Upful dancehall vibes address topics such as vegetarianism, skin colour, school, good old-fashioned rocking the mic. One toast laments Batta’s girlfriend running off with Sugar Minott.

A graduate of soundsystems like Gemini and Volcano Hi Power, Little John was twelve years old when he voiced this tune, shifting its sights from snitches and stoolies, straight to the head of all party-poopers. It appeared in 1983 during Sugar’s stay in London after Good Thing Going was a national pop hit in 1980, coming on the Stoke Newington label M And M - presumably named after Minott and his then-partner, Coxsone Dodd’s niece Maxine Stowe. Appearing first with Wackies’ pink-to-orange labels, Batta’s cut is a different mix again to the version on his album. He bows to U-Roy at the start, before switching to a more contemporary delivery. Sugar is in attendance throughout, almost as if the pair were taking turns at the mic, before the dub takes over.
Two versions, different dubwise mixes of Sugar Minott’s massive Informer rhythm — both choca with living dancehall vibes and Channel One-style deadliness.
Warehouse find; last box.

Majestic and immense Cure, on The Heptones’ Give Me The Right rhythm.

A Bullwackies masterpiece — spooked, reeling roots, saturated in hurt, confusion and resistance, with a knockout Baba Leslie-led dub.

In the mid-seventies, Minkie’s friend U-Roy would sometimes pass him the mic during a Tubbys soundsystem set. Later, another friend, Sydney Wilson gave him a cut of the rhythm here, which he took to King Tubbys studio, to voice over. It’s tough, cavernous and concussive; the deejaying is relaxed and rough. King Tubby is no-messing at the controls. It’s in the same neck of the woods as classic Glen Brown. Ace!

Reviving three vintage Trojan selections: Jah Thomas Meets King Tubby Inna Roots Of Dub, Jah Thomas Meets The Roots Radics Dubbing, and Hidden Treasure.
With the Revolutionaries, later the Roots Radics, and Scientist.

Ace Ken Khouri productions for Federal, from 1964-5; beautifully repackaged.

Toddler at the control tower, over heavier-than-lead Roots Radics. Scientist cuts the dub right back to the bone.

Ain’t no house like Waterhouse for Black Crucial, Anthony Johnson, Junior Reid and co.