STEP FORWARD YOUTH

Description

Through a collection of 36 essential recordings, “Step Forward Youth” takes a serious look at punk rock era reggae in England and its global impact. This collection brings together both Jamaican reggae classics, such as Junior Murvin’s emblematic "Police and Thieves" and Culture's "Two Sevens Clash," as well as original British reggae recordings, such as Steel Pulse’s powerful "Ku Klux Klan" and obscure records such as those by Barry Ford’s band “Rebel,” which provided a soundtrack for a key moment in music and social history. Other featured artists include Dr. Alimantado (also on the album cover), Lee Perry, Gregory Isaacs, Augustus Pablo, Dennis Brown, Michael Rose, Aswad, and many more. The extensive 4,500-word liner notes by Noel Hawks provide context for the movement's origins by exploring social, cultural, and economic factors and explaining how popular music has changed. "Step Forward Youth" is a double CD that traces the British punk-rock movement in the late 70s through reggae tracks. The emergence of punk/new wave and the popularity of reggae are intrinsically linked.