Free | Current TV
Posted: 11/2/2011
This is a video series about the history Jamaican Music and Its cultivation at Randy's Records, the foundation of today's VP Records currently celebrating 50 years in Caribbean Music.
Founded in 1958 by Vincent and Patricia Chin, Randy s was the first complete package - studio, distribution, sales and most importantly vibes. Producers and artists crowded Idler s Rest a famous spot around the corner of Randy s to get a chance to record in the studio. Many legends today made their mark at this historic location.
Bob Marley & The Wailers recorded their ground-breaking album Catch A Fire and Peter Tosh voiced his first two solo albums Legalize It and Equal Rights at Randy s Studio. According to reggae luminary Pat Kelly, Randy s had the sound people want. We can call it the ghetto sound. The real roots sound.
From the very start, Randy s linked itself to the popular yet controversial musical styles of the day particularly SKA, ROOTS and DUB REGGAE.
From its start to the early 60s Randy's featured the early politically motivated Ska tunes Independent Jamaica from Lord Creator and Malcolm X from the Skatalites, the Bob Marley & The Wailers cover of the Archie s pop single Sugar Sugar and John And James by a youthful Toots & The Maytals displaying their spiritual and subtly subversive style. Also musical pioneers like the great trombonist Don Drummond on Machine Shop , organ player Jackie Mittoo on End Dust and the original sound system deejay Winston Count Machukie Cooper on Warfare .
The special significance of singers in the 1970s is reflected in songs like Don t Go by Horace Andy, Lonely Soldier by Gregory Isaacs, For The Love of You by John Holt, and Cheater from Dennis Brown. Randy s critical role in the birth of reggae was re-confirmed with the release of Augustus Pablo s Java that decade. This Clive Chin (son of Vincent Chin) production was an instant hit not to mention the 1972 Instrumental o