Engine 54

 

 

Ethiopians Engine 54 CD

 

 

 

Digitally remastered and expanded edition. In the autumn of 1967, an obscure Jamaican group with a strange sounding rock steady recording, issued in the UK by an obscure small London-based record company achieved the unthinkable by breaching the British pop charts. Despite limited distribution and very little radio airplay, The Ethiopians' 'Train To Skaville' ended up spending six weeks on the nation's Top 50 listings, peaking at a respectable #40 on 26 September of that year. It's unexpected success led to Rio Records, the company behind the hit, being purchased by future Trojan owners, B&C, and rights to the group's recordings acquired by another rival, Doctor Bird Records. Although the group were unable to secure further UK hits, they remained a major force in their native Jamaica, releasing a series of major local hits throughout the remainder of the rock steady era. Issued by WIRL Records in Jamaica and Doctor Bird in Britain, Engine 54 collected 10 original numbers, penned and produced in the studio by the group's leader by Leonard 'Sparrow' Dillon, with the set including their international hit, 'Train To Skaville' alongside other such notable works as 'Train To Glory', 'You Got The Dough', 'Give Me Your Love', 'Long Time Now' and the immensely popular title track. Now, at long last, this seminal album has been expanded to include the remainder of the group's output from the rock steady era and in so doing features numerous best sellers alongside a number of rarities from the latter half of 1968.