Penguin was made an ‘honest’ man after his long term girlfriend from 1994, became his bride.
Bobbly Jax Bird and myself got married in Crouch End, North London on a day I will always cherish. Nice sunshine, good people from all over the world, and some more localised guests, everything going to plan. Off to Enfield, North London for the reception and onto the Jamaican food and sound system afterwards, courtesy of Rasta Dennis. Cheers to him for the massive back-line supplied, decks sorted and fitted at zero cost!
I had already given the brief to my two friends who would be the DJ’s that night. Pete Keeley (saw the Clash 28 times…and the S.P.O.T.s once, always been jealous of Pete for these landmarks), to play strictly 1960’s Jamaican bluebeat and rocksteady music, 1960’s U.S soul, going on to 1970’s roots, punk and 2 -Tone. Pete has a record collection much larger than mine (if you have seen mine you know Pete’s would be massive) and we share the same vibe in music. Top bloke as well. Cheers for the effort!
Next up Etienne from Bubblers Hi-Fi who supplied the more late night vibes in the guise of early 1980’s reggae and prototype U.S rap / funk (Grandmaster Flash, Kool Moe Dee and Kurtis Blow etc) for the ‘younger’ kids there, like late twenties to mid thirties ‘young’, still shaking a leg!
Dotty And Bonny with Don Drummond – Dearest
Don Drummond – Let George Do It *
*B-Side actually wrongly credited, this is not a Don Drummond tune, more than likely a Winston Wright hammond organ work out!
Jax and Penguin’s special tune was this record by Dotty And Bonny from 1964 (the only record I had to bring along for Pete to spin). After completion of the ‘first dance’, Pete then flipped it over quickly ‘Shaka’ style to play the second side, to inspire all the visiting and UK based Jamaicans up and moving about. Obviously there were non Jamaicans who were also up for a bit of decent 1960’s JA and US music culture including the fabulous John Loder!
Best gig / Sound-System I went to all that year…all killers, no fillers!
Fast forward to February 2004 when we, first time as a married couple, got to go to Jamaica again to show various relatives the official photo’s of the wedding. Jax’s relatives do not have computers, we had to take the nicely bound album with us all other Jamaica. Great trip as usual, but there was one unusual special event that happened on this trip. It was me going to the African Museum Record Shop and Studio, owned by Gregory Isaacs in Red Hills Road, Kingston and getting a recording performed by the legend, in the studio, onto a master CD, then cut onto a plate at the premises next door for me to give to Jax for Valentines Day which occured shortly after returning to the U.K.
I told Gregory that I wanted the lyrics of his 1974 hit ‘Love Is Overdue’ but instead of just sounding like the original record, with the original music, I wanted it performed with a different rhythm so it would come out totally original. The rhythm I had in mind was ‘Real Rock’ by Coxsone Dodd’s Sound Dimension band, performed in 1969. Better known in the U.K as the Studio One released ‘Armageddon Time’ by Willie Williams in 1978, then in 1979 covered brilliantly by The Clash as the B side to ‘Londons Calling’. There is a ‘normal’ Jamaican false start at the beginning of this dub, then Gregory starts over again…I got Isaacs to give a shout out to Bubblers Hi-Fi at the end of the track, to cheer Etienne up back in London.
Anyway Jax does not go on this site that often as far as I am aware, although she appreciates the records I have including anything from Crass to nasty Throbbing Gristle etc, she is more of a Mary J kind of person but is not snobby about the stuff I keep playing on the stereo! I will let her know of a nice post I have written up later on this afternoon. I was hoping for the egg to hatch today, to make it all fit nicely in my obsessive compulsive way…maybe a few more days!
Love you Jax, Happy Anniversary, good luck with the hatching.
Also five years ago today, we must also remember the ‘real’ news going on, other than a wedding that had taken place in North London, the news that was…the Iraq War…
What a mess…
Pavlik
March 21, 2008 at 6:51 pmNice story Penguin and cool tune from Mr Isaacs. 😉
My wedding day was fantastic too, with a star studded line up including Captain Max, Curtis, Mark Mob, Andy Ashtray and many other drunken types from that era.
The marriage didn’t last more than five minutes but at least we had a good day.
luggy
March 21, 2008 at 10:08 pmLooking forward to seeing pics of the baby penguin. Hope the beast pops out without too much hassle.
Pedro
March 21, 2008 at 11:57 pmNice stuff. On my wedding day we had weather which went from beautiful sunshine to a great bloody blizzard.
It’s been the same ever since.
Congrats..
Tony Puppy
March 22, 2008 at 3:05 amThere’s a tear dripping down my leg as I type.
Nuzz
March 22, 2008 at 10:58 amA baby penguin, it’ll be all change, and I aint just talking about the nappies. Have fun with it all Penguin, and make the most of his/her early years. They seem to last forever, but before you know it they get to their teenage years and the days of their first steps, words etc seem like a life time ago.
Carl
March 23, 2008 at 8:52 amGood stuff…and all the best with the nappies !
vince a.k.a Vomit (DIRT)
March 24, 2008 at 6:42 pmJax looks beautiful, your a lucky man Micky but make the most of the peace and full nights sleep .
When the egg cracks and the little Penguin is let lose anarchy will return into your life.
I know, but you dont have to take my word for it, youve met Laila after all.
Best of luck mate
Vince x
Stewart
July 22, 2008 at 10:27 pmBit late I know, Mr Waddly Penguiny person, but that’s a very sweet story… Bless! 🙂
Jah Pork Pie
July 23, 2008 at 11:46 amA HUGE ‘Good Work Fella!’ to you for this one, mate! You got THE COOL BLOODY RULER HIMSELF to cut a record for your missus, just by turning up at the studio? JEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZUSSSSSS!!!!
Exactly how much power and influence does the name ‘Penguin’ carry in downtown Kingston? Or did you kid him on that you were the fella out of Batman or something?
I had a similar idea with my partner: I got Damien Hirst to cut a sheep in half for her as a token of my undying love. But what thanks did I get? None. Bloody vegetarians, never satisfied! 😉
Penguin • Post Author •
July 23, 2008 at 5:51 pmPork>Exactly how much power and influence does the name ‘Penguin’ carry in downtown Kingston?
Pork, well you know, without blowing my own trumpet…Stewey, can you come and blow my trumpet please…?
Stewart
July 23, 2008 at 7:03 pmWell, that depends… weren’t you about to offer me a substantial discount for a night of savage lust with Teddy? I mean tender loving, obviously…
Jah Pork Pie
July 23, 2008 at 9:40 pm“Well, that depends… weren’t you about to offer me a substantial discount for a night of savage lust with Teddy? I mean tender loving, obviously…”
Whoops! I think Stu is about to hear from the Kennedys’ libel lawyers. Ferchrissakes don’t anyone mention Chappaquiddick!
Stewart
July 23, 2008 at 9:43 pmHey, he told me he had to get home in a hurry ‘cos he’d left the oven on, and I for one believe him…
Penguin • Post Author •
July 24, 2008 at 1:05 amStewart – do not forget you need to stay at least three miles from Bobo The Bear, I have the court papers right here stating this fact.
Jah Pork Pie
July 24, 2008 at 9:02 am@Stu-> I think he’s serious mate. I think it’s bear ass cheek to deny you your night of furry fun but you’re just gonna have to grin and not bear it.
Why don’t you get Pengy to bring some of his showbiz influence to bear though? I’m sure that if he can get Gregory Isaacs to record his missus a Valentine tune, it won’t be any sort of a problem for him to pull a few strings with his connections in the biz and get you a date sorted out with Sooty, Yogi, Baloo, Winnie or jus’ ’bout any other ursine hottie you could name!
Punk/Ted love-ins? Who’d have thought it 30 years ago eh?
Stewart
July 24, 2008 at 2:21 pm“Ursine”?!?! It’s Aries, actually. Why do you ask?
I&I. Also have an arm@arm. And leg&leg.
July 24, 2008 at 9:05 pmPS Pengy, could you get Dr Alimantado to do a version of ‘Best Dressed Stewy In Town’???? Please…
Jah Pork Pie
July 25, 2008 at 12:14 am@Stu-> COS() ur SIN() is to TAN() things from Noah’s ARC(), or something like that!
If there are any Scientologists reading this, perhaps they can get a Thetan to check my TRIG.
Jah Pork Pie
July 25, 2008 at 3:25 pmI’m too bleedin’ clever for my own good, me… (*winks at self*)
Jah Pork Pie
July 25, 2008 at 3:26 pmBut did I tell you what a charming, intelligent, handsome thing you are, Stewart? I want the world to know!
Stewart
July 26, 2008 at 6:04 pmPork, you are the most eloquent, lucid and insightful chap I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.
I’m flattered that you’d even bother with talking to the simple bear-bothering likes of me. I am not worthy of your enormous intellect. I am but a pygmy compared to your superior being – no more than a fly on the windscreen of your all-conquering journey through life. In fact, I want to be you, you big gorgeous hunk of brains.
Stewart (jellyfish etc)
July 26, 2008 at 9:21 pmLol! Oh My God! You can do it as well! I didn’t think anyone else would be able to work out my cunning manoeuvres there… (*winks*). Now, Shhhhh, you big gorgeous hunk of brains, in case someone else gets the same idea… 🙂
Jah Pork Pie
July 28, 2008 at 9:54 am(*lurks in background, quietly feeling rather pleased with himself*)
Mike Williams
July 27, 2009 at 2:00 pmJust found your web site through Facebook as a Friend of Adam Morris.
Is this the original Kill you Pet Puppy that was printed at Better Badges? At this time I worked with Joly who is now and has been for 30 years in New York. I for my sins run my own business trading in Reggae music for export to the world.
Although I was a boggy old hippy I always loved KYPP and Tony D, the vibe of the day was good, the smell of hair spray then the taste of bad beer and of course the occasional ‘Blue’ which I never really enjoyed, more of a Grass Smoker (sadly had to give this up last year Boo Hoo).
Wish you all well.
Keep the peace.
Mike
Penguin • Post Author •
July 27, 2009 at 4:05 pmThe same people Mike that produced the fanzines run this site. Tony D and Al A.
Myself I do all the music downloads but was not part of that fanzine at that time although I went to some of the same gigs and also bought the fanzine when it was around at Small Wonder or Rough Trade. I was asked by Tony D to help out and have done ever since.
Many folk that contributed to those fanzines during those times comment on this site. Val and Luggy etc.
Joly has also commented on this site a few times mainly on the Toxic Grafity and Futurama 1979 threads I seem to recall. Have a look around it and see what memories come back…
Here are some quick links to the threads mentioned above re;Joly
https://www.killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/?p=2045
https://www.killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/?p=519
I have uploaded some nice reggae material on this site if you care to browse…
Tony Puppy
July 27, 2009 at 9:09 pmHi Mike, yes it’s Tony D, good to hear you’re still around.