Original Rockers

Original Rockers
Compilation album by Augustus Pablo
Released	1979
Recorded	1972–1975
Studio	Channel One, Kingston, Jamaica Dynamic Sounds, Kingston, Jamaica
Genre	Reggae
Label	Greensleeves
Producer	Augustus Pablo
Augustus Pablo chronology
East of the River Nile (1977) Original Rockers (1979) Rockers Meets King Tubby in a Firehouse (1980)

Original Rockers is a reggae compilation album by Augustus Pablo that collects singles recorded between 1972 and 1975. It was originally released in 1979 on Greensleeves Records and was compiled by journalist and photographer Dave Hendley. ^[1]

The album features Robbie Shakespeare and Aston Barrett on bass guitar, Earl "Chinna" Smith on guitar, and guest vocals from Dillinger on the track "Brace a Boy". ^[2] The songs were recorded at Channel One and Dynamic Sounds studios in Kingston, Jamaica, and mixed at legendary dub engineer King Tubby's studio. ^[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[4]
MusicHound World	[5]
The New Rolling Stone Record Guide	[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10 [7]

Original Rockers was included in Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton's 1999 book The Rough Guide to Reggae: 100 Essential CDs. ^[3] Musician and journalist Randall Grass hightlighted the "impresive variety" of the compilation. ^[6] Trouser Press recommended the album as "a perfect starting point" for "the uninitiated" and called the compilation "diverse" and the songs' production "bright and snappy". ^[8]

Track listing

1. "Rockers Dub"
2. "Up Warrika Hill"
3. "Cassava Piece"
4. "Tubbys Dub Song"
5. "Jah Dread"
6. "Brace a Boy"
7. "Thunder Clap"
8. "Park Lane Special"
9. "New Style"
10. "AP Special" (Adapted)

Bonus tracks featured on #GREWCD 8 release

1. "Tubby's Dub Song (Dub Version 2)"
2. "Brace a Boy (Dub Version 2)"

Personnel

• Augustus Pablo – keyboards, melodica, piano, organ, clavinet
• Dillinger – vocals
• Carlton Barrett – drums
• Robbie Shakespeare, Aston Barrett – bass guitar
• Earl "Chinna" Smith – guitar
• Don D. Junior – trombone
• Bobby Ellis – trumpet
• Dirty Harry – tenor saxophone
• King Tubby, Philip Smart, Prince Jammy – mixing engineers

References

1. "Augustus Pablo / Various – Original Rockers (Greensleeves) 2xLP".
2. Bush, John. "Original Rockers – Augustus Pablo – Review". AllMusic.
3. Barrow, Steve; Dalton, Peter (1999). Reggae: 100 Essential CDs. Rough Guides. pp. 123–124. ISBN   1-85828-567-4.
4. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6 (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 376. ISBN   978-0-19-531373-4.
5. Harris, Craig (2000). "Augustus Pablo". MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 589. ISBN   1-57859-039-6.
6. Grass, Randall F. (1983). "Augustus Pablo". In Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide (2nd ed.). Random House/Rolling Stone Press. p. 375. ISBN   0-394-72107-1.
7. Miles, Milo (1995). "Augustus Pablo". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 285. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
8. Kliment, Bud (1989). "Augustus Pablo". In Robbins, Ira A. (ed.). The New Trouser Press Record Guide (3rd ed.). Collier Books. p. 414. ISBN   978-0-02-036370-5.