

Photo by Colin Moore
Willy Williams
By Ray Hurford & Colin Moore
THE
SMALL AXE
FILES
(C) Small Axe 1983
(C) Muzik Tree 1991
(C) Small Axe 2004
All Rights Reserved.
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WILLY WILLIAMS When, in 1979, Willy sang "A lot of people won't get no supper tonight" the opening line from 'Armagideon Time' over the 'Real Rock' rhythm for Studio One, it was clear that this was a singer who was destined to become a major reggae talent. Succeeding releases continued to confirm this. Yet the major breakthrough has yet to happen. Even so, Willy has at least one great album finished, which would easily establish him. Why that album has not been released is still a mystery to me, but it is something to look forward to. And nothing ever happens before it's time. You see what never happen in a year, could happen in a day... "I did my first tune for Studio One, it's on a various artist album called 'Party Time In Jamaica'. That was the first song I recorded for Studio One, it's called 'Calling'. This was the first song I ever recorded, this was when 1 was still in School." How old were you then. 13,14?
"It was done in about '66. At the time I used to check for foreign artists like Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Locally my vocal influences were Bob Andy, Delroy Wilson. He was the first person who I actually went to the studio with." Who, Bob Andy? "Yeah Bob Andy. " You go back a long way then, the Rock Steady era? "I used to go to Trenchtown High School, Sly and myself, quite a few more. Other reggae artists used to go to the school at the same time." Were you born in Trench town? "No I was born in St Ann's, in the centre between where Bob Andy - Ray Hurford Bob Marley was born and where Marcus Garvey was born. A place called …. its between Lime Hall and Clement(?)" When did you go to Kingston?
"I was still a little kid, and just going to school. I Attended the Whitfield Town Primary School. That was in the Whitfield Town area, just adjoining Trenchtown. "Leaving that I went to Trenchtown. That was where I get the love for the music. I always loved music and growing up in an environment where you have a lot of sound systems and thing! I started out owning a sound system, when I was a teenager. So that kinda Influenced it more. What was the name of your -sound? "The name of it was 'Tripletone' it was based in Duhaney Park let me see it's the northern part of Kingston going the Spanish Town end. Going by the cover on 'Messenger Man' and now meeting you you're very young. How old are you? "Well to be honest, my philosophy in life, is that a you are as young as he feels, seen. Like age is just a frame of mind. So for me to really tell you my age it's not important, but physically my age is supposed to be 32." You certainly don't look it. There were a lot of young artists who were coming through around 1979. And you are associated with that group of artists, who are still only now in their early to mid twenties. "Right at the time . . .first to commence with I' am not An individual who seek for stardom, cause I look on The music as a very religious thing." That shows in Your music, that comes very strongly. Your best work Always as a message and meaning to it. "To all the nations - internationally. To the conscious people worldwide." So what happened between the first tune. 'Calling' and ' Armagideon Time' in 1978? "In between that time, I didn't take it as a full time thing. It was just like an hobby. I usually work and do part time music. Do some producing like I produced Delroy Wilson and a group called the Versatiles, we do two nice singles, but due to the tone of these things . . .I think they were too political. It's more cultural, but they regard it as a political thing you know. It's just singing like the songs of the Rasta," The Versatiles included Junior Byles. didn't they? "Well at the time Junior had just left, and had just started to go solo." So this would have been the early seventies? "The early seventies say about 1971." These tunes were released on your own label? "Yeah, the name of the label was 'Soul Sounds'. These songs weren't popular at the time. They were popular locally in Jamaica, but on the whole. . So the International success of these songs were...the impedance came in, because I was working and didn't take it as a full time thing. It was just like an hobby. And it was during this time I work along with bands like er - Generation Gap. Freddie McGregor and myself were the lead singers for that band at one time. I worked with a band called the Throughbreds. That was mostly like club dates, you know."
"So I did that until 72, when this song a recut of an old Drifters tune) "Magic Moments' and one called 'Get Ready'." And they were produced by you? "I gave the stampers to Randy's to release, and I don't know what became of them after. The rest of it was mystery, not history (laughs)." Can you remember who played on those sessions? "Geoffrey Chung's brother Mike played on the session So did Mikey Boo, on drums. We used to have either the In Crowd or the How Generation at the time." Both of them were great bands, it's a shame they didn't get the success that was due to them. "I guess, it was the success of reggae at; that time. It was an individual success, more than the music." Both of the bands made albums, but I don't think they showed what they were capable of. "Most of the hits made at the a time by Derrick Harriott etc were made by those bands." Tunes like the Heptones 'I Miss You' had a fantastic arrangement? "Well as a matter of fact, I was supposed to do that song. It was recorded for me originally, but 1 wasn't at the studio that day. And the song was in too much of a high key. So Leroy who was capable of doing that. He did that song with the group." So if it had been in a lower key, we would have heard of you six years before we did! Although 'Armagideon Time' did sound like it was sung by a very experienced singer. So your first productions you didn't know they were released here? "I didn't know. I have had various songs that have been pirated here over the years, you know. For example 'Rocking Universally' that was pirated over here." I always thought it was pressed in Canada and imported over here? "It was originally pressed in New York and exported to here, but we didn't give permission. We are working on that to get it settled. It was a big seller, as it was at the same time as 'Armagideon Time'." When did you leave Jamaica for Canada? "It was about 75, I decided to check out the international market. So I went to Canada. Going to Canada was a new experience again. They weren't ready for reggae at that time. They are still not to ready for it yet? (laughs), but it's building, very slowly." Where were you in Canada? "Toronto". There has been a lot of progress in that city, but the rest of the country is slow? "It is. I don't know why. It is influenced by the American market. The funk, disco and things. So you find it's influence is greater then reggae's. I guess that is why it's so hard to breakthrough over there, but you have the younger people who are getting into it." Did you make any music when you first got there? "When I went, I took with me songs that I recorded. but they weren't ready for that stuff. They need some more uptempo, with strings and things. And Jackie Mittoo was into that at the time. He was there, so we got together and started working." And was this at the Summer Sound studio? "This was long before that. Summer sound wasn't about until the seventies. We were doing more uptempo stuff. Funk them kinda of things. We recorded those type of songs, but we never released them." And that was when you first met Jackie?
"Right, we started working hotels. Any gigs that we could get. We had quite a number of gigs lined up, for the years, but it was about 1978, when we decided to crossover from the type of music we was playing at the time, to the type of music we prefer. It was about 1978, I did a song called 'Messenger Man'." The same one as the title track of the album? "Yeah. I used to think, er well at the time I working in Canada. And decided to rest the music a little, cause it was slow. So I was in a record store one day, and met someone from Aquarius in Jamaica. You know Herman Chinloy, it was his brother. They had a record Jackie Mittoo store in Canada. He started saying 'What happen Willy man, you give up the singing' So I said, no man I'm going to give you something new. I went to Jamaica and recorded 'Messenger Man* it was about '78. It was a nice effort, it was successful in America." What was the tune that came out just before 'Armagideon Time' on the Inland label? "That was 'Unity'." Where was that recorded Jamaica? "At the same time as 'Messenger Man'. It was recorded at Channel One, but the mix was done in Canada, at Summer Sound." That had a nice Lee Perry sound to it, will it be reissued? "Well what happen is. we are going to have a chance, because most of these I did for myself, and sill have the masters, but owing to the distribution outlets at the time, you know - it didn't work out right, so I decided to hold back until something was more positive. *' So all the tunes on ' Messenger Man' were recorded around that time 78/79? "Yes, some of those tracks were recorded at Summer Sounds in Canada - and some in Jamaica. In studios like Treasure Isle, Channel One, Harry J. It was a various studio album." It's a remarkable album, there are so many different styles. Where was 'Slave' recorded? "That was done in Canada. We had a group over there who played with Leroy Sibbles." Truths And Rights? "No it wasn't Truth and Rights, it was just after that. Some members of Truths And Rights, just a few. I can't recall the name, as it was mainly a studio band."
"We wanted to give everyone... this album was done out of giving the musicians in Canada, local musicians a break, because since I had a name and they didn't have anything going for them I decided we could do something together." It's a very positive album. "Until now it hasn't been released to the full effect of making anything off it monetarily or whatever. Its just like to say, here's an album. I guess coming up in the year we are going to release those works. We are getting a request for them" Sinbad are due to put the albums out in the States aren't they? "Yeah, well Sinbad had the franchise to put it out, but they didn't actually release it in the U.S., I don't know what went wrong. How did you start recording for Coxsone again, was it through Jackie?
"Well not exactly. As I mentioned I had been there before. And Downbeat he know me. He had heard the single 'Messenger Man', and it turn him on to really come and check for me. Check and ask me if I want to do some work? Well Jackie and myself and Lord Tanamo were working at the time. Well was resident in Canada." So Tanamo was there as well? " We have some good musicians in Canada, but they are frozen. We are not ready to defrost them yet! (laughs)." "So during that time we was going to Jamaica, well I was going to Jamaica. At that time I was there to do Coxsone Dodd some new works. Which are still not yet released. When I'm working on an album it takes, like three years to complete it. I write of, what I see, the times. The inspiration that I get is from nature. You know, and the different places I travel. The things that are happening there." It really shows in your music, a great awareness. "So we decide to go . . . I was working on the album and We went to Studio One to do this album have you seen it, 'Armagideon Time'?" I prefer your own album to it. I couldn't understand what Coxsone was up to with that album. He's put it out, I've never seen it in a sleeve.
"There is a sleeve now, a black and white drawing. I was wondering myself you know. Owing to the fact that we had done that work together, that was that. We leave it to him, to make the decision whether to put it out." How many tracks were available to him to put on the album? "Put it this way, we still have quiet a few more tracks to release from Studio One." It was only a seven track album, prior to the album he put out 'Addis Ababa' as a 7". Then after the album came out, he released ' Jah Righteous Plan' on 10" . Which seem like better tracks to put on the album? "Oh yeah, we had quiet a few, we have better tracks there. The better tracks haven't come out yet." Some of the tracks on the album didn't seem to go with what you were dealing with at the time. "Yeah, at the time, cause this was recorded in '79. The whole ideology behind the album is different from now." It took a long while to come out, it didn't seem to match up with what you had done and what you were doing with tunes like ' Jah Righteous Plan'. "Well as you see the truth always get a fight, but I know there are people who appreciate it, and will appreciate it at all times. I'm more concerned with those people." People were expecting something special from Coxsone with 'Armagideon Time' album. It seemed like an half hearted effort? "It was strange to me, and still is, but that's how it is sometimes." Are you confident in time Coxsone will put out something more representative of yourself "Hopefully, but then whether or not. I have my own productions. As you know I have been producing myself, and I'm working towards achieving something better each time. And I can express myself more." Whatever happened to the album you recorded for Yabby U?
"Well, we still have those tracks. We worked on some when Yabby U came here, but owing to the things that happened at the time." Yabby U was ill. wasn't he? "Right, so everything was put off to a future date. We took this thing into serious consideration. Maybe it wasn't the right time." 'Armagideon Man' did well for you for you. "Yeah, it sold pretty well, but it was more or less a pre-release. That's what happens to most of my music. It's like more of a pre-release and you don't get them after a while. We get a request for them. So what we are trying to do is put them together and have a good release."
Yabby U - Tero Kaski Going back to 'Messenger Man' the album sleeve had a mention for Joe Gibbs on it. Did he have anything to do with it?
"No it was a distribution outlet in Canada. A branch of Joe Gibbs Records. We used to work independently, but incidently when I start out at one time I used to sing for Joe Gibbs. That was a long time ago. We had a group. We decide to do some songs for him, but it didn't work at the time." Nothing was released? "No, the vibes wasn't right at the time. So we decide to give it up." What was the name of the group? "It was broken up and everyone went their ways. We used to call ourselves . . . I can't remember the name now. To be honest it was a long time ago. Around the time Nicky Thomas was starting out."
Recently you put out another tune on Stinejac called •Come Along' - 'Repatriation Song' which is as good as 'Armagideon Time'. "You see that, whenever I give my music to any of the places of promotion, they always fight it down. Since I don't like to sing about water pumpee and girls. I have to sing about something postive. And I have to say this. it seems that everytime I sing these songs I get a fight, because of the content, which is truth and rights. And then the rhythm that you are talking of, a dj here told me that he doesn't like the rhythm. , but he likes the lyrics you know. And that's his reason for not playing it!" The sound of the keyboards on that tune is something else! The organ at one time is like a church organ, then you get the synth. "Yeah it's a pipe organ sound. It was done in 1980. The rhyhtm was recorded here. We took it Canada and worked on it for the keyboard sound. Jackie Mittoo he played the keyboards." Where at Summer Sound? "No, Amora, a bigger tracking studio. It was Masters Work Shop, one of the big ones in Canada." Stinejac, is that you and Jackie's label? "Its Jackie's mine and about 4 other friends together. We have this little company called Stinejac." Would you say your vocal style is something new in Jamaican music? "Most Jamaican artists or most people who listen to Jamaican artists or most people who listen to Jamaican music used to think that if you didn't sound like an American artist, you couldn't be heard or do anything with the music, but I decided to look at it with a different perspective and go about it in a different way, to prove that using your natural voice or your own voice, you can sing with even more melody." That is what I was going to ask you, sometimes your voice does sound very North American, and then goes back to something very original. One of the tracks, on the Studio One album 'People' it sounds very Stevie Wonder influenced. "Musically I'm inspired by all music, but it's the lyrics that make the difference." What inspired you to write 'Armagideon Time'?
Photo by Colin Moore "Well 'Armagideon Time' is just...I'am very spritual, in that I belive in the creator who created us all. I worship the creator as Jah through Christ. I check for the happenings and match it with what I read Biblically, and see what's happening. So at that time, I was there in Jamaica in when they had the political violence going on. And then I remember checking back in the scriptures and finding out that these things were just normal things. It was just like a song of consolation. Consoling myself and the people who do understand that it's really the time - At that time and this time. "
The rhythm for ' Armagideon Time' is ' 'Real Rock' which was very popular at the time. Did you want to use that rhythm? "They were the first set of lyrics for 'Real Rock'. This rhythm as been there a long time. And I love the rhythm. Then it dawn on me that I could do something with it. I was working on the album at the same time. So overnight I went and just wrote a song for it. I couldn't do it -the same time, cause I was sick. After I wrote the song, it took me about a week before I went and did it over." It's strange that a song written when you was sick is so uplifting. "Looking at the T. V., you can see children, people from all walks of life, all nationalities. People couldn't get anything. People are losing their hope in everything. So it was consoling them." While 'Repatriation Songs' is a theme song for all what as come out Jamaica musicwise in the last ten or twelve years? "Right, you see that song is a request to the people who stand for equal rights and justice throughout the world. This is the coming together of the people, under one understanding. And this song, I sung it, so that the people could see what was happening in general. A lot of People know what is happening. It don't dawn on them what is happening it don't come to a realisation. This song, anyone who listens to it, it give them an historical breakdown. The conversation then turns on to the political aspects of Willie's music. A lot of your songs deal in reality doesn't that make them political? "The political part of it I don't like to deal with, cause I know that follytricks can't help. A politicial solution is useless. There is no such thing, because each politican or whatever he is dealing with it, There has to be an head, and power don't belong to anyman - It's an egotrip. Perhaps there are a lot of people who think they can do good, but once they get into it, then that ego trip get hold of them . . .they lose direction. People are looking for new things to escape reality, they go into fantasy and the whole works and that's what people like." That's what you say on 'No Hiding Place' "Right, people build up a lot of things to just hide away from the truth and reality. Sooner or later no matter where you go, it's gonna find you and you're gonna have to face up to it. That's why you have so many people commiting suicide. Reality, this is what the music is suppposed to be about. I've been noticing that reggae music what the producers, the money people . . .they seem "to wanna change the style of the music and put it into an unconscious state. The kind of material they are trying to put forward, that is not reggae music." Yet within that someone like the Wailing Souls can put out a tune like 'Waterpumping', and at the same time you can guarantee that on their next album most the tracks will be dealing with reality. "You see, the whole scope of the music is based on the artist himself. The producer is an individual who just have the business knowhow or the financial backing. So I don't think they should impose or restrict the artist, to make him put something out that is misleading to the people. I think they will find out soon that it doesn't work. It's only demoralising the whole thing." When you were working with Coxsone, how did you get on with him? "I think he is one of the best producers to work with. He make you express yourself. He give you enough time to work." The ' Armagideon Time' album uses a lot of old rhythm tracks, with a lot of work done on them to update them. Who worked on the album? "Jackie Mittoo, Ernest Ranglin, Bagga Walker, Pablove Black." The new album is produced by you? "Yes most of the new tracks were produced by myself. Some tracks are with Jackie and some with Yabby U. It's a variation of rhythm structures with the same lyrical content and same direction. I've done this because there are some rhythms that mean a lot to me. I don't like to sing over people's original work, but then there are some rhythms that really appeal to me a lot, that I would like to work with."
"And these people are some of the best people in the business, producing, playing the music. That is why I've collected some of those rhythms to work with. And personally Yabby is one of my closest brethren. I guess we have most of the same ideology." Yabby U has sometimes come into conflict with the Rastafarian movement over his beliefs. "Well my explanation of the whole thing is, that I believe in Jah, who is the creator. Now who is Jah? Jah is the spirit, and the truth. Now our structure is a temple of the creator. That is where he dwells, as a spirit. And Jah is good, anything that is good." "So he sent Jesus Christ to - as a man, to live the words of Christ. So that people can understand that it's not just a ghost, it can manifest through people so that all the good we can do, that's god. And god is not just one person. God is in everyone, cause god is life. He is the only one that can make life." How do you feel about Haile Selassie? "Well I wouldn't look upon the Emperor as the almighty God, I would look upon the Emperor as a prominent figure. As the King of Ethiopia. A king that black people could look to and be respectful to. We are using a smokescreen - colour to blind up our eyes. You see no matter what colour you are. there is one God." "And when individuals who put a picture in the Bible of a white christ and say you should worship that, they are being unintelligent to do that, cause Christ is a spirit, a word of truth. That means that no matter what colour you are, once you are truthful and do the right thing, that's Christ. When they try to portray it as a person it's wrong. It's the way that you live, the right things that you do. That makes you the individual close to being good or being bad." With so much reggae music being released today, it seems almost crass "to complain about the little "that some artists release. Yet you can't help feeling that if certain artists were able to release more music, the music overall would be in a better state. Willy Williams is that sort of artist. From the moment you hear 'Arraagideon Time' you know you are listening to something very special.
It's not just the powerful reality/prophetically theme of the song that "makes you want to listen to every word, it's the multi- cultural vocal delivery. When you hear Willy singing you know you are listening to most urbanised form of the music so far. In Willy's voice you not only hear Jamaica - you also hear Black America. If reggae had been created in the States - this is how it would sound. Willy's voice is cool and relaxed - heavily influenced by Stevie Wonder. If Willy was that way inclined he could just go through Stevie's lyrics - by adding a reggae rhythm to them he could make a fortune. Instead - we find an artist who is motorvated by something more important to him - and that is the delivery of a message - the message of Jesus Christ, who was a living man. Willy is more than able to explain his beliefs, and he does. He does this not only in person, but also in his music. ' Armagideon Time', was a huge hit, eventually being released on RSO in the States. It was followed by 'Rocking Universally' produced by Willy and Jackie Mittoo for the Stinejac label which was essentially another version of 'Armgadieon Time'. Then came 'Armagideon Man' for producer Yabby U, released on the Prophets' label. More music followed on the Studio One label - great tunes like 'Addis Ababa' and 'Jah Righteous Plan'. Everything looked right for a good album release on Studio One. Instead for whatever reason Coxsone, did nothing. Thankfully Willy had other ideas, and in 1980 he released the ' Messenger Man' LP, on his own Inland label. With Willy's name being so strongly linked to Studio One, there was a certain amount of disappointment that this wasn't a release on the label. Yet for those into the artist rather than just a sound - 'Messenger Man' was no disappointment - far from it. Over it's 9 reality tracks Willy shows that 'Armagideon Time' was just a glimpse of his talent. Recorded at "three studios with many talented musicians It puts his whole range of talent on display. Here were better songs than 'Armagideon Time', (or as good as) tunes like 'No Hiding Place' , 'Slave' and 'Dungeon' complemented by other great tunes like 'Valley Of Jehosephat' and 'Zion Time'. In 1982, Coxsone finally released the 'Armagideon Time' The LP was a disappointing release considering the promise of the singles. People were expecting something special from Coxsone with the 'Armagideon Time' album.
Although Coxsone had more than enough talent on his books at the time, in the form of Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Lone Ranger, Michigan & Smiley - he knew enough about the business to make room for one or two more. Yet for whatever reason Coxsone decided to demean the release of the 'Armagideon Time' LP by putting together a selection that didn't really make sense - and not giving it a sleeve for at least a couple of years. Of the 7 tracks on the album, only 5 are really and truly Willy Williams: the title track - 'Armagideon Time', 'See You When I Get There', 'All The Way', 'Masterplan' and 'Easy'. They are conscious works, what you would expect from a artist who wrote 'Armagideon Time'. They show a concern for mankind - and at the same time are thought provoking. The remaining two tracks 'People', and 'Turn On The Power' move Willy into the unthinking/unconscious state that he dislikes so much. It could be argued that Willy should have never recorded music like this if he felt so strongly against it. Although this does not take into account the nature of how artists work for producers. If Coxsone wanted "to release a showcase - he should have done, simply by adding one good track to the five mentioned, plus six dubs. Since the early '80s - Willy's career as gone through a number of phases. In '84 he had 5 tracks released on a 'Two Artist LP' with Barry Brown called 'Roots And Culture' - the five tracks were excellent, and it was hoped a full LP would follow, but it didn't. And this at the moment is really Willy's big problem - at anyone time, he just doesn't have enough music out or available. To try to rectify part of that problem Black Star of Finland released the 'Unity' LP in 1987. This was a collection of tracks recorded over the last 10 years or so - and included Willy's own self produced 'Armagideon Time', 'Repatriation Songs', a different mix of 'Messenger Man', plus new tracks like ' Noh Worry' 'Active Positive' 'The Elements' and 'Pray'. Sadly at the time of it's release the reggae market was changing - and there weren't enough tracks on the album which fitted into the new style of the day. Recently - Willy as been working again. And on 'Worries And Problems' a hard reality 12" on Uptempo, he's right up to date. This is reggae music at it's very best - from someone who cares.
Willy Williams - Selective Discography ALBUMS Messenger Man - Inland Willy Williams 1980 Armagideon Time - Studio One Coxsone Dodd 1982 Roots & Culture (With Barry Brown) Uptempo - Willy Williams 1984 Unity - Black Star - Willy Williams - 1987 Singles Magic Moments - Halifax 7" Willy Williams -- Roots Unity - Inland 7" Willy Williams - 1978 Get Ready - Halifax 7" Willy Williams - Roots Armagideon Time - Studio One 7 Coxsone Dodd -- 1979 Rocking Universally - Stine Jac 12" J.Mittoo & W.Williams 1979 Armagideon Man - Prophets 7'* Yabby You.- 1979 No One Can Stop Us - Studio One Coxsone Dodd 1979 Addis Ababa - Studio One 7" Coxsone Dodd - 1980 Jah Righteous Plan - Studio One Coxsone Dodd 1980 Unification - Inland 12" Willy Williams -• 1981 One Love - Uptempo 12" Willy Williams - 1984 Sweet Home - Black Victory 12- Willy Williams - 1987 Sell Out - Humame 7" Willy Williams - 1990 Run Dem A Run - Drum Street 7- Willy Williams - 1991 Rally Round Jah Throne - Black Root 12" Yabby You 1981 Repatriation Songs-StineJac- J.Mitto & W.Williams - 1982 Active - Drum Street 7" Willy Williams - 1986 Worries&Problem - Uptempo 12" Willy Williams - 1990 Jungle - Watte Music 7** Willy Williams - 1990 |