Trojan - Latest Updates

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Thanks John - another one on there for £40 BIN with a 'drastically reduced - 39p' sticker on. Clearly not shifting either. Some may be happy with the JO CD which had all the tracks and more.

Hadn't realised this was stereo but then Trojan didn't usually flag this, at least until the `71/`72 sets from Dynamic Sounds with the Jamaican sleeves.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

I agree, a great compilation.
Got my copy back in '79/80 for £1, same place I got a shed load of Trojan, in an army surplus store.

A mate found an EX copy a couple of months ago from a charity shop for £1. He has it on ebay at the moment. Started it at £35 but no takers, he's now reduced it to £25 and it's been there a while.
I guess a lot of us Reggae collectors already have it!

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

I didn't get a copy of this until about 1987 but I rate it as one of the best Trojan comps, but more because of the JO vocal tracks - the instrumentals are fine but they were essentially used to pad it out. Incredibly, the title track wasn't issued as a 45 by the company (they did put out an instro version of it, possibly mistakenly) despite it being one of the biggest Jamaican hits of 1969.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

Original 1972 release not listed yet.
Track A5 Delroy Wilson 'Cool Operator' is a 'Version' (semi instrumental with a few lyrics) and not the Jackpot 45. The LP version clocks in at 1.20 whereas the 45 clocks in at around 1.55.

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Comment by Stampkool:

In my mind all of these tracks were released as 45s in the UK, but upon checking it's only half of them:

A2 - Morning Of My Life - Trojan TR 7975 (1976)
A5 - Help Me Make It Through The Night - TR 7909 (1974)
A6 - Mr. Bojangles - TRO 9077 (1984)
B1 - I'd Love You To Want Me - Trojan TR 7975 (1976)
B3 - You Baby - TR 7953 (1975)
B4 - Too Much Love - TRO 9077 (1984)

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

[YouTube Video]

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Stellar set from Owen, which is one of the few TTL's I hadn't got round to buying in thirty years, but the only drawback I found is the difference in recording levels between tracks (the Soul tends to be higher than the Reggae, so possibly laid at different studios?). So be ready to turn that dial down.

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Comment by Grufft:

The (EU) label Trojan produced and distributed BMI composer/lyricist Alfred Lloyd Reed, Jr. "pka Al Reed" copyrighted composition "Message From Maria" unauthorized, crediting Combine Music as publisher.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

A good LP, if a little low-fi.

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

It's nigh on 40 years since I played my copy of this but I'm pretty sure track A1 is an instrumental by Lloyd Willis (also came out on a Pressure Beat 45). Track B1 could be likewise. Whether the other tracks are all by the Inspirations I couldn't readily say.

This is just the sort of concept (i.e. mostly covers of popular Reggae 45s by other artists) that would routinely have been issued by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires so having it done by a different producer is a bit unusual.

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Comment by whitewhale1965:

HEY JUDE
[YouTube Video]

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Same tracklist as 'Turning Point' on Venture from 1977 (which I've just added) but with the addition of tracks A5 and B2. I wonder whether Trojan knew about the previous release when they licensed this one?

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

[YouTube Video]

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Brilliant comp and it doesn't turn up too often. Have to say though I've not played my copy in 30+ years, from a time when I was buying Trojan, Pama, Melodisc, Bamboo etc albums on a weekly basis for a few pounds each.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

Another Trojan LP added and another recently put into my collection.

Most have been released on Trojan UK 45's except for:
The Wailers - Cheer Up
Tony Brevett - Staircase Of Time

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Comment by Redpunk ●:

Added label scans without "Made In England"

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

I can't find any evidence that they played at Hyde Park Stampkool but neither can I find anything about any big outside gig (and with a hugely white audience) where Al Brown played, although I can quite believe he toured the UK in `74 on the strength of the title track from this album. Just playing it now - it's ok but probably not one I'd go back to much. He tends to go a bit OTT on the Al Green inflections for my liking, particularly on 'For The Good Times' and 'Girl In His Mind'.

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

One of the most iconic Trojan sleeves as far as I'm concerned - in fact, I have a spare one for anyone who wants it.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

Only 5 of the tracks made it onto UK 45's, OK 6 if you include The Stags - Jerusalem Rock

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

From a posting on RKR's Facebook pages, this was seemingly also repressed when Saga took over Trojan with the 326 Kensal Road address on the rear of the sleeve, which had used the Upsetters' 'Double Seven' album as a mock-up. The original track list from that album was inadvertently left in so there's a sticker with the Silvertones' tracks pasted over it as a correction.

One of the best albums Trojan ever issued in my opinion but it has its detractors. I imagine most Reggae buyers would have viewed the second pressing as old hat and would have been keener on Lee Perry's then current output. The one on RKR is the only example I've seen.

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Bought this at the time but like most didn't take a note of when. The Slim Smith LP two releases before this one was definitely `72 (a pal at primary school had it and I didn't see anything of him beyond September when we moved to different senior schools) so I would have said April `73 was too late at a time when Trojan were probably putting out as many as three new albums a week. These tracks would also have been six months old by then so a bit dusty.

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Comment by Burton LeB SUBS:

This LP was reviewed in Sounds issue dated 14 April 1973, so possibly not released until that time.

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Comment by Stampkool:

This was also released in Spain on Ariola

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Comment by whitewhale1965:

Recorded at Federal Recording Co. Ltd., Kingston Jamaica
Engineers: G. Raymond, B. Davidson
Lloyd Parks - bass
Paul Williams - drums
Willie Lindo - guitars
Lloyd Charmers - keyboard and percussion

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Ex/Ex copy went for £103 on e-bay last night. I can only assume the final price had come about via a bidding war (20 bidders) or some were taken in by the misleading mention of 'Lee Perry' in the description as this is completely OTT.

I nabbed a VG+ copy for £50 with a buy it now offer - hopefully it'll turn up in that condition. It's a bit of a completist purchase as I felt I should have it to complete what must be a near complete set of Trojan TBL albums but from what I remember it's a bit of a snoozefest.

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

I have a spare sleeve for this if anyone would like it (gratis).

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

[YouTube Video]

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Thanks John - I doubt whether I'd have picked up the difference between the two as it must be 30 years since I've played the b side of that 45.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

Track A2-The Upsetters - Dream Land is not the same as Dreamland version.
This particular cut features a heavy organ over the rhythm which could be Winston Wright?

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Comment by Upsetter FC:

Added labels.

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Comment by Madame Streggae ●:

Copy on e-bay for a few weeks at £50 (bit of a vague description though something like 'has some marks but plays ok') with no takers, and I didn't fancy risking that much money. Then relisted at £45 and got a bid but didn't bother to check back at what it ended at. I had what I remember was quite a decent copy 30+ years ago and traded it not long after - just didn't hit the spot for me, plus I think there are mastering faults on the first tracks of each side, although thinking back I can't work that out as it surely came from a master tape? Classic example though of sticking a Jamaican band in a UK recording studio and getting a sound vastly inferior to what emanates from yard.

I'm sure it was put together by Creole to capitalise on the band's chart success and to give them something to occupy them during their extended stay in the UK. It's one of the few Trojan sets from the `68-`73 period that I don't have and if another copy presented itself at a reasonable price I might go for it again.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

An Upsetters LP that apparently Lee Perry dissed as he had no involvement in it.
Another tough one to find on original.

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Comment by johnnyhotspur:

Added rear sleeve and labels.