Record / CD / Tape
Prince Hammer
1979

!2” Discomix (as reggae releases were curiously often called...), "Mackabee Bible" by Prince Hammer, early exponent of the D.J. Toasting or chatting School, and long time resident of Moss Side. Wrote long time back about going to see Prince Far I supported by the Mothmen at The Ardri circa 1980 and there was a sign on the door saying “Prince Far I will not be playing tonight due to mental instability”; it’s a fact man, it’s a fact...If I’d carried a camera back in those days I would have took a picture because the word on the street is they last longer. It was pretty uncommon for anyone to carry a camera back then, even the 110 instamatic types with the rotating flash cubes; maybe just for big celebrations, 21sts and the like. Prince Hammer took the reigns that night and he was a very charismatic performer as well as a legend of Jamaican music. The flip side of this record is “If Jah Should Come Now” by Rod Taylor and produced by Prince Hammer. It's a heavy heavy roots track with a female talking intro when it switches into the dub, with a syndrum effect accentuating and punctuating the whole thing; a little bit different for the time, and a slice of nice into the bargain.....