Prince Buster

Cecil Bustamente Campbell OD (24 May 1938 – 8 September 2016), known professionally as Prince Buster, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer. He was regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music. The records he released in the 1960s influenced and shaped the course of Jamaican contemporary music and created a legacy of work that later reggae and ska artists would draw upon. [...]

The UK ska revival at the end of the 1970s that started with the 2-Tone label from Coventry introduced Campbell's music to a new generation of listeners. In 1979 the band Madness released their first single on 2-Tone, a tribute to Campbell called "The Prince". The B-side was a cover of the Campbell song "Madness" from which they took their name. Their second single, released on the Stiff label ("The Prince" would be the only single released by Madness on the 2-Tone label), was a cover of Campbell's "One Step Beyond", which reached the UK Top 10. On their self-titled debut album, the Specials covered "Too Hot" and borrowed elements from Campbell's "Judge Dread" (in the song "Stupid Marriage") and "Al Capone" (in the song "Gangsters")[24] The Specials also included a cover of "Enjoy Yourself" on their second album More Specials. The Beat covered "Rough Rider" and "Whine & Grine" on their album I Just Can't Stop It.

(Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel
Peel is not known to have played Prince Buster on his Radio One shows before 1979 and the UK ska rival based on bands such as Specials, Madness and the Beat, who saw Prince Buster as a major influence and covered his old songs. In the second half of 1979, Peel found himself playing old tracks by the ska pioneer, perhaps to his own surprise, as 2-Tone bands exploded in popularity across the UK.

Prince Buster first hit the UK singles charts in 1967 with 'Al Capone,' and it is possible that Peel played the record on the pirate station Radio London, which included ska, blue-beat and reggae records in its daytime playlists, when he covered for other DJs during the day. He did not play such material on his late-night Perfumed Garden show.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions

 * None

Other Shows Played

 * 19 July 1979: Al Capone (Single) Blue Beat
 * 30 July 1979: Madness (12" Disco 45)
 * 02 August 1979: Madness
 * 13 August 1979: Shakin’ Up Orange Street (12” single) Blue Beat
 * 14 August 1979: Ride A Donkey (12” single) BlueBeat
 * 20 August 1979: Take It Easy
 * 29 August 1979: Ride A Donkey (12 inch single) Blue Beat
 * 25 September 1979: Too Hot (LP – Fabulous Greatest Hits) Melodisc/Fab
 * 27 September 1979: (JP: "This next one's for Madness and particularly to the fellow who does all the dancing with then, because their two appearances on Top Of The Pops in recent weeks have given me more pleasure than almost anything. I say almost anything...") - Freezing Up Orange Street (LP - Fabulous Greatest Hits) Fab
 * 29 September 1979 (BFBS): Madness (LP - I Feel The Spirit) Blue Beat
 * 03 October 1979: Judge Dread (Judge Four Hundred Years) (7") Blue Beat
 * 11 October 1979: Time Will Tell (single, 1964) Blue Beat
 * 01 November 1979: It's Burke's Law (12") Blue Beat
 * 15 November 1979: Barrister Pardon (12") Blue Beat
 * 21 November 1979: Judge Dread (12") Blue Beat
 * 11 December 1979: Whine & Grine (12” single) Blue Beat


 * 08 April 1980: Tie The Donkey's Tail (7" b-side Let Her Go) FAB
 * 04 August 1981: Whine And Grine (12" - Naughty But Nice) Blue Beat
 * 04 August 1981: Whine And Grine (12" - Naughty But Nice) Blue Beat
 * 13 October 1982: Dance Cleopatra (?) Bluebeat
 * 02 November 1988: Scorcher (unknown release)
 * 08 October 1993: unknown track  Fab

Covered
(The list below was compiled only from the Cover Versions page of this site. Please add more information if known.)

Artist | Track | First Known Play


 * Beat: Whine And Grine (08 May 1980)
 * Madness: Madness (06 August 1979)
 * Specials: Enjoy Yourself (15 September 1980)
 * Specials: Too Hot (20 November 1979)