Reggae music was supposed to take over the world.

At least that’s what “Time” magazine said. The hype was everywhere. And we didn’t even know how to pronounce it! Most people thought it was said the same as the name of that rich kid in the Archie comics, REGGIE music! Like Reggie Jackson.

But Reggie Jackson didn’t peak until the late seventies, didn’t enter the national consciousness until he played for the Yankees. Around the same time that Bob Marley put out his initial live album and people were mesmerized…

ONE GOOD THING ABOUT MUSIC, WHEN IT HITS YOU FEEL NO PAIN!

Hell, I’m gonna put the famous London ’75 live version of “Trenchtown Rock” at the head of this playlist… It wasn’t released on wax in the U.S. until the fall of ’76, but when you dropped the needle on this initial cut, you immediately got the power of reggae, you were closed.

Actually, that happened almost half a decade earlier, with Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” the “Graceland” of reggae cuts. Yes, Johnny Nash was an American with previous hits who synthesized the Jamaican sound and had a monster smash in ’72. One of the greatest reggae songs of all time, it’s pooh-poohed by the cognoscenti, but “I Can See Clearly Now” is pure perfection, put it on and you will truly believe it’s gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiney day.

And months later, “The Harder They Come” was released in theatres in the U.S. and promptly did…nothing.

Then it was shifted to midnight shows and it slowly gained traction, in Boston it played for years! And if you haven’t seen it, you must. To hear Ivan/Jimmy Cliff say DON’T **** WITH ME! as he brandishes a knife.

And sure, in retrospect it’s a genre picture. But it captured Jamaica before it became America’s spliff haven, when it was still raw and new to most people.

And it had the most fabulous soundtrack.

Yup, “Catch A Fire” came out in ’73 too, but the first Island Bob Marley album got a lot of press and had very few sales. We were all listening to Jimmy Cliff. We’re still listening to Jimmy Cliff. Because of those exquisite numbers on “The Harder They Come” soundtrack.

Oh, it wasn’t only Jimmy…

Toots and the Maytals are still touring on “Pressure Drop.” Be sure to listen to Robert Palmer’s cover, as well as the Selecter’s, but this is the definitive take.

And the Melodians never broke in the U.S., but you’d be hard-pressed to find a baby boomer who does not know “Rivers Of Babylon”…

By the rivers of Babylon
Where he sat down
And there he wept
When he remembered Zion…

There was even a Desmond Dekker track, “007 Shantytown,” which was excellent, but no match for his 1968 hit “Israelites,” which burned up the airwaves in the U.S.

But the most memorable cuts on the soundtrack were by Jimmy Cliff. Starting with the opener, “You Can Get It If You Really Want.”

Better than any self-help book, play this cut and you truly believe you can not only conquer demons, but climb unscalable walls and triumph. You hear that opening brass note and you’re immediately ADRENALIZED!

Then, of course, there’s the title track.

So as sure as the sun will shine
I’m gonna get my share now, what’s mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they fall
One and all

It’s the gansta rap ethos decades before, sung by someone who played a true gangster in the movie.

But as great as those two Jimmy Cliff songs are, they’re still not in the league of “Many Rivers To Cross.” A veritable spiritual, the track makes you think about everything that’s gone down and that which is still yet to come. The lyrics are great, but the feel is what makes the track. When they cut this they must have known they had a smash. Certain tracks just have that something extra.

But it’s not my favorite cut on the album.

That’s “Sitting In Limbo.”

There’s that groove, you can’t help but close your eyes and twist your head up and down and back and forth in time.

That’s what life is about, sitting in limbo.

Being alone.

It occupies all that time in between interactions. When you’re in your own mind, wondering what’s going to transpire.

If you haven’t sat on the curb and had this song go through your brain, you’ve never heard it.

I can’t say what life will show me
But I know what I’ve seen
I can’t say where life will lead me
But I know where I’ve been
Tried my hand at love and friendship
But all that is past and gone
This little boy is moving on

Ain’t that the truth. The past is known and the future’s yet to be discovered. It’s both scary and the nature of life, you’ve got to put one foot in front of the other.

Which Jimmy Cliff did. To Africa. To Islam. To near-irrelevance.

While Jimmy Cliff confounded and disappointed audiences, Bob Marley snuck in and stole everybody’s heart.

Yet, Marley’s no longer with us.

And Jimmy Cliff still is.

He played the main stage at Coachella last year to almost nobody, but if you saw him you were mesmerized, he’s as great as he’s ever been.

Either you know what I’m talking about or you don’t.

If you don’t, play these songs, see this movie, catch a glimpse of reggae in its formative phase, when it was all about the music and we were discovering it for the very first time.

 Rhinofy-The Harder They Come

  Previous Rhinofy playlists

I don’t go anywhere anymore. You can’t. Traffic is just that bad. I’m not sure what endgame is, whether everybody wakes up and moves from L.A. or just those most frustrated are replaced by lemmings eager to partake in the phenomenal weather and the entertainment business.

Yes, we had record cold the past few days. I even saw ice by Felice’s house, and that’s a first.

But today is something different. It’s 73 in Beverly Hills! Actually, I’m in Century City, at the Apple Store, but that’s what the app says. You see I’m killing time on my way back from Hollywood.

I haven’t been to Hollywood during the day–in a decade? And driving to Center Studios I was reminded why. Sure, there were drivers on their cell phones slowing my progress, but there were just too many cars for La Brea. Too many people wasting time they’ll never get back trying to get to their destination.

And when you go that slow it’s fascinating. You see what once was. That restaurant with the outdoor patio you frequented in the eighties, which now has a fresh coat of paint and a different name, but looks just the same.

And I was a bit frustrated. You see there was a delay. This taping was supposed to happen an hour earlier. I’d lost my edge.

Then I entered the lot.

I forgot. The power, the vibe of movie-making.

Oh, I know, you can do it at home now, on your laptop, but suddenly I was reminded that Hollywood is still the center of the film universe and some people are doing it the same way they always have.

Looking for my building I was confronted by tin-men. And damsels from the Middle Ages. I would have asked them what picture they were in, but I’ve learned that’s uncool. Nothing’s more important that being a member of the club, refraining from asking inappropriate questions.

And everybody was so busy, the twenty and thirty somethings focused on getting somewhere. You see it’s a young person’s game. Get old enough and you’re either famous or you give up. Because it’s too hard to make it.

And when I finally found the location they were interviewing a young bearded chap in a cap. Unrecognizable to me.

Until he emerged and I realized it was Jack Osbourne. The e-mail had said Jack OSBORNE’S office. Rang a distant bell, but I didn’t think it was Ozzy’s progeny.

And Jack’s oh-so-nice. We discuss his health and the old family homestead in Malibu that’s now inhabited by Dr. Luke.

And when I’m done with my business I emerge and continue to be mesmerized by the sights. Women not dressed for the office, but for work where they might get grubby. The latte stand. The food truck. A whole world behind the walls.

And it’s definitely winter light, but it’s got the feel of being the same as it ever was. Like “Day Of The Locust.” The dream factory in action.

And rather than battling freeway traffic I decide to take Santa Monica Boulevard back to the westside, it’s a straight shot.

And I pass that grey French/New Orleans restaurant that I used to drive by constantly, but never went in.

There’s the Gardens Of Taxco!

Whole Foods took over the coffee shop, but they kept the sixties facade at Fairfax.

And Los Tacos–Where I used to eat burritos with Freddy and Demi Moore!

And pulled up alongside is three teenagers in a red Mustang convertible, with the top pulled down, basking in the sun.

And with a shiteating grin on my face I realize this is where I’m supposed to be, and I’ll never leave.

From: Martin Elbourne
Subject: HMV
Date: January 14, 2013 1:29:47 PM PST

UK last chain.
In administration in morning.
Just come up on BBC.

Virgin France went under last week.

Apparently Fnac about to as well.
Big hit for the labels.

Martin

 

From: Martin Elbourne
Sent: Wednesday, 16 January 2013 12:19 AM

For those of you who didn’t get my email last night, HMV, the last music store chain in UK and Ireland has gone into administration.
It does not affect the Great Escape as there was a management buyout a month ago.
It does affect 230 shops and 4,000 staff.

And 40 per cent of the physical music market in the UK.
And much higher proportion of the many acts who never get near a supermarket shelf.

For what it’s worth, this is my prediction of likely outcome – a new HMV with more like 50 shops.
Most if not all of independent distributors to go bankrupt.
Virgin France (no 2 in France went under recently..Fnac the biggest in France, Spain, etc. about to as well.)

If you are owed money by an independent distributor in Europe budget not to get it.
Of course will be knock on effect on indy labels…many will go under.
Pias..who distribute Adele, not been paid since September (they are strongest.)

Be prepared to write off money…renegotiate deals.

Any artist who relies on sales in Europe preparing to record 70 minute CDs is a moron now.
Those days are gone…big time.

Which I think is no bad thing.

In fact, apart from obvious bad news for employees, small companies, long term..
Much more level playing field.

In short, will be shite year followed by good healthy things.

Later Martin

 

From: Martin Elbourne
Sent: Wednesday, 16 January 2013 6:32 AM

My final thought is that effectively for vast majority of acts we work  with physical cd thing now dead.
Or it’s like vinyl now.

But I do remember two years ago at Musexpo in L.A. a very good indie label panel.

After moaning for half an hour they suddenly all agreed that would
actually be great news for their business when physical died.
The drop in sales offset, but no stock worries, accounting hassle, etc etc.
No sales force.
Level playing field with majors (apart from supermarket acts).

And for artists don’t need to make 70 minute crap ‘albums’ anymore.

I’m beginning to sound like Lefsetz..this is dangerous

And another plus point…means zero reason to go to Midem anymore.

Why on earth would you sub-license anything?

PS: Sandy, enjoy Midem.

Martin Elbourne

Is everything. It’s more important than reality.

Steve Jobs knew that, that’s the essence of his vaunted reality distortion field. You watched his dog and pony show and believed not only was Apple superior, it truly had no competitors.

But now the press is beating up Apple and the company is silent.

Steve Jobs was not silent during the iPhone 4 antenna fiasco. He interrupted his vacation, and spun the problem as overblown hype from the media… And the iPhone 4 went on to set sales records.

If you read the press today, you believe the iPhone is in a death spiral, that Samsung is king and Apple is going downhill.

And what does Apple have to say about this?

NOTHING!

Some questions you don’t bother to answer. It’s kind of like “Have you stopped beating your wife?” You just cannot win. Haters and destroyers are out to get you.

But when it’s raw misinformation, and the public is acting on it, you’ve got to put in your two cents, you’ve got to spin the story.

It’s kind of like Google. It didn’t advertise and it didn’t lobby. So the government thought it was evil, that it didn’t respect the rules of the road. So Google lobbied up and got the antitrust investigation quashed. Google explained its position.

Normally in the entertainment business we’ve got over-explainers. Celebrities just want attention. And it’s never about the truth, it’s purely spin, so it ends up being ignored. As for the titans behind the story…you can’t get anybody to go on the record. Has anybody gone on the record about Universal being on the hook for HMV leases? I haven’t read anything.

But there’s no leader at Apple. Tim Cook is charisma-challenged. He starts to speak and credibility goes out the window. Phil Schiller has more gravitas, and Jonny Ive eclipses even him, but who’s really driving this car? Everybody knows Cook is an efficiency expert. Who’s the heart and soul of the enterprise, and where is it going?

The vacuum is such that way down the food chain, where the rubber meets the road, where people buy stuff, Apple is losing steam. It’s gone from trustworthy monolith to dying empire, all based on spin. People in the press and online saying Apple is toast with few facts to back it up.

Maybe the company is in a swoon. We’ll find out next week, when it releases its numbers. But unless Apple blows the Street away, it won’t stanch the bleeding. Word is Apple is done. Kind of like when David Lee Roth left Van Halen. Apple needs a Sammy Hagar. Even better it needs to elevate the image of someone already working there, take Steve Jobs down from the shelf and put someone else up.

You’ve got to manage your image. You cannot let the hoi polloi run ragged with your story. You’ve got to control it. I’m not saying you should lie, but at least give some real guidance. Otherwise you’re like Apple, with a tanking stock and everybody piling on.