which new Burning Spear comp?

[Lord Dubious]

oooh, a poll option! let's try that!

[ian]

considering I've only got the Soul Jazz one I thought it'd be foolish to vote for the Heartbeat one.

I'd be interested to hear from people who've bought both which they think is the best?

[Ekki]

I didn't vote because I only got the Soul Jazz one.
Which is soundwise & musicalwise excellent imho, but plays only for 50 minutes.
Which is a shame considering the material available

[frp]

fe true! the poll is skewed; as are all polls and election results.

ekki, the shortage of material on the souljazz disc is a bit dissappointing but there are some real gems in there which are essential for any spear fan who needs to hear the roots of the young spear.

the creation rebel disc is outstanding! original vocal trio at its best with a nice tip of the bouler to coxsone on the last track. there are previously unreleased stereo(!!!) versions and almost all are short tracks; one tracks in at under two minutes! nonetheless, real nice liner notes, and a transcription of lyrics by josh blood. one of my picks for re-issue of the year.

[frp]

I should also have mentioned that the Heartbeat disc is just as disappointingly short.
Many songs are duplicated on both discs with a few bonus tracks on the Heartbeat LP. Kinda' the reverse trend we've been exposed to, where CDs have had more/bonus tracks:?:
I don't think you'll be more satisfied with the Heartbeat disc, if you've already purchased the Souljazz disc; but if you insist on quality, you may feel an additional purchase is in order. If you are a singer with Studio One Spear songs in mind, lyrics included, makes the Heartbeat disc for you.
Keep the Spear burning, no matter your choice.

[moby]

now I want to be a spear completist as he is my all time favorite artist, but I need a rundown on these two releases.
A) I do not currently own the first two Studio One releases, Presenting and Rocking Time, but I keep hearing how there are many rarities from this time period not on any other releases. What are they and are any of them on these Heartbeat and Soul Jazz discs and are there still others out there waiting? Thanks all

[JV]

Soul Jazz would be my pick as far as sound quality is concerned. No big difference though. Heartbeat is a bit more grainier and rougher sounding all in all (although one may have expected vice versa).
As far as packaging and selection goes both are quite equal. However Heartbeat edition boasts with a long non-truncated, non-overdubbed over 3 minutes version of Ethiopians Live It Out. The original album version was around 1'45" long.
Collectors will have to buy both though. I don't really know - both are good buys, buy whatever is easily available in your area.

[Pluto]

now I want to be a spear completist as he is my all time favorite artist, but I need a rundown on these two releases.
A) I do not currently own the first two Studio One releases, Presenting and Rocking Time, but I keep hearing how there are many rarities from this time period not on any other releases. What are they and are any of them on these Heartbeat and Soul Jazz discs and are there still others out there waiting? Thanks all

Not being a BS expert myself, it seems that neither set (Heartbeat or Soul Jazz) is a "complete Studio 1 recordings".

The Heartbeat & Soul Jazz releases share the same core of 17 tracks (probably on slightly different mixes?), with Soul Jazz featuring exclusively the track "Journey" whilst Heartbeat features "Pick Up The Pieces", "Weeping & Wailing" and a 2nd mix of "Rocking Time" (plus two DJ-discomix bonus tracks on vinyl) not to be found on the SJ version.

The original Studio 1 "Presenting Burning Spear" LP includes:
- Fire Down Below
- Don't Mess With Jill
- Them A Come
not included on both compilations

"Rocking Time" LP includes:
- Girls Like You
- Old Time Saying
- Walla Walla
- Mamie
not included on both compilation (unless some are re-titled?)

Don't know if there are any other singles, rareties etc. to get to become a "Spear completist"

[eddie]

I think I like the sound of the Heartbeat comp a little better.
Voted for that one anyway because the vinyl-edition (when that arrives)
will definitly be the fvourite (because of the 2 extra tracks)

[Jackie Pablo]

BURNING SPEAR 7" (not on the two Coxsone LP's)

FREE - (maybe retitled?)
JOE FRAZIER
NEW CIVILIZATION (Iron Side)
CIVILIZATION VER. (Iron Side)
THIS POPULATION
THIS POPULATION VER. - The New Establishment (Bongo Man)
ZION HIGHER (Banana)
CREATION VERSION - Winston & (Coxsone)
ROCKING TIME (Coxsone) + DJ/CDodd?
SWELL HEADED PART TWO - Winston & The Sound Dimensions (Coxsone)

How many of these sides are not included on either of the two new sets?

[JV]

Talking about this single on UK Banana:
BA 323 King Sporty - Deejay Special // Mad & Roy Richards - Creation Version

As a sidenote to Jackie Pablo's comprehensive list
This Creation Version quoted above is NOT Burning Spear related Creation Version.

I still find hard to believe it's Coxsone on the DJ part of Rocking Time, nor Big Joe. My guess has always been King Sporty.

[Dubac]

I haven't heard either of these two yet, but be careful if you are trying to match them with the mixes that have already been issued.

For example, despite seemingly having identical track listings, the CD & LP versions of 'Presents' contain not just two but three different versions of Door Peep between them.

And if a longer-than-2-minute version of Ethiopians Live Out is all that anyone is missing, it was recently re-released and available at Ernie's on 7", complete with dub.

Dubac

[Jackie Pablo]

>This Creation Version quoted above is NOT Burning Spear related Creation Version.

It is a version of Creation Rebel and Creation Version is the title of the version side (on this copy anyway)!

[JV]

>This Creation Version quoted above is NOT Burning Spear related Creation Version.

It is a version of Creation Rebel and Creation Version is the title of the version side (on this copy anyway)!

I didn't want to say you were wrong, just wanted to add there's completely different tune around and it's called Creation Version which is not a version of Creation Rebel. It was meant to be an addition not a correction. Just in case someone comes by this Banana 7" and wonders if it's another Burning Spear version.

[Jackie Pablo]

JV,

Thanks for the extra info.

I don't have the Banana one with the same title.

Just to clarify, this is a Coxsone label repress (early 80's)

Side A - Creation Rebel (W. Rodney) BURNING SPEAR
the label is red on white (matrix CN 2466 A)

Side B - Creation (Version) (C Dodd) WINSTON &
label is brown on white (matrix CN 2466 B)