Junior Byles - Beat Down Babylon: The Upsetter Years

Whilst away on my holidays the other month I started reading the Lee Perry biography “People Funny Bwoy”, and this lead me to dig out an old Trojan CD I have of Junior Byles “The Upsetter Years”. The CD contains the classic “Beat Down Babylon” album plus many extra tracks from his golden era with Lee Perry. The thing that struck me on listening to this again was that not only is it a compilation of some of Junior Byles best work, but also you can hear the birth of reggae through this as Perry works his magic at the mixing desk. It starts off with “Festival Da Da” that still has that 60’s rocksteady feel to it, and throwaway lyrics. Then you get that warn skinhead / early reggae of “Joshua’s Desire”, the Rastafarian fundamentalism lyric of “Beat Down Babylon”, with the bass coming more to the fore, the almost dark, and brooding cover of “Fever” before finishing on the rootsy “The Long Way” sung over a deep dubby riddim. All throughout as well is of course the superb vocal performance of Junior himself as he expresses his emotions of rebel anger, dismay and hope with what seems like ease. A class act if ever there was one.

Junior Byles - Biography

Kerrie Byles Jr. was born at Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 17th, 1948. He was brought up in the city's Jonestown ghetto, where his father worked as a mechanic, while his mother was a schoolteacher. They were a devoutly religious family, and it is in the church were Junior’s early singing musical education started. As he grew up he began to follow with enthusiastic interest the latest recordings from local heroes like Jackie Edwards, Slim Smith, Stranger Cole, The Maytals and the Wailers.
On leaving school however instead of following his musical interests fully he became a mechanic before, in around 1968, he changed career to become a fireman. Also around this period, he formed a vocal group called the Versatiles, with Louie Davis (who was also a member of the Morwells) and an Indian youth remembered only as Dudley. They cut their first session for release on Joel Gibson's Amalgamated label, with three superb titles, “Just Can't Win”, "The time Has Come" and "Trust The Book". These songs were recorded under the supervision of Lee Perry with whom he later forged a strong and productive musical partnership. Backup on the songs was supplied by Lynn Taitt & the Jets. During the late sixties the Versatiles cut additional sessions for Gibson "Push It In” and for the Delltone label they cut "Children Get Ready". As the 70’s dawned, they returned to Gibson, and cut the great "Warika Hills" and recorded the fine "Pick My Pocket" for Laurel Aitken.
Unfortunately not long after this the Versatiles decided to go their own ways. Junior was still working as a firefighter, but he remained close to Perry, who was by now working with Bob Marley. When Perry's association with Bob Marley came to an end however, he was left looking for a suitable singer-songwriter he could work with to fill the void and Junior, thought Perry, would fit the bill perfectly.

Perry, rightly regards Junior as one of the top vocalists he has ever worked with, and has continued great respect for Junior's own unique character, combining equal parts of fierce and defiant Rastafarian fundamentalism with a personality described by his contemporaries as profoundly humble. The pair got off to something of a slow start with the minor hit "What's The World Coming To", released under the name King Chubby ("Chubby" being a nickname Junior had been given in his neighbourhood when just a boy). In 1971 Perry and Junior entered a song a national festival contest on the island. The song "Rub Up Festival" reached the final 8 before the songs suggestive lyric led to it being disqualified. They tried again the following year with the more lyrically friendly "Festival Da Da" and ended up finishing as runner-up. 1972 was a big year for Junior with the release of a debut album, the classic “Beat Down Babylon”, which contained the songs "Beat Down Babylon", "King of Babylon", and the plea for repatriation, "Place Called Africa" this along with a series of singles that followed, established Junior as a major force in both Jamaica as well as helping establish him with audiences in the UK. Junior also recorded his biggest hit to date, with a cover version of Peggy Lee's "Fever", over a crucial Perry dubby riddim. It was also election year in Jamaica and Junior was one of several reggae musicians to offer support to Michael Manley's campaign, releasing the singles "Joshua Desire" and "Pharaoh Hiding" ("Joshua" referring to Manley and "Pharaoh" to the ruling Jamaican Labour Party's leader Hugh Shearer). Manley was elected, but improvements for Jamaica's poor were not immediately apparent, and Junior was one of several artists who had supported Manley who voiced dissent, releasing the scathing "When Will Better Come?”
By the mid 70’s Junior and Perry’s relationship had faltered and he moved on recording three duets with Rupert Reid for Dudley Swaby and Leroy Hollett's Ja-Man label, as well as recording "Bury-O-Boy" for Lloyd Campbell and covers of "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "Oh Carolina" for Pete Weston. Regarded by some as his greatest work, "Fade Away" was recorded in 1975 for producer Joseph Hoo Kim; It was a massive hit in Jamaica and was also a big success in the UK, and was covered five years later by Adrian Sherwood's New Age Steppers group. It also featured on the soundtrack for the film Rockers.

By late ‘75, and as was poised for international exposure, Junior’s health had begun to decline. Just like his mentor Lee Perry, he was acquiring a reputation for madness, he was also suffering from bouts of depression, and was deeply affected by the death of Haile Selassie. Unable to reconcile this with his belief in Selassie's divinity, he attempted suicide. This then lead to him being admitted to Bellevue Hospital, were his health continued to decline. Although he had regular spells in the hospital, he continued to record, reworking "King of Babylon" for Winston Holness, working again with Campbell, and recording a cover of The Archies' "Sugar Sugar" with Big Youth, he also somehow managed to He also release a second album, “Jordan”, produced by Pete Weston, after this though he all but vanished from the music scene. He attempted a comeback in 1978, recording two singles for Joe Gibbs. It was clear that he was still not well, however, and it would be 1982 before he re-emerged, working with New York label Wackie's. Progress on a planned new album was slow, and Junior was beset by tragedy when his mother died, and he lost his home in a fire. His wife and children also emigrated to the United States, and aside from a few singles, Junior would release nothing until 1986's “Rasta No Pickpocket” album. The album did not, however, see a long-lived upturn in his fortunes, and by the following year, he was living on the street, scavenging for food in the rubbish, and begging from passers-by. Junior has occasionally resurfaced, recording "Young Girl" for Holness in 1989 and "Little Fleego" three years later; he has also played a few live shows with Earl "Chinna" Smith in 1997 and 1998. He contributed to the “Medicine I” compilation album in 2000, and returned to live performance in 2004 in Jamaica, receiving positive reviews. This led to a short tour of the United Kingdom. His legacy of recordings from the 1970s, however, maintain his status as one of roots reggae's leading talents

"Yes, I've been fightin' terrible struggles through creation. At times, I walk barefoot. At times, you only see me with a rod and a bundle of fire beside me. Sometimes I live in the hills. Sometimes, I go away. Sometimes the only t'ing that I have to satisfy my soul is lightning and thunder and the sun that shine to remind me that there is still hope for humanity. I am a person who scorn and scoff at suffering – don't like to see it. I personally desire to see righteousness cover the eart' as the way it should be. So then, most of my writing is just based in that channel, you know – to see that these t'ings come to be a reality. "I have traveled far and wide – t'rough hills, hedges, highways and byways where a lot of people is afraid to go. And I don't believe I've stopped. I'm still doin' it. That is just part of my duty from day to day. DI already forsee the day when I am not going to want. I see it. I know it is just around the corner. Everyday in my life, everyday is just a workin' day. Don't care how mystic it might look. I just appreciate becau' I know that as long as I am living clean and tryin' my best to do what is right, my reward is endless – priceless." (Junior Byles)