| Health and Strength | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1978–1979 | |||
| Studio | Channel One, Kingston, Jamaica | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 36:18 | |||
| Label | Pressure Sounds | |||
| Producer | Prince Far I | |||
| Prince Far I chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [2] |
Health and Strength is an album by Prince Far I recorded in the late 1970s but not released until 1998.
It was recorded for Virgin Records' Front Line label between 1978 and 1979 but the master tapes were lost en route to Virgin's offices. [3] In 1997, a former staff member for Hit Run records (the label run by Adrian Sherwood, with whom Prince Far I worked for several years) discovered a cassette that he had made from the master tapes, and the album was finally released by Pressure Sounds. [3]
The album features several tracks based on Gregory Isaacs songs - "Brother Joe", "Health Warning" (which uses Isaacs' "Sacrifice" as its basis), and "House of Jah" (which is based on "Handcuff"). The album also features DJ Blackskin Prophet (on "When the King Comes to Earth"), and includes the Jamaican singles "Frontline Speech" and "Weatherman Tam". The album is unusual as it features Prince Far I singing as well as chanting, and is regarded as one of Far I's strongest albums. [1] [3]
Metal Box is the second studio album by Public Image Ltd, released by Virgin Records on 23 November 1979. The album takes its name from the round metal canister which contained the initial pressings of the record. It was later reissued in standard vinyl packaging as Second Edition in February 1980 by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom, and by Warner Bros. Records and Island Records in the United States.
Prince Far I was a Jamaican reggae deejay and producer, and a Rastafarian. He was known for his gruff voice and critical assessment of the Jamaican government. His track "Heavy Manners" used lyrics about government measures initiated at the time against violent crime.
Amarok is the thirteenth studio album by English multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Mike Oldfield, released in May 1990 by Virgin Records. Oldfield originally conceived it as an "angry protest album", showcasing his musical technique. It is presented as a single sixty-minute track of continuous, uninterrupted but constantly changing music.
Midnite was a roots reggae band from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which started playing in 1989.
Clive Hunt is a Jamaican reggae multi-instrumentist, arranger, composer and producer.
The Gladiators are a Jamaican roots reggae band, most popular during the 1970s. The core was Albert Griffiths, Clinton Fearon and Gallimore Sutherland. Their two most famous albums are Trenchtown Mix Up (1976) and Proverbial Reggae (1978) with songs such as "Hearsay", "Jah Works", "Dreadlocks the Time is Now". "Mix Up", "Music Makers from Jamaica", and "Soul Rebel" – a song written by The Wailers. Gladiators also cooperated with the toaster U-Roy.
Holiday for Pans is a posthumous studio album by jazz fusion bassist Jaco Pastorius. Recorded between 1980 and 1982 at several New York City studios, the album was intended to be Pastorius' third solo album.
Basque Dub Foundation, more often known as B D F, started in the early 1990s as studio project by Iñaki Yarritu, a London-based reggae musician originally from the Basque Country. Iñaki moved into music production in the late 1980s, having been previously involved in Reggae since the late 1970s as a radio DJ, journalist and promoter. In their early days BDF toured as a sound system, supporting Mad Professor in the first dub sessions to take place in Spain.
The Twinkle Brothers are a Jamaican reggae band formed in 1962, and still active in the 21st century under Norman Grant's lead.
Grow Up is the debut album by the American punk rock band the Queers. Recorded in multiple sessions between 1986 and 1988, with various band members and session musicians backing singer and guitarist Joe King, it was originally released as an LP record in 1990 by British label Shakin' Street Records. However, the label went out of business after only 1,000 copies were pressed. The Queers had more copies pressed themselves, continuing to list Shakin' Street as the record label, but when they failed to pay their bill the pressing plant destroyed all but approximately 160 copies, which the band released with a photocopied album cover.
The Chanting Dread Inna Fine Style is a 1983 compilation of singles tracks released by Big Youth on his Negusa Nagast label dating back as far as 1973. It followed the similarly-sourced Some Great Big Youth collection. Both albums were released by Heartbeat Records.
Rockers Meets King Tubbys in a Firehouse, is a dub studio album by Augustus Pablo and King Tubby, released in 1980. It features Mickey "Boo" Richards, Leroy Wallace and Albert Malawi on drums, Robbie Shakespeare on bass guitar, and Earl "Chinna" Smith on guitar. The backing band is credited as the Rocking All Stars. Pablo produced the album and played piano, organ and melodica. The album was recorded at King Tubby's Studio. "Fire House" is a reference to the Waterhouse section of Kingston, where King Tubby's studio was located. Prince Jammy also made contributions to this album but goes uncredited.
It's Not Unusual is the third album by the musical group Dread Zeppelin, released by I.R.S. Records in 1992. The album presents a shift from reggae-tinged Led Zeppelin covers to disco music cover songs from the 1970s.
Singers & Players were a reggae collective made up of vocalists and musicians associated with Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound Records. They recorded five albums between 1981 and 1988.
Proverbial Reggae was the second album by Jamaican Roots Reggae band The Gladiators, recorded and released in 1978 on Virgin Records' Front Line imprint.
Clinton Anthony Fearon is a Jamaican reggae singer and musician. He has lived in Seattle, Washington since 1987.
Black Roots are a roots reggae band from the St. Paul's area of Bristol, England, formed in 1979. They toured extensively in the UK and Europe in the 1980s and early 1990s releasing several albums and singles during that time before disappearing from the music scene for about ten years. Their comeback began when Soundicate/Makasound, a record label in France, released an album in 2004 and followed it up with another in 2007. In December 2010 they performed their first live show for some twenty years at the Trinity Hall in Bristol and since then they have been active once again, playing live dates and releasing a new album.
Front Line was a reggae subsidiary of Virgin Records established in 1978. Over forty albums were issued on the label before it folded in 1979.
King David's Melody is a reggae compilation album by Augustus Pablo, originally released in 1983 on his Rockers record label.
His Majestys Dub is a 1983 dub album by King Tubby and Prince Jammy, sometimes credited to Prince Jammy v King Tubbys. It featured Carlton Barrett and Sly Dunbar on drums, Robbie Shakespeare and Aston Barrett on bass guitar, and Ansel Collins on keyboards, among other personnel. The album was produced by Jah Woosh and engineered by King Tubby and Prince Jammy, along with Maxie and frequent collaborator Errol Thompson. The album was recorded at Randy's in Kingston, Jamaica.