First Cut: Treasure Isle

http://youtu.be/18AoqJn4M1A

So this one might actually win for best First Cut. We're of course biased in that we love both The Techniques and Pat Kelly. And this is one of his finest performances.

First Cut: Caltone

http://youtu.be/Af2ZRfVmu0c

We all now know Ken Lack's Caltone label as one that is responsible for numerous rocksteady classics. It wasn't always so, as those who've been collecting for any number of years can attest.

First Cut: Coxsone

http://youtu.be/iegW2jGijVo

It's near impossible to measure how dramatic an impact someone like Clement "Coxsone" Dodd has had on the Jamaican music industry. Countless words have been both spoken and written about that impact but words can only do so much.

First Cut: Giant

http://youtu.be/PxsZpHZ3Yuk

Giant only released 41 singles, and two more non reggae sides, over the course of 1967 and 1968 but it's held in high esteem by record collectors around the world. Certainly a lot of that acclaim is down to the legendary "The Cooler" single, by the Wrigglers, seeing release on the label in '68 and the numerous Dandy produced and likely Dandy featuring sides that also featured. But that's only part of the story.

First Cut: Prince Buster

http://youtu.be/4Ctu-X0Ivgw

You know Prince Buster. If you don't, and you're at this website, you missed some steps along the way. He's undoubtedly one of the foundation artists for the Jamaican music industry, releasing his first single in 1961 although he had been involved in the budding industries sound system wars for years before. A former boxer, Buster and his friends provided a special kind of service for Coxsone Dodd during his dances.

First Cut: Song Bird

[youtube=http://youtu.be/q-rAWtnu098]

We figured with the tragic passing of a Jamaican music legend, Lloyd Charmers, this week it was only right that our First Cut this week honored the man. Although Derrick Harriot would later go on to produce many of the most famous hits on the Song Bird label, it was Mr. Charmers that kicked it off right. A bit of a different take on the typical skinhead reggae track thanks to the addition of the steel pans, this one is a real smooth cut. The sort of thing Charmers was famous for. His loss is yet another massive one for the Jamaican music industry, one of it's most prolific producers and performers in it's early days. But his music will forever live on in sounds like this. A proper first cut if there ever was one.

First Cut: Blue Cat

[youtube=http://youtu.be/jci-E-W9Sz4]

"Are you ready to rocksteady?" is the line that kick off this double sided slab of gold. The Pioneers, whether working with Leslie Kong or Joe Gibbs, were almost surefire hit makers from 1968 to 1970. On this Blue Cat outing it was Gibbs behind the controls once again and that means it is real hard to decide which is the better tune. "Shake It Up" is a lovely piece of late rocksteady magic while "Goodies Are The Greatest" is yet another one of those killer tracks taking on the topic of the rude boy phenomenon. It's a fitting start to the label, with many of the biggest tunes in its early days being Joe Gibbs productions. Oddly enough, for a Trojan imprint, it would also go on to feature some absolute stormers from Coxsone Dodd. Other producers popping up include Bunny Lee, Charles Ross and Enos McLeod amongst others. Biggest tune on the label? May just be "Dip It Up" by The Sparkers, a Rannie Williams production. But that's getting ahead of ourselves.

First Cut: Clandisc

[youtube=http://youtu.be/m8KUZbLqckg]

The Dynamites were some bad cats. Clancy Eccles was a bad cat. So, needless to say, whenever they got together some real magic happened. This was certainly the case for the first 45 to be released on the Clandisc label: "Skokiaan". Clandisc was the Trojan subsidiary set up to showcase the productions of Mr. Eccles. In this track all the members of The Dynamites get their chance to shine, from Winston Wright down to Paul Douglas on drums. Really a skinhead reggae instrumental that deserves to get more love than it does. Then you flip it over and King Stitt is hanging out. His contribution is just as good, though not necessarily the typical DJ vocal he became famous for. Instead on this Stitt borders on singing throughout. Yet another impressive start for a label. Although later output on the label would vary from absolutely outstanding (see: most of King Stitt and the Dynamites further output) to absolutely underwhelming (see: Westmorelites "Zion") there's enough good on this label to make it highly collectable.

First Cut: Big Shot

[youtube=http://youtu.be/GS-ivWY1Mwk]

The roll continues! Big Shot was a Trojan subsidiary label, first releasing tunes in 1968. They started with an stone cold classic: "Reggae Girl" by The Tennors. Produced by Tennors founder George "Clive" Murphy it was the start of a run of big tunes for the Tennors in the early days of reggae. The B side is also a winner "Donkey Trot" by Clive's All Stars, a solid instrumental. Nothing mind blowing mind you but certainly far from boring. The sort of tune you'd listen to on a Sunday afternoon, not the sort of thing you'd want to hear on Saturday night. "Reggae Girl" you most certainly would. It was the start of a number of high quality releases on the label, as one might expect when production credits are split between the likes of Bunny Lee, Derrick Harriot, George Murphy and Winston Riley. The sort of label well worth your time to search out releases on.

First Cut: Camel

[youtube=http://youtu.be/_hhK-nikkW4]

We're on a bit of a roll as of late, now aren't we? One of our personal favorite tracks and guaranteed to get a play out, the Camel label started out in style with a Winston Riley produced track of the highest order. "Who You Gonna Run To", although credited to The Techniques, is actually performed by The Shades. Now we're not 100% sure of all the members of The Shades but Bruce Ruffin was certainly a member of both The Techniques and The Shades. It's likely the track ended up credited to The Techniques because of Riley's production credits. Nonetheless, this track is early reggae gold and set the standards high for a label that would go on to feature productions from Lee Perry, Alvin Ranglin, Lloyd Charmers and Glen Adams to name but a few. "History" by Harry and Radcliffe might be the best track put out on the label. It might be one of the best skinhead reggae tracks ever as well. And the label is beautiful as well. All around winner.

First Cut: Duke

[youtube=http://youtu.be/QCtySZyxerM]

It's a toss up to whether Pat Kelly's voice has ever sounded quite so sublime as it does in The Techniques cover of "I Wish It Would Rain", the first cut for the Duke label. Now, technically, the first cut for this label was The Bubbles "The Wasp" which was released in 1960. But only two other singles would be released between 1960 and 1961 on the label before it was left to lay dormant. Then in 1968, with the popularity of the Trojan label starting to pick up steam in the UK, the label was revived as a showcase for the productions of the legendary Duke Reid. Hence Duke, get it? For the rest of 1968 the label would release some absolutely beautiful rocksteady cuts before going on in 1969 to release some skinhead reggae classics. We've stated it before in our Techniques and Pat Kelly profiles, but there really hasn't been anyone that better filled a spot like the one Slim Smith left open in the Techniques in quite the manner Pat Kelly did. The man has one of the most beautiful voices in the history of Jamaican music. Combine that with the harmonies provided by Winston Riley, Franklyn White and Frederick Waite and throw in the kind of top shelf muscianship Reid featured on all his products and we're back on a roll for the First Cut Friday series.

First Cut: Ackee

[youtube=http://youtu.be/HwepfNiwzEc]

Well we had to make up for last weeks disappointment, now didn't we. Ackee isn't the most sought after of skinhead reggae labels although a few tunes on it, namely "Skinheads Wrecking the Town", are prized pieces for any hardcore collector. Perhaps it's because the producers weren't quite the household names that other producers were, and it's limited output during the key years of 1969 and 1970 certainly didn't help. Either way the first tune put out on the label and produced by Junior Lincoln was an absolute stormer. Skinhead reggae at it's finest here folks. Lovely instrumental and a bit of toasting throughout all combine to make "Death In The Arena" by Rupie Martin's All Stars one to seek out.

First Cut: Success

[youtube=http://youtu.be/tf-APoNTgQE]

Straight up, Rupie Edwards did not get enough respect. Odd we know, in that the Pama subsidiary he ran was Success. None the less the man was immensely talented as soon as he sat in the producers seat and the first tune released on the Success imprint shows that exactly. "Look Who Buss A Style" by the Mediators has all the hallmarks of a skinhead reggae classic: killer instrumental backing and a sickly sweet vocal. A wonder then, probably down to the touch and go Pama distribution system of the time, that the Success label isn't more regarded in the current skinhead reggae collector and DJ scene. Might have a lot to do with it not being initially popular amongst the original skinheads. The fact tunes weren't released on the label til near the end of 1969, with media exploitation of the cult at its peak, might also have something to do with it. Either way this is one of the finest stars of any label from that time period, both sides absolute monsters in their own rights. It's just too bad Mr. Edwards doesn't receive the acclaim he righteously deserves.

First Cut: Upsetter

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWyZaIXye5w?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&w=400&h=300]

We like to keep it new and interesting here. And our weekends kind of get away from us. So we’re introducing another Friday feature. This one we’re gonna call First Cut Fridays. It’s real simple, when we put up the Errol Dunkley track “Please Stop Your Lying” and realized it was the first tune released on Amalgamated we got an idea. So every Friday til we run out of labels we’re gonna put up the first track ever released on skinhead reggae labels. Simple right? We went for an obvious one to kick this off. The Upsetter subsidiary of the legendary Trojan label is considered by many to be one of the best labels for skinhead reggae. It helps they kicked it off with “Eight for Eight” by The Upsetters b/w “You Know What I Mean” by The Inspirations. It was a pretty solid indication for what would come for the label. Creepy introduction of the track courtesy of Lee Perry himself followed by a massive organ led instrumental, very much the sort of sound the genre would become known for. Then you flip the thing over and BAM! Completely different but still incredible, a top vocal cut. The single would have been worth every penny. And the quality continued throughout the rest of 1969. Pretty good way to start wouldn’t you say?