Fred Locks - Bigger Tunes '2020

Tracks list

b. Stafford Elliot, c.1955, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Locks began his
sporadic recording career as a member of the Lyrics, who recorded tracks such as
‘A Get It’, ‘Girls Like Dirt’, and ‘Hear What
The Old Man Say’ for Coxsone Dodd in the late 60s, ‘Give
Praises’ for Randy’s, and the self-financed ‘Sing A
Long’, both in 1971. The Lyrics disbanded shortly afterwards, and Locks,
discouraged by the lack of financial reward endemic to the Jamaican music
business, immersed himself in the Rasta faith, which was at the time gaining
significant ground among Jamaica’s ghetto youth, and he retired to live a
spartan existence on the beach at Harbour View. During this time, Locks allowed
his dreads to grow to a formidable length - hence his nickname - and continued
to write songs, one of which, a prophetic Garveyite vision of repatriation
entitled ‘Black Star Liners’, he was persuaded to record by
producer Hugh Boothe.

Released in 1975 on the Jahmikmusic label in Jamaica, and on Grounation in the
UK, ‘Black Star Liners’ struck a resounding chord with the new
generation of Rastafarian youth on both islands, propelling Locks to cult status
in the process. Two years later Grounation offshoot Vulcan officially released
the long-awaited Black Star Liners/True Rastaman, a classic example of 70s roots
Rasta reggae, packed with fine songs including former singles ‘Last
Days’ (retitled ‘Time To Change’) and ‘Wolf
Wolf’, and raw, guileless vocals. Throughout this time Locks had also
been a member of the vocal trio Creation Steppers with Eric Griffiths and Willy
Stepper, who had been releasing singles on their Star Of The East label in
Jamaica, achieving considerable local success with ‘Stormy Night’ -
later covered at Channel One by the Rolands. A various artists album entitled
Love & Harmony featured the title track (also a 12-inch in Jamaica) credited to
Fred Locks, and ‘Kill Nebuchadnezzar’ by the Creation Steppers also
emerged, in 1979. In 1980 Locks and the Creation Steppers went to the UK for
several shows and linked up with the legendary sound system operator and record
producer Lloyd Coxsone, who released a number of discs by both the group and
Locks, including the classic ‘steppers’ ‘Homeward
Bound’, ‘Love And Only Love’ and ‘Voice Of The
Poor’. These and other tracks were eventually released on Love And Only
Love. Locks moved to the USA in 1982, effectively halting his and the
Steppers’ career. Settling in Philadelphia, he immersed himself in the
local Twelve Tribes organization, after which he recorded only sporadically. He
reappeared in 1998 on the Exterminator label with the excellent
‘conscious’ album, Never Give Up, featuring a rootsy production
from Philip ‘Fatis’ Burrell. The album included an updated version
of ‘Black Star Liners’.

Tracklisting:
01. Fred Locks - Jah Protect My Heart (4:07)
02. Fred Locks - 7000 Never Bow (4:14)
03. Fred Locks - All I Need is Your Love (4:26)
04. Fred Locks - Babylon Endorse Dem (3:30)
05. Fred Locks - Never Find a Man Like Me (4:02)
06. Fred Locks - We the Visionary (3:32)
07. Fred Locks - Prophecy Fulfilling (3:42)
08. Fred Locks - Seven Miles of Black Star Liners (3:50)
09. Fred Locks - Evil People (3:54)
10. Fred Locks - Animal (4:08)
11. Fred Locks - Christian Empress (4:28)
12. Fred Locks - Dread in a Babylon (3:56)
13. Fred Locks - I Need You (3:31)
14. Fred Locks - World Peace (3:44)
15. Fred Locks - Son of the Almighty (4:08)
16. Fred Locks - Thief My Money (4:13)

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