Bombskare's Reggae (and Stuff) March 31st 2013

Tonight we at Fusion were honoured to be able to preview the brand new album by the Scottish Ska Juggernaut that is Bombskare and the band kindly gave us a fistful of copies to give away. For my money Bombskare are the finest ska band in the world today. They produce ska of the highest quality infused with an irresistible humour and upbeat, brassy bounciness! I asked each of the band members to choose a track for me to play on the show and they duly obliged. To this I added two tracks from the album and the rest of the playlist was drawn from a selection of tunes that the band said were favourites of theirs. I can't argue with their choices - there isn't a track on this playlist that I didn't enjoy! 

1. The Upsetters - Jungle Lion

2. The Silvertones - It's Real

3. The Blues Busters - Soon You'll Be Gone

4. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Dream Express

5. The Skatalites - Exodus

6. Bombskare - Catastrofuck

7. Jimmy Soul - If You Want To Be Happy

8. The Granville Williams Orchestra - Honky Tonk Ska

9. Byron Lee and the Dragonaires - Jamaica Ska

10. The Upsetters - Return of the Django

11. Toots and the Maytals - Living in the Ghetto

12. The Maytals - It's You

13. Jimmy Cliff - Miss Jamaica

14. Dave & Ansel Collins - Double Barrell

15. Desmond Dekker - Get Up Edina

16. Prince Buster - Linger On

17. Bombskare - The Day the Earth Stood Stupid
18. Bombskare - Triplet Fiasco

The album is called The Day The Earth Stood Stupid and is available on CD from April 1st. I can't recommend it highly enough and would urge anyone that loves bouncy, brassy ska with a traditional and humorous feel to get a copy - you won't regret it!

Rich's Reggae (and Stuff) March 24th 2013

Tonight's show was all about Reggae (and Stuff) that was Barssy, Horny, Saxy or just plain Rude!

1. The Brass Action - Kiss My Brass

2. The Aggrolites - Dirty Reggae

3. Lester Sterling - Reggae On Broadway

4. Jackie Opel - Push Wood

5. Prince Fatty - Wet Dream (feat. George Dekker & Alcapone)

6. Lee "Scratch" Perry - Doctor Dick

7. Bad Manners - Only Funkin'

8. Ska Cubano - Big Bamboo

9. Bombskare - Triplet Fiasco

10. Mungo's Hi Fi - Divorce a L'Italienne (feat. Marina P)

11. Rico Rodriguez - Psychedelic Island

12. Nora Deal - Oh Mama

13. Jo Jo Bennett and the Mudies All Stars - In The Nude

14. Tappa Zukie - Take Nine

15. Tommy McCook and the Aggrovators - The Gorgon Of Dubs and Horns

16. Don Drummond - Alipang

17. Jackie Edwards - I Feel So Bad

18. Toots and the Maytals - Peeping Tom

19. Prince Buster - Wine or Grind

As usual the show is available until the next one replaces it on my Soundcloud page.

Rich's Reggae (and Stuff) March 10th 2013

Oldies all the way tonight, not for any other reason than that it's been a busy long week and I'm feeling old!

1. The Upsetters - Dollar In The Teeth (2:31)

2. Lyn Taitt & The Jets - Pressure & Slide (2:29)

3. Soul Vendors - Swing Easy (2:57)

4. The Selecter - The Whisper (3:01)

5. The Specials - Pearl's Cafe (3:06)

6. Madness - On the Beat Pete (3:02)

7. The Heptones - Sufferers Time (3:44)

8. Dr. Alimantado - I Shall Fear No Evil (2:14)

9. Al Brown - Here I Am Baby (4:07)

10. Sugar Minott - Oh Mr DC (6:26)

11. The Dynamites - The Lion Wakes (2:50)

12. King Tubby - Reggaedelic Version (2:45)

13. The Skatalites & King Tubby - Give Thanks (3:21)

14. Freddie Notes & The Rudies - Don't Tell Your Mama (2:29)

15. The Paragons - Danger In Your Eyes (2:50)

16. Ken Boothe - Old Fashioned Way (2:31)

17. Bob Marley & The Wailers - One Love (3:24)

18. Prince Buster - Freezing Up Orange Street (2:44)

As usual the show is available for download on my Soundcloud page - at least until I stick the next one up!

Cover Versions (and Stuff) Feb 24th 2012

Tonight's show was all about cover versions / alternate versions. Always great fun to do, these shows tend to lean more towards ska than reggae. This could indicate a lack of imagination on the behalf of ska bands but I prefer to think it's just that they recognise when a song can be improved by the application of some ska!

Here's the list:

1. Reggae Girls (aka The Ebony Sisters) - Rescue Me (Fontella Bass)
2. Simmertones - Dr Who (Ron Grainger)
3. Smoke Like a Fish - Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple)
4. Dreadzone - Iron Shirt (Max Romeo)
5. Pete Johnson - Crying In The Rain (Everley Brothers)
6. The Upsetters - My Girl (Temptations)
7. Marcia Griffiths - First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
8. Begoña Bang-Matu and The Shake It Up's - If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) (Staple Singers)
9. Suburban Legends - I Just Can't Wait to Be King (Disney)
10. The Butlers - Sock It To 'Em J.B. (Rex Garvin / Specials)
11. Hot 8 Brass Band - Ghost Town (Specials)
12. The Shake Spears - Summertime (Just about everyone!)
13. Alpha Blondy - I Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
14. Krystal/Shabba Ranks - Twice My Age (Terry Jacks)
15. Jackie Mittoo - Ska-culation (Chantays)
16. The Gaylettes - Son Of A Preacher Man (Dusty Springfield)
17. Reel Big Fish - Take On Me (Live) (Aha)

Postscript: some of the tunes I played tonight went down with some listeners like a fart in a spaceman's suit. I can only apologise! Should you be brave enough, you can hear the show on soundcloud and try to guess which ones went down so badly!

More Stuff than Reggae? Rich's Reggae (and Stuff) Feb 17th

It's quite an eclectic playlist for tonight's show. I saw Lee Perry earlier in the week and this is reflected in the list, along with a tune from his support act, the wonderful Laid Blak. The playlist had a bit of everything this week; some soul, a couple of cover versions, a fair bit of ska, a couple of seriously funky tunes and even some steel drums! Hope you enjoyed the show. If you haven't had a listen yet you can find it on my soundcloud page.

1. Tommy McCook - Freedom Sounds
2. Bombskare - Drum Boogie
3. Delroy Wilson - Get Ready (12 Inch Mix)
4. Ska Flames - Kiss Bam Bam
5. Fimber Bravo - The Way We Live Today
6. Lee Fields and the Expressions - You're The Kind Of Girl (Grant Phabao Remix)
7. Keith Rowe - Groovy Situation
8. Max Romeo - Chase the Devil
9. Bob Marley and Lee Perry - Shocks of Mighty, Pt. 1
10. Winston Edwards - Big Daddy Amin
11. Niney and Friends - Dub 51
12. Laid Blak - Shabba
13. Talisman - Free Speech 7" Mix
14. Baba Brooks - Teenage Ska
15. Roland Alphonso and the Upsetters - Roll On
16. The Boris Gardiner Happening Feat. Leslie Butler - Ghetto Funk

It's Ladies Night!

Tonight's Fusion On Air show was a Ladies Of Reggae special, celebrating female vocalists with some sweet reggae (and stuff):

1. Marcia Aitken - I'm Still In Love (3:23)

2. Sophia George - Girlie Girlie (3:00)

3. Cynty & The Monkees - Lady Lady (2:58)

4. Hollie Cook - Milk & Honey (3:39)

5. Millie Small - My Boy Lollipop (2:01)

6. Sister Nancy - I Am A Geddion (2:57)

7. Phyllis Dillon - A Thing Of The Past (2:42)

8. Dawn Penn - I'll Never Let You Go (2:50)

9. Althea - Down Town Thing (3:37)

10. Full Experience - Young Gifted And Broke (3:29)

11. Nora Dean - Ay Ay Ay (3:01)

12. Rita Marley - Call To Me (1:59)

13. Angelique - Cry (4:04)

14. Hortense Ellis - Woman of the Ghetto (3:05)

15. Susan Cadogan - I Say A Little Prayer (2:11)

16. Cynthia Richards - Conversation (2:26)

17. Claudette - Queen of the World (2:18)

18. Cimarons - We Are Not the Same (3:30)

19. Marcia Griffiths - Feel Like Jumping (3:35)

Huge thanks to Mick for putting this show summary vid together:

Rich's Reggae (and Stuff) - Fusion Launch Night 3rd Feb

This is the playlist for my first show for the all new Fusion On Air:

1. Prince Francis - Rock Fort Shock (2:37)
2. Roy Shirley - Hold them (2:44)
3. Marvells - Rock Steady (3:04)
4. Dennis Alcapone - Upsetter Version (2:56)
5. Count Ossie - Meditation (2:31)
6. Jackie Mittoo - This Scorcher (2:00)
7. The Humanitarians - Look Within (4:44)
8. Urang Matang - Bobby Baboon (2:34)
9. Tenor Saw - Fever (4:35)
10. The Beat - Big Shot (2:29)
11. Laurel Aitken - Pussy Price (3:01)
12. Tommy McCook - The World Needs Love (2:12)
13. Don Drummond - Silver Dollar (2:58)
14. Sister Nancy - Bam-Bam (3:16)
15. Mungo's Hi Fi - Did You Really Know (feat. Soom T) (4:32)
16. Susan Cadogan - Do It Baby (3:07)
17. U-Roy - Pumps and Pride (feat. Tarrus Riley) (3:47)
18. Vin Gordon - Liquid Horns (3:19)

Putting this together gave me so much pleasure, I hope that came across on the air. I have been told I sound dour, dull and even apologetic. Oh well, not to worry! If you want "Hey guys, let's go craaaaazy" I suggest commercial radio; if you want real music being played by a music lover because it makes them smile or moves them then give Fusion a try!