R.I.P Toots Hibbert...

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Another true great has left us.

I probably first heard reggae when I was very young. I have distinct memories of seeing Bob Marley playing live on TV (maybe The Old Grey Whistle Test, I'm not sure). When I was a young teenager names like Black Uhuru, Peter Tosh & Burning Spear were fairly familiar, thanks to the large amount West Indian families living in Leeds.
But, it took many more years before I had the chance to hear Jamaican Ska. It's quite bizarre because groups like The Specials, Bad Manners & Madness were huge. It wasn't until I befriended a guy called Stuart (who ended up selling me weed for many years to come) that I came to realise that many of the UK ska bands were actually covering old Jamaican classics.
I couldn't believe what I'd missed. Desmond Decker, Prince Buster, The Skatalites and, of course, Toots & The Maytals (to name a few) opened my eyes & ears to a completely different style of reggae. One that was instantly catchy, amazingly upbeat & impossible to sit still to.
When I worked as a waiter at a pizza restaurant in Leeds I actually managed to persuade the manager to allow us to play a Ska "best of" CD (instead of the usual "classic Jazz". It became an instant favourite on busy nights amongst all the staff. Just the right kind of background music to keep you on your toes.

Thanks, Toots!!

54-46 That's My Number
Pressure Drop
Funky Kingston
Monkey Man

[dinosaurkale->]

bumping the live album LOUD today
RIP

[budda12ax7]

sad....love his music.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I'm as far from a connoisseur as one can be when it comes to Jamaican music, but Ska and Bluebeat is some of the most infectious dance music ever, and Toots & The Maytalls had some of the best tunes I've heard from that genre.

My friend's band supported them when they came to Glasgow a few years back, and had so much fun that a couple of members ended up going on the road with them, which tells me they were all down-to-earth, decent guys. That'll be a nice memory for them now. RIP Toots.

[s_mcsleazy]

honestly. this makes me sad. i first heard toots on the soundtrack for this is england and fell in love with his music. funky kingston is such a solid album that gets a lot of play in the car.

R.I.P. big buddy.