I first went out on Fyffes banana boats in the early 60's, ended up on the Camito which ran a regular monthly passenger service between Southampton and Jamaica ,and went back on holiday during the 70,s last time was in 78. Had an interest in the place ever since.
Me and the Mrs had tickets to see the at Newcastle, and a hotel booked. I was I’ll and gave the tickets to my eldest daughter and Toots was staying at the hotel I booked. My daughter and her bloke had a cracking night with them.
Amazing. I knew someone who worked on the banana boats and it sounded very risky. My love of reggae started in late 70s when I lived in Bristol and knocked around St Paul's. The base just got to me straight away and I was hooked. The St Paul's festival was superb with reggae being played all over the streets, goat curry in abundance and obviously ganja. Don't know if it still happens.
The Pogues were an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan"Pogue Mahone" – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse". Typical of SM ,spelt Jah and Pogues wrong. . Great band though . had their first album and The Smiths on tapes in my car, courtesy of John Peel but some sinner broke in and stole the lot including the radio and player, a good one too. As you probably know , Avonmouth was a major Port for the import of passengers and bananas from JA. Many of my shipmates were from the Bristol area and we had some great times in the Bristol night clubs in the 60's as there were some handsome bastards among them, and washed denim and winter tans did no harm at all. Mind you I did not do as well and put it down to my fair skin and accent.
Brilliant. The local Rastas used to call over to me, Hey Scottish. I'm not Scottish but they thought I was. Not many north east boys in those parts back in the day. That song is by the Popes, which SM set up after leaving Pogues. The Jar is a play on words.
Well, you really know your stuff , I am of English, Irish, Scots and German descent tracing back to great grandfathers on both sides of the family, thats as far as I have been told, and I guess most of us are similar. When I first went out to Jamaica on the Changuinola, and started mixing with the locals on the north coast, I found my true home, don't know why but the common people out there, once they got to know you them were the salt of the earth, you could not meet nicer. It was not just me who thought this way. I think it was the unique nature of that time, brought home by some, but not all, as then, in the tributes to John Lennon this week on the 80th anniversary of his birth, the stand out for me was Mike McGears tribute on a Radio 4 interview, it really caught the spirit of those happier times, "Ah but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now" or words to that effect.
I think I’ve mentioned this earlier, but I’m in touch with The Gladiators and a promoter in Newcastle to get them to come over when Covid is no more.
Thanks for this its great, I had never heard it before, the lyric style is reminiscent of early Trinity and Dillinger. I'm not a musician but the backing music always reminds me of the traffic sounds on Jamaican north coast roads at night. American blues music is likewise affected only by railroad influences but these two musical genres although independent of each other, are bound by many similarities. Back in the day southern states broadcasts could be picked up in JA. homes, and the influences of early black soul music and Caribbean rhythms were dominant in Jamaica before Ska broke and then there was no looking back and the influences reversed. Miss Lou said that.
Just been watching Trailblazers on Sky Arts detailing the different genres of music. The 3rd episode centres on the 2 Tone movement. Looks like it was first broadcast in 2016 but still a good watch. Can't post the episode but the link to the series is here https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/88d9e588-504f-4674-8c7c-f39280fbaabe/trailblazers-of
