Q: You cut this one for Niney too, that was the start of everything there (playing 'Prophecy Call', the stunning solo track by Porti on Heartbeat's Niney anthology, 'Observation Station'). A: Eh? (Upon hearing a few bars) Oh yes! Yeah. Q: A pretty memorable moment there, that is certainly one you remember? A: Yeah, I remember that song. Q: 'Prophecy Call'. A: Yeah, 'Prophecy Call' fe Niney. Q: That's the first one you did for Niney, right? A: Yeah. Q: A solo recording. A: Yeah, and then I do now 'Jah I' for Niney. Q: Tell me more about 'Prophecy Call' before we go any further, what is the background to it? A: 'Prophecy Call'? Q: Yes. A: Well, 'Prophecy Call', we been down by Niney, and certain t'ings what was going on, y'know, in Jamaica at that time, struggling with the people dem, yunno. And dem never know themselves, for they was blaspheming against... at that time they were talking some lickle nonsense about His Imperial Majesty. So it give me the inspiration to write that song, 'for the wicked never know themselves until their back against the wall', y'know.

Q: Who played on it, this deep, deep rhythm? A: Ah, 'The Wicked Never Know Themselves (Prophecy Call)'? Q: Yeah. A: A guess: Lloyd Parks and We the People, We the People band. Q: Not Soul Syndicate? A: Eh? Q: So it's not the Soul Syndicate band on this one? A: Yes! It is Soul Syndicate, true. You hit the right spot, Soul Syndicate, with Chinna and a Chiney youth was in it playing, but I don't remember his name right now. Q: Probably Tony Chin, rhythm guitar. A: Yeah, yeah. I don't quite remember, Tony Chin's his name? Q: Tony Chin, yes - the one and only. A: Yeah, Tony Chin. Yes. He play in the Soul Syndicate, true. Is that time I do that track for Niney.

Tony Chin

Q: Did you hear the impact 'Prophecy Call' had in England? I don't know about the time of the original release, in '77 or whenever, but it hit in certain places in England upon the 7" reissue Niney did in '97, did this come to your awareness? A: Eh? All these... OK, 'Prophecy Call'? Q: Correct, that track has a certain 'following' in England. Not only England by the way, it has reached far by now, sir. A: Yeah, I get you, I get you. Yeah, and I do... I never know he do these t'ings, yunno. He don't correspond me, he don't tell me nutten about it. So what the alternative about these... how I could get away, get to occur them towards these t'ings? Q: Well I... A: What I could do? Q: It's difficult. Especially when the artist in Jamaica is not travelling, you could never keep track of what is put out there, what moves producers make. A: True, true. Q: By the way, here's another track for Niney, by the Jewels this time (playing 'One Lick', aka 'One Little Lick' from said Heartbeat anthology of vintage Niney productions, but mistitled). A: Yeah? Q: You recall this tune? A: Yeah, yeah! 'One lickle lick and Mr. Big Man spread out flat'. Yeah. Q: (Chuckles) What is the actual title for this song, I'm wondering since it has different titles depending on where you look. A: I do a tune for Niney, same Niney yunno, name 'Jah I' yunno. With Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare play that riddim. Yeah, named 'Jah I'. Q: What is the real title for the previous song, the one I just played for you? A: 'One lickle lick...'. Yeah, 'One Lick' it named. Q: I assume you aren't informed about the inclusion of 'One Lick' on this CD here, titled 'Observation Station'. It came out from America on the Heartbeat label about fifteen years ago. A: No, I don't know.

Q: They mistitled it 'Mr. Big Man' though, even if the original seven-inch was 'One Lick'. It's credited to Porti only, even if the original single was by the Jewels. A: OK. I did do that track by myself. The Jewels never did work in that track. Q: Alright, so it's actually a solo cut? A: Yeah, solo cut. Q: Not sure about that 'Mr. Big Man' thing though. A: Yeah, they put the title to it to 'Mr. Big Man'? Yeah. Q: Did you know about this 1990 release, does it ring a bell or it was totally news for you? A: No, I didn't know about the CD, he haven't told me nutten about it. Q: It's been out for a while now, about fifteen years. A: Fifteen years ago? Q: Yeah, in the States. A: Wow! Under the Heartbeat company? OK. Well, what I would like to know within myself now, Peter, how I could get to deal with this bwoy? To deal toward these t'ings? I can get a lawyer to put on it or what, or whatsoever? Q: You can, but you have to be able to back up the whole case if you want to run it through the courts or whatever, to make it worthwhile. A: Yeah, I know that. Q: I guess if there's a bunch of artists who want the same thing here, then it would stand a better chance to succeed, to win. Perhaps. A: Yeah, OK. Q: That is probably the key to get anything out of this. There was a case like this in France where a bunch of artists - I believe even producers - won over disputed royalties and piracy the other day. A: OK, alright.

Q: Over to the track you've mentioned on and off now (playing the newly anthologized Jewels classic 'Jah I'). A: Yeah, 'Jah I'. Q: That's the track, the 'track of tracks' by the group. A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Q: This is the latest Jewels song to be put on a CD. A: The one that you played? Q: Yep, it's out on a CD compilation named 'Jah Love Rockers', on the Trojan label. A: Oh, that... yeah. Q: It's been on the market for about two years now (and on a CD that was out of the UK this year). A: On a CD? OK. Q: Various artists. A: Yeah, with different artists? Q: Right, some Niney stuff, some music from Bunny Lee, Leggo Beast, Tappa Zukie. Songs by Heptones, Don Carlos, Leroy Smart, the Jewels, among others. A: OK, OK. Q: That's the first time 'Jah I' has been on the CD format. A: Yeah, yeah. Q: No, by the way, I think Niney had that track on a compilation that disappeared quickly - from the States, forgotten the title or label (the CD was 'Reggae Rewind - Niney With Quality' on the JA label, circa '95). But I believe it was out there about ten years ago. A: About ten years ago he put it out in America? Q: Yes, it was on there as well, 'Jah I'. A: OK. Q: So you see, various Jewels tracks still appear on the market. But there you are, not receiving a cent from this! A: I don't get a cent from it, no. It is true. And even with copyrights I want to get in contact with them too. Q: I guess that's the thing to do, get in contact with a publishing company overseas to register your songs. A: Yeah. I register some of the songs with them, yunno.

Q: Like PRS? A: Yeah, I register the same tune that you played a while ago, 'Jah I', 'Staring At Me Girl', a lot of songs that we wrote and send it to them. 'Hey Little Cary', 'Poor People A Cry (For More Food On Them Table)', 'Love and Livity', 'I Believe In Love', '(Children of the) Slave Trade'. These songs is for Leggo, was Leggo. Q: Personally speaking, to be a part of a vocal group, that was what you wanted foremost upon entering the business at that time? You never really wanted to be on your own? A: Seh what is the... what? Q: That was the best option for you in those days, to be a part of a harmony group? A: I loved to go with a vocal group, I love a vocal group, y'know. I love a harmonizing, for certain t'ings I would love them youth. I can do everyt'ing towards music career, I can back-up a man deh, I can lead, and I can back-up my songs, my own self. But instead of doing these t'ings I get some other rest of the guys who I would like to help come along with me and back it up, yunno. That's how I - and I love a backed up group, for backed up group have some works to do whe I love they to do, y'know. Yeah.

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Article: Peter I (Please do not reproduce without permission)