This is a sound that went through a fair few changes during its decade or so in existence. Originally it started out as Soul Attorney and was owned by a man named Rupert Brown aka Rupie and its headquarters was located at 18 Avon Park Crescent off the Lyndhurst Road in Kingston 5. In 1974 deejay Ranking Trevor (b. Trevor Grant), who was still in school and aged around 14 or 15 at the time, and ace selector Danny Dread started to play on Soul Attorney. Greenwich Town born Danny Dread had begun selecting on a small local sound system Ioses, which featured at that time Tapper Zukie and Jah Mikey. He also played a sound called Vice President before making his way to the Soul Attorney. Operator Rupie was a friend of Ranking Trevor’s family and the sound often played in Trevor's yard. Trevor had also begun recording at Channel 1 studios in the mid seventies issuing a fine run of singles including “Ital Stew”, “Penny A Look” and “Caveman Skank”, and these served to bolster his reputation on the Attorney sound.
Our earliest recordings of the set is during a transitional period late in the year of 1975. U. Roy had been number one deejay on King Tubby’s Home Town Hi Fi for quite some time but when the sound was shot up in St Thomas he needed a new sound to play. Soul Attorney was the sound he chose. With U. Roy (b. Ewart Beckford) controlling things on the microphone, gradually the sounds name changed to became a more regal King Attorney Hi Fi. Towards the end of the year U. Roy went into the Channel One studios and recorded a series of “specials” for King Attorney over classic riddims from the studio. These recordings, known as the lost U. Roy album “Right Time Rockers”, were released on Sound System Records many years later. Moving into 1976 and a new wave of deejays like U.Brown, Dillinger and Nicodemus joined Trevor and Danny combining to make King Attorney one of the top sounds on the island.
U. Brown (b. Huford Brown) started out in the late sixties on a sound named Silver Bullet graduating to Sound of Music before finally getting his chance on King Tubby’s Hi Fi in 1975 when his great influence U. Roy was laid up after an accident. Although U.Brown’s style is always linked with U. Roy’s, he developed a substantially more lyrical, and longer talking, approach to deejaying in the dance
Dillinger (b. Lester Bullocks) was inspired by El Paso’s deejay Dennis Alcapone, so much so that he took the name Alcapone Junior. In 1971 he made his start on Prince Jackie sound before progressing to the sounds El Paso and Smith the Weapon. Whilst recording with Lee Perry it was suggested that he change his name to Dillinger. By 1976 he was making also waves with his Channel One recordings and he too wound up working on Rupie’s ruling sound.
Making it “4 The Hard Way” was the late Nicodemus (b. Cecil Wellington), who had a more chanting style reminiscent of Prince Far I, also joined Attorney around 1976. So with these four artists working the set and the experienced Danny Dread selecting you’d be hard pushed to find a better sound at the time.
In May of 1977 it was all change as the sound was acquired by PNP ghetto don Milton “Tony” Welch aka “Papa Roots”. It seems that Trevor and Danny encouraged a keen supporter and promoter of the sound, Skeng aka Skeng Don (b Kenneth Black), to meet Tony Welch and subsequently the sound changed hands and became known as Socialist Roots Hi Fi.
Late in 1977 Jah Mikey (b. Michael Mitchell) joined the crew from Emperor Faith. Later additions included deejay Jah Benjie and Errol Scorcher (b. Errol Archer) and on occasions Nicodemus’s brother Blacka Morwell (b. Maurice Wellington) could sometimes be heard deejaying. The sounds name, Socialist Roots, with its political connotations, could be seen as a contentious one, so it was affectionately called 'Papa Roots' even when it was named 'Socialist Roots'. With political violence rife in Jamaica during the years 1979 to 1981 they elected to call the sound Papa Roots. But sadly by 1981, with violence still prevailing, the sound had had its day and ceased playing. Here are some good examples of King Attorney/Socialist Roots/ Papa Roots, a major sound from the seventies, all featuring classic rub a dub deejays of the day.
King Attorney @ Drewsland, Kingston 20, Oct 1975
Featuring: Jah Clive, U. Roy
Selector – Danny Dread
“This is the oldest King Attorney session, cleaned up and running in the right order, and it features the Godfather U. Roy and another artist called Jah Clive. It’s Clive who starts the ball rolling chanting out lyrics “Dread In A Babylon” and “Sandy Lane Rock”. Danny Dread then dips into his Horace Andy section of his box and U. Roy steps up to the microphone, with “Come On Natty Dread” and “Runaway Child”, both delivered in his classic pioneering style.”
King Attorney – August Town Community Centre, August Town, Kingston 7, Oct/Nov 1975
Featuring: U. Roy
Selector – Danny Dread
“Recorded not long after the Drewsland dance with U. Roy once more riding some heavy duty dubs of familiar tunes from Johnny Clarke and Linval Thompson. There are multiple versions of “Ali Baba” and “Sorry For You” is deejayed over a mighty dub to Linval’s “Long Long Dreadlocks”. The motorbikes rev up on the perimeter and Roy exclaims “Riddim wild, riddim wild” as the dancers skank to the mighty King Attorney sound.”
King Attorney @ Old Harbour, St Catherine, 1976
Featuring: U. Brown, Ranking Trevor
“This and the next King Attorney came on the same cassette but it became obvious that they were two separate session. This one, recorded we think in Old Harbour, is the earlier of the two and features the talents of Ranking Trevor and U. Brown riding a mix of Studio 1 riddims. Selection includes massive tunes like Burning Spear’s “Get Ready” over which U. Brown chats about unity and repatriation to Zion. The heavy dub to Horace Andy’s “House On The Hill” is the foundation for Trevor’s ode to the “Drum & Bass”. As the man U. Brown says “Reggae music, a whole heap a power.”
King Attorney @ 18 Avon Park Crescent, Kingston 5, circa February 1977
Featuring: Jah Grundy, Ranking Trevor, Dillinger
“Recorded early on in 1977, it captures King Attorney at their headquarters in Avon Park this time with Ranking Trevor and Dillinger at the controls. There’s another deejay present too and we think its Jah Grundy who chants “Keep On Moving”, “Top Ranking Something” and “Wolverton Mountain” to good effect. Dillinger urges the dancers to “Rock Up A Daughter” as well as celebrating the “Concrete Jungle” area. Ranking Trevor tackles the version to Leroy Smart’s “Pride & Ambition” chatting “Nah Trouble” in fine style.
King Attorney 66 ½ Chisholm Avenue, Waltham Park, Kingston 13, 6th May 1977
Featuring: Ranking Trevor, U. Brown, Dillinger
“It’s Friday night and King Attorney ram the lawn at 66 ½ Chisholm Avenue. The selector, who’s most likely Danny Dread, has brand new selection to play and this includes some crucial Joe Gibbs produced Dennis Brown tunes. It’s great to hear the likes of “Milk & Honey”, “Love Me Always” and “Children Of Israel” pounding out in a dancehall setting and it’s U. Brown who gets to chat over the versions, with “Mash Them Down” standing out. Later on Dillinger’s “Liar Linda” raises a cheer from the crowd and his “Tell Them The Truth” is chanted over the mighty “Stalag” riddim.”
Socialist Roots Angola Lawn, 18 Avon Park Crescent, Kingston 5, 23rd May 1977
Dillinger, Ranking Trevor, U. Brown
Selector – Danny Dread
“Entertain by the sounds called Socialist Roots Hi Fi, brand new name for King Attorney Hi Fi, ya” says the dubplate intro from Ranking Trevor and this explains that somewhere between the last session and this Monday night dance, which celebrates Jamaica Labour Day, the sound system has had a change of owner and name. With Dillinger, Ranking Trevor and U. Brown all in attendance it’s rub a dub party time as they take turns to “Rock It In Avon Park”. Dillinger rides Johnny Clarke’s “True Born African” while Ranking Trevor answers the same singers “African Roots” with his well known “Drum & Bass” lyrics. As Trevor says “This one a killa!”
Socialist Roots @ Kingston, March 1978
Featuring: Nicodemus, Jah Mikey
“This 16 minutes long snippet of Socialist Roots was found at the end of another unrelated tape but it fully deserves its place here. We can’t tell the location of this but with references to Concrete Jungle it tends to suggest it’s a dance at their HQ in Avon Park Crescent. The music flashed here is from Jacob Miller and Horace Andy and the deejaying features spars Nicodemus and Jah Mikey at the controls. Father Demus chants “Bimbo” and “Hear What The Old Man Seh” over the Joe Gibbs cut to Jacob’s “Keep On Knocking”, while Mikey hails the Socialist Roots sound as the controlling “Rootsman Sound” over The Wailers revive “Keep On Moving.”
Socialist Roots @ Port Antonio, Portland, March 1978
Featuring: Nicodemus
Selector: Danny Dread
“Strictly Studio 1 for this Socialist Roots date in Port Antonio and it’s Nicodemus all the way as he works his way through some of those all time favourites. Riddims like “Pick Up The Pieces”, “Get In The Groove”, “Jah Shakey” and “Love Me Forever” come and go, while Demus matches them with quality lyrics such as “Mission Impossible”, “Metric System” and “Socialist Roots A De Militant Sound.”
Socialist Roots @ Angola Lawn, 18 Avon Park Crescent, Kingston 5, April 1978
Dillinger, Ranking Trevor, U. Brown, Nicodemus
Selector – Danny Dread
“The motorbikes roar in the vicinity and the HQ is full and the deejays step it in the lawn for “4 The Hard Way” on the militant sound. Again Coxsone’s riddims rule and Trevor and Dillinger work the show first with the former’s “Babylon Haul & Pull Me” and the latter’s “Landlord” standing out. They then make way for U. Brown and Nicodemus who keep up the deejay pressure in another fine Socialist Roots session.”
Socialist Roots/Papa Roots @ Montego Bay, St James, 1979
Featuring: U. Brown, Jah Mikey
Selector – Danny Dread
“This ’79 dance takes Socialist Roots to Jamaica’s second city, Montego Bay and this time it’s U.Brown, Jah Mikey and selector Danny Dread who run the show. U. Brown is in killer form voicing “Repatriation Is A Must” on the “Hi Fashion, “Babylon Kingdom Falling Down” and “Wicked A Fe Run”, all prime examples of cultural chat. Likewise, Jah Mikey’s on form with “Can You Keep A Secret” and “Don’t Try To Use.”
Socialist Roots/Papa Roots @ The Barn Club, Brentford Road, Crossroads, Kingston, circa March/April 1980
Featuring: Nicodemus, Jah Mikey, Jah Benjie, Ranking Prendegast, Ranking Trevor, Bimbo, Lui Lepki
Selector – Danny Dread
“The Barn Club was situated on Brentford Road, the home of Studio One Records and this has a fine line up of deejays ready to man Socialist Roots control tower. This pre-Easter dance sees Danny Dread dropping a selection which includes some massive hits from Barrington Levy and Linval Thompson. Top performances here include “Can’t Take The Bossman” and “Give Us The Teachings” from the late Jah Benjie, a well received “Tourist Season” from Lui Lepki, and Nicodemus venting on “Gal A Sell Gow.”
Socialist Roots/Papa Roots @ Nice & Easy Club, Tivoli Gardens, Kingston, circa April 1980
Featuring: U. Brown, Nicodemus, Jah Benjie, Ranking Trevor, Jah Mikey
Selector – Danny Dread
“The Nice & Easy Club in Tivoli Gardens plays host to the tight knit Papa Roots posse and once again they work their magic over Danny Dread’s choice selection. It’s Barry Brown and Barrington Levy pounding out and the deejays saddle up and ride the versions. U. Brown opens up with “Run Wicked Man” and Nicodemus echoes his lyrics while the original King Attorney man Ranking Trevor shines with “Too Much Pressure” and “So Jah Jah Say.”
Socialist Roots/Papa Roots @ Riverbank Lawn, Waterhouse, Kingston, 16th August 1980
Featuring: Ranking Trevor, Jah Mikey, Nicodemus, Papa Dimes, Blacka Morwell, Jah Benjie, Errol Scorcher, Sammy Dread
Selector – Danny Dread
“This session was not as we first thought at Blossom HQ, but was recorded at the Riverbank Lawn a week earlier on the 16th August. Featuring a smashing line up of artists with some surprises too. Nicodemus was an ever present on the dancehall scene but here he’s joined by his brother Blacka Morwell, producer and singer with the Morwells group, showing his versatility by deejaying on “You A Mouse” and “Keep On Ride”. Although Jah Mikey and Jah Benjie are not the senior deejays here they still stand tall with some excellent rhyming with Benjie’s “Fight For Revolution”, “Give Me The Teachings” and Mikey’s “Keep Me Rocking” being good illustrations of their talents. Add to this Errol Scorcher, Sammy Dread and the ever loyal Ranking Trevor and you have the Papa Roots sound tearing up Waterhouse at a time when Kingston was in the grip of election madness.”
ry of King Attorney. Thanks also to Beth Lesser.