User Page: Silver Kamel

Stamford, Connecticut

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User Page: Silver Kamel's Details

Silver Kamel’s history is one mainly made up of “disco” and sound system events.

It all started in 1958 while living in Handsworth, Birmingham, U.K. my parents bought me a piece of furniture that looked like a sideboard complete with a Garard deck and a massive 8” speaker. At this time my musical tastes ran to whatever I could get my hands on! Also at this time is when an influx of immigrants were arriving in the area with a cornucopia of fresh sounds. This was my first introduction to Caribbean music, which I used to play at youth clubs on their record players whenever they would let me.

My family moved out of the “inner city” and to the country around about 1963-64. It was at this time that my first disco identity “Safari” surfaced. I was working and could afford the basic equipment necessary to play out at the Mod clubs. At that time it was mainly Soul, Tamla Motown and a little Ska and Rock Steady.

Sometime around ’68-69 the name changed to Silver Camel, mainly because I smoked Camel cigarettes and only wore silver or white gold jewelry!

Silver Camel had quite a posse in the Walsall area and played with local sounds that were rocking the local scene. Sir Kaye from the Lord Raglan was the primary source of music in those days. He just let me sit and play through his whole collection of pre-releases and sell me those he had finished with. It gave me a list of what to go looking for!

Camel teamed up with another local DJ and opened Camel Cat records just around the corner from the Walsall Technical College. Here you could buy an egg and bacon sandwich, cup of tea, and the latest reggae music! Police and Thieves by Junior Murvin being one of the biggest hits of the time.

Sources for reggae music were few and far between and it was on a trip to London that I discovered Daddy Kool’s hidden in a tiny shop on Hanway Street off Oxford Street. Daddy Kool’s at that point was selling a mixture of jazz, soul, and reggae. Sometime during 1975-76 Silver Camel and Daddy Kool’s decided to join forces and turn the shop into a reggae only outlet to deal with the increasing international market for reggae music.

The partnership worked well for several years and the business moved to larger premises on Dean Street. Silver Camel was very active around town playing various clubs including the 100 Club on Oxford Street, Tuesdays and Thursdays, blues and sound clashes at many different venues on the weekends. Many reggae and punk dignitaries used to visit the shop to drop of their latest release or pick up some music for themselves. Around 1977-78 Daddy Kool’s decided to enter the production side of business and released music from producer Phil Mathias namely: “So many times” by the Majestarians, “Earth, Wind, and Fire” by Paul Blackman and Augustus Pablo, the great LP from the late Prince Far I, “Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter III”, “Dance Hall Stylee” from Jah Thomas, remixed and edited in London by Silver Camel and Jah Thomas, which hit the number one spot on the (then) Black Echoes LP charts, and the Silver Camel penned “You’re the one” by Tropical Breeze.

By the end of 1979 it was apparent that Daddy Kool and Silver Camel were on different courses so a parting of the ways was effected.

Silver Camel went on to release many more productions and the early ‘80’s showed much promise for the fledgling label with releases from reggae legend Alton Ellis “Daydreaming”, dub LP’s from Ranking Dread and Al Campbell, showcase style “Roots Reggae Party Vols I & II, and a slew of great tunes from Jah Thomas and the Midnight Rock crew: Dance Hall Stylee, re-released on the Silver Camel label, Dancehall Connection, Ghetto Man Skank and a variety of discos from Barry Brown “Peace & Love”, Little John “Say what you’re saying, and Triston Palmer “Run around woman”. Many other fine producers were also released, check out the full catalog on the website.

The end of 1983 saw Silver Camel in a financial crunch as well as a personal crisis. The decision was made to wind up Silver Camel, return the tapes to the respective owners and move to the U.S.A.

Many years have past.

Over the years Silver Camel has still been busy on the reggae scene doing reggae boat trips out of Long Island and Connecticut, house DJ in local clubs for Ziggy Marley, Toots and the Maytals, Michael Rose and others, assisting in the organizing of a Caribbean festival for 2 years running starring Mickey Dread.

Pressure from friends brought about the release of Billy Boyo and the birth of Silver Kamel Audio, an anagram for SKA.

So here I am again, intent on bringing to you a selection of music that I feel will somehow affect your life, whether it makes you happy and want to dance, awakens your inner consciousness and makes you think, or you just want to play it because it makes you feel good. Whatever. Life is short, enjoy every moment of every day, and help pass on your good vibes on the way.

Jah Bless Kamel.

Basic Info

Age: 37

Gender: No Answer

Status: Married

Orientation: Straight

Religion: No Answer

Zodiac: Pisces

Hometown: Global Reggae Citizen

Schools: School of Hard Knocks

Occupation: Survivalist

Company: Silver Kamel Audio

Personal Info

Interests: reggae music especially dubs and roots

Tattoos: never got into it

Piercings: ears

Favorite Sports: swimming, mountain biking

Favorite Music: reggae, what a surprise!!!

Favorite Movies: Heat, Fight Club, Tombstone, City of God, Blade Runner, Face Off

Favorite TV: Mind of Mencia, Colbert Report

Favorite Book: Lestat - Anne Rice

Favorite Drink: Green tea, Dark & Stormy

Favorite Color: All colors have a beauty

Favorite Quote: If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there

Links

Reggae MP3 Store
All REGGAE All LEGAL mp3 download site

Silver Kamel Store
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Silver Kamel Website
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