Q: What was some of the first tunes you cut for Studio One? Was Coxson himself present at the first session? A: No, no. Coxson is never there, yunno, I dunno how Coxson get so much credit. Most of Coxson's credit is because he is the owner, y'know, executive producer, that is what Coxson is. Coxson was never at no session, Coxson cannot - could not, 'cause he's dead now, Coxson could not play a note and no instrument. He knows nothing about music. Physically, he may have a good ear. Q: That was the input he had. A: Yeah, a good hearing. That's about it, 'cause he used to play records, he had a sound system thing, y'know, that was his thing. He loved music. Enthusiast, yes, that's about it. And he had the chance to build a studio and give the people with the talent time to go perform for Coxson. Q: Who backed you on the first session, can you recall these people? A: Yeah man, all these recordings were controlled by the king man - Jackie Mittoo. He play organ, arranged it and all that, y'know. One wrong thing that Jackie Mittoo did (that) I vexed with him for, y'know, he claimed to my 'Kouchie' money. Q: Right, the 'Full Up' riddim. A: Yes. 'Cause when I was making 'Full Up', Jackie Mittoo wasn't even in Jamaica, y'know. He was away, he was abroad, he was living abroad in Canada. It's greedy, because this is the only song that I had and could put back a little piece in my head, y'know, in my mind, in my soul. I have achieved a little bit of all of that talent that God gave me, y'know what I mean. Yeah, I made those song that day, yunno. Two songs, 'cause after Jackie Mittoo left, no one could run the studio but me. I'm the one that finally got things going there as an arranger and bass-player. He couldn't take no more of Coxson and his shit, 'cause all that Coxson make is promises - he's gonna do this and do all this for you, and Jackie was putting out all these hit songs there for him and making money, and down there he's getting peanuts. So after you're getting frustrated and fed up, you take off. Like almost everybody does that been at Coxson's studio. So when he left the studio almost closed down, because there was no one to take Jackie's place. They went for Ernie Ranglin, they went for a guy called Richard Ace - these are all jazz people. They was putting out some music that was not was Coxson was looking for. They were putting out - all them songs would come out like jazz, and they wanted the real roots reggae thing, y'know what I mean. They wanted a roots music, only it was jazz. They wanted to create something that was not there. When Jackie left he didn't leave jazz, he left some good rock steady music. Q: How did that bass playing come about for you? A: Like I learned to play my acoustic guitar, I knew all about the chord structure and everything there. So Jackie, before he left, he had a gig, a nightclub, so he wanted a bassman but couldn't find one at the time. So he said to me, "Leroy, I have this gig, yunno, and need a bassman and want you to come play the bass for me". I said, "Shit - me?! I don't know bass, I've never played bass before". Him say, "You can do it, man. I know you can do it". It's like I guess he saw my talent, y'know. I was in doubt still, but he say, "I know you can do it". Yeah man, and now he introduced the songs that he was gonna play, and I practiced the lines for a couple of days, and we went to the gig and oh boy, we kicked ass! Q: And that was Tit For Tat? A: Exactly. We played there for a few months before he gave that up and left. Doing my first recording now, which was 'Baby Why'. Q: The Cables. A: Yeah, we recorded both sides of that song that day, because we also had 'What Kind of World' on the flipside, 'Baby Why' on the other side, and they were both hits. Q: Oh yes, classics both. A: Yeah man. That's my first recording on the bass. Then we went to 'No Man Is An Island', Dennis Brown, and started develop there. So Jackie left shortly after there somewhere, tired and frustrated and thing, nothing more I would imagine. Nothing was happening but no one would leave. Things was happening, but only for Coxson.

Jackie Mittoo

Q: Did he have anyone in the band that he relied on, someone of his liking, a favourite who got more than the others? A: No, well... No, no favourite. When it comes to Coxson and money it never matter, man. Even his mother, man! He's still a man who warred about money with him mother - his mom! Yeah. Coxson's mother opened a shop, and when the shop got on the studio premises, he opened a whe yu call... like a cafeteria, there's so much people passing through there, coming to buy records, working there and all a that, and, y'know, a lot of people passed through, so she did that. And it was doing quite well, y'know, Coxson got vexed with her and got rid of her and was trying to run it himself, took over the business. That's the kinda guy he is. When it comes to money, man, Coxson has no guy, no. No special friend. He liked Jackie Mittoo, he love Jackie Mittoo like crazy, because Jackie Mittoo was the genius whe producing the songs. He knows the music, you know what I mean? Yeah. But what did Jackie get? Some white rum, turn Jackie into a drunkard. Alcoholic! That's all he could do for him, to a young guy. Couldn't do me that. Q: It's so easy to take advantage of somebody so young, such as Jackie. But you all got through this lesson though. A: Yeh mon! He do that to anybody, man. Q: (Chuckles) Mmm, harsh words. A: Yeah man! All is true. This is a part of Coxson you don't know anyhow, Coxson did... (going into/through some less than pleasant internal affairs at Brentford Road over the years). Yeah man, a lot of that accident, Coxson had his way with. Yeah. Q: Mixing the business with pleasure. A: Yeah, yeah. I know this for a fact. Q: Not nice. But it's pretty common, and not only in reggae. Kind of hidden though. A: Yeah, I don't know why! That's why I want to let it out, 'cause I wonder why? What is the reason why they wanna hide it! Why hiding it? Why are they hiding it, I don't know why. Q: Studio One is almost looked upon as something 'sacred' in the business, so... A: Yes. Yeah! I'm telling you! I can't see why, yunno. And this guy is such a selfish guy, y'know. Everything that was done there he said it's his, he holds it - it's all his alone, yunno. Everybody's talent, every human being talent that went inside that place to make Studio One what it is, Coxson could not make Studio One to what it is all by himself.

Q: Surely not. A: Noooo! Motown... what's this guy who...? Q: Berry Gordy? A: Yeah, Gordy! Who can take credit for all that was done in his place, man? He had to know that it's because of everyone that was involved, man, we made it to what it is. And everyone - I think God bless each and every individual with his talent for him to live off, yunno. You understand what I'm saying? Whatever you do, it's from the blessing of the Almighty for you to... remember what He said: 'By the sweat of your brow we shall all eat bread'. So him mek you just sweat, sweat, yunno! As long as you're sweating you're supposed to be eating! That's what it says, right. So if he give you the talent to toil in your favour, and then the things that you do is so blessed that it makes a whole lot of money, makes a whole lotta people hold a whole lot of money, so why shouldn't you be a part of that happening, the return? Why should Coxson alone and his family eat all a that, and the people dem who make that possible, make all that happiness, doing joy no joy? When Coxson died the other day, man, he died in his place, in his studio at Brentford Road, and they put him in a car and drove him in that car to the hospital to pronounce him dead, and when him was pronounced dead, they take him and put him in the same car again, yunno! And drive him to the morque. You see what craziness? And it's not a limousine, they put him in the backseat of the car to lay down like a common... you know? But that's how he lived, he never live with no class and no style, because he was hiding all the wealth from the people that he... you know? So him don't want nobody to look like - he was trying to prove to everyone that he wasn't making any money, so he's got nothing to pay. He don't know everyone knows better. If he's so smart then he would tell people to outsmart himself. Yeah man, because when you can afford to live good, you must live good, yunno, it's the only life you have. If you live it the best how you can, wear the best and eat the best and enjoy the best you can. You understand me? I think so. What's the sense of having it all there? And, ohh... he could not afford to do that. Q: You know, when Jamaica is by and large such a dangerous country, and so much badman around the place, it's a mystery if he ripped off so many that he survived all these years. A: Yes, he survived right through until these days. You know, I wonder that too.

Q: Considering how the island works, he should've been a target for whoever a long time ago with so much enemies around. I'm glad he didn't go in that way though, he should've passed away from a natural cause like all of us - and he did, bless his soul, but it's still a bit strange. A: He should've go... but to me he died a long time ago still, yunno, it's a person that I've never had a good word to say about nor want to visit, y'know what I'm saying? Ca' he insist that he never pay no one. I'm wondering now that the estate is there and he's not there being so stubborn, if there's a chance for us to sue the estate and maybe accumulate some money, I'm wondering. Q: At least. A: He was the force behind all of that, fighting and struggling not to pay, yunno. Q: If you approached him back in those days, what was the turn out? He had people to turn you away or what? A: Everyone approached him, and he tell you all kinda things. He find all kinda thing to say to satisfy his evil deeds. Yeah man. Q: It's like you can't knock him off now - or could, he's there as the founding father when everything is said and done. A: Yeah - 'Sir Coxson'. Q: 'Sir D'. A: 'Sir D'. Not me, man. Q: How come people tend to overlook these things, if they do? A: I don't know. I dunno, I ask myself the same question, maybe people love to be treated like this the same? Look like it's the way to treat mankind to get respect and honour... Q: I dunno, perhaps some of them feel like it's an honour in itself to record there, because of its rich history of invention and creativity. A: Of its history, yes. I wonder what's gonna happen now.

Q: I think Mrs Dodd had commented once, she was quoted pretty recently, saying: "Regardless of what these people say, they have been paid". A: They've been paid? Q: That one was for those who has been mad about lack of compensation over the years, I guess. A: Oh, they've been 'paid'. A me say, it's a measure she's well-rehearsed and locked in his ways, yunno. Brainwashed! 'We have been paid'? I mean, if it's so why (chuckles) every day she have a good fight too, yunno? Well, if they've been paid they must happen to show what they've been paid. I would like to take her to court though, so she can bring all things to show how much I've been paid, y'know. Q: If there even exists any such statements. A: Yes, that's what I'm saying. Yes, yes. Let's show the court! Show the court how they have been paid and when and up to the last time, y'know, things like these. Yeah man. Q: How did you handle this in the years to come after you left that studio, have you more or less left this behind you now or do you still feel very bitter about it? A: I'm still angry, I will always be angry when asked about that. But if I was getting royalties I would be better off. Yes, 'cause I have an album there that no other album inside this place has sold more than that album. Q: 'On Top'? A: Yes! He says it too, everybody, the world says it, 'The Heptones On Top'. Even right now today it's the hardest thing to find. And whenever you see it, man, when you go back again lickle after it gone - it's sold out. Still sellin' out. The 'Heptones On Top' album, the real good Studio One. Not talking about Earl piracy, 'cause Earl is putting out some mediocre copies of everything off there.

Q: On the Trench Town label. A: You know that? Q: I've seen a couple of 'strange' releases. Yeah. A: Yeah. Q: And I suppose you don't get any money from... A: From that either! No, that's another (laughs)...

Leroy Sibbles

Q: Pretty strange that Coxson didn't block him from doing that? A: Ahh... I don't even know what happened there. I don't know, because I heard that Coxson was vexed like hell! I know he's gonna be mad, ca' he wants to eat all the food. Let me give you an example of Coxson: The Abyssinians came, right, and they were friends of mine and all a that, they came to Studio One one day, and come look for me and wanted to hire the studio, when they wanted to do 'Satta'. We were also happy, because the guys they came to hire the studio, hire the musicians and everything to make their own recording. Coxson took their money, gave them the time, and went on in business. When we did 'Satta Massa Gana', when Coxson came and heard it, Coxson hold on 'pon the youth dem tape - they couldn't get the tape same time, they copy... you know seh that something on Studio One too, the label. Q: 'Satta' was basically your arrangement. A: That's what I'm telling you, I played, yunno. We play and arranged it, horn section - everything, my arrangement. Me arrange that music, played bass. Q: The story I've heard is that it was recorded in the morning before Coxson came in, but you would contradict the fact that... A: No, not in the morning before Coxson came in. Coxson came and did all the business and went back on the road, we record it, and when he came in he heard it. He heard it and got crazy, man. If we can play something like that fe people. Bad minded and fucked the place... and he took the guys tape and copied it! They had one hell to get their song, 'Satta Massa Gana'. They couldn't get it. Coxson started press it on his Studio One label, ask the guys when you see them. Q: I will. A: He sold that equally with them. Q: Never seen he actually went and did that, it's a Clinch release even though it was recorded at Brentford Road. A: Yes man, I know this for a fact, I was there. If they had lawyers that make him stop do it, I don't know. They stopped it somehow, maybe. But I know this, a lot of man think that 'Satta' is Studio One song, man. If you get the early copies of 'Satta', man, you'll get it on Studio One. Yeah man. If you ever see the Abyssinians, ask them about it.

Leroy Sibbles

Q: I think it's narrowing down to you and Bob Andy who has been the most outspoken about that early Studio One period over the years? I guess there is not much to lose, anymore. A: Yes, yes. 'Cause most of them guys are hypocrites, they still go back to Coxson fe them hundred dollar and them t'ings, y'know. They go back, them licky-licky, man. Coxson was a fact that he was to fuck the whole a dem guys. Q: I think even Ken Boothe took him to... A: Yeah, he's another one too. Q: Well, he took him to court, so I don't know about that. A: He took Coxson to court? Q: That's what I've heard. A: I don't know, no. Yeah man. So, after Jackie Mittoo left I took over the Studio One thing, put out songs like 'Stars', 'Queen of the Minstrels', 'Ten To One' - Mad Lads, 'Baby Why', I remember all them songs you talkin' about... Q: John Holt? A: Yeah, John Holt album there. 'Rob and Cheat You'. Alton Ellis, the one with 'Can I Change My Mind' on it there. Yeah man. I was very, very much involved in the studio thing, puttin' out hits like crazy. And most of the song them I have played, like all 'Freedom Blues' and all them thing. Q: Roy Richards. A: Yeah. Bwoy, whe him name? A singer... (sings): 'You mean to me, girl, from my heart and soul, I give it to you...'. Q: I know the song, but it escapes me at this moment... Carlton & The Shoes? No, no... I know it though. A: Yeah, he's from 'Nanny Goat' time. Q: Ah, Larry Marshall. A: Larry Marshall! One of them tune deh me play. Me play most of Horace Andy them tune too, 'Mr Bassie', 'See A Man's Face' and all them t'ing deh. You know, Burning Spear's first album on Studio One.

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