Behind The Scenes with former Island Jamaica manager Neil Robertson

A look behind the scenes with Neil Robertson, a music industry exec. from the golden era of reggae and hip-hop.

Neil Robertson worked behind the scenes as an A&R for Island Records. He was also a label manager and marketer for Island Jamaica. Neil was in the boardrooms and studios working with Beenie Man and Luciano. Later, as an artist manager, he toured with some of the best in the business, made deals, negotiated, and influenced.

Born and raised in NYC, Neil currently curates the music program at Alley Cat Amateur Theatre at The Beekman Hotel. He also handles DJ programming at The Seaport District/Pier 17 for Howard Hughes Corp and Pier A Harbor House for HPH Hospitality.

Behind the Scenes Highlights

• A&R for Island Records, Gee Street, and Richard Branson’s re-entry into the music business, V2.
• Worked on RZA’s “Bobby Digital In Stereo GOLD,” “Wu-Tang Forever,” and Gravediggaz “The Pick, The Sickle & The Shovel.”
• Worked on DJ Premier’s “Afu-Ra Body Of The Life Force.”
• Helped usher in a new era of Reggae and re-establish Island as the premiere Reggae label in the world.
• Launched the careers of Beenie Man (Slam/Maestro), and Luciano (Where There Is Life, The Messenger).
• Launched Sizzla’s “Praise Ye Jah” as an independent release.
• Gold single for the Senseless soundtrack “Movin On Up” featuring Prince Be, John Forte, and Ky-mani Marley.
• Toured the extensively in the hip hop world as a manager for Afu-Ra.
• Toured the world establishing Ky-mani Marley, Specialist Dillon, Rootz Underground, and Jesse Royal.
• Produced the “I&I Survived” album with the infamous punk rock band, the Bad Brains.
• Production work on Stone Love’s classic album, “Champion Sound Vol. 1.
• Managed Tessanne Chin (winner of The Voice) and Jesse Royal.
• Consulted VP Records, producing live events including Puma events at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
• Produced 4 shows during the 2012 Olympics with AEG at the O2 Indigo.
• Currently, curates and DJs live events at Alley Cat Amateur Theatre.

Tastemaker

• Hezron – Resilient. Music for the soundtrack of the revolution.
• Kabaka Pyramid’s new single Energy on the Divine Majesty Riddim. Great follow up to Babylon Fallin, which was a tastemaker selection a couple of weeks ago.
• Divine Majesty riddim compilation. Features Kabaka Pyramid, Chronic Law, T’Jean, Royal Blu, Runkus, and more. On Israel records, produced by Sonovik.

Soundclash Update

• Team Torment Locked and Loaded
• Once again, Poison Dart @SoundManLinkUp

Gregory Isaacs Roots Reggae Mix | Reggae Lover Podcast 117

This episode features roots reggae songs from the Gregory Isaacs catalog. I chose to curate his songs about the reality of everyday life and the strife of poor people.

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Gregory Isaacs was born in Jamaica on July 15, 1951. He made his debut in 1968 with a recording for Byron Lee. He then started the African Museum record label and shop along with Errol Dunkley. Isaacs recorded for other producers as well. His single ‘My Only Lover,’ is credited as the first lover’s rock song ever.

He released music throughout the 70s. In 1978 he signed to the Virgin Records offshoot call Frontline records. That led to his appearance in the movie “Rockers.” He also opened a record shop called Cash & Carry in Kingston. He performed yearly at Reggae Sunsplash from 1981 to 1991.

In 1982 he signed to Island Records and released the massive single, “Night Nurse.” Isaacs was only challenged by Dennis Brown and Bob Marley in touring. Gregory recorded and released at least 70 original studio albums. He has over 500 albums including compilations. He maintained an amazing standard of quality in most of his recorded songs.

Gregory Isaacs was nominated for four Grammy Awards, the last of which in 2010 and 2011. One of the things associated with Isaacs was cocaine use. He had many arrests during the years that he battled with addiction.

When you listen to this mix compared to my lover’s rock mix (Episode 116), you can sense a different vibration. Gregory’s passionate lyrical delivery on social issues is very believable. He passed away in 2010 to lung cancer.

I would love to hear what you think about this singer – the musical giant known as “The Cool Ruler.” Comment here, tweet @ReggaeLoverPod, or send an email to reggaeloverpodcast@gmail.com.

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Original Vintage Ska | Reggae Lover Podcast 61

This episode starts with early rocksteady then goes back in time to original vintage ska.

For those who are not familiar with ska, I will attempt to give you a brief history. Ska music originated in Jamaica in the 1950s and became popular in the 1960s. When you listen to ska lyrics and melodies you must keep a few things in mind:

1. Ska had an uptempo beat for dancing and required very energetic dance moves. It’s based on Mento (Jamaican folk music) and Caribbean Calypso mixed with classic American R&B.
2.  Jamaica gained independence from Great Britain in 1962 with ska as the soundtrack. This music is the island’s 1st true ‘pop’ genre and there is a sense of new national pride in some of the lyrics.
3. An influx of youth moved from outlying areas of the island to Kingston to look for work. Unable to make a living, many teens resorted to illegal activities. This set the stage for what became known as the “rude boy” subculture, another major source of lyrics in early ska.

In the late 1960s the pace of the ska beat slowed down and a new, slower genre called rocksteady emerged. Rocksteady only remained popular from 1966 to 1968. Then reggae music hit the town and spread like wildfire.

Ska caught on in the British market from 1960 to 1967. Many British ska record labels popped up on the scene releasing music that featured Jamaican artists and musicians. The skinhead and punk communities also embraced the music. Ska experienced a revival with a second wave of popularity driven by UK bands in the 1970s.  Traditional ska transformed with the hard edge of punk rock among other influences.

The third wave of popularity began in the 1980s and continued into the 1990s. By then most continents had a growing ska presence. Ska bands such as No Doubt, Sublime, and Fishbone led the way in the United States and had major commercial success.

Playlist:

1. Johnny Clarke – Move Out of Babylon
2. Burning Spear – Marcus Garvey
3. Carl Dawkins – Baby I Love You
4. Derrick Morgan – Tougher Than Tough
5. Peter Tosh and The Soulmates – Rudie’s Medley
6. Desmond Dekker – 007 (Shanty Town)
7. Lloyd Robinson – No More Trouble
8. Alton Ellis and The Flames – Cry Tough
9. Alton Ellis and The Flames – Blessing of Love
10. Hopeton Lewis – Take It Easy
11. Alton Ellis – Girl I’ve Got a Date
12. U-Roy – Wake the Town
13. U-Roy – I Can’t Love Another
14. Ken Boothe – The Train is Coming
15. Bob Andy – I’ve Got to Go Back Home
16. Delroy Wilson – Dancing Mood
17. Jimmy Cliff – The Harder They Come
18. Paragons – Happy Go Lucky Girl
19. Eric Morris – If I Didn’t Love You
20. The Melodians – Rivers of Babylon
21. Stranger Cole – Rough and Tough
22. Theophilus Beckford – Easy Snappin’
23. Bob and Marcia – Young Gifted and Black
24. Prince Buster – Hard Man Fe Dead
25. The Maytals – Six and Seven Books of Moses
26. The Skatalites – Guns of Navarone
27. Derrick Morgan – Forward March
28. Prince Buster – Al Capone
29. Derrick Morgan – The Hop
30. Derrick Morgan – Housewives Choice
31. Don Drummond – Man in the Street
32. The Folkes Brothers – Oh Carolina
33. Bob Marley – Judge Not
34. Jimmy Cliff – Miss Jamaica
35. Alton Ellis and The Flames – Dance Crasher
36. Justin Hinds and The Dominoes – Carry Go Bring Come
37. The Wailers – Simmer Down
38. Laurel Aitken – Boogie in My Bones
39. Clancy Eccles – Sammy No Dead
40. Baba Brooks – Girl’s Town Ska
41. Owen Gray – Midnight Track
42. Millie Small – My Boy Lollipop

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Big Bands of Reggae

Highlanda.net:

“Nothing compares to being in a venue where a reggae band is performing live.  The rumble of the bass lines surround you in a warm embrace and you can’t help but to rock and skank as you are transported to another realm and higher level of consciousness.  This describes the effects of the power that live reggae musicians have over the masses.”

Third World
Third World is a Grammy nominated Jamaican reggae band formed in 1973. Their sound is influenced by soul, funk and disco. Third World’s greatest success came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, peaking with their cover version of The O’Jays’ “Now That We Found Love”, a hit single on both sides of the Atlantic in 1979. Here is a Third World performing “Now That We Found Love:”
This song brought them to the attention of Stevie Wonder, who worked with them and wrote (along with Melody A. McCully) their song “Try Jah Love.” This band still records and tours to this day so definitely check them out if they come to a venue near you. Visit Third World online at http://www.thirdworldband.com/

Inner Circle
This Jamaican reggae group was formed in 1968 by the brothers Ian and Roger Lewis in Jamaica. The band released its debut album in 1974 on the famed record label, Trojan Records, and resigned in 1979 to Island Records, where the internationally successful album Everything Is Great originated. They are responsible for the 1989 song “Bad Boys,” which serves as the theme song for Fox Network’s long-running television program COPS. Here is Inner Circle with “Bad Boys:”
Jacob Miller, the frontman and lead singer, was killed in a car crash on March 23, 1980. The band appeared in the reggae cult film Rockers in 1978. Their second American hit, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993 was “Sweat (A La La La La Long)”, which was a #3 hit in the UK. Here is Inner Circle with “Sweat:”

Steel Pulse
Steven Huey reports, “Generally a protest-minded Rastafarian outfit, Steel Pulse started out playing authentic roots reggae with touches of jazz and Latin music, and earned a substantial audience among white U.K. punks as well. Their 1978 debut, Handsworth Revolution, is still regarded by many critics as a landmark and a high point of British reggae. As the ’80s wore on, slick synthesizers and elements of dance and urban R&B gradually crept into their sound, even as their subject matter stayed on the militant side. By the late ’80s, Steel Pulse had won a Grammy and were working full-fledged crossover territory, but never reached the same degree of commercial acceptance as Aswad or Inner Circle. They subsequently returned to a tough-minded, rootsy sound that nonetheless made concessions to contemporary trends with touches of dancehall and hip-hop.” Here is Steel Pulse performing “Rally Round:”
In 1993 they performed at Bill Clinton’s inaugural celebration, the first reggae band to appear at such an event. Visit Steel Pulse’s website for more.

Aswad
From Vh1: “Aswad was arguably Britain’s most successful reggae band, in terms of both popularity and longevity. Critical opinion on their body of work is often divided; some hail their early material as the greatest roots reggae Britain ever produced, while others find their later pop-crossover phase more distinctive and unique, even at the expense of authenticity. Regardless, Aswad’s ability to adapt themselves to the changing times — new musical trends, shifting personnel — was ultimately the driving force behind their decades-long career.”
Aswad was often hired as backing musicians for touring Jamaican stars: Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Dennis Brown, and Black Uhuru.