In the early 1970s, Linval Thompson followed schoolmates Jacob Miller and Johnny Clarke to Studio One in the hopes of getting recorded; Clarke also tried to bring him to Rupie Edwards’ attention, without much success. Then Linval migrated to New York to join his parents, where he and Horace Andy hung around the Buccaneers (featuring Bunny Rugs and Eric Frater) and the Bluegrass Experience (with Glen Adams). Thompson cut his debut, ‘No Other Woman,’ in 1974, and then ‘Another Man’ and ‘Weeping And Wailing’ (aka ‘Pa Pa Priest’), which both betrayed a strong Dennis Brown influence. Soon Thompson was back in Jamaica, where he adapted Dennis Brown’s ‘Westbound Train’ as ‘Westbound Train’ for Keith ‘Stamma’ Hobson, before cutting more substantial work for Phil Pratt, Lee Perry and Bunny Lee, the latter scoring a major hit with Thompson’s ‘Don’t You Cut Off Your Dreadlocks’ in 1975. Shortly thereafter, Thompson gradually took charge of his own creations, voicing rhythms for producers such as Lee, Augustus Pablo, and Winston Riley, as well as Gregory Isaacs, in order to receive cuts of their rhythms that he could reuse himself. He thus became one of the leading producers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, while simultaneously maintaining an active vocal career. This single features two tracks that date from the mid-1980s: ‘Give Me Back (What You Take From The Poor),’ first issued on a C&E 12-inch circa 1987, has Thompson tackling the unequal distribution of wealth that has marred so many parts of the world, while ‘Lump Sum’ is a minimal digit-dub re-cut of a tune first issued on the Selena label in 1981 (later re-worked by Russ Disciples for a Taittu 10-inch). By virtue of its transitory format, this single sees Linval stepping into somewhat unknown territories…so if you don’t know, get to know.
David Katz ©

LINVAL THOMPSON
Give Me Back (What You Take From The Poor) / Version / Lump Sum / Version
Other releases by LINVAL THOMPSON
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Tracklist
Negrea Love Dub (1978)1 Rock Me In Dub
2 Channel One In Dub
3 Thompson In Dub
4 Negrea Africa Dub
5 Jah Jah Children Dub
6 Lion Dub
7 Natty Dread Dub
8 Roots Dub
9 Jamaica Calley Dub
10 Africa Love Dub
Outlaw Dub (1979)
11 79 Rock
12 Danger Rockers
13 African Free Up
14 Wicked Dub
15 Dub I Dub
16 Roots Man Dub
17 Fisherman Style
18 Freedom Dub
19 Shockin’ Rock
20 Thompson Sound Incorporated -
Double CD
Tracklist
Linval Thompson – I Love Marijuana1-1 –Linval Thompson I Love Marijuana
1-2 –Linval Thompson Dread Are The Controller
1-3 –Linval Thompson The Children Of The Ghetto
1-4 –Linval Thompson Don’t Push Your Brother
1-5 –Linval Thompson Begging For Apology
1-6 –Linval Thompson Not Follow Fashion
1-7 –Linval Thompson Roots Lady
1-8 –Linval Thompson Big Big Girl
1-9 –Linval Thompson Just Another Girl
1-10 –Linval Thompson Starlight
1-11 –Linval Thompson Jamaican Calley (Version)Big Joe – African Princess
1-12 –Big Joe African Princess
1-13 –Big Joe Solomon Agunda
1-14 –Big Joe Don’t Fuss And Fight
1-15 –Big Joe Smoke Marijuana
1-16 –Big Joe Merry Go Round
1-17 –Big Joe Tubby At The Controls
1-18 –Big Joe Judy
1-19 –Big Joe Big Disgrace
1-20 –Big Joe Love Can Conquer
1-21 –Big Joe Pauline Love The NattyTrinity 12″ Single
1-22 –Trinity (4) Follow My Heart (12″ Version)
1-23 –Trinity (4) Pope Paul Dead And Gone (12″ Version)Trinity – Rock In The Ghetto
2-1 –Trinity (4) Easy Does It
2-2 –Trinity (4) Life Is Not Easy
2-3 –Trinity (4) Tell It To Me Mother
2-4 –Trinity (4) Have A Little Faith
2-5 –Trinity (4) Dangerous Rockers And Ting
2-6 –Trinity (4) Don’t Lose Me
2-7 –Trinity (4) Every Trick In The Book
2-8 –Trinity (4) Rock In The Ghetto
2-9 –Trinity (4) Pope Paul Dead And Gone
2-10 –Trinity (4) Freedom Style
2-11 –Trinity (4) Follow My HeartBonus Tracks
2-12 –Barry Brown Mr C.I.D.
2-13 –Scientist & The Roots Radics King Tubby’s Rockers
2-14 –Pat Kelly There’s A Song
2-15 –The Roots Radics Lover’s Style
2-16 –Linval Thompson Here With Me
2-17 –The Roots Radics Come On Baby, Dub Style
2-18 –Linval Thompson Pop No Style
2-19 –Scientist & The Roots Radics Second Hand Girl