Creation Rebel - High Above Harlesden

[Ras Berry]

Info is sparse on this at the moment - aside from tracks being played by Steve B on yesterday's OTW - but in March On-U are issuing five Creation Rebel albums as High Above Harlseden, so I'm guessing a boxed set. It will include Dub From Creation, Rebel Vibrations, Close Encounters of the Third World, Starship Africa and Psychotic Jonkanoo

I'm guessing this will be on CD - like the Dub Syndicate Ambience In Dub set - but a vinyl reissue of Close Encounters is really needed

Time will tell, I suppose...

[Ras Berry]

Time told:


A comprehensive reissue campaign of the key albums by Creation Rebel, the original On-U Sound house band. The series encompasses out of print and much in demand UK dub reggae albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s, all highlighting crucial early production work from the mixing desk of Adrian Sherwood. Five albums are being repressed on vinyl, with faithful reproductions of the beautiful original sleeve artwork, and new inner sleeves containing detailed liner notes and archival photos. Alongside the individual LP reissues is a 6CD anthology box set, entitled High Above Harlesden 1978-2023 in tribute to the working class area of North-West London where the band started out

This activity comes hot on the heels of the group’s first new album in over forty years, 2023’s Hostile Environment, a righteous return from space that garnered a huge amount of critical acclaim, picked as one of the albums of the year by DJ Mag, The Quietus, The Wire and many other publications. The album makes an appearance as the final disc in the CD boxset to bring the group’s story up to date. These reissues follow on from similarly comprehensive and lovingly assembled archival releases that the On-U Sound label has dedicated to African Head Charge, Dub Syndicate and New Age Steppers, all of whom share members with Creation Rebel, such is the nature of the cross-pollination of musical talents which has always been a core part of On-U Sound’s fusion-centric ethos

Creation Rebel was originally assembled as a studio project by a young Adrian Sherwood to realise his first album recording session, resulting in their debut set Dub From Creation (engineered by another titan of UK dub music, Dennis Bovell). Over time the group evolved, becoming the European touring band for Prince Far I, and recording a series of seminal records under their own name, with band leader and line-up mainstay Crucial Tony Phillips having more creative input as time went on. Together with drummer Charlie Eskimo Fox and Ranking Magoo, Tony continues to lead the band in the present day. Following the imprisonment of bass player Lizard Logan, and the tragic murder of Prince Far I, the band ceased activity for a long period of time, from the mid-1980s onwards. The individual members carried on making significant contributions to other projects, with Crucial Tony making a name for himself as a producer in his own right, setting up the Ruff Cutt band, label, studio and production house in his native Harlesden. After reforming to play a Sherwood At The Controls evening at London’s Jazz Cafe in 2017, the band headed back into the studio to start working on the rhythms that would become Hostile Environment

The albums included in the reissue campaign are:

Dub From Creation (1978)

Seminal first studio work by revered dub producer Adrian Sherwood, engineered by Dennis Bovell. Featuring drums from Eric ‘Fish’ Clarke of the Black Roots Players and brother of reggae superstar Johnny Clarke


Close Encounters Of The Third World (1978)

The most sought after title in the Creation Rebel catalogue, partly recorded at Channel One studio in Jamaica and mixed by Prince Jammy in London. Secondhand copies in decent condition command an astronomical price


Rebel Vibrations (1979)

Featuring drummer Lincoln “Style” Scott from the legendary Roots Radics, unavailable since original release, a righteous collection of heavy basslines and big tunes, originally released on pre-On-U Sound label, the highly collectable Hitrun


Starship Africa (1980)

A true dub classic – backwards tapes drenched in interplanetary sound effects, ghostly voices from beyond the stars and ringing percussion. Featuring members of the Roots Radics, Misty In Roots and Prince Far I’s Arabs. Recently voted #1 in Mojo Magazine’s How To Buy… On-U Sound feature as their most recommended release in the entire catalogue


Psychotic Jonkanoo (1981)

Featuring backing vocals from John Lydon (The Sex Pistols, Public Image Limited), and displaying a markedly experimental UK approach to traditional Jamaican roots reggae, resulting in a distinctive hybrid sound that still sounds fresh


Hostile Environment (2023)

The triumphant comeback set by a band returning from a 40+ year exile in outer space. The trio of Crucial Tony, Eskimo Fox and Magoo reunite with producer Adrian Sherwood to create a modern spin on their heavyweight dubwise rhythms


High Above Harlesden 1978-2023

A 6CD anthology box set containing all of the above albums, plus 36 page booklet with photos and sleevenotes, and 7 bonus tracks

[Jethro]

Yeah there's a media embargo date on it until mid-Feb, naughty Steve! :)

Shame no alt versions set, but I think the bonus tracks are the typical extras from previous Japanese issues.

[Jethro]

p.s. It wasn't me what told you

Dub From Creation (1978) - vinyl
Close Encounters Of The Third World (1978) - vinyl
Rebel Vibrations (1979) - vinyl
Starship Africa (1980) - vinyl
Psychotic Jonkanoo (1981) - vinyl
Hostile Environment (2023) - vinyl
High Above Harlesden 1978-2023 - 6CD box set

[Ras Berry]

T'internet is a leaky bucket

[Ras Berry]

on-u-sound.ffm.to/highaboveharlesden.OEM

[swamp]

[swamp]

[swamp]

[swamp]

"rebel vibrations" woz re-released same time as "dub from creation" on beat records

i wasn't familiar wiv "close encounters", but since d/led. coupla trax familiar, i think... sounds fine enuff. shame there's no remix disc this time, so only real intrerest fer me iz the bonus trax, which are prob as u say, jethro, offa japan releases

[Jethro]

Keeping track of the catalogue numbers really is very silly these days. My notes against High Above Harlesden 1978 - 2023:

Box set including re-issues of "Dub From Creation", "Close Encounters Of The Third World", "Rebel Vibrations", "Starship Africa", "Psychotic Jonkanoo" and including "Hostile Environment". Various bundles were made available: ONUCD159CB (complete bundle: 6LPs, 6CD box set, tote bag, poster); ONUCD159VMB (vinyl + merch bundle: 6LPs, tote bag, poster); ONUCD159CDMB (CD + merch bundle: 6CD box set, tote bag, poster); ONUCD159VCDB (vinyl + CD box set: 6CD box set, 6LPs); ONUCD159VB (vinyl bundle: 6LPs); ONUCD159NVB (3LP ("Close Encounters Of The Third World", "Rebel Vibrations", "Psychotic Jonkanoo")). Who comes up with this stuff eh?

The "new vinyl" bundle is interesting though. If those three are described as "new", then "Dub From Creation", "Starship Africa" and "Hostile Environment" are considered "not new". Well the recent "Hostile Environment" I have noted as being on yellow vinyl, not black so that is new in a sense ... and is that a re-pressing then of the 2017 RSD Starship Africa and the 2018 "Dub From Creation"?

I don't have a note of "Close Encounters" or "Rebel Vibrations" reissues on vinyl for sure. But for Jonkanoo I do have "2022? ON-U LP4E Edited tracks for better vinyl cut". Can't find a trace of that now, is that right? So will the new one be that edited one or the full thing again? Or does LP4E really not exist?  From the pic it seems to be labelled "ONULP4" on the inner sleeve.

[Ras Berry]

You've made a rod for your own back there!


Hostile Environment on vinyl isn't part of any of the bundles, is it? They're five album bundles. It's only in the CD package

I don't believe there's been a vinyl reissue of Jonkanoo before

[Jethro]

So I said: "But for Jonkanoo I do have "2022? ON-U LP4E Edited tracks for better vinyl cut""

I still don't know where I got that from ... it wasn't pressed when I made that note, as Ras says; however the fact is in fact true: Jonkanoo is edited to be cut better. Only a Mr Sherwood doesn't want this fact broadcasting too widely ;-)

I expect a full report from Mr Berry on what was edited in due course.

[Ras Berry]

I didn't mean that the new 'E' cut doesn't exist, just that the album hasn't been reissued on vinyl since the original Statik/Trio release

It's never been a favourite of mine (that, and Starship Africa - ironically) - I find it quite a bleak listen - so I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference

[swamp]