Black Uhuru – Red | Is Robbie Shakespeare Breaking the Rules on Purpose?

Is this reggae's punk album? Reggae Summer Year 2 closes with Nate's pick: Black Uhuru's Red (Island/Mango, 1981) — Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson with Sly & Robbie, released within weeks of Bob Marley's death and tracked between Channel One in Kingston and Compass Point in Nassau.

No guest this episode, by design: Brandon came in with a hot take on Black Uhuru — unison vocals instead of harmony, one melody across half the catalog, and Robbie Shakespeare bass lines that ignore the chords — and Nate argues that's exactly the point: this is punk going into reggae, a young Sly & Robbie breaking the rules on purpose. We cover the lineup history from Don Carlos to Puma Jones; the Channel One / Compass Point split and the chorus guitars; Sly Dunbar's Simmons pads; the three-guitar attack of Mikey Chung, Dougie Bryan and Ranchie McLean; the band meeting that broke the group; standouts "Utterance" and "Sistren"; Favorite/Best; and potato vs. banana. Plus: Reggae Summer Year 3 ideas and Brandon's next pick.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:15:56 - Brandon's 3 Gripes with Red

00:52:24 - Musicianship and Production

01:25:44 - Standout Songs

01:51:40 - Favorite/Best

02:04:29 - Next Week's Pick

Support the show and get ad-free episodes at https://patreon.com/blackmarketdub Our music: https://blackmarketdub.bandcamp.com Vinyl: https://escapehatchrecords.com Instagram: @blackmarket_dub Watch the video episodes on YouTube: https://youtube.com/blackmarketdub Email us: blackmarketreggae@gmail.com