Welcome to the “Club
Ska” web
UPDATED Wednesday 17th September
Tribute to Alton Ellis – Club Ska website
Alton Ellis was born in 1938 and grew up in Kingston's Trench Town district. Born into a musical family, he learned to play piano at a young age. Alton initially sought fame as a dancer, competing on Vere Johns' Opportunity Hour. After winning a couple of competitions, he switched to singing, starting his career in 1959 as part of the duo Alton & Eddy with Eddy Perkins. Alton and Perkins recorded for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, initially in the R&B style, having a massive hit with "Muriel" (from Dodd's first commercially-oriented recording session at Federal studios), recording a follow-up, "My Heaven", before Perkins moved to the United States.
Alton continued to work for Dodd and also recorded for his arch-rival, Duke Reid on his Treasure Isle label. By the mid 1960s, ska was moving on and the beat was slowing down to rocksteady and becoming associated with the violent rude boy subculture in Jamaican dancehalls. Many artists made records referring to the rude boys, including Alton, although his records were consistently anti-rudie, including "Don't Trouble People", "Dance Crasher", and "Cry Tough", in contrast to artists such as Bob Marley, who Alton blamed for glorifiying the rudies. Recording with a backing trio, The Flames (the varying line-up of which included his brother Leslie Ellis, David "Baby G" Gordon and Winston Jarrett), Alton scored big with the hits "Girl I've Got a Date", "Cry Tough" and "Get Ready - Rock Steady", which was the first song to refer to the name of the newer genre. As rocksteady dominated the Jamaican airwaves for the next two years, Alton continued to score hits for Treasure Isle, working with artists such as Lloyd Charmers, Phyllis Dillon and The Heptones. His Mr. Soul of Jamaica album is regarded as one of the definitive rocksteady albums.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Alton recorded for some of Jamaica's top producers, having two huge hits with Lloyd Daley in "Deliver Us" and "Back to Africa", and recording for Bunny Lee, Keith Hudson, and Herman Chin Loy. Alton had toured the United Kingdom in the 1960s with Studio One band the Soul Vendors, and from 1972 he based himself in the UK. Alton continued to record and perform regularly, recording in the early 1980s for emerging producers including Henry "Junjo" Lawes, Sugar Minott, and King Jammy. Alton also opened up the Alltone record shop in Brixton, South London, and started a record label of the same name.
The "Mad Mad" riddim, first recorded by Alton in 1967 would later be recycled in more than one hundred other songs. The instantly recognizable three-note descending horn line was reinterpreted by Henry "Junjo" Lawes and eventually became known widely as the "Diseases" reggae riddim. "Diseases" is notably utilized in Yellowman's hit song ""Zungguzungguguzungguzeng", which has in turn has been sampled and reinterpreted by a long list of popular hip hop artists including KRS One, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur and Blackstar. This constant reinterpretation and referencing has made Alton a major but little-known influence in the trajectory of dancehall, reggae and hip hop.
Alton continued to be active on the reggae scene until his health began to deteriorate. In November 2005 Alton appeared at Club Ska, The Rayners Rayners Lane – it was a full house and Alton sang beautifully – many say it was the best night of music ever presented at our club.
In December 2007, Alton was admitted to hospital in London for treatment of cancer of the lymph glands, but he returned to live performance after receiving chemotherapy. Alton was the older brother of the late Hortense Ellis, and the father of sons and daughters including Noel Ellis and Christopher Ellis, who are both reggae singers. Alton died on 10 October 2008 at Hammersmith Hospital, West London, after collapsing during a show in London in August.
To Alton’s family and friends we say thank you for the wonderful music and know you are in our prayers.
Club Ska
11th October 2008
BOSS SOUNDS FESTIVAL 2008
OCTOBER 18th – 19th
VENUE: NEWCASTLE CARLING ACADEMY
Westgate Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1SW
Sly and Robbie – Taxi Gang – Misty in Roots – Jerry Dammers – Pioneers – Natty – Symarip – Iration Steppas – Alpha and Omega – Ska Cubano
£17.50 per day - £30 weekend ticket
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.jumpinhot.com
www.myspace/bosssoundsfestival
Boss Sounds festival of legendary reggae is back for 2008 celebrating Black History Month in fine style with a line up of both classic reggae names and newcomers as well. Headliners Sly and Robbie are the worlds greatest rhythm section and have played with all Jamaican legends not to mention Grace Jones and Mick Jagger. Other headliners are UK’s Misty in Roots and ska legends Pioneers and Symarip. New York collective Easy Star All Stars and ska meets Cuba – Ska Cubano compliment the two day programme with host and DJ for the occasion former Specials superstar, Jerry Dammers. Newcomers ‘Natty’ and ‘YesKing’ are scheduled as well as the UK’s premier dub selectors Iration Steppas and Alpha and Omega.
Reggae stalls and Caribbean catering make the two day event a festival special and the after show party till 4am at World Headquarters on the 18th ensures that reggae music dominates Newcastle for the weekend of October 18 and 19th.
"The Rayners - the struggle to return continues"
While
the campaign to save The Rayners has resulted in a permanent
Grade 2 listing - we at Club Ska are still trying to return
to WEST LONDON'S BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE.!!
Club Ska
and Mrs. Sandra Aitken invites you to a very very special
event on Sunday the 22nd of April 2007 - organised
just for you.
[A mock up of the anticipated plaque to be
unveiled]
SUNDAY 22ND APRIL 2007 - AT 2PM at Belgrave,
Leicester (Close to City Centre)- Official unveiling of
Laurel's Blue Plaque at Laurel's House.
Laurel's Wife says " I want all of Laurel's fans at Club Ska
and everywhere to know that they will be very welcome to
come to our house for the unveiling of the Blue Plaque."
A free reception with Sound System will follow at the
nearby community centre - do come along.
A fresh issue of the legendary Club Ska free 'zine is in
preparation and on its way to you soon!!
We also have two new releases coming your way soon - So read
on and support us and Keep the CLUB SKA flag flying !
Foxy's Ruts play the Hope & Anchor, Islington on Saturday
the 7th of April with John Ottway for charity. Do come
along to that too.Tickets from Ticket Master.
For Foxy's Ruts
Check out www.humanpunk.com
Jools
& Paul Young say 'WE SUPPORT THE RAYNERS & CLUB SKA" !!!
Welcome to the “Club
Ska” website. Our website provides up-to-date
information about upcoming shows we are putting on and new
releases on our Club Ska record
and DVD label, information about ticket purchases and mail order
items available.
There is a map to help you find “Club Ska”, contact details for us, a
links page and a message board.
We hope this site becomes a
favourite for you.
CLUB SKA
in the Six years to January 2006 put on many shows including:
PRINCE BUSTER, LAUREL AITKEN, DESMOND DEKKER,
RICO, DERRICK MORGAN, BAD MANNERS, OWEN GRAY, THE SELECTER,
RHODA DAKAR, DAVE BARKER, THE UPSETTERS, FREETOWN, NO.1
STATION, DENNIS ALCAPONE, U-BROWN, WINSTON FRANCIS, THE
BEAT, THE TROJANS, THE RIFFS and 2-TONIC
– as you can tell, we deal in the best Ska and Reggae for
your musical pleasure!
We are fighting to keep our venue and to
keep West London's live music scene alive - join us in this
heroic struggle!!!!!! See how at nutshell news item 6.
below.
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