Q: By the way, what became of the Rastaman there, 'Higher', the guy who do the introduction to the film? A: The elder dread? Q: Right. A: Well, I'm not sure either, because I've not seen him for long time, and I've been in England for a lickle while now. I'm not sure if he's still there or if he passed away or... if his life is still continuing, I'm not sure.

Rasta Elder Ashley 'Higher' Harris from 'Rockers' movie.

Q: There are a few there who weren't that well-known, like Natty Garfield, who just came there, acted, and disappeared. A: Yes, a couple of the guys them in the movie too weren't naturally artists themselves, they was just people who like hangin' around, being around artists, yeah? Q: John Dread was there, later to become producer. A: John Dread wasn't an artist at the time. Q: But producing. A: He wasn't even a producer at the time neither, he was just somebody who love being around artists himself too. But him developed his skills by being a producer afterwards. Q: The Hands & Hearts label, yeah. A: Yeah. You see, he done that half too. Q: There's another guy that Horsemouth look for, way up in a shed in the mountains, called 'Jeep Man' I think, who was he? A: Jeep Man? Well, Jeep Man was the guy who used to sell a thing called 'honeyball', y'know. 'Honeyball' is like the gum from the ganja tree, they would've scraped the tree and the gum that come from it, they would've scraped it off and make it up into some ball business, like, them type a t'ing. And them would've bring that come to Kingston from country, and give it to Gregory Isaacs or sell it to those guys or whatever, or would've break it up or anyt'ing like that and smoked it and so on. So, Jeep Man wasn't really an artist himself, he was just a Rastaman who plant weed an' sell weed. Q: Speaking about herbmen, in that sequence with Ruffy & Tuffy kickin' high in the air, and Big Youth, there's a guy standin' beside him name Up-Sweet (still alive), you can't really see his face there clearly, but he used to deliver some of the best herb in those days to a lot of the music community. A: Yes, yes. Q: Is he still around? A: Well, as I said I haven't seen him for a lickle while now, but like Ruffy & Tuffy now, I've seen Tuffy in London a few years ago, because he did live in London. I don't know if he's still living there now, and one of them was in America and one of them was in England anyhow. But I'm not sure about that guy now, if he's still there. 'Cause a lot of these people drop out now too anyhow, like 'Snappin'', y'know, Easy Snappin' - the guy who sung 'Easy Snappin'' (sings): 'Eaaaasy snappin'...', called Theophilius Beckford, that's what he's called. He die too as much, and you know Jacob Miller drop out too as much, Dirty Harry die in America too.

Prince Hammer.

Jacob Miller.

Q: Right, some drugs mix-up thing, NYC. A: Yeah. So a couple of the guys them from the film they drop out anyhow. Q: That movie has seen a reissue in a big way since it was put out again a couple of years ago. A: Yeah. Q: And like you said it's a classic movie that will never leave, you just gotta have your copy of it. A: Yeah, that's what I said to you before, this show is like a icon itself, yunno, people just w a n t the film! Even people who had it on a VCR, just like normal video tape, they have themselves now a... Q: The DVD. A: With DVD, so they've got two copies (chuckles). Q: Right, gotta have it updated. A: Yeah, 'cause it's a cult movie, man, it's really a cult movie, everybody love the movie. People just keep watchin' the thing over and over and over and over, no matter how much video they've got in their house, or DVD, this is the one that they take up and watch the most. Not even 'The Harder They Come' get that response, because as I said I live in a part of the community now in Manchester in England, and I've gone everywhere and nobody no talk 'bout 'Harder They Come, they talk about 'Rockers'. You know, there's a lot of different other movies that come out of Jamaica itself, but 'Rockers' is the movie that stand out more than anything else. Q: I can nod in agreement with that in a sense, and it captures that era very well somehow. A: Yeah, beca' you've got a new movie comin' out now called 'One Love' with Ky-mani Marley, and it's a very good movie too, 'cause I've watched it already, but it's not as strong as 'Rockers', yunno (chuckles)! And there's lots of other, 'Third World Cop', all these other movies that came out of Jamaica, and so on, 'Countryman', all these movies, but 'Rockers' is just... is just different (chuckles). A class of its own.

Q: I mean, there's been a lot of talk over the years about a follow-up to the movie, like a 'Rockers 2'. Do you think that will ever be accomplished? A: Well, I do hope so, and I do hope I'll be a part of that as much as one of the original artists from the movie, the stars from the first movie itself. Because as I said, everybody is lookin' out for it. But I think there was a problem with Horsemouth and the producers in America, and that's the reason why part two's never been made. Because I think he was tryin' to establish some more money from these people, or try to maybe put t'ings on paper which, naturally, maybe ideas are different. And what they wanted is what - what Horsemouth maybe wanted is maybe not what the people wanted, y'know what I mean, so it just never get to the drawing board. But I'm sorry it never really get to that stage anyhow, but then sometime it's best waiting for somet'ing anyhow. I think now would've been a good time, because myself think about maybe tryin' to find some producer or somebody myself to try and maybe see if I can set it up myself. Because, as I said, a lot of people's been askin' when is part two comin' out, is so much people ask me I can't count, is too much of them askin' me. And I'm thinkin' to myself, say, wonder if I should write to some TV company myself, trying to get the idea to them and try to see if we can make this other part two viable. 'Cause people been askin' for it. Q: I believe a lot of the 'stars' from the original movie have been thinkin' the same over the past twenty-five years, Kiddus I said the same thing, but there doesn't seem to be any interested parties yet, or any good script that's been produced up to now. I know Ras Karbi has an interest in that too. A: Yeah, yeah. True. Because it's just so many people askin' for it, I know if 'Rockers Pt. 2' make it will be a big hit. It will be a massive hit again, I'm tellin' you. It will definitely be a big hit again, because the first movie will just really put a lot to it. Like the day when I came up to England in the eighties there, the same day when Bob Marley bury, I came back here, an' I was really a bit disappointed. Because, like, Bob Marley bury that day...? Sorry, the day before Bob Marley bury, but the day when I came back to England in the eighties, the movie was released in Jamaica, at the Carib Theatre. And I was the only star not being there in that theatre that day (chuckles), and I was disappointed not to be there with everybody else, y'know, on the opening day of the movie, because it was sold out. But when I land in England, the same day when I land in England, the night it opened in Manchester. So I was the only star in the theatre from Jamaica who was in the movie! So I was really been pampered with champagne and all them type a t'ings (chuckles), in the theatre, knowing that they had a star from the movie itself in the theatre. So I was pretty happy, even though I've lost out not being there amongst my fellow brethren them an' everyt'ing like that, y'know, in Jamaica with who else starred in the movie. But I come here and I been with other people and get the chance to know other people, y'know, was being respected enough for being a part of the movie itself, and that was pretty cool to me.

Big Youth.

Jah Woosh.

Dr. Alimantado.

Q: You did switch like so many other deejays at the time like Big Youth and Dr Alimantado, Jah Woosh, and so on, to singin', straight singin', when you cut 'Ten Thousand Lions'. How come? A: Yeah. You know, I'm a versatile type of guy, y'know wha' I mean, and a like to try somet'ing, because nutten tried nutten done. And when I did 'Ten Thousand Lions', is by chance I get the riddim, 'cause I didn't even pay for the riddim, is Sly & Robbie make that riddim, and they make it for me for free, for nothin' in Channel One studio. 'Cause what I did, I took a friend of mine and introduce him to Sly & Robbie them, etcetera, through what he wanted was to make some songs. And I took him there through he get the chance was to make these songs with Sly & Robbie, and when he finished his session, I said to him "Wha' appen?" - I said to Sly them, say, "Well, wha' appen, can I make a song, can I make a riddim?", y'know wha' I mean? But I've got no money. Them say "C'mon Prince, man, get on with it! Whe you waan do? All right, c'mon!" And I just start singin' the song, 'cause I already had the song written, you see. And I start singin' the song and they jus' made the riddim then and there for me - for free, y'know, without a penny. I've never paid a penny for that song, and that song come to England and that was one of me biggest ever hit in England, and in Jamaica it was just one of the massive... when I come to England, people was pirating the song. You know? Q: Really? A: (Chuckles) Everywhere I go, people had it on all different mixin', like King Tubby's them in England, they had so many different mix of it and dub-plates and all these type a t'ings an' so on, and I was really like, say, 'Hey, what's happenin' here?!' Because those times people use to pirate a lot of songs in the seventies, early sixties through the seventies, people used to pirate your songs. So you would a find your song come out on different mix an' all them type a t'ings an' so on, without your permission. So that was really a massive song for me. But for me changin' from that, remember it was jus' not only 'Ten Thousand Lions', it was 'King of Kings' before, which is a singin' song. So I've start singin' from there. But I've said to meself, one of the reason why I did singin' is because deejays in those days were doing really well, but the singers were the people who were doing a lot better. Singin' songs was just the songs that was really making it for people in Jamaica at the time, and all I wanted was to really be a part of that team too. So, instead of just doing deejay songs I say, OK, then I'll sing. I've learned my skills by watchin' people like Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, John Holt, Johnny Clarke, and all these people, I've watched them and I've stand up and watched them when they've gone to recording studio, I stand up when they really voicin', and I stand up just outside, on the glass or the window or whatever, and I love watch them and watch them when they take note, listen to them style, and I just take up from it and add my skills from learnin' from these people. And I've gone over and taught myself how to sing, you see. Because I've start off as a deejay, y'know, so for developing a singin' style, I would've to learn that. And I've never gone through any classes or anything, I'm just self-taught myself. Like I've sung some songs one time in Joe Gibbs' studio and Dennis Brown came in and say, "Wait! A who that? A which artis' that?!" And when them say, them glad to say 'it's Hammer'. "Eh?? Eh??" He never believed it! Because there were such beautiful songs, and he can't believe the way how I was singin' these songs, y'know. Because me and him come to be like really really so close, we were like siamese-twins too, just the way we get so close, me and Dennis Brown. We was very very good friends, y'know, when he was livin' in Jamaica, and even when he lived in England I used to go to his house, almost every other day I've gone there. And help him, help move all his furniture from one part of the city to another part of the city. That's how we were very very close.

Q: You did set up the Belva imprint for that song. A: Belva label. Yeah, that was one of the biggest label for me. Q: And that was in partnership with someone else? A: No, that was just my label itself, and 'Belva' was a girl I used to be with, that was a girl I used to be with. She was twin, she was a twin girl, yunno, and I get the name Belva from her. That label really establish me big, 'cause if you notice I've got a few labels, like Baby Mother label, Miss Pat Walker, all those label were, y'know, were my labels. And then I come back and have another label called Melinda, because I'm so lucky with women names as labels... Q: (Chuckles) A: You know? So I've always, like, on all these peoples names that I've called is people who have got kids for me, y'know (laughs)! So I've used their names making my labels. Yeah, Belva label was one of the biggest labels and that was designed and everyt'ing like that up a Orange Street, just opposite from Prince Buster's record shop there was a printery there, so all those guys used to go and get our labels and everyt'ing like printed there, Gregory Isaacs, everybody left it to the printery there. And they would take these labels to the record places like Joe Gibbs and all those places and so on, Sonic Sounds, them used to get all these records to press.

Q: You did cut some tunes for Joe Gibbs like you said, you hung out there quite often from what I understood, like you did 'Another One Bites the Dust' as well as 'Dreadlocks T'ing' for Gibbo. A: Yes. Q: I mean, Blacka Morwell (Maurice Wellington) was like the talent scout, A&R man or in-house producer for Gibbs at the time... A: No, Errol Thompson was the producer. Q: OK, right. But Blacka was pretty much instrumental in getting you the deal with Virgin for the debut album, 'Bible', wasn't he? Even though I know there were some people from the UK, John Lydon, Don Letts, Jumbo van Renen and them, who hand-picked their favourites for the company at the time, mainly from one trip down to JA where they met up with whoever they wanted for that imprint, I assume Blacka was the connection for that project? A: Yes, well, Blacka Morwell... The reason why I get that deal - let me tell you about the record first from Joe Gibbs, yeah? Q: Shoot. A: Like that 'Dreadlocks T'ing', as I said to you earlier on, they didn't give me the chance to really record a song for them, but I buy a version of that riddim from another friend of mine, it's the 'Please Be True' (Alexander Henry, Studio One classic) riddim. And I went to Joe Gibbs' studio, book the studio, and I've gone there and I've done that 'Dreadlocks T'ing'. When I've done the record, they were so amazed by the record, it was like 'wow, wow!' 'We gonna take that record off you!', y'know (chuckles). 'We gonna put it out on our labels', right, and I was happy for them to do that. Because they're bigger guys than me, I'm just a learner, I'm just a trainee in the business, a young guy comin' up in the business. And I was happy for them to take the record off my hand. But what they did is, right, when I leave them with my record, Althea & Donna - you remember Althea & Donna? Q: Sure, 'Uptown Top Ranking'. A: Yes, that record come from my record, yunno. Because what they did, what Tony did, is let these girls listen, because these girls was in America or wherever they were - I think it was in America anyhow, they leave and they came to Jamaica. When they came to Jamaica, Tony was trying to get out with one of them, and because the style of my records, what he did, he made them listen to my record, and they write the lyrics around my record. You know, 'uptown top ranking, dreadlocks t'ing a carry the swing, uptown t'ing a carry the swing', blah blah, you understan', and they write from around my song. What they did, what Joe Gibbs did, is put my song out on a 7"-inch, right, put my song out on a 7"-inch record, and then my song went straight in to the RJR record list, straight in to number two. And Joe Gibbs them put Althea & Donna on the back of my record, on the B-side, right, and the record was doing so well. What they did, they took them off, and what they did is like publish their song more than they would've published my song, you understan', they give their song more push. Because as I said to you before, Errol T, he was really trying to be with one of these girls anyhow, and because all he wanted was to be with these girls, instead of giving me the opportunity to go straight to number one an' to do what I wanna do, is trick my song and put their song on the forefront of things or pushin' it more, gettin' it more radio play, etcetera, and put their song straight in number one, and it just establish from there. Right. With Blacka Morwells now, we were doing that album for Blacka Morwell, and one of the reason why I get that deal with Blacka Morwell...

Q: Before you continue about Blacka, you did a few more cuts for Gibbs, like 'Orthodox Rock' and 'Them A Mad Over Me'. A: 'Orthodox Rock' and 'Them A Mad Over Me'. Yeah, well, I've done those two songs for him, because as I said before the 'Dreadlocks T'ing' song take off so big, they aksed me to record other songs for them. So I did those two songs for Tony there, right, Errol T. And I went back and I did another fifteen or sixteen more songs for them, right. If I hear these songs today maybe I wouldn't even remember them, because those were some of my best, best work - ever. They were outstanding songs, but during that period of time, doing those songs, after finish doing those songs, I find myself ending up in England. And there was like a problem in Jamaica with Joe Gibbs them business, and his studio more or less kind of shut down (now in operation again), them type a t'ing for a while. Because I've been back to Jamaica trying to find these tapes, I've gone and asked them about these songs, and they said to me, seh "Go and try and find these tapes". But, not spendin' enough time in Jamaica, not giving me enough access to really go through all of these master tapes, because there's hundreds of hundreds of master tapes, twenty-four track master tapes for me to go through. But, if Joe Gibbs did put out that album, that album would've been one of the biggest hit album ever, because these songs were really class. So I did those two songs, the 'Orthodox Rock' and 'Them A Mad Over Me', all those songs for Joe Gibbs them, which went very well in Jamaica. And I did the album which I just said before, but I've never really get to establish meself with these songs, 'cause these songs were... I don't know what they've done to these songs so far. Q: Back to Blacka Morwell. A: Right, with Blacka Morwell now, there was a big show in Jamaica, the National Stadium, right, big stage show, and I was an act on the stage show, and Virgin Records came down to Jamaica. And what they did, they was scouting, they was like talent-spotting, you understan', lookin' for people. You have the - you have a guy with them called Don Letts... Q: The Roxy DJ, yes, also a filmmaker. A: He used to be talent-spotter, yeah? And when I went on stage - but these people were already, they already knew about me, because I already did been a storm in England, you understan', so they knew about me. So when I went on stage, my style - because I'm a guy who, it's like when I went on stage in those times, I used to work and sometimes maybe in a jackular suit, or maybe a army suit - I've got all different outfits on stage, I'm a proper stageman as I said before, right, and my styles all change sometimes, change to two or three different outfits through the night, and each one would be so outstanding and different, it would just be like 'wow, wow!' People would just go mad over them. And when I went on stage and did my thing then, when I came off stage I was called by Don Letts and the body of all the other people from Virgin Records, and I was introduced, and I was asked to come and see these people. And that's the reason why I get the chance was to - because I didn't have the money to really do an album myself anyhow, because I was just about developing my skills and get in there in the business nicely, you understan', and opening doors anyhow. And Morwell was a good friend of mine, very very good friend, him and Bingy Bunny. And Morwell said, "Listen, what I'll do, right, I'll produce the album itself", and I said, "OK, no problem, yunno". And I went to the Sheraton Hotel the following day and gone and see the people them from Virgin, and then do all the paperwork, sign all the contrac' papers them, and get it moving from there. And then Morwell booked the King Tubby studio, which I went to and did the album itself.

Blacka Morwell.

Q: What became of the album? It sold well, took off as it should? A: Big. Big, big, big (laughs)! And I couldn't believe it, y'know what I mean. Q: I think Linton Kwesi Johnson wrote the liner notes on the back of the album? A: Yes. Linton just says, I've listened an interview with him on the radio in Manchester once years go too, and he said when they were asking him which is the artist he really recognise or appreciate, y'know, which artist, and 'Prince Hammer' was the name, the name that he came up with, an' he said 'that artist is one of the best artists ever known', lyrical, etcetera, and he was really really biggin' me up. And I've seen it in newspapers where he's talkin' about me. Because, remember, he was one of the biggest poets in a the country. So, yeah, I had a good time doing the songs at King Tubby's, I've never heard these riddims before, this is my first time ever gonna listen to these riddims. I just listen to the riddims them, all kinda riddim. I just put all my lyrics together, because I already had all these lyrics 'written down' in me head anyhow, and I just gone straight in the studio, put on the riddims, and I just gone straight through them, one after the other, just like that. And that's how I create that album, and Virgin took the album and put it out, and big publicity, ad everywhere I go - because my name was all over the place, everybody was talkin' about Prince Hammer. So when I came to England the first time, every Rastaman was just runnin' up an down the place lookin' for me (chuckles). Because all they wanted was to know 'wow, where does this Ras come from?', y'know, 'who is this man?', y'know wha' I mean. You know, 'this man inspire us a lot'. Because most of the lyrics deh, as I said before, it's all about being positive. They were positive lyrics, cultural lyrics, and people wanted that. Because Bob Marley was doing so good at the time too, singin' a lot of serious, cultural songs. And for me doing that album that really really give me one of the biggest push - ever. That was one of me biggest seller.

	Page:  | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
	[ Previous ]      [ Next ]

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

All Rights Reserved. © 2005   Reggae Vibes Productions