Creation Rebel started as a studio band. Recorded in 1977 ‘Dub from Creation’ was Adrians Sherwood’s first production. Released on Hitrun records it featured the great Eric “Fish” Clarke on drums; Clinton Jack on Bass; “Crucial” Tony Philips on Guitar; Clifton “Bigga” Morrison on keyboards and Dr. Pablo on Melodica. The album was mixed by Dennis Bovell.
In 1978 ‘Starship Africa’ was recorded. This album featured Charley “Eskimo” Fox on drums as well as Lincoln “Style” Scott who in 1978 was on his first visit to the UK to do the first Creation Rebel tour backing Prince FarI. During this trip, Style overdubbed a whole drum kit (in one take) on existing Starship recordings! Playing bass on this album was Tony Henry and as with the first album “Crucial” Tony, “Bigga” Morrison and Dr. Pablo.
Between 1978 and 1983 Creation Rebel became not only a studio band but also one of the worlds first live dub bands.
Original drummer Fish Clarke had come to England with Prince Fari in 1977 drumming with “Flabba” Holt and the Arabs. It was on this visit that they recorded “Foggy Road” and “The Message” with Fari at Gooseberry Studio London.
By 1979 Fari had formed a new band for the Arabs (also called Crytuff and the Originals). This new line up featured on the 1979 classic Dub to Africa. If you look at the credits for the musicians on the sleeve you’ll see Fari’s Arabs who later that year became Root Radics.
Style Scott played on the next three Creation Rebel albums ‘Rebel Vibrations’, ‘Close Encounters with the Third World’ and ‘Lows and Highs’.
Style and the band performed live across Europe backing Prince Fari. In 1979 the Roots Encounter Tour starred Fari, Bim Sherman and Prince Hammer. Later that year Rebel (with Prince Hammer) supported The Slits on their UK tour with Don Cherry and in the early 1980s The Clash on UK dates.
The line up from 1979 both live and on the studio recordings was Style Scott (drums), Keith ‘Lizard’ Logan (bass + vocals), “Crucial” Tony (guitar and vocals), Mr Magoo (percussion + vocals), Desmond “Fat Fingers” Coke (keyboards) and Dr. Pablo on Melodica. From 1980 Bonjo I A Bonghi Noah (percussion) joined the group.
By 1980, Style and the Roots Radics were so in demand in Jamaica that Rebel had to replace him. Charley “Eskimo” Fox was one of the best and most experienced drummers around. Fox had his other bands Freedom Fighters and Davrocks, backing Dillinger, Trinity and many other top touring artists from Jamaica.
Creation Rebel recorded two more albums. The excellent ‘Psychotic Jonkanoo’ (which sounded most like the band in this period on stage shows) and the club LP with New Age Steppers ‘Thread to Creation’.
The band continued touring with Prince Fari, but in order to survive all musicians existing within other bands.
“Crucial” Tony and Desmond Coke were involved with the beginning of the Ruff Cut band and recording studios where new players and artists like Don Campbell, Carlton ‘Bubblers’ Ogilivie and a stream of talent have emerged over the years.
Creation Rebel were a very important and influential group of musicians. Just some of the bands that evolved from the group collective are listed here. Style Scott (Roots Radics/Dub Syndicate), Clifton Morrison (Jazz Jamaica), Tony Henry (Misty in Roots), Bonjo I (African Head Charge), Crucial Tony (Ruff Cut).
On the early Rebel recordings like Rebel Vibrations and even Fari’s Crytuff Dub Encounters Adrian Sherwood and Dr. Pablo used the name Dub Syndicate. This was to become the name for Adrian Sherwoods next dub studio band.
Ruff Cut still exists and is a production house and rhythm section/backing band and record label.
Creation Rebels back catalogue of ‘Dub from Creation’, ‘Rebel Vibrations’, ‘Starship Africa’ and ‘Psychotic Jonkanoo’ have recently been re-mastered and released with previously unreleased tracks via ON-U Sound/Beatink Inc Japan in original sleeves and immaculately packaged. These will be available on our website shortly.
