of their famous covers, “I Fought the Law” still sounds like a song that The Clash should have written.
They hadn’t even heard the song until they were in San Francisco recording overdubs for Give ‘Em Enough Rope.
The studio had a bunch of old records on the jukebox, and included was Bobby Fuller’s version of “I Fought the
Law”. They listened to the song, learned it, and by the time they returned to England a month later, they were
playing it live. They recorded it and it originally appeared on the Cost of Living EP in the UK, but their label decided to bundle it in the shuffled US release of The Clash. Their rendition explodes with a cacophony of cymbals and
guitars, refusing to let up with a bevy of percussion. The snare hits on “robbin’ people with a six-gun” just nail the
listener to the wall. It’s still hard to believe Strummer didn’t have a hand in the words at all. It’s a match made in
protest heaven.
“English Civil War” is freely adapted from an Irish anti-war song of the 18th Century ‘Johnny I hardly Knew ye. Johnny I
hardly Knew ye was rewritten to be the American Civil War tune, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”, a hopeful tune
about soldiers returning from the battlefield. Strummer was wary of the new political groups like the British National
Front, and “English Civil War” paints a grim picture of “the new party army marching over our heads.” Strummer saw
these groups as a major detriment to England’s unity, and predicted that the next war wasn’t going to be on a far off
shore, but just down the street. The opening lines, “When Johnny comes marching home again hurrah/ He’s coming by
bus or underground hurrah,” bring that vision to life. The Give ‘Em Enough Rope single was one of the band’s more
straight-forward punk songs, but with a stronger dose of snarl than Strummer’s typically deployed. It’s a soundtrack to a
revolution if I ever heard one
What a first track: Paul Simonon’s big break at the mic came early with the dark, vitriolic “The Guns of Brixton”. I
could be wrong but this is the only Clash track to use a Jews Harp in its instrumental arrangement….a moment of
genius in my view. Simonon wrote it based on the clashes between gangs and police in, you guessed it, Brixton, in
which he condemns the gangsters and insists their life won’t end well. “When they kick at your front door/ how
you gonna come/ shot down on the pavement/ or waiting on death row,” Simonon warns ominously, a dark English cloud that blankets the entire song — from Strummer and Jones’ guitar screeches to Simonon’s low angry
vocals. There are stories that an executive from the record label came in while they were recording vocals, and
Simonon gave him a laser stare the entire time to keep his anger up while recording. Let’s say it worked.
One of the coolest things about The Clash is they put action to their words. Case in point: In 1976, at the Notting Hill
Carnival, a group of Caribbean residents rioted over the oppression they felt from the police. Well, Joe Strummer and
Paul Simonon were at the carnival, and ended up right in the middle of the riot. From that experience, Strummer wrote
“White Riot” about how white residents needed to take up a worthy cause “such as the black residents in London had
with racism” to stand up against. He felt white residents complained about trivial things, but would still fall in line with
authority, and need to do something about it. The song’s raw, sloppy, and messy; everything a punk song about rioting
should be. The guitars aren’t as clear and clean and they would later become, but, as their first single ever, it was quite
an introduction to the angry kids from London.
In the album liner notes to Clash on Broadway, Joe Strummer explained that he believed terrorists probably enjoy reading about their killings in the news, just like musicians or movie stars like to read reviews of their works. In a discussion
with NME's Gavin Martin, he described thus: "I was saying us rock 'n' rollers are all posers and egomaniacs, but we know
that terrorists are as bad, or worse than we are. They definitely love to read their own press... I know they dedicate their
life to a cause, but they're always posing for pictures." "Tommy Gun" attracted some controversy in some quarters as its
topic of international terrorism was a continuation of singer Joe Strummer's recent flirtation with terrorist chic. In early
1978 he made controversial comments appearing to support the Red Brigade of Italy (of whom he often wore a red
'Brigade Rosse' T-shirt in support of when playing live, including at their famous Rock Against Racism show in 1978) and
Red Army Faction of Germany, and many Irish fans voiced displeasure when he wore a 'H-Block' T-shirt in solidarity with
IRA prisoners held there, particularly those involved with the families of those killed on the Falls Road attacks.
The Clash were clearly quite nervous about recording the White Man in Hammersmith Palais, as it was a massive
step into the unknown for them - this was a heavily Reggae-influenced track both written AND recorded by a
white rock group.
Joe Strummer is the "white man" in this song. His lyrics were inspired by a visit to a reggae "All Niter" in which he
wasn't very impressed by the performances of Dillinger, Leroy Smart and Delroy Wilson, and also received some
aggro over being the only white guy in a room. He had called for white people to protest in the same way he had
seen black people protest at Notting Hill in the lyrics of "White Riot," but this night was proving to him that the
cultural mix he longed for was a long way off on both sides. This was one of Joe Strummer's favourites - in the
post-Clash era he continued to play it with his new band The Mescaleros, and it was also played at his funeral.
This song was co-written by Junior Murvin with the legendary Reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. At a
session at Perry's famous Black Arc studio in Jamaica, Murvin and his backing band The Upsetters were
jamming on a version, when out of nowhere lyrics, structure and melody all came together and Perry made
the snap decision to record the song in that form that very day. The next day a dub remix and alternative
versions were recorded, and by the end of that week the record was released and gaining heavy airplay in
Jamaica. "Police and Thieves" had already become a huge hit in the UK The Clash made the song even more
famous with their cover version on their debut album. Originally recorded simply to fill space, the band were
incredibly nervous about being a white Rock band covering a Reggae song so deeply entrenched in Jamaican roots. In the Westway to the World documentary singer Joe Strummer explained: "We had some brass
neck to do that. By all rights they should've said no But they were hip enough to realize that we'd brought
our own music to the party." "In the way that '60s bands would cover contemporary R&B classics, we covered the latest record from Jamaica," noted guitarist Mick Jones.
First recorded in 1969 with producer Leslie Kong, this song was included on the 1970 Monkey Man album (brought to
the UK by the famous Trojan Records label) and became popular around the world when it was included on the soundtrack to the popular 1972 movie The Harder They Come. One of the most popular Reggae songs around, "Pressure
Drop" has been covered by a number of bands, most popularly The Clash as a follow up to their cover of Junior
Murvin's "Police And Thieves." It started as a live cover on The Clash's White Riot tour in 1977, and a few attempts at
recording it in studio were unsuccessful before finally the finished cover was completed at Marquee Studios in March
1978, in the same sessions that would produce fellow B-Sides "1-2 Crush on You" and "The Prisoner." The final recording is strong but hampered by Joe Strummer's sore throat, which is partially evident on the hoarse vocal track.
Quite possibly the best side one/track one in rock history, “London Calling” slammed the industry’s heads
into the ground upon release. It was just so different: The music eschewed the genre’s atypical chaos for
monotony and melody. That’s not to say it’s soft, not at all. The guitars are more pummeled than played,
Simonon’s bass rises and falls like a red warning light, and Headon’s drums feel like a goose-stepping
march. Whereas their previous work created a foundation on anger, “London Calling” feels unsure, unsteady, and suspicious even. Strummer doesn’t have the answers (“Now don’t look to us/ Phoney
Beatlemania has bitten the dust”) and not even the swagger (“We ain’t go no ring/ except for the reign of
that truncheon thing). It’s very self-effacing despite its delivery.
At the time of its inception, Strummer and the band were going through heavy disputes with the record
company and even with each other. The frontman feared how they would bounce back since the balloon
of popularity that surrounded the punk scene in London had popped, which explains the Beatlemania
reference and most likely the track’s fear. Yet since when doesn’t something negative produce a positive
in music? Regardless of the dreary context, “London Calling” turned out to be The Clash’s most iconic
track and arguably punk rock’s most important protest song to date. There hasn’t been a song like it
since (at least not successfully), but probably because there will never be another band like The Clash.
The most requested track by bands appearing on Combat Cancer was ….
The Clash's "Bankrobber" is one of those rare songs in which nothing should work, but
somehow everything does. It's a reggae song by a punk band. It runs well over 4
minutes without ever changing rhythm, tempo, dynamics, or melody. Its lyrics are
meandering—even pointless at worst—with verses & refrains all but interchangeable,
rendering any inherent structure meaningless. With all of these elements, the song
feels long & repetitive
and yet, it's a masterpiece
What started out sometime in 1979 as a jaunty Ska tune demoed
as "The Bank Robber's Song" became what was supposed to be:
the first in a long line of singles released through 1980 - except
record label CBs hated it, calling it "all of David Bowie's records
played backwards." Harsh criticism for one of the band's best
charting singles, and another move away from the traditional
sound of the band after the already fairly radical-sounding
"London Calling." This song describes a boy whose father robs
banks, but refuses to harm anybody in the process; he simply
loves to live life as a criminal. Unfortunately many people took
these lyrics literally, prompting sniffy critics to point out that Joe
Strummer's dad was a foreign office diplomat and not actually a
bankrobber. The lyrics aren't meant literally - instead they are a
continuation of the themes of dead-end jobs and escaping oppression by 'the man' that run through so many Clash songs,
starting on the first album with Career Opportunities.
The song was recorded in Pluto Studios in Manchester (which is
still going today in 2015) in early February 1980. It was the first
time the band would work with Mikey Dread, a man they would
collaborate with a lot over the next year (he would produce their
1980 triple-album Sandinista!). Another longtime Clash collaborator, Mick Gallagher, says that "Mikey got a great vibe going in
the studio - he made rhythms by shaking a matchbox, or using a
squeaky toy”. Mick Gallagher is the Hammond organ player and
best known as a member of Ian Dury and the Blockheads and for
his contributions to albums by the Clash.
The video, featuring two masked robbers (roadies Johnny Green
and Barry Glare) holding up a bank in Lewisham, South London,
was rejected by the popular UK TV show Top of the Pops. So
instead the resident dance troupe of the time, Legs and Co, had
to dance to it when the song appeared on the show in August
1980.
"Mikey Dread got a great vibe going in the
studio - he made rhythms by shaking a
matchbox, or using a squeaky toy."
www.ericwolfson.com
Legs and Co dancing to Bankrobber Top of the Tops
Essex songwriter &
rapper Ray Gudge
AKA The Rapskallion talks to the TC Times about recording Bankrobber. His band SWAGGA fuse ska,
hip-hop, funk & punk all wrapped up with great lyrical storylines documenting life in modern Britain, taking in such subjects as wannabe Essex gangsters, the ASBO generation and the Americanisation of British culture.
"It's the 10 year anniversary of SWAGGA this year
as I recorded the 1st track RUDEBOYS in 2005 & I
am currently re-recording that song & bringing it
up to date along with some other old favourites &
some new songs too for the long awaited new album, which will definitely be available this year. I
first got involved with Specialized when Graham
Lambert who had been along to see the band a
few times suggested us to Paul, I think it was
quite far into the project & nearly all the songs
had gone. Maggies Farm was suggested but I
wasn't sure if that would work in a SWAGGA
stylee as I like to really put my stamp on a cover &
I was even prepared to
wrestle naked in custard
with Nick Welsh for it “
.”
write new bits & "SWAGGA" them up so I asked
what else was still going. STUPID MARRIAGE was
still up for grabs too & I was over the moon as
weirdly I already had an idea for that one as I was
gonna do a version of it years before but never
got around to it. Another song I had always intended to do a version of & had lyrics already written for was The Clash's BANKROBBER. So when it
was announced that this years theme was THE
CLASH I knew I had to try & get that one. I was
even prepared to wrestle naked in custard with
Nick Welsh for it but luckily for everyone we were
both allowed to do the track & I know both acts
Song
Tommy Gun
Arrangement
Miko Westmoreland
Recording Studio
Milk Studios, Limehouse London
Studio Personal
Recording Engineer : Tom Aitkenhead
Mixing Engineer: Miko Westmoreland
HORACE PANTER
MIKO WESTMORELAND
RAT SCABIES
KEVIN ELDON
Recording Tommy Gun
Erin Bardwell is a multi instrumentalist and the founder of POP A TOP Records and
THE ERIN BARDWELL COLLECTIVE.
P
op-A-Top Records label came before the live EBC band (but only by about 8 months!) The idea of a label first
came when I was working on a studio album, and we were chucking some ideas around for artwork during
2002. After being in bands through the 90s there was a slight sense of frustration when we tried to take a live
band into a recording studio and actually come out with something we were happy with / Or that reflected the band at
that time. So I decided to get an 8 track portable studio and experiment with getting a retro 60s/70s pre 2-Tone sound
and have a bit more control over the production and do it in my living room so I wasn't clock watching (for my budget
was near on zero). This album became 'The Erin Bardwell Collective Volume 1 - The Original Reggae Hitsound!' I wasn't
sure about it being named after me, but the rest of 'em said well it is your project so all sorts of variations of titles and
names were thrown about. It involved 19 people! But there was a core of maybe 6 or 7 to potentially take the songs and
ideas out to play a live gig or two come 2004. Eleven years later with many line ups behind us surprisingly we are still
here! Still gigging. And we squeezed in a few more releases on Pop-A-Top, which doesn't really function as a proper
label, signing other groups etc, it just helped us to make the artwork look better! The smallest reggae label in the world
perhaps? Also a chance to do the whole process the unconventional upside down way. Record the songs first, release
them, and THEN reinterpret them live!
Why/how did you decide to get involved with Specialized? Well Steve Nevard messaged me early 2013 on fb and
asked if I had heard of Specialized (which I had because I follow the ska scene) and wandered whether my band
would be interested in doing a bEAT cover for the 2nd project (Steve had heard one of our latest tunes on the
David Crane show I think) - which had jogged his memory of us I guess?! (although I had sent Steve a CD about 3
years previous I think to try and get some gigs!) So I said yes but had to speak to the band about it. It was a good
cause and I liked the idea of recording a cover and someone else releasing it (cos Pop-A-Top was a non-covers
label). So when the Madness and Clash ones came along we were keen to stay involved cos it just felt like the
right thing to do! The concerts are great and we enjoy playing and helping the charity. We personally know people who have suffered and or are suffering from cancer so really great to be able to contribute and help on that
level. Q.2. - What influenced your song choice? We were given a very short list of B-sides and lesser known bEAT
tunes cos it was later on in the project! And a lot of the tunes like March Of The Swivelheads were mainly instrumental so I felt I had to choose a vocal led tune to include everyone in my band (the group left it up to me to
choose cos they didn't recognise any on the song list!) I knew 'Which Side Of the Bed?' cos I had the HIT IT single
on 7" from years previous - and I liked the track - and I knew it was only 3 chords!! Ideal!
Can you give an insight into your rehearsal and recording for specialized? We usually practice and get the basic
structure with 2 or 3 of us first acoustically (piano, guitar and vocals). We always try and do our own interpretation so as not to copy the original record too much. But actually quite a different process with each tune. With
The bEAT one, once we had rehearsed it a bit with the full band we recorded it with all 5 of us in the room (well
garage!) onto my 8 track mini disc porta studio - then added real piano at my house along with Vox Organ - then
put it onto a reel to reel 16 track tape back at bass players Pete Fitzsimmons' garage / studio. Then the overdubs
of accordion, percussion and more vocals were added after. We changed the tempo slightly from the original I
think, but the drum pattern stayed more or less true to the record, and we tried to make it more of a 'Johnny Too
Bad' kind of thing (so not so much of the 'dub' in it). Everett Morton's drum style on it was quite similar any way
to what we do in The EBC so the track suited the band quite well. Our dep guitarist / bassist Jase Hill from The
Skanxters days insists we include it in the set when he guests with us live cos he likes the tune so much!!
!! It was a similar recording process for the Madness one (Wings Of A Dove) - but we changed the arrangement more from the record. For two reasons - 1) I
read Carl Smyth explain that when he wrote it he was going for a kind of 3 chord Buddy Holly sort of thing - so I thought Ah! - 3 chords! Just right for us! and
2) We wanted to do it in reggae and 3 chords is ideal for that! And of course the Madness single is not reggae. So we changed it quite a bit really - in fact
chopped half of the song out! We doubled up the verses (which it does in the middle of the single anyway) and had the organ lead the instrumentals, but
still threw in a 'taste' of what was on the original, but simplified it I suppose!? Experimented a bit! We wanted to choose an A side 'hit' (as opposed to doing a
B-side of a Top 70 single!! - as we did with The bEAT one!) 'Wings Of A Dove' seemed more universal, worldly and less specific to an area or subject (so made
more sense for The EBC to do it), instead of say 'House Of Fun' or 'Our House' (two other songs we considered due to us being in on the 3rd project at an
earlier stage).
THE ERIN BARDWELL COLLECTIVE
We wanted to choose an A side
'hit' (as opposed to doing a B-side of a
Top 70 single!! - as we did with The
bEAT one!) 'Wings Of A Dove' seemed
more universal, worldly and less specific to an area or subject (so made
more sense for The EBC to do it), instead of say 'House Of Fun' or 'Our
House' (two other songs we considered due to us being in on the 3rd project at an earlier stage). but you kind
of have to make a decision within a
week or so - make a short list of maybe 3 or 4 tunes after a 'band chat' /
acoustic run through - and just choose
(quite hard for an indecisive person
like me!) With The Clash song it was a
slightly different story. It took a bit
more time and planning. We didn't
want to do a reggae one like say
Rudie Can't Fail cos that would have
been a bit obvious - and I think the
allocated track process was a bit
different cos I think there were a lot
more bands coming forward due to
the success of the previous Mad Not
Cancer - so a lot of tracks were going
fast. So we had a personal short list,
put in what was at the top, and got
'Train In Vain'! We felt it was quite a
well known Clash song that was again
not so specific to London or whatever
and it felt like lyrics Sandra could sing
(myself and Pete the bass player kind
of made the decision due to our guitarist being un-contactable in the Thai
jungle - on his return we just told him
what was going on! And he said "OK
fair enough").
We liked the story behind 'Train In Vain'
being pencilled in for an NME flexi disc,
then not being on the artwork for the
album it got put on, then ended up being their first US Top 30 hit in 1980! (but
not a single in the UK). We bashed
through the track with drummers and
things and tried many different reggae
beats and tempos!
rather than a co-produce between myself and him - which was more the case
with the bEAT & Madness tracks. But
everyone in the band gets stuck in and
makes suggestions and contributes ideas
and stuff, and I think we are quite lucky
that we all get on with each other on
that level and can work things out without too many arguments!!
We liked the story behind 'Train In Vain' being
pencilled in for an NME flexi disc, then not being
on the artwork for the album it got put on, then
ended up being their first US Top 30 hit in
1980!
We initially kept the same arrangement
(order of verses, chorus's etc) but when
the tempo changed and it was done in a
different genre to the record it kind of
morphed into something else! The vocal
melody gradually changed, but we recorded the drums, bass and keys first. But
then some of the chords got changed in
the bridge / verse bit afterwards. The
original is quite a complex song with lots
of different bits so naturally when one
does it in a reggae style it kind simplifies
naturally into more of a groove - so the
complexities of the arrangement just
become more repetitive - something we
end up doing quite a lot really! Seems to
be the way! A few extra vocals got added, and at this present moment it is still
being mixed.... and pondered on. Our
bass player Pete Fitz is producing this
one
www.popatoprecords.co.uk
2013
Imani Hekima Multi genre musician, pianist & composer
For what is often seen as an especially ska based
project Specialized are always prepared to include musicians from across the borders of genera. Imani Hekima is a professional musician in the
truest meaning of the word professional. Professionalism isn’t the hedonistic access celebrated
by the music press because in truth that world is
largely imaginary and temporary. Imani Hekima
makes his living in the same way that any real
world tradesman make their living, taking the
work as he finds it, doing a good job and moving
on to the next. That maybe weddings, teaching,
self-producing releases and actually selling them
to an extent to support a common wage. Based
in the north of England. Imani performs at Asian
weddings around the country, covering all faith
groups. Additionally, he has played at fashion
shows, mehndis, conferences and private parties. He has also found the time to include
www.bollywoodpiano.co.uk
concert support slots to Raghav and Idris Philips.
Imani perfectly captures the spirit of Stereotypes
for the first compilation Specialized a modern
take on Speciallized classics. His version played
solely on piano is spiritual, classy and holds a
slightly discordant unease.
In 2015 Imani
teamed up with another Specialized artist Theatre Of Ghosts, reinterpreting Imani’s solo piano
cover of The Specials song "Stereotypes" the
compilation album 'Specialized - A Modern Take
On Specials Classics'. Typically of Thertre of
Ghosts work he creating a haunting downtempo
remix. You can hear it by visiting his soundcloud
page soundcloud.com/imanihekima
Imani Hekima Multi genre musician - pianist/
composer available for gigs/events,
Asian weddings and tuition.
“Special-ized – A Modern Take on
Specials’ Classics” is a ‘specially’
compiled double album comprising hits by 1980’s band The Specials covered by a wide-ranging
and eclectic mix of modern bands
and artists in various styles. . The
album was originally available as a limited edition double CD.
All went to The Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity highlighted
and supported by The Specials on their British tours since
2009. The album is jam packed with tracks specifically com-
missioned especially for this album and is all previously unheard material. All the acts have given up their time and energy to pull off some superb and unusual versions in homage to
The Specials. There also established artists such as Roland
Gift (Fine Young Cannibals), former members of Bad Manners
and The Selecter, some of The Specials’ brass section and two
bands fresh from their support slots on the Specials 2011 tour.
But this project is not simply ska covers by ska bands, there
are Specials’ classics recorded by artists from many different
genres ranging from indie, punk, folk, electronic to rap and
dance. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
V
ocal trio the Melodians were one of Jamaica's greatest rocksteady groups, cutting a series of classic singles during the late
'60s and early '70s that included the internationally famed "Rivers of
Babylon" and "Sweet Sensation." The group was formed in the
Greenwich Town area of Kingston in 1963 and included Tony Brevett (brother of Skatalites bassist Lloyd Brevett) and Brent Dowe,
who split lead vocal duties, plus full-time harmony singer Trevor
McNaughton. Additional member Rennie Cogle wrote or co-wrote
much of their material, and also served as an arranger. In their early
days, the Melodians performed quite successfully in talent shows
around Kingston, which eventually led to their first recording session - for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One label
The group moved over to Duke Reid's Treasure Isle imprint from
1967-1968, and it was there that they had their first taste of success.
Singles like "You Have Caught Me," "Expo 67," "I'll Get Along Without You," "You Don't Need Me" (which featured groundbreaking
chatter U-Roy), and "Come On Little Girl" established them as one of
the sweetest-sounding vocal ensembles on the rocksteady scene.
After "Come On Little Girl" became a hit in 1968, the group joined up
with producer Sonia Pottinger and scored two more successes that
year, "Little Nut Tree" and "Swing and Dine."
romantic concerns; they would occasionally return to Rasta themes
on songs like "Black Man Kingdom Come." Continuing to enjoy significant success with Kong, they stuck with him until the producer's
untimely death in 1971
They cut a few more records for producers like Lee "Scratch" Perry, Harry J, and Byron Lee's Dynamic Sounds studio and made second go-rounds with both Pottinger and Reid. Nothing quite recaptured their success with Kong, however, and Dowe left the group in
1973; they disbanded not long after, despite "Rivers of Babylon"
the Melodians broke through to a wider international audience when finding a whole new audience via its inclusion on Jimmy Cliff's
they began recording for producer Leslie Kong in 1969, an associasoundtrack for The Harder They Come. Dowe and Brevett both rection that resulted in many of their most celebrated songs. "Sweet
orded solo singles during the mid-'70s, the former with Lee Perry.
Sensation" sold quite well in the U.K. as well as Jamaica, and it was
They re-formed the Melodians in 1976 and re-recorded many of their
eclipsed in both places later that year by the smash "Rivers of Baby- old hits for Harry J, but the venture didn't get much further. The trio
lon," which became the group's signature tune. "Rivers of Babylon"
reconvened once again in the early '80s and cut a reunion album of
also marked the emergence of a Rastafarian spiritual consciousness new material, Irie Feeling, in 1983 (the same year UB40 covered
in the group's song writing, which had heretofore tackled mostly
"Sweet Sensation" on their hit Labour of Love album).
If you’ve worked with specialized and
have a self-produced album we’re
offering the specialized platform for
you to promote your albums through
our online shop
www.thespecializedproject.co.uk
Specialized Records is a new direction for The Specialized Project. In addition to
fund raising for good causes Specialized has also provided a platform for great
musicians from across the globe. Specialized records has been formed to support
and promote those artists that we have had the pleasure in working with over
the past few years.
To date our recordings have been released under the specials2.com banner which
has served us well. We feel it’s now time to move towards our own dedicated label
to enable us not to just release our own projects but also the music of artists that
we’ve worked with over the years. Specialized Records will be part label and part
shop giving artists the opportunity to use the specialized platform to promote their
own releases. The first three available albums will be ‘Its Oot’ by Big Fat Panda ,
‘Work Out the Puzzle’ by Sanna Pekonen and Passport to Ska by Kingsize.
We will be announcing more soon and if you’ve worked with Specialized and would
be interested in promoting your releases with us we’d be happy to discuss that
with you
The new anthemic creation that is ” Get Specialized!”a superb track by “3 Men” aka Nick Welsh (King Hammond), Roddy Radiation (The Specials)& Jake Burns
(Stiff Little Fingers) The 2015 signature tune for The Specialized project. Get Specialized is the first release for our new label Specialized Records. This is an
absolute rip roarer of a track and produced by the legendary Grammy award winning producer Roger Lomas
Into 2014, and Specialized 3 move to the stalwarts of UK music and 2Tone legends MADNESS. Mad Not Cancer is a four DC Box set featuring 74 tracks
submitted from affair a field as America, Australia, Europe and even The Philippines. It received the full backing from Madness of which Suggs, Lee
Thompson and Dan Woodgate recorded good will messages and Mark Bedford appears on The Values version of Madness.
Released as part of Specialized 3 ‘Mad Not Cancer’ campaign. Sanna is a talented and beguiling Finnish singer/songwriter. In 2014 she gifted us with a beautiful
version of It Must Be Love. “It Must Be Love” was originally recorded in 1971 by Labi Siffre and became a huge hit again in 1981 when it was covered by madness.
Billy Brown, an Acoustic Singer/Songwriter with a fantastic collection of songs about love and life from his own experiences.
Featuring tracks recorded especially for the Wolfman Radio “48 Hours to Ska” radio marathon which saw Del Anderson broadcast live for a straight 48
hours whilst raising money for Specialized- a great feat indeed. The album features iScat, Billy Brown, Katalina Kicks, Podracer & Parallax Faction.
King Hammond is Grammy award winning musician Nick Welsh.
In a 4 decade career in Ska & Reggae music he has in his own words been “Blessed to have worked with” some of the genres legendary artists Prince Buster,
Laurel Aitken, Rico Rodriguez, Dave Barker, Judge Dread & Lee Perry who in 2002 won a Grammy award for his work on Scratch’s “Jamaican ET” album.
Recorded at The Big One Two 3 day festival at Parkdean Sandford in Dorset 8th-10th November 2013
Every act from the 2013 festival is featured on the album including The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra, The Beat and The Hotknives
In 2013 we moved onto Specialized 2- Beat Teenage Cancer. This year’s album would feature the songs of The Beat. This double album contains 44 tracks
by artists from around the world
The Tears Of A Clown’ by Andrew Crayford for the ‘Specialized Beat Cancer’ compilation cd – 2013. The original song was recorded by Smokey Robinson
and The Miracles on Motown Records.
Fantastic rendition of Junior Murvin’s classic by singer/songwriter Billy Brown.
In November 2013, after performing live on Wolfman Radio with a cover of the Reggae classic Police & Thieves, he was asked by Specialized to release
it as a single for Teenage Cancer Trust, and has since appeared on the Mad Not Cancer album under the same banner
The second release from Nick Welsh was exclusive for Specialized 2- Beat Teenage Cancer. The single also includesa version of the Beats ‘Save it For Later’
recorded by Ed Rome. Another version of Prayer is available can be found on his album “The Outsider…The Life & Times Of A Ska Man”his album “The
Released as part of the Specialized 2 ‘Beat Teenage Cancer’ campaign. This cover of The Beats b side to Best Friend by singer-songwriter Robb
Johnson. He teamed up with Robb Johnson, Steve White, Jon Mason, Laurie Stevens & Ali Gavan.
Our first tribute album. Special-ized – A Modern Take on Specials’ Classics” is a ‘specially’ compiled double album comprising hits by
1980’s band The Specials covered by a wide-ranging and eclectic mix of modern bands and artists in various styles.
The good thing about the first Specialized album was that it was diversity of musical genres. Here we see lovely slices of classic Specials songs
transposed to folk rock, lounge and some power mod! Released in 2012 . Includes tracks from This Modern Youth, Lushy & Bluebird Parade
Specialized ‘The Ska EP’ Released on vinyl only (clear vinyl to be precise) vinyl in 2012. This is the first is a series of vinyl EP’s Ft. Values & Roland Gift (of
the Fine Young Cannibals), King Hammond, Orange St and Madness saxophonist Lee Thompson
Released as part of the Specialized 1 campaign this cover of the B side to Ghost Town by The Specials was our first release.
We are VERY proud to be part of SPECIALIZED’s latest musical series, with proceeds benefiting the TEENAGE CANCER TRUST foundation in the
UK. As you remember, the inaugural SPECIALIZED compilation featured songs by THE SPECIALS, the second series expanded to a double disc
set of (ENGLISH) BEAT songs, and this massive new undertaking honoring MADNESS ended up as a four CD mega collection! Once again, JUMP
UP is filling the hunger of vinyl fiends worldwide by releasing the cream of the crop on limited edition 7″ singles! We’ve got a bunch of special colors coming out on this one so keep a look out!
Mad Not Cancer 7" Vinyl EP’s
Features The Hotknives / The Values Ft.Neil Innes & Bedders (madness)/Rude Boy
George/King Hammond/BIM Skala BIM
Beat Teenage Cancer 7" Vinyl EP’s
#1 : THE ENGLISH BEAT “Mirror In The Bathroom” (new Dave Wakeling version!) b/w BIGGER THOMAS “Sole Salvation” 7″ (RED VINYL)
#2: THE SPRITELY ALL STARS feat RANKING ROGER “Two Swords” (Majestic Mix) b/w STIFF JOINTS “Ackee 123″ 7″
#3: THE VALUES feat NEOL DAVIES “All Out To Get You” / LEE THOMPSON “Madness (Acoustically Speaking)
b/w NICK WELSH feat BJ COLE “Save It For Later” / RHODA DAKAR “Too Nice To Talk To”
www.jumpuprecords.com
Set up by DJ Chuck Wren in 1993, JUMP UP is a Chicago based independent record label and mail order distribution
company specialized in modern bands who play original Jamaican ska, reggae, rock steady, and calypso. With nearly
100 releases under our belt, we proudly stand by our motto “Jamaican Music Made The Old Fashioned Way”. Not
only do you get boss vintage sounds that feel like they came from independence era Jamaica, but we make them in
its original art form: LP vinyl records. We feel strongly about releasing music in physical form, which is why we
choose not to deal with the digital side of the music industry. What makes JUMP UP different than many other labels is the simple fact that we are passionate collectors of vinyl records ourselves – we know what true music fans
want. It is our goal to support our music through its heart – the real fans who collect the music.
broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Live Shows: Daily from 4pm (UK) and from 12pm (UK) at weekends.
www.wolfmanradio.co.uk
The controversies surrounding the birth of radio
are a striking parallel to internet radio’s current
growing pains. History buffs will recall that in the
nascent days of radio, record companies feared a
profit loss, and rightly so. With this new, free music
delivery medium, they argued, why would Duke
Ellington fans spring for his latest LP? And what
right did radio stations have to turn a profit from
on-air ads while broadcasting free music? Others
adopted an optimistic outlook, hoping radio would
promote the very musicians whose intellectual
property the music recording industry was vying to
protect.
Webcasting offers a diversity of content that is unavailable on commercial broadcast radio. Internet radio allows a distribution of audio without the
considerable costs and government licensing that
comes with
traditional radio broadcasting. It
makes possible a distribution of songs, political
commentary, or public interest programming that
otherwise might not get produced. Artists who
lack an opportunity for broadcast radio airplay can
gain an audience across the Internet. Web sites
increasingly incorporate streaming media. While it
does not currently serve as a substitute for broadcast radio market, the public is beginning to tune
in, particularly the specialist audiences.
Five years ago, Del Anderson had a vision! “I saw a need
for a station playing diverse styles and keeping away from
commercial of modern radio stations” a year later Wolfman Radio was born! Wolfman radio strictly adhere to the
one thing that corporate radio forgets.. what does the
listener ‘actually want’ and rather than treating their listeners like idiots , Wolfman radio includes them in its programming. Interactive is a common meeting room jargon
nowadays but by logging in (and you don’t even have to
do that) to Wolfman Radio you become part of the programs playlist team by being able to watch and talk to the
presenters as the show goes out live. Here's something
else that commercial broadcasters forget as well… every
type of music form that ever existed…still exists! Wolfman
radios schedule embraces the healthy underground scenes
that support Reggae to Rocknroll, Soul to Blues and Punk
to classic Rock
Wolfman began the station with the flagship show, The
Last Train to Skaville which has since become the home of
Paul Willos Specialized Radio show. The Specialized Radio
Show is broadcast as part of The Train To Skaville program
each Wednesday at 8pm where The Specialized funder
gives an insight into what goes on within the Specialized
world.
www.wolfwearcustom.com
LIMITED EDITION
SPECIALIZED PROJECT
TEE £12.50
Specialized Project! £10.00
In all my years I’ve never
met a man with a finer
collection of ska t-shirts
as Steve Bourne of The
Reggaskas. And he’s just
bought his best one yet
London Calling Specialized!
£12.00
Specialized Keyring £1.00
Officially Specialized 4
Officially Specialized 4
£12.50
£10.00
Specialized 3 £12.00
Specialized Hoodie £20.00
Rock the Casbah! Specialized
£12.00
Officially Specialized 4
£12.50
We are very pleased to have with us STRICTLY ROCKERS record label bringing their diverse but rhythmic modern ska n reggae releases to The Big One 4!
Championed by Ollie Green, the label is releasing some outstanding modern ska,reggae & rocksteady as well as soul and Mod tunes. They have teamed up with
the legendary Rico Rodriguez on the new track ” Sunshine Ska”
1994 saw the birth of the Strictly Rockers label – headed up by Singer, Songwriter & Producer Godfrey Green. Godfrey has been heavily involved in the music
industry as a songwriter & used the label as a form of copyright for his earlier released products & to promote the work of other artists.
The name, ‘Strictly Rockers’ has been inherited from the building blocks of Black British music, originating from the roots of Ska & Reggae that stem from
Caribbean & African music.
The label has released a number of brands such as:
• Revelation 3 – ‘The Psamist’
• Mellowstatics
• Natural Mystics
• Sterotec
• Mc WiZFRESH
• DJ GODDERS
• RAW BASED RECORDS – ‘Own Style’,
• Strictly Rockers Records – ‘Betting no Bets’
• DINO RECORDS – ‘You know how to Whistle’
1994 saw the birth of the Strictly Rockers label – headed up by
Singer, Songwriter & Producer Godfrey Green. Godfrey has been
heavily involved in the music industry as a songwriter & used the
label as a form of copyright for his earlier released products & to
promote the work of other artists.
The name, ‘Strictly Rockers’ has been inherited from the building
blocks of Black British music, originating from the roots of Ska &
Reggae that stem from Caribbean & African music.
The Psamist was the finest quality of any Soul & R&B records released in the region at that time. Godfrey then found the doors
opened in the industry as more Artists & Label’s wanted a piece of
the Strictly Rockers man. Although Godfrey wasn’t interested in
making any long commitments regarding publishing or recording
deals, he wanted to finance his dream. He reshaped Revelation 3 &
took a production deal with Concise Control with a view to go on to
playing live performances.
The label grew after receiving financial backing and as a result Godfrey got what he had been working towards: his own recording studio. Within just a few years Godfrey was able to use his musical ear
to develop his own style of sound. Eventually building a dynamic
unit of budding talent with the ambition to put individuality & flavour back into British music.
Godfrey’s brother Peter (with a background in sound engineering &
DJing), set up his own business and called it Nightheat. He further
went on to introduce his skills in engineering & management to
create Movements Management, which would later be implemented into the label by mastering the ‘end products’.
Strictly Rockers is currently producing a number of tracks – predominantly of the Ska/Reggae genre with the view to completion
by the Summer 2015. All tracks will be available on most major
online stores so keep an eye on the website for the latest info.
R
uth Augilera’s first passion
in life was and still is music. Her interest for music started
at a very early age, her parents
influence of Motown, Ska, Folk,
Rock, Punk as well as other genres enabled Ruth to soon become very versatile in her song
selection
He then created Mellowstatics whose two singles (Champagne
Rain & Hero) were regional releases for Strictly Rockers label. The
publishing was negotiated for the late John Barry’s theme song
‘The Persuaders’ through Sony publishing & the classic Carole king
song ‘It’s too late’ through EMI (c.2009).
J
eri-Marie is not new to music world, she has been in and
around the movers and shakers in the Industry as tot. JeriMarie is also the Niece to Gordon Sumner; better known as Sting!
She has been involved in the early development of Strictly Rockers
Records music production and it has been progressing nicely with
experiential songs that’s had both a Dance and Reggae influence.
But now having decided to go with the Ska Mod approach, and to
bring some of the earlier tunes into play, which is safe to say it’s the
best of Jeri-Marie’s material to date. Jeri-Marie has 12 songs in the
bag which will include Call Me and the Debut Single Cheeky Thing
You can see Jeri
Marie live at the
Big One 4
S
tephanie
Houtman
grew up listening
Soul, Motown &
Reggae and was
one of the first
singers to join
Strictly Rockers
You can see Ruth live at the Big
One 4
M
idnite. (below) After auditioning for the
label it was evident that his talent was
unique, versatile & his MC’ing was capable of
holding a captivated audience. Midnite started
moving his style towards the Ska genre, separating him from the crowd and the other rappers in the region. Midnite is the second Artist
to have completed an Album with Strictly Rockers Records. The single ‘Light up’ featuring
Tasmin B & the follow up single ‘Rude Boy’
featuring Stephanie & Trombone ace Abie
Jones
L
ascel Wood (above) grew up listening to greats such as:
Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Luther Vandross, Mariah
Carey & Stevie Wonder. These legends influenced and inspired him towards a unique vocal style. The vibe of his debut
album (to be released soon) is rooted in Motown, fused with
an added Ska & Northern Soul flavour. Inspired by the likes
of: Sam Cooke, Terence Trent D’Arby and Amy Winehouse.
His album features a blast of trombone from Jamaican Ska
legends Rico Rodrigues and Dennis Rollins.
Stephanie also has an acting career and at
15 played Juliet in the Channel 4 series
Skins Her debut album Barcelona is currently in production
You can see Midnite live at the Big One 4
www.strictlyrockersrecords.co.uk
www.specializedproject.co.uk
Fancy your self as a music journalist?
We’re looking for
enthusiastic music fans to write reviews, conduct interviews and
generally make positive comment on the world ska scene. No expectations no pressure. The TC Times is published monthly and if
you something you’d like to be included we’d love to hear from you
[email protected]
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