A sad day for reggae...

[voneville]

Singer Desmond Dekker dead at 64

 

Desmond Dekker - the man who rose to fame on Jamaica's airwaves with popular songs such as "The Israelites", "Intensified" and 007 - is dead.

The man who was christened Desmond Adolphus Dacres was born in July 16, 1941 died Thursday morning.

 

With his backing group, The Aces, Desmond Decker had the first international hit with The Israelites".

 

There are very few artistes left today who truly represented the best moments of the first decade of popular Jamaican music.

 

As a young man Desmond worked in a Jamaican welding shop. And his singing while working there served notice that he had quite a voice.

 

He had one thing in common with other Jamaican artistes such as Jimmy Cliff and Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker was produced by Leslie Kong of Beverly records.

 

He formed his group the Aces, which at times included Wilson James and various siblings from the Howard family, including Barry, Carl, Clive, and Patrick.

 

After changing his professional name to Dekker, in 1967 he and the group recorded 007 (Shanty Town), which made it to ..14 on the UK chart.

 

In 1963 his first break came with the single "Honour your father.

 

In 1968 the group won the festival song competition with the single - Intensified. His second album was also titled Intensified.

 

Another hit followed with the Israelites, this reached number one on the English pop charts in 1969.

 

The death of his guide and mentor Leslie Kong in 1971 was a tragic blow.

 

Desmond eventually migrated to England where he later modified his music for the English market.

 

His many hits and concerts made him a star among the English youths, who were then discovering the rhythmic patterns of reggae and who would ultimately imitate his Jamaican "rude boy" style.

 

Desmond became one of the leading lights of the music scene in Jamaica until the end of the 1960s and was particularly inspired and productive between 1966 and 1970.

 

He continued to perform and record into the 90's. With his death - he has gone down in history as one of those who paved the way around the world with the infectious beat - serving notice that reggae music had arrived.

 

Even though desmond was a singer the impact of his music influenced many guitar players over the span of decades. From Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall to the 2tone sounds of Brittain to the Neo-Traditional movement in America in the 90's.

[bjcarl]

Wow...I met Mr Dekker and Jimmy Cliff in Grenada a couple of years ago. They offered me free tickets to their concert at the cricket stadium there. I declined, because at $5 US a ticket, that was something I could easily afford-charming, really personable man-sad day for music in general...

[jjpistols]

[jerry_picker]

 

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir,

so that every mouth can be fed.

Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.

 

[GAS Man]

Originally posted by voneville Singer Desmond Dekker dead at 64 Desmond Dekker - the man who rose to fame on Jamaica's airwaves with popular songs such as "The Israelites",

 

Interesting.

 

I have that song on an original 45. My sister bought it when it was first a hit song. It somehow fell into my possession and it's one of my favorite old 45s.

 

The song was later used in the soundtrack to "Drug Store Cowboy" to good effect.

 

So and

[voneville]

Originally posted by GAS Man Interesting. I have that song on an original 45. My sister bought it when it was first a hit song. It somehow fell into my possession and it's one of my favorite old 45s. The song was later used in the soundtrack to "Drug Store Cowboy" to good effect. So and

 

It's a good song. You can get it if you really want is one of my favorites. That's cool that you have one of the original 45's. I don't have very much of my old vinyl anymore. Most of it got lost in storage (see also, my tweeker brothers sold all of my {censored} when I left for the navy).

[bjcarl]

Y'know...this and the punk thread going on got me thinking...Chuck Berry may have played a major role in the creation of punk, but if wasn't for Dekker, Tosh, Marley, Jimmy Cliff and the other great Reggae artists, punk would've never gotten off the ground, possibly never existed at all...

[voneville]

The political and social conciousness side of punk were definatley directly impacted by reggae. But you know, that's sort of the difference between early american pre-punk and punk, and the brits. The brits had a lot of agenda's, and americans just wanted to play rock and roll. Okay, a bit of a gross generalization, but there's a lot of truth in that.

[GAS Man]

Originally posted by voneville It's a good song. You can get it if you really want is one of my favorites. That's cool that you have one of the original 45's. I don't have very much of my old vinyl anymore. Most of it got lost in storage (see also, my tweeker brothers sold all of my {censored} when I left for the navy).

 

Funny, my Dad had a story like that.

 

He knew his mom, the old bitch, wouldn't help him through college or anything. He was adopted and his mom put her natural daughter thru college but not him. So he was afraid if he stuck around town he'd end up with a career pumping gas or something. So he immediately joined the Army. The first time he came back home to visit her, she'd sold off all his stuff. Including things like a 22 rifle he had as a kid. It warped his psyche.

 

But with the military, he was able to go to college and get his commission so his career turned out fine. But he was always a hard-ass asshole of a Dad due to his "rought childhood". :cry: i.e. boo hoo. Instead of being a nice guy in his life, he just felt like kids didn't deserve much cuz he didn't get much.

 

Anyway, that's probably too much story for HCEG, but your story reminded me of my Dad. (Whom I haven't spoken to in 4 years !)

 

Ain't families grand!

[voneville]

Originally posted by GAS Man Funny, my Dad had a story like that. He knew his mom, the old bitch, wouldn't help him through college or anything. He was adopted and his mom put her natural daughter thru college but not him. So he was afraid if he stuck around town he'd end up with a career pumping gas or something. So he immediately joined the Army. The first time he came back home to visit her, she'd sold off all his stuff. Including things like a 22 rifle he had as a kid. It warped his psyche. But with the military, he was able to go to college and get his commission so his career turned out fine. But he was always a hard-ass asshole of a Dad due to his "rought childhood". :cry: i.e. boo hoo. Instead of being a nice guy in his life, he just felt like kids didn't deserve much cuz he didn't get much. Anyway, that's probably too much story for HCEG, but your story reminded me of my Dad. (Whom I haven't spoken to in 4 years !) Ain't families grand!

 

At least he didn't name you Sue!

[GAS Man]

Originally posted by voneville At least he didn't name you Sue!

 

No, but that's my sister's name!

[jerry_picker]

First wave ska is well worth investigating:

 

Desmond Dekker

Skatalites

Ethiopians

Dandy Livingstone

Don Drummond

Pioneers

Roland Alphonso

[voneville]

 

Originally posted by jerry_picker First wave ska is well worth investigating: Desmond Dekker Skatalites Ethiopians Dandy Livingstone Don Drummond Pioneers Roland Alphonso

 

 

I love first wave, but the skinhead reggae years are my favorite. I love how tight the rhythym got.

 

Trojan Records Boxed Sets: Ska, Skinhead Reggae, and Mod Reggae are all worth having in your collection if nothing else. I think I'm going out to the garage and drinkin red stripe and listening to all of my old records tonight.

[jerry_picker]

Originally posted by voneville I love first wave, but the skinhead reggae years are my favorite. I love how tight the rhythym got. Trojan Records Boxed Sets: Ska, Skinhead Reggae, and Mod Reggae are all worth having in your collection if nothing else. I think I'm going out to the garage and drinkin red stripe and listening to all of my old records tonight.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xUroEF10W4I&search=desmond%20dekker

 

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_d-GCUfqVnI&search=desmond%20dekker

 

 

The Specials, Selecter, English Beat got me into it, but they jarred my memory back to grade school, when Israelites was huge. From my own jaded old-guy vantage point, I'd have to say that The Specials were definitive for me, but I later realized what a huge debt they owed to Dandy Livingstone, early Jimmy Cliff, and Desmond Dekker.

 

[voneville]

Originally posted by jerry_picker http://youtube.com/watch?v=xUroEF10W4I&search=desmond%20dekker http://youtube.com/watch?v=1e2aRfqp1sY&search=desmond%20dekker http://youtube.com/watch?v=_d-GCUfqVnI&search=desmond%20dekker The Specials, Selecter, English Beat got me into it, but they jarred my memory back to grade school, when Israelites was huge. From my own jaded old-guy vantage point, I'd have to say that The Specials were definitive for me, but I later realized what a huge debt they owed to Dandy Livingstone, early Jimmy Cliff, and Desmond Dekker.

 

Yea, those pesky Jamaicans really ripped off some specials songs

[Vinnie Vintage]

Rest in peace, Desmond. It's insane - I saw him in concert (and met him + shook his hand while he was hanging out in the crowd later on!) about a year ago and he was so full of energy, so healthy. The night I meet my second favorite Jamaican superstar (Lee Scratch Perry) and shake his hand, Desmond died. Feels strange.

[voneville]

 

Originally posted by Vinnie Vintage Rest in peace, Desmond. It's insane - I saw him in concert (and met him + shook his hand while he was hanging out in the crowd later on!) about a year ago and he was so full of energy, so healthy. The night I meet my second favorite Jamaican superstar (Lee Scratch Perry) and shake his hand, Desmond died. Feels strange.

 

 

I've had the chance to meet Laurel Aitken. Unfortanatley I never did get around to seeing Desmond live. A lot of the great artists from the 60's are getting to the end of the line. So go see them while you can!