Ska - Rocksteady (10'') Johnny & The Attractions - Call of the drums

Good Music brother.


Legend has it that back in 1966 the Jamaican summer was so scorching hot that public demand called for a slowed down groove. It was the end of ska and the birth of rocksteady. Within just less than 2 years, heaps upon heaps of recordings in the new style dominated Jamaican dance halls, and the number of great singles released within that short time frame was completely disproportionate to the size of the population - a musical wonder! The list below is meant to guide you through the jungle of rocksteady releases but is of course highly idiosyncratic, so don't take a praise or a diss as the final word.

The term "rocksteady" itself is sometimes confused with "ska" or "reggae" - those three styles are as different from each other as rhythm & blues, soul and funk. Ska is a brass driven, usually fast paced and lively coming together of mento and R&B that all but died out in 1966 (in Jamaica); rocksteady is a considerably slower and sparser style that existed from 1966 to '68, took its cue from American soul outfits like The Impressions and The Temptations, put bass to the fore, one drop drum on the third, and no pounding brass sections like in ska; reggae took over in 1968, once again quickening up the pace, introduced the trademark guitar hiccup and was as rhythmic in its core as rocksteady was melodic.

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[rowdyroddy4321]

/ thanx ragamufin your info on ska - rock-steady was very enlightening, when did rude boys come in to it ?