小简介
一个具使命的人才Big Youth因为受到U-Roy, Dennis Alcapone及I-Roy的影响而接触音乐界, 但很快的他就建立出自己的风格, 也因而对其他艺术家们造成很大的威胁。这位在70年代统筹了整个dancehalls的DJ, 虽然在接下来的10年成绩不慎理想, 但到了90年代另一股风波又兴起, 使他不仅在祖国, 在邻近国家也大受欢迎。于1949年4月19日出生在牙买加的Kingston, 原名为Manley Augustus Buchanan, 而Big Youth的别名是他于青少年时期在Kingston Sheraton饭店担任技工的工作时, 他的同事帮他取的。最初他只私自在家练习如何玩音乐, 但最后他也找到机会在一些派对放歌。 那时他就懂的如何带动现场, 让他因此名声响亮, 到了60年代便出现了许多小群的乐迷, 当然接下来10年的时间乐迷的数量也逐渐攀升, 而Big Youth现在也定期的于Lord Tipperton的sound system演出, 很快的也成为最当红的DJ。
在那时, U-Roy, Alcapone及I-Roy都已发行了他们的首张黑胶唱片, 但Big Youth一直到隔年1972年1月才发行他的首张单曲。他的﹝ Movie Man ﹞是Errol Dunkley及Gregory Isaacs的African Museum厂牌所发行, 也是Dunkley的﹝ Movie Star ﹞的翻版。很另人吃惊的是这首单曲并没有得到大家的注意; 而其他的制作也没有好到哪里去。﹝ The Best Big Youth ﹞ (又名Black Cindy)是与Jimmy Radway合作的, 根本没人理会。Lee Perry将Wailers的﹝ Keep on Moving ﹞改编为﹝ Moving ﹞也是一样。而制作家Phil Pratt以为他的二首歌会受到肯定, 但其实不然, 分别为﹝ Tell It Black﹞-为Dennis Brown的﹝ Black Magic Woman ﹞翻版, 及 ﹝ Phil Pratt Thing ﹞为Derrick Harriott最完美的﹝ Riding for a Fall ﹞翻版。即使由Niney Holness这位制作以他红到不行的﹝ Blood ＆ Fire ﹞做为﹝ Fire Bunn ﹞的翻版也打不动牙买加人的心。但最后这股尴尬被一位年轻的制作Gussie Clarke所打破。所创作的﹝ The Killer ﹞单曲有着不同凡响的成绩。接下来一起合作的﹝ Tippertone Rocking ﹞也为另一张佳作。从那时Big Youth的天分也这样展开。
一个有始以来最创新的制作Keith Hudson有一天把摩托车骑到录音室里, 结果所作的音乐就以它的引擎 ﹝ S.90 Skank ﹞命名, 当时Honda摩托车非常盛行, 而Big Youth也因这样打进了牙买加排行榜第一名。他们所接下来的﹝Can You Keep a Secret ﹞是绕舌家与他的歌唱制作首次合作的作品。在这期间Big Youth为Glen Brown改编了二首歌, 分别为﹝ Come Into My Parlour ﹞及﹝ Opportunity Rocks ﹞, 后者是﹝ Dirty Harry ﹞的改编版本。事实上这两首歌都与﹝ S.90 Skank ﹞同一天录制。在同一周里, 他也为Prince Buster改编了﹝ Leggo Beast ﹞,﹝ Cain and Abel ﹞,﹝ Leave Your Skeng ﹞(为 Get Ready的版本)及﹝ Chi Chi Run ﹞(为John Holt的﹝ Rain From the Skies ﹞改编版本) 。最后一首作品曾被许多音乐家取用, 如Little Youth, 及三重唱Alton Ellis, John Holt及Dennis Brown, 全都由Prince Buster制作。
Big Youth的首张专辑Screaming Target于1973年问市。由Gussie Clarke所制作, 这张专辑充满着像Gregory Isaacs及Lloyd Parks那样经典的节奏, 并且有很好的成绩, 当然也包括以专辑名称为名的作品。而他在那年好象自己被粘在排行榜上一样, Big Youth的4首歌, 其他还包括 ﹝ Screaming Target ﹞(为K.C. White的 No No No及Buster的Chi Chi Run翻版), 还有Derrick Harriott制作的﹝ Cool Breeze ﹞及Joe Gibbs制作的﹝ A So We Stay ﹞ (为Dennis Brosn的Money in My Pocket翻版)都在当年挤进牙买加排行榜的前20名。Gibbs在1973年与Big Youth赢得了三张单曲的佳作, 包括之前提的单曲, 还有﹝ Chucky No Lucky ﹞及 ﹝ Forman Versus Frazier ﹞。
从为Sonia Pottinger改编的﹝ Facts of Life ﹞后, Big Youth不管在哪里都是个大人物。很快的他从一个与U-Roy 或 Alcapone 一样几乎没没无名的人到现在能更放松的表现他的风格。而这真的是个非常舒服的解脱, 而也在最佳时机风靡全国。在1974年, Big Youth创立了个人厂牌- Negusa Nagast。之前他被称为Amharic (衣索皮亚语言), 也就是王中之王的意思。他的DJ事业也与文化的脚步跨进一步。而Negusa Nagast也发行了最为壮观的单曲, 像﹝ Hot Cross Bun ﹞,﹝ Mr. Bunny ﹞,﹝ Children Children ﹞还有最不是盖的﹝ Streets in Africa ﹞。而后者则被包含在War的﹝ The World Is a Ghetto ﹞里, 并与Dennis Brown合作, 还加上Heptones洪亮的歌声。
Big Youth在同年发行了第二张专辑- Reggae Phenomenon, 而这张就像专辑名称那样的惊人。里头包含了新歌, 一些较早的翻版, 在加上当红的歌曲, 如﹝ Dread Inna Babylon ﹞及﹝ Natty Dread Nester ﹞(为Paragons的 Only a Smile翻版) 。而他的作品因为与许多制作的合作下, 不停的有非常好的成绩。Glen Brown的﹝ Dubbie Attack ﹞, Tony Robinson的﹝ House of Dreadlocks ﹞和﹝ Mammy Hot and Daddy Cold ﹞, 还有Buddy Davidson制作的﹝ Johnny Dead ﹞和Yabby You的﹝ Yabby Youth ﹞ 。
后来Big Youth又与Dennis Brown一起合作为Harry J. 制作了﹝ Wild Goose Chase ﹞ 。而Niney Holness也非常满意他们为他创作的﹝ Ride on Ride On ﹞, 在这之后他们也为Bob Marley作出完美的版本﹝ Get up Stand Up ﹞, 他们除了创作出经典的rocksteady节奏外, 也创作出较强烈的roots节奏。最值得一提的像﹝ I Pray Thee ﹞, 为Abyssinians的﹝ Satta Amasa Gana ﹞翻版, 也是另一首火热的歌, 还有Burning Spear的经典﹝ Marcus Garvey ﹞。加上二首 Wailers的版本, Marley的﹝ Craven Choke Puppy ﹞及Bunny Wailer的﹝ Bide Up ﹞后来变成﹝ Craven Version ﹞及 ﹝ Black on Black ﹞。
在1975年Dreadlocks Dread专辑出现了, 这张具发展性的专辑是由Prince Tony Robinson所监督, 于是分成Big Youth的绕舌部分跟乐器的dub部分。加上有Skin, Flesh ＆ Bones Band的合作下, 让这张专辑成为dread roots的精华, 也是另人兴奋的文化音乐。
Dreadlocks Dread在英国有着非常大的影响力, 并由Klik厂牌负责宣传Big Youth接下来一年在那里的巡回演出。1976年随后带着二张专辑, 分别为Natty Cultural及Hit the Road Jack, 两张都是由对自己非常有自信的Big Youth在最具活力的时候独自创作的。又一次, 这张专辑在牙买加大受欢迎-里头包括了﹝ Ten Against One ﹞及﹝ Wolf in Sheep"s Clothing ﹞等知名的曲子。很有趣的是, Natty Cultural Dread里也包含了﹝ Every Nigger Is a Star ﹞, 也就是I-Threes的首张作品。更棒的是还有Big Youth最不同凡响的制作, 以前他或许会想改编Gene Pitney, Al Green及Otis Redding等人的音乐, 当然有﹝ Dock of the Bay ﹞这首。但现在甚至有﹝ If I Had a Hammer ﹞。1977年带来的超级﹝ Four Sevens ﹞为Culture的﹝ Two Sevens Clash ﹞翻版。由Niney Holness担任制作, 他们二位也推出了﹝ Six Dead, 19 Gone to Jail ﹞。
在与英国厂牌Frontline签约后, Big Youth在1978年于Virgin发行了合作的首张专辑- ﹝ Isaish First Prophet of Old ﹞, 是张非常强烈的roots作品, 由D Russell制作。Youth也在电影Rockers里客串演出。而他的表现也是尽善尽美的, 从闪亮亮的车走出来, 带着微笑时还可以看到他镶着五颜六色珠宝的牙齿, 但在这些夺目诱人的背后看到的是他如何反复的以才能及努力证明自己, 也是个令人深思的音乐家。在1978年他也发行了﹝ Green Bay Killers ﹞单曲, 猛烈的谴责死于牙买加军队手里的拉斯特法里教派团体。或许Big Youth对Virgin来说有点太极端, 所以Virgin也决定不为他发行下两张专辑, 分别为Progress及Rock Holy。他们也没选择较早的dub编辑, 像Reggae Gi Dem Dub, 由Sylvan Morris重新混音。但是牙买加的绕舌界也渐渐松懈, 而新世代的绕舌也开始发展出。
Big Youth继续录音, 但一直都没有出现在排行榜上, 而且大部份的新单曲都是由他自己创作并以自己的厂牌发行。The Heartbeat厂牌的﹝ Some Great Big Youth ﹞收录了许多他从70年代末期到80年代初期的东西; 接下来的编辑为﹝ The Chanting Dread Inna Fine Style ﹞, 以Negusa Negast早期的单曲为主。
由于dancehalls的暴动持续的增加, 他在1982年回到录音室录制了﹝ No War in the Dance ﹞, 由Lloyd Parks制作。他也证明了自己的名声并没有消失, 在那年夏天以前他就以Reggae Sunsplash重温了大家的心, 并在接下来的一年成功举辨了许多场演出, 在1987年也有一次。1985年, Big Youth发行了另人吃惊的新专辑- A Luta Continua, 他从一位绕舌家变成歌手, 从roots rasta到jazzman, 并与牙买加爵士英雄Herbie Miller合作。 然而, 1988年的Manifestation让他找到自己的立足之处, 一个充满roots的音乐分成, 有完美的绕舌及还算不错的歌声。二年后, Niney Holness带Big Youth回到录音室完成 ‘Chanting’的翻版。而他也极力配合 Free South Africa" One Man One Vote的艺人专辑。Big Youth后来也在日本大阪的Japansplash活动演出, 演出内容包括他1991年House of Dread专辑里的Jamming。在接下来的夏天他又在Reggae Sunsplash展现出自己实力。
在过去几年他的形象也渐渐提升, 而受邀为Capleton的I Testament专辑及Mutabaruka的Gathering of the Spirits, 还有Creation Rebel的Feat of a Green Planet穿插合作。在1995年, 他发行了自己的全新专辑- Higher Grounds; 由Junior Reid做监督, 内容包括了R＆B, reggae及其他的音乐类型。在接下来一年的Reggae Sunsplash里呈献出许多他杰出的作品。到了千憘年在英国也发行了他的编辑Tell It Black, 双CD内容有31首从1972-1975年的歌曲。而同年也以英国的Blood ＆ Fire厂牌发行Natty Universal Dread。而包括51首的3张专辑有着1973-1979年最完整的收录, 还有一些Negusa Negast从未被重新发行的作品。
by Jo-Ann Greene
A man with a message, Big Youth arrived on the music scene in the wake of U-Roy, Dennis Alcapone, and I-Roy, but quickly established his own style, threatening to eclipse them all. The consummate cultural toaster, the DJ ruled the dancehalls across the 70s, and although his career flagged in the next decade, he returned with a vengeance in the 90s, and continues to have an impact on both his own nation and beyond. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, on April 19, 1949, Manley Augustus Buchanan had his moniker long before he had picked up a mic. He was named Big Youth by his co-workers at the Kingston Sheraton hotel, where the tall teen was employed as a mechanic. Initially, he toasted to himself (the DJing equivalent of air guitar), but eventually he took the chance of picking up the mic at a few parties. The enthusiastic response he received prodded him to perform at dances, and by the late 60s, he had a small, but avid following. This fan base swiftly grew and as the new decade arrived, Big Youth was now DJing regularly at Lord Tippertons sound system, quickly becoming the top DJ for the outfit.
By this point, U-Roy, Alcapone, and I-Roy had already made their vinyl debuts, but Big Youth would wait another year, finally releasing his first single in January 1972. He cut Movie Man for African Museum, Errol Dunkley and Gregory Isaacs label, and the song fittingly utilized the rhythm to Dunkleys own Movie Star. Surprisingly, the single was barely noticed; other producers had no better luck. The Best Big Youth (also known as Black Cindy), cut with Jimmy Radway, sank without a trace. Lee Perry did no better with Moving, a version of the Wailers Keep on Moving. Producer Phil Pratt thought for sure his two cuts were chartward bound, but both Tell It Black, a version of Dennis Browns cover of Black Magic Woman, and Phil Pratt Thing, a sublime version of Derrick Harriotts Riding for a Fall, followed its predecessors into oblivion. Even Fire Bunn, produced by Niney Holness over his own smash Blood & Fire rhythm, failed to ignite the Jamaican buying public. The drought was finally broken by a young (just out of his teens) up and coming producer, Gussie Clarke. For The Killer single, he had the DJ toast over the rootsy Augustus Pablo number, and the result was magnificent. The pair followed it up with Tippertone Rocking, another major hit. Big Youth was now in demand.
The ever-innovative producer Keith Hudson dragged a motorcycle into the studio to capture its revving engine for S.90 Skank, a tribute to the popular Honda motorcycle, and roared Big Youth to the top of the Jamaican chart. Their follow-up, Can You Keep a Secret, a duet between the toaster and his singing producer, did almost as well. In between times, Big Youth cut a pair of songs for Glen Brown, Come Into My Parlour and Opportunity Rocks, the latter employing the popular Dirty Harry rhythm. Both were actually recorded the same day as S.90 Skank. That same week, the DJ also cut a quartet of songs for Prince Buster: Leggo Beast, Cain and Abel, Leave Your Skeng (a version of Get Ready), and Chi Chi Run (cut over the rhythm of John Holts Rain From the Skies). That latter track titled a various artists compilation that featured the DJ, a young acolyte Little Youth, a trio of top vocalists (Alton Ellis, John Holt, and Dennis Brown), all produced by Prince Buster.
Big Youths own debut album, Screaming Target, arrived in 1973. Produced by Gussie Clarke, the album was stuffed with classic rhythms from the likes of Gregory Isaacs and Lloyd Parks, and filled with hits as well, including the magnificent title-track. The DJ seemed to have now glued himself to the chart and during that year, four of his songs, including Screaming Target (a version of K.C. Whites No No No and Busters Chi Chi Run), the Derrick Harriott-produced Cool Breeze, and the Joe Gibbs-produced A So We Stay (a version of Dennis Browns Money in My Pocket), sat proudly on the Jamaican Top 20 for the entire year. Gibbs notched up a total of three hits with Big Youth in 1973, along with the aforementioned single, there was also Chucky No Lucky and the topical Forman Versus Frazier.
From boxing bouts to the Facts of Life, a hit cut for Sonia Pottinger, Big Youth was the tops on any topic. Hed matured swiftly, from a barely understandable mumbler who exhorted the crowds with typical U-Roy or Alcapone-sque exhortations, to a more relaxed, conversational style. And it was this very ease of delivery — relaxed, but so perfectly timed to the rhythms — that had entranced the nation. In 1974, Big Youth launched his own label, Negusa Nagast, it was later followed by a second, Augustus Buchanan. The formers name was particularly telling and is Amharic (the Ethiopian language) for King of Kings. It announced a further shift in the DJs performance toward a full-on cultural chanter/toaster. Negusa Nagast debuted with a quartet of the DJs singles, Hot Cross Bun, Mr. Bunny, Children Children, and most spectacularly of all, Streets in Africa. This latter was a cover of Wars The World Is a Ghetto, and features Dennis Brown backed by the equally sonorous tones of the Heptones. Big Youth released his second album this same year, Reggae Phenomenon, and it was as phenomenal as its title suggested. It featured new songs (all chart-bound), remakes of earlier cuts, and smash hits like the title cut (another version of Dennis Browns Money in My Pocket) Dread Inna Babylon, and Natty Dread No Jester) (a version of the Paragons Only a Smile). And the DJs phenomenal chart success continued with producer after producer. Glen Brown scored with Dubbie Attack, Tony Robinson oversaw the mighty House of Dreadlocks and Mammy Hot and Daddy Cold, Buddy Davidson produced Johnny Dead, while Yabby You sat behind the desk for the most seminal of them all, Yabby Youth, the first of several versions the DJ would cut over the Conquering Lion rhythm.
Big Youth would again pair up with Dennis Brown for the Harry J.-produced Wild Goose Chase. Niney Holness liked what he heard and kept the duo together for his Ride on Ride On. The two would go on to record a stunning version of Bob Marleys Get up Stand Up. Marleys version wasnt alone; besides toasting over classic rocksteady rhythms, Big Youth was now increasingly utilizing heavier roots rhythms. Most notable was I Pray Thee, a version of the Abyssinians Satta Amasa Gana, which was another seminal smash hit, and the DJ also cut a version of Burning Spears classic Marcus Garvey. Two more Wailers versions also appeared around this time, Marleys Craven Choke Puppy and Bunny Wailers Bide Up became, respectively, Craven Version and Black on Black.
In 1975, the Dreadlocks Dread album appeared, a seminal album overseen by Prince Tony Robinson and split between Big Youths toasts and instrumental dubs. Accompanied by Skin, Flesh & Bones Band, the album remains a masterpiece of dread roots and provocative cultural toasts.
Dreadlocks Dread had a massive impact on the U.K., where it was picked up by the Klik label and prompted Big Youth to tour there the following year. 1976 brought two albums in its wake, Natty Cultural Dread and Hit the Road Jack, both self-produced by a self-confident Big Youth at the peak of his powers. Again the albums featured a clutch of Jamaican smashes — Ten Against One and Wolf in Sheeps Clothing amongst them — and new numbers equally biting at the chart bit. Interestingly enough, Natty Cultural Dread also boasts Every Nigger Is a Star, backed by the I-Threes making their recording debut. Also featured are some of Big Youths surprising covers. In the past, hed versioned Motown hits, Gene Pitney, Al Green, and Otis Redding, Dock of the Bay of course. Now along with the title-track, there was even If I Had a Hammer. 1977 brought the masterful Four Sevens, a clever version of Cultures Two Sevens Clash. Produced by Niney Holness, the pair followed up with the provocative Six Dead, 19 Gone to Jail.
Having now signed to the Frontline label in the U.K., Big Youths debut album for the Virgin subsidiary was 1978s Isaiah First Prophet of Old, a fiercely roots record produced by D Russell. The DJ also had a cameo role in the movie Rockers. Hes absolutely unmistakable, stepping out of a flash car and flashing a smile that shows off his front teeth embedded with red, yellow, and green jewels, as his long dreads whip around his face. But behind these eye-catching trappings was a thoughtful and thought-provoking DJ, as his records proved time and time again. 1978 also saw the release of the Green Bay Killers single, a fierce diatribe on the death of a group of rastafarians at the hands of the Jamaican army. Perhaps Big Youth was now seen as too radical for Virgin, and the label chose not to release the DJs next two albums, Progress and Rock Holy. Nor did they pick up on the formers dub companion, the excellent Reggae Gi Dem Dub, remixed by the up and coming master Sylvan Morris. However, the toasters grip on Jamaica was also beginning to loosen, and a new generation of chatterers were beginning to come to the fore.
Big Youth continued to record, but no longer ruled the charts, and most of his singles were now self-produced and released through his own labels. The Heartbeat labels Some Great Big Youth collects up many of these late-70s, early-80s material; the labels follow-up collection, The Chanting Dread Inna Fine Style, concentrates on earlier Negusa Negast singles.
The increasing violence in the dancehalls prompted him back into the studio in 1982 for No War in the Dance, cut for producer Lloyd Parks. He proved his popularity wasnt totally gone, with a steaming, hits-filled set at Reggae Sunsplash before an adoring audience that summer, giving a repeat performance the following year, and again in 1987. In 1985, Big Youth released a surprising new album, A Luta Continua, where he transformed from toaster to singer and roots rasta to jazzman, accompanied by Jamaican jazz hero Herbie Miller. However, 1988s Manifestation found the DJ regaining his footing, for a roots-drenched set split between excellent toasting and sub-quality singing. Two years later, Niney Holness brought Big Youth back into the studio and cut the remarkable Chanting. The DJ also contributed a fierce Free South Africa to the One Man One Vote artists album. Big Youth later performed at the Japansplash festival in Osaka, with his powerful set caught on 1991s Jamming in the House of Dread album. He reappeared with a vengeance at Reggae Sunsplash the following summer.
With his profile now the highest it had been in years, Big Youth guest-starred on Capletons I Testament album, Mutabarukas Gathering of the Spirits, and Creation Rebels Feat of a Green Planet. In 1995, the DJ released his own new album, Higher Grounds; overseen by Junior Reid, it was an intriguing mixture of R&B, reggae, and other styles. Another powerful set at Reggae Sunsplash was delivered the following year. The new millennium saw the release in the U.K. of the compilation Tell It Black, a two-CD set that rounds up 31 seminal songs from 1972-1975. But that pales next to Natty Universal Dread, released by the British Blood & Fire label that same year. Three albums and a total of 51 tracks brilliantly wrap up the best from 1973-1979 and include a clutch of Negusa Negast singles that have never been reissued.