It's 1983. And the On U Sound Megacorp moves into full stride with the full stripe set "Staggering Heights" - the well-named reggae album which, without dispute, is amongst the label's finest products. Featuring an all star line-up, with the newly arrived Mikey Dread and Congo Ashanti Roy joining stalwarts Prince Far I and Bim Sherman as the "Singers", this strictly reggae album marks a level of creative production in the genre which set a high standard for the young Mr. Sherwood to live up to for the future. And unquestionably , as it was released when reggae was as about welcome as a wet dog at a white wedding, the album has not been recognised for the classic it undoubtedly is.

The original concept behind the formation of the Singers and Players was not just the creation of some reggae "super group" but an attempt to bring together a loose collective of vocalists, DJs, musicians and engineers to record and tour under the banner providing a common level of support and platform to maintain their own individual careers whilst avoiding the mistake of over-recording which has plagued so many reggae artists. In retrospect this ideal can be viewed as more than little naive, but for a while it seemed like it would work ...

Congo Ahsanti Roy a.k.a. Roy Johnson is that very same artist who, together with Cedric Myton and Watty Burnett, made up the legendary Congos. The Vocal group, under the guidance of Lee "Scratch" Perry were responsible for "Heart of the Congos" which alongside the Mighty Diamonds "Right Time" probably rank as reggae's finest vocal group sets. Leaving for the UK after a less creatively successful period which saw the Congos break-up and a solo album, Ashanti Roy was brought to On U SOund by his friend Mikey Dread. His tunes cut for On U Sound are shared between this set and two 10" discoplates also cut in the same year (already re-released in this On U Sound Master Recording Series). "African Blood", on which Roy is joined by members of Akabu Valerie and Vyris, is the Dub Syndicate rhythm "Ascendent" which can be found on "One Way System", as can the bed for "Snipers in the Streets" under the guise of "Drainpipe Rats". All three of his On U Sound cuts are strong lyrical tunes, which constitute singer's best efforts away from the magistral hand of Mr. Perry. In fact listening back to the production job on "Snipers" there are a number of Scratch-like devices apparent in the mix - especially the use of the backing vocals.

More than just another artist Michael Williams, a.k.a. Prince Far I, was a mentor and protector to adrian Sherwood, and regarded it as his personal responsability to guide the young producer through complex dealings of the world of reggae, both musical and recreational. If a reggae fan needs a start in learning a little more about the legendary DJ then what better start than the "Autobiography" cut on this album where we learn Far I's musical history on top of the "Kunte Kinte" rhythm, the track then launches off into an extended tribal version of the tune popularised by the great Jah Shaka in the early eighties. So, we learn that the young DJ hung around Sir Mike the Musical Dragon Sound System until Bunny Lee gave him a shot with his first tune "The great Wooga Booga" as King Cry Cry, he was rechristened by Enos McLeod and went on to critical and commercial fame with Joe Gibbs and the almighty "Under Heavy Manners" set and for Micron with that most hardcore of righteous sets "Psalms For I", eventually setting up his own Cry Tuff imprint. Far I's first track on this set would certainly feature highly on an impossible-to-put-together best-of compilation - "Bedward the Flying Preacher" is a true story delivered in truly biblical style by the chanter on a storming rhythm courtesy of the Dub Syndicate (find it as a dub on the "Pounding System" album!)

Mikey Dread, a.k.a. Michael Campbell, first achieved a certain notoriety via his Saturday night radio show on JBC - "Dread at the Controls". Bizarrely this was one of the few Jamaican shows to feature roots reggae as the rest were obsessed by US soul and pop of any quality. This insistence on "the real deal" both put Mikey at odds with his establishment employers and created a roots legens (perhaps best sampled on his classic "African Anthem" album, which all but created the crazed vibe of his live radio show. Mikey had already worked with , and cut great sides for, Lee Perry, Carlton Patterson with Tubby and Sonia Pottinger before coming to the UK. He toured and recorded with The Clash and UB40 and launched his own DATC label. Both his contributions for On U Sound were self-referential, the 10" dubplate "Autobiography" was almost a follow-up to his "School Days" for this album (another take on the "Ascnedent" rhythm). At the time of recording these tunes I recall missing Mikey and his BMW numerous times at Southern studios but eventually caught up with him whilst he was on The Clash tour. I can testify to him being the sharpest dresser in the reggae business that I ever met - also a lovely bloke to boot! These days he spends most of his time in the States, still dealing with music.

I've already written much about Bim Sherman in the sleevenotes of this particular series and on his own Century albums, but the "Socca" track on "Staggering Heights" has got to be one of the strangest he ever cut with Sherwood - along with the immaculate "Need to Live" (this track was originally released on the "Bugs On The Wire" compilation way back in the eighties and is scheduled to be included on a forthcoming volume of Bim Sherman's On U Sound rarities and out-takes). "Socca" is another rhythm from "One Way System" as is "A Matter of Time" ("Subsyle") in fact that album can almost be interpreted as a half-dub set to the vocals we are dealing with here - go get it, it's also out in this series!

Steve Barker, On The Wire, January 2000.