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From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: More Reggae Albums
Message-ID: <895@ihuxk.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Mar-85 13:56:59 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxk.895
Posted: Thu Mar  7 13:56:59 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 8-Mar-85 05:14:46 EST
References: <708@decwrl.UUCP> <107@spar.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 50

> >I  saw  Talking  Heads  on  their  '82  tour,  and  the  opening  act was an
> >excellent  reggae  band called Burning Spear. Can anyone give me any info on
> >this band (any albums available in the US, any recent/future US tours)?
> >
> >	Mike
> 
>     I'm certainly no expert on reggae, but Burning Spear ranks among the
>     most respected and influential reggae bands.
> 
>     Their sound is pure, simple island harmony with a minimum of hi-tech
>     influence and a maximum of spiritual force.  Their album `Marcus Garvey'
>     is a most dignified statement of supreme moral purpose. Such songs as: 
> 
> 	    Do you remember the days of slavery?  
> 	    Give me what is mine 
> 	    Resting place
> 
>     ...carry devastating power.
> 
>     `Marcus Garvey's Ghost', which consists of instrumental remixes of
>     the songs on `Marcus Garvey', was perhaps even more influential,
>     a landmark in the development of dub.
> 
>     I can also highly recommend `Man in the Hills'.
> 
>     Such music not only exemplifies a new feeling of liberation that has
>     been gradually awakening in third world music (and elements of American
>     popular music), but also provides the blueprint for the creation of new
>     and similar statements -- the techniques required to create such sounds
>     are now available to people living in grass huts and ghettos everywhere.
> 
> -michael

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
I first got acquainted with Burning Spear on a trip to Jamaica in 1978,
at which time I got their dub album Garvey's Ghost.  As stated above, this is
a landmark in dub music.  As such, however, potential buyers should be aware
that this style of music is substantially different from a lot of more
well known reggae.  In particular, there are almost no lyrics on the album,
and the intent of dub music seems to me to create a mood or emotion through
the music, and the use of "sounds" that wave in and out of a central 
structure.  The effect on the Garvey's Ghost album is almost "ghostly", as
horn parts fade in and out on top of a basic bass and rhythm line.  In short,
the album is good, but may not be what you expected, and it may not appeal to
all tastes.  It's a little bit more unusual than the typical Bob Marley
or Peter Tosh material.

Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611
:wq