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A Keith Hudson production with a strong whiff of Studio One to its bumping rhythm. JC typically bosses this song about requited love, which gives no clue where the golden snake comes in.
That’s none other than Clive Chin from Randy’s, toasting on the flip.

Originally out in 1982 on the London label Arts & Crafts, heralding a stint in the city for the great singer, and opening a collaboration with producer Stafford ‘Mafia Tone’ Douglas. All self-penned songs, over Roots Radics rhythms.

Biff, baff, boof.
Two hunks of deep Wackies roots; and an amazing, previously unreleased coup de grace.
First off, a haunting, dazed, raving account of being kicked out of a squat; with heavy bass, killer organ, sublime backing vocals, and a hurting, searing Stranger Cole. ‘We’ve got to find a better place.’
Then a tough instrumental outing on the same deadly, signature Wackies rhythm as Clive Hunt’s Black Rose, by Wanachi.
And on the flip: stark, visionary, semi-acoustic primitivism, from the same drama school as early Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus.
Unmissable Wackies.

Aka Clive Hylton, alongside Russ D from The Disciples.
Shaka business, also much favoured by Aba Shanti.

Sweet rocksteady lovers, rather impassively worried about being apart for a while; plus the Supersonics’ slinky, tiptoe classic Our Man Flint (nodding to James Coburn’s piss-take of 007, just then arriving in Kingston cinemas).

The drummer of the Gladiators Band and the Upsetters, recording with his own Solid Foundation Band at the Black Ark in the down-time of a Junior Byles’ session. A rework of The Animals’ version of an English folk song, with a leg-up from Byles’ own A Place Called Africa. Originally released on Sight’N'Sound, by Studio One.
Lovely, mystical roots, with an ace dub, touched with unmistakable Perry genius.

Tearaway sufferers anthem, roaring out of the blocks in 1989. Piercing, unforgettable song-writing by the Tetrack spar — jam-packed with anecdote, observation and warning — over a sick, breakneck, apocalyptic rhythm, with an ace dub. A digi classic.

Ace, lonesome digi from 1988, indebted to Tenor Saw, with Johnny Osbourne’s Can’t Buy Love submerged in its DNA. Crisp, driving dub.
Surely ‘Culture P’ would have been a better idea.

Expert, cautionary rockers, with crisp toms and moody horns, produced by Dolphin Morris.