Baba Zula - Kings of the Oriental Dub

Manasseh Sound System first played out at Notting Hill Carnival in 1985 with a system they just about managed to finish building that same day. Although Manasseh play all types of reggae, Roots is where they're coming from and is the reason why they started the sound system, especially in the mid eighties when Roots music was not really being heard.

It was when they hooked up with Femi (later with the Young Disciples) and brothers Joey and Norman Jay that they started to provide reggae music at some big warehouse parties in the mid to late 80s. This association had one big consequence: Joey and Norman Jay helped set up their late night show on the pirate station Kiss FM. This all began in February 1987 after Nick and Jeremy Armstrong returned from a trip to Jamaica loaded up with rare oldies, brand new music and some dubplates from King Tubbys. The new show ran from 3am to 7am or whenever somebody else turned up! Along with Joey Jay's Sunday evening show these were the first serious roots shows on the radio and their popularity revolutionized Manasseh as a sound system. In 1988 they went up against the mighty Jah Shaka in their first major sound clash, this was a big dance and a memorable night in Hackney; they did pretty good! Kiss FM finally went legal and on air in September 1990. The Manasseh and Joey Jay shows helped to create the climate for today's Roots Scene with new artists like Luciano, Sizzla and the late great Garnet Silk becoming massively popular; as well as huge interest being generated in revival roots music, there now being an important re-issue 45 industry based in Jamaica and several labels in the UK re-issuing hard to get LPs and compilations (Blood & Fire, Pressure Sounds etc).