Manasseh

NICK MANASSEH began producing music for sound system exclusives around 1986 and after hooking up with Scruff Guilder in 1987 started to concentrate on a particular project, which eventually became Sound Iration in Dub. The first single "Seventh Seal" was cut on the 8/8/88 and was big on the roots scene (and Shaka's sound !), and was widely credited with being the first new wave UK dub track. The album was released in March 1989 on W.A.U. Mr. Modo records, a label which was the brainchild of Alex Patterson (The Orb) and Youth (Killing Joke). The album sold well and the label went on to release some other notable roots/dub albums produced by Nick and Scruff such as Tena Stelin's first LP "Wicked Invention" (a vocal set to S.I. in Dub); Lidj Incorporated: Black Liberation and the Dub album to it as well as various singles.

In the early 90s Nick set up Riz Label along with Gil Cang, Eddie Rocksteady and Mak Gilchrist (who ran the label) . The first releases were Orville Smith's Leaving Rome, Bob Skeng's Education and Earl 16's Natural Roots. 16's track went very well and the label quickly established itself as one of the leading UK roots labels. Other big things on Riz were Admiral Tibet "Permission", Marcella French "Be Still" (on a funky vibe) and Manasseh meets the Equalizer "Soul Jah" from the album Dub The Millennium. Riz is still occasionally active, more recently releasing 45s with Johnny Osbourne (Rise Up) and Devon Russell (Underground), although the momentum and vibe were dampened due to unrelated personal issues.
When Riz released the Manasseh meets the Equalizer LP (the Equalizer being Jeremy Armstrong - my writing partner on this and the other M meets E albums) on vinyl a lot of interest was generated and the album was soon licensed to Acid Jazz records who were getting into putting out some roots music and tuned into the slightly jazzy flavour of the record. This began a period of major label interest in Manasseh productions with Columbia/Sony releasing Danny Red's album "Riddimwise" in 1994 (co-produced with Pepe Acunzo and Martin Madhatter). B.M.G became involved when I met up with the Stereo Mcs and their manager Keith Cooper to sign a deal for a more leftfield dub record for their new label Natural Response which was in itself signed to B.M.G. This project became "Spectre : The Missing Two Weeks" and was recorded solo by Nick with James Style as the vibemaster and overseer. This was recently re-issued by Echo Beach records based in Hamburg. Another Manasseh meets the Equalizer album for Acid Jazz came out in late 96 called "Shining" and although a great piece of work it suffered a lot from the problems which troubled that label and led to its (temporary?) demise. Both the Manasseh meets the Equalizer LPs were released in America on Hollywood records and are still available. The latest album is called Step Like Pepper.