Aston Barrett
Background information
Birth name	Aston Francis Barrett
Born	(1946-11-22) 22 November 1946 (age 65) Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae
Occupations	Songwriter, musician
Instruments	Bass
Years active	1960s–present
Associated acts	Bob Marley & The Wailers and The Wailers Band

Aston Barrett (born Aston Francis Barrett, 22 November 1946 in Kingston, Jamaica), often called "Family Man" or "Fams" for short, is a Jamaican bass player and Rastafarian.

Biography[link]

He was one of the Barrett brothers (the other being Carlton "Carly" Barrett) who played with Bob Marley and The Wailers, The Hippy Boys, and Lee Perry's The Upsetters.^[1] It has been stated that Aston was the 'leader' of the backing band and responsible for many, if not all bass lines on Bob Marley's greatest hits, as well as having been active in co-producing Marley's albums and responsible for most overall song arrangements. He was the mentor of Robbie Shakespeare of the duo Sly & Robbie, and is considered one of the elder statesmen of reggae bass guitar playing.

Barrett continues to tour with and lead The Wailers Band, who carry Marley's torch in the music world by Emmett and Cliodhna performing his songs with several original band members. Barrett has support from Marley's fan base to this day, despite his legal wrangling with the Marley family.

Equipment[link]

Barrett plays a Fender Jazz bass guitar.

Legal battle[link]

In 2006 Barrett filed a lawsuit against Island Records, the Wailers' label, seeking £60 million in unpaid royalties allegedly due him and his now deceased brother. The lawsuit was dismissed.^[2]

Nickname[link]

Family Man's name was given to himself before he had any kids of his own. He felt he was the band leader/organizer and therefore called himself "family man".

Discography[link]

• The Sound of Macka Dub (Carlton Barrett & Family Man) [aka Macka Dub] [197X]

Compilations[link]

• Familyman in Dub [197X]

Productions

• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Burning Spear - Hail H.I.M. [1980]
• Horace Andy & Winston Jarrett & Wailers - The Kingston Rock' [1974]
• Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub [1974]
• Various Artists - Cobra Style [197X]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Albums engineered by Aston Barrett Mixing engineer

• Bob Marley & Wailers - Confrontation [1980]
• Bob Marley & Wailers - Exodus [1977]
• Judy Mowatt - Black Woman [1980]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Recording engineer

• Various artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Engineer

• Aston Barrett - Familyman n Dub [197X]
• Bob Marley & Wailers - Catch A Fire' [1973]

As a musician he appears on:

Bass

• African Brothers - Want Some Freedom [1970-78]
• African Brothers & King Tubby - The African Brothers Meets King Tubby in Dub [197X]
• Aggrovators - Dub Justice [1975-76]
• Aggrovators - Kaya Dub [197X]
• Aggrovators - Reggae Stones Dub' [1976]
• Aggrovators & King Tubby's - Dub Jackpot [1974-76]
• Aggrovators & Revolutionaries - Rockers Almighty Dub [1979]
• Al Campbell - Gee Baby [1977]
• Al Campbell - Loving Moods of Al Campbell [1978]
• Alpha Blondy & Wailers - Jerusalem [1986]
• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Augustus Pablo - Dubbing With The Don [197X]
• Augustus Pablo - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptow [1972-75]
• Augustus Pablo - Original Rockers [1972-75]
• Augustus Pablo - Original Rockers Vol. 2 [1989]
• Augustus Pablo - The Definitive Augustus Pablo Box Set [197X-8X]
• Augustus Pablo Meets Lee Perry and The Wailers Band - Rare Dubs [1970-71]
• Augustus Pablo & Various Artists - Augustus Pablo Presents DJs From 70s to 80s [197X-8X]
• Big Joe - African Princess [1978]
• Bob Marley & Wailers - Uprising [1980]
• Bunny Wailer - Black Heart Man [1976]
• Burning Spear - Dry and Heavy [1977]
• Burning Spear - Garvey's Ghost [1976]
• Burning Spear - Hail H.I.M. [1980]
• Burning Spear - Marcus Children [1978]
• Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey [1975]
• Burning Spear - The Fittest of the Fittest [1983]
• Carlton Barrett & Family Man - The Sound of Macka Dub [197X]
• Delano Tucker - Gather Israelites [197X]
• Delroy Wilson - True Believer in Love [197X]
• Dillinger - 24 Karat Gold Ragnampiza [197X]
• Dillinger - CB 200 [1976]
• Don Carlos - Just A Passing Glance [1984]
• Donald + Lulu With Wailers - Beautiful Garden [1982]
• Errol Thompson & King Tubby - Holy War Dub [197X]
• Glen Brown & King Tubby - Termination Dub [1973-79]
• Heptones - Unreleased Night Food and Rare Black Ark Sessions [1976-77]
• Horace Andy & Winston Jarrett & Wailers - The Kingston Rock [1974]
• I Roy - Truths and Rights [1975]
• Impact All Stars - Randy's Dub [1975]
• Iya Karna With Wailers - Inkarnation [1986]
• Jackie Mittoo - Show Case Volume 3 [1977]
• Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread [1974-75]
• Jimmy London - Hold On [1977]
• Jimmy London - It Ain't Easy Living in the Ghetto [1980]
• Jimmy London - The Jimmy London Collection [197X]
• Johnny Clarke - Originally Mr. Clarke [1980]
• Johnny Clarke & Delroy Wilson & Doreen Shaffer - Lovers Rock Vol. 2 [197X]
• Josh Heinrichs - Josh Heinrichs & Friends [2010] ^[3]
• Justin Hinds - Travel With Love [1982-84]
• Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub [1974]
• Keith Hudson - Torch of Freedom [1975]
• Keith Poppin - Envious [1975]
• Keith Poppin - Pop Inn [1977]
• King Tubby - African Love Dub [1974-79]
• King Tubby - King Tubby's Lost Treasures [1976]
• King Tubby & Errol Thompson - The Black Foundation in Dub [197X]
• King Tubby & Friends - Rod of Correction Showcase [197X]
• Knowledge - Straight Outta Trenchtown [1975-80]
• Larry Ethnic Meets Wailers With Various Artiste - Larry Ethnic Meets The Wailers with Various Artiste [1975]
• Larry Marshall & King Tubby - I Admire You in Dub [1975]
• Lee Perry - Soundz from the Hotline [1976-79]
• Linval Thompson - I Love Marijuana [1978]
• Linval Thompson - Negrea Love Dub [1978]
• Linval Thompson & Friends - Whip Them King Tubby [197X]
• Little Roy - Tafari Earth Uprising [197X]
• Lloyd Willis - Gits Plays Bob Marley's Greatest Hits [1977]
• Max Romeo - Revelation Time [1975]
• Negril - Negril [1975]
• Nuroy & Uroy - The Originator [1976]
• Pablo Moses - In The Future [1983]
• Paragons - Now [1982]
• Pat Kelly - Lonely Man [1978]
• Peter Tosh - Equal Rights [1977]
• Peter Tosh - Legalize It [1976]
• Rita Marley - Who Feels It Knows It [1980]
• Robert Marcey and Familyman with The Wailers - "Wailin' For Justice" [2010]
• Royals - Dubbing with The Royals [197X]
• Royals - Pick Up The Pieces [1977]
• Rupie Edwards - Ire Feelings [1975]
• Scientist - Scientific Dub [1978-80]
• Scratch and Company - Chapter 1, The Upsetters [1970-76]
• Slim Smith - The Very Best Of [196X-7X]
• Sly & Robbie Meet King Tubby - Reggae Rasta Dub [1974-77]
• Sons of Jah - Bankrupt Morality [1978]
• Sons of Jah - Reggae Hit Showcase [1980]
• Sons of Jah - Universal Message [1982]
• Sydney Rogers - Miracle Worker [1974]
• Tennors - Moods [196X-7X]
• Twinkle Brothers - All The Hits Vol. 2 [1971-91]
• Upsetters - Blackboard Jungle Dub [1973]
• Various Artists - 17 North Parade [1972-75]
• Various Artists - Aquarius Rock [197X]
• Various Artists - Clocktower Presents Conquerors in Dub [197X]
• Various Artists - Down Santic Way [1973-75]
• Various Artists - Every Mouth Must Be Fed [1973-76]
• Various Artists - Java Java Dub [1972]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]
• Various Artists - Kingston All Stars Meet Downtown at King Tubbys [1972-75]
• Various Artists - Reggae Jeggae [1968-69]
• Various Artists - Rite Sound Reggae Story [1980]
• Various Artists - Santic and Friends [1980]
• Various Artists - Sound System Rockers [1969-75]
• Various Artists - Treasure Isle in Dub [1970-78]
• Various Artists - Wonderman Years [1971-76]
• Vivian Jackson - Ram A Dam [1976]
• Yabby You - The Yabby You Collection [197X]
• Yabby You & King Tubby - King Tubby's Prophesy of Dub [1976]
• Yabby You & Various Artists - Jesus Dread [1972-77]

Rhythm guitar

• Aggrovators & King Tubby's - Dub Jackpot [1974-76]
• Aggrovators & Revolutionaries - Rockers Almighty Dub [1979]
• Agrovators Meet Revolutionaries - Agrovators Meet Revolutionaries Part II [197X]
• Bunny Wailer - Black Heart Man [1976]
• Cornell Campbell - Dance in a Greenwich Farm [1975]
• Delroy Wilson - For I and I [1975]
• Johnny Clarke - Moving Out [1975]
• Johnny Clarke - Put It On [1975]
• Johnny Clarke - Rockers Time Now [1976]
• Johnny Clarke - Sings in Fine Style [1975]
• King Tubby - Dub from the Roots [1974]
• Owen Gray - Forward on the Scene [1975]
• Scientist - Scientific Dub [1978-80]
• Sons of Jah - Universal Message [1982]
• Tommy McCook & Aggrovators - Cookin [1975]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Keyboards

• Bunny Wailer - Black Heart Man [1976]
• Sons oOf Jah - Universal Message [1982]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Organ

• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Burning Spear - Farover [1982]
• Sylford Walker - Lamb's Bread [1978]
• Vivian Jackson - Ram A Dam [1976]
• Yabby You - Conquering Lion [1977]
• Yabby You & King Tubby - King Tubby's Prophesy of Dub [1976]
• Yabby You & Various Artists - Jesus Dread [1972-77]

Lead guitar

• Sons of Jah - Universal Message [1982]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Guitar

• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Bob Marley & Wailers - Uprising [1980]
• King Tubby - The Roots of Dub [1975]
• Rita Marley - Who Feels It Knows It [1980]

Synthesiser

• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]

Percussions

• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Bob Marley & Wailers - Uprising [1980]
• Burning Spear - Hail H.I.M. [1980]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Piano

• Aston Barrett - Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Bob Marley & Wailers - Uprising [1980]
• Larry Ethnic Meets Wailers with Various Artiste - Larry Ethnic Meets The Wailers with Various Artiste [1975]
• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Syndrums

• Various Artists - Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

Melinoco

• Larry Ethnic Meets Wailers with Various Artiste - Larry Ethnic Meets The Wailers with Various Artiste [1975]

Bass drum

• Burning Spear - Farover [1982]

Clavinet

• Burning Spear - Farover [1982]

References[link]

Aston is a town within the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.

History[link]

Canal boat in Aston, Birmingham

Aston was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as "Estone", having a mill, a priest and therefore probably a church, woodland and ploughland. The Church of SS Peter & Paul, Aston was built in medieval times to replace an earlier church. The body of the church was rebuilt by J. A. Chatwin during the period 1879 to 1890; the 15th century tower and spire, which was partly rebuilt in 1776, being the only survivors of the medieval building. The ancient parish of Aston (known as Aston juxta Birmingham) was large. It was separated from the parish of Birmingham by AB Row, which currently exists in the Eastside of the city at just 50 yards in length. It was partly included in the borough of Birmingham in 1838, and a further part, Saltley was added in 1891.

Aston Hall

Aston University

Old buildings which became popular within Aston included the Aston Hippodrome and the Bartons Arms public house. Gospel Hall on Park Lane was opened in 1892 and demolished in the 1970s to be rebuilt at the top of Park Lane in 1979. The original hall had a seating capacity of 73. Another meeting place was the Ellen Knox Memorial Hall which was next door to the Midland Vinegar Brewery. The brewery was owned by the Midland Brewery Company was built around 1877.^[1] It was located on Upper Thomas Street. The brewery was a three storey brick building with rounded corners and semi-circular windows. The roof was slated. Other industry that was located in Aston include the Premier Motor Works which produced cars during the early 20th century. The works were situated at the junction of Aston Road and Dartmouth Street. On Miller Street was a tramcar depot which had a storage capacity of 104 tramcars. It opened in 1904.^[2]

Aston underwent large scale redevelopment following World War II. South Aston was designated a renewal area whilst a new town to the west of this.^[3] This became "Newtown" and is a large estate consisting of sixteen tower blocks, five of which have since been demolished. The project was approved in 1968. Three 20 storey tower blocks on the complex contained 354 flats alone.^[4]

Today, Aston is famous for Aston Villa F.C. and Aston University (the campus of which is not in Aston but actually located to the far south of Aston in Birmingham city centre). Aston University is one of three universities in Birmingham. Aston Villa have played at Villa Park since 1897, and it has traditionally been one of the largest football grounds in England that has staged many notable matches at club and international level. The park has also hosted other sports and events including international level rugby league and rugby union.

Much of Aston consists of terraced houses that were built around the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Some of these houses were demolished in the late 1960s to make way for the Aston Expressway, which links Birmingham city centre to the M6 motorway. In the late 1950s, Aston was the location of the famous 'Venus Baby' case of Cynthia Appleton (87 Fentham Road).

By the early 1980s, Aston was suffering from severe deprivation with many of the terraced houses being outdated for the requirements of the time. Many of them lacked bathrooms and indoor toilets, whilst the vast majority were suffering from decay as a result of a lack of maintenance. There was speculation that the homes would be demolished, but Birmingham City Council made money available to the homeowners for them to be brought up to modern standards.

In recent years, Aston has been the location of racial tensions due to the high number of immigrants, mainly Pakistani and Afro-Caribbean. The crime rate is higher than the city average and higher than the UK average and is one the most high crime and deprived places in the UK and many high profile incidents have been reported in national news outlets. On 2 January 2003, gunmen shot at three innocent teenage girls who were celebrating the New Year in the Lozells area of Aston. Two of the girls were killed and another was seriously injured. More than 18 bullets were fired from at least two weapons.^[5] Four men were later tried and found guilty of murder in March 2005. Marcus Ellis (the half-brother of one of the two dead girls), Nathan Martin and Michael Gregory were sentenced to life imprisonment with recommended minimum terms of 35 years on two charges of murder and three of attempted murder. A fourth man, Rodrigo Simms, received life with a recommended minimum of 27 years for the same crimes.^[6] A fifth defendant, Jermaine Carty, had walked free from court after being cleared of possessing a firearm.^[7] The four men convicted were members of a notorious local gang known as the Burger Bar Boys, who had been trying to gain revenge on members of their rival gang the Johnson Crew - a notorious local gang with roots stretching back to the mid 1980s.^[8]

Gun and knife crime is still heavily present in Aston.

Capgemini have a major technical centre located in Aston.

Politics[link]

The 2004 Council Election was marred by vote rigging by the Labour Party candidates who were subsequently removed from the council. In a subsequent by-election, all three council seats were gained from Labour by Liberal Democrat candidates. In 2006 Labour recovered one of the three seats it lost as a result of the affair and one of the remaining Liberal Democrat councillors, Abdul Aziz, defected to the Respect Party. Aston is therefore now represented by one Labour, one Liberal Democrat, and one Respect councillor.

Aston has adopted a Ward Support Officer with the current holder of the title being Pat Whyte.

Demographics[link]

Aston railway station

Villa Park, Home of Aston Villa F.C.

The 2001 Population Census found that 27,917 people were living in Aston with a population density of 4,185 people per km² compared with 3,649 people per km² for Birmingham. 50.4% of the population was female and 49.6% was male. This was above and below the national and city average respectively.

Aston has an area of 6.4 km²/ 451.5 hectares. Aston is a very diverse community, ethnically, with 70.6% (19,030) of the area's population being of an ethnic minority compared with 29.6% for Birmingham. 36.9% of the population was born outside the United Kingdom, over double the city average of 16.5% and nearly four times the national average of 9.3%. The largest ethnic group was Asian at 49.8%. More specifically, the Pakistani ethnic group was the largest at 27.2%. White British was the second largest ethnic group at 26.00% and Black British was third with 21.51%. The smallest broad ethnic group was Chinese and Other at 2.2%, double the city average of 1.1%. Islam was the most prominent religion in the ward with 44.3% of the ward's population stating themselves as Muslim. Christianity was the second most prominent religion in Aston at 32.4%.

The ethnic make-up of the area drastically changed in the 1950s and 1960s with immigration from the Commonwealth. Most of the immigrants were from the Indian subcontinent, though a significant number were from the Caribbean.

A total 99% of the residents lived in households, above the city average of 98.3% and the national average of 98.2%. 1% lived in communal establishments. There was a total of 9,939 occupied households in Aston at the time of the census resulting in an average of 2.8 people per household, above the city average of 2.5 and the national average of 2.4. 37.7% of households were owner occupied, below the city average of 60.4%. 33.5% of households were rented from Birmingham City Council, above the city average of 19.4%. 454 households were stated as being vacant. 41.7% of the total households were stated as terraced, above the city average of 31.3%. 28.2% of households were stated as purpose built blocks of flats, just over double the national average of 14%.

11.6% of the population was of a pensionable age, below the city average of 16.7% and the national average of 18.4%. 57.7% were of a working age, below both the city and national average. The largest age group in the ward was 25-44 at 28.1%, compared with the city average of 28.3%. This age group is also the largest for Birmingham and the country.

46.7% of the residents were in full time employment, below the city average of 59.9% and the national average of 61%. At 20.6%, Aston had an above average unemployment rate with the city average being 9.5% and the national average 5%. 35% were in long term unemployment, below the city average of 36.3% but above the national average of 30.3%. 20.2% had never worked. The manufacturing industry provided the most employment to the ward at 18.2%.

Education[link]

There are three secondary schools in Aston: Broadway School (Broadway has also got a campus in Perry Barr), King Edward VI Aston and Aston Manor School. There are seven primary schools: Aston Tower Community Primary School, Birchfield Community School, Lozells Junior & Infant & Nursery School, Manor Park Primary School, Mansfield Green Community School, Prince Albert Junior and Infant School and Yew Tree Community School.

King Edward VI Aston

Aston Cross[link]

Aston Cross was once the home of Ansells Brewery and HP Sauce, and there is a campus of City College, Birmingham there. Aston Manor Brewery was started in Thimblemill Lane in 1982 by former employees of Ansell's after Ansell's Aston Brewery closed.

From 1956 to 1969, Aston Cross was the Midlands base of television broadcaster ATV which had its Alpha Studios on Aston Road North. The ATV office building later became the studios of radio stations BRMB and XTRA-AM. Although both stations moved to Birmingham's Broad Street in the early 1990s, the building is still called Radio House. Launching in February 1974, BRMB was the UK's fourth commercial radio station and, while in Aston, was the most listened to station in the West Midlands.

Places of interest[link]

• Aston Expressway
• Aston Hall
• Aston University
• Aston Villa Football Club and Villa Park
• Aston Reservoir
• Spaghetti Junction
• King Edward VI Aston
• Former Norton motorcycle factory
• Church of SS Peter & Paul, Aston

Notable residents[link]

• All the original members of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath were born and raised in the Aston area, including Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler.
• Victor Johnson, (1883–1951) was a track cycling racer, who in 1908, won a gold medal at the Olympics, became 'World Amateur Sprint Champion' and the 'British National Quarter-mile Champion'.
• The author Arthur Conan Doyle, worked in the area for a short period.
• John Benjamin Stone, a politician and prolific photographer, was born in Aston and took over his father's glass manufacturing business in the area upon his death.
• Albert Ketèlbey, composer, conductor and pianist, was born in Aston on August 9, 1875.
• R&B singer Jamelia lived for a short period in Aston.
• Leicester City F.C. winger Lloyd Dyer was born in Aston and Gustard was also a resident.

See also[link]

• Witton

References[link]

• The City of Birmingham Baths Department 1851 - 1951, J. Moth, 1951
• 2001 Population Census information: Ward profiles

External links[link]

• Birmingham City Council: Aston Ward
• Aston Library
• Aston History
• The History Of Aston by Aston People

v t e Government of Birmingham Birmingham council constituencies and wards Edgbaston Bartley Green Edgbaston Harborne Quinton Erdington Erdington Kingstanding Stockland Green Tyburn Hall Green Hall Green Moseley and Kings Heath Sparkbrook Springfield Hodge Hill Bordesley Green Hodge Hill Shard End Washwood Heath Ladywood Aston Ladywood Nechells Soho Northfield Kings Norton Longbridge Northfield Weoley Perry Barr Handsworth Wood Lozells and East Handsworth Oscott Perry Barr Selly Oak Billesley Bournville Brandwood Selly Oak Sutton Coldfield Sutton Four Oaks Sutton New Hall Sutton Trinity Sutton Vesey Yardley Acocks Green Sheldon South Yardley Stechford and Yardley North

Keith Hudson aka the "Dark Prince of Reggae" (1946 in Kingston, Jamaica - 14 November 1984 in New York, USA),^[1] was a Jamaican reggae artist and record producer.

He is known for his influence on the Dub movement.

Biography[link]

Raised in a musical family, Hudson attended Boys Town School in Kingston, where he organized school concerts with schoolmates including Bob Marley, Delroy Wilson, and Ken Boothe.^[2] He was an ardent follower of Coxsone Dodd's Downbeat sound system and was soon hanging out with musicians such as Don Drummond, carrying his trombone into sessions at Dodd's Brentford Road studio when he was around fourteen.^[2] He produced his first record in 1960, an instrumental featuring musicians who would go on the join The Skatalites, although it wasn't released until 1968, by which time Hudson had launched his own Inbidimts label.^[1][2] After leaving school he served an apprenticeship in dentistry, and used these skills to raise money for recording sessions.^[2] In 1968 he obtained some Termites and Carl Bryan rocksteady rhythms from Olympic Records, and recorded new vocals over them, such as "Old Broom" and "You Must be Popular". These early 45s on his own Imbidmts and Rebind labels enjoyed sufficient success to enable him to purchase some studio time of his own. His first recording session produced Ken Boothe's Jamaican hit "Old Fashioned Way", later versioned by Dennis Alcapone as "Spanish Omega" and U Roy as "Dynamic Fashion Way". In the following months he worked with vocalists Delroy Wilson ("Run, Run"), Alton Ellis, Bunny Gale and John Holt ("Never Will I Hurt My Baby"). He was one of the first to record DJ U-Roy in 1969, although U-Roy's first recording had in fact been made with Peter Tosh for Lee Perry - "Earth's Rightful Ruler". Other deejay productions included numerous tunes with Dennis Alcapone (e.g. "Shades of Hudson"), and Big Youth's "S.90 Skank" released in 1972 became the deejay's biggest hit, with added motorcycle noises recorded in the studio beginning a trend followed by other producers such as Dodd and Perry.^[2][3] In the first half of the 1970s he regularly used the Soul Syndicate band, featuring George "Fully" Fullwood and Carlton "Santa" Davis.^[4]

In 1970 he began to record his own vocal tracks.^[2] Whilst always somewhat limited vocally, he recorded countless tracks as a singer, and concentrated on his singing career from 1972.^[1] He started further record labels such as the Mafia label.^[2] His early Jamaican albums Furnace and Class and Subject featured his own distinctive rasping vocals, along with dubs and deejay versions. In 1974, Hudson released his classic Pick a Dub, widely considered to have been the first deliberately thematic dub album, with tracks specifically mixed in the dub style for the purpose of appearing together on an album. It featured dubwise mixes of his "We Will Work It Out", the basic track for "S-90 Skank", with a fresh melodica part by Augustus Pablo, Skiddy and Detroit's "The Exile Song", and remakes of The Abyssinians "Satta Massagana" and "Declaration of Rights".^[5] It was also the first dub album to gain a release in the United Kingdom.^[6]

By now, he had effectively stopped recording other singers and DJs to concentrate on his own singing. He had completed a large number of backing tracks and, after the limited success of his third LP Entering the Dragon he emigrated to the United Kingdom, where he signed up with Brent Clarke's Atra label and worked at Chalk Farm Studios in London with a number of British-based reggae musicians, overdubbing his Jamaican rhythms. The first album to emanate from these sessions was Flesh of My Skin, Blood of my Blood (1974), his first UK only release and an album that has been described as "a masterpiece",^[5] and one of the first reggae albums proper, rather than merely a collection of singles and fillers. It has also been described as "reggae's first true concept album", with the lyrics relating to black history and "conscious" themes.^[4] The album was not released in Jamaica, although it acquired a formidable reputation there amongst more progressive musicians. His next UK-based album Torch of Freedom featured vocal cuts with their instrumental versions following immediately after, a format that was to come into fashion three years later during the "Showcase" craze.^[5]

In 1976 he moved to New York City and signed a four-year contract with Virgin Records, the first release being the soul-influenced album, Too Expensive, which was poorly received by critics and didn't sell well.^[5] Hudson returned to reggae with the "(Jonah) Come Out Now" single, released under the pseudonym Lloyd Linberg, and Virgin terminated his contract.^[5] Hudson then started a new label of his own, Joint.^[5] He resumed working with the Soul Syndicate, who had backed him on many of his best recordings in Jamaica. His album Rasta Communication (1978), which had been preceded by its issue on dub as Brand, was well received by a wider audience and is considered a roots reggae classic.^[5] It was followed by Nuh Skin Up Dub and its vocal counterpart From One Extreme to Another in 1979. Hudson also released a deejay album by Militant Barry based on the Brand rhythms, Green Valley.^[5] By the early 1980s, he was considerably out of step with modern trends in "dancehall" music. He reverted to his classic rhythms for his next to last album Playing It Cool (1981), recording new vocals on heavily overdubbed mixes of the earlier tunes.^[5] He released one final album in 1982, Steaming Jungle, which attracted little attention. It was reported in 1984 that he was once more working with Aston and Carlton Barrett, who had played on Pick a Dub and Torch of Freedom. Hudson was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 1984, and appeared to be responding well to treatment, but on the morning of 14 November he complained of stomach pains, collapsed and died.^[1][5]

Albums discography[link]

• Class & Subject - 1972 - Mafia
• Furnace - 1972 - Imbidimts
• Pick A Dub - 1974 - Mamba / Atra / Blood & Fire (CD)
• Entering The Dragon - 1974 - Magnet (reissued by Trojan in 2006 and by Sunspot in 2011)
• Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood - 1974 - Mamba /Atra 1988
• Torch Of Freedom - 1975 - Mamba / Atra
• Too Expensive - 1976 - Virgin Records
• Brand - 1977 - Joint International (US) / Brand (UK) / Pressure Sounds (CD)
• Rasta Communication - 1978 - Joint International (US)
• From One Extreme To Another - 1979 - Joint International (US)
• Playing It Cool, Playing It Right - 1981 - Joint International (US)
• Nuh Skin Up Dub - 1982 - Joint International (US)
• Steaming Jungle - 1982 - Disc Disk

Compilations

• Various Artists - The Big J Of Reggae - 1978 - Joint International (US)
• Keith Hudson & Various Artists - Studio Kinda Cloudy - Trojan (1988)
• Keith Hudson - Sky High & The Mau Mau Presents Keith Hudson's Greatest Hits Part 1 - Sky High
• Keith Hudson & Various Artists - Shades Of Hudson - VP (1996)
• Keith Hudson & Friends - The Hudson Affair - Trojan (2004)

Family[link]

His youngest son Keith Hudson Jr better known as Tryfle is following his own step in music Industry. Currently living in New York City Keith "Tryfle" Hudson is currently signed to The Nu Breed Music Group owned and operated by Anthony "Fate" Lynch.

Influence[link]

• Ian Curtis of the post punk band Joy Division was a fan of Keith Hudson. New Order even covered the Keith Hudson song "Turn the Heater On" in their 1982 Peel Session.^[7]

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4
• Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9
• Thompson, Dave (2003) Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6

External links[link]

• Keith Hudson at Roots Archives

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Carlton "Carly" Barrett (December 17, 1950 – April 17, 1987) was an influential reggae drummer and percussion player. His musical development in the early years were with his brother Aston "Family Man" Barrett as a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's "house band" The Upsetters. The brothers joined Bob Marley and The Wailers around 1970. He wrote the well known Bob Marley song "War" and with his brother Aston co-wrote "Talkin' Blues". Carlton Barrett is featured on all the albums recorded by the Wailers. Barrett popularized the one drop rhythm, a percussive drumming style created by Winston Grennan. With Carly's beats and his brother Aston's bass, the Wailer rhythm section planted the seeds of today's international reggae. Barrett was murdered outside his home in Jamaica on April 17, 1987.

Biography[link]

"Field Marshal", as he liked to be called, was born in Jamaica in 1950, the son of Wilfred and Violet Barrett. As a teenager he built his first set of drums out of some empty paint tins, and had initially been influenced by Lloyd Knibb, the great drummer from the Skatalites. He and his brother Aston were raised in Kingston and absorbed the emerging ska sound.

In the late 1960s Carlton started playing sessions with his brother Aston, the pair calling themselves the Soul Mates or the Rhythm Force, before settling on The Hippy Boys, a line-up that featured Max Romeo on vocals. Leroy Brown, Delano Stewart, Glen Adams and Alva Lewis also played in the band's fluctuating line-up.

The Hippy Boys became one of Kingston's busiest session bands; fittingly their first recording was "Watch This Sound", backing the late Slim Smith. They also released a couple of albums for Lloyd Charmers, Reggae With The Hippy Boys and Reggae Is Tight. As well as playing on many sessions for Bunny Lee and Sonia Pottinger, the Barrett brothers also played on two 1969 UK chart hits, "Liquidator" for Harry J, and "Return Of Django" for Lee "Scratch" Perry, with whom they had now taken root.

For Perry, they took the name The Upsetters, and knocked out a long run of instrumentals, including "Clint Eastwood", "Cold Sweat", "Night Doctor", and "Live Injection". It was while with Perry that the Barrett brothers first teamed up with The Wailers, then a vocal trio consisting of Bob, Peter and Bunny. After recording many now classic numbers, Carly and Aston decided to team up with The Wailers on a permanent basis.

The Barrett brothers recorded several singles with the Wailers in 1969-70: "My Cup (Runneth Over)", "Duppy Conqueror, "Soul Rebel", and "Small Axe". Most of these songs appeared on two Perry-produced Wailers albums: Soul Rebels and Soul Revolution, and formed the early foundation of the one drop sound.

Though original Wailers Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston left the group in 1973, Carlton and Aston remained with Bob Marley and went on to record Natty Dread in 1974. Carlton has songwriting credits for two of Natty Dread's songs: "Talkin' Blues" and "Them Belly Full".

Carlton remained with the Wailers in the studio and on tour until Bob Marley's death in 1981. His signature style can be heard on every recording the Wailers produced since 1969, with the exception of the 1970 "Soul Shakedown Party" sessions produced by Leslie Kong.

On April 17, 1987, just as Carly arrived at his Kingston home and walked across his yard, a gunman stepped up behind him and shot him twice in the head. He was dead on arrival at a Kingston hospital at age 36.

Shortly after his murder, Carly's wife, Albertine, her lover, a taxi driver named Glenroy Carter, and another man, Junior Neil, were arrested and charged with his killing. Albertine and Carter escaped the murder charge, and were instead convicted and sentenced to 7 years for conspiracy. After just one year in prison, they were released in December 1992 on a legal technicality.

Equipment[link]

Throughout his tenure with the Wailers and other projects, Carlton used a standard five-piece drum set consisting of a bass drum, two tom-toms (mounted on the bass drum), a floor tom-tom, and a snare drum.

Each tom-tom had only one drumhead, which gave the drums a dry sound that was ideal for the close-miked environment of the recording studio. However, it was Carlton's snare drum which was perhaps the biggest part of his signature sound. Carlton used Ludwig drums, and his snare was the popular Supraphonic model, which is made of "ludalloy", an aluminium alloy. The metal construction of the drum, in combination with the extremely high head tension that Carlton preferred, produced a loud, cutting "crack" sound that was a very prominent element of the Wailers' recordings. Carlton almost always left the snare wires of the drum disengaged, making the drum sound very similar to a timbale.

It is unknown exactly what make and model of cymbals were used on Carlton's drum set, although it is very likely that they were made by the Avedis Zildjian Company in the United States and imported into Jamaica. Carlton used only a pair of hi-hat cymbals (relatively light in weight), at times with a cloth placed between the two cymbals, and two crash cymbals (most likely of medium weight). Due the nature of Carlton's style, in which the snare drum, bass drum, and hi-hat cymbals were the primary timekeeping instruments, he did not use a ride cymbal.

He also used a cowbell for live performances, evident in Bob Marley & The Wailers album Live!.