Israel Vibration w/ Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Price:
$23.00 / $25.00 day of show
9/02/09
The three original members of reggae greats Israel Vibration—Lascelle “Wiss” Bulgin, Cecil “Skelly” Spence and Albert “Apple Gabriel” Craig—first met as children at Kingston’s Mona Rehabilitation Center, where all three were receiving treatment for polio. A shared spirituality and faith in Rastafari forged a friendship between them, helping to overcome the adversities of illness and poverty. Later expelled from the treatment center for their spiritual beliefs, the trio took to the streets of Kingston, where they harmonized for their suppers. By 1976, Wiss, Skelly and Apple had gained a sizeable following as well as the financial backing of Rastafari religious group the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who agreed to produce their first single.
“Why Worry,” produced by U-Booth, established the group’s roots-based sound and inspirational message, landing them opening gigs for Dennis Brown and Bob Marley. In 1977, they went into the studio with producer Tommy Cowan to record their debut album, The Same Song. The album was an instant roots classic, quickly licensed by EMI and released in Britain, gaining the trio an international following. 1979’s follow up, Unconquered People, was equally popular, and the group’s performance at that year’s Reggae Sunsplash festival was a huge success.
By the 1980s, Jamaican popular music had shifted away from culturally-inspired roots music toward the more club-friendly dancehall. Hoping to remain a popular favorite, the group teamed up with dancehall producer Junjo Lawes for 1981’s Why You So Craven. But the trio, who had built their reputation on their roots reggae sound and powerful cultural message, were dissatisfied with the direction the record was taking. Halfway through the recording session, the group walked out, leaving Lawes to finish the harmonies with the help of another vocal trio, the Tamlins.
Soon afterwards, plagued by the Jamaican industry’s musical piracy and a lack of touring support, the group relocated to New York. Once there, however, they disappeared from the scene. All three attempted solo careers, though none reached the level of success they had achieved with Israel Vibration.
Wiss, Skelly and Apple had each independently approached Doctor Dread, RAS Records’ founder and president, about the possibility of releasing solo recordings. Doctor Dread was an admirer of the group’s early work and, citing Marcus Garvey’s belief that “unity is strength,” suggested the group reunite. Beginning with Strength of My Life, the group’s reunion and relationship with RAS proved both fruitful and mutually beneficial; Israel Vibration released a number of seminal albums on the label, helping RAS gain international notoriety.
Highlights include reunion album Strength of My Life, which paired them with legendary backing band the Roots Radics, and found both their sound and message as strong and relevant as ever. A number of albums, including Praises, IV and On the Rock were accompanied by full-length dub sets. The trio also released two critically-acclaimed live albums, 1992’s Vibes Alive and 1997’s Live Again, which captured the vibrance of the trio’s powerful live performance. A rigorous international tour schedule along with their prolific and acclaimed output built a loyal fan base and earned the reverence of the entire reggae community.
By 1997, Israel Vibration had been signed to RAS for nine years. Ready to pursue a solo career again, Apple made the decision to embark on his own. Skelly and Wiss continued with RAS, releasing Pay the Piper in 1999, the booming sounds and insightful lyrics of which marked their debut as a duo. Jericho followed in 2000, along with the limited-edition box set Power of the Trinity, a 3-CD retrospective which explored the band’s powerful contributions to the reggae genre.
In 2007, Israel Vibration released Stamina on Doctor Dread’s newest label, Tafari Records. They continue to tour the world, performing over 100 concerts per year to capacity crowds, and headlining many of the biggest festivals worldwide.
