Clocktower Records
Daniel & Associates
Anyone have some biographical info. on this label? I've picked up a bunch
of the reissues (both on Blue Moon and Abraham) and I've really enjoyed
most of the releases. I know Bunny Lee produced a lot of the material, but
what was the story with the label itself? And what's the story with these
reissues as far as who owns the rights to the music now? Take care.
Daniel
--
To send email remove the "T" from my address
KRHARRIS
Brad Osbourne (aka Brad's Record Den, 218 Record Den &
Mr Clocktower) did produce some of the labels stuff.
The majority was Bunny Lee material, with the odd production
from Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo & Winston Riley (among others)
Most of the stuff Brad produced was by New York area musicians.
(Jr Soul "Festival Greetings" was one of his best)
After Brad's strange death, his widow Tammy ran the shop
& label. She sold the rights to Alfred Abraham & some how
RAS also gained some rights (later yielding to the Abraham deal)
Most of Abraham's re-issues were mastered from vinyl,
which he in turn sold to Blue Moon for European marketing
Abraham has compiled several "new" releases from
Clocktower's 7" catalog ("Clocktower Classics","Lee Perry Quest")
He has also re-issued many 7"
Tammy ran in to difficult finances & sold the shop in the Bronx.
Now called "Nu Look", it still remains on the corner
of White Plains & 218 in the Bronx
Tammy set up at the last WFMU NYC record fair
(maybe she'll be there on April 11th) selling 7", lp & cd
Abraham re-issues on her old disco/dance label Grand Groove
is super popular with the beat boyz & is being re-issued by a
Japanese record label
cool
"wishing he had kept all his Grand Groove discos"
Tim
rne...@alexandria.lib.utah.edu
In article <hbspc078-020...@tampappp187.net.usf.edu>,
hbsp...@Temail.csun.edu (Daniel & Associates) wrote:
>
> Anyone have some biographical info. on this label? I've picked up a bunch
> of the reissues (both on Blue Moon and Abraham) and I've really enjoyed
> most of the releases. I know Bunny Lee produced a lot of the material, but
> what was the story with the label itself? And what's the story with these
> reissues as far as who owns the rights to the music now? Take care.
I'm going to quit buying titles on this label until they quit being so half
assed on their sound quality. Their most recent title is Carlton Livingston's
Marie and it's downright unlistenable. You can hear them drop the needle on
the record fer crying out loud. Essential music but what a waste to have the
worst pressing you could find as your master.
Robert
>
> Daniel
>
> --
> To send email remove the "T" from my address
>
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rne...@alexandria.lib.utah.edu
In article <19980303112...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
krha...@aol.com (KRHARRIS) wrote:
>
> Brad Osbourne (aka Brad's Record Den, 218 Record Den &
> Mr Clocktower) did produce some of the labels stuff.
> The majority was Bunny Lee material, with the odd production
> from Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo & Winston Riley (among others)
> Most of the stuff Brad produced was by New York area musicians.
This label probably more than any other got me hooked on reggae in the mid
80s. So many great titles, Dillinger's None Stop disco Style, King of Dub, al
the 7" represses, Prince Jazzbo's Ital Corner and more from Johnny Clarke,
Horace Andy etc.
> (Jr Soul "Festival Greetings" was one of his best)
> After Brad's strange death, his widow Tammy ran the shop
> & label. She sold the rights to Alfred Abraham & some how
> RAS also gained some rights (later yielding to the Abraham deal)
Yow. Talk about dropping the ball!! Another favorite track is Tyrone Evans'
scorcer "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". They didn't sing it like that when I
used to go to church on xmas eve :-)
Robert
ing
H.H.
Thanks to Tim for a very informative and thorough profile on one of the
very best "labels" to happen to reggae.
That was great, Tim.
Hany
KRHARRIS
another thing about Mr Brad Osbourne's label
turing so many of us college kids on to authentic
reggae beats
His linear notes. You just knew he was some far out
dude who was way in to jazz by his writing style
Mad prop.s to Steve B & his chok-full of info notes,
but something about Brad's syntax & word usage
Almost as if he had smoked an ounce & then played the record
3 or 4 times letting it sink (sync) in & then just writing
(righting?) some stream of conscious ramble
My first purchase was Horace Andy "Pure Ranking" &
the notes on back had me thinking for a long time
Any other fans of the collective works of Mr Osbourne out there ?
cool
"what did he say ?"
Tim
Christopher Durning
When I first started listening to roots I would patronize the little VP
shop on Jamaica Ave, and a shop near Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, and
listen to the Earl Chin show at 3 am. The VP jocks (including a young
wacked out Clive Chin) and Earl Chin were always spinning Clocktower
singles. I think most of these were Bunny Lee productions, but some TADs
too, of Horace Andy, Johnny Clarke. I just couldn't believe the release
Ital Corner (Clocktower's release in the US of Perry's Natty Pass Through)
(one of the cuts has samples from a Rhoda episode !!). For a while I
bought anything with the tower on the label ! These records always remind
me of Earl Chin's late night poetry:
if you drivin in your Volkswagen
smokin a stick of sensi
and a seed did pop..
an it drop in you lap..
don't loos your sense of direction..
Chris D.
Patxi Ezquerro
I really like these releases, particullary:
'Rocker´s almighty dub' heavy dubwise album with some of bunny lee
strongest rythims, in this one there´s a song, i think is B side n#2,
with a melodic bass line wich really catch me.
and:
'Rod of correction dubwise'. Among all the songs in this LP (wich
contains dub, singers, DJ (J.Lover) and instrumental) there´s one of
my favourite Pablo tunes.
Respect
Patxi.