Colin Moore

Flo and Colin - Abbashanti Dance - Tudor Rose - Early Ninties

Photo - Small Axe

Colin Moore 'The Fencebeater'

What are you doing here Colin; you should be telling me about some new

DVD or CD someone has given you, why am I writing a tribute to you? I

don't even like writing these things - too upsetting for me. You know

that. Perhaps I should ask Steve or Dave or John Williams to do it. Or

about a million other people who knew and respected you. It's just too

sad for words. One day I'm talking to you about the DJ guide and David

Dubwise's interest in it, and you're coming up with some ideas on the

best price for him. I am telling you that Chuck Foster as sent the

text for his rock-steady book - and you're telling me you can't wait

to see that. And then 48 hours later - Steve is telling me you have

passed!!!!!

So here I am, it's a cold bank holiday, Monday trying to work out what

to say about you. A good friend, that don't really cover it, a really

really good friend. Nah, that don't work either. Perhaps it might be

good to start at the beginning. It was October 1978 when you first

popped up wanting to buy some Small Axe's for your reggae club at

Reading University. That was nice, but you also wanted to help - that

was even better. The first thing you wanted to do was to put on a talk

at the Reggae Club at Reading University. "That's sound good, let me

know how its goes - I said." Well I want you to do the talk - replied

Colin. What!!! No way. Anyways, Colin persisted and finally - I headed

off to Reading to do the talk. A few days later Colin tells it was a

great success. Was it? And here is the first clue to what Colin was

all about - making things happen and encouraging people - it was a

kind of kindness that is hard to find.

Not long after that the first sound system tapes arrived in the

country I received a Gemini cassette from the US - from Bob in

Seattle. I copied it for Colin. He loved it. Not long after that Colin

came across a couple more - he brought them around Christmas Eve near

to midnight. It was Kilamanjaro and another Gemini. It was the start

of the Dancehall era. A very exciting time, every week there was a new

singer or deejay. I would love to do some reviews of all this stuff he

said. And he did. Not long after that we were talking about nick

names. Well you love sound system tapes - and the dancehall - what do

they do when they love a tune in Kingston: they beat the fence. You

must be the Fencebeater, the name stuck. Then came the interviews. Bob

Andy, I think was the first, Willie Williams, Leroy Smart, Junjo, Eek

A Mouse, Peter King- and many many more.

Perhaps the strangest was the one with Judah Eskender Tafari. 11pm one

Friday night 1993. You phone up, I thought something was wrong. "You

are not going to believe this, he says. Well, what it is - I reply.

"I was just at the A Class Studio - Gussie P was cutting specials with

Judah Eskender Tafari!!!" Judah had been a great favourite of ours

from day one. We had to interview him, and thanks to Colin we did. So

many great memories. And I sure man like Blacka Dread and so many

others who Colin helped will be able to recount more. Colin made

things happen, he made the world a better place.

My thoughts are with Flo his wife and Lauren his little girl, Rachel

his big daughter, with his mum and dad, Richard his brother and Jane

and Sarah his sisters. I want to wrap this up now Colin, what do you

think, a spelling mistake - the grammar OK. What did you always say?

Its reads well, it makes sense. I just wished the same could be said

about your passing Colin. No sense in it all. Rest in peace.

Ray Hurford.

3pm Monday 4th May - 2009.