Get a No. 1 cut, pull on yer Doc Martens and yer braces - and prepare to do the reggae!

Theophilus Beckford

I’ve long believed that the first ska record was recorded in New Orleans by Fats Domino – namely “Be My Guest", which reached No. 8 in the US charts in October 1959: walking bass, guitar providing the accent on the upbeat, joyous horns. It is perfect (for proof, click here). However, I may have to bow to the claims of the splendidly-named Theophilus Beckford, whose rather more laid-back “Easy Snapping” (listen here) was supposedly also released in 1959 (although Beckford has claimed 1956 and some have it listed as 1960).

"Comin' Home Baby", "Long Shot" and three other dynamite tracks from The Fulminators great tracks from The Fulminators

Following on from last post, here’s some more musical silliness, I’m afraid. I haven’t done any recording for the past couple of months and I know how frightfully upset many of you will be about that. So, in order to clear the decks before I get stuck in again, here are a few productions I haven’t previously made available to the clamouring public.