Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 276 - Willy Williams

Unity - Willy Williams

Black Star

Produced by Willy Williams and Nell

Released 1987

I thought a little Reggae music would be good for nice relaxing Sunday Morning.  Along with Dennis Brown, Dr Alimantado, Tapper Zukie, Dillinger and many others Willie Williams belongs among such company.

I really love this album Unity. It includes a number of his older tracks that have been re-recorded like Unity (which was first issued in 1979 as a 7" on In Land Records in Jamaica), Messenger Man (that was first released in 1977 on 12") and of course the mighty Armagideon Time that was first issued in 1977/78. Armagideon Time of course would become well known due to the cover performed by The Clash on the B-Side of London Calling.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Willi Williams - Unification: From Channel One To King Tubby's (September 2014)

 Tracklist

01. Rock On (4:19)
02. Home (3:58)
03. Daughter’s of Zion (3:12)
04. Children (2:34)
05. Unification (2:51)
06. Armagideon Man (3:25)
07. Natty Natty (2:50)
08. One Destiny (4:19)
09. Rally (3:37)
10. Righteousness (2:41)
11. Free Dem (2:40)
12. Any Day (3:16)

Veteran American reggae re-issue label Shanachie released this excellent collection of Willi Williams tracks back in September last year. This Album is the result of sessions with the great Yabby U. Recorded between 1977-1979 (though some say 1978) at Channel One and King Tubby's studios in Jamaica and featuring the likes of Sly and Robbie, the Revolutionaries, the Gladiators and the Soul Syndicate, tracks such as Armagideon Man and Rally are relatively well known, but much of this material has not been widely circulated, and much of it has never before appeared on CD. Some of the tracks had appeared before on Limited Release Singles or turned up on Pirated Albums.

I got hold of this last year mainly on the strength of the opening track 'Rock On', and it was great to be surprised by how good the rest of the album is.

Willi (or Willie) Williams is of course known for the song Armagideon Time that was covered by The Clash on the B-Side of their hit single London Calling back in 1979.

Williams was born in Jamaica and attended school with Sly Dunbar at Trenchtown Comprehensive High School. He had begun recording with Studio One in the late 1960's when he was still at school. In '67 he started his own Sound System and by '69 had set up his own record label Soul Sounds for which he had recorded Delroy Wilson and The Wailers (under the name of Rhythm Force).

He is still performing live these days as well and has now been in the business for more than 50 years!   

Tidy Tubes 2015: Armagideon Time - Willie Williams

Armagideon Time is probably better known as done by The Clash for the B-Side of London Calling in 1979. The original is of course by Willie Williams and was released on Studio One in 1977 and Produced by the legendary Coxsone Dodd.