If this is for real I’m well made up…

From an email I got today:

From: XXX@XXX
Sent: 28 September 2004 02:28
To: grievousangelsoundsystem@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: TIPPA IRIE GREETING

YOR SIR,
LIKE WHAT YOU DID TO ME AND KERNAL LRYIC
SOUNDS INTERESTING
BLESS

I’d just like to say, regardless of this email, that Tippa Irie is one of the all-time greats and playing about with his and Daddy Colonel’s lyrics was fantastic fun.

Entirely coincidentally…

Here’s a new version, slightly cleaner and groovier version of the main mix of “Tippa and Colonel Again”.

And here is “Tippa and Colonel Again — 1985 vs 2005 Dub Mix”, a rather tasty high tek mix. If the original is a fat loping growler, this is a much spacier cut with slo-mo junglizms all over it. I like it even more than the original.

Babycakes

I was meaning to talk about this when Woebotnik did, but unlike Matt I’ma huge fan. Just an ace little garage tune. I’m so pleased they were number one. And I just drove Felix to nursery school while it was playing, and we both sang along, and he seemed to know at least half the words, and it was one of those fantastically beautiful life-changing experiences that I seem to have every two minutes at the moment. So it gets a thumbs up from me.

Homophobia in ragga and Outrage

Fantastic discussion of this issue over in the Uncarved comments boxes. Get in there.

The question I’m asking is, does the coverage of the issue which Outrage’s tactics elicit in the Jamaican and British media, and the possible resultant impact on the awareness of the issue in Jamaica, justify both the (probably minor) economic impact on the artists concerned, and the (probably major) impact on the economic and artistic health of the broader reggae community in Britain?

New Life.

The baby came through OK.

Birth took from 11AM induction last Sunday to final delivery by ventouse (with one cut) at 7.58AM on Monday, at the Jessop wing of the Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield (which is fantastic). Pain relief was gas and air, one shot of diamorphine, arnica (homeopathic remedy). We were back home 7PM on the Monday.

Baby was an eight pound boy, named Malachi. He’s in fine form, and was breastfeeding happily within an hour of birth. My wife is doing fine, and I love her with all my heart and I am massively proud of her. Our three year old, Felix, loves his new baby brother and just wants to cuddle him and coo over him, as we do. Malachi looks a lot like a sixty year old east end gangster, all serious grimaces and rolls of skin. He snores too.

During the birth I was naturally mainly focused on my wife, but when I felt the need, I mentally called out for the help of ancestors. When I went back to see them in the ward later on the Monday, I had a sudden vision of vast sets of ancestors arcing away into the sky above each of the cubicles where the new parents and babies were, with each set of ancestors having a vast party to celebrate the new arrivals.

I feel like I’m just coming up, all the time. My head and heart are twisting into new shapes to encompass this new life and this new love.

Malachi, in repose

Thanks to everyone for all their love and support, it really made a difference.

paul