Eclipse - Corrupted Society

Over the past couple of years Bristol Archive Records has been successfully turning the spotlight on Bristol’s and the South West’s lost reggae heritage and having received a host of plaudits for this they recently launched a new sister label, Reggae Archive Records, with similar ambitions of bringing many lost great artists and records from other UK towns and cities back into the public domain. Already on this label they have released a 12” from London band Tribesman and the various artists’ compilation “Fashion In Fine Style - Significant Hits Volume One” and they are now embarking on the short trip up the M5 from Bristol to Birmingham to release the album “Corrupted Society” by Eclipse.

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Black Roots On The Ground

Having featured on a trio of excellent compilations, had their singles collated into a Reggae Anthology and had a deluxe edition of their “All Day, All Night” album from 1985 re-released by Bristol Archive Records in the last couple years, one of the UK’s best but under exposed reggae bands Black Roots have reunited to deliver “On The Ground”, their first new material in some 25years.

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Black Roots - All Day All Night (Deluxe Edition)

Celebrating 25 years since its original release Bristol Archive Records are bringing us a deluxe CD edition of “All Day All Night”, the album that saw Black Roots teaming up with the Mad Professor and moving away from their original earthy, raw sound to a more polished version. Despite this move musically the band's lyrics remained predominantly focused on the social and historical injustices that help define the roots genre.

The 12 original tracks from the album are as strong as any you are likely to hear and although this more polished sound does take away some of the raw and vibrancy of Black Roots early sound the lyrics are just as

By 1987 the popularity of roots reggae music in the UK had most definitely waned with the arrival of the digital style and also to more of an extent the emergence of Hip Hop and Rap. So the fact that this album was not particularly commercially successful can be blamed for that, because this is a great roots album with the Mad Professor at the controls, embracing new technology and production techniques, to give them a more contemporary UK sound.

Having previously teamed up with Nubian Records to release the critically acclaimed “Black Roots – The Reggae Singles Anthology”, Bristol Archive Records have once more been allowed into the Black Roots/Nubian tape vaults. This time we bring out a 25th anniversary deluxe CD edition of “All Day All Night”, the album that saw them teaming up with the Mad Professor and moving away from their original sound for a more polished version. Whilst the music may have been brought up to date, the band's lyrics rarely strayed away from the same themes of social and historical justice that define the roots genre.

As well the original dozen vocal tracks, we've added several dub versions and the extended 12” mix of “Pin in the Ocean”. The music itself saw the band embracing new technology and production techniques to give themselves a more contemporary UK sound, expertly helmed by the UK's leading reggae producer Neil Fraser. The dub mixes give another dimension to the music, the Mad Professor's signature mixing style meaning these mixes wouldn't seem out of place in his own “Dub Me Crazy” series.

A quarter of a century after its first release, “All Day All Night” is worthy of reissue and hopefully will find a new audience amongst fans who were too young for its original release as well as appealing to those who want to supplement their vinyl issues and enjoy the many extra tracks included on this CD. Bristol Archive Records have paid their usual attention to detail and to complement the newly re mastered music, the booklet will include many previously unpublished photos of the band.

Back together after many years, Black Roots are working on a new album to be released in late 2012 as well as performing around the UK. The fact that several of these songs have found a firm place in their live set, emphasises the quality of the writing and the need for this long overdue reappraisal. Bristol Archive Records have once again fulfilled their mission and rescued another deserving and high quality album from obscurity for a new generation of fans.

Tracks CD:

Realize

Pin In The Ocean

Release the Food

Freedom

Poor Children

Spare The Rod

Conman

Seeing Your Face

All Day All Night

Mighty Lion

Suffer Me Not

Childless Mother

Additional tracks:

Pin In The Ocean (Extended Mix)

Reality Dub

Folitrickshun Dub

Dub Free

Face Dub

Fertility Dub

COOL RUNNINGS

With a career that spanned twelve years including the entire 1980s, Cool Runnings were one of Bristol's longest lasting bands, yet their failure to gig beyond the West Country or release anything more than their lone twelve inch single means that they are also one of the City's best kept musical secrets. Originally formed in Weston-Super-Mare by Keyboardist Mark Tuck and Guitarist George Condover, they immediately relocated to Bristol and recruited various local musicians including an experienced and talented singer, Winston Minott.

Although “Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto” was their solitary release, the band regularly recorded material throughout their career and fortunately thanks to the foresight of George and Mark in holding onto various master tapes, Bristol Archive Records are able to release the band's self titled debut album “Cool Runnings”.

They've selected a dozen tracks recorded between 1983 and 1985 at various local studios, and a couple of live tracks, to give an idea of why the band were so popular in person. Although their music leans towards the more mellow end of the market, (Lovers Rock), music ideally suited to Winston's soulful voice, the band were more than capable of writing good roots tunes, five of which are featured including the excellent “We Must Go Home”, “Children Of Zion” and the previously released “Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto”. Winston Minott had spent many years touring all over Europe with soul band The Invaders and many songs showcase his vocal talent, but a particular highlight has to be “Playhouse” an alternative recording of which can be found on “The Bristol Reggae Explosion Volume 3”.

Perhaps proper management would have seen Cool Runnings achieve the success and wider exposure that their combined talents and unique take on reggae undoubtedly deserved. Now twenty years after the members went their separate ways, Bristol Archive Records have filled in another missing piece of the City's musical heritage with a band whose music fits perfectly with their name, Cool Runnings.

Tracklisting:

We Must Go Home

Playhouse

Children Of Zion

Give Me Some Interest

Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto

Lawman

You Can’t Pay Me

Is This For Real?

Permanent Diet

There You Go

Sunshine – Weep Willow Weep

Last Train

Cool Runnings - ‘Cool Runnings’ available as CD and Digital Download on Bristol Archive Records

Joshua To Jashwha - 30 Years In The Wilderness

From the beginning of Bristol Archive Records involvement in documenting Bristol's neglected reggae heritage they've wanted to release an album that showcases the great talent of one of the local reggae scene's mainstays, Joshua Moses.

Unfortunately, Joshua has no copies of the many recording sessions he has done in the years since his first session in 1978, and so it has taken more than eighteen months of painstaking research and the pursuit of numerous leads to gather together the fifteen tracks on “Joshua To Jashwha – 30 Years In The Wilderness”. The result is more than worth any effort involved on their part and is as strong a debut album as anyone could wish for, guaranteed to create a buzz among reggae fans worldwide.

The tracks on this album were recorded between 1978 and 2003 yet prior to Bristol Archive's involvement the only tracks to have been previously released were the very scarce “Africa (Is Our Land) and it's dub counterpart “Home”. The former, included on the “Bristol Reggae Explosion 1978-1983” and both tracks were reissued on a very limited 12” in February 2012. The only other track to have previously seen the light of day is “Rise Up”, first heard on “The Bristol Reggae Explosion Volume 2”. Again they have included it's dub counterpart and again released a very limited edition 12” alongside “Africa (Is Our Land)” in February 2012.

The other 11 tracks were recorded over a period of twenty years and include a trio of live recordings, but all the tracks have one thing in common, they are all roots tunes of the highest order and Joshua being a multi talented musician has created the music with as much skill as the lyrics. Having dealt with repatriation with “Africa (Is Our Land)”, we move on to “House of Dread”. One of the highlights of Joshua's live shows in the early eighties, it welcomes all of humanity to embrace Rastafari in universal unity, although there is the caveat that the rich may not be welcome.

Evildoers come under attack in “Stick It Up” which attacks the hypocrites and parasites, (vampires and old pirates), who have caused so much suffering throughout history. We then move onto “Jah Time Has Come” that skilfully adapts Aswad’s  “Promised Land” rhythm as Joshua looks forward to the coming of Jah and universal justice. Another candidate for the twelve inch treatment is “Suffering Is In the Past” and it's dub counterpart, a tale of life's struggles and overcoming suffering. This is followed by “Rise Up”, Joshua's call to fight oppression and injustice wherever it is found. “Steel” calls for love to triumph over evil. Joshua then proclaims his Rastafarian, Jamaican and African identity in “Bobby Wrong”. “Children Of the Light” and “Nothing To Lose” show Joshua's vocal versatility as he uses a falsetto voice, whilst “Protection” says that if you embrace Jah he will guide and protect you and show you the way. The final track “Distant Guns” introduces a bluesy guitar giving the song a unique and extremely catchy feel as Joshua sings how love will triumph over adversity come judgement day. All the tracks are sung with the utmost conviction, by an artist who truly believes what he sings.

It's likely that if Joshua had been recording in Kingston rather than Bristol he would have become an international star, his music avidly collected and lauded with praise. It may be rather belated, but this release should go a long way towards establishing Joshua's reputation internationally.

The other purpose of this release is to draw a line under Joshua Moses and see him reborn as Jashwha Moses, Jaswha has had many trials and tribulations over the decades and his lonely struggle for musical success has often been an uphill battle. Now with this career retrospective and a new name to tie in with his new, but equally spiritual material, he can hopefully look forward to the success and wider recognition his talents have always deserved.

Joshua Moses -  ‘Joshua to Jashwha – 30 Years In The Wilderness’ released 9th April  2012 on Bristol Archive Records available as CD, Vinyl and Digital Download

WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com

THE BRISTOL REGGAE EXPLOSION 3 – THE 80’s (PART 2)

The Bristol Reggae Explosion is back with a third volume. Whilst still happily exploring what was happening in the city during the 1980s, they’ve bent the rules a little to included a lone track from 1979, this third volume is just as strong as the previous two which is an amazing achievement when you consider that 11 of the 15 tracks are previously unreleased!

It is available now as 15 Track CD, 8 Track LP & Digital Download to read a full review on this most welcome of releases visit..... 

Bristol Reggae Explosion Vol 2 - The Review

The Bristol Reggae Explosion vol 2 1978 - 1983 sees Bristol Archive Records digging even deeper into the city's reggae heritage with a selection of rarities and several tracks that have never been previously released. It also serves as a poignant reminder of just how much unheralded reggae talent was out there back in the '80s.

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Black Roots - The Reggae Singles Anthology

Black Roots - The Reggae Singles Anthology is exactly what it says on the tin as it groups together the single releases from one of the UK’s leading exponents of roots reggae and gives you one the finest collection of singles of this kind you are ever likely to find.

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