Follow on TwitterLISTEN: Reggae Great Delroy Wilson Sings ‘This Life Makes Me Wonder’
In 1961, a thirteen year old Delroy Wilson began his music career in Kingston, Jamaica, recording ska hits penned by Lee “scratch” Perry, Coxsone Dodd, amongst others. His music evolved with the sounds of 60′s Jamaica from ska to rocksteady and eventually to reggae. By the late-60s/early-70s he was one of the most influential reggae recording stars on the island.
He first toured the U.K. in 1970, where British reggae label Trojan Records had him record a number of songs — a move that would help him to expand his European footprint.
By the mid-70s many British punks, including The Clash’s Joe Strummer, counted themselves as Delroy Wilson fans. Strummer, at the time, attended a reggae concert at the Hammersmith Palais to see Wilson and fellow Kingston musicians Dillinger and Leroy Smart perform. Expecting a rebellious ‘roots reggae’ performance, Strummer felt disappointed by their sets, claiming them to be “all very Vegas.”
British film director and musician Don Letts, who attended the show with Strummer, reflected on the evening: “I think that show was an eye opener for [Strummer], realizing that all these people were trying to get out of the ghetto roots life.”
The event inspired Strummer to pen the lyrics for one of The Clash’s biggest hits: “White Man In Hammersmith Palais.” In it you can hear Strummer shout out “Delroy Wilson, your cool operator.”
Wilson died at the age of 46 on March 6, 1995 of cirrhosis of the liver. He is often noted for his soulful vocals and melancholy lyrics. Of his many great songs, one of my personal favorites is his 1968 recording, “This Life Makes Me Wonder.” The lyrics are simple, yet strangely haunting, and the music is just so damned melodic:
This life makes me wonder
how to live another day to come
This life makes me wonder
how to live another day to comeI feel the strong of the hand of one that I was depending on
It takes a friend… to be a friend
It takes a friend… to stop a friend
ENJOY:
Delroy Wilson’s greatest hits album, Once Upon A Time, which features this song, can be downloaded here:
Watch: Orange Juice ‘Rip It Up’ Video From 1983
Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1979, Orange Juice released many memorable songs inspired by the sounds of the Velvet Underground, Chic, and the Talking Heads. After the band’s demise, singer/songwriter Edwyn Collins went on to enjoy critical acclaim as a solo artist. Most of you are probably familiar with his amazing single ‘A Girl Like You’ from the album ‘Gorgeous George’. But I’m guessing few of our American readers will recall his earlier efforts with the band, Orange Juice.
Take a listen to Orange Juice’s unique sounds and style underlined by superb songwriting, and you will instantly be reminded of all the exciting independent music that was coming out in the early 80s. Fabulous song! Fabulous band!
From the album of the same name, here’s Orange Juice’s first Top 10 Hit — the funky and soulful ‘Rip It Up’:
ENJOY:
You can download Orange Juice’s ‘Rip It Up’ here: 
FREE 12-Song Download: Carbon/Silicon (Ex-Clash Mick Jones) New LP, ‘Carbon Bubble’
Great news for all impoverished music lovers out there!
Carbon/Silicon, featuring — one of my all-time favorite songwriters — Mick Jones (formerly of The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (formerly of Generation X), have just released their new 12-Song LP entitled The Carbon Bubble. It is available at the Carbon/Silicon site as a free download. THAT’S RIGHT, FREE DOWNLOAD! Get over there, and get it!
Also, for those of you who don’t have it yet, be sure to download their fabulous two-song EP, Maybe That’s The Meaning of Life, as well — co-written and recorded with Gary Kemp (formerly of Spandau Ballet).
I’m playing The Carbon Bubble LP right now as I type, and it is awesome! The tracks “What’s Up Doc” and “The Best Man” — a favorite of mine so far — both have an authentic late 70s punk sound — and could easily pass as early Clash tunes. “Reach For the Sky” is great as well — sort of has that now-familiar Carbon/Silicon sound. “Make it Alright” has an early 60s, garage sound — just fantastic!
Carbon/Silicon have written an awesome album! — definitely, one of the best releases of 2009! Mick Jones has still got it. And now he’s giving it away.
Once you’ve downloaded and had a chance to give it a spin, let us know what you think. Enjoy!
Watch: Jesus & Mary Chain w/ Hope Sandoval “Sometimes Always” Live – 1994
If you were told The Jesus & Mary Chain were attempting to pen a love song — a duet — this is EXACTLY what you’d hope to get from them. Somehow they managed to incorporate their signature detached (brooding) style — something unheard of in a traditional love song — and yet it works here [...]
Watch: Bad Brains Perform ‘I & I Survive’ In Paris – 1989
Here’s an old favorite of mine from Bad Brains. Unlike a lot of the lightning-fast hardcore tunes they were writing in the early 80s, ‘I & I Survive’ is very much laid-back, melodic reggae. For that reason it’s one of those timeless tunes from the early hardcore punk days that you can come back to [...]
Watch: Paul Weller Performs One Of His Best Hits, “Wild Wood,” Live
Paul Weller does an incredible live version of his amazing single, “Wild Wood.” Enjoy!:
Watch: Iggy Pop Does “The Passenger” Live in 1977
Iggy Pop’s contribution to punk is sometimes discounted in the annals of music history, but just for the record: Iggy Pop was MOST DEFINITELY the first punk, at least in the way the music and style of the genre was defined in the 1970s. Generally, that honor gets bestowed upon bands like The Ramones, The [...]
Watch: From 1980 — Boomtown Rats Perform Hit ‘Banana Republic’
Here’s a fabulous song by Bob Geldof’s old band — from Dublin, Ireland — The Boomtown Rats. For those unfamiliar with this track, it’s got a great reggae-infused melody that will leave you humming it over and over again, all day and night. Songs like these make me miss the 80s something terrible: Enjoy!: The [...]
Watch: Paul Weller Covers Sister Sledge’s “Thinking of You”
Probably no artist has left as big a mark on my adolescent years as Paul Weller. From huge Jam fan / Style Council fan — to playing in bands heavily influenced by his writing. There’s probably millions of those who share similar stories as mine across the Atlantic, but over here in America, I’d guess [...]
Watch: Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros “Tony Adams”
In the name of disclosure, I’ll just say that The Clash are one of my all-time favorite bands. I sense that quite a few out there have shied away from Joe Strummer’s post-Clash efforts. For those of you who loved The Clash, but haven’t yet delved into this part of Strummer’s career, a word to [...]
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