The Gladiators (band)

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The Gladiators
Origin Flag of Jamaica Kingston, Jamaica
Genre(s) Roots reggae
Years active 1968 - present
Members
Albert Griffiths
Gallimore Sutherland
Alan Griffiths
Anthony Griffiths
Former members
Clinton Fearon
Errol Grandison
David Webber

The Gladiators were a popular Jamaican roots reggae band during the 1970's and 1980's.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Albert Griffiths, founder of The Gladiators, cut his debut record "You Are The Girl" (a b-side to The Ethiopians hit record "Train to Skaville") in 1966. Following the success of the record, Griffiths recruited childhood friends David Webber and Errol Grandison in 1968 to form the original Gladiators vocal group.

The group's name was allegedly suggested by a fellow bus passenger during the time of their first recordings.[1]

The group's first major success was with the single "Hello Carol" in 1968, for producer Coxsone Dodd, which topped the Jamaican music charts. Shortly afterwards, in 1969, Webber was stricken with a mental illness and was replaced by Clinton Fearon, one of Griffiths' proteges. Similarly Grandison left the group in 1973 for family commitments and was replaced by Gallimore Sutherland.[2]

During the early 1970's the Gladiators cut numerous records for various producers such as, Lloyd Daley and Lee Perry, but it was their recordings for Dodd at Studio One that became the biggest hits, both locally and in Britain. During this time at Studio One the Gladiators hits included "Bongo Red", "Jah Jah Go Before Us", "Mr. Baldwin", and "Roots Natty" among others.

The success of these recordings garnered the attention of Britain-based Virgin Records who gave the group their first major recording contract in 1976. Their debut full-length released on Virgin was the Tony Robinson-produced Trenchtown Mix Up, which included revisions of many of their early hits and was a success in both Jamaica and in Britain. They followed this effort with Proverbial Reggae in 1978 and both Naturality and Sweet So Till in 1979. Dodd and Studio One also released Studio One Presenting the Gladiators, a compilation of some early Gladiators records in 1978.[2]

The group's next album Gladiators was recorded at Coach House Studios in Britain with local producer Eddy Grant. It was the first Gladiators album on which no member of the group played any of the instruments, as a few members of the band Aswad were brought in. The album did much worse than their previous work and they were subsequently dropped from their contract with Virgin. Virgin would subsequently release two compilation records Vital Selection in 1981 and Dreadlocks The Time Is Now in 1983.[1]

Over the next year they would release a handful of live and studio albums on numerous labels, including Tony Robinson's own label. However, they quickly found a home at U.S.-based Nighthawk Records and released Symbol of Reality in late 1982 followed by Serious Thing in 1984. One year later the Gladiators would change labels again, this time moving to Heartbeat Records, where they would release albums throughout the latter half of the 80's. In 1987 Fearon left the group after 18 years, but Griffiths and Sutherland have continued to release albums on various labels since then.

In 2005 the Gladiators released Fathers and Sons which has been regarded as Albert Griffiths farewell, presumably replacing himself with his sons Alan and Anthony in the future. [2]

[edit] Studio Albums

Album Release Date Label
Trenchtown Mix Up 1976 Virgin
Proverbial Reggae 1978 Virgin
Naturality 1979 Virgin
Sweet So Till 1979 Virgin
Gladiators 1980 Virgin
Babylon Street 1982 Jam Rock
Back To Roots 1982 Stunt Sounds
Symbol of Reality 1982 Nighthawk
Reggae To Bone 1982 Jam Rock
Serious Thing 1984 Nighthawk
Show Down Vol. 3 w/ Don Carlos & Gold 1984 Empire
Country Living 1985 Heartbeat
Dread Prophesy w/ The Ethiopians 1986 Nighthawk
In Store For You 1988 Heartbeat
On The Right Track 1989 Heartbeat
Valley of Decision 1991 Heartbeat
A True Rastaman 1992 MPO
The Storm 1994 Riddim Mu
Something a Gwaan 2000 RAS
Fathers and Sons 2005 RAS

[edit] Compilations and live albums

Album Release Date Label
Studio One Presenting the Gladiators 1979 Studio One
Vital Selection 1981 Virgin
Gladiators By Bus 1982 Jam Rock
Live at Reggae Sunsplash w/ Israel Vibration 1982 Genes
Dreadlocks The Time Is Now 1983 Virgin
A Whole Heap 1989 Heartbeat
Full Time 1995 Nighthawk
Alive & Fighting 1997 Mediacom
At Studio One: Bongo Red 1998 Heartbeat
Sold Out 2000 M10
Live in San Francisco 2003 2B1

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ a b The Gladiators - The Story Retrieved on 2008-03-25
  2. ^ a b c allmusic.com Biography Retrieved on 2008-03-25
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