Misty In Roots

Misty In Roots - Earth - People Unite

Misty in Roots once carried nearly all the

hopes for Roots music made in the UK.

Aswad helped up until around 79/80. They

then lost their way. It was left to Misty In

Roots to uphold Roots music in this country.

Two disco 45s confirmed they were the best

band, both released on their own label,

which was another thing that made them

the most popular Reggae band in the UK.

The first disco in 1979 was 'See Them Ah

Come' and 'How Long Jah', two of the finest

tunes ever made in the UK. Released on

disco 45 costing only £1.50. Early in 1980

'Rich Man'/'Salvation' came out, another

outstanding disco. Again two tunes that

represented all that was good in UK Reggae

music.

Things looked really bright for the group.

Their first album - a live recording made at

the Counter-Eurovision in 1979 - was by all

accounts a great album. All they needed to

do was transfer that sound and those songs

into the studio to make a great album. They

didn't. By the time of the release of their first

album (studio) 'Wise And Foolish,' the band

had changed personnel and sound. Far from

uplifting a depressed Roots Reggae scene, it

made matters worse. The question was

asked, if Misty can't do it, who can?

'Wise And Foolish' just didn't work. The only

songs that live up to their promise were 'Bail

Out', 'Lifeboat' and 'Peace And Love'. A lot of

Misty fans were well disappointed. But such

was the band's popularity, the album sold

well. Mainly it seems to the alternative

market. Catered for by people like Rough

Trade and Sparten. Around this time Aswad

came back into the picture with some fine

music. So the disappointment was softened.

In my view, what happened to Misty with

'Wise And Foolish' happened again with

Aswad and their first album for CBS - 'New

Chapter'. The album didn't live up to its

expectations.

And that more or less brings up to the

present. The two finest Roots Reggae bands

in the country are still going, but where. This

new album by Misty is a vast improvement

on 'Wise and Foolish', but nothing on it

compares to those discos released in 79/80.

'Earth' was recorded in Germany after the

band returned from their tour of African. The

German engineers get a good sound, but it’s

nothing to get excited about. Misty play well,

but the whole thing lacks emotion. The

songs are great! A collection of thoughtful

lyrics. The type that made the group always

worth seeing live. When they march on

stage it’s like the army of Jah Rastafari

gathering.

I note there are nearly nine members of the

band now. When I saw them for the first

time, it seemed like 20 or 30 people on stage,

a battery of percussion. And there were no

horns in those days. Perhaps this accounts for

the change in sound. Percussion plays a vital

part in Reggae music. You take that away

and your removing a root. A much better

album than 'Wise And Foolish', but bring

back the Roots.