|
Commercial success has largely eluded Glen Brown but his work, stretching over four decades, has ensured his status as a ‘cult figure’ and his records are prized collectors items that fetch correspondingly high prices on the collectors market.
|
| Date Added: Dec 2, 2010, Date Updated: Dec 14, 2010 Copyright (C) 2024 Dub Store Sound Inc. |
|
|
| Place of Establishment |
Jamaica
Kingston
|
| Founder： |
Glen Brown
|
| Producer(s)： |
Glen Brown
|
|
|
|
|
Born on 30th January 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica Glenmore Lloyd Brown(Glenmore Brown) started his career in the music business singing standards and jazz with band leader Sonny Bradshaw. He made his first recordings in 1966 on a series of rock steady duets with Dave Barker, Hopeton Lewis and Lloyd Robinson for a variety of producers including Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd(CS Dodd), Derrick Harriott and Duke Reid. However, he found his true vocation in 1969 when he started producing records with Mr. M. Mahtani who owned a jewellery shop in the Kingston Arcade, King Street in downtown Kingston. Their debut Shalimar release was 'Night Cap' by trombone player Ron Wilson and, before long, Glen also began to produce records with his wife Marguerita Miller.
His first big hit 'Merry Up', a melodica duet with Glen and Joe White credited to the God Sons, was a Jamaican number one in 1972. One of his labels from this time proudly proclaimed Glen Brown as 'The Rhythm Master' and this was no idle boast. Countless unique, bizarre and "often downright eccentric" records were released on Glen's now legendary Pantomine, Dwyer and South East Music labels although some of his contemporaries were unable to understand what he was trying to say with his music.
"Lee Perry and them men used to laugh at me!" Glen Brown
He would version his favourite rhythms again and again (and again!) with different singers, instrumentalists and deejays which not only prolonged the life of the rhythm but also helped to recoup the maximum profit. His own outings "stark melodica phrases, on the verge of musical incompetence, complementing perfectly the gutsy rhythm track" proved particularly popular. Economy was of the essence and his recycling ethic was as far ahead of its time as his music. His records were seriously sought after, and usually very hard to find, for many were only ever pressed in extremely limited quantities.
" Glen Brown records disappear almost as soon as they're issued, making them almost impossible to find in Kingston, let alone in London... He'd rather move on to a different version of an old rhythm than plug every record to death..." Nick Kimberley
Although best known for his instrumental records Glen also recorded some of the greatest deejays of the seventies, including Big Youth, Prince Jazzbo and I Roy, on some of their best ever outings. Much of his work was recorded at King Tubby's Dromilly Avenue studio and he took Tubby's deejay U Roy to the studio to celebrate all that was good about King Tubby's, sound systems and King Tubby's Home Town Hi Fi in particular. Together they created one of U Roy's best ever recordings, the superb 'Number One In The World', and the corresponding, shattering King Tubby's mix to the rhythm 'Tubby's At The Control' was every bit as good. Further excellent examples of Glen Brown's music mixed down at Dromilly Avenue can be found on the Blood & Fire compilation 'Termination Dub (1973-79)' first released in 1996.
His no nonsense approach to music making and production was often in direct contrast to much of the nonsense to be found on his record labels "...note the misspellings – part and parcel of the Glen Brown story" and many releases on the Pantomine label came with an advert for 'Blakes Auto Sales New & Used Cars' because Glen did not have his own 'phone at the time and "had to use the one in the car salesman's shop and, therefore, had to give the man a bit of advertising in return for the use of the 'phone!"
"It's on his own records that the labels are most intriguing and most confusing... Covered as they are in more useless and incomprehensible information than previously thought possible." Nick Kimberley
By the close of the seventies continued lack of financial reward finally proved too much and Glen moved to New York "in search of a better way of life". In 1987 a few pressings of new and old Glen Brown material began to appear in the shops and the following year saw Glen return to music making. Always ahead of his time he licensed three faultless retrospective sets to Greensleeves in the UK: a deejay set 'Check The Winner', a vocal collection 'Boat To Progress!' and an instrumental long player 'Dubble Attack'. Extremely well presented with excellent sleeve notes and sound quality all three albums were critically acclaimed but failed to sell in corresponding quantities. In 1989 the world was not yet ready for expertly compiled and lovingly annotated retrospective reggae compendiums and all are now very difficult to find.
Undeterred as always Glen has continued to re-package and re-release gems from his extensive and uncompromising back catalogue and to make more music for an ever expanding coterie of admirers. |
| Dec 2, 2010 (Dec 14, 2010 Update) Text by Harry Hawks
|
|
>>Search all items on this label
>>See all items by producer:Glen Brown
|
|
|
| Best selling 7"(s) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| >>more |
|
|
