RhoDeo 1244 Roots

Hello, The arrival of Gary Clail at the On-U Sound stable brought with it the emergence of a previously undreamed raggamuffin tendency. During the mid to late eighties Gary became a regular warm-up for all types of On-U gigs - with his "On-U Sound in the Area!!!!" crowd calls, this came both as a welcome relief as DJ / MC / chanter / warm-up man for devotees of On-U Sound.  It shouldn't come as a surprise his podium presence would extend to studio presence and as a result he's released 5 albums.
 N'joy

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The On U Sound System features an excess of musicians drawn from Tackhead, Roots Radics, Akabu, Dub Syndicate and others. It was officially launched in 1980 by Adrian Sherwood for a one-off album by the New Age Steppers, who comprised various members of the Slits, Pop Group and Aswad. The second album was by the Mothmen (who became the rhythm section for Simply Red), and over the years an impressive roster of collaborative productions took shape. These include works from the likes of Dr. Pablo, Prince Far I, Tackhead, Mark Stewart, Dub Syndicate and African Headcharge. Clail’s bombastic vocal delivery was honed when he grew up in a predominantly black neighbourhood given rhythm by ‘Toasting’ Jamaican locals. He is of Irish descent, though his parents moved to Bristol when he was very young. After spells as a scaffolder and runner for the criminal fraternity, he joined Tackhead and became further involved with the On U Sound team. ‘Human Nature’ was something of a freak hit in 1991. The original intention to sample Billy Graham’s 1958 speech of the same name over the beat was rejected by his representatives, forcing Clail to deputize. It also owed a great deal to Paul Oakenfold’s production, and his knowledge of dance music clubs. His adaptation from On U Sound’s resident misfit to pop star designate was quite remarkable. He still works mainly as a producer and mixer, and in the long term wants to emulate Sherwood by providing new talent with a forum for exposure. In interviews Clail constantly stressed that he is but one cog in a 32-person music-making machine.

Gary's preceding On-U life, held career in roofing, used cars, hanging round with gypsies before Mark Stewart introduced him, (as he did Andy Farley) to the On U  scene. During the mid to late eighties Gary Clail became a regular warm-up for all types of On-U gigs - with his crowd calls This came both as a welcome relief for devotees of On-U Sound and also as an unexpected bonus. The real impact of Gary was to introduce and roadtest new On-U rhythms and tunes, and also to reversion old favourites. He usually lived in the studio when he was not on the road.

Gary made his first vinyl appearance back in October 1985 on the thinly veiled speed track "Half Cut for Confidence" By the following year Gary appeared on the World Label, the imprint was a venture between the TackHead boys and John Loder of Southern Studios, the tune was "Hard Left" with Gary taking the main credit. 1988 saw the release of "Reality" with the credits reversed and Gary as featured vocalist. Gary then went on to negotiate future material through Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto label. This union was to result in "a consummation devoutly to be wished", Gary's actual appearance on TOTP, together with the wonderfully over the top Alan Pillay, when "Human Nature" became a number 10 UK chart position (by far the highest placing for an On-U act in its own right).

The "End Of The Century Party" album was basically Tack>>head complemented by a few mates with Gary as lead vocalist. The name TackHead Sound System could no longer be used as the band were shaping up for their, eventually, abortive major label flirtation.. The On-U Sound System proved a good substitute as that was actually what Gary was doing in the first place! The album was a follow-up to "TackHead Tape Time" effectively a greatest hits compilation released the year earlier via Nettwerk. "Beef" opened up the set and was to be radically reworked for its appearance as Gary's first single on Perfecto.

Continuing Gary's long-running theme of delivering lyrics concerning socially concious current issues "Privatise Pts 1 & 2" was particularly hard-hitting. Indeed the issue of privatisation was at its height under the Thatcher administration with the question raised "where would it all end?". Gary Clail's presence on the On-U Sound scene from the late eighties certainly brought a new feeling of energy to the live gigs and although is vocal stylings can be objectively said to be limited, he certainly got the best out of his bag for these tunes and the earlier singles.

While Gary's time under the wing of BMG / Perfecto probably brought him his biggest commercial successes, helped in no small part by the remixing talents of Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne in giving some of his tunes more dancefloor friendly edges, the partnership was to be short lived. While BMG's first "Emotional Hooligan" album in 1991 sold well, a combination of Clail's unrealistic belief that he was now a fully-fledged pop star, coupled with a lack of new musicial direction and particularly his record companies increasing dis-interest in promoting him saw an acrimonious parting in 1993. In particular the almost complete lack of promotion of the following "Dreamstealers" album left a bitter taste of major label dealings in both Clail's and Sherwood's mouthes.

A new deal was struck with Yelen Musiques in France for 1995's album "Keep The Faith" which was generally well received and featured more of Clail's characteristic lambasts against injustices of the world before he slipped quietly out of the music scene in the late 1990s. He went on to buy a church in Penzance, England convert it into a guest house and then run it for several years. The most recent word is, however, is that he is living on a boat at Saltford, between Bristol and Bath, and is working at a hostel for homeless people in Bath.

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On this album, the Dancehall Demagogue meets the kings of cut-and-paste funk pastiche. By the time this album was released, Gary Clail's stern political imprecations had become an integral part of Tackhead's live shows; he would sit at the mixing desk and intone radical exhortations while the band ripped things up onstage. With Tackhead Tape Time they take it to the studio, and the result is taut, tough, and funky. Clail isn't much of a singer (though he makes an admirable attempt on "Reality"), and the content of some of his pronouncements can be a bit eye-rolling, but he and Tackhead certainly seem to bring the best out in each other -- the samples of Margaret Thatcher, military officers, and news reporters (as well as the occasional snippet of reggae toaster Prince Far I and someone who sounds suspiciously like Andy Fairley) combine perfectly with Tackhead's robotic and yet strangely passionate electro-funk to create something eerie, exciting, and booty-moving.

Gary Clail's Tackhead Sound System ‎- Tackhead Tape Time (flac  203mb)

01 Mind At The End Of The Tether 6:38
02 Half Cut Again 0:28
03 Reality 7:07
04 M.O.V.E. 2:23
05 Hard Left 5:07
06 Get This 4:26
07 Man In A Suitcase 4:09
08 What's My Mission Now? (Fight The Devil) 5:51

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While Gary's time under the wing of BMG / Perfecto probably brought him his biggest commercial successes, helped in no small part by the remixing talents of Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne in giving some of his tunes more dancefloor friendly edges, the partnership was to be short lived. While BMG's first "Emotional Hooligan" album in 1991 sold well, a combination of Clail's unrealistic belief that he was now a fully-fledged pop star, coupled with a lack of new musicial direction and particularly his record companies increasing dis-interest in promoting him saw an acrimonious parting in 1993. In particular the almost complete lack of promotion of the following "Dreamstealers" album left a bitter taste of major label dealings in both Clail's and Sherwood's mouthes. Being political (Speak No Evil) at a multinational record company will get you quickly relegated, a pity because Dreamstealers is an excellent album even if it won't appeal to hardcore On U fans as it incorporates dancebeats and chorusses a fusion album, yet Gary towers thru all.

Gary Clail and On-U Sound System ‎- Dreamstealers (flac  424mb)

01 No Comfort In The City 4:53
02 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Mix) 5:50
03 Dreamstealers 5:08
04 Who Pays The Piper (Perfecto Mix) 7:18
05 Speak No Evil 3:31
06 Buzzword 4:02
07 Decadance 5:07
08 Isolation 3:45
09 Autobiography 3:41
10 Trouble 4:28
11 Behind Every Fortune 4:15
12 Free Again 4:42
13 Speak No Evil (Don't Rock The Boat Mix) 5:21
14 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Original Mix) 3:43

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A new record deal was struck with Yelen Musiques in France for 1995's album "Keep The Faith" (ON-U LP 76) which was generally well received and featured more of Clail's characteristic lambasts against injustices of the world before he slipped quietly out of the music scene in the late 1990s. He went on to buy a church in Penzance, England convert it into a guest house and then run it for several years.

Gary Clail ‎- Keep The Faith (flac  429mb)

01 Let's Get It Right 7:14
02 Another Hard Man 7:20
03 The Dangerous Dance 5:48
04 Privatisation Program 5:24
05 No Sleep Tonight 6:16
06 Keep The Faith 5:46
07 One Flesh & Blood 4:38
08 Stand Together 3:47
09 The Noose Is Getting Tighter 4:13
10 Joyride 4:53
11 No Sleep Tonight (Pure Dub Tonight) 6:05

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earlier
Gary Clail & On-U Sound System - The Emotional Hooligan (ogg 140mb)

Gary Clail & On-U Sound System - End of the Century Party (ogg 130mb)

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