• No Man Is An Island 2 by Morgan “Moman” Nixon • Published by The Long Road Society •

• Review by Tom Roebuck •

Referred to by many as the “Motown Of Reggae”, Clement “Coxsone” Dodd’s Studio One remains the most iconic, respected and collectable of all of Jamaica’s many reggae labels. Established in 1954, its meteoric rise came in the 60s and 70s in tandem with the explosion of ska and reggae, and although less prolific, it continued to release records into the late 90s (by which point Dodd had relocated from Kingston to New York).

Morgan “Moman” Nixon‘s now somewhat legendary 2019 book ‘No Man Is An Island’ set itself the monumental task of providing a vinyl buyer’s guide to Studio One’s enormous catalogue of releases, with the aim of identifying the best-sounding pressings for each of the records selected for inclusion. Given the huge number of releases in Studio One’s back catalogue (and the multiple versions that exist of each one) it is maybe no surprise that it is followed here, five years later, by a second volume which delves even further into the intriguing yet confusing treasure trove of Studio One vinyl delights.

It’s probably important at this point to talk a little bit about vinyl pressings. If you’re a hardened vinyl enthusiast you will already know all this so I apologise in advance, but to the uninitiated, records (much like books) often get republished (or “repressed”) multiple times. Also much like books, often the earliest “first editions” (or pressings) become the most desirable for collectors. However, with vinyl, there is also the important added factor of audio quality, which (for obvious reasons) has a huge impact on the listener’s enjoyment, and this can vary considerably between different pressings; particularly in the world of reggae, which is notorious for its authentically crackly-sounding 45s. Moman’s book helps navigate this maze with specific reference to Studio One recordings.

Guided by details such as the all-important matrix numbers of the stampers used to press the vinyl (which are the barely visible alpha-numeric codes you find etched into the “dead wax” between the centre label and the grooves of a record), Moman undertakes painstaking detective work to not only identify differences in releases, but also to find similarities (for example if the matrices are the same, even if the labels aren’t, then it means the records were still produced from the same stampers). With Studio One this is no easy task, as often the same release will have been pressed multiple times, sometimes across different labels and sometimes on different continents; in addition to the Jamaican releases, there will likely also be UK and US releases, many of which appear on labels other than Studio One. You also have to take into consideration the pre-release “blanks” (promotional white labels) and much later reissues (some of which are properly licensed, such as the extensive Soul Jazz reissues, and some of which are “unofficial”, i.e. bootlegs). Just the task of identifying these various versions is a serious mission, but once they are documented Moman also painstakingly assesses the relative audio merits of each one — including comments on the somewhat inevitable crackles and pops, as well as the fullness of that all-important bass.

When you combine this detailed detective commentary with the mesmerising photos of the records themselves (all of which show their age with the beauty that only a vintage record can, often accompanied by the fascinating yet indecipherable pen scribblings of previous owners) the end result is like being talked through the world’s best Studio One record collection by the most knowledgeable vinyl connoisseur you’re ever likely to meet. Despite his high level of knowledge and collecting expertise, it’s worth mentioning that Moman is also a prolific DJ, and this stops the whole project descending into full-on record-collecting nerd territory, as he still views (and uses) his record collection as a way of sharing music and making people dance. This means you also get his critical appraisal on each record’s ability to rock a dancefloor, as well as fascinating backstories and snippets of information about the artists and the tunes themselves. This ethos of combining deep record collecting knowledge with a DJ’s ear for a killer tune is perfectly captured when he enthusiastically describes The Soulettes’ ultra rare ‘A Deh Pon Dem’ as a record that “gets whispered about in collector’s circles but will absolutely slay a house party.” And it’s good to remember that slaying a house party was what these tunes were always intended for…

I think it’s fair to say that if you’re into reggae and records then this one is going to be right at the top of your Christmas list, but I would also recommend it even if you only have a passing interest in either of these two things — it’s a fascinating journey into the mind of a serious and dedicated music lover, and that’s something I think we can all relate to.

• Copies of ‘No Man Is An Island 2’ are on sale at The Bird Is The Word Bandcamp store • Two exclusive postcards with every order! •

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Tom Roebuck is the selector / proprietor at Dubwise Vinyl.

Dubwise Vinyl – UK based online record shop specialising in dub and the music it inspires. Records for sale across a range of genres covering dub, reggae, jungle, DnB, dubstep, UKG, bass, house, techno, ambient, experimental, synth and post-punk. All records selected by Tom Dubwise of Dubwise Vinyl and Test Pressing.

Morgan “Moman” Nixon – Morgan “Moman” Nixon has spent the past 25 years meticulously researching and collecting music from around the world. His areas of expertise include Jamaican Oldies, Hip Hop, Funk, Psych/Indie Rock, Soul, Jazz, Disco, Boogie, African, Caribbean, Salsa, Leftfield/Avant-Garde and Cumbia. Through his work at the Library of Congress in Washington, DO he has also built an encyclopedic knowledge of American Folk, Country, R&B, and Blues. Moman has a passion for sharing music knowledge and over the past decade has published countless music zines and reviews. In 2016 he co-founded The Long Road Society, a record label out of Oakland, California with Kit Center and Lisa Pezzino. This is his third book.

The Long Road Society – is a record label, studio, and collective of individuals committed to making soulful music and building community in Oakland, California. We are interested in records, hand-written letters, analog tapes machines, country life, urban culture, handmade gifts, unpolished human emotion, and creating community through music and art.