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Hopeton Lewis - Take It Easy With The Rock Steady Beat
¥3980 (US$25.04)
A fundamental album released in 1966 that determined the way Rocksteady was going to journey. In 1966, Rude Boys were at the peak of the fame with their notorious behaviors, while Ska gradually started to slow down its tempo. This album paved the way for a newborn music, Rocksteady, with rather slower and tighter rhythm approach. This album should be considered as one of the ten most important albums in Reggae history. The descent from Ska, which had its derivation from Jazz or Rhythm and Blues, to Rocksteady, with its various potential elements which would be passed to the next decade of Reggae, has been allegedly created in this album with Trinidadian guitarist Lynn Taitt and his band The Jets as the backing band. Entitled “Take It Easy With The Rock Steady Beat!”, most of the tunes featured in this album were written for praising dancehall as if he’d have known this genre was going to rule the dance floors. Among the tunes in this album, “This Music Got Soul” was the coolest of all and called out the dawn of the Rocksteady era. This tune had a huge influence on the future developments of Reggae music.
Renegades - You've Lost The Love / Merritone Singers - Rude Boy A Wail
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966
¥2180 (US$13.71)
The Renegades consisted of Winston 'Pipe' Matthews, Lloyd 'Bread' McDonald and George 'Buddy' Haye and later became a group called the Wailing Souls. 'You've Lost The Love' is one of their earliest Rocksteady works and it was originally released in 1966. It is also one of the rarest records hardly ever found. The record also features previously unreleased Ska vocal recording ' Rude Boy A Wail' by the Merritone Singers from the original master tape.
Derrick Harriott - Loser / Derrick Harriott, Bobby Ellis, Desmond Miles Seven - Now We Know
Crystal / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
¥2180 (US$13.71)
‘The Loser’is gloriously considered as one of the most significant songs as well as rhythm tracks in the history of Reggae music. Also entitled as‘The Winner’, the song is easily adapted to sound system dubplates. Talking about the genre of Rocksteady, this song cannot be ignored.‘Now We Know’on the flip side is to be released on 7 inch single for the first time ever.
Keith & Tex - Hypnotizing Eyes / Down The Street
Move & Groove / Dub Store Records JPN 1968
¥2180 (US$13.71)
By Keith & Tex, a vocal duo who represented Derrick Harriott's production, 「Hypnotizing Eyes」 was a hugely popular tune released at the end of Rocksteady era. The B-side,「Down The Street」was a pioneering sound of up-tempo Reggae that became the major style in 1969. From 1968 to 69, they recorded enough songs to make an album and amazingly all of them were top-notch. Re-issued original songs on both sides.
The Paragons - Man Next Door / Left With A Broken Heart
Supertone / Dub Store Records JPN 1968
¥2180 (US$13.71)
Alton Ellis - Girl I've Got A Date / Blackman's World
Treasure Isle UK 1968/ 1970
Girl I've Got A Date B: Blackman's World
¥2160 (US$13.59)
Zodiacs - Walk On By / Royals (Merritone Singers) - House Upon The Hill
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
¥2180 (US$13.71)
This is a Rocksteady cut of the Zodiacs' 'Walk On By' released in 1967. They recorded the original Ska cut at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle. Rare Rocksteady classic with beautiful harmonies on a profound rhythm. On the B-side, this previously unreleased material 'House Upon The Hill' features an unknown vocal group called Merritone singers.
Keith & Tex - Tonight / Lynn Taitt, Desmond Miles Seven - You've Caught Me
Move & Groove / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
¥2180 (US$13.71)
A star duo at the Harriott’s production, Keith & Tex’s‘Tonight’is also the everlasting masterpiece in the history of Reggae music. There were many essential songs in his production from 1967 to 68 but‘Tonight’is obviously the most indispensable one. Lynn Tait plays a beautiful instrumental version to Melodians’ hit ‘You’ve Caught Me’ on the flip side. Reissued with these original recordings on both sides.
Keith & Tex - Run To The Rocks / Let Me Be The One (This Is My Song)
Move & Groove / Dub Store Records JPN 1969
¥2180 (US$13.71)
Originally released on 1969 by Keith & Tex, who were the favorite duo in Rocksteady era, this up-tempo tune introduced the beginning of Reggae's new style. This duo never disappointed everybody's expectation by their high quality tunes. Re-issued original songs on both sides.
Owen Gray - Give Me A Little Sign / Raver
Studio One / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
¥2180 (US$13.71)
A perfect, yet low-keyed, Studio One Rocksteady double A-sided masterpiece!! Recorded in 1967 while Clement Dodd and Soul Vendors were on tour in the UK. The former Jamaican popular singer Owen Gray, who had already been living there then, voiced these unique pieces. It sounds very different from the ones recorded at Brentford Road, although both tunes certainly have the "Coxsone Sound" – A masterpiece that is refined, and maximize the talent of this one-time star. Only 'The Raver' was recorded from the original master-tape.
The Paragons - Memories By The Score / My Number One
Supertone / Dub Store Records JPN 1968
¥1980 (US$12.46)
Various - Merritone Rock Steady 3: Bang Bang Rock Steady 1966-1968 (2LP)
Dub Store Records JPN 1966- 1967
¥5380 (US$33.85)
Superior rock steady from the vaults of Federal Records
The third edition in this universally acclaimed series including giant of the genre, Hopeton Lewis, and a scintillating selection of hit records and previously unreleased material.
Lloyd Williams - Wonderful World / Tommy Mccook - Mad Mad Mad
Duke Reid / Buyreggae EU 1968
¥2680 (US$16.86)
Toots & The Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number / Pressure Drop (Off Center)
Beverleys UK 1969
¥2560 (US$16.10)
Hopeton Lewis - This Music Got Soul / Rocksteady
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966
¥2180 (US$13.71)
'This Music Got Soul' is one of the earliest works by Mr. Rocksteady aka Hopeton Lewis. Interestingly, some would even say 'This Music Got Soul' is his debut single. When the song was released in 1966, it seems that the musical term "Rocksteady" did not exist but this classic clearly proves a new wave of Rocksteady was coming very near. The artist also sings 'Rock Steady' to highly praise the new genre. Reissued from the original master tape.
Minstrells - People Get Ready / Hamlins - Everyone Got To Be There
Studio One / Dub Store Records JPN 1968
¥2180 (US$13.71)
Studio One's golden Rocksteady cover; even hipper and cooler than the original by the Impressions. The original has been known for its excellent lyric and melodies, thanks to the composer Curtis Mayfield, however the Minstrells brought this to a total perfection. Even though the Minstrells left us a small number of recordings, the great vocal group had such a high standard for every single one of them. If you've listened to the original press of this tune, you will find the intro has been cut, unfortunately that was the same deal for the master-tape itself. The nice rocksteady by the firm but short-lived Hamlins comes on the other side. Both have been recorded from the original master-tapes.
Lloyd Robinson, Glen Brown - Feel Good Now / Hopeton Lewis, Glen Brown - Live Like A King
WIRL UK 1967
N/A
Bobby Aitken, Carib Beats, Lloyd, Glen - Keep On Pushing / Soul Special
BA / Bond Export / Deeper Knowledge US 2025
¥1780 (US$11.20)






















