By Jonny Greatrex—-
BRUMMIE reggae chart-toppers Musical Youth have announced plans for a big comeback – with two albums all of 30 YEARS since they first found fame.
The band’s 1982 track Pass The Dutchie became a worldwide hit propelling the young Birmingham quintet to stardom, despite misguided criticism that the song glorified drugs.
But the dream failed when they split in 1985.
Now two original members, Dennis Seaton, 45, and Michael Grant, are working on an album of covers called When Reggae Was King.
And they also hope to pen brand new tracks for a record which could be released next year.
Next month they are playing a homecoming gig at Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens as part of the city’s 28th International Jazz & Blues Festival, where fans can hear songs from the latest album.
“The record will cover people like Jimmy Cliff and Dennis Brown,” former Duddeston Manor School pupil Dennis told the Sunday Mercury.
“It will be one of our own songs and then a collection of reggae from 1972 to 1982.
“Everyone thinks the festival is just jazz but it’s more than that.
“I think it’s about time we take reggae music to the Botanical Gardens.
“It is great to be playing back in Birmingham as well.
“We’ve done this kind of event before, when we played the Montreux Jazz Festival.”
Pass The Dutchie was one of the biggest selling singles of 1982.
But the band claimed they were misrepresented by their legal team at the height of their success.
In March this year they lost a long-running legal battle with their former lawyers over a copyright wrangle.
Dennis, along with fellow band members Michael Grant, Kelvin Grant, Frederick Waite Junior – aka Junior Waite – and a representative of the estate of the late Patrick Waite, said they were given bad advice by law firm Woolf Seddon, which no longer exists.
The Mighty Diamonds
The band claimed the company should have separated their copyright from that of a the song Pass The Kutchie by The Mighty Diamonds.
Musical Youth’s song was based on the Mighty Diamonds’ track.
But high court judge Mr Justice Roth ruled against the Birmingham band.
The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival runs from July 6 to 15, and Musical Youth’s appearance at the famous horticultural centre is part of a night of Caribbean music on July 8.
Also appearing are the Peaky Blinders who count UB40 legend Brian Travers among their members. For more information about the Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival visit www.birminghamjazzfestival.com
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