Tracklisting:

Side A
1. Big Roy – “Ethiopia Revelation” (R Bailey 1976)
2. Revelation Rockers – “Culture” (D Taylor 1979)
3. Joshua Moses “Africa (Is Our Land)” (S Bailey / D Bovell 1978)
4. Bunny Marrett – “Times Are Getting Harder” (B Marrett 1980)
5. 3D Productions – “Riot” (J Carley 1980)

Side B
1. Rhythmites – “Nation Integration” (Rhythmites 1989)
2. Restriction – “Calling For Mercy” (Restriction 1983)
3. Zion Band – “Twelve Tribes” (R Duncan 1982)
4. Talisman – “Dole Age” (7″ Mix) (D Joseph / Talisman 1981)

ARC279V

More news very soon

THE BRISTOL BANDS NEWS REEL 1980  

The film was commissioned by South West Arts as a community collaboration between the filmmakers and some of the bands active in Bristol, UK in 1980. It was screened as part of a rock film season at the Bristol Arts Centre* (seen at the very end, on the stage of which some fans perform). This is the 27-min full version made on Super 8mm film with sync sound and digitally restored in 2005.
Included is the music of the bands: Apartment, Art Objects, Black Roots, Blurt, Exploding Seagulls, Brian Damage, Glaxo Babies, Slow Twitch Fibres, Shoes for Industry, The Stingrays, Talisman, TV Eyes, Untouchables, The Various Artists.

A film by Mike Gifford and Mike Leggett.

*The Bristol Arts Centre morphed into Watershed in 1982 and the building in King Square later became The Cube cinema.

Link: http://vimeo.com/84348413

Thanks to Alan Griffiths for finding the link

Sat 31 Mar - High Wycombe WAMA

Sun 27 May – Bristol Veg Fest

Sat 30 Jun – Diss WowFest (Norfolk)

Fri 20 Jul – Llangollen Fringe Wales

Sat 18 Aug – WOWfest, Isle of Wight

Sun 19 Aug – Strummerville (To Be Confirmed)

Sat 25 Aug – Plymouth Crocadon Sawmills

REVELATION ROCKERS – ‘JAH PRAISES’

Released 5^th March 2012 as 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 5^th 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.

ARTIST: Revelation Rockers

TITLE: Jah Praises

FORMAT: Format: Vinyl LP and Digital Download

LABEL: Bristol Archive Records

DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock

CAT NO: ARC242V

RELEASE DATE: 5^th March 2012

WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com

CONTACT: Mike Darby, E: mike@bristolarchivercords.com T: 07885 498 402