In 1969, reggae producer Rupie Edwards first used the term 'Version' to describe the b.side of a record by the vocal group The Saints. The record was not a great success - but the concept of the version was born.

Later that year - engineer/producer Lynford Anderson aka Andy Capp was working on a tune by Derrick Morgan called 'Fat Man' an old r&b tune. It couldn't get it to work so he called on keyboard player/vocalist/producer Lloyd Charmers for inspiration. Lloyd responded with an organ riff that copied the guitar riff of the new reggae rhythm which had taken the world by storm.

Andy Capp was impressed very impressed. But still it wasn't finished, to this pumping rhythm Andy added vocals. "Pop A Top, Pop A Top, Pop A Top" taken from a new soft drink just launched in Canada.

The two ideas the pumping organ and the vocals became 'Pop A Top'. It was a massive hit in Jamaica and in the UK - Andy responded with even more 'versions' of the rhythm - thereby putting himself forward not only as the first producer to create a new kind of sound, not only establishing the version concept, but adding vocal talking sounds to records - (something that predates deejaying, which is essentially rhyming) and also creating a 'Riddim' - multiple cuts of one rhtyhm, that dominate the reggae market today.

His next tune 'The Law' was just as revolutionary. On this one his use of echo, and reverb on the drums and vocals predates the work of King Tubby by at least three years. It was another massive hit yet again in Jamaica and in the UK for Andy Capp.

Other producers started to take note of this work - Lee Perry was the first with his own 'Clint Eastwood' Which uses all the techniques first used by Andy Capp.

Lloyd Charmers the keyboard player on 'Pop A Top' also had an hit with 'Safari'. In fact nearly every producer in Jamaica and in the UK quickly jumped onto the 'Version' thing.

The next producer to move the idea along was Herman Chin Loy - he was the man who gave Augustus Pablo his name, where to be precise he gave it to Glen Adams first - one time keyboard player with the Hippy Boys/Upsetters.

Herman's bit hit 'To The Fields' was indicator of where he was going with the 'Version' sound, with Augustus Pablo on melodica and keyboards, and bands like the Now Generation and Soul Syndicate he took it to new heights. 'Version' contained elements of instrumentals, deejaying, and something which was to come - dub. But it was none of these things.

Dub could be seen as the next evolutionary step of 'Version' Yet the work of King Tubby was more dependent on studio technology, version is a lot more simpler - and could be played live with musicians swapping solos and lead roles - integrating DJs and vocalists without the use of any FXs.

And so we come to The Small Axe People. These albums try to tap into the spirit of the work of Andy Capp, Lee Perry, Lloyd Charmers ,Herman Chin Loy and Augustus Pablo. We hope you will enjoy them.

Remember -
'From Creation Came Version'

Ray Hurford/The Small Axe People - July 2004