Joe Gibbs (record producer)

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Joe Gibbs (born Joel A. Gibson, 1943 in Montego Bay) was a Jamaican reggae producer.[1][2] He died of a heart attack on 21 February 2008.[3]

Contents

[edit] Career

After some time spent in the United States as an electronic engineer, Gibbs went back to Kingston, Jamaica and opened a TV repair TV shop, where he soon started to sell records.[1] The fast growth of the local music scene encouraged him to be more involved in the business, and in 1967 he started to record some artists in the back of his shop with a two-track tape machine, with Lee Perry who had just ended his association with Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. In 1968, with the help of Bunny Lee, he launched his Amalgamated record label, and had his first success with one of the earliest rocksteady songs, Roy Shirley's "Hold Them".[4]

After Perry left to found his own record label, Upsetters, Gibbs enrolled the young Winston "Niney" Holness (later known as Niney The Observer) who helped maintain Gibbs' production on the top of the charts. During the rocksteady period until 1970, he had success with numerous hits by artists including The Pioneers, Errol Dunkley, and Ken Parker. He also worked with backing bands such as Lynn Taitt and the Jets (including the organist Ansel Collins, and horns players Tommy McCook, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Bobby Ellis and Vin Gordon), or The Hippy Boys (featuring the Barrett brothers as the rhythm section).

He switched to the reggae sound with his first international success "Love of the Common People" by Nicky Thomas (#9 in the UK Singles Chart in summer 1970).[4] He kept recording artists like The Ethiopians, Delroy Wilson, and The Heptones. The two volumes of his singles compilations The Heptones and Friends were bestsellers in Jamaica. During this period, he launched three new labels —Jogib, Shock, and Pressure Beat — and also opened Record Mart in New York City.[1]

In 1972, after having moved his studio in the Duhaney Park district, he set up a new one and started to work with sound engineer Errol Thompson, who used to be at Randy's Studio.[1] Together they were known as "The Mighty Two", and along with his studio band The Professionals (including bassist Robbie Shakespeare, drummer Sly Dunbar and guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith), they produced hundreds of singles, including the hits "Money In My Pocket" by Dennis Brown, "Ah So We Stay" by Big Youth and "Eviction" by Black Uhuru. The duo worked on over 100 Jamaican number one hits.[1]

In 1975, he set up his new 16-track studio and record pressing plant and kept producing Jamaican artists under numerous label names (Crazy Joe, Reflections, Belmont, Town & Country). He had success again with roots reggae, rockers, lovers rock and Dub music artists including: Dennis Brown, Jacob Miller, Sylford Walker, The Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, Prince Alla and Junior Byles.

The 1977 Culture album Two Sevens Clash is probably Gibbs' most internationally acclaimed production, with a major impact on the punk rock band The Clash. Other successful artists produced by the Mighty Two during the end of the 1970s include: Marcia Aitken, Althea & Donna, John Holt, Barrington Levy, Cornell Campbell, Dean Fraser, Delroy Wilson, Beres Hammond, Ranking Joe, Prince Jazzbo, Prince Mohammed, Dillinger, Trinity, Prince Far I, Clint Eastwood, I-Roy and Kojak & Liza.[4]

In the 1980s, Gibbs had an international hit with J.C. Lodge's "Someone Loves You Honey". He did not pay any royalties to the song's writer, Charley Pride, who sued and won. Unable to pay the huge settlement ordered by the court, Gibbs went out of business.[1] In 1993, he went back on the Jamaican scene, reissuing works from his catalogue on the Rocky One label, which his son Carl had started in Miami, Florida. He also teamed up again with Errol Thompson to produce some new music.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • Joe Gibbs - Dub Serial - 1974
  • Joe Gibbs - African Dub All-Mighty - 1975
  • Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 1 & 2 - 1975-1976
  • Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 2 - 1976
  • Joe Gibbs - State Of Emergency - 1976
  • Joe Gibbs - African Dub All-Mighty Chapter 3 - 1978
  • Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 3 & 4 - 1978-1979
  • Joe Gibbs & Professionals - African Dub Chapter 4 - 1979
  • Joe Gibbs - Majestic Dub - 1979
  • Joe Gibbs Family - Wish You A Merry Rockers Christmas - 1979
  • Joe Gibbs - Rockers Carnival - 1980
  • Joe Gibbs - Reggae Christmas - 1982
  • Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 5 - 1984

[edit] Compilations

  • Various Artists - Reggae Masterpiece Vol 01 - 1978 - Joe Gibbs
  • Various Artists - Irie Reggae Hits - 1979 - Joe Gibbs
  • Various Artists - Top Ranking DJ Session - 1979 - Joe Gibbs
  • Various Artists - Shining Stars - 1983 - Joe Gibbs
  • Various Artists - Best Of Vintage - Joe Gibbs
  • Various Artists - Explosive Rock Steady - 1967-1973 - Heartbeat Records (1991)
  • Various Artists - The Mighty Two - Heartbeat Records (1992)
  • Joe Gibbs & Friends - The Reggae Train 1968-1971 - Trojan Records (1988)
  • Various Artists - Love Of The Common People 1967-1979 - Trojan Records (2000)
  • Various Artists - Uptown Top Ranking - 1970-1978 - Trojan Records (1998)
  • Joe Gibbs & The Professionals feat. Errol Thompson - No Bones For The Dogs 1974-1979 - Pressure Sounds (2002)
  • Various Artists - Joe Gibbs Productions - Soul Jazz Records (2003)
  • Various Artists - Joe Gibbs Original DJ Classics - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Joe Gibbs Original DJ Classics Vol 02 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Joe Gibbs Original DJ Classics Vol 03 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Joe Gibbs Revive 45's Vol 01 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Joe Gibbs Revive 45's Vol 02 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Spotlight On Reggae Vol 01 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Spotlight On Reggae Vol 02 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Spotlight On Reggae Vol 03 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Spotlight On Reggae Vol 04 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Spotlight On Reggae Vol 06 - Rocky One
  • Various Artists - Spotlight On Reggae Vol 07 - Rocky One

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Article : Spotlight on...Joe Gibbs. reggaevibes.com.
  2. ^ Legendary producer died at 65. radiojamaica.com (2008-02-22). Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  3. ^ R.I.P Joe Gibbs - Legendary Reggae Producer/Engineer Died. mog.com.
  4. ^ a b c Larkin, Colin:"The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", 1998, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9

[edit] External links