Prince Lincoln

Prince Lincoln 

"When Will I Make My Mommy Proud"

The Royal Rasses music is the moral upliftment of all humanity.

By Steve Alexander & Ray Hurford

© & (P) Small Axe 1986

The sleevenotes notes by Prince Lincoln on Rasses first LP 'Humanity'. Prince Lincoln Thompson writer, arranger, producer and lead vocalist of highly acclaimed vocal group the Royal Rasses, is a man who always been struggling to survive, a true born sufferer. He has been in business of singing for the last thirteen years and has certainly paid his dues to it twice over. Long before writing such well founded lyrics as, "No Money, No Cars, No Mansions I haven't got yet, but little by little I've known what I did not, when Jah gave me my life he gave me my hands also to fight…" For inspiring 'Unconventional People' song included on the first Royal Rasses album. Prince Lincoln, already had his cup of sorrows.

He was born in the shanty town pulieu of Cockburn Pen in Kingston 11, a place which is talked about as one of the most hard hit ghettos in the world. Prince Lincoln first started singing on leaving school in 1966. He was singing top harmony for the rock steady group the Tartens.  A group of school friend who were led by Cedric Myton, now a success story as lead singer for the fruitful roots group the Congoes. 

The Tartens line up was Lindberg Lewis (founder of the group) Cedric Myton, Devon Russell,  Lincoln 'Sox' Thompson. The released their first single 'People Gonna Dance All Night' in 1968 on Federal Records. It failed to draw much attention and soon fizzled out due to petty record sales and little radio play. But of course today it an invaluable collectors item. Crestfallen but wiser by the cool reaction to their first single, The Tartens moved on from Federal Records to work with the late Arthur Stanley Reid, aka Duke Reid where they cut many sides, but only one single 'Far Beyond The Sun' was ever released. The Tartens also did some recording with with Ken Lack but they were never released. Still only largely recognised by aficionados  the Tartens began to dematerialise and eventually broke up.

Prince Lincoln still had the intention to carry on singing after the Tartens, and for a while he sat back to think about his own future solo career. He re-emerged a few laters in the early seventies around 1971 with the co-operation of producer Clement Seymour Dodd aka Coxsone. For the non-observant Coxsone is considered by many people today as the 'originator' and 'generator' of the Jamaican music industry. He himself lays claim to inventing the off-beat ska/rock steady rhythm that has changed the whole direction of Jamaican music, but that is another story altogether.

Coxsone's owned Studio One and its sister label Coxsone (as well as many others) and it was on the Coxsone label that Prince Lincoln recorded some of his finest work. His first solo record for Dodd was 'True Experience'. Its one of his most flagrant songs to date. He is accompanied by two young girl singers about thirteen years of age, together the girl's harmonies blend intone with Prince Lincoln's wonderful guttural and trebly voice. Truly one of my favourite Prince Lincoln sides. You will find a re-working of 'True Experience' included on the Rasses meticulous second LP called 'Experience' released on Ballastic Records, but the heartfelt sentiments of those two young girls singing harmony together on the Coxsone original, are replaced by the superior harmonies of Keith Peterkin and Clinton Hall from the Rasses. And a new topical rhythm courtesy of Morris and the Harry J studio replaces the one laid down by Coxsone Dodd.

Sox had three more singles released on the Coxsone label. One entitled 'Live Up To Your Name' which came out in 1974 and 'Oh Jah' followed up by 'Daughter Of Zion' which both were re-released in 1978.  As expected Coxsone still has a few unreleased songs that Prince Lincoln recorded for him. One of those that Prince Lincoln remembers is entitled 'When Will I Make My Mommy Proud'. Prince also told me that Coxsone is holding a whole heap of his new rhythms minus vocals, which were laid down due to the fact that Prince Lincoln parted from Coxsone in late 1974. The reason he left being that he didn't agree to the producers attitude towards him and the direction that his music was going in.

Photo - Dave Hendley

Sox explained that certain Jamaican artists today will record anything for any producer just for the chance of recognition and money they think will receive. And in doing this the singers soon become the producers puppet (the producer carries the string) and will do what the producers says. Sox had decided against the star crossed attitude and so in 1975 he decided to start producing his own records, with the help of Keith Peterkin he rounded up singers Clinton Hall and Cedric Myton and formed the Royal Rasses (Leonard Allen replaces Cedric Myton 1978, but he left the group himself months later and was never replaced).

The groups current record company Ballistic have now dropped the Royal from groups name to avoid confusion with Roy Cousins group The Royals. Who are alson recording with Ballistic. In 1975 the group entered Channel One studio where Prince Lincoln recorded his first production entitled 'Love The Way It Should Be' Which was released in Jamaica in 1976 on his own Godsent label. 'Love' was a number one single in the Black Echoes singles chart when it was released in England a few months later on the Neville King label. Neville King also released in the England the second Godsent single 'Kingston 11' recorded at the Channel One sessions. It a well omnipotent song about the Kingston Ghettos. And is a clear example of why Prince Lincoln is one of Jamaica's most vitally important songwriters of today. A third song recorded at Channel One in 1975 entitled 'San Salvador' wasn't released at the time, but a version of it came when Ballistic signed the Rasses in early 1979. After the effective relased of the two singles 'Love The Way It Should Be' and 'Kingston Eleven' Prince Lincoln in an act of progression refrained from recording and decided to concentrate on writing new material for a backing band he was trying to get together.

He spent nearly two and a half years behind the scenes, doing what he describes as "Creating More Creative and Lovely Music…" He spent his time time listening to a wide spectrum of musical styles from American disco to Rock Music to the influence for the new resourceful music he was to write. 

By 1979 Prince Lincoln had found the group direction in music. It was called 'Inter-Reg' a new uptempo variation of roots reggae mixed with soul/funk music and he was piecing together the Rasses frist LP 'Humanity' at Dynamic Sound Studio. Since the releases of the LP 'Humanity' a new album has come out from the Rasses entitled 'Experience' And the group have began their fist tour of the UK which as been called 'Future Shock'. 

Things are now only just beginning to prosper for Prince Lincoln and one day he will receive the recognition that he rightly deserves. I'd like to close by mentioning Prince Lincoln's aims for the groups future. "Well I have only destination creating lovely musical sounds for all humanity." And I tend to believe him. 

When Steve Alexander wrote his article on the Royal Rasses in the summer of 1979, Prince Lincoln and The Royal Rasses really did look like were on the verge on a major breakthrough. The first album album mentioned in the article had shown the group at their best with music like 'San Salvador and 'Old Time Friends' 'Unconventional People,  'Humanity'  and 'Kingston Eleven' All of which had already come out on single or disco. Plus two new tracks 'They Know Not Jah ' and 'Mr Kissinger'  this aspect of the albums release drew criticism. Two new tracks were not enough for people who had been looking forward to new music from the group, for such a long time. But it was an understandable move by Ballistic. The titles above needed to be brought together. 

There are far too many singers and groups who have made plenty of great records, but due to the nature of the Jamaican record industry they are not known. Mainly because their music was only available on singles, which do not stay around long enough to make any impact. Thankfully that situation as now improved. Today, there are many fine compilations being released. Although like the Royal Rasses 'Humanity' album they do need to be kept available. 

The new music from the Royal Rasses came with the 'Experience' album released later in 1979 also on Ballistic. Prince Lincoln's approcah to this was to try and create something new - 'Inter-Reg' He had already shown it was possible with 'Unconventional People' where a reggae bassline was integrated with a funk bassline that had a strong far east sound to it. A style apparently originated by a Jamaican - Phillip Chen, who's distinctive work could be heard on many a disco record then including Rod Stewart's 'Do You Think I'm Sexy'.

However 'Experience' was more traditional, it seemed that with 'Experience' he was trying to create a reggae sound that could be identified as the Royal Rasses sound. A sound outside of mainstream reggae. Burning Spear is perhaps still the most successful example of this idea. Even so Prince Lincoln filled Harry J's studio with the top session men in the business. They included Leroy Wallace, Wire Lindo, Pablo Black, Geoffrey Chung, Ernest Ranglin, Bagga Walker and Val Douglas, plus horns. Musicians of this standard could virtually create any reggae sound. And they gave Prince Lincoln a punchy bass drum driven sound. To this steady rhythm were given fine songs like 'Nobody Here But Me' 'Blessed Are The Meek' and 'Slave Driver' featuring a superb afro horn arrangement. A more relaxed pace is to be found on 'You Gotta Have Love' (Jah Love) making it possible to enjoy more easily Prince Lincoln voice and that of Keith Peterkin and Clinton Hall. 'Jungle Fever' picks up on the afro rock which could have taken the Rasses into very interesting directions, unfortunately it didn't.

The last summer of 1980 saw the release of 'Natural Wild' despite the title it was neither natural or wild. What it represented was yet another confused attempt at mixing reggae with rock music. On this occasion the method was to bring a reggae artists Prince Lincoln together with a rock artist - Joe Jackson. The results were predicable 'Natural Wild' was greeted with complete indifference, if not contempt. Only Chris May editor and main reggae writer of Black Music showed any enthusiasm for the project.

What record companies, their artists and certain music journalists seem to forget is that most forms of contemporary music are constantly borrowing and sampling other forms of music. It is an ongoing process. Occasionally those processes will lead to a new form or forms of music. Reggae grew out of a mixture of R&B and Mento. While more recently Soca came out of a combination of Soul and Calypso. The ongoing process as been proved to be the best way. The other way produces abominations.

Soon after the releases of 'Natural Wild' Ballistic Records folded. Prince Lincoln and the Royal Rasses then took a break from the record business and concentrated more on touring, visiting most of Europe. By then the Rasses band were Bagga Walker on bass, Pablo Black - Keyboards, Mikey Boo - drums, Lawrence White - lead guitar, George Miller - rhythm guitar. Prince Lincoln played guitar as well.  Harmonies were now provided by the very talented Bunny Brisett and Viviene Clarke, Jennifer Lara and Johnny Cool. 

It was this group which recorded the Rasses fourth album 'Ride With The Rasses' released on Godsent. The album was not quite up to the standard of 'Humanity' or 'Experience' But it was an encouraging album in that Prince Lincoln was now once again involved in the production of the original roots reggae music. 

By 1983, the album 'Roots Man Blues' was released on Target. It was much the same style of album as 'Ride With The Rasses' and was well received. Today the Royal Rasses may not be the force they were in 78/79/ but they still have to plenty to offer.

NB.

Prince Lincoln sadly passed away from cancer on 23rd January 1999. A great talent who is badly missed.