Augustus Pablo - Pipers of Zion

Augustus Pablo live at the Charing Cross Astoria, London in December 1989




'ejr' was the umbrella title used by filmmaker Nick Emery (aka ND Emery, Vane Tempest & the ejr, etc...) for all his independent (and predominantly) self-financed films made between 1976 and the cessation of production in 2000. All bar one were non-fiction films, most were proto-music videos -- uncompromising and singular - although a number feature an eclectic variety of subjects ranging from railways to sculpture.

Stylistically the films encompass the spectrum from the conventional and linear narrative to the iconoclastic and nihilistic. They often eschew such formalities as continuity and synchronisation, shaking up the moribund repetitiveness of the music video with kaleidoscopic layers of superimposition, jump-cuts and slow-motion stirred into the mix. This was not an approach guaranteed to garner mainstream or MTV-type exposure.

The template for early productions was the instantaneous accessibility of the news item developed by TV companies as the basis for their broadcasts and utilising the premise that any story can be told in three minutes (or not at all). They are all defined by an unorthodox approach, limited production values and financial constraints. An entry in a 1994 Exploding Cinema programme describes ejr films as being "....organic, they appear to have been grown rather than made". Influences include Peter Whitehead, Derek Jarman and Don Letts.

With the exception of three films all are less than ten minutes in length. Both "Dragtime - Gallon Drunk 1992", an early film of the indefatigable swamp-fevered rockers, and "Brewing up in Blighty" (1993/4) (aka "This New Model England") featuring the perennially underrated, experimental technoists and John Peel Faves, 70 Gwen Party, both run to thirty minutes. The only non-fiction film, "Burning Land" (1978-80) features a young woman dealing with identity and isolation and was inspired by Maya Deren's "Meshes of an Afternoon". Two other longer films -- "This Deadly Affair" (1981) and "Popness", dealing with the shamanistic and commercial rituals of popular music - along with a number of shorts from the 1990's remain unfinished and are unlikely to see the light of day. Many films from the 1976 -- 1984 period have disappeared and are presumed lost.

All the productions were originally shot on 16mm film with some sequences on Super8 and analogue video.

The dozen films on Youtube are a representative selection of ejr productions.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Augustus
• Pablo
• Reggae

[speakwhnspkn2]

It is amazing to see Augustus Pablo take an inherently simple instrument like the melodica and do so much with it. No it's not a technical tour-de-force we are witnessing here, but the elegance of understatement. This guy says more with four or five notes than a lot of musicians say in an entire song.

Augustus is one of the reasons I bought a melodica and recently started playing it and even posted some stuff on here.

[dubplateroots]

Pablo was a genius, I got most of his tunes on original press. This is from the LP Rising Sun, each and every track a killer on the LP. Well worth getting. R.I.P PABLO

[OzMuzyk]

The Rockers Band is: Earl 'Chinna' Smith - Lead Guitar: Ras Bonnitto - Guitar: Badness - Guitar: Ranchie McLean - Bass: Benbow Creary - Drums: Ozou`ne Sundalyah - Rhodes/Keyboards.

[OzMuzyk]

Man lol I am so excited as I have not seen this since we performed at Astoria. I am honored to have had the opportunity to work & share the stage with both Pablo & Jooks (Junior Delgado). Nuff blessing erjvane for uploading this. Thanx to Pablo, Junior & I know wherever u r u r blessing every1 with u music as u blessed us here while u were with us. Nuff respect every time. I am on Keyboard, Ozou`ne Sundalyah.

[MultiYesindeed]

Fab. AP was and still is the master. Thanks for this.

[speakwhnspkn2]

@letsliveinunity You missed the point entirely. Never mind though. You just want to argue. I won't indulge you sir.

[victormauro]

power of Jah.......

[petermast]

Hey...I was there! One and only time I saw him live. My mate remarked how thin he looked. What a show.

[USUMAMPAULO]

thank you for post some about this great guy of the music ,i hope everybody now each mor about this genius of Dub music.