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CD
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RR 311CD
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Radiation Roots present a reissue of I Roy's Can't Conquer Rasta, originally released in 1977. Born Roy Samuel Reid in Saint Thomas in 1944, I Roy was one of Jamaica's all-time greatest deejays. A natural-born toaster, his rhyming raps always sounded effortless, whether describing the harsh realities of the inner city, or making light of nonsense nursery rhymes. A former employee at Customs and Excise, he was first active on a sound system called Soul Bunnies in the rocksteady era, moving to Son's Junior in 1968, and later, to the legendary Supreme Ruler of Sound, defecting to the rival Stereo sound system after that. Hits for Harry Mudie and other producers soon followed, and after the killer debut album Presenting I Roy (1973) impacted overseas, the toaster began spending frequent periods in London. His longstanding working relationship with hit-making producer Bunny Lee led to some of his most noteworthy albums during the mid-1970s; the 1977 set Can't Conquer Rasta is a superb "showcase"-style album, on which the toaster blows hard lyrics over five of Lee's killer "rockers" rhythms (recorded with the likes of Johnny Clarke), each complete with a corresponding Aggrovators dub on the flip, all mixed by Prince Jammy at King Tubby's studio.
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LP
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RR 311LP
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LP version. Radiation Roots present a reissue of I Roy's Can't Conquer Rasta, originally released in 1977. Born Roy Samuel Reid in Saint Thomas in 1944, I Roy was one of Jamaica's all-time greatest deejays. A natural-born toaster, his rhyming raps always sounded effortless, whether describing the harsh realities of the inner city, or making light of nonsense nursery rhymes. A former employee at Customs and Excise, he was first active on a sound system called Soul Bunnies in the rocksteady era, moving to Son's Junior in 1968, and later, to the legendary Supreme Ruler of Sound, defecting to the rival Stereo sound system after that. Hits for Harry Mudie and other producers soon followed, and after the killer debut album Presenting I Roy (1973) impacted overseas, the toaster began spending frequent periods in London. His longstanding working relationship with hit-making producer Bunny Lee led to some of his most noteworthy albums during the mid-1970s; the 1977 set Can't Conquer Rasta is a superb "showcase"-style album, on which the toaster blows hard lyrics over five of Lee's killer "rockers" rhythms (recorded with the likes of Johnny Clarke), each complete with a corresponding Aggrovators dub on the flip, all mixed by Prince Jammy at King Tubby's studio.
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LP + 10"
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SUNSP 021LP
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"Classic 1973 reggae album re-issued on vinyl with a bonus 4 song 10 inch. This album follows on from where Gussie and Big Youth produced the first of the new groundbreaking deejay albums Screaming Target. These albums revolutionized the reggae genre. This album stands out with it's articulate, caustic social commentary and witty observations. LP Comes with a double sided insert featuring track by track breakdown and 3,000+ word biography and bonus 4 track 10"."
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LP
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KSLP 015LP
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2015 repress; originally released in 2008. In the early 1970s, I Roy's lyrics left listeners with not only a great vibe but also a little something to think about after the initial rush of the tune. I Roy (born Roy Reid, 1942, St. Thomas, Jamaica) had initially found work in the Customs Department of the Jamaican Civil Service, but, at the turn of the 1970s, found his vocal talents being appreciated on the sound systems in and around the Kingston area. He began with the Sons Junior System before moving over to its bigger rival, Ruddy's Supreme Ruler of Sound, which also worked out of the same Spanish town district. This district soon became I Roy's home, and it was there that he met producer Harry Mudie, with whom he would cut his musical teeth. Spurred on by fellow DJ U Roy, I Roy entered the studio and cut, among others, "Musical Pleasure," "Heart Don't Leap," and "Drifter." When U Roy was away on tour in the UK, King Tubby's Home Town Hi-Fi Sound System was missing his on-mic duties. An introduction from another producer, Bunny "Striker" Lee, would lead to another match made in heaven when I Roy took hold of Tubby's sound system and rocked the town. I Roy cut his 1973 debut album, Presenting I. Roy, with producer Gussie Clarke, and such was the demand for his talents that he went on to cut tracks with the great producers of the time throughout the 1970s. The producer who worked with I Roy the most throughout the DJ phenomenon is Bunny Lee. Having set I Roy up with the great King Tubby, getting him into the studio was the obvious next step. A new genre was born when I Roy, warming up for a vocal showdown, spotted singer Prince Jazzbo walking into the studio and dropped the line, "Jazzbo, man if you were a juke box I wouldn't put a dime into your slot." A humorous, off-the-cuff spar that would later get a release as "Straight to Jazzbo Head" (included on this release) and open a flurry of bragging cuts. Heavier Than Lead collects some of I Roy's finest moments so you can enjoy his vocal dexterity for yourself; remember listen to the quick, tuneful, tight lyrics. They all tell a story worth listening to.
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7"
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DKR 111EP
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"Throughout the 1970s, I-Roy recorded for tons of producers, and eventually began bartering with many of them for cuts of rhythms to voice himself on, as his own productions. Through his popularity in the UK, I-Roy got a deal with Virgin Records to release many of these new self-productions. Tucked away on these albums are this pair of wicked tunes, prime for release on singles, and here they are. 'Fire in a Wire' was originally released on I-Roy's The General vocal and dub double-album, and as a 12-inch single. Here we have the album cut, the vocal, and it's dub, entitled 'Warlord of Zenda' (presumably named after the novel/film The Prisoner of Zenda). These tunes are re-presented on the Royco Inc. label, I-Roy's own original label used in the early 1970's."
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7"
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DKR 101EP
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"'Set the Captives Free' was originally released on the World on Fire LP, a very tough rhythm. The voice of Freddie McKay is heard singing behind I-Roy, and despite our best efforts, we were still unable to find out more about this mystery vocal! On the flip of this single is the killer horns dub to this rhythm, called 'Bubbling Jug,' which was released on I-Roy's Cancer dub LP. Apparently this dub and the Freddie McKay vocal were run on dubplate by Jah Shaka back in the day."
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7"
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DKR 083EP
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"I-Roy's 'Tribute To Marcus Garvey' was only ever available as an LP cut, released here now for the first time ever as a single and backed by a tough version of the Revolutionaries' rhythm track."
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LP
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SUNSP 001LP
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"This album follows on from where Gussie and Big Youth produced the first of the new groundbreaking deejay albums Screaming Target (on 180 gram vinyl). These albums revolutionized the whole reggae genre and are highly collectible. This album stands out with its articulate, caustic social commentary and witty observations. Comes with a double sided insert featuring track by track breakdown and 3,000+ word biography."
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LP
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ATTACK 030LP
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