Misty in Roots | Artist
Misty in Roots are a British roots reggae band formed 1975 in Southall, London, by Delbert "Ngoni" McKay, Walford "Poko" Tyson, Anthony "Tsungi" Henry, Delford "Tawanga" Briscoe, Lawrence "Kaziwayi" Crossfield, Joseph "Tunga" Charley, Nils Hailstone, and Winstone "Winston" Rose. Originally formed as the backup band for Jamaica-born vocalist Nicky Thomas, they split with Thomas in 1978 to become one of England's best young roots reggae acts. Starting out, the band was a collective with five lead singers and various musicians, though by the time of the second album the band had slimmed down to just three members. Along with Steel Pulse, Aswad, Matumbi, Cimarons and Black Slate, Misty in Roots were one of the most popular British reggae bands of the late 1970s. Their first album was 1979's Live at the Counter Eurovision, a record full of Rastafarian songs. The Counter Eurovision, held in Brussels, was organised as an alternative to the cheesy and conservative pop of the established Eurovision proper. The album was championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, helping to bring roots reggae to a white audience. Following their debut, Misty in Roots released four studio albums through the 1980s. The band had two BBC Radio 1 "In Concert" appearances in 1983 and 1985. They were invited to play in Zimbabwe in 1982 in recognition of their support for the independence movement, and were the first reggae band to tour South Africa, Poland, and Russia. After a break from recording in the next decade the band returned with a new mini-album Roots Controller in 2002. They continued to play concerts up until 2014. Standout albums include Live at the Counter Eurovision 79 (1979), Wise and Foolish (1981), Earth (1983), Musi O Tunya (1985), and the compilation set Roots Controller (2002). In 1979 Clarence Baker, a member of the collective, was severely beaten and injured by the London Metropolitan Police's SPG unit during a protest in Southall against a National Front march, becoming a cause célèbre to London's anarchic music and arts contingent. The punk band The Ruts, who were partners of and had their debut single released by the People Unite co-operative, honoured him in their song "Jah War" which was released as a single and on their album The Crack the same year.
Artist Website: mistyinroots.ws
Featured Albums: Misty in Roots
Related Artists: Nicky Thomas, Steel Pulse, Aswad
