Released:Sept.1999/2000 - Universal Music Ý Ý
Produced by AlKaline Ý Ý Ý Ý
Headlights (G. Johnson) Ý
Maximum Judgement/Brown Bomber (G. Johnson, K. Hoppe, G. Lowe) Ý
Tief Da Bike (G. Johnson, P. Brennan, G. Lowe, W. Don) listen
'Nuff Sugar (G. Johnson, G. Lowe) Ý
Set Around (G. Johnson, K. Hoppe, G. Lowe, L. Sibbles) Ý
Strictly Got To **ill (G. Johnson, K. Hoppe, G. Lowe) Ý
Deliverance (G. Johnson, G. Lowe, W. Don, A. Cross) Ý
Maximum Version (G. Johnson, K. Hoppe, G. Lowe, W. Don)
listen Johnny Thompson (G. Johnson, K. Hoppe, G. Lowe) Ý
Rambo (A. Green, M. Hodges, G. Johnson, W. Don) Ý
Skull Dubbery (G. Johnson, K. Hoppe, G. Lowe) Ý
Alka Lights (G. Johnson, G. Lowe, W. Don) listen
BIG SUGAR once again are doing what they do best, making music. ÝSinger/songwriter/producer
and artist GORDIE JOHNSON cannot and will not keep away from it. ÝSo
naturally in between BIG SUGAR records and just in time for summer comes
another side to the sweetness that is Big Sugar. ÝAlKaline: Extra Long
Life. Ý
To many BIG SUGAR fans some of this sweetness will sound oh so familiar.
JOHNSON, GARRY LOWE, KELLY HOPPE and AL CROSS love of reggae music takes
on familiar sounds. ÝAll in all these smooth re-mixes are soothing, energizing,
spiritually powerful and at the same time the perfect music to chill
to.
So this is AlKaline: Extra Long Life. ÝAlKaline is a glorious dub project
that re-mixes BIG SUGAR tracks from every previous full-length release,
from 1992's BIG SUGAR to 1998's HEATED. ÝIn addition to these tracks
there are two previously unreleased rhythms, "Strictly Got To **ill" and "Set
Around".
This is dub reggae. ÝDub is a predecessor to the concept of dance re-mixes
which started on soundsystems in Jamaica during the late 60's. Other
dubs include last summer's smash reggae pop single, "Turn The Lights
On". This actually bookends the CD as "Headlights" and "Alka Lights". ÝWe
also hear HEMI-VISION's "Joe Louis/Judgement Day" which re-incarnates
as "Maximum Judgement/Brown Bomber".
This mood-tinged dub introduces listeners to WHITEY DON, a Toronto-based
DJ and singer who rose to prominence in the early 1990's as lead singer
of Culture Shock, one of Canada's premier reggae bands. ÝCulture Shock's
bassist was current Big Sugar member GARRY LOWE. ÝWHITEY DON is endowed
with an uncanny knowledge of reggae music and is a master of the dialect.
The longstanding friendship between Whitey Don and Garry makes for a
dynamite display of toasting on the hilarious "Tief Da Bike", "Deliverance" and
the aforementioned "Alka Lights". ÝIn the category of not so obvious
are the blues steeped selections of "Johnny Thompson" and "Nuff Sugar". ÝOn
the latter, AlKaline unexpectedly has JOHNSON laying down a twangy gunfighter
ballad guitar along with his skankin' clavinet. ÝIf only Marty Robbins
had lived long enough to hear this. Ý"Johnny Thompson" juxtaposes B3
organ alongside the delta blues, with Chicago-style blues harp. ÝThe
AlKaline sound goes back to the early 70's dub-masters King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry,
and Scientist
"Rambo" is the dub that has long been a staple of BIG SUGAR live shows. Which
brings us to the integral member of the BIG SUGAR live experience. For
the past three years, Big Sugar has had at the mixing console the undisputed
master of live dubbery JEFFREY HOLDIP a.k.a. BOBBY O'LUGE. For
the past seventeen years BOBBY O'LUGE has been at the controls for literally
a who's who collection of international reggae artists: Gregory Issacs,
Augustus Pablo, U-Roy, Messenjah, and everyone in between. In 1999
BOBBY O'LUGE released "Hard End: The Luge Sessions". The CD was critically
acclaimed and Juno nominated for Reggae Album Of The Year.
This first AlKaline album gives credit to GJ for the spiritual artwork.
Gordie shares that this type of artwork is what you saw on albums of
that era. He wanted to create a visual of what he believes the
music sounds like. Intricate and complex, spiritual yet still having
a sense of humour as Gordie gives credit to Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel
for his version of the lovely rastafarian angels.
Band member Kelly Hoppe on who is AlKaline: " A long time bredda of Big
Sugar bassist Garry Lowe perhaps? A co-conspirator in dub of bandleader
Gordie Johnson? We do know that he has a deep love of space echo
machines and vintage keyboards and working on his own schedule!" Buy
this CD online