RELEASES

COOL RUNNINGS
‘COOL RUNNINGS’
Released on 9th April 2012 on CD and Digital Download

With a career that spanned twelve years including the entire 1980s, Cool Runnings were one of Bristol’s longest lasting bands, yet their failure to gig beyond the West Country or release anything more than their lone twelve inch single means that they are also one of the City’s best kept musical secrets. Originally formed in Weston-Super-Mare by Keyboardist Mark Tuck and Guitarist George Condover, they immediately relocated to Bristol and recruited various local musicians including an experienced and talented singer, Winston Minott.
Although “Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto” was their solitary release, the band regularly recorded material throughout their career and fortunately thanks to the foresight of George and Mark in holding onto various master tapes, Bristol Archive Records are able to release the band’s self titled debut album “Cool Runnings”.
We’ve selected a dozen tracks recorded between 1983 and 1985 at various local studios, and a couple of live tracks, to give an idea of why the band were so popular in person. Although their music leans towards the more mellow end of the market, (Lovers Rock), music ideally suited to Winston’s soulful voice, the band were more than capable of writing good roots tunes, five of which are featured including the excellent “We Must Go Home”, “Children Of Zion” and the previously released “Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto”. Winston Minott had spent many years touring all over Europe with soul band The Invaders and many songs showcase his vocal talent, but a particular highlight has to be “Playhouse” an alternative recording of which can be found on “The Bristol Reggae Explosion Volume 3”.
Perhaps proper management would have seen Cool Runnings achieve the success and wider exposure that their combined talents and unique take on reggae undoubtedly deserved. Now twenty years after the members went their separate ways, Bristol Archive Records are pleased to fill in another missing piece of the City’s musical heritage with a band whose music fits perfectly with their name, Cool Runnings.

Tracklisting:

1. We Must Go Home
2. Playhouse
3. Children Of Zion
4. Give Me Some Interest
5. Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto
6. Lawman
7. You Can’t Pay Me
8. Is This For Real?
9. Permanent Diet
10. There You Go
11. Sunshine – Weep Willow Weep
12. Last Train

ARTIST: Cool Runnings
TITLE: ‘Cool Runnings’
FORMAT: Format : CD and Digital Download
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock
CAT NO: ARC248CD
RELEASE DATE: 9th April 2012

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THE BRISTOL REGGAE EXPLOSION 3 – THE 80’s PART 2

VARIOUS ARTISTS

15 Track CD, 8 Track LP AND Digital Download

Released 19th March 2012

The Bristol Reggae Explosion is back with a third volume. Whilst still happily exploring what was happening in the city during the 1980s, we’ve bent the rules and included a lone track from 1979. If anything, this third volume is our strongest so far, an amazing achievement when you consider that 11 of the 15 tracks are previously unreleased.

By popular demand, “Bristol Reggae Explosion Volume 3 – The 1980s Part II” has a strong leaning towards the roots side of reggae. The album opens with Revelation Rockers “Jah Praises”, recorded in 1979 and taken from the album of the same name that sees its first release on Bristol Archive Records in March 2012 exclusively on vinyl, so it’s inclusion on Volume 3 will be it’s only CD issue. Revelation Rockers soon changed their name to Talisman and as such they feature twice more with the unreleased (Cave mix) of “Takin’ The Strain” and “Lick & Run” taken from their debut album “Takin’ The Strain”, re-released on CD as a deluxe edition in March 2012.

We included Bunny Marrett’s only vinyl outing on Volume 2. He returns for Volume 3 with an incredibly soulful and atmospheric performance of “I’m Free.” An alternative version will be included on Bunny’s first album which Bristol Archive Records plan to release later in 2012, something we are really excited about.

Another act from whom we intend to release a long overdue album is Joshua Moses. ‘Stick It Up’ is a live recording that gives you some idea just how good his shows were and is a taster from the album ‘Joshua to Jashwha- 30 Years In The Wilderness’.  Maintaining the roots vibe are Zion Band, most of whom would go on to form Restriction but not before putting out a six track EP and we’ve included “Babylon Fire/Babylon Dub” from that scarce vinyl release.

Two more previously featured acts from Volume 2 are Alfred McIntosh, whose dubs were so well received last time, and Cool Runnings, with unreleased alternative versions of two songs taken from their forthcoming self-titled album on Bristol Archive Records.

Although very well known locally, Popsy Curious gets his introduction to the worldwide reggae community with his “Chant  Down Bobby Rome”. He makes a second contribution showing his lovers rock side, as one of the vocalists on Vibes’ “My Love”. The remaining artists Ron Green, Zapp Stereo, The Radicals and Dan Ratchet will be familiar to those who have our previous volumes. It is worth noting that Dan Ratchet is backed by members of Aswad for his take on the classic mid-eighties U.K. reggae sound. Bristol Archive Records are currently working on releasing Dan’s first album from which “Sweet Rosie” is taken as well as an album from the multi-talented Ron Green.

All in all, these 15 tracks provide a great overview of the diversity of ideas and styles that were bubbling away in 1980s Bristol. We have had a great response to our first two volumes and hopefully volume three will receive an equally positive welcome.

www.bristolarchiverecords.com

ARTIST: Various Artists
TITLE: The Bristol Reggae Explosion 3 – The 80’s Part 2
RELEASE DATE: 19th March 2012
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock
FORMAT:  CD, Limited Edition Vinyl LP and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC249CD and ARC249V
BARCODE: 5052571025215 / 5052571025222
DOWNLOAD LINK (For review purposes only): to follow WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com
CONTACT: Mike Darby, E: mike@bristolarchivercords.com  T: 07885 498 402
PRESS CONTACT: Garry Hutchinson, E : garry.hutchinson@s-a-n.co.uk T: 01429280582

Track listing:

CD Tracks

1. Revelation Rockers Jah Praises   (Taylor 1979) (p) Archive Publishing 1979
2. Bunny Marrett   I’m Free (Bunny Marrett 1983) (P) Copyright Control 1983
3. Talisman   Takin’ The Strain (Cave Mix 1983) (p) Hue & Cry/Warner Bros Music 1983
4. Joshua Moses Stick It Up   (Joshua Moses/Mikey Taylor 1983) (p) Archive Publishing 1983
5. Alfred McIntosh   Pain (Dub) (McIntosh/Talisman 1983) (p) Archive Publishing 1983
6. Babylon Fire / Babylon Dub Zion Band  (Reynold Duncan 1982) (p) Copyright Control 1982
7. Talisman   Lick & Run (Taylor 1983) (p) Hue & Cry/Warner Publishing 1983
8. Cool Runnings   You Can’t Pay Me   (Condover/Minott 1983) (p) Archive Publishing 1983
9. Ron Green featuring Glen Quake Then Came You (Dub) (Ron Green 1983) (p) Third Kind Music 1983
10. Popsy Curious   Chant Down Bobby Rome   (Barrett 1989) (p) Archive Publishing 1989
11. Zapp Stereo   The Mission   (Snow/Palaste 1984 ) (p) Copyright  Control 1984
12. Cool Runnings Playhouse   (Condover/Minott 1983) (p) Archive Publishing 1983
13. The Radicals   Soul Eternal   (John Carley 1980) (p) Archive Publishing 1980
14. Vibes My Love (Barrett/Minott/Morrison 1988 ) (p) Copyright Control 1988
15. Dan Ratchet   Sweet Rosie (Neil Williams 1985) (p) Archive Publishing 1985

Vinyl

Side A

1. “Jah Praises” – Revelation Rockers
2. “I’m Free” – “Bunny Marrett
3. “Takin’ The Strain” (Cave Mix) – Talisman
4. “Stick It Up” – Joshua Moses

Side B

1. Babylon Fire/Babylon Dub” – Zion Band
2. “Chant Down Bobby Rome” – Popsy Curious
3. “Pain (Dub)” – Alfred McIntosh
4. “Playhouse” – “Cool Runnings

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REVELATION ROCKERS – ‘JAH PRAISES’

Released 5th March 2012 as Limited Edition Vinyl LP and Digital Download

1979 was a good year for reggae and British reggae in particular. Lover’s rock went mainstream  with Janet Kay on Top Of the Pops and Aswad, Steel Pulse and Linton Kwesi Johnson all building on their debuts with strong second albums. Meanwhile the healthy live circuit gave bands an opportunity to make a living from music. One of those bands was Bristol’s Revelation Rockers who although founded in 1976, would not find real success until slight line-up changes and a change of name to Talisman which would see them become established as one of the UK’s finest live acts.

Until recently Bristol Archive Records had believed that no recordings of Revelation Rockers existed, so when we were handed a master tape we couldn’t wait to get it transferred and as the first people to listen to these tracks in nearly a third of a century we knew we’d discovered something rather special. The five songs on this album aren’t some rough demo tracks best forgotten, but a fully realised UK roots album worthy of standing alongside anything released at the time.

The reason why these tracks weren’t released in ’79 is long forgotten – perhaps it was the change of name or personnel, possibly the lack of funds or interest from record labels or maybe it was just that the music and Talisman took a slightly different direction. Whatever the reason, Bristol Archive Records is belatedly putting things right with the 5th March 2012 release of “Jah Praises” Revelation Rockers entire recorded legacy as a vinyl only LP, just as it would have been in ’79.

This record is a time capsule, dealing with the reality of life in late seventies Britain, racism, mass unemployment, industrial unrest and poverty. The title track is a song of praise to Jah driven by a relentless bass line backed up by horns, the sort of song that was almost compulsory for any seventies roots album. From praising Jah, the music tackles the loss of cultural identity caused by the legacy of slavery, “Give me back my culture, give me back my roots”, the track “Culture” makes its message clear. Perhaps borrowing a lyrical idea from the Wailers “Who Feels It Knows It” makes it clear you can’t truly relate to how others live their lives until you’ve actually experienced a similar situation yourself, a lesson still very much relevant today. “Wicked Dem” is a song that would go on to become one of the signature tunes of Talisman. Here we have its earliest recorded incarnation, very different from the version we all know, rawer, sparser, slower and heavier, but just as hard hitting and able to hold its own with the later Talisman cuts. The album ends with a change of mood, a love song, yet there’s nothing soft about “When You’re Away” as it’s driven along by a heavy contemporary backing with the added benefit of horns.

It’s a rare event to have the opportunity to hear an entire “lost” reggae album, even rarer when the music is this good. This record is essential for all fans of UK roots reggae and beyond, rewriting the story of what was happening on the Bristol and UK reggae scenes in 1979. Long overdue it may be, but Revelation Rockers finally get to secure their place in the music’s history.

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TALISMAN – ‘Takin’the Strain’

Originally issued as a vinyl LP in 1984, “Takin’ The Strain” was Talisman’s first album. The culmination of a long musical journey as the band had existed in various guises since 1976. At the time of the album’s release Talisman were a three piece. This core of Desmond Taylor (Dehvan Othieno Sengor), Dennison Joseph and Donald de Cordova were supplemented for the recordings by a host of local musicians as well as the engineering and co-production talents of Richard Lewis (UK Scientist), a mainstay of the British reggae scene.

Although they’d been through personnel changes, this line-up were consummate performers and delivered a musical statement for the time. The nine tracks showcasing some variety and even including a soul tune. Having been launched to great fanfare with a live show at The Bristol Studio, then the city’s premier live music venue, the album achieved some success. It also suffered from being released on a small independent label without the muscle to break through to a wider audience.

Having already released Talisman’s earlier recorded output on “Dole Age – The 1981 Reggae Collection” (ARC199), it’s only fitting that Bristol Archive Records should turn their attention to the band’s first studio album. Not only is this the first digital issue, available on both CD and download, but this release is enhanced by the addition of five live cuts recorded at London’s Lyceum in 1985. As well as live performances of “Takin’ The Strain”, “Calamity”, “Ah Wah You Seh” and “Lick & Run” we’ve also included a live version of “Slow Poison”, a track that didn’t make it onto the original issue, but was a key part of the band’s live sets for many years.

In addition to the extra tracks Bristol Archive’s usual attention to detail is evident and the CD comes with a booklet full of archive images and extensive sleeve notes based on the recollections of Lead Vocalist and Guitarist Dehvan Othieno Sengor. Coinciding with a renewed appreciation for their work Talisman have reformed and are now playing gigs throughout the UK, rebuilding the loyal following they once had and winning over a whole new generation of new fans, many of whom weren’t born when “Takin’ the Strain” was first released.

1. Takin The Strain
2. Crime Of Passion
3. Lick & Run
4. Ah Wah You Seh
5. Lord Of The Dance
6. Stride On
7. I’m Sorry
8. Calamity
9. Burn The Bread

Bonus tracks recorded live at The Lyceum supporting Eek-A-Mouse in 1985 Slow Poison

1. Slow Poison
2. Takin The Strain
3. Calamity
4. Ah Wah You Seh
5. Lick & Run

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