Q: Did you work with something else there at this time, like a part time job?

A: I did kinda stay away from everything for a while. 'Cos I did get married an' t'ing. I got a job with a factory, I was a shipper like shippin' in and receiving stuff. I was there for a while. Until I start go back into music. When I came to Canada it was a show, yunno? It's when the group came to Canada for a show, to do two shows here. And that's where I met someone an'... you know, it goes like that. But it was really a show we come up here for. We do shows, an' it was like six months after. So on the second return now I jus' get married and stay (chuckles).

Q: What about this stint in Los Angeles in '84?

A: Oh, that was one of my... I did a song here named 'Mr Postman' on the Warm & Easy Journey label (chuckles). Yeah, that was my stuff.

Q: You did quite a few records for one A. Doeman, Tony Doeman at I & I Sound in LA, didn't you?

A: A. Doeman... it was a company in Los Angeles deh. I went to do the show, 'cause ' Postman' was a hit over there. Yes, was the '84 Olympic and they put on a show with we and I went up and I met him. The guy who promote the show introduce me to him and right away he liked my song, so I start to do some work there. I do a lotta work with him too.

Q: One album came out called 'Natural Feeling' from these sessions.

A: 'Natural Feeling'. But he... they messed up with that album though. They fool around the master beca' they have a studio, I think they play around 'ca I never liked the quality on that album. The quality was not what I give him. 'Cause I do some of that song with Jammys there and it was hard! But when the album come out I find it was sof ', played with. Yeah, they tried to remix it 'ca they did put a studio together. But I don't think they really did know what they're doing. But he was a good guy. He used to pay me an' he sell, he was sellin' good too, y'know? I think I stayed there ' bout two weeks after the show. I was around with him and t'ing like that. From Los Angeles I went back to Jamaica. I was in Jamaica for maybe about a year. Then I came back to Canada. Everything was kinda quiet for that period, y'know. I release a nex' song there with Funky Hut, 'I'm In Love'. That was a 12". And then I kinda keep quiet for a while.

Q: Then nothing really happened until '94 when you linked with Luddy Crooks again for the 'Madness 2' album?

A: Yes, I went back to Jamaica. He use to call it 'Madness 2' I guess because 'Madness' is a hit so...

Q: Kinda cheap idea (chuckles)?

A: Yeah, I find it... and I think if that album did have a name of its own, I think it would do even better. It's a good album. Yeah, I like that album. We take one day to do that album. I went in the studio about 1-2 o'clock in the afternoon, and the nex' morning about 8. 30, the album was finished. We don't sleep, nutten, we jus' go straight. 'Ca the thing is I had to come back to Canada the other day. So we have to compulse it on the album that night. So we never sleep, we jus' slip the album that night. I know that was something else (chuckles)! Yeah man...

Q: That album was again done with Gladstone behind you?

A: Yeah, that's it. That's correct. And Jet Star release it in England. They did have it on vinyl in Jamaica too. But with that... I did get some money upfront with that, yeah man.

Q: What do you feel about all these pirates out there feeding off from your past work? Such as 'Lover Man' on (UK) Rhino, 'Brown Girl In The Ring' on Trojan? You have 'Funny Man' on Jamaican Gold too.

A: Yeah, I've got copies of them. Yeh, I'm gonna take it to a lawyer. I've got a few and I'm gonna take a next step towards it. Yeah, you get ripped off once, not twice, y'know? Right now I'm trying to get everything out there from me, I'm just trying to make sure I have a copy. Then I'm gonna take it to a different level. It's gettin' outta hand now, y'know.

Q: What about this late nineties 'Rocky Road' album, that's without Gladstone? Just digital, or with live backing too?

A: Yeh, just me. It's live and digital. I have Lyn Taitt play on that album. He's in Montreal too.

Q: There's so much Maytones singles that has appeared over the years, and there's a few I would like to ask you about. One for example is 'Unchangeable Love' on the Rocking Time label credited to the 'Uprising Maytone' circa '75, plus 'I Want To Be Free'? Remember that one?

A: Yeah, Bill Hutchinson (laughs)! It was a friend of mine. He did live in Kingston. We do some trade, he give me a riddim an' I voice a song for him. Them done the same time, 'ca it's only one time I have session for him. But this was like an exchange. Like, he give me riddims an' I... you know? There was a song I have on 'Rocky Road' now, 'Who Can Hear Must Feel', that was on his riddim. I get that riddim from him, and I think Horace Andy was on that riddim? So it was just like a riddim exchange, but we were friends still, yunno? 'Cause he did have a likkle store there on Chancery Lane. In the days we used to sit around an'... y'know (chuckles)? Yes, so it's like it just a brethren. But that was a song he like, so...

Q: There's 'You Played A Fool' on the Ruddys label? Can you recall that?

A: Okay (laughs)! Yeah, yeah! Ruddys, he did jus' have a store in Spanish Town, like a record store.

Q: You had 'Judgement Day' on the Commanda label, any memory left about that one?

A: That's my label (laughs)! Yeah, that's my personal label.

Q: Then there is 'Hard Rock Time' by Little Roy & Maytones, and 'Promises'?

A: Yeah, all those songs are mine. My personal stuff. There was a little deejay I was promoting at the time, y'know (not to be confused with the singer of 'Prophecy' fame.)?

Q: There was 'Rebel Goat' with U Brown, and you did 'The Girl I Want' on Doctor Bird?

A: Yeah, that ('The Girl I Want') was produced in May Pen where I come from. Actually it was almost beside GGs (laughs). I jus' voice the song. So we just stay beside there and voice the song.

Q: And 'I Am In Love' on the Music Radics imprint? Plus 'I'm A Scientist' on the NY Gee's label and 'Jealousy' on Black Zodiac? And 'Close The Door' on Crown Lion?

A: That's ('Am In Love') my personal work too, early eighties, yes. That one ('Jealousy') was for a friend of mine, he had a sound system called Black Zodiac. So we just release the stuff under his sound name, but it's my stuff. I did release a song with Thriller U too, at the same time. On the same label, Black Zodiac label. 'Close The Door', that's mine... Got a few copies of that (laughs)! Crown Lion, that's my label too (laughs), yeah! That was done at Jammys, yeah... with Bobby Digital.

Q: You had all those singles on mainly 12" and some 7" for I & I Sound in LA, like 'What A Situation' on Jah Go International, 'Forget Your Troubles & Dance', 'Move Up Move Up' and 'Children of Today', 'Want More Rub A Dub', 'I'm In Love With You'. And of course 'Mr Postman' on a 7". Lots of productivity while in LA, Vern?

A: Yeah, that's my stuff I give to I & I.

Q: How did this 'Their Greatest Hits' project come about with Chris Wilson and Heartbeat in Boston? That was about time anyway! There's a long relationship at least between Ranglin and Heartbeat, like the 1990 'Holy Ground' anthology with GGs productions. Did you get involved with that, or even paid?

A: No! I no get no royalty or nuttin from that ('Holy Ground'). Is Chris call me, yunno? He is interested to put out a (compilation)...'Cause I should let you know that Maytones is one of his favourite. That's what I heard. So I think he approach GGs to release some stuff for us. So, he get my phonenumber from GG. Before the project started he called me and let me know everything, y'know wha' I mean? At least that I know, I know everything about that. 'Ca I was informed before. They took care of everything. Actually he mentioned the songs to me and, like, I give my 'OK'. And I OK'd them, y'know? 'Ca it was pretty good songs. And he asked me a few things. We talked for a good while.

Q: How has the response been to this release, so far?

A: Yeah, the reaction (to it) look good. I really like the approach towards (it). 'Ca I get a copy, and the liner notes is good and I jus' like how they market it. 'Cause even the radio station over here they got it before I get it! So I think they are serious with this album. With payment now, it gonna be a serious thing if I don't (get that). 'Ca I won't accept nothing less in this time (laughs)!

Q: What about this new solo album you mentioned yesterday, titled 'Raw'?

A: 'Raw', yeah. That's my own production. I just release it recently. It's a nice album. We work with Lyn Taitt on it an' t'ing like that.

Q: Seems like you're collaborating a lot with Taitt these days?

A: Yeah. He is the closest right now to me (laughs)! He is a very good musician and he's very versatile. Hopefully we're gonna keep up the good work. But at this time now I'm just gonna watch and see what this 'Greatest Hits' gonna produce, you know wha' I mean?

Things are picking up for the Maytones. Since this interview plans are afoot to do a combination on 'Money Worries' with Beenie Man, this has been done in conjunction with Bedouin Sound from Montreal. Gladstone flew up to Canada last year to join Vernon for a few shows and there is talk of a package tour of Europe with the likes of the Melodians. The 'Greatest Hits' album has according to Vern sold steadily and probably made the group some good in terms of activity of late. Included are some deejay versions to 'Africa We Want To Go' such as Trinity's 'Natty Tired Fe Carry Load' and a piece to 'Come Along', wrongly credited to U Brown but is actually Lone Ranger. Heartbeat had proposed a tour of the US with Everton Blender and the Maytones that never came off the ground. Let's cross fingers that the European adventure see the light of day though. Apart from the obvious pirate records of prime Maytones material that surface from time to time, I have also seen a Jamaican reissue (plain sleeve) of the 1980 'One Way' lp on GGs which must have been put out not too long ago. You can keep yourself updated with happenings in the Maytone camp by checking the Maytone website.