Lynford Anderson
Encyclopedia
Lynford Anderson aka Andy Capp (born 1941) is a Jamaica
n studio engineer, producer, and vocalist, best known for his 1968 hit "Pop a Top".
in 1941, and gained his early studio experience working for the RJR radio station, after initially being employed there as a log keeper, having studied accountancy. From there he moved on to Ronnie Nasrullah's recently-created WIRL studio, where he gained experience with a two-track mixer, under the guidance of Australia
n engineer Graeme Goodall. His engineering skills were used extensively by producer Leslie Kong
, and he eventually moved into production himself, using an Ampex
two-track mixing board to create remixes of tracks and to combine several tracks into a single song. He also founded the Upset record label in 1967 along with Lee "Scratch" Perry and trainee engineer Barrington Lambert. His self-productions included "Pop a Top", which he described as the first ever Jamaican "talking" record (although a handful of deejay
records had been released earlier), which at the time of its release in early 1968 was unusual in that its rhythm was noticeably faster than the prevailing rocksteady
beat. "Pop a Top"'s rhythm track was based on Dave Bartholomew
's "South Parkway Mambo", and its lyric was based on a Canada Dry
commercial; The song was later used by Canada Dry in an advertising campaign in the 1970s. The line "taste the tits, taste the tits" caused controversy when it was played by John Peel
on his BBC Radio 1
show, with the BBC receiving a number of complaints. He further contributed to the development of reggae
later in 1968 when he worked with Perry on "People Funny Boy", which had a rhythm based on music that Anderson and Perry had heard at a Pocomania church service the night before.
Anderson has been described as one of the most gifted recording engineers ever to work in Jamaica, and was described by Winston Holness as "the greatest engineer at those times...a genius in the business". He worked for several years for Byron Lee
at his Dynamic Sounds studio, working on recordings including the backing track to Robert Flack
's "Killing Me Softly with His Song
", and on recordings by The Wailers. He stated in the 1990s that during that period he would record or master up to 100 songs a day. He also recorded for Lee himself, including the 1970 single "The Law". In 1970, Anderson mixed the first truly multitrack dubs
at Dynamic Sounds. He also co-produced the Byron Lee & the Dragonaires
album Reggay Blast Off the same year.
By 2003, Anderson had relocated to New York, where he worked as a sound engineer for the United Nations
.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n studio engineer, producer, and vocalist, best known for his 1968 hit "Pop a Top".
Biography
Anderson was born in Clarendon Parish, JamaicaClarendon Parish, Jamaica
Clarendon is a parish in Jamaica. It is located on the south of the island, roughly half-way between the island's eastern and western ends...
in 1941, and gained his early studio experience working for the RJR radio station, after initially being employed there as a log keeper, having studied accountancy. From there he moved on to Ronnie Nasrullah's recently-created WIRL studio, where he gained experience with a two-track mixer, under the guidance of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n engineer Graeme Goodall. His engineering skills were used extensively by producer Leslie Kong
Leslie Kong
Leslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican record producer.-Career:Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...
, and he eventually moved into production himself, using an Ampex
Ampex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
two-track mixing board to create remixes of tracks and to combine several tracks into a single song. He also founded the Upset record label in 1967 along with Lee "Scratch" Perry and trainee engineer Barrington Lambert. His self-productions included "Pop a Top", which he described as the first ever Jamaican "talking" record (although a handful of deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
records had been released earlier), which at the time of its release in early 1968 was unusual in that its rhythm was noticeably faster than the prevailing rocksteady
Rocksteady
Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton...
beat. "Pop a Top"'s rhythm track was based on Dave Bartholomew
Dave Bartholomew
Dave Bartholomew is a musician, band leader, composer and arranger, prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century...
's "South Parkway Mambo", and its lyric was based on a Canada Dry
Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks owned since 2008 by the Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group. For over a century Canada Dry has been known for its ginger ale, though the company also manufactures a number of other soft drinks and mixers...
commercial; The song was later used by Canada Dry in an advertising campaign in the 1970s. The line "taste the tits, taste the tits" caused controversy when it was played by John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
on his BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show, with the BBC receiving a number of complaints. He further contributed to the development of reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
later in 1968 when he worked with Perry on "People Funny Boy", which had a rhythm based on music that Anderson and Perry had heard at a Pocomania church service the night before.
Anderson has been described as one of the most gifted recording engineers ever to work in Jamaica, and was described by Winston Holness as "the greatest engineer at those times...a genius in the business". He worked for several years for Byron Lee
Byron Lee
Byron Lee OD, OJ was a musician, record producer, and entrepreneur, best known for his work as leader of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.-Biography:Lee was born in Christiana in Manchester Parish to an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Chinese father Byron Lee OD, OJ (born Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee, 27...
at his Dynamic Sounds studio, working on recordings including the backing track to Robert Flack
Robert Flack
Robert Flack may refer to:*Robert Flack , South African cricketer*Robert Flack , English cricketer...
's "Killing Me Softly with His Song
Killing Me Softly with His Song
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a 1971 song composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. It has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by Roberta Flack whose version topped the U.S...
", and on recordings by The Wailers. He stated in the 1990s that during that period he would record or master up to 100 songs a day. He also recorded for Lee himself, including the 1970 single "The Law". In 1970, Anderson mixed the first truly multitrack dubs
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
at Dynamic Sounds. He also co-produced the Byron Lee & the Dragonaires
Byron Lee & the Dragonaires
Byron Lee and the Dragonaires are a Jamaican ska, calypso and soca band. The band played a crucial pioneering role in bringing Caribbean music to the world...
album Reggay Blast Off the same year.
By 2003, Anderson had relocated to New York, where he worked as a sound engineer for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
External links
- Lynford Anderson at Roots Archives