Neil Joseph Stephen Fraser known by his stage-name Mad Professor, is a British dub music producer, engineer and remixer. He has collaborated with reggae artists Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sly and Robbie, Pato Banton, Jah Shaka and Horace Andy, as well as artists outside the realm of traditional reggae and dub, such as Sade, Massive Attack, The Orb, Gaudi, the Brazilian DJ Marcelinho da Lua, Grace Jones, and Perry Farrell.
"Red Red Wine" is a song originally written, performed and recorded by American singer Neil Diamond in 1967 that appears on his second studio album, Just for You. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a person who finds that drinking red wine is the only way to forget his woes.
Roger Charlery, known professionally as Ranking Roger, was a British musician. He was a vocalist in the 1980s ska band the Beat and later new wave band General Public. He subsequently was the frontman for a reformed Beat lineup.
China Black were a British pop-reggae duo, consisting of Simon Fung and Errol Reid (singer-songwriter).
Chaka Demus & Pliers are a Jamaican reggae duo made up of deejay Chaka Demus and singer Pliers, known for their hits "Tease Me" and "Murder She Wrote". As a duo, they enjoyed more commercial success with mainstream pop fans after their collaboration began in the early 1990s than either had in their previous solo careers.
"Spirits in the Material World" is a song by the British rock trio The Police, written by Sting. The opening track for their 1981 album Ghost in the Machine, it was released as a single in 1981 and reached No. 12 in the United Kingdom and No. 11 in the US in early 1982.
"Come On Home" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper and released in August 1995 as the third and final single from her greatest hits album, Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some (1994). It peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and at number 39 on the UK Singles chart.
Baggariddim, not to be confused with the EP Little Baggariddim released in the US, is the sixth album by UB40, released in 1985. Most of the tracks are reworkings of previous UB40 recordings that originally appeared on Labour of Love and Geffery Morgan, here showcasing guest singers and "toasters" on vocals. Guest artists included Chrissie Hynde, the leader of The Pretenders, and Douglas Gilbert, lead trombonist with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). In the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, this album was released in a gatefold sleeve containing an additional 3-track 12" EP. The album features two hits, "I Got You Babe"—a duet with Hynde that reached number one in the UK, Ireland and Australia—and the UK number-three follow-up "Don't Break My Heart", which was the 'B-side' of "I Got You Babe" with vocals added.
"Groovin'" is a song written by the American singer songwriters Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, initially recorded by their group the Young Rascals in 1967. Cavaliere was inspired to compose the song by his girlfriend Adrienne Buccheri, whom he only got to meet every Sunday amidst heavy touring and recording. Musically, the song differs from most of band's previous output, leaving the garage rock genre for Latin American influences, such as baião. Lyrically, "Groovin'" tells the tale of a narrator spending time with his partner on a Sunday afternoon. The song was arranged and recorded at the Talentmasters Studios, New York City in March of 1967.
"Baby, Come Back" is a song by English band the Equals from their 1967 album Unequalled Equals. Written by Eddy Grant, the song was originally released as a B-side in 1966 and was later released as a single in continental Europe before being released as a single in the UK in 1968. "Baby, Come Back" charted in multiple countries, including number one on the Belgian, Rhodesian and UK charts in 1967 and 1968.
Alistair Ian Campbell is an English singer and songwriter who was lead singer and co-founder of the British reggae band UB40.
Winston Tucker, better known as Winston Groovy, is a Jamaican reggae singer best known for his recordings between the late 1960s and 1980s.
The discography of UB40, a British reggae band, consists of 20 studio albums, 19 compilation albums, six live albums, four remix albums, 65 singles and a number of appearances with other artists.
Eric M. Fowler is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer and producer who is best known as a member of musical group Boxing Gandhis. Fowler is a featured musician on many popular recordings by artists such as Sting, UB40, Rosanne Cash, Taylor Dayne, General Public, Clint Black, Kelly Price and the Boxing Gandhis. He currently resides in Los Angeles California with his wife Colette and 3 children.
Beshara were a British reggae band from Moseley and Washwood Heath, Birmingham, that formed in 1976. The band are most notable for their 1981 lovers rock hit "Men Cry Too", which reached number 2 in the British reggae charts. Although known for their lovers rock singles, they were also very capable of recording roots reggae. This can be heard in the hymnal recording, "Glory Glory".
Baby, Come Back is an album by British group The Equals, which was released in the U.S. by RCA Victor, who had obtained the rights to manufacture and distribute the album in all of the Americas from the band's British label, President Records.
Ray "Beshara" Watts was a singer and songwriter born on the island of Guadeloupe and who lived in Birmingham, England. He was also the lead singer, principal songwriter and a core-founding member of the British reggae band Beshara. As part of Beshara, Watts had success in the UK reggae charts and supported many artists, whilst making several television appearances.
"This Cowboy Song" is a song by English musician Sting. It is one of two new tracks included on his compilation album Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994, alongside "When We Dance". Recorded at Lake House in Wiltshire throughout August and September 1994, the song centers around the concept of one's own mortality from the point of view of a cowboy pondering his current life. "This Cowboy Song" was released as the album's second single on 30 January 1995, becoming a top-40 hit in the United Kingdom, Canada, Iceland, and Ireland.
Never Give In is the second album by English reggae artist Pato Banton, released by Greensleeves Records in 1987. By the release of the record, Banton had built a long-time following as an MC and deejay thanks to collaborations with other reggae artists like Mad Professor, and momentum-building tours around the United Kingdom, United States and Europe. He recorded the album with producers G.T. Haynes and Lesburn Thomas and worked with the Studio Two Crew from his native Birmingham. The record displays Banton's humorous approach to serious subjects such as drugs and poverty, which he delivers via singing and toasting, whilst the music balances roots reggae with nascent digital dancehall, with accessible grooves and a punctuating horn section. The record features collaborations with Ranking Roger, Paul Shaffer and Steel Pulse.
