Making History (album)

Making History
Studio album by
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Released1984
StudioStudio 80, 6-8 Emerson Street, Waterloo, London
GenreDub reggae
Jazz blues
Length33:31
LabelIsland
ProducerDennis Bovell
Linton Kwesi Johnson chronology
LKJ in Dub
(1980) 		Making History
(1984) 		LKJ Live in Concert with the Dub Band
(1985)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]
Sounds[4]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[5]
The Village VoiceA[6]

Making History is an album by the Jamaica-born, British-based dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson.[7] It was released in 1984 on Island Records.[8] It was produced by Dennis Bovell.[9]

Critical reception

Trouser Press called the album "as vital as any [Johnson and Bovell] had made together."[10] The New York Times wrote: "Dennis Bovell ... has fashioned settings for the poems on Making History that draw their melodies directly from the inflections and intonation of the lines. Most selections sport catchy instrumental melodies that weave in and out of the poetry, making it sound much like song."[9]

NME ranked it number 16 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1984.[11]

Track listing

All tracks written by Linton Kwesi Johnson

  1. "Di Eagle an' di Bear" – 4:14
  2. "Wat About di Working Claas?" – 5:12
  3. "Di Great Insohreckshan" – 4:02
  4. "Making History" – 4:19
  5. "Reggae fi Radni" – 4:24
  6. "Reggae fi Dada" – 4:50
  7. "New Craas Massahkah" – 6:30

Personnel

  • Linton Kwesi Johnson - voice
The Dub Band
  • Dennis Bovell – bass, mixing
  • Richie Stevens – drums
  • John Kpiaye – guitar
  • Paget King – keyboards
  • Nick Straker – synthesizer
  • Patrick Tenyue – trumpet
  • Henry "Buttons" Tenyue – trombone
  • Geoffrey Scantlebury – percussion
  • Tony Utah – other percussion
  • Everald Forrest – other percussion
Technical
  • Dennis Bovell, Godwin Logie, Martin Rex, Stephen Street – engineers
  • Bruno Tilley – artwork
  • Peter Ashworth – photography

Charts

Album

Year Country Chart Peak position Citation
1984 UK UK Official Album Chart 73 [12]

References

  1. ^ "Making History - Linton Kwesi Johnson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 657.
  3. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 374–375.
  4. ^ Pouncey, Edwin (25 February 1984). "Kwesi kuts". Sounds. p. 27.
  5. ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 202.
  6. ^ "Robert Christgau: Consumer Guide May 29, 1984". www.robertchristgau.com.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (4 May 1984). "Pop and Rock". The New York Times. p. C20.
  8. ^ "Linton Kwesi Johnson | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ^ a b Palmer, Robert (23 May 1984). "THE POP LIFE". The New York Times. p. C24.
  10. ^ "Linton Kwesi Johnson". Trouser Press. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  12. ^ "UK Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 March 2018.