#sly & robbie

[scavengedluxury]

#boops #sly and robbie #Youtube

[deadassdiaspore]

#Sly & Robbie #Achiv Karayib yo #Reggae #Robbie Shakespeare #Sly Dunbar #Kingston #Jamaica #Rest in Power

[bigforeheadbaddie]

The Black History of No Doubt 🖤🤍

In 1986, Eric Stefani and John Spence met and bonded over their love of the anti-racist UK ska movement while working at their local Dairy Queen.

With John on lead vocals and Eric on keyboard, they formed Apple Core. Which was later changed to No Doubt after Spence’s frequent use of the term became an inside joke for the group.

John Spence (Traci Vicars Brown)

This catchphrase also spawned an early track of the same name with Eric’s little sister Gwen Stefani and John Spence on vocals.

Gwen Stefani and John Spence (Traci Vicars Brown)

Spence was most notably known amongst early No Doubt fans for his infectious energy and on-stage back flips. Wherever Spence went, the rowdy youth of Orange County followed.

In the lead up to one of their biggest shows yet, the members of No Doubt were blindsided at the news of Spence’s untimely death.

On December 21st, 1987, John Spence had passed from a self inflicted gun wound at just 18 years old.

The band was devastated and played their show at the Roxy as a final goodbye, not only to John, but to the band he had co-created.

Early No Doubt Lineup Featuring John Spence

However, after deep thought and a break from the music, they ultimately decided that in the spirit of John and his love for music, that they’d continue on. Their first song without Spence being a tribute titled “Dear John”

“You're singin' in a band with a mic on in your hand

The way that you would sing really made me feel all grand

You left your friends alone, right upon this earth

I wish you would've seen how much life was worth…”

John Spence (Eric Keyes)

With Gwen Stefani still too timid to take over full time, trumpet player Alan Meade stepped up to take the space John Spence had once occupied.

Like Spence, Meade became quickly know for his amazing stage presence and spirit. With Meade and time, Gwen Stefani began to break out of her shell.

Alan Meade and Gwen Stefani

Although often mistaken for Spence in images and videos of live performances, Meade was so much more than simply a “replacement” for Spence.

Much of Gwen’s later vocalizations are adaptions of Meade’s choices in demo tapes of songs such as “Boucing Shoes”, “Get A Life”, and “Doormat” to name a few.

Another black performer that deeply influenced Gwen’s vocal style was ska icon and lead singer of The Selecter, Pauline Black

Pauline Black of The Selecter

Alan Meade’s time as the lead singer of No Doubt was short lived as the news of his then girlfriend’s teen pregnancy in 1988 led to his departure. He left the group to focus on his family, yet would regularly make surprise appearances at their shows and perform with them for a song or two.

The members of No Doubt and Alan Meade have stayed connected throughout the years and he eventually went on to join members of Save Ferris in the creation of a new ska group known as Starpool.

Gwen Stefani and Alan Meade during the Tragic Kingdom Era

In the early 90’s, Gabrial McNair and Stephen Bradley would join No Doubt as backing vocals and the “horn section” of the final lineup.

McNair and Bradley, often seen as a team, have maintained their musical relationship with Stefani the longest out of all the other members of No Doubt.

1998 MTV Music Video Awards

Being a part of her backing artists since the early 90’s with No Doubt and through all of her solo efforts as well.

The pair still performs with her to this day and are often not included in descriptions of No Doubt’s lineup, but all fans know that they are just as vital as the rest of them to the band’s massive success.

Gabrial McNair has also toured with Green Day, co-founded Olso in 2005, composed music for film & TV, and worked with multiple artists in-studio.

Stephen Bradley too has toured with Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, and Steel Pulse. He has also released solo work and is a talented photographer/videographer as well.

‘Rock Steady’ Jamaica Recording Sessions Crew

For their fifth album, Rock Steady, the band desired a Jamaican dance hall inspired sound, collaborating with numerous local artists/legends.

Including Bounty Killer, Lady Saw, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare (Sly & Robbie), to name a few.

This also marked the beginning of a lifelong musical partnership and friendship between Pharrell Williams (of The Neptunes at the time) and Gwen Stefani.

Gwen Stefani & Pharrell Williams for Vibe Magazine 2005 (Albert Watson)

In addition to the impressive list of collaborators on Rock Steady, the band also worked with one of Stefani’s greatest inspirations and favorite artist, Prince.

In the same year, she got to return the favor and provide backing vocals on his 2001 track “So Far, So Pleased”

“He was such a genius that you can’t believe he existed. I was onstage with No Doubt in Minneapolis in the Nineties, and I saw his silhouette in the audience. I was like, ‘How is this happening?’”

Gwen Stefani on Prince, Rolling Stone Magazine 2016

Since the band’s initial breakup, Stefani has collaborated with artists like Eve, Dr. Dre, Saweetie, Fetty Wap, Slim Thug, Andre 3000, Snoop Dogg, Akon, and most recently Shenseea on Sean Paul’s “Light My Fire”

Without the insurmountable talent of all of the artists covered in this post, No Doubt would not be the band it is today. The influence Black musicians have had on members of the band (of all racial backgrounds) is evident in their discography and should be recognized.

I wrote this post in hopes of highlighting the often forgotten side of No Doubt and to celebrate Black History Month, but every month is a good month to recognize Black excellence :) Thanks for reading!

#no doubt #no doubt band #john spence #alan meade #gabrial mcnair #stephen bradley #pauline black #bounty killer #lady saw #sly & robbie #pharrel williams #pharell #prince #eve #dr. dre #snoop dogg #akon #fetty wap #slim thug #andre 3000 #saweetie #shenseea #black history #black history month #gwen stefani #tom dumont #tony kanal #adrian young #the selecter #save ferris

[musickickztoo]

Robbie Shakespeare  † December 8, 2021

#robbie shakespeare #sly & robbie #black uhuru #the aggrovators #the revolutionaries #december8

[rawtings]

#shirts #sly and robbie #reggae #jamaica

[bluesrocknrollingstones]

found these on worthpoint , credits to the owners

#the rolling stones #mick jagger #keith richards #brian jones #mick taylor #ronnie wood #charlie watts #bill wyman #billy preston #ollie brown #jeff beck #sly dunbar #tina turner #robbie shakespeare #ian stewart #60s rock #60s #70's #70srock #80's #80s rock #rockband #bluesrock #jo wood

[fangomusic]

Sinéad O'Connor, Throw Down Your Arms CD (2005).

A fascinating reggae album, recorded at Tuff Gong and Anchor Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, and produced by Sly & Robbie. I've read a lot of stupid opinions about this record, but I think that O'Connor excelled at interpreting these songs because she was aware that they are perfect pieces. Sadly it's not on Spotify.

#sinead o'connor #reggae #throw down your arms #2000s music #2005 #sly & robbie #tuff gong #jamaica #rip #ireland #album cover #great album #musiclover

[page-28]

#sly dunbar #robbie shakespeare #sly and robbie

[myvinylplaylist]

Peter Tosh: Wanted Dread & Alive (1981)

Rolling Stones Records

#my vinyl playlist #peter tosh #robbie shakespeare #sly dunbar #mickey chung #darryl thompson #robbie Lyn #keith sterling #iziah thompson #noel Simms #the tamlins #gwen guthrie #rolling stones records #reggae #roots reggae #80’s music #record cover #album cover #album art #vinyl records

[good-gone-things]

With a Killer Dub Version! Sly and Robbie Style!

#classic reggae #black uhuru #michael rose #puma jones #sly and robbie #taxi label #Spotify

[mywifeleftme]

285: Gregory Isaacs // The Lonely Lover

The Lonely Lover Gregory Isaacs 1980, African Museum

I’ve got a cool Jamaican copy of Gregory Isaacs’ Lonely Lover that, if I’m honest, I mostly picked up because the object itself snagged my curiosity. If I knew Isaacs at all it was from a shoutout on Mos Def’s “Ms. Fat Booty,” but the battered, bootleg-quality sleeve spoke of a record that had soundtracked many a party and maybe even a few conceptions. Reggae’s not my wheelhouse (the only LPs I have are this guy and The Harder They Come), so I couldn’t tell you how this stacks up against any of Isaacs’ dozens of records, let alone against the reggae canon as a whole, but to my ears it’s lovely.

This feels to me like night-time music, perfect for taking in the scene once people have started to chill and the dance floor’s given over to couples. The Cool Ruler is backed by some of the era’s great session players, including Sly & Robbie and the Roots Radics, and while the arrangements are minimal and the tempos consistent throughout, each has a few masterly little touches that make them stand out: the clucking rattles on “Hard Time” and dubby organ wobbles on “Tune In” for example, or the clip-clopping beat of “Poor and Clean.” Isaacs was famously one of the genre’s greatest singers, and you can almost always hear a smile in his voice and a tear in his eye—if you’re suffering he’s suffering with you, but if you’re making moves he’s supplying the vibes.

This is a fine representative of a classic analog lovers rock sound that I have to imagine was just about on its way out in favour of the synthier textures taking hold of pop music the world over. If that’s your thing, you’ll almost certainly like this one.

285/365

#gregory isaacs #reggae #lovers rock #the lonely lover #the cool ruler #sly & robbie #the roots radics #roots radics #'80s music #'80s reggae #music review #vinyl record

[fuchinobe]

Padlock (Special Mixes) (1985, Garage Records, ITG2001)

Mix by Larry Levan

#Gwen Guthrie #Larry Levan #sly and robbie #funk #house #garage house #paradise garage #roots of house music!

[soundgrammar]

Junior Delgado - "Fort Augustus"

#Sly and Robbie #Robbie Shakespeare #Sly Dunbar #Junior Delgado #Youtube

[c-40]

A-T-3 255 Gwen Guthrie - Seventh Heaven

Gwen Guthrie's second album Portrait is released in 1983. It was recorded at Compass Point in Nassau with the same all-stars as her debut, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Wally Badarou, Darryl Thompson, and Steven Stanley. As you'd expect from such a prolific songwriter and backing singer with a great supporting cast It's a terrific album

Larry Levan had remixed It Should Have Been You which was released as a single from her debut album. Levan was given the master tapes for Portrait and to Island Records horror spent too much expensive studio time to their liking remixing it, and this was when record companies had budgets to spend on lesser known artists. I remember watching the Brian Duffy documentary The Man Who Shot the 60s, Duffy produced the now iconic sleeve artwork for David Bowie's album Aladdin Sane, his advice to Bowie was spend as much of the record company's money as you can and then to recoup there investment they have to promote you. Promotion budgets are a big deal, you could have made they greatest album of all time but if nobody knows about it it's going to get buried. It helped that by Aladdin Sane had had his breakthrough and was already being seen as a major star, Gwen Guthrie wasn't that fortunate

Perhaps Larry Levan didn't spend enough of Island's money because his remixes sat on a shelf for two years and other than his remixes for Peanut Butter and Hopscotch the only place you could here Larry Levan's other remixes from these sessions was at the Paradise Garage played off reel-to-reel tapes. Paradise Garage was one of the most famous clubs on the planet and it was Larry Levan that made that happen. Gwen Guthrie became known as 'The First Lady Of The Paradise Garage' because of her live performances there and Levan playing his remixes of her records in his sets.

In 1985 Island release some of Levan's remixes as the mini-album Padlock (Special Mixes). The mini-album is credited to Levan with Gwen Guthrie demoted to featured performer alongside Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Wally Badarou, and Darryl Thompson. We can extract from this decision that it was decided by the record company that Larry Levan was creating demand for these records to be put out and it was Levan' name that would get punters handing over their cash. Padlock sold much better than Portrait once it was released, Peanut Butter was reissued, Padlock was released as a single, as was Seventh Heaven (in the UK this came out around the time of Gwen's biggest success Aint Nothing Going On But The Rent in 1986, with Levan's remixes of Getting Hot and It Should Have Been You off Gwen's self-titled debut)

Going back to the issue of samples like I mentioned the other day Seventh Heaven, the Larry Levan remix, has been sampled in hip hop, rnb, and dance music over and over for tracks by the likes of Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Busta Rhymes, Leaders Of The New School, Redman, Dilated Peoples, El-P, Public Enemy, Amil feat Beyoncé, Eric Sermon, Kenny Dope, Spinna, Tek 9, Dj Krust...

On a decent system with those synths and drums flying past you is my idea of heaven

#1983 #gwen guthrie #larry levan #sly and robbie #wally badarou #steven stanley #darryl thompson #disco #boogie #garage house #compass point #new york #usa #80s music

[musickickztoo]

Robbie Shakespeare *September 27, 1953

#robbie shakespeare #sly & robbie #september 27 #the revolutionaries #the aggrovators

[radiophd]

sly & robbie -- boops (here to go)

#1980s #electronic #funk #synthesizer #electro #sly & robbie