No birdz down

Horace in the 70s

Back to the island this time: introducin' Horace Andy. This Kingston-born rootsvocalist is probably best known for his work with UK triphop-band Massive Attack in the mid- and late 90s (check their version of John Holt's classic 'Man Next Door' with Andy's vocals; and 'Angel', a remake of Andy's 'You're My Angel'). This collabo got him a lot of well-deserved props, but the man has been making music since the early 70s. I heard his first big hit, the intoxicating 'Skylarking' (produced by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd @ the legendary Studio One), when I was 7 or 8 years old and the tune proved itself so 'masta' that when I got reintroduced to it a decade later I immediately recognised it. If you can't get enough of Horace's dramatic delivery I strongly advise you to check the compilation 'Skylarking: the Best of Horace Andy' (Virgin/Melankolic, 1996) ... "or you will end up, up, up in chains".

Performing with Massive Attack in 2003