Tuesday, March 13, 2012

JOE GIBBS ELECTRICAL REPAIR


Classic reggae story: Joe Gibbs, an electrical repair guy, decides to sell records in the shop as a side thing. He notices the growing success of sound systems, buys himself a two track reel to reel, and starts recording bands in the shop. He starts a label and stops fixing TVs. He releases hit after hit. This was very similar to fellow electrical egg head Coxsone Dodd's early days. And Duke Reid's start was just a variation. He was a former cop turned liquor store owner, who sold records on the side, started a label...and so on. Why hasn't there been a feature film made about this era?

Here's a few Joe Gibbs productions. Everybody raves about Culture's "Two Sevens Clash," but the synth strings at the beginning have always bugged me. They're totally unnecessary, cheesy and, worst of all, they date the song. There, I said it. The rest of his stuff, at least the relatively small percentage of his vast discography that I've heard, is solid. He gave us Marcia Aitkens' cover of Alton Ellis' "I'm Still In Love With You," the backing tracks of which were used in Trinity's "Three Piece Suit," and Althea and Donna's "Uptown Top Ranking," all three stone cold classics. (What synth strings?)

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