Aswad
Encyclopedia
Aswad are a long-lasting British
reggae
group
, noted for adding strong R&B
and soul
influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid 1970s, having released a total of twenty-one album
s.
. They attended a local high school near Ladbroke Grove
.
The original members of Aswad were Brinsley Forde
, Angus "Drummie Zeb" Gaye
, Donald Griffiths, and Jordan Binkley (who was quickly replaced by George Oban). Courtney Hemmings was a frequent contributor in the 1970s, including joining most of the members of Aswad as the backing band of Burning Spear
's 1977 Live
album
, recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London. Other contributors included Vin Gordon
, Bongo Levi, and Karl Pitterson.
They became one of the UK's top reggae bands in the 1980s. They were distinctly different from Jamaican reggae acts, in that they wrote song
s that dealt with the issues surrounding the experiences of black youths growing-up in the UK; such as "Three Babylon" and "It's Not Our Wish", and the powerful jazz
-influenced instrumental
"Warrior Charge".
Aswad gained a wider audience with the New Chapter album (1981). "Love Fire" gained wide recognition when it was used as the backing rhythm for Dennis Brown
's "Promised Land".
Among Aswad's catalogue of hit
s is "Don't Turn Around
", a UK no.1 pop
hit in 1988, originally recorded by Tina Turner
as a B-side
to her "Typical Male
" single. They followed this up with UK #11 hit "Give A Little Love", and a reggae flavoured rendition of "Best of My Love
", first popularized and written by The Eagles. In 1989, they contributed the single, "Set Them Free" to the Greenpeace
Rainbow Warriors album. In the same year they performed together with Sir Cliff Richard the song "Share A Dream" recorded the previous year, at Wembley Stadium as part of The Event (16 and 17 June 1989). Their next hit, "Shine", was released in 1994. Another track was the upbeat 1998 remake of The Police
's "Invisible Sun
", performed with Sting.
The band also hold the distinction of having played with each one of the ex-Wailers.
The band has toured extensively, playing in diverse locations from London's Royal Albert Hall
and Montego Bay's Reggae Sunsplash, to gigs in West Africa, Israel and Japan.
Aswad released their most recent material in 2009, with the album City Lock. They released singles "What Is Love?" and "Do That Thing" in the same year.
1990: Too Wicked
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, noted for adding strong R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid 1970s, having released a total of twenty-one album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s.
History
The members of Aswad are UK descendants of immigrants from the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. They attended a local high school near Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove is a road in west London, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is also sometimes the name given informally to the immediate area surrounding the road. Running from Notting Hill in the south to Kensal Green in the north, it is located in North Kensington and straddles...
.
The original members of Aswad were Brinsley Forde
Brinsley Forde
Brinsley Allan Forde is best known as the founding member of the reggae band, Aswad and as a child actor in the children's television series, Here Come the Double Deckers ....
, Angus "Drummie Zeb" Gaye
Drummie Zeb
Drummie Zeb is the British drummer and one of the lead singers for Aswad, as well as being a record producer.He is a former pupil of Holland Park School in London...
, Donald Griffiths, and Jordan Binkley (who was quickly replaced by George Oban). Courtney Hemmings was a frequent contributor in the 1970s, including joining most of the members of Aswad as the backing band of Burning Spear
Burning Spear
Winston Rodney, OD , also known as Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Burning Spear is known for his Rastafari movement messages.-History:...
's 1977 Live
Live (Burning Spear album)
-Track listing:#"The Ghost" #"I and I Survive" #"Black Soul"#"Lion"#"Further East Of Jack" #"Man In The Hills"#"Throw Down Your Arms"-Credits:...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London. Other contributors included Vin Gordon
Vin Gordon
Vin Gordon is a Jamaican trombone player.-Biography:Gordon grew up in Jones Town, Kingston, Jamaica as one of eight children. He went to Kingston's catholic Alpha Boys School where he learned to play trombone and string bass. One of his tutors was Lennie Hibbert...
, Bongo Levi, and Karl Pitterson.
They became one of the UK's top reggae bands in the 1980s. They were distinctly different from Jamaican reggae acts, in that they wrote song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s that dealt with the issues surrounding the experiences of black youths growing-up in the UK; such as "Three Babylon" and "It's Not Our Wish", and the powerful jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-influenced instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
"Warrior Charge".
Aswad gained a wider audience with the New Chapter album (1981). "Love Fire" gained wide recognition when it was used as the backing rhythm for Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
's "Promised Land".
Among Aswad's catalogue of hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s is "Don't Turn Around
Don't Turn Around
"Don't Turn Around" is a popular song written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond. It was originally recorded by Tina Turner as the B-side to the single "Typical Male" in 1986. Warren is said to have been disappointed that Turner's record company treated the song as a B-side and never included it on...
", a UK no.1 pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
hit in 1988, originally recorded by Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
as a B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to her "Typical Male
Typical Male
"Typical Male" was the first single released from Tina Turner's 1986 album Break Every Rule. The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number three on the R&B Chart. It was also a success on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart and Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart...
" single. They followed this up with UK #11 hit "Give A Little Love", and a reggae flavoured rendition of "Best of My Love
Best of My Love (Eagles song)
"Best of My Love" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther. It was originally recorded by the Eagles , and included on their 1974 album On the Border. The band's first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single in March 1975, the song also topped the easy listening chart for one week...
", first popularized and written by The Eagles. In 1989, they contributed the single, "Set Them Free" to the Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
Rainbow Warriors album. In the same year they performed together with Sir Cliff Richard the song "Share A Dream" recorded the previous year, at Wembley Stadium as part of The Event (16 and 17 June 1989). Their next hit, "Shine", was released in 1994. Another track was the upbeat 1998 remake of The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
's "Invisible Sun
Invisible Sun
"Invisible Sun" is a hit single by rock group The Police, released in September 1981. The song's lyrics stem from songwriter Sting's pondering how people living in war-torn and/or impoverished countries find the will to go on living, and despite the dark music and often morbid lyrical statements,...
", performed with Sting.
The band also hold the distinction of having played with each one of the ex-Wailers.
The band has toured extensively, playing in diverse locations from London's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
and Montego Bay's Reggae Sunsplash, to gigs in West Africa, Israel and Japan.
Aswad released their most recent material in 2009, with the album City Lock. They released singles "What Is Love?" and "Do That Thing" in the same year.
Current members
- Drummie ZebDrummie ZebDrummie Zeb is the British drummer and one of the lead singers for Aswad, as well as being a record producer.He is a former pupil of Holland Park School in London...
(aka Angus Gaye) - Vocals, drums - Tony Gad (aka Dennis Anthony Robinson) - Vocals, bass, keyboards
Former members
- Brinsley FordeBrinsley FordeBrinsley Allan Forde is best known as the founding member of the reggae band, Aswad and as a child actor in the children's television series, Here Come the Double Deckers ....
(aka "Dan") - Vocals, Rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Donald Griffiths - Lead GuitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Jordan Binkley - Bass guitar
- George Oban - Bass guitar
- Jimmy Neath (aka "J-Slice") - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Paul Garred - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Jimmy Haynes (aka "Senyah") - Lead guitar, Acoustic guitar
- Clifton Morrison (aka "Bigga") - Vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, MelodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,... - Martin Augustine (aka "Tatta") - Lead guitar
Additional musicians
- Courtney Hemmings - keyboards
- Carlton 'Bubblers' Ogilvie - keyboards
- Michael Martin -keyboards
- TanTan - Eddie "Papa" Edward Thorton - trumpet
- Brian Edwards - saxophone
- Trevor Jones - trombone
- Perry "Lion" Melius - drums
- Kenrick Rowe - drums
Production work
- Ace of BaseAce of BaseAce of Base is a pop band based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Its original lineup consisted of Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg, and three siblings, Jonas "Joker" Berggren, Malin "Linn" Berggren and Jenny Berggren...
remix of "Don't Turn AroundDon't Turn Around"Don't Turn Around" is a popular song written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond. It was originally recorded by Tina Turner as the B-side to the single "Typical Male" in 1986. Warren is said to have been disappointed that Turner's record company treated the song as a B-side and never included it on...
" (#10 hit in the UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
) - Vanessa Mae - "Classical Gas" (Top 30 hit in UK)
- Janet KayJanet KayJanet Kay is a British singer of Jamaican parentage best known for her lovers rock songs of the late 1970s - "Silly Games" and a cover of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You". She has also had roles as a theatre and television actress...
- "Missing You"
Albums
- 1976: Aswad - Mango Records
- 1978: Hulet - Mango Records
- 1981: New Chapter - Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
- 1981: Showcase - Mango Records
- 1982: A New Chapter of Dub - Mango Records
- 1982: Not Satisfied - Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#50 - 1983: Live and Direct - Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
UK #57 - 1984: Rebel Souls - Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
UK #48 - 1986: To the Top - Simba UK #71
- 1988: Jah Shaka Meets Aswad in Addis Ababa Studio - Jah Shaka
- 1988: Distant Thunder - Mango Records UK #10
- 1988: Renaissance - 20 Crucial Tracks - Stylus UK #52
- 1989: Aswad: Crucial Tracks
- 1990: Next to You - Alex
1990: Too Wicked
- 1990: Too Wicked - Mango Records UK #51
- 1993: Firesticks - Alex
- 1994: Rise and Shine - Bubblin' Records UK #38
- 1995: Rise and Shine Again! - Mesa
- 1995: Dub: The Next Frontier - Mesa
- 1995: Greatest Hits - Bubblin' Records UK #20
- 1997: Big Up - Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
- 1997: The BBC Sessions
- 1999: Roots Revival - Ark 21
- 2001: 25 Live: 25th Anniversary
- 2002: Cool Summer ReggaeCool Summer ReggaeCool Summer Reggae is an album by Aswad, released in 2002. The collection features re-recordings of their hits "Don't Turn Around" and "Shine", plus cover versions that are given the commercial Aswad treatment, including the album's first single, "Shy Guy", featuring vocals from ex-Eternal singer...
- Universal Music TV UK #54 - 2009: City Lock - Bubblin' Records UK #63
Singles
- 1984 (Mar): "Chasing for the Breeze" - Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#51 - 1984 (Oct): "54-46 (Was My Number)" - Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
UK #70 - 1988 (Feb): "Don't Turn Around" - Mango Records UK #1
- 1988 (May): "Give a Little Love" - Mango Records UK #11
- 1988 (Sep): "Set Them Free" - Mango Records UK #70
- 1989 (Apr): "Beauty's Only Skin Deep" - Mango Records UK #31
- 1989 (Jul): "On and On" - Mango Records UK #25
- 1990 (Aug): "Next to You" - Mango Records UK #24
- 1990 (Nov): "Smile" - Mango Records UK #53
- 1991 (Mar): "Too Wicked (EP)" - Mango Records UK #61
- 1993 (Jul): "How Long" - Mango Records UK #31
- 1993 (Oct): "Dancehall Mood" - Bubblin' Records UK #48
- 1994 (Jun): "ShineShine (Aswad song)"Shine" became reggae group Aswad's second big hit, after 1988's "Don't Turn Around". Released in early 1994 in a radically remixed form courtesy of The Beatmasters, it was the first single from the group's album Rise And Shine. It eventually reached the Top 5 of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at...
" - Bubblin' Records UK #5 - 1994 (Sep): "Warriors" - Bubblin' Records UK #33
- 1995 (Feb): "You're No Good" - Bubblin' Records UK #35
- 1995 (Aug): "If I Was" - Bubblin' Records UK #58
- 2002 (Aug): "Shy Guy" - Universal TV UK #62