Name: The Front Line [Virgin]
Brand: Virgin Records (UK)
SKU: 829377
Availability: OutOfStock

The Front Line [Virgin]

Rating

Album: The Front Line [Virgin]
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Dreadlocks the Time Is Now - The Gladiators
2)	Mix Up - The Gladiators
3)	Know Yourself Mankind - The Gladiators
4)	Too Long in Slavery - Culture
5)	Work of Natty - Culture
6)	Natty Never Get Weary - Culture
7)	Black Liberation Struggle - Gregory Isaacs
8)	Universal Tribulation - Gregory Isaacs
9)	Poor and Clean - Gregory Isaacs
10)	Let My Days Be Long - The Abyssinians
11)	Wicked Men - The Abyssinians
12)	Right Time - The Mighty Diamonds
13)	Bodyguard - The Mighty Diamonds
14)	Africa - The Mighty Diamonds
15)	Roots, Natty Roots, Natty Congo - Johnny Clarke
16)	Crazy Baldhead - Johnny Clarke
17)	Prophecy A-Fulfilled - Johnny Clarke
18)	Never Get Burn - Twinkle Brothers
19)	Free Africa - Twinkle Brothers
20)	Since I Threw the Comb Away - Twinkle Brothers
21)	Zion - Delroy Washington
22)	Observance - Delroy Washington
23)	Stop the Fussing and Fighting - Culture
24)	Cumbolo - Culture
25)	International Herb - Culture
26)	Native Woman - Gregory Isaacs
27)	Let's Dance - Gregory Isaacs
28)	Mr. Brown - Gregory Isaacs
29)	Those Guys - The Sensations
30)	Jah Loves - The Abyssinians
31)	This Land Is For Everyone - The Abyssinians
32)	Hearsay - The Gladiators
33)	Pocket Money - The Gladiators
34)	Greatest Love - The Gladiators
35)	Tide Is High - The Paragons
36)	Declaration of Rights
37)	I Am Still Waiting
38)	I Don't Want to Be Lonely Anymore - Twinkle Brothers
39)	I Love You So - Twinkle Brothers
40)	Shame and Pride - The Mighty Diamonds
41)	I Need a Roof - The Mighty Diamonds
42)	Civilisation - Keith Hudson
43)	Uptown Top Ranking - Althea & Donna
44)	Chalice in the Palace - U-Roy
45)	Wear You to the Ball - U-Roy
46)	Natty Rebel - U-Roy
47)	Tribute to Marcus Garvey - I-Roy
48)	Jordan River - I-Roy
49)	Radical Music - I-Roy
50)	Bible - Prince Hammer
51)	MPLA - Tapper Zukie
52)	Oh Lord - Tapper Zukie
53)	Dangerous Woman - Tapper Zukie
54)	Marcus Garvey - Big Youth
55)	Lightning Flash - Big Youth
56)	Isaiah First Prophet of Old - Big Youth
57)	Humble One, The - Jah Lloyd
58)	Message From the King - Prince Far I
59)	Commandment of Drugs - Prince Far I
60)	Weather Balloon - U-Brown
61)	Natty Dread up on a Mountain Top - U-Brown
62)	Masculine Gender - Ranking Trevor
63)	Rub a Dub Style - Ranking Trevor
64)	Five Nights of Bleeding - Poet & the Roots
65)	Suru Lere Dub - Prince Far I
66)	Borno Dub - Prince Far I
67)	Bendel Dub - Prince Far I
68)	Roof Top Dub - Well Charged
69)	Merciful Dub - Well Charged
70)	Cell Block 11 - Well Charged
71)	Blacka Black Dub - Well Charged
72)	Command Counsel Dub - Poet & the Roots
73)	African Tak - I-Roy
74)	Rasta Fiesta - Sly Dunbar
75)	Sesame Street - Sly Dunbar
76)	Dirty Harry - Sly Dunbar
77)	Big Youth Special - Big Youth
78)	Black Man Message - Big Youth
79)	Academy Award Version
80)	Herb Dub - Jah Lloyd
81)	Stone Dub - Jah Lloyd
82)	Knife and Fork - Jah Lloyd
83)	Distant Drums Dub - Twinkle Brothers
84)	Hip Dub - Vivian Weathers
85)	Diamonds and Pearls Dub - The Mighty Diamonds
86)	Bodyguard Dub - The Mighty Diamonds
1)	Stop the Fussing and Fighting - Culture
2)	Cumbolo - Culture
3)	International Herb, The - Culture
4)	Native Woman - Gregory Isaacs
5)	Let's Dance - Gregory Isaacs
6)	Mr Brown - The Sensations/Gregory Isaacs
7)	Those Guys - The Sensations
8)	Jah Loves - The Abyssinians
9)	This Land Is for Everyone - The Abyssinians
10)	Hearsay - The Gladiators
11)	Pocket Money - The Gladiators
12)	Greatest Love - The Gladiators
13)	Tide Is High - The Paragons
14)	Declaration of Rights - Johnny Clarke
15)	I Am Still Waiting - Johnny Clarke
16)	I Don't Want to Be Lonely Anymore - Twinkle Brothers
17)	I Love You So - Twinkle Brothers
18)	Shame and Pride - The Mighty Diamonds
19)	I Need a Roof - The Mighty Diamonds
20)	Civilisation - Keith Hudson
21)	Uptown Top Ranking - Althea & Donna
1)	Chalice in the Palace - U-Roy
2)	Wear You to the Ball - U-Roy
3)	Natty Rebel - U-Roy
4)	Tribute to Marcus Garvey - I-Roy/U-Roy
5)	Jordan River - I-Roy/U-Roy
6)	Radical Music - I-Roy/U-Roy
7)	Bible - Prince Hammer
8)	M.P.I.A. - Tapper Zukie
9)	Oh Lord! - Tapper Zukie
10)	She Wants a Phensic (Dangerous Woman) - Tapper Zukie
11)	Marcos Garvey - Big Youth
12)	Lightning Flash (Weak Heart Drop) - Big Youth
13)	Isaiah First Prophet of Old - Big Youth
14)	Humble One, The - Jah Lloyd
15)	Message from the King - Prince Far I
16)	Commandment of Drugs - Prince Far I
17)	Weather Balloon - U-Brown
18)	Natty Dread Upon a Mountain - U-Brown
19)	Masculine Gender - Ranking Trevor
20)	Rub a Dub Style - Ranking Trevor
21)	Five Night of Bleeding - Poet & the Roots
1)	Suru - Lere Dub - Prince Far I
2)	Borno Dub - Prince Far I
3)	Bendel Dub - Prince Far I
4)	Roof Top Dub - The Revolutionaries
5)	Merciful Dub - The Revolutionaries
6)	Cell Block 11 - The Revolutionaries
7)	Blacka Black Dub - The Revolutionaries
8)	Command Counsel Dub - Poet & the Roots
9)	Afrika Tak - I-Roy
10)	Rasta Fiesta - Sly Dunbar
11)	Sesame Street - Sly Dunbar
12)	Dirty Harry - Sly Dunbar
13)	Big Youth Special - Big Youth
14)	Black Man Message - Big Youth
15)	Academy Award Version - Johnny Clarke
16)	Herb Dub - Jah Lloyd
17)	Stone Dub - Jah Lloyd
18)	Knife and Fork - Jah Lloyd
19)	Distant Drums Dub - Twinkle Brothers
20)	Hip Dub - Twinkle Brothers/Vivian Weathers
21)	Diamond & Pearls Dub - The Mighty Diamonds
22)	Bodyguard Dub - The Mighty Diamonds

Album: The Front Line [Virgin]
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Dreadlocks the Time Is Now - The Gladiators
2)	Mix Up - The Gladiators
3)	Know Yourself Mankind - The Gladiators
4)	Too Long in Slavery - Culture
5)	Work of Natty - Culture
6)	Natty Never Get Weary - Culture
7)	Black Liberation Struggle - Gregory Isaacs
8)	Universal Tribulation - Gregory Isaacs
9)	Poor and Clean - Gregory Isaacs
10)	Let My Days Be Long - The Abyssinians
11)	Wicked Men - The Abyssinians
12)	Right Time - The Mighty Diamonds
13)	Bodyguard - The Mighty Diamonds
14)	Africa - The Mighty Diamonds
15)	Roots, Natty Roots, Natty Congo - Johnny Clarke
16)	Crazy Baldhead - Johnny Clarke
17)	Prophecy A-Fulfilled - Johnny Clarke
18)	Never Get Burn - Twinkle Brothers
19)	Free Africa - Twinkle Brothers
20)	Since I Threw the Comb Away - Twinkle Brothers
21)	Zion - Delroy Washington
22)	Observance - Delroy Washington
23)	Stop the Fussing and Fighting - Culture
24)	Cumbolo - Culture
25)	International Herb - Culture
26)	Native Woman - Gregory Isaacs
27)	Let's Dance - Gregory Isaacs
28)	Mr. Brown - Gregory Isaacs
29)	Those Guys - The Sensations
30)	Jah Loves - The Abyssinians
31)	This Land Is For Everyone - The Abyssinians
32)	Hearsay - The Gladiators
33)	Pocket Money - The Gladiators
34)	Greatest Love - The Gladiators
35)	Tide Is High - The Paragons
36)	Declaration of Rights
37)	I Am Still Waiting
38)	I Don't Want to Be Lonely Anymore - Twinkle Brothers
39)	I Love You So - Twinkle Brothers
40)	Shame and Pride - The Mighty Diamonds
41)	I Need a Roof - The Mighty Diamonds
42)	Civilisation - Keith Hudson
43)	Uptown Top Ranking - Althea & Donna
44)	Chalice in the Palace - U-Roy
45)	Wear You to the Ball - U-Roy
46)	Natty Rebel - U-Roy
47)	Tribute to Marcus Garvey - I-Roy
48)	Jordan River - I-Roy
49)	Radical Music - I-Roy
50)	Bible - Prince Hammer
51)	MPLA - Tapper Zukie
52)	Oh Lord - Tapper Zukie
53)	Dangerous Woman - Tapper Zukie
54)	Marcus Garvey - Big Youth
55)	Lightning Flash - Big Youth
56)	Isaiah First Prophet of Old - Big Youth
57)	Humble One, The - Jah Lloyd
58)	Message From the King - Prince Far I
59)	Commandment of Drugs - Prince Far I
60)	Weather Balloon - U-Brown
61)	Natty Dread up on a Mountain Top - U-Brown
62)	Masculine Gender - Ranking Trevor
63)	Rub a Dub Style - Ranking Trevor
64)	Five Nights of Bleeding - Poet & the Roots
65)	Suru Lere Dub - Prince Far I
66)	Borno Dub - Prince Far I
67)	Bendel Dub - Prince Far I
68)	Roof Top Dub - Well Charged
69)	Merciful Dub - Well Charged
70)	Cell Block 11 - Well Charged
71)	Blacka Black Dub - Well Charged
72)	Command Counsel Dub - Poet & the Roots
73)	African Tak - I-Roy
74)	Rasta Fiesta - Sly Dunbar
75)	Sesame Street - Sly Dunbar
76)	Dirty Harry - Sly Dunbar
77)	Big Youth Special - Big Youth
78)	Black Man Message - Big Youth
79)	Academy Award Version
80)	Herb Dub - Jah Lloyd
81)	Stone Dub - Jah Lloyd
82)	Knife and Fork - Jah Lloyd
83)	Distant Drums Dub - Twinkle Brothers
84)	Hip Dub - Vivian Weathers
85)	Diamonds and Pearls Dub - The Mighty Diamonds
86)	Bodyguard Dub - The Mighty Diamonds
1)	Stop the Fussing and Fighting - Culture
2)	Cumbolo - Culture
3)	International Herb, The - Culture
4)	Native Woman - Gregory Isaacs
5)	Let's Dance - Gregory Isaacs
6)	Mr Brown - The Sensations/Gregory Isaacs
7)	Those Guys - The Sensations
8)	Jah Loves - The Abyssinians
9)	This Land Is for Everyone - The Abyssinians
10)	Hearsay - The Gladiators
11)	Pocket Money - The Gladiators
12)	Greatest Love - The Gladiators
13)	Tide Is High - The Paragons
14)	Declaration of Rights - Johnny Clarke
15)	I Am Still Waiting - Johnny Clarke
16)	I Don't Want to Be Lonely Anymore - Twinkle Brothers
17)	I Love You So - Twinkle Brothers
18)	Shame and Pride - The Mighty Diamonds
19)	I Need a Roof - The Mighty Diamonds
20)	Civilisation - Keith Hudson
21)	Uptown Top Ranking - Althea & Donna
1)	Chalice in the Palace - U-Roy
2)	Wear You to the Ball - U-Roy
3)	Natty Rebel - U-Roy
4)	Tribute to Marcus Garvey - I-Roy/U-Roy
5)	Jordan River - I-Roy/U-Roy
6)	Radical Music - I-Roy/U-Roy
7)	Bible - Prince Hammer
8)	M.P.I.A. - Tapper Zukie
9)	Oh Lord! - Tapper Zukie
10)	She Wants a Phensic (Dangerous Woman) - Tapper Zukie
11)	Marcos Garvey - Big Youth
12)	Lightning Flash (Weak Heart Drop) - Big Youth
13)	Isaiah First Prophet of Old - Big Youth
14)	Humble One, The - Jah Lloyd
15)	Message from the King - Prince Far I
16)	Commandment of Drugs - Prince Far I
17)	Weather Balloon - U-Brown
18)	Natty Dread Upon a Mountain - U-Brown
19)	Masculine Gender - Ranking Trevor
20)	Rub a Dub Style - Ranking Trevor
21)	Five Night of Bleeding - Poet & the Roots
1)	Suru - Lere Dub - Prince Far I
2)	Borno Dub - Prince Far I
3)	Bendel Dub - Prince Far I
4)	Roof Top Dub - The Revolutionaries
5)	Merciful Dub - The Revolutionaries
6)	Cell Block 11 - The Revolutionaries
7)	Blacka Black Dub - The Revolutionaries
8)	Command Counsel Dub - Poet & the Roots
9)	Afrika Tak - I-Roy
10)	Rasta Fiesta - Sly Dunbar
11)	Sesame Street - Sly Dunbar
12)	Dirty Harry - Sly Dunbar
13)	Big Youth Special - Big Youth
14)	Black Man Message - Big Youth
15)	Academy Award Version - Johnny Clarke
16)	Herb Dub - Jah Lloyd
17)	Stone Dub - Jah Lloyd
18)	Knife and Fork - Jah Lloyd
19)	Distant Drums Dub - Twinkle Brothers
20)	Hip Dub - Twinkle Brothers/Vivian Weathers
21)	Diamond & Pearls Dub - The Mighty Diamonds
22)	Bodyguard Dub - The Mighty Diamonds

Performer Notes

It's understandable that the author of the hagiography passing for sleeve notes prefers to remain anonymous, and his revisionist history of the Virgin label, its subsidiary Front Line, and the U.K. reggae scene is nothing if not breathtaking in it's audacity. Apparently, it all began with the Clash, with the Police then taking up their banner, without a single mention of England's West Indian community disseminating Jamaican music in the first place. So, a bit of truth in advertising. Prog rock Virgin was wilting by the mid-'70s, and head honcho Richard Branson was desperately searching to revive his company's fading fortunes. Bob Marley's breakthrough offered an obvious solution, and the label began signing up some of Jamaica's hottest talent. With the arrival of the Sex Pistols in 1977, the pace quickened. Legend has it that Branson and Johnny Rotten arrived in Kingston with cash in hand, money for the taking for artists willing to sign on the dotted line. The punk hero's taste was impeccable, and by the time the pair were finished, and Front Line formerly launched in 1978, the company sported a roster that seriously rivaled even Island's. This four-CD box set showcases much of the formidable talent at Front Line's disposal, and the track listing reads like an encyclopedia of roots' greatest acts -- sublime vocal groups, phenomenal solo artists, and top-ranking toasters. The resulting records were mostly masterful, and, in many cases, masterpieces. The problem was the label had no idea how to market the material, and even as the records tore up the underground, none had the least impact on the mainstream. By the dawn of the new decade, Branson wrote Front Line off as a bad investment, and moved on to the greener pastures of new romanticism. Much of this superb music would now disappear for years. Two discs are given over to the singers, across 43 mostly well-chosen tracks, that will leave you searching out the original albums from which they were culled. Besides the big names -- Abyssinians, Culture, Gregory Isaacs, et al -- it's more neglected artists like Delroy Washington, the severely underrated Johnny Clarke, and the early seminal lineup of the Twinkle Brothers that really impress, if only for their unfamiliarity. Disc three rounds up the DJs, with the big three -- U Roy, Big Youth and I Roy -- well represented, alongside the popular Prince Far I, Tapper Zukie, and Jah Lloyd. U Brown and Prince Hammer, both of whom disappeared from view in the early '80s, are welcome inclusions, as are the early offerings from Ranking Trevor. The liner notes include pocket bios of all the artists included, but sadly give little information about the multitude of sensational dub versions that are bundled onto disc four. As a label showcase, this would be hard-pressed to be bettered, and one is left to wonder just how inept Front Line were to fail with such high-quality music. ~ Jo-Ann Greene