A. Anthony Johnson/Jah Thomas/Toyan – Gun Shot/Non “A” That
B. The Roots Radics – Gun Shot (Version)
Midnight Rock – MR 007
We kick things off with Anthony Johnson’s classic Gun Shot. Most people know the 1980 Jamaican 7-inch, but for this feature we’re using the 1982 12-inch. That one stretches the vibe with Toyan and Jah Thomas riding the riddim in fine style. There’s a little twist, though. The label claims the flip side carries a Junior Keating tune, but when the needle drops you actually get the Roots Radics running an instrumental of Gun Shot. Pure misprint business, but still a wicked cut.
Anthony Johnson, born Roy Anthony Johnson in Kingston in 1957, first stepped out in the 70s with the vocal trio Mystic I. Later he carved out his own lane, working with some of Jamaica’s top producers. Gunshot, produced by Jah Thomas, became his signature tune. It’s a straight call for peace, and sound systems all over Jamaica ran it hard. The track also anchored his 1982 album of the same name on Midnight Rock. Johnson kept a strong run going through the early 80s, then settled in London, where he’s stayed active on the European circuit. And he’s still creating. In 2025 he dropped a new album, Behold, showing he’s not done giving us fresh music.
Jah Thomas himself, born Nkrumah Thomas in Kingston in 1955, came up as a deejay in the mid-70s. His early hit Midnight Rock in 1976 didn’t just put him on the map, it gave his label its name. Greensleeves released his debut album Stop Yuh Loafin’ in 1978, and he kept the deejay albums flowing into the early 80s. But once the new decade hit, Thomas shifted more into production. That’s when he really started shaping the sound, working with Anthony Johnson, Johnny Osbourne, Triston Palma, Barry Brown, Barrington Levy, Sugar Minott, Early B, Ranking Toyan, and plenty more. Roots Radics and Scientist were often in the engine room, giving those Midnight Rock and later Nura releases their trademark punch. Thomas is still active today, keeping his catalogue alive and making sure new listeners can discover the tunes that built the foundation.
A. Junior Keating/Jah Thomas – Long Long Time/I Hear It In The News
B. Junior Keating/Jah Thomas – Part 2
Midnight Rock – MRD 001
Our second 12-inch brings in Junior Keating with Long Long Time, a sweet take on the Pick Up The Pieces riddim. Jah Thomas steps in again on the B-side with a deejay version titled Part 2.
Junior Keating didn’t record a lot, but what he did put out has that real early-dancehall feel. Most of his work came in the late 70s and early 80s, often with Jah Thomas and the Roots Radics crew around him. His only known album, Weekend Lover, was recorded around 1980 and includes tunes like Long Long Time, Conquering Lion, and Jah Wrote Me a Letter. Outside of that, you’ll find just a handful of singles and some dub flips. His catalogue is small, but it’s honest, rootsy, and part of the story of that era.
And then there’s Toyan. Born Byron Everton Letts in Kingston in 1955, he came up on sound systems like Socialist Roots and Romantic HiFi before cutting his first single, Disco Pants, in the late 70s. From there he linked with producers like Jah Thomas and Joseph Hoo Kim, dropping favourites like Girls Nowadays, John Tom, and Talk of the Town. In 1981 he joined Junjo Lawes’ Volcano Sound System, toured Canada, and recorded the album How the West Was Won, a standout from that period. Toyan kept busy through the early 80s, recording for Lawes, Jah Thomas, and others, and even producing younger artists like Billy Boyo and Anthony Johnson. He performed in the UK with the Jah Prophecy band and shared stages in Jamaica with artists like Dennis Brown. His life ended far too soon when he was killed in 1991, but the music he left behind still talks.
[These tracks were digitized directly from vinyl using a Technics SL-1210MK2 turntable equipped with an Ortofon cartridge. The recordings were captured in 24-bit/96kHz WAV format via SoundForge]