Reggae is often the victim of its simplified association with good vibes, weed smoking and hippie culture, but deep record collectors know that Jamaica was one of the most fertile artistic grounds for new music in the 70s. Producers like Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, Linval Thompson, Yabby You, and Augustus Clarke pushed the envelope in the studio, creating Dubs that were full of twisted hand-made effects and layers of texture…effectively inventing the remix. At the same time, singers like Dr. Alimantado and Big Youth were criticizing the government and bringing wider attention to corruption.
Blood and Fire was one of the first labels to start reissuing high-quality collector’s editions of Reggae albums. From 1994 to 2007, the label issued some of the best lesser-known Jamaican recordings of the 70s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JhTM0Lar3Q
In 2007, the label lost it’s distribution deal and effectively went out of business. Luckily, labels like Pressure Sounds, Soul Jazz and Sunspot are keeping the spirit alive.
More from Blood and Fire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of98f_EdLxk
– Submitted by Justin Main, Music Design