I love that funky reggae music. From roots to dub to ska and back again.
Toots & The Maytals is one of my favorites. I actually got to hang out with Toots Hibert at a music festival, but didn't realize it was him until I saw him on stage the next day.
There is just something about this music that gets me going. I used to dig Bob Marley a lot when I was younger, but once you discover the other classic bands, he kind of pales in comparison.
I was never a huge fan until I discovered Jimmy Cliff and this little gem of a movie called "The Harder They Come" .
After I saw this and got my hands on a copy of the soundtrack, it was full on reggae fever. When you're 17 and stuck in a crappy little mid-western town, reggae music is almost like an escape. The gangsters,ganja, oppression and other bits of mythos that became regular subject matter in songs(see Clint Eastwood or James Bond for early examples) served as kind of springboard for personal change. I had a little more swagger in my step, started using a bit more slang and generally trying to copy the rudeboy style.
Over the years I have read up on the history and evolution of Reggae. These days I'm a bit more into dub than in the past. King Tubby, U-Roy,Prince Far I and Big Youth are amongst my favorites.
I'm more a fan of Mento and Ska than reggae but I do love me some Culture, Toots, Bobby Marley etc.
I think Marley just suffers from over exposure. His music has become wallpaper because of its ubiquity.
07 Dec 2009 02:20 PM
Zuul
My tastes verge more towards ska and third wave ska (Sublime will always hold a special place in the heart of my inner teenager), but I do enjoy Reggae. It's more something that I'll go, "Oh, hey, I like this," than actively seek out, though.
07 Dec 2009 02:25 PM
Revs
Here you go Zuul
07 Dec 2009 02:29 PM
Zuul
Yep, that'd be right up my alley!
08 Dec 2009 08:47 AM
The Original An Gadaí
Oh yeah I didn't mention 2Tone. I am a big fan of the auld 2Tone and related bands although the more I got into the original Jamaican stuff the more I realised how derivative a lot of 2Tone stuff was. Saying that, the Specials had some amazing originals (and covers) as did The Selecter, The Beat, Madness et al. The best of that stuff combined the Jamaican groove with classic British pop writing.
