Reggae Steady Go - The Creole Albums Collection 1970 - 1972, Various Artists 2CD

• 25 tracks new to CD.

• Four albums unavailable for over 50 years.

• First ever anthology to showcase Creole’s productions.

In the mid-1960s, Bruce White and Tony Cousins established the artist management company, Commercial Entertainments, which by the close of the decade had amongst its clients many of Jamaica’s leading talent. When, late in 1969, reggae exploded onto the international music scene, the enterprising pair acquired the defunct music publishing company and a record company, Creole Music Ltd., and promptly set about acquiring a suitable artist roster.

The first act to sign up to the newly formed organisation were the instrumental quartet The Hippy Boys, who, at the close of 1969 were in the UK with Lee Perry, touring as The Upsetters. On New Year’s Day, 1970, White and Cousins had them record an album’s worth of material, which they subsequently licensed to the country’s leading Jamaican music record company, Trojan. Released as ‘The Good, The Bad & The Upsetters’, the LP proved a strong seller, with its success encouraging the pair to arrange further sessions for their other newly acquired acts, with the best of these sides collected on ‘Reggae Steady Go Vol.1’ issued by Trojan that summer.

Bruce White and Tony Cousins continued to collaborate with Trojan throughout the next year, but in the spring of 1972, were finally able to launch their own reggae showcase label, Rhino. And with just the second release on the imprint, Creole secured its first major UK hit, ‘Mad About You’ by Bruce Ruffin, the success of which propelled the company to the centre of Britain’s thriving Jamaican music industry. There swiftly followed further popular singles, the most popular of which were assembled on two new ‘Reggae Steady Go’ volumes.

All of the above long-players, along with the best of Creole Records’ productions between 1970 and 1972 are gathered on this, the very first anthology of this hugely important and influential record company. With all 4 new albums new to CD and 25 tracks in total previously unavailable on the format, this 2CD set provides the first opportunity to discover and enjoy some of the finest UK-produced reggae of the early 1970s.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

THE UPSETTERS ‘THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UPSETTERS’

1  The Upsetters - Capo

2  The Upsetters - Phil The Fluter

3  The Upsetters - Guns Of Navarone

4  The Upsetters - What Do You Say?

5  The Upsetters - Straight To The Head

6  The Upsetters - Red Or Red?

7  The Upsetters - Mellow Mood

8  The Upsetters - Family Man

9  The Upsetters - Oney (Happy Clap)

10  The Upsetters - Mama Look

11  The Upsetters - Snow White

12  The Upsetters - The Good, The Bad And The Upsetters

VARIOUS ‘READY, STEADY GO, VOL.1’

13  The Pyramids - To Sir With Love

14  All Barry - Ooh Ee

15  The Pyramids - Feel Alright (vocal)

16  The Aces - Walk Into My Life

17  The Pyramids - Telstar

18  The Aces - Mademoiselle Ninette

19  The Pyramids as The Creole All Stars - Geronimo

20  Al Barry - Hold It Baby

BONUS TRACKS:

21  The Pyramids - All For You

22  Lloyd Seivright & Barry Howard - Freedom Sound

23  The Pyramids - Feel Alright (instr.)

24  The Pyramids - Reggae Shuffle

25  Lloyd Seivright & Barry Howard - Last Love 26The Pyramids - All For You Part 2 (instr.)

DISC TWO

VARIOUS ‘READY, STEADY GO, VOL.1’

1  Bruce White - Mad About You

2  Honey Boy & The Aces - Reggae Motion

3  Dave Barker - Shackatac

4  Winston Francis - A Little Today, A Little Tomorrow

5  Bruce Ruffin - Save The People

6  Honey Boy & The Aces - Sad Sad Song

7  The Pyramids - Stingo

VARIOUS ‘BIG 12 - REGGAE STEADY GO VOL. 2’

8  Bruce Ruffin - Crazy People

9  Honey Boy & The Aces - Be My Baby

10  Dave Barker as Dave Collins - Ride Your Pony

11  Bruce Ruffin - Coming On Strong

12  Winston Francis - Blue Moon

13  The Chequers - Everyday

14  Dave Barker - Keep On Trying

BONUS TRACKS:

15  The Pyramids - Mother’s Bath

16  Winston Francis - Love Thy Neigbhour

17  Honey Boy & The Aces - Still Your Man

18  The Pyramids - Can’t Leave Now

19  Dave Barker - Smooths And Sorts

20  Winston Francis - Now That I’m A Man

21  The Pyramids - Mosquito Bite

22  Dave Barker - Give Me Some Light

23  The Chequers - Butler’s Cross

24  The Pyramids - Teardrops