Ramrock Records – This is Us

This is the playlist for Ramrock, Ramrock Blue + Ramrock Red releases - reggae, soul, jazz, blues, hip-hop, Balearic, Electronic, and just fabulous music from fabulous artists.

RR008 Ghetto Priest - Sway EP

Following on from his huge radio world domination with all versions of ‘Hercules’, Ghetto Priest lends his considerable talents to Rat Pack Don, Dean Martin’s 'Sway', creating a selection of mixes and remixes to suit every discerning palate. There's the LP cut, taken from his 'Big People Music' album, already championed by David Rodigan on his BBC 1Xtra show.Then the North Street West crew take a slightly dark turn and inject an element of Reggae Exotica reminiscent of those fabulous Tiki lounges of the early 60's. The gently coaxing marimbas and castanets will transport you to warmer climes somewhere in a vintage travel brochure whilst Dr Rey goes West of the Sussex Coastline with his melodica dub.Throw the talc on the dance floor and get ready to sway.

RRLP001 - Ghetto Priest - Every Man For Every Man - LP

Ramrock Records are proud to present ‘Every Man for Every Man’ LP from musical visionary, Ghetto Priest.Already known to many as the frontman of Asian Dub Foundation and vocalist on their globally acclaimed single ‘Fortress Europe’, Ghetto Priest has been captivating audiences with his powerful vocals and magnetic stage presence over the past three decades.With a raw energy and spirit un-matched by many artists of his generation, he constantly pushes at the boundaries of roots music; his style strongly maintaining the essence of his Jamaican heritage. Produced by On-U Sound supremo Adrian Sherwood, ‘Every Man For Every Man’, is released 14th August.His latest sermon is a blend of righteous incitements and damning indictments that reflect the paranoia of daily life. Title track ‘Every Man For Every Man’ asks us to reach out to our fellow neighbour while he delivers a sobering message towards the environment and defending if from the evils of a money-motivated government on ‘Sacred Ground’.On the mystical ‘Good Lord’, Ghetto Priest seeks spiritual guidance and his raw primal energies and forces come to light in a passionate re-working of the Robert Burns poem, ‘I Murder Hate’, before the trials and triumphs of black women are voiced in the Judy Mowatt song, ‘Black Woman’. On the little-known Peter Tosh song, ‘Babylon Queendom’, he passionately announces Babylon’s fall, demanding back the riches she’s plundered.A long-time member of the On-U Sound family, Ghetto Priest was a former rudeboy and Arsenal football hooligan who was incarcerated briefly after stepping on to the wrong side of the tracks. Turning to Rastafarianism, he began writing lyrics, and he honed his vocal skills and artistic persona around the sound system culture of the early 80s, before becoming part of Sherwood's African Head Charge collective and started MC-ing on the producer's live/DJ sets.As one of the more flamboyant and creative performers to emerge from the scene, he was invited by Asian Dub Foundation to take on the vocals for the opening track of their ‘Enemy of the Enemy’ album released in 2003 along with lead vocals on the follow-up album, ‘Tank’. His On-U Sound debut came a year later, the critically acclaimed album ‘Vulture Culture’, produced by Adrian Sherwood.He went on to record under his own name for a number of other labels including Reggae On Top and Conscious Sounds. More or lesser known artists to have flavoured his guest vocals include The Underwolves, Sinead O'Connor, Groove Armada, James Hardway (aka David Harrow) and Little Axe.In 2011, Ghetto Priest joined forces with Lucid Mover in a project called Screaming Soul. This resulted in the album 'Ghost Inna Shell' and in 2012, an Adrian Sherwood and Nick Coplowe (aka Mutant Hi-Fi)-remixed companion, 'Ghost Inna Dub'.In 2016, he released the single ‘Life Ain’t Easy’ based on Dennis Brown's 'Easy, Take It Easy', via Ramrock Records, and has two more projects in the Ramrock pipeline set for future release.

RR006 - Ghetto Priest - Hercules EP

The A side of this wonderful slab of hot vinyl was recorded at ‘The House of IMIZWA’ studios, by reggae artist and Asian Dub Foundation frontman Ghetto Priest with Carlton Ogilvie on keyboards, Ital Horns on brass duties, Greg Blackman on backing vocals and Crucial Tony on guitar . Ghetto unleashes his fresh reggae take of the mighty Aaron Neville’s iconic 1973 rare groove classic ‘Hercules’. Beautifully executed with deft vocals over a rock solid riddim, the original version taken from Ghetto’s forthcoming ‘Big People Music’ LP, will be heard blasting out of low rider windows rolled down in the summer heat and radios across the globe in 2021 and beyond.Meanwhile on the B side, Ashley Beedle and Darren Morris take the North Street West ‘HOLYVOODOU’ remix on a musical detour through hidden Louisiana backwaters to visit a ‘vaudou’ priestess to collect some gris gris and onward to New Orleans to meet Doctor John at the Mardi Gras. Leaning heavily towards the Meters school of phrasing, the North Street West version is infused with layers of eloquent keyboards, righteous handclapping, chicken bones and a generous helping of Bayou Funk, making a connection to the Aaron Neville original.

RRLP002 - Ghetto Priest - Big People Music

Ramrock Records are hugely excited to announce the forthcoming release of Ghetto Priest’s ‘Big People Music’ LP, the long awaited follow up to his 2017 album, ‘Every Man For Every Man’. The idea for this LP was originally floated in 2018 and was intended to be a 6 track EP called ‘Songs for my father’. However, once Ghetto Priest got in the studio, the idea expanded as he went the extra mile adding his personal favourites, conjured up from childhood memories of his father’s tunes being played on the family radiogram with additions from his youthful excursions. A magical mixture of tracks associated with the greats – Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Slim Smith, Ken Boothe, Aaron Neville – ‘Big People Music’ can lay claim to being the 21st century’s equivalent of John Holt’s ‘1,000 Volts of Holt’ – an absolute essential on every Blaupunkt radiogram on a Sunday and a blues party staple.The combination of standards and righteous releases were mixed down by the Bishop of Dub, Adrian Sherwood who blessed the project with the title ‘Big People Music’, a powerful acknowledgement to those tunes which filled many a Caribbean household with immeasurable sentiments that echoed down through subsequent generations.Please be upstanding for Ghetto Priest and ‘Big People Music’.'In memory of the Right Honourable Arthur Beresford Townsend - My Father'

RR009 - Ghetto Priest - I don't want to see you cry

Ghetto Priest returns to Ramrock Records for his final single release from his massively acclaimed ‘Big People Music’ with his cover of Ken Boothe’s ‘I don’t want to see you cry’, originally released in 1966 on Coxsone Dodd’s iconic Jamaican imprint, Studio One.The LP cut boasts a who’s who line up of reggae royalty - Ghetto Priest sounding copasetic, keyboards by Carlton ‘Bubblers’ Ogilvie, Crucial Tony on guitar, David Fulwood & Richard Doswell (Ital Horns) nail the horns and Ivan ‘Celloman’ Mussey supplies the strings + cello action and the Bishop of Dub, Adrian Sherwood is on mixing duties. Fellow Ramrock Records artist, Greg Blackman, completes the line up on backing vocals and Matt Smyth from Liotia on the engineering tip.On the North Street West remix, Ashley Beedle, Darren Morris and Jo Wallace retain the Ital Horns but take the vibe back to the golden Rocksteady years of mid-60’s with a sprinkling of 70’s Tuff Gong’ism, sweet harmonies and Darren channelling his inner Jackie Mittoo on Hammond. And lastly, as a very special bonus, the enigmatic Dr R.E.Y stepped into the studio with his melodica and laid down a beautifully haunting version for all you lovers of the Dub.

RR007 - D'Oxman ft Ramrock Allstars - Return of the Gentleman Rudeboy

In 2014, the first release on Ramrock was specially commissioned by Dean Chalkley to accompany his highly acclaimed ‘Return of The Rudeboy’ 2014 exhibition at Somerset House. With the mighty MC D’Oxman pon de mike, the Ramrock Allstars (aka Ashley Beedle, Darren Morris & Jo Wallace) lay down vocals and a riddim that pays homage to the golden age of Rock Steady.

RR005 – DB Cohen ft D’Oxman & Mark Professor – Find A Way EP – Original, North Street + Wrongtom Remixes

DB Cohen’s ‘Find A Way’ is filled with reggae goodness from beginning to end. Featuring champion MC’s D’Oxman & Mark Professor, heavyweight production and an original mix from Mark ‘Snowboy’ Cotgrove, a North Street remix from the Don, Ashley Beedle, an Echolocation Dub from Dub Maestro, Wrongtom and superb full colour artwork by Richard Epps, this 10” delivers a knockout ‘punch’ with versions to suit everyone’s musical persuasions.DB Cohen's sound can be described as a mix of Bob Dylan, Ray Davies, Madness, The Stones and Two Tone Ska. During a four year stay in Japan, Dan began writing and performing his own songs and after forming the band 'The Dogs Bollox', he played the Tokyo club circuit learning his trade. On returning to London in 2008, it was in Soho's Madame JoJo's where DB approached Snowboy at his ‘Good Foot’ night and asked Mark to listen to his demo. Within six months, Snowboy was producing Dan’s debut album, bringing a wealth of knowledge and amazing musicians to DB Cohen's analog recorded debut album 'Scratchcards & Wine'.Tracks from 'Scratchcards & Wine' were championed by Gary Crowley on his ‘Absolute’ radio show, featured on ‘BBC Introducing’, the French version of the hit TV show 'The Voice' and chosen by Bang and Olufson to feature on their recent promotional video. Dan was also added to Glastonbury Festival's ‘2014 Emerging Talent Competition’, performed for 17,000 on the main stage at the Village Green Festival and headlined London's famous 100 Club earning him rave reviews.