October 17, 1997, France, Apremont – Le Grand Duc

Second day of the Ball Of Fire tour 1997

The breakfast in Bordeaux I was talking with Will Clark about his wonderful session last night and about Lady Diana. He told me he’s in a new life since 10 days. Barney the driver told me, he has less troubles with the young american ska bands.

The band took too long for soundcheck. So Shay and I played soccer in the audience. They tried to play My Boy Lollipop (a Millie Small hit from 1964 and Barbie Gaye Original from the 50s), but it was awful. Lester Sterling had the idea, but there was nothing but a horn idea, no arragement.

It’s about 3 AM the show is over. I have seen nothing. There are still a lot of fans. Lester Sterling is talking about his time with Lee Perry (because Lee Perry is on the schedule for Le Grand Duc in October also). Roast Duck was his first song. He wasn’t engineer, Lester said, Coxsone never leave him on his equipement. Hard Man Fe Dead was Busters first song and on Indian Summer is Ska Campbell playing the tenor. Between 68-71 he was working a lot for Bunny Lee. At Treasure Isle he played for the Palmer Brothers (PAMA) who never gave him any money. He still have his album ready to release since 1976. I told him to release it.

Lloyd Brevett was talking about Peter Tosh, when Lloyd Knibb said, that there was a guy sitting beside him, and said “your Knibb”, he replied “and who are you?” The other man said: “Don’t you remember Peter Tosh?” So Knibb said: “I haven’t seen you for years”. Then Brevett was talking about Herbie Miller, who took Tommy McCook and he went to Lloyd Knibb and Brevett and built-up The Skatalites again. He (Herbie Miller) organized the visas, which wasn’t easy and realized the shows at Sunsplash 1983 in Montego Bay and 1984 in London among others. Bill Smith said, Herbie Miller is still working for an agency (called ABC).