Q: So tell me more about this Workhouse project.

A: It was recorded in England, what you call Old Kent Road. Old Kent Road, that's how you call it in East London, southeast London.

Q: Who participated in this project, musicians and so on?

A: I don't remember at all. I mean, that was some moons back. Just local musicians, session players.

Q: And Alton had left Canada at that point and settled in London.

A: Yeah. I mean, when I went to England he was there, and he had gone for London long before I did. So I went to London in '73.

Q: And then you decided to stay?

A: Who, me? Oh yeah, after a while I realised when we did probably about three tracks and they weren't to... to me they weren't reflective of what the original investors was expecting. It didn't come up to the level whereby - it's like these guys throw something together but we didn't have the right combination, so I don't think they were pleased with the final product of what they got. And I heard the guys was paid a certain amount of money which we didn't get any of. I mean, I didn't get any, I don't know if the other guys had gotten, but I didn't get any from them. I start workin', looking a job and thing and then I decided well, I had a girlfriend in Jamaica then and she wanted me to come home but after a while I decided OK, yes, I'm gonna go back. And then I wrote to her and said I was gonna come home and (chuckles)... the reply that I got back was not exactly something I wouldn't be going back home to the home I thought I had! So I decided against going back home and it was a good thing. But all along really I've been guided by God as to my actions, so my path that I walked was pre-determined for me as to the road that I should walk, to bring me to where I'm at. So, I didn't go back and I stayed in London and then eventually first time that I went up I went on like a visitor's visa, and then afterwards it take me quite a few years really to get my permanent stay there. And after I leave Workhouse I went into working, I decided then I'm going to stop going into studio and singin' for these people. 'Cause I decided then if one want to be one own person, you cannot for the rest of your life contribute to others and nothing to you. So I decided I'm gonna start doing my own production and doing the 'Circle Will Be Unbroken', the 'I Shall Not Be Removed' - a gospel. My first medley-gospel! After I start doing my medley-gospel everybody else start doing medley-gospel. And that gospel album is selling from then till now, and it will continue to sell.

Q: When was it released?

A: This album was released about '85.

Q: So that's the first album you did after leaving Jamaica?

A: Yeah. For myself.

Q: But between say '73 and up to '85?

A: I was merely working, really. I was mostly working and I did some shows, y'know, up and down. But I wasn't actually doing anything like workin' in the studio, per say. I was planning and I was putting things together, y'know, rehearsing and then formulating songs until I said OK, this is what I'm going to do. And in the meantime I recorded for a guy over in Clapton, I did a few tracks for a guy over in Clapton - I forget his name now. I think he was on Dove label.

Q: Ah! I recognised some tracks on a compilation by Roy Cousins (formerly of The Royals) on the Wambesi label.

A: Roy Cousins, that's it. Yes, I did probably two tracks for Roy Cousins.

Q: 'Girl Asheba' was on a 45, and some others I've seen scattered over his compilations (such as 'Deceiving Girl' on the 'Roots of David' LP and 'What Kind of World' on the Vision of Reggae' album).

A: Right, right. I did those two tracks for him.

Q: Early eighties then?

A: Yeah.

Q: Speaking about some other one-off tracks you did, when was the music for Rupie Edwards' Success label cut, if you recall this?

A: Yes, as a matter of fact I did that for him in Jamaica. 'I Wanna Be Loved', I did that for him. I probably did about two or three tracks for him, something like that.

Q: A song called 'Genuine Love'.

A: Yes. 'Genuine Love', a beautiful song (sings the chorus).

Q: A remake of 'Change Gonna Come' appeared on Channel One too? That's what I've seen.

A: Oh yeah.

Q: This was cut while on vacation, a stop to visit to family and friends in Jamaica or whatever?

A: No. Actually I think I did that... when I left Jamaica I didn't go back down there to do any more tracks. All the intervening tracks that I have done was in London, y'know.

Q: So you linked with JoJo Hookim while he was on business in London? Or the Cha Cha people?

A: Not that I can remember.

Q: How could this one come about, 'Change Gonna Come' for Channel One?

A: I'm sure it was done in London. I mean, through my singin' career I always have producers who always want me to sing for them. But I choose as to who I sing for and I might do one track for somebody, just for them to prove to themselves as to, y'know, how honest they are (chuckles), which they always prove themselves wrong. I always look at it that it's coming like a woman when you're growing up or a certain part of your life you see a nice woman and you want to make a date with her, then you tell her also the lies. These guys to me came in in similar fashion. You know, they tell you what you want to hear for that period of time but with me I always know beforehand from they start talkin' that they were lying, but they just want to get me to studio to do a recording for them. So sometimes I'll be going to the studio and say OK, I'll do a track for you, and let them prove to themselves that they really were telling me lies. But I knew before I did the track. I remember Bunny Lee, I did record for Bunny Lee and I mean when the money reaped there, y'know, when I come in it's all finished. And one of the time I remember he wanted me to going to the studio and I said to him yeah, I'm going to the studio but you've gotta pay me before I go in. I mean, however small it was at least that was the only money I would get right there. That's the nature of the business, nature of this business. I mean I did a track for an album for Body Music where it was a sort of joint venture and what's his name that was the producer...?

Q: Fitzroy...?

A: Roy Thomas. To me it was an overproduced album. A lot of tracks on that album I have written but it was an overproduced album. Really, when you have one producer you really don't need another producer directing traffic at the same time. And both of us really was sort of directing and to me it was overproduced. When I see it possible, if I get the right type of guys, I may redo that album.

Q: Sonia Pottinger, you did 'I Should Have Known' on High Note?

A: (Hums the melody) If I'm not mistaken you know I've got... it's on Sonia's label?

Q: Yes, on her High Note label.

A: Oh well. Yeah, I had passed through her but I didn't stay long.

Q: I can guess why.

A: (Laughs) Bwaaaiii...

Q: It's actually the same tune you did for Winston Riley as well.

A: Yeah? Well, another passing-through again.

Q: Then you had 'It's Bubbling' for Glen Guthrie on the Calvarie Temple label?

A: Yeah, yes (sings the chorus).

Q: Gospel song.

A: Yeah. As a matter of fact it's a song that I might just go and bubble it over again because I'm putting together an album (laughs)!

Q: You mentioned Dynamic before, and you had 'It's True' for Warrick Lyn?

A: Yes, Dynamic Sounds. Yes, yes. Another pass-through again.

Q: (Laughs) I think I'm getting used hearing that now!

A: (Laughs) Well, you see my term was 'testing the waters' to see the longevity or the honesty of these people.

Q: Right, not too much - two or three tracks, and that's it.

A: Exactly. And they all would have to get together, right (laughs)!

Q: There was another one titled 'Not Far Away' for said Glen Guthrie as well.

A: Oh yeah... no, no, no! I think that was for Studio One.

Q: But what I have listed here is for Glen Guthrie though.

A: OK (sings the chorus).

Q: You remember when it was cut?

A: You know, I don't remember. I don't remember where that was cut. I know it wasn't cut.. I think it might've been cut at Federal.

Q: And 'Sad Mood' for Harry Mudie, the same song for three different producers. Mudie, Bunny Lee and Torpedo... wait a minute, Torpedo is possibly a UK press of the Bunny track though?

A: Yeah, it was more Bunny Lee. If you have it on three different labels, right, that mean I would've done it three different times. I mean, I love the song but I don't think I have done it that many times.

Q: 'A Message To Mary' for Lloyd Charmers and his Splash imprint.

A: Mmm. And 'I Need To Belong'.

Q: And 'When A Man Is In Love' for Winston Riley.

A: Mmm.

Q: When did you set up the UC label, you did 'You Better Go' for that label?

A: You mean when I started it?

Q: It was just this one session?

A: Yeah, that was in the early planning and I think actually that was in about '80 or '82 or '83.

Q: What about the recording for D. Anderson on the Blue Mundy label?

A: Yeah, that was the real early, my first track, like. That was before I went to Studio One.

Q: So who was this D. Anderson?

A: He was a... what you term that...?

Q: You had 'Your Neighbour Next Door' for him.

A: Yes, he was an engineer or he had a television shop, he works on televisions and radios and all that sort of stuff. But he loved the music so then we used to go by him and he was really enthused, wanting to work with us to put some tracks down. So that was how that came about. He was the first person I did any recording for, and that was with the Blues Blenders.

Q: Should be collected, if you could find a clean copy of it.

A: You're telling me.

Q: Historic.

A: It is. I mean, I have some tapes here that I have done some tracks probably about in '76 or thereabout, I have some tapes here that I've taken out, dusted off and listened to and make sure that I get them off the tape before the tape start rottening really.

Q: Like baking it? 'Cooking' the tapes, then transferring to DAT.

A: Yeah, yeah. I have some tracks here - I mean I have some unfinished tracks that I really, y'know, like you're going to studio and lay some tracks and they put them away and they didn't do anything, any more work on them. And I need to dust them out and I'll be doing that soon really, 'cause I need to compile... I have probably about four albums on tape that hasn't been put out. And I have one that need to be re-released, one called 'Touch of Inspiration'. Beautiful, beautiful album.

Q: When was Duke's 'Jimmy Brown' LP compiled for Trojan? It was put out after you had left the island?

A: No, actually 'Jimmy Brown' was put out while I was in Jamaica. I think it was '72 it was put out.

Q: Then you have the 'Here Comes Ken Parker', the Jamaican version of this album.

A: Must be, must be. Because no-one producer in Jamaica could put out any... the only person that could come near to putting out one or two albums by me would be Studio One. And he would have to dig real far to pick up everything, every breath that I breath in the studio. My thing was not to go to these guys and let them wear you out, and you get nothing for it. So my thing was always I have to have a job, and that was always my motto, that no producer should dictate to me as to working myself to the bone and not getting anything for it and they can dictate to you and also deliver you and when they get enough they don't want to see you no more. No producer is supposed to - I never put myself in that position where any producer could handle me so, when he see me he is glad to see me.

Q: He should be, ought to.

A: Yeah, that was always my motto, and I maintained that right through.

Q: Did you use a pseudonym for Joe Gibbs, or it was he that titled you 'Kenneth Power', one called 'Row Us Home', another one titled 'I And I A Go Whip Them'? When was this recorded?

A: Yeah. Phoooo.... That was recorded somewhere in-between '67 and '68.

Q: You never did something more than once for Joe Gibbs?

A: Yeah, yeah. He was just a one-off, just a one-off.

Q: 'I And I Go Whip Them'? This sounds a bit stronger as far as lyrical content goes?

A: I realised that one of the times I had gone like swayed a little and did a radical type of song. I mean, I think one track that I done sometime was sort of as it were you come out of the normal path that you trod, and did something different. But it wouldn't take me long to go right back to my customary way of doing songs.