Roots Archives Forum

When I met Steve Barrow in 2000, he told me that Abrahams was releasing bogus CDs of King Tubby dubs that were exact copies of Blood & Fire releases with all of the song titles changed. Abraham is to be avoided at all costs.

I was also confused as to the clocktower Abrahams link, i always new that Abrahams label was a bad one or bootleg one anyway and knew he had a very bad name, but i have also bought clocktower cd releases and seem to remember noticing Abrahams name on there, i guess it must just be him bootlegging them, but really don't know, maybe there is a legit connection??

Well, Clocktower was always a dubious label to begin with. Brad Osbourne was a hustler and a criminal and ended up releasing music as he felt like it. Some of it was above board, but a lot of it wasn't. Apparently Lee Perry was so furious about Osbourne releasing some of his music without permission that he laid a beating on Brad when he encountered him on his first trip to New York!

abrahams legitimately issues clocktower stuff (there may be some discussion about how legit clocktower was to begin with) and typically those records sound decent if maybe not as great as original clocktower. but original clocktower wasnt exactly the trademark of quality either as mick sleeper says. kinda dicey actually. from what i know though, most of clocktower releases from brad osbourne were fairly legit despite what lee perry might think. lee perry by the way is a great one to talk or get upset...wasnt there some little experience there with bob marley finding out perry was selling his records in london without telling him or accounting for them? so who can throw the first stone there is a matter of debate...i have a hard time imagining lee perry beating up anyone however.

after brad osbourne passed abrahams got permission from osbournes (rumoured crack whore) wife to press up whatever however forever (which of course is a bit sketchy) but then he went from semi legit to pretty illegit what with wholesale bootlegging of blood and fire and other bunny lee material. of course then there is bunny lee who isnt above much the same thing and notorious for selling "exclusive" rights to more than one person for the same material so again, someone is allowing bunny lee to judge?

typical situation. i personally would say buy most abrahams stuff with a clear conscious because its just the same pack of thieves screwing each other and complaining about it while doing it.

the b&f etc stuff notwithstanding that is; that was blatent bootlegging. though it could well be mr lee was behind that, he is certainly not above it.

btw linval thompson is on good terms with abrahams and evidently gets royalties. and my friend tim harris claims abrahams is on the up and up and a nice guy to boot so if tim says that, i gotta believe its at least partly true.

now the pressing quality that may be a different matter but he doesnt press in ja, he has them done either in NYC or canada, i forget which, and probably at the same plant brad osbourne used (just guessing there but the abrahams/clocktower LPs i have seem to be decently pressed, and probably as good as original clocktower which werent anything to write home about though vastly superior to ja pressings).

one love
jah bill

thanks for the info Bill, this sheds some more light on things.

I have heard this rumour before about Lee Perry selling Bob Marley records in london... some even claim that Lee Perry is a pirate (in bootlegging sense).

Could someone confirm is this rumour true or not?

As someone who has known Abraham for 30 years, I agree that Jah Bill's synopsis is excellent.

I would add this:
- the pressings are indeed pressed in Canada these days
- the contention about sound is how they are sourced. While he may have legit rights to release the music as per an agreement with Brad's "estate" many of the re-releases are sourced from vinyl. Many of the original tapes and stampers were not used. If I had a choice, I would always pick up a NY issue before the new issue, but these of course are harder to come by.
- He is indeed a very pleasant man. I have had business dealings with him, and while in some instances it took some coaxing and reminding, but he always came through. The same can't be said about many in the business.

If you are avoiding his releases for concern that the artists don't get royalties....we'll that pretty much precludes you from buying ANY reggae records, doesn't it?

davek wrote: If you are avoiding his releases for concern that the artists don't get royalties....we'll that pretty much precludes you from buying ANY reggae records, doesn't it?

This is reggae...

jb welda wrote:...i have a hard time imagining lee perry beating up anyone however.

Didn't he start his music career as a bouncer? all this stories of him fighting next to Prince Buster on Coxson side gainst Duke Reid's guys?

I believe the story is that Buster was the bouncer and he was protecting Perry. Lee Perry wouldn't be much of a bouncer, I think he's about 5' 5".