Gladiators

Gladiators – Country Living – Heartbeat

Virtually the same could be said about the Gladiators, as a band. Much admired and respected, the have been slowly working towards a classic LP like this.

The real surprise is to find it on Heartbeat. As the band 's second home is Nighthawk (Studio One being the first) but that's all explained in Small Axe 24. 'Country Living' came about two years ago but its still there latest LP. And what an LP it is. From the production and arrangement that is well crisp. To sold deep roots rhythm, to the wonderful songs. The title of the LP 'County Living' says it all. Fresh, natural and totally invgorating. A magnificent album, that hopefully will be built on.

"Gladiators - Bongo Red - Heartbeat

The sound of Studio One was always a sound from beyond time. If someone had said it was built in the thirties or forties, itwould have made sense. It was a sound that conjured up flicking amps, strange looking microphones, and a mixing desk that looked like a prop from a SciFi film. Then along came the Gladiators - one of the few ‘bands’ in Ja￾maica. Whatever they brought into the studio made that sound even more ancient, more mystical!!! The Gladiators - Albert Grif￾fiths, Clinton Fearon, and Gallimore Sutherland - would build rhythms that featured simple up and down patterns, very much like the call and response found in vocal groups which of course The Gladiators were as well.This set is full of gems. Starting with ‘Roots Natty’, ’Watch Out’, ‘Bongo Red’ and ‘A Prayer To Thee’. All recorded in the early tomid-seventies with that ancient sound. Other tracks here were recorded at different times - some from the Reggae era - and were never released, which makes no sense at all, until you remember the history of Studio One… a label that is still more mystery than history!!!"

"Gladiators - Presenting - Studio One

The Gladiators came to fame in the Reggae era with ‘Hello Carol’. If I recall Nicky Thomas claimed he had a hand in the song writing ofthis tune, although I’m sure he would not have grudged the Gladiators of their big Reggae hit. They had others as well, but when it comes to compilations of their work for Studio One, they seemed to have something against most of them! For example ‘Hello Carol’ is missing from both of them! This set for Coxsone will have to do. It’s has the big hit ‘Hello Carol’ and that is important. It’s a great tune as well. It’ssometimes forgotten that the Gladiators were a band, not a vocal group - so they may have played on all their tunes at Studio One This set ‘Presenting’ sounds like a lot of tracks feature Bagga Walker bass overdubs, buthere is an overall feel to the album that suggests that it could be The Gladiators on therhythms. It is a fragile, very raw sound. And it suits the kind of songs they write. Albert Griffiths is on most of the lead vocals - it’s a kindaBob Marley style that works very well. ButClinton Fearon and Gallimore Sutherland aso take the lead on certain tracks. This is a great set, showing the early days of theband, just before they signed with Virgin.