African Head Charge is a
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
dub ensemble active since the early 1980s. The group was formed by percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, and featured a revolving cast of members, including Prisoner, Nick Plytas, Crocodile, Junior Moses, Sunny Akpan,
Skip McDonald
Skip McDonald (born Bernard Alexander, September 1949)Allmusic biography/ref> is an American musician who also performs under the stage name Little Axe.
Career Early career
Grounded in blues music learned from his father, a steel worker who p ...
,
Gaudi and
Jah Wobble
John Joseph Wardle (born 11 August 1958), known by the stage name Jah Wobble, is an English bass guitarist and singer. He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s; ...
. The group released most of its albums on
Adrian Sherwood
Adrian Maxwell Sherwood (born 20 January 1958, London, England) is an English record producer specialising in the genre of dub music. He has created a distinctive production style based on the application of dub effects and dub mixing technique ...
's label,
On-U Sound.
Journalist
David Stubbs
David Stubbs (born 13 September 1962 in London) is a British music journalist. He grew up in Leeds and in the early Eighties was a student at the University of Oxford where he was a close friend of Simon Reynolds. The two were part of the Oxfor ...
, writing in ''The Wire'', said, "The notion of African Head Charge was hatched when Adrian Sherwood read
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
's comment about his vision for a 'psychedelic Africa.
Many of their early albums have been re-released as
double album
A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...
s on CD.
Discography
*''My Life in a Hole in the Ground'' (
On-U Sound, 1981)
*''Environmental Studies'' (
On-U Sound, 1982)
*''Drastic Season'' (
On-U Sound, 1983)
*''Off the Beaten Track'' (
On-U Sound, 1986 Anthology Recordings, 2006)
*''Great Vintage Volumes 1 & 2'' (
On-U Sound, 1989) (compilation)
*''Songs of Praise'' (
On-U Sound, 1990)
*''Live:Pride and Joy'' (
On-U Sound, 1991)
*''In Pursuit of Shashamane Land'' (
On-U Sound, ON-U LP65, 1993)
*''All Mighty Dread'' (
Beat Records
Beat Records was an independent record label started by California night club promoter Stephen Zepeda (a.k.a. Steve Zepeda). Beat Records had record releases by Gary Valentine (of Blondie), The Furys, and The Plimsouls (featuring Peter Case). It ...
, 1994) (compilation)
*''Touch I EP'' (
On-U Sound, 1994)
*''Akwaaba'' (
Acid Jazz Records
Acid Jazz Records is a record label based in East London formed by Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller in 1987. The label is the namesake of the acid-jazz subgenre of jazz music for which it is most famously known for producing.
Background
The la ...
, 1995)
*''Sankofa'' (Bonjo I, 1997)
*''Drums Of Defiance: African Head Charge Versus Professor Stretch '' (
On-U Sound, ON-ULP93, 1998)
*''Noah House of Dread'' (Bonjo I, 1998)
*''Live Goodies'' (Bonjo I, 2001)
*''Shrunken Head'' (
On-U Sound, 2003) (compilation)
*''Vision of a Psychedelic Africa'' (
On-U Sound, 2005)
*''In Charge:Live in Japan'' EP (
On-U Sound, 2005)
*''Voodoo of The Godsent'' (
On-U Sound, 2011)
*''Return Of The Crocodile'' (
On-U Sound, 2016)
*''Churchical Chant Of The Iyabinghi'' (
On-U Sound, 2020)
References
External links
African Head Charge Official Website*
African Head Chargeat Allmusic.com
{{Authority control
Reggae musical groups
On-U Sound Records artists