Escape Hatch Records

Big Boss Sound "Return of the Loafer" LP

Big Boss Sound "Return of the Loafer" LP

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Import 12" Vinyl - Direct from Liquidator!

Black vinyl edition

This is what we call a bomb!!! Nasser Bouzida inna Reggae, Rock Steady and Ska mood. This is Boss Sounds!!!

Big Boss Sound, the band leaded by the organist Nasser Bouzida, releases this album on Liquidator full of instrumental stompers. Besides of been worldwide known by leading the bands Big Boss Man and Bongolian during the last two decades, Nasser started pretty young playing drums with The Loafers and backing Laurel Aitken live and in the studio.

released January 21, 2023

Tracklisting:

  • A1. You’re Too Rude Boy
  • A2. DJ Goldfinger
  • A3. Return Of The Loafer
  • A4. Mr Mittoo
  • A5. Dr Bouzida
  • A6. Ghost Train To Thatcham

  • B1. Bongo Lion
  • B2. Brixton To St Annes
  • B3. Indian Reggae
  • B4. Boss Man Rocksteady
  • B5. Mr Moogs Dream
  • B6. Dr Hammond

BIO

Nasser Bouzida was born on April15th In Brixton, London. Brixton is known as little Jamaica in the UK due to the large number of Jamaicans who settled in Brixton in the late 50’s and early 60’s, so its no surprise that Nasser would fall in love with Ska,Rock Steady and Reggae music at a very young age, but little did he know that he would later go on to meet and work with some of the top Jamaican artists.

At the age of twelve he moved to a small town called Newbury where he and his school mates started a band that would eventually become ‘The Loafers”. In the late 80’s they recorded three albums inspired by Jamaican music and the British 2-Tone sound of The Specials, Selecter, The Beat and Madness. Nasser’s favourite drummer at this time was John Bradbury from The Specials who ended up producing The Loafers album ‘Contagious’, this was a dream come true, more to come.

After the success of the first two Loafers albums the band attracted interest from The Godfather of Ska himself Laurel Aitken, he asked would they be his backing band with Nasser on drums, they agreed and toured together for a couple of years.

Nasser was an energetic teenager and would often go crazy behind the drum kit, Laurel Aitken would often show him the authentic Jamaican rhythms on the kit and would say to Nasser “you’re too rude boy” when he was going a little crazy. Through Laurel they also came to the attention of Desmond Dekker who was regularly touring, so would spend a couple of years playing support to Desmond, at this time you would see Prince Buster and Derrick Morgan at clubs in London, Prince Buster once said they were the best UK ska band of the time, a great honour for the band i’m sure.

At this time Rico Rodriguez had joined Bad Manners touring band and Nass was asked to play Congas for one gig, he got his place on the tour bus with Rico, the two shared a Jamaican cigarette, Nass then proceeded to try and upstage Buster Bloodvessel by running round the stage with a massive conga on his head and was never asked back but was all worth it play The Skatalites trombone man Rico.

At this time there around 1987-89, with all the new ska/reggae bands and the original Jamaican artists all now playing together, there was a big revival in the uk and there would be DJ’s playing early Blue Beat, Studio One, Crab and Trojan before the bands. Clubs nights with the top skinhead DJ’s in London were now great places to hear authentic ska and reggae, Nass’s favourite was upstairs in a pub called ‘The Penny Black’ in London, this would be the place with a big musical inspiration for Nass for years to come.

Whilst sat around in rehearsal rooms and recording studios Nasser started teaching himself the Hammond Organ which is was to become pivotal in his career, also learning bass/percussion and guitars. In the late 90’s Nass and life long friend Trevor (the bass player in the Loafers) started Big Boss Man which would go on to record four albums and tour the world, they toured Spain many times and fell in love with the country and the people, they still tour there to this day.

Nass then moved to Wales and set up Beat Mountain studios which was five hundred feet up the mountain, the studio full of vintage organs, pianos, guitars, amps and recording equipment, this is the sound you here on this album, uptempo ska with big fat brass section, more chilled rock steady vibes and Hammond lead Reggae. So turn up the sound system and enjoy The Big Boss Sound of Return of The Loafer.

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