Q: In between these Burning Sounds albums - ´Madness´ in ´76 and then ´Boat To Zion´ in ´78, there was the ´Keep The Fire Burning´ lp for Count Shellys Third World label in the UK, how did that come about? Also, was there any lp in the early seventies preceding all those albums?
A: In the early seventies..? The only album was an album named ´Flight 404´. But it wasn´t just Maytones, but they introduce us on the album. We did have a certain amount of songs on the lp. Not a full.. there was some instrumentals on it an´ stuff like that. But we were featured on the album still, on the cover. Was a very awful picture too (laughs)!
Q: But ´Keep The Fire Burning´, that was your own production?
A: Yeah, was my own production. There was a guy from Jamaica - his name is ´Duke Reid´. We used to call him ´Duke Reid´, OK? He introduce us to Shelly..
Q: I think he´s called ´Duke Reid Jr´, real name Charles Reid. Passed away..
A: Yes, yes, that's right. The whole thing go through him anyway. We get a little change on that still but anyway I no get no royalty from him. ´Ca, like, he get an advance an´ I supposed to get royalties after. Which those t´ing were like joke... Some nice songs on that album, yunno? About two years ago some guy show me that album. Trying to remember songs. I know ´Dance With Me´ is on it, ´Show Us The Way´.. But that was a nice album. That was Radics on it. That was in the early days but it was those guys, yeah.
Q: Then there's the great ´Boat To Zion´ album, definitely more steeped in roots & culture than ´Madness´. Had Mr Rana any say in what kind of album he wanted or he gave you free hands to deliver whatever you wanted to do?
A: No, was free hands. He never hear the album before until (we deliver it).
Q: I personally kind of prefer that album to ´Madness´ somehow.
A: Yeah, I find ´Boat To Zion´ a very tight album. Tight. I know Solgie do most of the mixing, at Channel One. I know Solgie have a touch in that, yeah man. ´Ca that album never build a one time, yunno? It's like within pieces. Like few songs today, different engineers. Never a straight off. It was intention to build an album, but it never build in one or two sessions. Purposedly take time to do it, yunno? I have a few favourite on that, ´Do Good´, ´Take Your Time´. ´Take Your Time´, that is a song I really like (laughs). That song, U Roy used to play that on his sound (Stur-Gav sound system), man. Oh boy, it wake up the dance - ´Take Your Time´. ´Serious World´ is a nex´ good song. You have a song on it named ´Speak The Truth´, remember that one (chuckles)? The uptempo deh.. Actually that song there I use Tamlins to help me do some harmony. They help us to do some back-up on it, harmonies.
Q: The album sold well?
A: To the statement I got it did pretty well. Not like ´Madness´ though but it was close.
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