Reggae headz step up please

[LDJB]

Afternoon all. I was out on a mini dig at lunchtime and found that the local Shelter had an absolute shitload of mid 70's reggae 7s in mint condition. I've grabbed about 20 or so that I've either heard of / were soul covers / I liked the look of but theres a load left. My question is what should I be looking out for on the Torpedo label?

There's about a dozen or so still there on this label and I don't recognise any!

[son of stan]

Torpedo was one of Eddy Grant's labels so there's a good chance there might be some funkiness there somewhere..I can't be much help on any you might want to pick out but records like these are very hard to come by these days. I'd go back now and grab the lot if I were you!

There' s label listing here:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/tor7.htm

Just noticed an early(?) version of "nobody's got time"

[theeman]

that version of nobody's got time is indeed pretty funky, and well worth getting.

[emperor tomato ketchup]

How much are they? Gotta be worth chancing it if they are a few bob each

[BoneyVotel]

There are a couple of tunes on Torpedo by.... can't remember the name off my head, but the title you want contains "Skinhead", this or anything along these lines can be good money. I agree that i'd take a pop at all of them, it's a difficult lable to find. Ive must say that a lot of the early / mid 70's reggae on such lables as Ackee / Torpedo / Jackpot is pretty lame to my ears. Personally I'd buy 'em all!!!!!

[son of stan]

Quote[/b] (BoneyVotel @ Nov. 26 2003,16:10)]There are a couple of tunes on Torpedo by.... can't remember the name off my head, but the title you want contains "Skinhead", this or anything along these lines can be good money. I agree that i'd take a pop at all of them, it's a difficult lable to find. Ive must say that a lot of the early / mid 70's reggae on such lables as Ackee / Torpedo / Jackpot is pretty lame to my ears. Personally I'd buy 'em all!!!!!

"Skinhead over london"? I've got that. Didn't realise it was worth anything.

[LDJB]

Cheers guys - guess I'll be trying to go back on my way home from work then!

I'll post up details on the one's I got tonight after a listen - looking forward to "What's Going On" by Big Youth I have to say

[BoneyVotel]

Hot Rod Allstars is the group

[Col Wolfe]

Talking of reggae, there's an advert on TV at the mo which features a remix of Nora Dean's "Barbwire" or "Naughty Boy". These are 2 of my favourite skinhead reggae 45s - anyone know who did the remix?

[john stapleton]

could well be interested in any you don't like.....

[LDJB]

I went back and I'm glad I did 'cos there was another pile which I hadn't noticed earleir and at the back of it was:

Little Brother Grant & Zapatta Schmidt - Let's Do It TOgether / Hey Man, Why (the b is a stormin' Hammond workout and no mistake)

This is the rest of what I got:

Ken Boothe - Lady with the Starlight / Version (Torpedo)
Les Foster - Run Like a Thief / Nobody's Fool (Torpedo)
Errol English - Sha La La La Lee / the Bovver Boys - A.G.G.R.O. (Torpedo)
Errol English - Where You Lead Me / Hitchin' a Ride (Torpedo)
Errol English - Open the Door to Your Heart / That Will Do (Torpedo)
Alvin Ford - Tears on My Pillow (I Can't Take it Reggae) / Version (Torpedo)
Eugene Paul & the Pilots - Sugar Dumpling / I May Dwell (Torpedo)
Ken Boothe - Say You / Version (Torpedo)
John & Jesse - One Man Woman / Version (Torpedo)
Peter King - My Eyes Adore You / Version (Torpedo)
Les & Silkie - I Don't Want to Tell You / Denzil Dennis - Come on In (Torpedo)
Joe Higgs - My Baby Still Loves Me / Hard Times (Torpedo)
Gregory Isaacs - Help Us Get Over / All I Have is Love (Torpedo)
Derrick Harriot - Eighteen with a Bullet / version (Trojan)
Ken Boothe - (It's the Way) That Nature Planned it / Sad & Lonely (Trojan)
Big Youth - What's Going On / Ten Against One (Trojan)
Ken Boothe - Who Gets Your Love / Is It Because I'm Black? (Trojan)
Pluto Sherington - Ram Goat Liver / version (Trojan)
Pat Kelly - The Best Time of my Life / What Am I To Do (Horse)
Johnny Orlando - No Chance / version (Horse)
Johnny Clarke - If You Should Loose Me / Right to Edwards Head (Lord Koos)
Anton Ellis - Alphabetically Yours / version (Lord Koos)
D Morgan & H Ellis - I Am Gone / Straight to Joe Joe Head (Lord Koos)
the Maytones - Please Let Me Go / Version (Lord Koos)
Corporation of Love - To Be True / Instro (Tropical Sound Tracs)
Max Romeo - Big Jack / Cross Over the Bridge / Please Help me, I'm Falling (Tropical Sound Tracs)
Jacob Miller - Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay / Version (2nd Tracs)
Paul Davidson - I Need You / Don't Mind (Tropical Records)
MBV - Theme from the Gun Court / No Parole (HA Records)
Johnn Clarke - Julie / Everybody Wondering (Atra Records)
J Stratdan - Lorane / Dub (Fight)
Bonnie Gayle - Mellow Up Yourself / version (Treble)
The Imitations - Walking up a One Way Street / version (Crystal)
The Mighty Diamond - Back Weh (You No Mafia) / Dub (Locks)
Spartacus - Love Me Today / Children (Zara)
The Black Roots - Eastern Standard Time / Hucklebuck (Moodisc)
Lord Zero & the Grove - Funky Carnival / instro (Zara)
Dhaima - Ina Jah Children / Mighty Two - Save the Chidren (Joe Gibbs Records)
The Selectors - Jenny Jenny / Danny - Bumbo (Ethnic)
Jimmy Cherry - He'll Have to Go / Sugarcane Band - Ladbroke Groove (Alpine)
Paulette Walker - It May Be Winter Outside but in my Heart it's Spring / Diamond Cut - I'm a Believer (Burning Sounds)

Also picked up a couple of Greensleeves comps, Kids Play - Babe Ruth and Cerrone - Rocket in the Pocket 7" (without the break - bugger).

Any appraisals, valuations and comments on the above most welcome as I only recognise a few names.

John - let me have a proper listen then I'll get in touch.

[ladyboygrimsby]

Great haul! The Cerrone LPwith the break on it, is the live version of Rocket, in case you're looking for it.

As far as Torpedo is concerned, I don't think most of the reggae output is that great, but there are a few killer funk records on there, one of which is the earliest version Nobody's Got Time (there are four versions that I know of). This is pretty different to the most famous version. There's also I'm Coming Home by Marco, which I really like. It came out in a slightly modified version later on on Ice under the name No Such Thing by Coach House Rhythm Section. Pick up anything credited to Marco, it's another Eddy pseudonym (the name of his publishing company).