Links was an artists’ cooperative, formed in 1968 by The Gaylads, Ken Boothe, The Melodians, and Delroy Wilson, fed up with getting ripped off by Studio One and co. They did everything themselves — hiring Dynamic / Wirl studios, printing up labels, organising the pressings, and distributing in person to Kingston record shops — in the teeth of peeved obstructiveness from other labels, producers, and radio stations. Many of their 45s were blanks, hand-stamped with BB Seaton’s home address: ‘Links Records, 39 Wildman Street, Phone 24954’.
The backing band was probably Lynn Taitt & The Jets to start, giving way to the Conscious Minds (with Joe White and Ken Boothe on keys), whose instrumental Something New is one of the highlights here, featuring killer guitar and trombone by Harris Seaton and Derrick Hinds.
Links was short-lived; ironically unable to cope with the success of a Melodians’ hit entitled It Comes & Goes.
It’s a fascinating story, and this is top-notch rock steady; the first compilation of the dozen or so Links releases. Scorchers by Conscious Minds, The Melodians, Randall Thaxter, and Ken Boothe — doing his best Otis Redding — steal the show.

The classic set of Scientist / Roots Radics dubs, originally out on Starlight Records in 1981, now matched with its vocal counterparts, including previously unreleased cuts by Junior Reid and Ranking. The vinyl comes with a two-feet-square colour poster of Tony McDermott’s cover art.

The classic set of Scientist / Jammy / Roots Radics dubs, originally out on Starlight Records in 1982, now matched with its vocal counterparts, including previously unreleased cuts by Hell & Fire, Sister Nancy and Papa Tullo. The vinyl comes with a two-feet-square colour poster of Tony McDermott’s cover art.

The classic Scientist dub LP, plus vocal counterparts by the likes of Wayne Wade and the Wailing Souls.

A set of four Jammys dub-plates, courtesy of Dub Store, Tokyo.

Soulful, enraptured excursion on God I God I Say, with a lovely melodica dub.

Two excellent, righteous vocal cuts to a tough, downtempo, rootical rhythm, in a brief respite from dancehall at Tubby’s HQ.
Latest in Dub Store’s lip-smacking series of Firehouse dub plates.

Lloyd Charmers productions, from 1968 into the early seventies: B.B. Seaton, The Gaylads, Ken Parker, U Roy, I Roy, Max Romeo… Alton Ellis’ killer version of It’s A Shame…

Heavy Lloydie Coxsone production (with Sly, Horsemouth, Malawi, Bagga, Chinna, McCook and the rest), featuring Shaka favourites like Homeward Bound and Voice Of The Poor. Tougher than the classic Black Star Liner album.