Max Romeo

Max Romeo ( born November 22, 1947 Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica as Max Smith) is a Jamaican singer.

Max Romeo is one of the leading figures of early reggae and roots reggae. His " Wet Dream " from 1968 is prohibited because of the coarse - salacious text of the BBC and sold not least because over 250,000 times. In his later years, Romeo is increasingly political and social critic, a highlight of this phase is the album "War Ina Babylon " by 1976.

  • 2.1 Singles / Songs
  • 2.2 albums

Biography

Decision to become a singer

Max Romeo (from the Bob Marley and Justin Hinds originate ) was born on 22 November 1947 as Max Smith in Saint Ann Parish. When he was nine years old, his mother has the chance to emigrate to England and leaves the family. Max moves in with his father. Because of difficulties with his stepmother Max leaves with 14 parents' house, lives temporarily in a cave and in abandoned cars. Due to an encounter with an old man aged in him the determination to become a singer. Romeo describes this experience as follows:

"One day I came to a friend's house and there sat this old man on the porch. He was watching me, but I ignored him. I saw at that time quite depressing from: Holes in your shoes, my shirt was missing a sleeve, etc. The man called me over and said: ". ? Thus, you should not walk around What's your problem " I told him a little of my life and he said: ". . Okay, I 'll help you go home now and write twenty things on which you want to do in your life " He gave me a pen and a paper and I went home and wrote all the different professions and things that have occurred to me, and brought it back to him. He said, "Now I want you to einengst it on two things. " There were two things I really wanted to be and that was a preacher or singer. So I shortened the list and went back to him. He said, "Now it is easy to limit it to one. " I said, " I like the glamor in the music and respect one brings to a preacher. " But at this point I realized Glamour about respect and decided: " singer ". The man replied. "Well, from now on, when someone asks you what do you do for a living, you'll say that you're a singer And every morning when you wake up, you'll say to yourself that you are a singer are. " At the end he asked me yet, " Can you sing? " I said, " Yes, I have a lot of singing as a child. " To which he replied: "That's good Well, onward do. " '.

The Rocksteady Years

Henceforth, Max is working to implement his decision into action. A friend lends him money for new clothes, so that he can take part in a talent competition and promptly wins. In 1967, still at the height of Rocksteady, he takes on his first single, "I'll Buy You A Rainbow", which is No. 2 in the Jamaican charts. But his great success a year later to the new members of the next style, the reggae. " Wet Dream " comes to England to number 10, attracting a number of other singles with non- family safe text by itself. A first album A Dream By Max Romeo appears. Romeo puts together his own backing band, the " Hippy Boys", with the brothers Carlton and Aston Barrett on drums and bass. From this group later Lee Perry's studio band The Upsetters should be, which in turn forms the nucleus to Bob Marley's Wailers.

From Rudeboy to the Rastafari

Although quite successful, Romeo feels uncomfortable with his superficial Rude boy image. He begins to be interested in the religion of Rastafari. His songs are turning to spiritual and philosophical topics, as reflected in song titles like "Black Equality" and " Holla Zion " is reflected. Early seventies hope to many Rastas, the realization of their ideals by the leader of the Socialist Party, PNP, Michael Manley. Max Romeo writes him his official campaign anthem " Let The Power Fall On I". But in the aftermath of Manley's election victory in 1972, makes increasingly wide disappointment. The political leader could not redeem his promise. Max Romeo distances itself from its policy in 1974 with the song "No, Joshua, No".

In 1975, he brings "Revelation Time" out the first reggae concept album. A year later, Lee Perry produced his album " War Ina Babylon", which is regarded as one of the most important publications of the Roots Reggae. The ruling PNP bans for the time of the Jamaican election campaign in 1976, the title track ' War Ina Babylon '. The election campaign is characterized by numerous armed clashes between rival partisans. The song " Chase the devil" was sampled in 1992 by The Prodigy in the track Out of Space. It is followed by the album " Reconstruction" with the hit " Melt Away ". In " Holding Out My Love To You" from 1981, he is accompanied by Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. To date, Max Romeo released every few years a new album and regularly goes on tour, most recently with the Ethiopians.

Discography

Singles / Songs

Albums

  • A Dream By Max Romeo (1968 )
  • Let The Power Fall ( 1971)
  • Revelation Time ( a.k.a. Open The Iron Gate, 1975)
  • War Ina Babylon ( 1976)
  • Reconstruction (1977 )
  • I Love My Music ( 1979)
  • One Horse Race ( 1980)
  • Holding Out My Love To You (1981 )
  • Transition ( 1989)
  • Far I Captain Of My Ship ( 1992)
  • Our Rights (1995 )
  • Selassie I Forever ( 1998)
  • Max Romeo & Friends: Love Message (1999)
  • Something Is Wrong ( 1999)
  • Max Romeo Sings Bob Marley in Dance Hall ( 1999)
  • In This Time (2000)
Roots-Reggae Carlton Barrett Bass guitar Lee "Scratch" Perry Electric guitar Integrated Authority File
559287
de