Niney The Observer

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 ==
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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
*29 April 1994: Hail I (Various Artists CD - Truth And Rights, Observer Style) Heartbeat Records
*07 May 1994 (BFBS): Hail I (v/a album - Truth And Rights, Observer Style) Heartbeat
*21 May 1994 (BBC World Service) (Junior Delgado): Long Way (v/a album - Niney the Observer - Truth And Rights, Observer Style) Heartbea
*28 May 1994 (BFBS) (Junior Delgado): Long Way (v/a album - Niney the Observer - Truth And Rights, Observer Style) Heartbeat
*30 May 1994 (Ö3): Hail I (Compilation CD-Truth And Rights Observer Style)' (Heartbeat)
*04 June 1994 (BFBS) (Freddie McGregor): Rastaman Camp (v/a album - Niney the Observer - Truth And Rights, Observer Style) Heartbeat
;2000s
*10 April 2001: No Conscience (v/a CD – Dub/Original Bass Culture) Metro
*12 April 2001 (Radio Eins): No Conscience
*22 May 2001: No Conscience (album - Dub Original Bass Culture) Metro
*13 February 2002 (Big Youth): Ride On (v/a LP – Microphone Attack 1974-1978: Niney The Observer) Blood & Fire
*27 February 2002: (I-Roy): Step On The Dragon (v/a LP – Microphone Attack 1974-1978: Niney The Observer) Blood & Fire
*25 April 2002 (Radio Eins) (I-Roy): Jah Come Here (v/a LP – Microphone Attack 1974-1978: Niney The Observer) Blood & Fire
*13 August 2002: Kingsgate Version (LP - Sledgehammer Dub) Motion
*07 August 2002: Rich & Poor Dub (LP - Sledgehammer Dub: In The Streets Of Jamaica) Motion
*22 August 2002 (Radio Mafia): Kingsgate Version (Motion)
*27 August 2002: Dub Born Free (10") Jamaican Recordings
*29 August 2002 (Radio Eins): Everyone's Dubbing (album - Sledgehammer Dub)
*05 September 2002 (Radio Mafia): Dub Now (Motion)]]: Travelling Version (LP - Sledgehammer Dub In The Streets Of Jamaica) Motion
*06 September 2002 (BBC World Service): Travelling Version (LP - Sledgehammer Dub In The Streets Of Jamaica) Motion
*10 October 2002 (at King Tubby's): Dub Born Free (10") Jamaican
*17 October 2002 (Radio Eins): Dub Born Free
*31 October 2002 (Radio Mafia): Dub Born Free (Jamaican)
*04 December 2002: Dub With Tubby (LP-At King Tubby's: Dub Plate Specials) Jamaican
*10 December 2002: Lately Dub (Lp - Dub Plate Specials 1973-1975) Jamaican
*11 December 2002 (Radio Mafia): Dub With Tubby (album - At King Tubby's - Dub Plate Specials 1973-1975) Jamaican Recordings
*12 December 2002 (Radio Mafia): Dub With Tubby (Jamaican)
*13 December 2002 (BBC World Service): Dub With Tubby
*19 December 2002 (Radio Eins): Dub With Tubby (album - Dub Plate Specials 1973 - 1975)
*26 December 2002: In Love With Dub (LP - At King Tubby's Dub Plate Specials 1973-1975) Jamaican Recordings
;Observers
*24 October 1988: Brimstone And Fire (7”) Big Shot
*23 February 1996: Brimstone And Fire (7 inch )’ Big Shot
*02 March 1996 (BFBS): Brimstone And Fire (7") Big Shot
*07 November 2002 (Radio Eins) (& King Tubby's): Rebel Dance (album - Flashing Echo) (v/a album - Flashing Echo: Trojan In Dub 1970-1980) Trojan
*26 November 2002: Rebel Dance (Compilation LP - Flashing Echo: Trojan In Dub 1970-1980) Trojan
*11 February 2003: One Train Load Of Dub (Compilation LP - Flashing Echo: Trojan In Dub 1970-1980) Trojan
*19 February 2003 (Radio Mafia): One Train Load Of Dub (Flashing Echo - Trojan in Dub 1970-1980) Trojan
*20 February 2003 (Radio Eins): One Trainload Of Dub (album - Flashing Echo)
;Observer All Stars / Observer Allstars
*07 January 1980 (and King Tubby): Rebel Dance (LP - Creation Rockers Volume 6) Trojan
*21 November 1989 (& King Tubby): Rasta Locks (album - King Tubby's Special 1973-1976) Trojan
*22 November 1989 (& King Tubby): Dubbing With The Observer (LP - King Tubby's Special 1973-1976) Trojan
*05 December 1989 (& King Tubby): Parade Dub (2xLP - King Tubby's Special 1973-1976) Trojan
*07 December 1989 (& King Tubby): Mister D. Brown Skank (album - King Tubby's Special 1973-1976) Trojan
*03 January 1990 (& King Tubby): Parade Dub (album - King Tubby's Special 1973-1976) Trojan
*25 January 1992 (& King Tubby): Casanova Dub (album - King Tubby's Special 1973-1976) 
*09 February 1992 (& King Tubby): Silver Bullet (v/a album - King Tubby's Special 1973-76) 
*11 June 1994 (BFBS): Fire Organ (v/a album - Niney the Observer - Truth And Rights, Observer Style) Heartbeat
== See Also ==
*December 2002 (Peel's Record Box): 'Dub Plate Specials 1973-1975' (Jamaican)
*Reggae Compilations
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*All Music
*Discogs
Category:Artists