Entertainment Scoop
Drummer Sly Dunbar points to the formulas of pioneer producers Clement Dodd and Duke Reid as the blueprint for the success of his work with creative partner Robbie Shakespeare on their Taxi Records label.
In the 1980s, their collaboration paid off as they shaped the sound of the roots-reggae trio Black Uhuru and worked with notable pop and rock artists like Grace Jones, Bob Dylan, The Tom Tom Club, and Mick Jagger.
Two of their productions were included in Rolling Stone magazine’s 200 Best Songs of the 1980s: Jones’ “Nipple to The Bottle” at #19 and Black Uhuru’s “Youth of Eglinton” at #89. These songs were released in 1982, during the Taxi label’s peak.
Dunbar and Shakespeare started their successful run in the late 1970s, working with artists such as Jimmy Riley, Gregory Isaacs, Junior Delgado, and The Viceroys.
Their goal was to create timeless dance music inspired by Coxson Dodd and Duke Reid as well as Motown, Stax, and Philadelphia International Records. Dunbar expressed his pride in the work they did with Black Uhuru and Grace Jones, especially the songs they recorded for Island Records at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas.
During the mid to late 1970s, Sly and Robbie were instrumental in Peter Tosh’s Word Sound And Power Band. After leaving the band to focus on Taxi, they quickly gained success with Black Uhuru from the Waterhouse community in Kingston.
Their innovative drum-and-bass skills caught the attention of various pop artists, producers, and musicians.
The Rolling Stone Magazine ’80s list also features several Caribbean acts, including Grandmaster Flash, Eddy Grant, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Steel Pulse.
- Prince’s Kiss is the most popular song.
- Madonna’s Like A Prayer comes in second place.
- Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean is at number 4.
- Public Enemy’s Bring The Noise completes the top five.