Yup ... Nothin too crazy with this mix ... Just all sorts of songs singin praise onto The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah ... Jah Rastafari ...

Probably shoulda done a 'duppy mix' or something, but had this one sitting on the shelf for a while and wanted to get it out ... Happy Halloween Suckas!

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ABBA TEKEL


Track List
Give Jah The Praise Intro - The Blends
Imperial I - Prince Jazzbo
Roots Man Revival - Mikey Dread
His Imperial Majesty - Twinkle Brothers
His Majesty Dub - Twinkle Brothers
Ethiopia - Michael Prophet
Praise Fari - Leroy Sibbles
Coming of Jah - Earl Zero
Never Give Jah Up - Sugar Minott
Never Gonna Give Up Dub - Sugar Minott
I And I A The Chosen One - Prince Far I
Beat Down Babylon - Junior Byles
Trad On - Barry Brown
Kushy I - Winston McAnuff
Holy Mount Zion - Freddie McGregor
Jah Rasta - Culture
Beautiful Rainbow - Leroy Smart
Wicked Can't Run Away - Glenroy Richards
Prophesy - Justin Hinds & The Dominoes
Jah Love - The Abyssinians
Rastafari Calling - Ranking Superstar
 

If you haven't been made aware of the insane increase in violence & shootings in Chicago over the last months you either never read the news, or, you live somewhere without any sort of connection to the rest of the planet .. like, under a rock. Cause it has been gettin' cold dumb around here with how many badboys need to flex and pop off the next man over nothing. Certain neighborhoods on the South Side have seriously gone borderline-warzone status ...

So here we come with a special request to all Gunman! Leave Gun Business Alone! A topical edition for ya'lls lil' head domes to wrap it's brain assunder upon. Strictly gunman and badboy lyrics we play .. And none of that glamorizing gangsta culture sh*t ... If cautionary tales exist in the reggae community, some of these tunes would probably be the closest thing to them ... Also, maybe this will help in eliminating the use of the word 'rude' in non-jamaican bands' names. Rudeboy business is gangster business ... Nothing righteous or cutesie about it.

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GUNMAN CONNECTION


Track List
Gunman Intro - The Blends
Blam Blam Fever (Guns Fever) - The Valentines
Gun Hawk - Al Campbell
Gun Man - Dudley Sibley
Youth Man Penitentiary - Edi Fitzroy
Tribal War - Little Roy
Hooligan Stop a While - Prince Mohammed
Murderer - Barrington Levy
Crime - Eek-A-Mouse
Bad Man Possee - Junior Murvin feat. Roots Radics
Don't Take Your Gun To Town - Jah Woosh
Gun The Man Down - Dice The Boss
Wailiing Rudy - Gregory Isaacs
Stop Your Gun Shooting - Errol Dunkley
Stop Your Gun Shooting (Dubwise) - Errol Dunkley
Johnny Make You Bad So - Lone Ranger
Hell In A Town - Wayne Palmer
Badness A Madness - Yellowman
Crime Don't Pay - Bob Andy
Gimme Mi Gun - Dr. Alimantado
Throw Down Your Arms - Burning Spear
 

Wow it's been a long time since we rapped at ya .. But things are still happening ... Next couple weeks we're gonna be up on this BLOG ish quite a bit .. Some new tracks, some previews of other new tracks, some upcoming shows, solo tours, yeahhhhhh ya know!

And so to start it off we got a brand new mixtape for ya'lls ... A special collaboration with Chicago's 'Simmer Down Sundays' ( Our friends Akasha's free reggae night held every last Sunday at the Double Door). Simmer Down Sundays features a rotating cast of selectors, deejays and bands is arguably the most important reggae happening in the city. Drastics drummer Anthony (aka King Tony) has dropped his 'live-dub-via-cassette' performance there a couple times now, and collaborated with The Blends on this new mix .. Reggae Synthesis .. It's ya know, like, when the guy (or gal) in your band gets a new pedal or new percussion toy and just throws-up all over the track using it to death? Well this mixtape is orta like that, but with rastas and synthesizers.

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MOOGS & BINGHIS


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ARP ODYSSEYS & CHALWA


Track List
Introduction - The Blends
Spying Glass - Horace Andy
Willow Tree - Black Uhuru
Accept My Apology - B.B. Seaton
Interlude 1 - The Blends
Tell Them A Ready - Barrington Levy
Lazer Eyes - Sly & Robbie
How Could I Live - Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
Social Justice - Mighty Two
Unknown - Unknown
Take Care of the Youths - The Viceroys
Mackarus Serenade - Joe Gibbs & The Professionals
Interlude 2 - The Blends
Single Barrel - Dave and Ansil Collins
Time of Decision - Ken Boothe
Roots Train - Derrick Harriott
Star Trek - The Vulcans
 

HO HO HO HO HO!
Well what is this early stocking stuffer for all you good boys and girls?

Yes!

It's the return of the Third Thursday Free Mixes series ... Part 25!

Yeah we've missed (you!) more than a couple over the past couple of months so we've gone out of our way to make it up to you with an extra-long jam-packed mix featuring ... you guessed ... nothin' but B sides.

Now, the B side gets a bad-rap, so don't start thinkin' this is some of yesterday's jam sittin' in a mason jar on your aunties windowsill gettin' all moldy. These are slammin bees, deadly bees, boss bees, ill bees, even .. well, you get the idea. Now there are more ballads/downtempo jams on this mixtape than any other but they are still slammin! Highly recommended would be 'You'll Be Sorry' by The Fascinations (dig the piano fo sho) and 'Never Had It So Good' from Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown. Also, fans of polyrhythmia will appreciate the bizarre (BIZARRE!) transitions from 4/4 to 6/8, swing to straight and other things that make musicologist wet themselves.

THEY KILLED KILLER B

Track List
Ain't No Sunshine - Lyn Collins
He Is The Boy - Little Eva
Tribute To The Don - Tommy McCook
Chicken Necks - Don & Juan
Stalkin' - Duane Eddy
You'll Be Sorry - The Fascinations
Hit And Miss Affair - Night Doctor
Part Two Why DId You - Barbara Jones
Mary Poppins - Danny Simpson
You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming - The Playmates
I'm So Glad - Frankie Karl & The Dreams
Keep On Dubbing - Bigger T
May I Baby - Sam & Dave
The Love I Found In You - Brothers Of Soul
Never Had It So Good - Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown
Going In The Hole - Ted Taylor
Hip To Your Game - Renaldo Domino
Drop By My Place - Little Carl Carlton
Can't Get Him Off My Mind - Sheryl Swope
No Love Like Your Love - Fantastic Four
Hot Pop - Jo Jo Bennett
Listen To Me - The Esquires
How Can You Tell Me - The Flirtations
Nine Times Out Of Ten - Simtec & Wylie
Keep Him - Barbara Mason
 

Missed you last month. We really did. What? No I tried calling! But, my phone was dead! I was stolen by gypsies! My arm was broken! I was attacked by feral weasels! Aw baby don't be like that ... but but but but baby, don't you understand that I do the things I do because I LOVE YOU????

Anyway ... spent last month gettting geared up for our first Sound Craft All Night Dub Session and didn't have the wherewithall to get a mix together. With next month's Sound Craft Series 2 rapidly approaching (August 5) we put together a hardass dubwise mixtape for ya'lls little boiled cauliflower ears.

Definitely some rareities in this pile of chune but familiar names and melodies abound as well. ABOUND.

And hey! If this doesn't satiate your depraved musical needs, your PalmDown Sound Crew will be back at The Charleston on Saturday July 30th with extra special guest DJ Tropicaza form Mexico City in the house. Reggae vs Latin Funk. The gloves will be off. All Vinyl. No Cover. Good Drinks.

DUB WILL FIND A WAY

Playlist
Martin Luther King - Scientist w/ The Forces of Music
Firehouse Special - Prince Jammy
Peaceful Man Dub - Rockers All Stars
March Down Babylon Dub - Prince Douglas
In Those Days - Burning Spear
Galong So Dub - Bunny Wailer
Mr. Walker Dub - King Tubby
Wicked Dub - The Revolutionaires
Iron Bar Dub - Linton Kwelsi Johnson
Idlers Rest - Joe Gibbs & The Professionals
None A Jah Jah Children No Cry - Ras Michael
Fun & Games - Lee 'Scratch' Perry
Round 9 - Scientist w/ Roots Radics

Back on the regular! Lil late on a Thursday, but we got yer monthly mixtape RIGHT HERE PAL. But seriously we do.

And it's another first for The Blends/Third Thursday mixtape series (that I hope becomes a regular thing)... At 30 minutes and 45 seconds, say hello to you brand new collaboration mixtape ... with Nic The Graduate .. the beat-maker/producer behind Illuminati Congo who's been filling in for Chris/Bassie at our Charleston DJ monthly the last couple of sessions ... Graduate wanted to do a deejay mixtape, and my mother always told me to be polite/baby-gets-what-baby-wants so BAM! Strikkly deejay style pon yer mix ... Kept 'em short n sweet and tried to cram as many styles on the list as possible. Some you know; Yellowman, Super Cat.. some you (might) not; U Mike, Shorty The President ... regardless, this milkshake will surely bring all the boys/girls to your yard when you put yer speakers out yer window and bump it in the warming weather ...

And hey! If you dig the tracks, you can come check get more chat for your dollar (though it's all free) LIVE at the Charleston in Bucktown, Chicago on Thursday May 26, 10pm when PalmDown Sound (your resident Drastic DJs) spin on a Deejay-themed tip. Special Guest Nic The Graduate on board for the musical throwdown.

All Vinyl. No Cover. Good Drinks.

JUST CALL US CHATTY CATHYS!

Playlist
Bump Skank - Dillinger
Welding - I-Roy
Jamaican Thing - Shorty The President
Dread A The President - U Brown
Live Upright - Jah Woosh
Spanish Omega - Dennis Alcapone
Forty Leg Dread - Prince Mohammed
Try It You'll Like It - Scotty
Wrong Girl To Play With - Yellowman
Super Duper - U Mike
Ghetto Dance - Jim Brown
Mosquito 1 - Ringo
No Meat - Jah Batta
Cure For Fever - Josey Wales
Big And Ready - Super Cat
 

Our sabbatical was well needed.

And we now return you to our regularly scheduled programming. Finally, after 2 months of waiting, pining, fighting and reclining .. we got a new mixtape for ya'lls. This one is a special request and a popular demand to our boys at Impala Sound and Soul Summit. We humbly offer to the court of yer listening pleasure, surprise witness Reggae/Soul. An all thriller, no filler, 15 track attack of soul tunes gone down the JA-way. Of course to the inundated listener, the connection between soul and reggae is obvious, and soul/reggae comps aren't exactly hard to find, but we think you'll enjoy our special blend of common-and-obscure, northern-and-southern, contemporary-and-classic styles on this mix. I mean, Teddy Pendergrass tunes covered in a reggae style? WHACHUTHAWTYOONOO??.

Good chance there will be a Part 2 of these as I had more source material than I knew what to do with. 

But in the meantime, if you like what you hear, you can come check out more of these jams LIVE at the Charleston in Bucktown, Chicago on Thursday April 28, 10pm when PalmDown Sound (your resident Drastic DJs) spin a Reggae-Gone-Soul themed night. Special Guest Nic The Graduate on board for the musical throwdown.

All Vinyl. No Cover. Good Drinks.

anyway ....

HAILE SOULAISSIE

Playlist
Turn Back The Hands of Time - Winston Francis (Tyrone Davis)
Gonna Take A Miracle - Cornell Campbell (The Royalettes)
Fever - Junior Byles (Little Willie John)
Love T.K.O. - Hugh Porter (Teddy Pendergrass)
Gimme Little Sign - Hepcat (Brenton Wood)
So Unusual - George Allison (The Impressions)
You Dont Care - Lloyd Sparks (The Impressions)
Human Nature - Jrn Reid (MJ)
Baby Now That I Found You - Alton Ellis (The Foundations)
Private Number - Honey Boy (Judy Clay and William Bell)
Aint No Sunshine - Horace Andy (Bill Withers)
Never Had A Dream Come Through - Glen Adams & Upsetters (Stevie Wonder)
Moving Away - Ken Booth (Kenny Lynch)
Lonely Man Am I - The Techniques (The Temptations)
Too Late To Turn Back - Alton Ellis (Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose)

Oh yeah ... we blew it big time.

Where did January go ? Well, a large chunk of it went to moving the Dirty North. That's right, the Drastics resident recording studio Dirty North has moved on up to a bigger and badder home. We'll miss the old digs for sure, but our new space is nearly twice as big and has room for building out a much more professional space. I plan keeping a progress blog of things which will surely make some guest appearances here. So anyway, here is January's installment of The Blends free mixtape (in February, yes WE KNOW) ... appropriately entitled "Move/Home"! And if you detect a theme, you'd be right ... all of the songs either have to do with (or are named) on the theme of moving or home.  Once I scratched the surface I realized how daunting it was to catalog/pick what songs to use ... Moving and Home are pretty ubiquitious themes amongst musicians.  Anyway, the usual gamut is run, featuring reggae, hiphop, soul and  jazz. Some cool/rarer tracks with some older standbys ... Always remember, if you want more of this, you can always come by and check out The Charleston (in Chicago) every Last Thursday to hear Anthony & Chris spinning only the nice grooves ...

And though your Drastics haven't made any formal updates in a minute, rest assured we've still been busy ... Before vacating the Old Dirty North we recorded 5 brand new tracks for an exchange/dubclash with The Dub Robot out in California .. Not to mention the 10 track 'Roots Radics' inspired album we are still putting the final-touches on. When it rains it pours, and chances of precipitation are in the high 90%s.

COMIN' HOME TO ROOST

Playlist
Move - Miles Davis
Gonna Move - Paul Pena
No More Shall I Roam - Jah Woosh
Sad To Know (Your Leaving) - Gregory Isaacs
Move Up - Al & The Vibrators
Flying Home - Tommy McCook & The Supersonics
Move On Up - Greyhound
Won't You Come Home - Delroy Wilson
Move It Up - Wentworth Vernal
Move It - Declaime
Next Movement - The Roots
Changes - Clarence Carter
Move - Ty
We Are Neighbors - The Chi-Lites
Home Made - Jackie Mitoo & The Soul Brothers
Move Me - The Upsetters
I Want To Go Home - Derrick Morgan
That Place - Buddy Miles

Need more holiday tunes and/or reggae?? Well we got you covered on both ...

Our friends at Musical Occupation just put up a new Podcast/Mixtape ... not exactly holiday themed, but they start out with our hip-hop/rocksteady/dancehall opus "Fraudulent Parts 1 & 2" ... Nice selection pon di mix.

Then our enemies friends at The Impala Sound put up an impressive Christmas-Gone-Reggae Mix ... featuring some real rarities. However, no matter how many times they say it, Impala does NOT rule, nor have a "big big sound". Impala di Imposta!! 

Musical Occupation

Impala Sound