Gappy Ranks

Jacob Lee Williams (born c.1983), better known as Gappy Ranks, is an English dancehall musician of Jamaican and Dominican origin, from Harlesden, London.

Career

Born in Harlesden to a Jamaican father and Dominican mother, he dealt with numerous obstacles including homelessness after leaving school. Once he overcame these issues he joined up with childhood friend and fellow artist Redmann (UK), and was enlisted into the UK dancehall collective Suncycle, along with local artists such as Cash Money, Lady Chann and Naff Skrilla. Their first album titled Suncyle included Ranks' homage to his home town, "Harlesden". Their second album I Am Somebody was released on the UK label Jamdown Records. Ranks left the group in 2004 and began his solo career.

Nicknamed 'Gappy' due to the gap between his front teeth, he initially worked under the name 'Daddy Gappy', before opting for the Cutty Ranks-influenced 'Gappy Ranks'. In 2005 Gappy Ranks was featured on the Vice law entertainment mix tapes. That same year, he won the 'Best Song' award at London's Silk Awards for "Little Understanding", released by UK reggae record label Stingray Records. Also in 2005, Ranks contributed to the single "What We Do" by Kray Twinz featuring Twista and Lethal B, which charted nationally in the UK at number 23. Ranks performed live at Earl's Court in front of a crowd of 17,000 for the first Kiss 100 awards. He also played a full UK tour which brought him to cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, and Newcastle. He recorded for former UK reggae giants Jet Star Records in north west London where he became assistant engineer, giving him time to grow and develop his love for music and network which led him to work with record label Peckings.

Nothing Comes Easy

Nothing Comes Easy is a boxed set of four CDs by 1960s British girl singer Sandie Shaw released in 2004. It contained digitally remastered versions of every A-side and B-side of the singles she released in the UK from 1964 to 1988, plus several rare and unreleased recordings.

Track listing

Disc: 1

Disc: 2

Sandie Shaw

Sandie Shaw (born 26 February 1947) is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967 she was the first British act to win the Eurovision Song Contest. She has been described as "the barefoot pop princess of the 1960s".

She announced her retirement from music in April 2013.

Biography

Early life and career

Sandra Ann Goodrich was born and brought up in Dagenham, Essex, England. On leaving school, she worked at the nearby Ford Dagenham factory, and did some part-time modelling before coming second as a singer in a local talent contest. As a prize, she appeared at a charity concert in London, where her potential was spotted by singer Adam Faith. He introduced her to his manager, Eve Taylor, who won her a contract with Pye Records in 1964 and gave her the stage name of "Sandie Shaw".

Taylor teamed Shaw with songwriter Chris Andrews, who wrote her first single, "As Long as You're Happy Baby", which failed to make the charts. However, for her second single Taylor gave her the Bacharach and David song "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", which had been a No. 49 US pop hit for singer Lou Johnson. Shaw's version rose quickly to No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in the autumn of 1964, and also charted in the United States at No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 early the following year. "I'd Be Far Better Off Without You" was issued as the follow-up, but DJs preferred its B-side, "Girl Don't Come", also written by Andrews, and the sides were switched. "Girl Don't Come" reached No. 3 in the UK and became her biggest US hit, reaching No. 42. It was followed by further hits in the UK including "I'll Stop at Nothing", "Long Live Love", her second UK No. 1 in 1965, and "Message Understood". The singles were produced by Taylor, Andrews and Shaw herself (though she was never credited), with help from Pye Records arranger Ken Woodman.