John Peel Wiki

Changes to the look of John Peel Wiki will take place in the near future due to a new skin being rolled out over Oct/Nov across Wikia. Please see the Wikia Staff Blog for further details. On this site, the changes will affect the navigation from the left menu, as well as introduce a fixed page width with narrower content space. Please be patient while adjustments are made for the switch to the new system.

UPDATE: As the change is now in force for some users, I have switched the navigation to the simplified one for the new system. Please check Navigation in the Help section if you can't find things. I also initially made small adjustments to the front page layout, but have now reverted to the old look until all users are on the new system.

COUNTDOWN: Just a reminder for people still using Monaco that the final switch to the new skin is due on Nov. 3. After that, it will no longer be offered as an option. Sorry. Nothing to do with me.

Steve W

READ MORE

John Peel Wiki
in: Artists

Niney The Observer

Sign in to edit
Niney200

Winston Holness, better known as Niney The Observer (born George Boswell, 1951, Montego Bay, Jamaica), is a Jamaican record producer and singer who was a key figure in the creation of many classic reggae recordings dating from the 1970s and early 1980s.

Holness gained his nickname "Niney" after losing a thumb in a workshop accident. His first major success as a producer was "Blood & Fire" in December 1970, initially released in a pressing of 200 on his Destroyer label, but reissued the following year on his Observer label, and going on to sell over 30,000 copies in Jamaica. Inspired by Lee Perry's nickname of "The Upsetter", Holness adopted "The Observer", using the name for his new Observer label, and the name of his house band, The Observers (actually the Soul Syndicate). Several singles followed, some reusing the "Blood & Fire" rhythm, including Big Youth's "Fire Bunn".

In the early 1970s, Holness became one of Jamaica's most sought after producers, with Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson, The Heptones, Johnny Clarke, Slim Smith, Jacob Miller, Junior Delgado, and Freddie McGregor all using his services. He also continued to record himself, on collaborations with Dennis Alcapone, Max Romeo, and Lee Perry. By the mid-1970s, he was also working with Ken Boothe, Junior Byles, Gregory Isaacs, Horace Andy, I-Roy, and Dillinger.

(Read more at Wikipedia).

Links to Peel[]

Niney_Blood_&_Fire

Niney Blood & Fire

Peel played many of the artists who teamed up with Niney The Observer in the studio during the 1970s and 1980s, but it wasn't until later years that the producer's own name started to crop up regularly on his shows, from dedicated collections of Niney's work at the controls, as well as vintage dub tracks (often credited to his Observers studio band).

The DJ gave also generous airtime to releases by UK reggae reissue label Blood & Fire, named after Niney's seminal breakthrough single.

Festive Fifty Entries[]

  • None

Sessions[]

  • None

Other Shows Played[]

1980s
  • 08 November 1988 (Murt, Turt & Purt): When Jah Speak (v/a LP - Niney And Friends - Blood And Fire 1971-1972) Trojan
1990s
2000s
Observers
Observer All Stars / Observer Allstars

See Also[]

External Links[]

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.