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Reggae - A daily blog

I did say yesterday that I was going to discuss the remaining days of the Beefeaters tour, but since then I put a video on Youtube of the Beefeaters performing Ring Dang Doo from Friday night @ the Sando in Newtown. I think everyone will enjoy seeing these guys on video, particularly those who were at the gig. It reflects how much energy the band had over the weekend, helped by the fact they are playing the naturally energetic music of 2-tone ska.

For other videos I've put up, check out the Dizzybeat page on Youtube

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Moon Ska World and South Africa’s The Rudimentals

June 20th 2007 10:56

What was formerly called Moon Ska Europe, has now officially become Moon Ska World. They have a few of the same bands and a few new bands on their roster, including The Upsessions from The Netherlands and perhaps most topically, The Rudimentals, from South Africa.

While South Africa hasn’t always been known as being a big ska country, this band is absolutely huge! Check out the photos on the Moon Ska World website. They are playing to some really big crowds. It really shows how ska can penetrate every corner of the globe.

I would love to see them live, though I must admit I have no immediate plans to travel to South Africa.

Check out the little doco on them at youtube here

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The Moonhops - It's Alright and more youtube

June 8th 2007 07:30

Continuing on from yesterday's blog about youtube videos, I have a few more to offer you.

The first is one I have put up on Youtube, and is from February when we were in Melbourne. We were playing some gigs, but we also caught The Moonhops (and The Beefeaters) on a Sunday at a small back street pub called The Royal Exchange in North Melbourne.

The video is It's Alright, which was originally done by Curtis Mayfield, but this version with it's adapted lyrics was a Derrick Morgan tune. The video isn't the best quality as I tried to keep it small, but you get the idea. A lovely tune.

You can also see the other videos I have put up of a Complete Madness tune and Jimmy Spiff and the Weedkillers one, by following the link below. I've got heaps of footage so I'll try to put as many more as I can.

Dizzybeat Youtube page

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Chris Murray

March 22nd 2007 08:48

I am listening to Chris Murray at the moment, the singer songwriter known for his accoustic raw ska and reggae and as being the man behind the weekly LA club night, Bluebeat Lounge.

If you don't really know the artist, a good way to familiarise yourself with him is maybe listening to this great podcast. Pressure Sounds is the name of the podcast and the latest is a Chris Murray feature.

Pressure Sounds Podcast

Chris Murray Website

Chris Murray Myspace

I'd love this guy to come to Australia and I think he'd get quite the warm reception. It may be also worth checking out his record with the Slackers, available on Murray's own label, Unstrictly Roots

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New band find - Skylar

March 8th 2007 04:54

Okay they aren't a new band, but rather new to me. They are a UK band on the label Do The Dog, who have been involved in the UK ska scene for what seems like forever. Anyway through them (Do the Dog) doing a bit of self-promo I heard this band, who play some kicked back reggae sounds with some great unique vocals. I like when you can hear a person's accent in their songs.

They have a few songs online

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Amy Winehouse

March 7th 2007 05:33

I first heard about this female singer on the great UK e-zine Urban75.com. She is doing pretty well for herself over there, particularly in the charts. She has a great soul voice and I read she ended a recent set with a cover of the Maytal's Monkey Man.

Make up your own mind what you think of her. The beauty of the internet is you can check out an artist without having to go out and buying her CD

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Lee Scratch Perry in Australia - is it actually the last time this time?

February 1st 2007 07:06

I have never gone to see Lee Perry. I think the man is (or at least was) an absolutely wonderful producer, but as a singer, there isn't anything I really love by him. Bathroom Skank was an okay track I suppose. Anyway I just have little interest in seeing him.

He has clearly smoked too much too. He is mental, as seen in this video

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So who is this Luciano character?

January 17th 2007 08:28

I am seeing a number of posters for reggae artist Luciano around Sydney and got to wondering who is this bloke? I am not going to pretend I am familiar with many roots artists, because that isn't my thing. But I thought I would do a bit of research and it turns out I am probably the only person who doesn't know his stuff.

He has a series of records on big reggae label VP and is about to perform as part of the Big Day Out shows in Australia. His music is focussed strongly on rastifarian beliefs, making it clear other artists who sing about sex and violence are well removed from his own ideas

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I joined the Youtube phenomenon with H-Block 101

January 11th 2007 09:31

So I have finally started doing something with all the footage I have from gigs in Sydney. It took me a while to get it up, but I have put my first video on youtube.

The track was recorded at the 2004 Sydney Skabq @ the Harp Hotel in Tempe. Melbourne band Jimmy Spliff and the Weedkillers (H-Block 101) are doing the Keith and Tex song Draw Your Brakes aka Stop That Train. No longer together, it was the only time the H-Block 101 side-project ever played in Sydney under that name. A little bit of history really

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Skorcher band preview: Backy Skank

November 2nd 2006 04:26

Leading up to the Skorcher, a ska, reggae, mod and skinhead weekender, I am going to preview some of the bands playing at the event. The Skorcher is to be held in Sydney from December 1st - 3rd. Full details can be found at: http://www.dizzybeatnetwork.com/skorcher

Backy Skank

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Skorcher band preview: The Booby Traps

October 31st 2006 07:43

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The Beefeaters - Melbourne Ska

October 18th 2006 09:34

I really wish there was a young Sydney ska band doing 2-tone and trad ska. I don't care how raw, I think there is a place for such a band in Sydney. Get on it you teenagers.

There is a band like this in Melbourne town. They are called The Beefeaters and recently played with The Strange Tenants. They've also racked up a whole bunch of gigs and from all reports have a developed a decent following

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Jimmy Spliff and the Weedkillers

September 29th 2006 03:34

I am just watching some footage from the Sydney SkaBQ a few years back and featured, amongst others, are Jimmy Spliff and the Weedkillers. For those not in the know, Jimmy Spliff were the side project of great Melbourne punk band H-Block 101. Their name comes, obviously, at least to some, from the great reggae man Jimmy Cliff.

They didn't play particularly frequently and a good part of their set were the HBlock reggae songs, but nonetheless, they were a top band

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Fun Boy Three and The Bodysnatchers

August 11th 2006 13:36

Image used for review purposes

This blog isn’t going to be a name and shame type article where bands I think are bad will just cop it, but I am going to suggest some bands that perhaps just didn’t get it quite right.

The first is Fun Boy Three. For such a well dressed, rudeboy looking guys when they were in the Specials, Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding sure managed to look effeminate when they formed Fun Boy Three. They would probably say to you that they weren’t a ska band and it is true they were just a pop band really, but they still deserve a mention. Their songs were really crap too. I don’t know that it was the best move to team up with their female equivalent in Bananarama.
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