50 Classic Reggae Albums 1962-2012
LABEL:BMN | GENRE: SKA | NEXT RELEASE: Monkey Man
The trio recorded this album in 1965 for Byron Lee's BMN imprint, after a turmultous business relationship with Coxsone Dodd who had for years been licensing the group's music under other monikers such as "The Vikings" and "The Flames" to Island Records before they found out sometime in 1963. Dodd refused to make restitution and the group parted ways with the producer. For two years the groups collaboration with greats such as Desmond Dekker and Prince Buster prepared the group for its groundbreaking relationship with Byron Lee
But the album was never really a studio project. It was a 12 track compilation. When The Maytals first recorded for Byron Lee in 1964, the hit single "Its You" was pushed off the charts by its won filpside "Daddy".So strong were these string of singles that before 1965 had drawn to a close, an impatient Lee bundled up a batch and pressed them onto a full-length, appropriately titling the set The Sensational Maytals. The group certainly was sensational, and although many more hits were still to come, this album was the perfect portrait of the
group at its ska height.
In 1966 Lead singer Toots Hibbert, spent 18 months in prison, disrupting the groups star trail. On his release the group worked with producer Leslie Kong up until his death by heart attack in 1971. The group reunited with Byron Lee and changed the name from The Maytals to Toots and the Maytals.
During the span of the Band's 61 year career, they have recorded 34 cataloged albums, 71 single releases, and have been featured on 171 compilations.
TRACK LISTING
It's You Daddy Never You Change If You Act This Way It's No Use You Make Me Feel The Way I Do What's On Your Mind My New Name Fever She Will Never Let Me Down I Know Tell Me The Reason