Michael Baxter | Willie Williams - Armagideon Time & Jackie Mittoo - In Cold Blood - Studio One Records @mickeypenguin | Uploaded September 2022 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
Willie Williams with ‘Armagideon Time' what a classic cut this is.
This 12” is different to some other versions of this song spread across other Studio One 7” singles and album versions, and different to a couple of other labels that released a version. This version has several overdubs, several squeaky noises, some louder twangy and fuzzy effect guitar parts.
I like it. Others may be more precious to the original ‘Real Rock’ version without the effects, both are great!
The great Jackie Mittoo places his fingers to the organ keys on the other side of this 12” single. Jackie Mittoo as you would expect being one of the most used session musicians at Studio One, is a wonderful musician, and ‘In Cold Blood’ plods along nicely enough.
Unfortunately, for anyone wanting any text on Willie Williams or Jackie Mittoo, I am just going to bang on about the Clash.
Sorry about that!
The Clash, to me, were extremely inspirational, whatever you think about the band, one thing that cannot be denied is the band’s real love of Black music and culture, reggae music was no exception.
If it was not for The Clash promoting authentic reggae via the weekly music papers, via namedrops on original compositions that were released as records, and also covering some of the songs of their day, songs from the fifties, sixties and seventies, thousands of people, like me, may not have been touched by this music.
There were other bands like Stiff Little Fingers, the Ruts and the Members who were also around the time, toying with the odd reggae riff and recording cover versions of old reggae records and writing their own reggae-based material. Of course, there would soon be a huge resurgence of old ska and rocksteady interest via the 2-Tone movement.
The Clash recorded Junior Murvin's ‘Police And Thieves’ and the Maytals ‘Pressure Drop’ in a more punked up style, rather than recognisably reggae. 'Police And Thieves' was featured on the debut album, and 'Pressure Drop' as a B-side to their 7" single; 'English Civil War'.
By 1979, and as 1980 peered into view, The Clash, and their followers, found out that they were far from just a ‘punk’ band.
With Blockheads Mickey Gallagher and Norman Watt Roy, along with other musicians in tow, The Clash recorded the sessions that would result in the formidable ‘London Calling’ album way down in deepest Highbury, North London. Guy Stevens engineering, trying to pull everything, as well as himself, together.
The Clash released the ‘London Calling’ single, both 7" and 12" formats, and on goes ‘Armagideon Time’ as the B-side. 'London Calling' was one of the most respected 7" singles that the band released and was hugely popular. Imagine teenagers hearing 'Armageddon Time' in hundreds of thousands of bedrooms across the UK and the world. What a selfless choice to have taken a relatively recent hit in Jamaica for Willie Williams, on the band's flagship 7" and 12" record.
Willie Williams voiced 'Armageddon Time' onto a well-known rhythm released almost a decade before the Willie Williams hit, Sound Dimension's 'Real Rock'. Sound Dimension were some of the regular session musicians at Studio One, who would have been backed up many vocalists for many years within the confines of the Brentford Road studio.
The Clash also done wonderful renditions of; 'Wrong 'Em Boyo' by the Rulers, with a bit of Lloyd Price's 'Stagger Lee' chucked into the recording for good measure.
Danny Ray's 'Revolution Rock' is absolutely magnificent when the Clash recorded it. The full 12" version of Danny Ray's 'Revolution Rock' and the B-side 'Rasta Man Live Up' has been posted onto my YT channel before, so search that one out!
Vince Taylor's 'Brand New Cadillac' deserves a mention, although not in any sense reggae based, it was originally a decent fifties rock and roll song. We should all know that rock and roll did not start with Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, or any other popular, and pale musicians, but with the likes of blues artists like Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard and others, who all would need to run the gauntlet of hate and prejudice when trying to perform across the states of America.
Come 1980 and Mikey Dread was on board with The Clash. The B-side to 'Bankrobber' was 'Rockers Galore', a toasting version over the Bankrobber rhythm. Probably my favourite Clash record, and I was lucky to buy it at the time. Mikey Dread recorded the immensely brilliant 'Living In Fame', one of the highlights on the 'Sandinista' triple vinyl set. Mikey Dread turned up again with 'Radio One' the six-minute B-side to the 'Call Up' 7" single.
James Wayne's 'Junco Partner', originally a fifties blues song, was given the reggae treatment by the Clash on 'Sandinista' was another highlight for me.
The Clash, the Specials, the Selecter, the Beat, the Ruts and many others all inspired me to eventually look deeper into ska, rocksteady and reggae, and to those bands. and others, I am extremely grateful.
Willie Williams with ‘Armagideon Time' what a classic cut this is.
This 12” is different to some other versions of this song spread across other Studio One 7” singles and album versions, and different to a couple of other labels that released a version. This version has several overdubs, several squeaky noises, some louder twangy and fuzzy effect guitar parts.
I like it. Others may be more precious to the original ‘Real Rock’ version without the effects, both are great!
The great Jackie Mittoo places his fingers to the organ keys on the other side of this 12” single. Jackie Mittoo as you would expect being one of the most used session musicians at Studio One, is a wonderful musician, and ‘In Cold Blood’ plods along nicely enough.
Unfortunately, for anyone wanting any text on Willie Williams or Jackie Mittoo, I am just going to bang on about the Clash.
Sorry about that!
The Clash, to me, were extremely inspirational, whatever you think about the band, one thing that cannot be denied is the band’s real love of Black music and culture, reggae music was no exception.
If it was not for The Clash promoting authentic reggae via the weekly music papers, via namedrops on original compositions that were released as records, and also covering some of the songs of their day, songs from the fifties, sixties and seventies, thousands of people, like me, may not have been touched by this music.
There were other bands like Stiff Little Fingers, the Ruts and the Members who were also around the time, toying with the odd reggae riff and recording cover versions of old reggae records and writing their own reggae-based material. Of course, there would soon be a huge resurgence of old ska and rocksteady interest via the 2-Tone movement.
The Clash recorded Junior Murvin's ‘Police And Thieves’ and the Maytals ‘Pressure Drop’ in a more punked up style, rather than recognisably reggae. 'Police And Thieves' was featured on the debut album, and 'Pressure Drop' as a B-side to their 7" single; 'English Civil War'.
By 1979, and as 1980 peered into view, The Clash, and their followers, found out that they were far from just a ‘punk’ band.
With Blockheads Mickey Gallagher and Norman Watt Roy, along with other musicians in tow, The Clash recorded the sessions that would result in the formidable ‘London Calling’ album way down in deepest Highbury, North London. Guy Stevens engineering, trying to pull everything, as well as himself, together.
The Clash released the ‘London Calling’ single, both 7" and 12" formats, and on goes ‘Armagideon Time’ as the B-side. 'London Calling' was one of the most respected 7" singles that the band released and was hugely popular. Imagine teenagers hearing 'Armageddon Time' in hundreds of thousands of bedrooms across the UK and the world. What a selfless choice to have taken a relatively recent hit in Jamaica for Willie Williams, on the band's flagship 7" and 12" record.
Willie Williams voiced 'Armageddon Time' onto a well-known rhythm released almost a decade before the Willie Williams hit, Sound Dimension's 'Real Rock'. Sound Dimension were some of the regular session musicians at Studio One, who would have been backed up many vocalists for many years within the confines of the Brentford Road studio.
The Clash also done wonderful renditions of; 'Wrong 'Em Boyo' by the Rulers, with a bit of Lloyd Price's 'Stagger Lee' chucked into the recording for good measure.
Danny Ray's 'Revolution Rock' is absolutely magnificent when the Clash recorded it. The full 12" version of Danny Ray's 'Revolution Rock' and the B-side 'Rasta Man Live Up' has been posted onto my YT channel before, so search that one out!
Vince Taylor's 'Brand New Cadillac' deserves a mention, although not in any sense reggae based, it was originally a decent fifties rock and roll song. We should all know that rock and roll did not start with Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, or any other popular, and pale musicians, but with the likes of blues artists like Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard and others, who all would need to run the gauntlet of hate and prejudice when trying to perform across the states of America.
Come 1980 and Mikey Dread was on board with The Clash. The B-side to 'Bankrobber' was 'Rockers Galore', a toasting version over the Bankrobber rhythm. Probably my favourite Clash record, and I was lucky to buy it at the time. Mikey Dread recorded the immensely brilliant 'Living In Fame', one of the highlights on the 'Sandinista' triple vinyl set. Mikey Dread turned up again with 'Radio One' the six-minute B-side to the 'Call Up' 7" single.
James Wayne's 'Junco Partner', originally a fifties blues song, was given the reggae treatment by the Clash on 'Sandinista' was another highlight for me.
The Clash, the Specials, the Selecter, the Beat, the Ruts and many others all inspired me to eventually look deeper into ska, rocksteady and reggae, and to those bands. and others, I am extremely grateful.
