Wild Party ...Again

Various Artists - Wild Paarty Sounds Volume One

Ripped from a vinyl album released on Cherry Red Records (BRED 24) licensed from On-U Sound Records in 1981, to high resolution 24-bit flac.  I posted a cd rip of these a few years back, here's the 24/96 vinyl rip I should have posted at the time. 

In theory an On-U Sound compilation (allocated ON-U LP 6) but in reality released on Cherry Red Records, here is another fine early Adrian Sherwood compilation from 1981. Many of the artists listed were never seen or heard of again, but given the heritage, I would guess some would have appeared earlier or later using alternative identities. There was never to be a volume two.

You'll find a fine mix of dubby reggae, twisted post-punk funk and cut-up distortion, all of which carry Sherwood's hefty production signature. The bizarrely named The Chicken Granny sound much like John Lydon or Mark Stewart fronting up a funky 23 Skidoo, Machine Gun Hogg & Co owe much to Medium Medium and A Certain Ratio. Nutty French guy Alan Pellay throws us two splendid works of dubby funk, Manchester's The Mothmen feature original Durutti Column members Tony Bowers and Dave Rowbotham as well as a couple of Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias. American ex-pat Jeb Loy turns turtle, poking fun at his homeland in the Things That Made U.S. I really loved what original capital dub-punksters London Underground did. Their limited back catelogue is well worth tracking down, though their albums and singles are quite rare. Fans of Snatch and New York punk-funk will enjoy the Judy Nylon solo track which closes the compilation.

A1 Jah Woosh - Woodpecker Sound
A2 Machine Gun Hogg & Co. - Bed Bound Saga
A3 Prince Far I & Creation Rebel - Quanté Jubila
A4 The Chicken Granny - Quit The Body
A5 Alan Pellay - Parasitic Machine
A6 London Underground - Dreams Are Better
B1 Suns Of Arqa - Asian Rebel
B2 Alan Pellay - Demonic Forces
B3 The Mothmen - Afghani Dub
B4 Jeb Loy & The Oil Wells- Things That Made U.S.
B5 New Age Steppers - Yipee I Aah
B6 Judy Nylon - The Dice

Dub Plates

Various Artists - On-U Sound Disco Plate Collection Part One

Ripped from a compact disc album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U CD 0012) in 1998 to high quality lossless flac audio. Here's a splendid compilation of those hard to find 10" On-U Sound singles, mostly mastered from vinyl. I've noticed that the label are in a resurgence at the moment and many of their original master reels are being baked and remastered. Many of these could eventually see the light of day once more.

1  Congo Ashanti Roy with Singers and Players - African Blood
2  Congo Ashanti Roy with Singers and Players - Blood Shed (Dub)
3  Congo Ashanti Roy withSingers and Players - Hands And Hearts
4  Bim Sherman with Singers and Players - Revolution
5  Bim Sherman with Singers and Players - Too Much Workload
6  Creation Rebel - Independent Man
7  Creation Rebel - Creation Rebel
8  Noah House Of Dread  - Murder
9  Noah House Of Dread - Murderation (Dub)
10 Noah House Of Dread - Stand Firm
11 Prince Far I with Singers and Players -Virgin
12 Bim Sherman with Singers and Players - Danger

Totally Random On-U Sound Single

The Barmy Army - Sharp As A Needle

Ripped from a 12" vinyl single released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U DP 18) in 1988 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. Topical I suppose, reflecting back on a time when football was just football ...without all the oligarchs, megabucks and gambling apps. An innocent time, perhaps not, my interest in the game has waned over the years and it is disappointing to see they are still fighting on the streets and the terraces. Do they still sing Abide With Me at the cup final?

A1 Sharp As A Needle
A2 Sharp As A Needle
B1 England 2 Yugoslavia 0

The Drugs Don't Work

Ché - Narcotic

Ripped from a vinyl album released on Siren Records (SRNLP 16) in 1989 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. Yep... there was an album too and I was likely one of very few who bought it. I blame my On-U labellist fetish and infatuation with the work of Adrian Sherwood for spending  my hard earned coffers on this one back in the late eighties ...and am somewhat surprised it has survived one of my many vinyl culls. Most of side one is US-style mid-eighties funk like Cameo or Sign of the Times era Prince, whereas side two reflects much darker experimental work. There are plenty of signature Sherwood beats throughout, and his work on the soulful Fireflies In Summer and the dub workout Imperfections are highlights. Whilst Narcotic is not a bad album, it is not a great album either, but it is much much better than Strange Things. Sherwood fans will find a few morsels to enjoy - Modern Eon fans will just be totally baffled.

A1 Scream Like A Swift
A2 Fireflies In Summer
A3 I Wish He Didn´t Trust Me So Much
A4 Moving The Silence
A5 Imperfections
B1 Be My Powerstation
B2 Jerusalem
B3 View From A New Perspective
B4 Celebrating Life

Judy In The Area

Judy Nylon And Crucial - Pal Judy

Ripped from a vinyl album which defies all genres, released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP 16) in 1982 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. A few of you have pointed out how certain albums have resurfaced as reissues on a revitalised On-U Sound, following their appearance here. I am sure it is coincidental ...or is it? Here is one that hasn't reappeared and due to a very limited initial (and only) pressing, has been regarded as quite rare. Good copies tend to fetch close to £100 - this immaculate one fell into my lap for close to peanuts. If this appears as a reissue in a few months time the theorists may well be proved right.

Judy Nylon had a good strong music pedigree following her move to London in the seventies. Her work with Brian Eno is etched deeply into music history, her work with Crucial  (the usual On-U Sound rhythm section suspects) and Adrian Sherwood has evaded many an ear. This stuff is timeless and genre defying, it tilts one way and then the next across both sides of the platter. From heavy London eighties dark dubs like Live In A Lift to the early eighties New York punk-funk sound on Sleepless Night and The Dice, poetry from early influences like Jamal and his Last Poets on the funky poetic of Trial By Fire. Room Without A View stands up as one of Sherwood's finest productions, as Nylon's sultry voice hovers over Sherwood's smooth dub soundtrack. And then of course there is Judy's wonderful strip club dub of Jailhouse Rock. Superb.

A1 Information Rain
A2 Dateline Miami
A3 Live In A Lift
A4 Jailhouse Rock
A5 Trial By Fire
B1 Sleepless Night
B2 Others
B3 The Dice
B4 Room Without A View

Strike The Balance

Dub Syndicate - Strike The Balance

Ripped from a vinyl album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP47) in 1989 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. The fourth Dub Syndicate album proper also heralded their shift to a more commercial and accessible sound. The trademark effects remain in place but much of the unique experimentation had gone. It is unclear as to whether who was responsible for this mellowing but it does seem to follow the path taken by others in the Sherwood sphere of influence. Having said all that the mighty Hey Ho will shake down any home to its foundations if played at a hefty amplitude.

The gentle pace of Mafia deceives  yet Sherwood creates the most remarkable snare effect heard on vinyl since Unknown Pleasures. Boom Um Baff heralds a return to the dubby creativity found on early releases yet adds a fun pop hook. And... what on earth is going on with the tongue in cheek  I'm The Man For You Baby? The walrus of love returns from the grave to haunt us forever. Happy listening. 

A1 Cuss Cuss
A2 Hey Ho
A3 Shout It Out
A4 Je T'Aime
A5 Chapter & Verse
B1 Mafia
B2 Hawaii
B3 J.A. Minor
B4 Boof Um Baff
B5 I'm The Man For You Baby

Dub Scriptures

Singers And Players - Vacuum Pumping

Ripped from a vinyl album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP39) in 1988 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. The gentle voice of Bim Sherman dominates this, the final Singers And Players long player. I have mused about how wonderful Sherman's voice is during earlier posts, and the opening Run Them Away just verifies this. By the mid-late eighties reggae music had found a place in pop with a more mass appeal, it is such a pity that the new found fans of UB40, Gregory Issacs and Aswad etc were never to appreciate his voice. Sherman features on four or five of these tracks with the other vocalists going uncredited. Sherwood produces as always and gets a chance to unleash his dub chops on the instrumental Pneumatic, and a few well scattered samples and effects remind the listener that this is  an On-U LP and not from the mainstream.

A1 Run Them Away
A2 Lighthouse / Dreamworld
A3 Holy Scripture
A4 To Be Free
B1 I Don't Want Aids
B2 Boom Um Baff Um
B3 Pneumatic
B4 These Eyes

Prodigal Sons

Singers And Players - Revenge Of The Underdog

Originally released on a vinyl album on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP11) in 1982. Compiled here from a 1997 compact disc reissue.

A1 Dungeon
A2 Merchant Ship
A3 Jah Army Band
A4 Too Much Work Load
A5 Prodigal Son
A6 Follower
B1 Water The Garden
B2 Resolution (Pt. 2 / Version 2)
B3 Thing Called Love (Don't Fight)
B4 Cha-Ris-Ma

Singers And Players - Staggering Heights

Originally released on a vinyl album on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP23) in 1983. Compiled here from a 1993 compact disc reissue.

A1  African Blood
A2  Bedward The Flying Preacher
A3  Snipers In The Streets
A4  A Matter Of Time
B5  School Days
B6  Autobiography
B7  Socca
B8  This Assembly

Dubble Barrell

New Age Steppers - Action Battlefield

Originally released on a vinyl album on Statik Records (STAT LP2) in 1982. Ripped here from a 2000 compact disc reissue to high quality lossless flac.

1 My Whole World
2 Observe Life
3 Got To Get Away
4 My Love
5 Problems
6 Nuclear Zulu
7 Guiding Star

New Age Steppers - Foundation Steppers

Originally released on a vinyl album on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP21) in 1983. Ripped here from a 2004 compact disc reissue to high quality lossless flac audio.

A1 Some Love
A2 Memories
A3 5 Dog Race
A4 Misplaced Love
B1 Dreamers
B2 Stabilizer
B3 Stormy Weather
B4 Vice Of My Enemies
B5 Mandarin

Chemical Brothers

Creation Rebel & New Age Steppers - Threat To Creation

Originally released on a vinyl album on Cherry Red Records (BRED 21) in 1981. Sourced here from a 1999 compact disc reissue in high quality lossless flac. Today's daily dub is one of the heaviest dubs known to man. Expect all the usual suspects to feature.

A1 Chemical Specialist
A2 Threat To Creation
A3 Eugenic Device
A4 Last Sane Dream
B5 Painstaker
B6 Earthwire Line
B7 Ethos Design
B8 Final Frontier

Noah's Ark

Noah House Of Dread - Heart

Originally released on an album on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP 20) in 1982, Ripped here from a 1999 compact disc reisssue. Burnell Ralston Anderson's original dub collaboration with Adrian Sherwood's On-U crew. Burnell renamed himself as Bonjo I and fronted up the excellent African Head Charge, from which Noah was a side project. Notable here for the excellent single Murder, and the eleven minute anthem Sellassie I, which he later reworked for Head Charge.

A1 Children Of Misery
A2 Stand Firm
A3 Wicked Kingdom
A4 Dem People
B1 Sellassie I
B2 Murder
B3 Revelation Time

Kicker Conspiracy

Barmy Army - The English Disease

Ripped from a vinyl album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP48) in 1989 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. About time I got around to a lossless rip.

The football season starts again today. Most of the contents of this LP will be lost on non-Brits and those who didn't follow the beautiful game in the mid-80's (or if ever at all). I'll let part of the sleeve notes explain for the uninitiated....

"Project from Adrian Sherwood and the On-U Sound Maffia with a part of Tackhead as guests."

Regrettably, it does not feature the 75,ooo crowd at Old Trafford singing Feed The Scousers to the tune of Band Aid's Feed The World but does feature a wonderful tribute to Britain's greatest contribution to Hollywood thuggery, Vincent Jones aka Psycho.

A1 Leroy's Boots
A2 Sharp As A Needle
A3 Stadium Rock
A4 Bobby Just Can't Win
A5 Psycho + The Wombles Of Div.1
B1 Brian Clout
B2 Devo
B3 Mind The Gap
B4 Civil Liberty
B5 Que Sera Sera

High Ideals And Crazy Dreams

New Age Steppers - The New Age Steppers Vol 1

My final On-U post (for now) is the superb debut album by label collective The New Age Steppers ripped from an original UK pressing in 24 bit quality. Misidentified by many over the years as a reggae record when in reality this is a post-punk record with heavy dub leanings. The line up of musicians is impressive - Mark Stewart, Bruce Smith and John Waddington from The Pop Group, Ari-Up and Viv Albertine of The Slits, Sean Oliver from what would become Rip,Rig And Panic, Steve Beresford and On-U main men, Crucial Tony, Ras Levi, Style Scott and Adrian Sherwood.

The album opens with an alternative cut of Ari's sublime Fade Away, and Mark Stewart vents his anger and anxiety on Crazy Dreams and High Ideals. There are three instrumental experimental works - Radial Drill, State Assembly and Abderhamane's Demise before Ari returns with the punk-dub of Animal Space. The seven minutes of Love Forever start off as the sweetest of pop songs before Sherwood piles on the layers of dub and Ari-Up's voice pitches higher and higher. The closing and quite wonderful Private Armies is heavy dark dub-wave driven by a pounding monotone bassline. Enjoy!

Ripped from a vinyl album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP 01) in 1981 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio.

A1 Fade Away
A2 Radial Drill
A3 State Assembly
A4 Crazy Dreams And High Ideals
B1 Abderhamane's Demise
B2 Animal Space
B3 Love Forever
B4 Private Armies

Step On-U

New Age Steppers - Fade Away b/w London Underground - Learn A Language

Dusted down from a scratchy 35 year old single, here is the debut On-U Sound release featuring the classic Fade Away by the Ari-Up fronted New Age Steppers. Play this loud! - the bass is just amazing when blasted from proper hi-fi speakers rather than listened through tin-pot inner ear plugs. I've cleaned up the b-side as much as I can because the first work of London Underground is well worth a listen. Hey! Let's push out the boat and rip it in 24-bits!! Stick around for a day or two and the debut On-U Sound album in high resolution will close out this On-U salvo.

Ripped from a 7" vinyl single released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U SOUND 1) in January 1980 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio. 16-bits also available.

A    New Age Steppers - Fade Away
AA London Underground - Learn A Language

In The Beginning There Was Rhythm

Creation Rebel - Dub From Creation

Here's a nice lossless rip of Adrian Sherwood's debut production work on the rare debut album from Creation Rebel, originally released in 1978 on Hit Run Records (APLP 9001).

A1 Dub From Creation
A2 Basic Principals
A3 Rebel Rouser
A4 Creation Vibration
A5 Creation In A Iration
B1 Dub Fusion
B2 Mirage
B3 Liberation
B4 Rising Star
B5 Vision Of Creation

The Rise And Fall Of London Underground

London Underground - Current Affairs Session

I am rounding off the early On-U stuff, and almost forgot this one which was promised back at Christmas. The Current Affairs Session was the final release by dub-punks London Underground in 1983. Stand out track Motivation evidences Adrian Sherwood's move from acoustic to electronic percussion. A 7" single edit of the horn-laden Between The Lines should have broke the band commercially but subsequent sales were weak. A live London Underground album was scheduled to follow this but was never released.

Originally released on a vinyl album on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP28M) in 1983. Ripped here in high quality lossless flac audio.

A1 Between The Lines
A2 Motivation
A3 1-3
B1 Animosity
B2 Rise And Fall
B3 Bleach It

Re:Paid In Full

Various Artists - Pay It All Back Volume 3

Ripped from a compact disc album released o On-U Sound Records (ON-U CD13) in 1991 to high quality lossless flac audio.

1  Strange Parcels - Disconnection
2  Strange Parcels - Hearts Desire
3  Lee Perry & Dub Syndicate - You Thought I Was Dead (Remix)
4  Dub Syndicate - Stoned Immaculate
5  Little Annie - I Think Of You
6  Andy Fairley - Jack The Biscuit
7  Dub Syndicate - Hey Ho
8  Mark Stewart - These Things Happen (Remix)
9  Martin Frederix - Ennio
10 Strange Parcels - To Be Free
11 African Head - Charge My God
12 Alan Pillay - Spirit Soul
13 Gary Clail - False Leader
14 Jesse Rae - Jacob's Pillow
15 Barmy Army - Devo (Remix)
16 Barmy Army - Blue Moon
17 Bim Sherman - Nightmare

Various Artists - Pay It All Back Volume 4

Ripped from a compact disc album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U CD20)  to high quality lossless flac audio.

1  Dub Syndicate - Chapter 4
2  Dub Syndicate - Echomania
3  Strange Parcels & Bernard Fowler - High Ideals & Crazy Dreams
4  Strange Parcels & Bim Sherman - More Is Insane
5  Strange Parcels & Jesse Rae - Victory Horns
6  Skip McDonald - Hammerhead
7  Jalal - Mankind
8  Little Annie  - Bless Those
9  Andy Fairley - Segue
10 The Twinkle Brothers & Trebunia Family Band - Don't Betray Me (On-U Sound Remix)
11 Strange Parcels & Basil - Never Despair
12 Andy Fairley & Barmy Army - Bobby Moores' Legs
13 Wimbish & McDonald - Stop The Clock Part 2
14 Strange Parcels & Basil - Danger

Various Artists - Pay It All Back Volume 6

Ripped from a compact disc album released on On-U Sound Records (ON-U CD96) in 1996 to high quality lossless flac audio.

1  2Badcard - Pure Illusion (Remix)
2  Little Roy - All Day Long
3  Doug Wimbish - Glorification Chant
4  Little Axe - Return (Remix)
5  Dub Syndicate - Japanese Record (Remix)
6  Audio Active - Paint Your Face Red
7  Mark Stewart - Scorpio
8  Jalal - Mortal Passage
9  Bim Sherman - It Must Be A Dream (Remix)
10 Dub Syndicate - 2003 Struggle (Remix)
11 Akabu - No Crack
12 Revolutionary Dub Warriors - Irie Warrior

Volume 5 seems to have gone awol so may or may not appear here in the near future

Haunted Ground

Bim Sherman, Roots Radics, Dub Syndicate and The Voluntary - Haunting Ground

I first heard Haunting Ground on Peel in 1986, and it is a song which has stuck with me ever since. The accompanying album (imho Sherman's best) was partly produced by Adrian Sherwood and featured a whole plethora of On-U Sound'ers alongside Dennis Bovell in one of his alter egos, The Voluntary. My copy is a 1986 original scratchy vinyl, and although there was a brief reissue on Century Records a few years later, it wasn't until 1999 when the tracks would reappear on Sherman's Crucial Cuts release. I ripped this to high resolution, so can offer a selection from 24bit or 16bit audio. Additionally I recompiled the album from the 1999 remasters used on Crucial Cuts which do sound much cleaner, Enjoy!

Ripped from a vinyl album released on RDL Records (RDL 600) in 1986 to high resolution 24-bit flac audio.

A1 Haunting Ground
A2 Life
A3 War Mongers
A4 Gold And Silver
B1 For The Future
B2 Thanks And Praises
B3 Moving
B4 Got To Get On
B5 Hang On

Morning Star

Bim Sherman - Across The Red Sea

Here's a rip of the compact disc reissue of Bim Sherman's first UK album proper Across The Red Sea. Fellow lossless blogger Vinyl 301 had ripped his original ON-U Sound vinyl a little while back and the links appear to be still live, though sadly his site seems to have not been updated for almost a year. Sherman's gentle distinctive voice was to feature on many an On-U release over the years up until he sadly passed away in 2000.

Originally released on a vinyl album released on on On-U Sound Records (ON-U LP17) in 1982. Ripped here from a compact disc remaster released in 1998 to high quality lossless flac audio.

A1 Golden Locks
A2 Revolution
A3 Slummy Ghetto
A4 You Are The One
A5 Just Like A King
B1 Across The Red Sea
B2 Golden Morning Star
B3 Awake The Slum
B4 Party Time
B5 Sit And Wonder

Blowing Bubbles

Various Artists - Pay It All Back Volume 2

My current focus on the On-U stuff should have completed by now as it was intended only to be a December exercise. I have spent much of my free time over the past five days searching for potential flaws in my system set-up, which seemed to cause overly loud rips and distortion at higher frequencies. After changing cartridges on my deck, re-balancing the tone arm, cleaning or changing all the connectors and then re-installing various software items, I can find nothing which is attributing to the issue. I have a couple of Bim Sherman rips on the back burner which sound very toppy in places. This morning I took time to rip The Mothmen album (coming here soon) and it sounds spot on, well as spot on as a 33 year old very worn slither of vinyl could do. I can only assume that there were pressing issues with some of the mid-eighties On-U vinyl releases which are more noticeable when scrutinised during modern digital processes.

I have been dabbling in 24-bit 96kHz rips again whilst I was looking for issues with my hardware, and can say that I am more than happy with the way PIAB2 came out. So to celebrate the end of 2014 (I personally am glad to see the back of this year), here's my rip in a choice of standard lossless 16bit/44.1kHz or high definition 24bit/96kHz. 

The later PIAB releases were very much hit and miss, but this album is superb without any addition of filler (even though I am no fan of West Ham United - from the enclosed magazine, Mr Sherwood clearly is). The African Head Charge track is an uplifting joy to be hold, and as their first entry into the world of soca it's a dedication to the sport of cricket, which has to be a wonderful thing in my book. The Forehead Brothers are Tackhead ...and Circular Motion is a damn fine piece of Tackhead. The four dub reggae tracks by Lee Scratch Perry, Bim Sherman, Prince Far I and Dub Syndicate are superb, especially Prince Far I watering his smokey garden. Happy New Year!

Ripped from a crackly vinyl album released on On-U Sound Records ON-U LP 42) in 1988 to high resolution flac audio.

A1 Lee Scratch Perry & Dub Syndicate - Train To Doomsville
A2 Barmy Army - Billy Bonds M.B.E.
A3 Forehead Bros - Circular Motion
A4 African Head Charge - What A Wonderful Day
B1 Dub Syndicate Featuring Doctor Pablo - No Alternative (But To Fight)
B2 Bim Sherman / Singers & Players - Run Them Away
B3 Prince Far I / Singers & Players - Water The Garden
B4 African Head Charge  - Throw It Away
B5 Eskimo Fox - Digital (Theme From On The Wire)