Black Roots began their musical journey in 1979. They are based in the St … Read Full Bio ↴Black Roots began their musical journey in 1979. They are based in the St Paulโs area of Bristol England. Jabulani Ngozi, one of the guitarists in the band, recalls in an interview he gave in 2004 to a French record label called Makasound, that Black Roots was formed by a group of friends that had known each other from the 60โs. They had been playing in different bands doing cover versions but after a discussion during a game of dominoes they decided to form their own band on condition that they only played original material and so Black Roots started to take shape.
Often seemingly insignificant moments lead to the creation of a lasting musical legacy. Perhaps not one bathed in hit songs and top selling albums but one that within the genre of roots reggae music has lasted well over 30 years with a strong and loyal follwing. And who gave the band their first big break on national radio โ none other than BBC Radio 1โs John Peel following the release of their first record Bristol Rock, a 4 track 12 inch vinyl offering, on their own label Nubian Records in 1981. John Peel said of the band โIf anyone tells you that there is no such thing as good British reggae, first tell them that they are a โherbertโ and then listen to Black Roots.โ When Bristol Rock first hit the streets it received rave reviews and charted in the Reggae and Independent charts. Jon Futrell in Black Echoes was moved to say "quite simply, Black Roots are the next great hope for reggae in this country.โ
Several Radio and Television performances followed in quick succession led by John Peel for whom they recorded 2, in May 1981 and November 1983, and for David โKidโ Jensen and Peter Powell. They appeared on BBC TVโs Oxford Roadshow, in โIn Concertโ, wrote the title song for a BBC sitcom โThe Frontlineโ and performed on several regional broadcasters like BBC West and HTV. All this attention meant that the band were always busy playing at colleges, universities, clubs and other venues and festivals like Glastonbury, Womad and the Elephant Fayre throughout the 80s and early 90s all over the United Kingdom.
They released their debut album, simply entitled โBlack Rootsโ on Kick Records in 1983. It had an immediate impact on the national music scene with reviews hailing it as a โA blinding debut albumโ (Black Music and Jazz Review), โโฆone of the best LPs from a British Reggae groupโ (Sounds), โฆone of the most polished and uplifting reggae albums itโs been my pleasure to hearโฆโ (Black Echoes) and โโฆthe best of the new British reggae bandsโฆ.โ (The Guardian). In 1984 they wrote the title track to a new BBC sitcom series titled โThe Frontlineโ based on the โfractiousโ relationship between two brothers one a policeman and the other a dreadlocks man. Though the sitcom only ran for one series, the title track was released as a single by BBC Records and Tapes that had some low level chart success. Subsequently the BBC released an album entitled โThe Frontlineโ, also in 1984. This was a rather unusual departure for them but it was successful enough for them to release a second album, in 1985, for the band entitled โIn Sessionโ featuring recordings taken from Radio 1 sessions recorded for John Peel and David โKidโ Jensen.
Black Roots got their first big break in Europe in 1984 when UB40 invited them to be their support act for their European tour that year. This led to the band beginning to build a following on the continent that then enabled them to tour over there at least once a year well into the early 1990โs.
Their first collaboration with Neil Fraser aka The Mad Professor, in 1986, led to the release of their fourth album โAllday and Allnightโ on their own label Nubian Records. Simon Buckland in Echoes reported, "Here with the Mad Professor in the production seat, they have a deeper, even more substantial sound than before, with vocal harmonies developed and worked on, attention paid to keep the feel 'just so', tight, and a brazen horn section...to serve as the gilt edge."
An encounter with a small video production company called 12 Bar Video at one of their gigs in 1986 led to the bandโs first live recording both in sound and vision. It was their second collaboration with Neil Fraser aka The Mad Professor. The band hired The Studio, a music venue in Bristol and promoted their own show that was filmed by 12 Bar Video on Sunday 8th June 1986. The sound was engineered, recorded and mixed by The Mad Professor. That autumn the live video recording titled โCelebrationโ was released. This was the last time that this line-up of the band that had worked together for several years, almost since the beginning, were to be recorded together playing live at a gig.
The next project that the Mad Professor worked on with the band was the 1989 album release โLive Powerโ, on Nubian Records, a live session that was recorded at the Moles Club Bath on 22nd September 1988 and then remixed at Ariwa Studios. Charles Bryan aka Delroy Ogilvie (vocals), Trevor Seivwright (drums) and Derrick King (bass) had already parted company with the band. Black Roots did not replace Charles Bryan on vocals preferring to trim the line-up down to 7 but replaced the bass and drum section with Senouci Hardy on bass and Anthony โDrumtonโ Ward on drums.
The band released of their last full studio album, in 1990, titled โNatural Reactionโ. Much of the work relies on the skills of Black Steel, a versatile musician, who laid the bass, drums and additional keyboards rhythms. This was the first album recorded at Ariwa and the last one that the Mad Professor worked on with Black Roots. Shortly after this album was released the band stopped touring. For the next 5 years the bandโs label, Nubian Records released a series of Dub remixes of the bandโs recordings, Dub Factor โ The Mad Professor Mixes in 1991, Dub Factor 2 โ The Dub Judah Mixes in 1994 and Dub Factor 3 โ โDub Chroniclesโ The Mad Professor and Dub Judah Mixes in 1995. The final album release from the band, during this period, came in 1993, it was produced by Dub Judah, entitled Black Roots โWith Friendsโ and features vocals by BB Seaton, Trevor Dixon, Dub Judah, Mikey Forbes and a cameo performance by Delroy Ogilvie on some of the bands iconic tracks. Then activity ceases completely for several years.
Black Roots remerges from obscurity when Makasound a label in France contacts them and reissues a compilation of the band's first two albums on a fourteen-track CD titled โOn the Frontlineโ, on 4 July 2004. This reissue sells well and is followed on the 25 November 2007 with the reissue of โIn Sessionโ, with bonus tracks. On the back of these releases the band start doing some selected shows in France to great acclaim. There is still a strong following for the band and their brand of roots reggae, a fact that prompted Bristol Archive Records to approach the band and offer to reissue some more of their back catalogue. They first release a compilation of the bandโs singles entitled โThe Reggae Singles Anthologyโ on double Vinyl, CD and Digital Download on the 5th September 2011. The CD version includes a re-mastered version of the โCelebrationโ video recording on DVD. This is followed this with a reissue on CD of โAllday AllNightโ on 23rd April 2012, also with bonus tracks.
But a far more crucial development has been the bandโs new studio album, โOn the Groundโ recorded in April 2012 and released by Sugar Shack Records/Nubian Records on 10th September 2012 on Vinyl, CD and Digital Download. These 17 brand new songs pick up from where they left off over 20 years ago. The sound is different. It is deeper and fuller with intelligent grooves and the lyrics are more mature and more thought provoking, less militant but staying true to their beliefs. The album was produced by Jeff Spencer and Black Roots and mixed by Louis Becket. Charles Bryan aka Delroy Ogilvie is back, as well, to give the band that extra vocal edge. They follow this up with a dub version on this album entitled โOn the Ground in Dubโ in March 2013 also on Sugar Shack Records/Nubian Records.
And on 23rd September 2014 comes the release of their newest album of new material entitled โGhetto Feelโ on French Independent Label Soulbeats Records on CD, Vinyl and Digital Download. This is a powerful set that does not compromise the deep roots sound of the band and continues to deliver a radical message ably produced by the band and Jeff Spencer and mixed by Louis Beckett.
So the 4 vocals are working together again fronting the new solid sound of the band complete with a powerful horn section. It is still that classic Black Roots style and delivery that continues to draw in their existing fans and is appealing to a whole new generation of roots reggae lovers, many of whom weren't born when Black Roots released their string of classic records.
This new interest has led to the band playing a series of selected live shows both in the UK and the Continent that include Bristol Veg Fest (2011 and 2014), ATP Iโll Be Your Mirror curated by Portishead at Alexandra Palace in London, Sardinia Reggae Festival in Italy, WOW Festival in the Isle of Wight, Cabaret Sauvage in Paris France, Festival Ecolozicalizes in France, Glastonbury 2013, the Lambeth Country Show in Brockworth Park London United Kingdom, Garance Reggae Festival 2014 in Bagnols-sur-Ceze France and Banlieues Bleues Jazz Festival 2015 Paris France.
Delroy O'Gilvie (Charles August Bryan, Port Morant, Jamaica, 27 September 1948 - July 2019)
Often seemingly insignificant moments lead to the creation of a lasting musical legacy. Perhaps not one bathed in hit songs and top selling albums but one that within the genre of roots reggae music has lasted well over 30 years with a strong and loyal follwing. And who gave the band their first big break on national radio โ none other than BBC Radio 1โs John Peel following the release of their first record Bristol Rock, a 4 track 12 inch vinyl offering, on their own label Nubian Records in 1981. John Peel said of the band โIf anyone tells you that there is no such thing as good British reggae, first tell them that they are a โherbertโ and then listen to Black Roots.โ When Bristol Rock first hit the streets it received rave reviews and charted in the Reggae and Independent charts. Jon Futrell in Black Echoes was moved to say "quite simply, Black Roots are the next great hope for reggae in this country.โ
Several Radio and Television performances followed in quick succession led by John Peel for whom they recorded 2, in May 1981 and November 1983, and for David โKidโ Jensen and Peter Powell. They appeared on BBC TVโs Oxford Roadshow, in โIn Concertโ, wrote the title song for a BBC sitcom โThe Frontlineโ and performed on several regional broadcasters like BBC West and HTV. All this attention meant that the band were always busy playing at colleges, universities, clubs and other venues and festivals like Glastonbury, Womad and the Elephant Fayre throughout the 80s and early 90s all over the United Kingdom.
They released their debut album, simply entitled โBlack Rootsโ on Kick Records in 1983. It had an immediate impact on the national music scene with reviews hailing it as a โA blinding debut albumโ (Black Music and Jazz Review), โโฆone of the best LPs from a British Reggae groupโ (Sounds), โฆone of the most polished and uplifting reggae albums itโs been my pleasure to hearโฆโ (Black Echoes) and โโฆthe best of the new British reggae bandsโฆ.โ (The Guardian). In 1984 they wrote the title track to a new BBC sitcom series titled โThe Frontlineโ based on the โfractiousโ relationship between two brothers one a policeman and the other a dreadlocks man. Though the sitcom only ran for one series, the title track was released as a single by BBC Records and Tapes that had some low level chart success. Subsequently the BBC released an album entitled โThe Frontlineโ, also in 1984. This was a rather unusual departure for them but it was successful enough for them to release a second album, in 1985, for the band entitled โIn Sessionโ featuring recordings taken from Radio 1 sessions recorded for John Peel and David โKidโ Jensen.
Black Roots got their first big break in Europe in 1984 when UB40 invited them to be their support act for their European tour that year. This led to the band beginning to build a following on the continent that then enabled them to tour over there at least once a year well into the early 1990โs.
Their first collaboration with Neil Fraser aka The Mad Professor, in 1986, led to the release of their fourth album โAllday and Allnightโ on their own label Nubian Records. Simon Buckland in Echoes reported, "Here with the Mad Professor in the production seat, they have a deeper, even more substantial sound than before, with vocal harmonies developed and worked on, attention paid to keep the feel 'just so', tight, and a brazen horn section...to serve as the gilt edge."
An encounter with a small video production company called 12 Bar Video at one of their gigs in 1986 led to the bandโs first live recording both in sound and vision. It was their second collaboration with Neil Fraser aka The Mad Professor. The band hired The Studio, a music venue in Bristol and promoted their own show that was filmed by 12 Bar Video on Sunday 8th June 1986. The sound was engineered, recorded and mixed by The Mad Professor. That autumn the live video recording titled โCelebrationโ was released. This was the last time that this line-up of the band that had worked together for several years, almost since the beginning, were to be recorded together playing live at a gig.
The next project that the Mad Professor worked on with the band was the 1989 album release โLive Powerโ, on Nubian Records, a live session that was recorded at the Moles Club Bath on 22nd September 1988 and then remixed at Ariwa Studios. Charles Bryan aka Delroy Ogilvie (vocals), Trevor Seivwright (drums) and Derrick King (bass) had already parted company with the band. Black Roots did not replace Charles Bryan on vocals preferring to trim the line-up down to 7 but replaced the bass and drum section with Senouci Hardy on bass and Anthony โDrumtonโ Ward on drums.
The band released of their last full studio album, in 1990, titled โNatural Reactionโ. Much of the work relies on the skills of Black Steel, a versatile musician, who laid the bass, drums and additional keyboards rhythms. This was the first album recorded at Ariwa and the last one that the Mad Professor worked on with Black Roots. Shortly after this album was released the band stopped touring. For the next 5 years the bandโs label, Nubian Records released a series of Dub remixes of the bandโs recordings, Dub Factor โ The Mad Professor Mixes in 1991, Dub Factor 2 โ The Dub Judah Mixes in 1994 and Dub Factor 3 โ โDub Chroniclesโ The Mad Professor and Dub Judah Mixes in 1995. The final album release from the band, during this period, came in 1993, it was produced by Dub Judah, entitled Black Roots โWith Friendsโ and features vocals by BB Seaton, Trevor Dixon, Dub Judah, Mikey Forbes and a cameo performance by Delroy Ogilvie on some of the bands iconic tracks. Then activity ceases completely for several years.
Black Roots remerges from obscurity when Makasound a label in France contacts them and reissues a compilation of the band's first two albums on a fourteen-track CD titled โOn the Frontlineโ, on 4 July 2004. This reissue sells well and is followed on the 25 November 2007 with the reissue of โIn Sessionโ, with bonus tracks. On the back of these releases the band start doing some selected shows in France to great acclaim. There is still a strong following for the band and their brand of roots reggae, a fact that prompted Bristol Archive Records to approach the band and offer to reissue some more of their back catalogue. They first release a compilation of the bandโs singles entitled โThe Reggae Singles Anthologyโ on double Vinyl, CD and Digital Download on the 5th September 2011. The CD version includes a re-mastered version of the โCelebrationโ video recording on DVD. This is followed this with a reissue on CD of โAllday AllNightโ on 23rd April 2012, also with bonus tracks.
But a far more crucial development has been the bandโs new studio album, โOn the Groundโ recorded in April 2012 and released by Sugar Shack Records/Nubian Records on 10th September 2012 on Vinyl, CD and Digital Download. These 17 brand new songs pick up from where they left off over 20 years ago. The sound is different. It is deeper and fuller with intelligent grooves and the lyrics are more mature and more thought provoking, less militant but staying true to their beliefs. The album was produced by Jeff Spencer and Black Roots and mixed by Louis Becket. Charles Bryan aka Delroy Ogilvie is back, as well, to give the band that extra vocal edge. They follow this up with a dub version on this album entitled โOn the Ground in Dubโ in March 2013 also on Sugar Shack Records/Nubian Records.
And on 23rd September 2014 comes the release of their newest album of new material entitled โGhetto Feelโ on French Independent Label Soulbeats Records on CD, Vinyl and Digital Download. This is a powerful set that does not compromise the deep roots sound of the band and continues to deliver a radical message ably produced by the band and Jeff Spencer and mixed by Louis Beckett.
So the 4 vocals are working together again fronting the new solid sound of the band complete with a powerful horn section. It is still that classic Black Roots style and delivery that continues to draw in their existing fans and is appealing to a whole new generation of roots reggae lovers, many of whom weren't born when Black Roots released their string of classic records.
This new interest has led to the band playing a series of selected live shows both in the UK and the Continent that include Bristol Veg Fest (2011 and 2014), ATP Iโll Be Your Mirror curated by Portishead at Alexandra Palace in London, Sardinia Reggae Festival in Italy, WOW Festival in the Isle of Wight, Cabaret Sauvage in Paris France, Festival Ecolozicalizes in France, Glastonbury 2013, the Lambeth Country Show in Brockworth Park London United Kingdom, Garance Reggae Festival 2014 in Bagnols-sur-Ceze France and Banlieues Bleues Jazz Festival 2015 Paris France.
Delroy O'Gilvie (Charles August Bryan, Port Morant, Jamaica, 27 September 1948 - July 2019)
The System
Black Roots Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'The System' by these artists:
Angelos Fake motherfuckers around me Like damn what's up with that A…
Anisa Pashaj Oh they got us in chains Oh they got us in…
Aphrodite's Child We got the system to fuck the System! We got the…
Ateed (Day one) stuck in a prison of illusions Got my hands…
Backside Violence pain oppression destruction the world's abduction o…
Blossom Park Fuck the system We'll never listen We're getting sick and ti…
CA-MIL {$imeq} U-Update, uลพ mi treba novรฝ systรฉm, Killujeme-Killuje…
Cellz No I don't really want to leave my home Your System…
Chad Wilson THE SYSTEM: Chad Wilson (Interlude) Whyโ-whyโ- Does it ha…
DJ Mns & E-Maxx Tak wiele spraw przerasta mnie Tak czฤsto trudno mรณwiฤ nie C…
Dr. Creep Space Space I'm ready to fly I'm ready to leave tonight Int…
Eric Donaldson They never love, they never love nobody, Not even themselves…
Far Couldna done any better Couldna prayed for sin to be over…
Favez I used to be a fighter Hell I used to be…
Fictional The television tells How you must behave This is the inst…
Funeral for a Friend Couldn't have done any better Couldn't have prayed for sin …
Grigori 3 Cause it's inside you Complete control Complete control …
HOGNI In the system, the system That we have created Where all bri…
Icehouse Somewhere in Siberia There will be a small explosion Parti…
J. Hill Pain over positive Im really on to shit Creepin down the sid…
James O-L and the Villains I got golden coin (coin) ะฏ ะฒ ะปะฐะฑะพัะฐัะพัะธะธ (latory) ะขัั ัะพ ะผะฝะพ…
Jullian Gomes The system The system The system has us We're in the system …
Ken Hensley The night is closing in on another day A moment's peace…
Ken Hensley // David Byron The night is closing in on another day A moment's peace…
L-Boy Inanimate perpetually far fetched and inevitably[00:17.72]I'…
Legends & Diamonds Itโs the maniacal obnoxious Messiah With the knowledge you l…
Lyrizone Well Who do we have here today ladies Anyone actually worth …
Lyves No more tryinโ I wonโt miss this No bitter surprises in the…
M.A.C Sometimes i feel I've said all i can say Like i…
Merl Saunders & Friends Couldn't have done any better Couldn't have prayed for sin t…
Mindset You don't conform, You contort You distort Everything you…
Mr. Bertus 'Cause we gonna shake the block They love us, we hate…
Mr. Royal The vanquish of the system, I hope and I believe I…
Mr. Wix 'Cause we gonna shake the block They love us, we hate…
Noxious Emotion Regulations abandoned in forgotten heaps The useless, waste…
P-Nuckle I don't want no baby But I want you baby please You…
Popcaan Sad to say But, white people ah bawl Indian people ah bawl…
Popcaan feat. Shawn Storm Sad to say, ubt White people ah bawl Indian people ah bawl B…
r.t.s I mean all night long A-all night long I mean all night…
Rico And Friends Couldn't have done any better Couldn't have prayed for sin t…
River City Rebels The system made you and you don't care You think your…
Romain Virgo Yeah, yeah, yeah Oh, yeah, yeah, yes When you work and t…
S.C.R.S. The system made you and you don't care you think your…
Shakhan It was like being a pavement stone, together with many…
SKURT The pantheon will receive the observers message regardless o…
South Park Mexican [Verse 1] This Ones for those on the dead end street hustlin…
SPM [Verse 1:] This One's for those on the dead end street Hus…
Star Star Take a look at me Wired to a machine Never would believe…
Stress (Tak jest, tak jest bracia i siostry) (W jednoลci siลa, a…
Sylvia Juncosa I could spend my whole life Waiting on this corner You can…
T Power Well i've been toning up my back for a stint…
THE ANXIETY I ain't got no president, ay I ain't got no government,…
THE ANXIETY WILLOW Tyler Cole I ain't got no president, hey I ain't got no government,…
THE ANXIETY/Willow/Tyler Cole I ain't got no president, ay I ain't got no government,…
The Black Pacific What's all this suction? Yeah, we're the lucky ones We suc…
The Searchers I am telling you how I am telling you why I am…
The System feat. Kerri B Made a martyr Meant to fall Held below the tides And frozen …
The Whippersnappers You never heard a word your father said until he…
Throne of Chaos So sick of this system So sick of these lies So sick…
Tom MacDonald Welcome to the world, baby boy, I'll paint you red…
Various Artists Play or not play it to me Drop the beat make…
Vomito Negro Saved a crumb from a falling star I felt it burn…
We The Lion Hey, nobody stopping me now, I'm gonna leave it somehow. wh…
Whippersnapper You never heard a word your father said until he…
Winston Grennan And The Ska-Rocks Band Whatcha gonna do When your back's against the wall Whatcha g…
X-Ray Dog Use to hope I get the bag and Iโm the…
ZEEBRA ใใธใใๅคฉๆฐ ็ๅคใฎ Weekend ใพใใงใใคใขใใใชใใ ใใใช่ฟ่พบ ใใใชVibesใใใพใใชใใพใ ใใ ใใจใฏใ…
๏ปฟKen Hensley The night is closing in on another day A moment's peace…
๏ปฟThe Searchers I am telling you how I am telling you why I am…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Black Roots:
Chanting For Freedom I don't care what ever you say for my city In…
Juvenile Delinquent Every day dem walkin', walkin' the streets to kill time No…
Move On The radio plays our favorite song And it's what keeps me…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@anettepascoal602
Vybs. Respect. Bless โค๐๐
@neguevmalul1279
so ouvindo um som de qualidade mesmo pra fugir desse sistema falido!!
Mais um Brasileiro
@BrunoRodrigues-fs2rl
Que porrada!
@Guilherme-vz4ks
FROM BRAZIL JAH BLESS!
@oweindouard3790
so heavy i got rooted to the ground
@hassanarazak2415
reggea is ma life...black roots
@marcusvinus28
Bora
@CosmicSoundMDB
Bless from Romania
@irie55555
Blees from Poland ; )
@mbjah85
JAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH....bless from italy