Roots Archives Forum

Love the Gladiators. I particularly enjoy that Show-Down LP - "Can't Stop Righteousness" is amazing. That Heartbeat comp of Studio One singles is great as well as their "proper" Studio One release, "Presenting" - both are essential IMHO. One of the outstanding factors is their fairly advanced arrangements and songwriting. Albert Griffiths is an accomplished vocalist who sometimes gets unfairly compared to Marley but really the only thing they share is a way with a melody and lyric.

swaby974 wrote:"Back To Roots" lp from 1982 was produced by a french.
I didn't know if it was released in others countries(before Tabou1).

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These are exactly the same, and I doubt the recordings were produced by the french guys who are mentioned on the european release 'Back to Roots'. Maybe they put up some money (and herb) to get the permission to release this album outside USA and JA.

But back to the topic. Gladiators imho are par to Culture and the Mighty Diamonds when it comes to roots. Albert Griffiths was a masterful word-creator and what set them really apart from the rest was their rural and folksy lyrics, made up alot of biblical and oldtime sayings but with a whole heap of fun incorporated ("It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle...").

I too love their side on "Showdown Vol.3" and their 1970s works for Coxsone Dodd and Tony Robinson. Just to throw in the obvious nuts, I recommend both "Naturality" and "Sweet so till" and the most denied (why?) "Reggae to Bone".

I love that Babylon street/ back to roots album

I visited Albert Griffith in his home town in JA back in 1993. Brian Silverman, his lead guitarist at the time, drove us there. The band had recorded an album for a french label in 92 (True Rastaman), followed by "The Storm". Mixing on both albums is terrible - and Brian agreed - but there was still some great tracks. The issue was that Albert wouldnt spend any money on the production. Mixing was rushed. Give the master tapes at 8 pm, and ask them to be ready the next morning. Even with poor mixing, I liked "Fools Rush In", using a classic riddim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op5b2fxoKgA

I recommended to Albert that he plays that song during that year's sunsplash, and he did. Leroy Horsemouth was backing the band. In those days -early 90's - roots reggae was all but at its peak. Very little supporters, from anywhere. We didn't have the roots resurgence, not many re issue labels (heartbeat perhaps). However, live bands could still play pretty well. I remember very well. We all went from the hotel to Portmore in 3 cabs. I sat in the cab with Brian. We arrived at the sunsplash gate, and there you had plenty reggae icons chatting, no spot light (I recall Toots, John Holt, Heptones). But there was almost no one to witness the show. Frankly, just a few hundreds. It really felt like reggae was dying, pretty depressing when you're in your early 20's, looking for that reggae vibe.

Anyway, Gladiators was a wicked band. I do think that Symbol of Reality is the band's last great LP. After that, a good song here and there.

Clinton Fearon, however, has, in my opinion passed the test of time much better than Albert (who lost his voice as of the late 90's, and also didnt manage to get great musicians and/or production). See Mi Yah is one of the best reggae LPs of the past 5 years, easy. Absolutely brilliant everything in their. Masterpiece.

In a nutshell, the Gladiators were a great band, comprised essentially of Albert Griffiths and Clinton Fearon. If you want to feel a vibe close to origibal Gladiators, rush to see Clinton next time he passes close to you and, meanwhile, enjoy this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULP6161cdK4

Life is a journey!

Thanks for the story. I was lucky enough to see Fearon live about 3 years back, at a free festival, no less. The show was superb and I gained a whole new respect for him on that day.

I'm surprised you think they dropped off after Symbol of Reality. I enjoy Country Living and Serious Time so much more.

I know Fearon played bass on numerous Black Arc recordings, but it would have been interesting to hear a Gladiators album recorded there. It might have been shockingly similar to Heart of the Congos.

Bellyman wrote:swaby974 wrote :"Back To Roots" lp from 1982 was produced by a french.
I didn't know if it was released in others countries(before Tabou1).

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These are exactly the same, and I doubt the recordings were produced by the french guys who are mentioned on the european release 'Back to Roots'. Maybe they put up some money (and herb) to get the permission to release this album outside USA and JA.

Kackie Knafo is the French guy who produced the album. By producing one means pay for the sessions. Jackie had a concert promotion business in Paris and organized the first Burning Spear concerts in France, had the Gladiators at his place for a month because they had been dumped by an unscrupulous tour promoter.

He then went to JA with them and recorded the Back to roots album.

Prior to that period, during the Virgin albums, the Gladiators were managed by Prince Tony Robinson, who stole the tapes and released the album under a different name and a different song sequence on his own label. Typical Tony.

I met Jackie and he let me release Back to roots. Cool guy. He had bought a sex shop in the red light district of Paris Pigalle and everytime a Jamaican artist friend of his would visit town, they made sure to come check him at his store!!!

I also met Tony in Miami in the late 90's. He wanted to license some material for which he had no rights. Nice guy but...

Bellyman wrote:I recommend both "Naturality" and "Sweet so till" and the most denied (why?) "Reggae to Bone".

I think it has to do with the album being quite scarce. Been trying to source a copy for years but it rarely turns up and when it does it's almost always over $100 and many times pushes nearly double that.

My favourite album of theirs is Trenchtown Mix-Up. I do have several albums by them and really like most of them but Babylon Street I'm ashamed to say that I have yet to really listen to. Bought it at the same time as perhaps ten other wicked albums and it just got lost in the mix. I listened to it once or twice and really liked but I can't remember the title of a single song from it. Will give it a good rinse tomorrow.

Has anyone mentioned their LP Naturality yet? Absolute gem, criminally obscure, not sure if it was ever officially issued on CD.

But I'm a huge fan all around, Proverbial Reggae was one of the first roots albums I got way back, still gets played quite a bit, and of course Trenchtown Mix-up even more so. I even love Sweet So Till, a little less consistant as a whole, but still lots of good tunes.

Always was partial to Clinton Fearon's tunes, and was able to catch him a few years back- also at a free festival (@giant panda - was it the Lowell Folk Fest?).

Personally, I don't like Trenchtown Mix Up at all; I think Proverbial Reggae is a stronger set. Really like their Studio One material and also highly rate their Full Time LP on Nighthawk.

The Gladiators were the first live JA band I ever saw back in I think early 78 at the Coatham Bowl in Redcar supported by the Reggae Regulars-love Trenchtown Mixup and the 12inch Pocket Money/Evil Doers.Cant remember who te band was at the timbut ths started me on a30+ year exploration of roots and culture.