Penthouse Records 25 Years – Booklet
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HEAD L O F C M Y B C M C M 119.5MM Y B Y B (4.71”) Y T D E YEARS E M F E I L A R T B S VPPHCD 1968 ൿ2013 VP MUSIC GROUP, INC. Ꭿ2013 VP MUSIC GROUP, INC. LC 28703 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION IS A VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE LAWS PAGE 16 C M Y B 120.5MM 120.5MM (4.74”) 241MM (4.74”) (9.49”) CD BOOK SADDLE STITCH SEL#: DATE: L/S: TECH: CYAN MAGENTA TOTAL NUM - LABEL: FILE NAME: YELLOW BLACK BER OF COL - T ORS B ON ARTIST: JOB #: PMS PMS ACK FR TITLE: SEPARATOR: TEMPLATE: UMG_CD_BOOK_SADDLE_JUL00.qxt CTP 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 25 25 50 50 75 75 100 100 95 95 97 97 99 99 75 50 25 10 CM MY CY TARGET HEAD L O F C M Y B amaican Recording Music has the marked distinction of every decade being ruled by a J hand full of producers, who have dominated Kingston’s music scene along the way, setting recording in Jamaica around 1978. At that time he the trends and steering the creative processes. The recorded under several imprint namely 1990s was no exception and Donovan Germain Revolutionary Sound, Reggae and Germain. Early and his Penthouse Label made sure that this success included UK hits in the form of Audrey decade of Jamaican music had his special stamp on Hall’s “One Dance Won’t Do” (1985), Peter Metro it. The imprint produced some of the finest & Dominic, “Cockney & Yardie” and “Just Don’t recordings and developed a group of vocal Want to be Lonely”, Freddy McGregor (1987). performers who have gone on to make indelible These early recordings have the distinctive high marks in popular music internationally. quality, which became the hallmark of the What has made Donovan Germain a special Penthouse Sound. Germain recordings from the producer? Well for one, he is a perfectionist, and beginning were seamlessly produced, developing a someone who expects high quality from his efforts. distinctive high quality sound, in terms of sonic C M C M 119.5MM Y B He has a particular sophistication in his quality, properly voiced and mixed to perfection, Thank Y B (4.71”) productions style, which not only made them utilizing the best studio musicians of the day. This world class, but more importantly his particular was a sign of what was to come. You brand of popular music was reachable to the Germain relocated to Kingston and opened the average music listener in a period when it was easy Penthouse Recording Studio in 1988 and to make disposable music for the “quick buck”. continued recording Lover’s Rock, Reggae and Germain stood tall as a champion of high Dancehall on his New Label, Penthouse Records. standards, professionalism, quality and accessible A few years after, some important moves were music for Jamaican music aficionados worldwide. made, which helped to propel the Label to Y T Germain, a Kingston College Old Boy, began his international success by the addition of young D E E M F E I L A career in the 1970s while living in the United engineers, Dave and Tony Kelly, who had their R T B S States, distributing music and eventually owning start at Tuff Gong and now joined the Staff as Keith’s Record Store, located in Brooklyn, New Engineers and Producers which also included the York. Known initially for his love of “Roots supremely talented Steven Stanley. Later a new Reggae” and “Lovers Rock”, Germain began crew of “prento” Engineers and riddim craftsmen PAGE 2 PAGE 15 C M Y B 120.5MM 120.5MM (4.74”) 241MM (4.74”) (9.49”) CD BOOK SADDLE STITCH SEL#: DATE: L/S: TECH: CYAN MAGENTA TOTAL NUM - LABEL: FILE NAME: YELLOW BLACK BER OF COL - T ORS B ON ARTIST: JOB #: PMS PMS ACK FR TITLE: SEPARATOR: TEMPLATE: UMG_CD_BOOK_SADDLE_JUL00.qxt CTP 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 25 25 50 50 75 75 100 100 95 95 97 97 99 99 75 50 25 10 CM MY CY TARGET HEAD L O F C M Y B Cleveland “Clevie” Browne / Dave Kelly / Tony Kelly Riddim” with the now classic “Tempted To Touch”, David “Fluxy” Heywood / Jermaine Ford. - Beres Hammond leading the way. Songs were written and recorded on the same “Riddim” by Recording Studios: Tuff Gong / Dynamic Sounds Tony Tuff, Jack Radics, Cutty Ranks. Richie Mixing Lab / Penthouse Recording Studios HC & F Studios (New York) Stephens, “Trying To Get To You” and Tony Rebel Penthouse Studio & Offices: 6 Ballater Avenue, Kingston 10 - Phone: 876.881.9885 eager for success joined the stable including, Andre EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: CHRISTOPHER CHIN "Rookie" Tyrell, Michael "Coolie" Cooper, Andrew & DONOVAN GERMAIN Thomas. Regularly utilising the best musicians and A&R & COORDINATOR: DONALD CLIVE DAVIDSON engineers of the time, which includes, Steely and REMASTERING - EDITING : PAUL SHIELDS DONALD CLIVE DAVIDSON Clevie, Sly and Robbie, Firehouse Crew, Steven LINER NOTES: DENNIS O HOWARD Ph.D. "Lenky" Marsden Mafia and Fluxy. Germain began PHOTOS: Sheree Rhoden - Internal Systems Department - to record and groom a small group of artists, The Gleaner Company Ltd - www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/library • Willam Richards namely, Wayne Wonder, Tony Rebel, Jack Radics, C M C M 119.5MM ART DIRECTION + DESIGN: DERON DJ JAMES Y B Apache Scratchy, Mad Cobra and Cutty Ranks plus Y B for DGM Graphics (4.71”) a host of other recording artist. While he worked PENTHOUSE 25 - DVD: with this group, sticking to his lover’s rock roots, INTERVIEWS HOSTED BY: Pat McKay Sirius XM he continued to record veterans such as Marcia Satellite Radio PD, The Joint & Praise Griffiths, Beres Hammond, Sanchez and Tony Tuff. SUBJECTS: Donovan Germain / Patricia Chin During this period, Penthouse recorded several Beres Hammond / Tony Rebel / Queen Ifrica / Dalton various artist projects, usually on one “Riddim”, Harris / Lloyd Campbell / Shuga / Romain Virgo Nadine Sutherland / Richie Stephens / Lukie D these included What One Riddim Can Do (1986) DONOVAN GERMAIN D Major / Sherieta / Timeka / R C / Bunu Ninja Turtle 1&2 (1991) with the hit “Workie Ainsworth “Big A” Higgins Y T Workie” by Chaka Demus, One Riddim On the “Fresh Vegetable” had mega hits on this “Riddim”. D E E M F E I L A VIDEOGRAPHERS: Romain "Sherkhan" Move (1989) featuring “Pon Me Nozzle” Cutty These recordings had that “Penthouse Stamp” of R T B S Chiffre / Alex Bartholomei Ranks and “Chaka on the Move”, Chaka Demus, seamless production values, creative lyrical Dancehall Masters (1989). Germain first Jamaican content and effective marketing. The explosion of VIDEO EDITING: OBED JAMES for James Media Group LLC & DONALD CLIVE DAVIDSON hit of note came with deejay Chaka Demus with Penthouse came with the release of the single for Aquagem Records “Chaka On The Move”. However the big break “Love Mi Browning” by up and coming young http://penthouserecords.free.fr/index.htm deejay Buju Banton. The young artist burst on the TONY REBEL came with the remake of “A Love a Can Feel PAGE 14 PAGE 3 C M Y B 120.5MM 120.5MM (4.74”) 241MM (4.74”) (9.49”) CD BOOK SADDLE STITCH SEL#: DATE: L/S: TECH: CYAN MAGENTA TOTAL NUM - LABEL: FILE NAME: YELLOW BLACK BER OF COL - T ORS B ON ARTIST: JOB #: PMS PMS ACK FR TITLE: SEPARATOR: TEMPLATE: UMG_CD_BOOK_SADDLE_JUL00.qxt CTP 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 25 25 50 50 75 75 100 100 95 95 97 97 99 99 75 50 25 10 CM MY CY TARGET HEAD L O F C M Y B scene with bravado and controversy over the Dave key elements for any successful record company. TITLE 20_ My Favorite Song STUDIO PERSONNEL: Kelly penned “Love Mi Browning” which was first At that juncture he was not known for recording a (2013) GARNET SILK Engineers: Michael "Coolie" Cooper / Steven Stanley intended for Tony Rebel who shunned it, due to lot of dancehall genre or many deejays for that WRITER: Garnet Smith Andrew Thomas / Gary Jackson / Shane C Brown the perceived controversy. Issue of colourism and matter, however, Germain had a good eye for PUBLISHERS: Copyright Control / Donovan Germain Music (BMI) Donovan Germain / Kevino “Bunu” Elliott / Jason Bromfield racism reared its ugly head in the aftermath of the talent and knew that he had found someone Dave Kelly / Tony Kelly / Andre Tyrell Mark “Stumpy” Brown / Garth Atkins / Oral Simmonds TITLE 21_ Real Know Real songs’ release. Germain skilfully averted career special. The Penthouse crew now comprised (2013) Barry O’Hare / Snakey / Zelly / Richard “Shams” Browne D MAJOR demise for Banton by Wayne Wonder, Tony Rebel, Cutty Ranks, Mad Michael Riley / Patrick Ayton / Gary Sutherland WRITERS: Damain G Codlin / Llamar Brown / Donovan Germain Philip Smart / Ruddy Thomas / Jevon “Bonez” Bailey releasing a single “Love Cobra, Twiggi and Buju Banton as marquee acts, PUBLISHERS: BMI / Greensleeves Publishing Ltd. MCPS Rohan “Zumjay” Stephens / Ishmel Hammond Black Woman” in with support from the likes of Garnet Silk, Apache Donovan Germain Music (BMI) Robert “Dubwise” Browne / Soljie Hamilton. praise of black Scratchy, Chaka Demus, Terry Ganzie, Beres Recording & Mixing Engineers: Shane Brown skinned women. Hammond Marcia Griffiths and Sanchez. For the TITLE 22_ Reggae Is Life (2013) Kevino “Bunu” Elliott / Steven Stanley Here, Germain next couple of years Germain guided his charges SHERIETA WRITERS: Bunny Ann G Fletcher / Donovan Germain / Sherieta Lewis Andre “Rookie” Tyrell / Gregory / Syl Gordon exhibited his with aplomb, steering them to major success both PUBLISHERS: Donovan Germain Music (BMI) / Copyright Control grasp of the artist nationally and internationally.