Mike Brooks (singer)
Encyclopedia
Mike Brooks aka Mikey Brooks, Prince Michael (born Edmund Brooks, 1953, Westmoreland
, Jamaica
) is a reggae
singer whose career stretches back to the early 1970s.
building rhythms with the group Skin Flesh & Bone. His first record release was with the group The Tots (who also included Norris Reid and in Brooks' words 'a guy called Tony'), who released a single in 1975 called "Earth Is The Fullness", recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark
studio, and released on Brooks' Harvest label. The band was not successful, but Brooks would often contribute to recording sessions at the Black Ark organized by Jah Lloyd
. Brooks re-emerged as a solo singer in the mid-1970s, working with producers such as Alvin Ranglin
, and achieving hits with singles such as "Guiding Star" (1977), "Come Sister Love", "Grooving", "Open The Door", and "What a Gathering". He also recorded the combination single "Who Have Eyes To See" with Prince Far I
. He moved to the United Kingdom
, and joined the British Reggae Artists Against Famine Appeal, singing on the "Let's Make Africa Green Again" charity single. In 1990 he recorded an album with Glen Brown
, and followed it in 1995 with Hardcore Lover, an album on which he was joined by Delroy Wilson
and Pat Kelly
.
Brooks also worked as a producer, and along with Jah Lloyd
, set up his own 'Teams' label in the late 1970s.
Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica
Westmoreland is the westernmost parish in Jamaica, located on the south side of the island. It is situated to the south of Hanover, the southwest of Saint James, and the northwest of Saint Elizabeth, in the county of Cornwall. The chief town and capital is Savanna-la-Mar...
, Jamaica
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...
) is a 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...
singer whose career stretches back to the early 1970s.
Biography
Brooks performed regularly at the 'Idler's Rest' on Chancery Lane in Kingston, and landed a job at Channel One StudiosChannel One Studios
Channel One is a recording studio in Maxfield Avenue, West Kingston, Jamaica. The studio was built by the Hoo Kim brothers in 1972, and has had a profound influence on the development of reggae music....
building rhythms with the group Skin Flesh & Bone. His first record release was with the group The Tots (who also included Norris Reid and in Brooks' words 'a guy called Tony'), who released a single in 1975 called "Earth Is The Fullness", recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark
Black Ark
The Black Ark was the recording studio of reggae and dub producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, built in 1973 and located behind his family's home in the Washington Gardens neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica...
studio, and released on Brooks' Harvest label. The band was not successful, but Brooks would often contribute to recording sessions at the Black Ark organized by Jah Lloyd
Jah Lloyd
Jah Lloyd, aka Jah Lion, The Black Lion of Judah, and Jah Ali was a reggae singer, deejay and producer.-Biography:...
. Brooks re-emerged as a solo singer in the mid-1970s, working with producers such as Alvin Ranglin
Alvin Ranglin
Alvin 'GG' Ranglin is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.-Biography:Ranglin started to sing in public in his teens with an Adventist Church background. As a radio and television technician involved in the jukebox industry, he soon acquired his own sound system he named "GG"...
, and achieving hits with singles such as "Guiding Star" (1977), "Come Sister Love", "Grooving", "Open The Door", and "What a Gathering". He also recorded the combination single "Who Have Eyes To See" with Prince Far I
Prince Far I
Prince Far I was a Jamaican reggae deejay, producer and a Rastafarian. He was known for his gruff voice and critical assessment of the Jamaican government. His track "Heavy Manners" used lyrics against measures initiated towards violent crime.-Biography:He was born Michael James Williams in...
. He moved to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and joined the British Reggae Artists Against Famine Appeal, singing on the "Let's Make Africa Green Again" charity single. In 1990 he recorded an album with Glen Brown
Glen Brown
Glen Brown , also known as 'God Son' and 'The Rhythm Master', is a Jamaican singer, musician, and record producer, working primarily in the genres of reggae and dub...
, and followed it in 1995 with Hardcore Lover, an album on which he was joined by Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer.-Biography:Wilson released his first single "Emy Lou" in 1961 for record producer, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, at the age of thirteen...
and Pat Kelly
Pat Kelly (musician)
Pat Kelly is a reggae singer whose career began in the late 1960s.- The Techniques :Kelly was born in Kingston in 1949. After leaving school, he spent a year studying electronics in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States during 1966, before returning to Jamaica...
.
Brooks also worked as a producer, and along with Jah Lloyd
Jah Lloyd
Jah Lloyd, aka Jah Lion, The Black Lion of Judah, and Jah Ali was a reggae singer, deejay and producer.-Biography:...
, set up his own 'Teams' label in the late 1970s.
Albums
- What a Gathering (1976) Burning Sounds
- True Love (1977) Harvest
- Rum Drinker (197?) Duke ReidDuke ReidTreasure Isle re-directs here. For the game, see Treasure Isle .Arthur "Duke" Reid, CD was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and label owner....
- One Love (1983) Vista Sounds
- Respect Due (1985) Good Times
- Mike Brooks and Glen Brown Meet Rhythm Foundation ina Sound Clash (1990) Rhythm Foundation
- Hardcore Lover (1995) Pre
- The Good Old Days Of The 70s (1998) (Joseph CottonJoseph CottonJoseph Cotton aka Jah Walton is a reggae deejay active since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
and Mike Brooks) - They Trying to Conquer (2000) Charm
- Anthology 1972-1985 (2001) M10
- Need Love (2002) Teams (as Prince Michael)
- Book of Reveletion (2003) I Sound
- The Earth Is the Fullness (2004) Moll Selekta
- Just The Vibes Moll Selekta (Mike Brooks and Various Artists)
- Break Free - Treasure Isle Classics (2006) Teams
- Living My Culture (2005) Trojan RecordsTrojan RecordsTrojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
- Rise Up (2006)
- Cross Over (2006)
- The Lost Album Nocturne (Mike Brooks and U-RoyU-RoyU-Roy , OD, is a Jamaican musician, also known as The Originator. He is best known as a pioneer of toasting.-Biography:...
) - Dub Zone Teams (Mike Brooks and Stamper Doctor)
- Solid Ground (Mikey Brooks and The UpsettersThe UpsettersThe Upsetters was the name given to the house band for Jamaican reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The name of the band comes from Perry's nickname of Upsetter, after his song "I Am The Upsetter", a musical dismissal of his former boss Coxsone Dodd....
) - Gimme Your Love, Harvest