GIRLS FIESTA
1978, Burning Sounds, BS 1025

The debut was produced by Linval Thompson and used many of his greater riddims. The track »Marijuana in my Soul« on the lethal drum and bass excursion of Linvals »I Love Marijuana« is exceptional! The album was recorded inna Jamdung but remixed at the Chalk Farm Studios in London by Syd Bucknor. Production as stated by Linval.

Judging from Peter I's great interview with Linval, over at Reggae-Vibes.com, Mr. Dread wasn't the easiest person to deal with. Linval said regarding Ranking Dread; »Like a problem, man. Everybody have him that way from he pass, yunno.« When you're done checking this page then skidaddle over to Reggae-Vibes and read Peter I's fantastic articles.

KUNTA KINTE ROOTS
1979, Burning Sounds, BS 1037
1979, Burning Rockers, BS 1037

The awesome title track told the story of the slave Kunta Kinte from the mandinka tribe in Africa (as told in the well worth tracking down mini-series »Roots«). There is no production credits on the album except that it is produced and marketed by Burning Sound Ltd. while the backing probably is by the Rebolutionaries.

A couple of the rhythms can be found dubbed up on the great »Gregory Isaacs In Slum Dub« also released on Burning Sounds (not a Ranking Dread record per se and therefor not included in the discography).

You know what they say; »All killer, no filler!« Desperately needs to be re-issued.

LOTS OF LOVING
1980, Stand Firm, FSLP-01
1980, Tad's, SSLP 001
1980, Freedom Sounds, FSLP 001
198x, Jah Life, …
1997, Jah Life, GOCD 5013
N/A, Freedom Sounds, FSLP 001

Judging from all the different releases of »Lots of Loving« this was Ranking Dreads hit album. Regarding the debut and the incredible follow up »Kunta Kinte Roots« this album is also the most dancehall oriented with productions by Sugar Minott and Ranking Dread himself. It was first released as a very scarce pre-release on Stand-Firm with only 500 out on circulation. The second issuing of it was on the Freedom Sounds label. A limited edition was also released at Freedom sounds with colored vinyls.

The third edition that got released in the States was on Tad's. It had gray backcover artwork instead of colour as on the Freedom Sounds release.

There is also a release by Jah Life on vinyl. I know no more about this release than the existance of it. So if anyone knows the year or maybe has a scan. Pleace mail me.

The record finally got reissued by Jah Life on CD with some additional tracks drawn from Ranking Dreads discos released by Greensleeves.

The latest reissue by Freedom Sounds also adds two tracks to the tracklisting.

RANKING DREAD IN DUB
1982, Silver Camel, SCLP 002
2004, Silver Kamel, SKCD 024
2004, Silver Kamel, SKLP 001

The album must have caught the eye of many a record collectors when it was sporting such fantastic artwork such as this one done by Rod Vass.

The album is divided between King Tubby and Sly & Robbie (first side) and Scientist with the Roots Radics (flip side) prodiving what would be a truly interesting excursion of Ranking Dreads productions.

Personally I've found myself enjoying the record vastly with all the somewhat unorthodox dubbing. Others have not been as keen to it. With rhythms as »Fattie Boom«, »I Don't Want to Wait in Vain« and »No, No, No« I can't see it otherwise than a success. My only problem is to decide who wins the clash between the two sides.

Even more interesting is that Ranking Dread recorded this one after he had broken out of prison where he was incarcerated for having shot a police officer, possibly Trinity Gardner who he shot in his mouth.

Originally it was released at the quantity of a thousand records.

2 DREAD INNA BABYLON
(featuring Massive Dread)
2006, Silver Kamel, SKLP 002
2006, Silver Kamel, SKCD 028

After Silver Kamels reissue of Ranking Dreads great dub album I was hoping that it would be the first of many reissues to come. Greensleeves is now going to collect all of their Ranking Dread discos on one CD, plus the Fattie Boom Boom 12" on vinyl and release. That is fantastic news! However I was never prepared for a treat like this! Two of the most underrated and forgotten deejays on one and the same record! Ranking Dread gets the first side of the album and Massive Dread the second.

The opening cut is »Satta«, a different mix (still on the Satta rhythm) of the song »Give Praise First« from the Kunta Kinte Roots album. Dread Ranx has a chanting approach on it. A fantastic song. He then continues to deejay over equally as great versions of Horace Andys »Love Of A Woman«, »Pressure & Slide«, Cornell Campbell and Hortense Ellis. Every single track features Ranking Dread at his prime and the rhythms likewise as great!

Massive Dreads side is a bit more diverse and features everything from rockers to digital 80's dancehall. Massive Dread got murdered when he tried to make a positive change for his community and the politicians didn't like what he was doing. Horace Andy gets revisited on this side also and the deejay work of Massive Dread is on par with Rankins Dreads side. The stand out tracks must be »Morgan the Pirate« where we find Massive Dread over a lethal rub-a-dub rhythm and the wonderfully odd track »Understand« where Massive sounds almost more like Johnny Ringo than Ringo himself did. The only drawback on the whole album (both sides included) is the song »Melody of Love«. Even though a good song, the digital backing ruins the overall vibe of the album and pure and simple just doesn't fit in. Fortunately this track was excluded on the vinyl.

All of the tracks are to my knowledge previously unreleased (except perhaps for a 12" with Massive and Horace I think I've seen) and Silver Camel are worth all the respect they can get for this fantastic release. Do yourselves a favour and go to the Silver Camel site, Silver Camel Audio, and pick this up.