Arktober 77, part VIII: Vampires!

Devon Irons & Dr. Alimantado - "Ketch Vampire"
from Trojan Rockers Box Set (2006)

*I'm still trying to catch up with the posts I originally wanted to have up by now, but for now, here's the Halloween special a little late...

Being a huge music nerd, I'll admit to frequently reading up about albums on Allmusic.com. One of their writers, Jo-Ann Greene, reviews many of the classic reggae recordings, offering insight not only to the albums, but for many individual songs. So instead of me giving trying to come up with something original, here's Ms. Greene's words on one of Perry's classics;

"Singer Bunny Gayle released a handful of singles that sank without much trace in the early Seventies, but as the saying goes, every artist has one great song in him, and Gayle is proof positive of that. His relationship with producer Lee Perry may have dated back to 1971, but it wasn't until 1977's "Ketch Vampire" that the singer found renown, albeit under the new moniker, Devon Irons, that Perry created for the occasion.

And that wasn't the only thing changed at the session, trumpeter Clive Hunt was equally startled when Perry told him to play bass, but it's his chilling riff stalking Mickey "Boo" Richard's snapping and cracking cymbal beats, that set the stage for the entire piece, while Robbie Lyn's keyboards conjure up the haunting atmosphere and guitarist Fil Callinder's guitar riff echoes eerily in the background.

Perry's militant, dread production conjures up the crypts through which Irons roams, following Jah's order to hunt down the bloodsucker, and with his lit chalice to hand, ready to burn the vampire to ashes. But for all the unworldly imagery and evocative atmospheres, Irons and Perry true purpose is to stake a much more human target - the false Rasta.

Seething in righteous anger, the singer unleashes his rage at those dread-locked hypocrites who look like the faithful, but follow none of the faith's tenets, almost snarling his way across a list of behaviors that a true Rastaman would never engage in.

Denigrating the deceivers was a popular theme for dread artists, but few delivered it such ringing conviction and power as Irons, chanting out the lyrics like the obeah man casting a spell. A roots masterpiece, that staked its claim to sound system success both at home and abroad."


I have several versions of this tune, but this is a good one and from a great (fairly) new Box set from Trojan. All 50 tracks are excellent (including a few more recorded at the Ark in '77) and give a great overview of how Sly Dunbar's rockers and steppas drumming style brought a whole new aspect to the genre.