Black Slate

This article is for the band. For the stone carving material, see Argillite.
Black Slate
Origin London, England
Genres Reggae
Years active 1974—present
Labels King George, Sir George,TCD, Ensign, Top Ranking, Sierra, CNR
Website blackslatereggae.com
Members Desmond Mahoney
Chris Hanson
Anthony Brightly
Colin McNeis
Past members Keith Drummond
Cledwyn Rogers
Ras Elroy Bailey
Jackie Davies
Chris Charles
Harry T
Sarah Tobias
Patrick Matix
Horace Burke/

Black Slate are a reggae band based in the United Kingdom, and formed in 1974. They toured heavily around London and backed Jamaican musicians such as Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson, and Ken Boothe when they played in the UK. They toured the UK in their own right for the first time in 1978, and released four albums between 1979 and 1985.[1]

History

Black Slate was formed in 1974, including musicians from England, Jamaica, and Anguilla.[2] They backed several Jamaican singers, including Delroy Wilson and Ken Boothe on their UK appearances, and had their first reggae-chart hit themselves in 1976, with the anti-mugging song "Sticks Man",[1][2] also lined up with Disco Reggae Band under Disco Reggae Band & Black Slate. The record hit the Dutch[3] and Flemish charts as well, after being an underground hit in Antwerp discothèques. They toured the UK for the first time in 1978, and formed their own TCD label, having a minor hit with "Mind Your Motion".[1] They also backed Dennis Brown when he played live in the UK, and in 1980 their Rastafarian rallying call, "Amigo", was picked up by Ensign Records, and broke into the UK Singles Chart, reaching no. 9. A Dub Album "Ogima" (Amigo spelled backwards), was released in 1981. The follow-up, "Boom Boom" was also a hit, though less successful. An album, Sirens in the City, followed on Ensign the following year. The band released two further albums in 1982 and 1985.

After a ten-year hiatus they released a new EP, World Citizen, on 15 June 2013, with a UK and European Tour to follow. In November 2014, the band embarked on their first USA tour, with dates across California and Texas. The line-up featured original founding members Anthony Brightly, Chris Hanson, Desmond Mahoney and vocalist Jesse Brade. They have been working on a new album, Now And Then, for an official 2015 release on TCD Records.

A peaceful Demonstration is what we need. However this totally amazing album created by Black Slate is causing a Riot in the musical streets of the city of London where it all started some FORTY odd years ago; thus making Black Slate the first official Roots Rock Reggae Band out of "Great Britton”

That's right; gallantly forging forward in the name of music, every track on this album expresses a musical form in a unique story of the Good, the Better and the Best of Black Slate – the real deal. Standing the test of time, Black Slate has produced this memorable Master-Piece documenting their Global Years of Struggle, Toil, and Success in the ever-changing world of Reggae music.

The mechanics and sheer driving force of this magnificent Band of Reggae Scientists are core members:

Anthony ‘Pure Silk’ Brightly (Keyboards), Chris’Music House’ Hanson (Lead/Rhythm Guitar), Desmond ’Drummy’ Mahoney (Drums/Congo/Percussion).

Alongside newer cohorts, Colin ’Steam Fish’ McNiesh (Bass) and Jessie ’Energy’ Brade (Vocals) as well as Gaven ‘Magic Voice’ Creary (Vocals) the newest member to this great idea that is BLACK SLATE.

Totally inspired by vibes, tones, frequencies and a passion for Roots Rock Reggae music they travelled together to the beautiful beach surrounded Island of Antigua to record this their latest work of art…..

A Peaceful Demonstration

With the help of Solar energy – the most important source of energy for life on Earth provided by The Sun – they unified as one and presented us – their bonafide public – with a dish best served on a (turn)table and presented in a superb

Track list of sound: Amon (See No Evil), Predator, Daylight, Should I Stay or Should I Go, Look into My Eyes, Can You Feel The Love, Peaceful Demonstration, Build Mamma Africa, I Can’t Breath, In the City, bonus track Thinking out Loud.

Here we have eleven self-explanatory musical master-piece tracks which will prove without a shadow of a doubt who these very important components to the world and science of Roots Rock Reggae Music are.

Listen out for them as they embark upon their second courageous World

Discography

Albums

  • Black Slate (1979, TCD)
  • Amigo (1980, Ensign, Wise Owl)
  • Sirens In The City (1981, Virgin, Ensign)
  • Rasta Festival (1981, Alligator)
  • Ogima (1981, Hit and Run) (CD)
  • Six Plus One (1982, Top Ranking)
  • Black Slate (1985, Sierra)
  • Get Up and Dance (1995, Fairwood Music)[4]

Singles

  • "Sticks Man" (1977, CNR) – NL no. 31
  • "Mind Your Motion" (1979, 12", TCD)
  • "Amigo" (1980, Ensign) – UK no. 9
  • "Boom Boom" (1980, Ensign) – UK no. 51[4][5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Larkin, Colin:"The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", 1998, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9
  2. 1 2 Barrow, Steve, and Dalton, Peter:"Reggae: The Rough Guide", 1997, Rough Guides, ISBN 1-85828-247-0
  3. ↑ "Sticks Man" peaking at no. 31 in the Dutch Top 40 at 12 November 1977. Archived 18 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine. This internet copy of the charts wrongly states the artist is "Black Slate"; the original printed charts stated the artist as "Disco Reggae Band Black Slate".
  4. 1 2 "Black Slate Discography at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  5. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 61. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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