Sandeeno – Roughneck Soldier
Artist Info
Sandeeno 19??-2018
Career: Duo with Spiderman | Solo artist
Selective Discography
Albums
- Teardown Babylon
- Guncrime Gone Crazy
- Hold It Down (Sip A Cup Showcase Vol. 10)
- The Heathens
Albums w/ Spiderman
- Superman And Spiderman
- It Ain’t Easy
Singles
- Champion Sound (12″)
- Tear Down Babylon (12″)
- Flexing Lean
- Nah Go Down Deh
- Borrowed Time
- Jah A Mi Protector
- Nowhere To Run
- Good Over Evil
- Ready & Prepare (12″)
- Put Down De Guns (12″)
- More Strength
- Can’t Keep I & I Down
- World In Danger
- Ah Mankind (10″)
- Better Way
- Ah Mankind (10″)
- Mr Greed For All
- No More War
- Wise Man
- What Dem Fighting For
- Sound Boy Warning
- Babylon Falling Down
- Love Jah And Live
- Roughneck Soldier
- Fresh
- Drink And Drive
- Bonifide Friend
- Ungrateful Women
- Ganja Promotions
- Infatuation
- Jah Lifted Me Up
- Colour Of Our skin
- Love See No Colour
Derrick Johnson, better known as Sandeeno, passed away on Sunday September 30, 2018. Details about the cause of his death are yet unknown.
Sandeeno was born in Birmingham UK, but raised in the Jamaican parish of Manchester. He first started out as a deejay under the name of Superman deejaying in combination with Jamaican deejay Spiderman. They recorded their debut album in 1984 for Ranking Joe and it was released on Kingdom Records in 1985. It was recorded at Harry J’s and Channel One in Jamaica. Sandeeno then moved to Kingston in order to be nearer to the studios. During the following years they recorded for various producers and released singles on labels such as King Jammy’s, Shocking Vibes, Penthouse, Steely & Cleevie, Mr Doo, Soljie and others.
SANDEENO – 19??-2018
In 1993 he met with Charlie Outernational of Outernational Records and recorded the album “It Ain’t Easy” which was critically acclaimed. The duo then toured Switzerland. After the tour the duo split and Superman changed his name to Sandeeno. He released his first solo record titled “Gangster” on the Black Roots imprint. In 1995 he moved into self-production with the single “Ten Commitments” showcasing him being able to both deejay and sing. Several singles followed for various producers.
In 1996 Sandeeno recorded “Tear Down Babylon” for Mikey Simpson’s MCS Records. The song was quite a hit and reached #1 on the English charts and stayed there for several months becoming somewhat of an anthem. Successful singles such as “Nah Go Down Deh” and “Mankind” followed. These and other singles were collected for the album “Tear Down Babylon”, which was released in 1998.
Since then he has recorded for producers such as Gussie P, Blacker Dread and the Fashion studio among others. In 2008 Sandeeno released the album “Guncrime Gone Crazy” that was focused entirely on anti-gun and uplifting messages. The next year saw the release of a Showcase album entitled “Hold It Down”, which was produced by Gussie P, two years later followed by “The Heathens”, a 20-track CD he recorded for producer Dougie Wardrop.
(Sources: Reggaepedia, Facebook, Discogs)
Sad to hear the passing of Sandeeno. I knew him personally back in the day when he was known as Superman. I remember he had a beautiful singing voice.
May he rest in eternal peace.
Miss ing my brother from another mother, deeply Missing your company laughter smile everything you turned positive and turn in to a song, we laughed it off. I am already in sorry now you my best friend gone.
Wow! I’ve just learnt Sandeeno passed away?!? What a shame, such a nice person and such a great voice! Another one gone too young, too soon, may you rest in peace!
Sandeeno my Children’s father, my partner for over 23 years…. we are so humble and honored to have had you in our lives…your presence is always at home your spirit I see every day in your children. .. it’s a blessing to be able to have more than photos… social media isn’t all bad we are able to see how much our Derrick is loved from all over the world ” Legends live on “… we love an miss you loads .. let your melodious voice sing thoughout the heavens
Superman & Spiderman – two of the coolest people to ever reach Switzerland.
Later, I met Spiderman in Kingston (then: ‘Black Spider’), who showed me places like Mixing Lab, took me to Black Scorpio. We even went to Music Works and other places. I still got dub-plates with Black Spider on – done at Black Scorpio in 1993.
In the early nineties I thought they were newcomers – I had no idea that they had already recorded an album together some eight years before and had numberless 7″ done for top producers.
It was so good to see that you, as ‘Sandeeno’, made quite a name for yourself in England – just by singing truth and reality, without following any fashion.
You were a true role model. The youths need people/artistes like you.
We now have Jahmiel spreading rightful messages in the dancehall in JA, but there should be much more artíste like that.
I have met Sandeeno aka Superman with Spiderman in Kingston in 1989 or 1990 in Kingston, where we recorded the song “Reggae Reggae”. We were a band from Switzerland called the Ganglords. Superman & Spiderman were such great artists – stylish, funny, reliable, honest, grounded, with an incredible sense of humour! They became friends, showing us around Kingston, and helping us in this or that situation. A few years laters (still early 1990ies), I organized a tour for ‘The Ganglords feat. Superman & Spiderman’ with about 10 concerts an two or three soundsystem gigs in Switzerland. They stayed at my place in the city of Zurich for about 3 weeks. I have great memories of them as showmen, but also when showing them some nice parts of Switzerland when we had spare time.
Although we have lost contact over time (Facebook wasn’t there yet), I have always regarded them as friends.
Sandeeno, your family can be proud of you, and your friends miss you, too.