Sunday Sessions: Dread and the Baldhead

Hey all,

We're back in the saddle for 2014. And here, is the first Sunday Sessions for 2014

Down here in Australia, it is Summer. And it ain't summer in Australia without cricket. Currently, the old foes of the motherland (that is England) are down here defending their Ashes series victory from earlier in 2013 when they clean-sweeped Australia at home. Since they have arrived here at the end of last year, England have been white-washed by the Aussies 5-0 in the follow-up series on Australian Soil.

In short, we've smashed them!

Aside from the Ashes, there's been heaps of 20-20 cricket on as well. For those who don't know, the Big Bash league is a series that specialises in short games, of only about 3 hours, where each side faces 20 6-ball overs with big slogs required in order to get the best runs and provide the most entertainment for the punters. They are thrilling games and they have been a joy to watch.

In the commentary team of these Big Bash matches is one Sir Viv Richards, one of the members of the killer 1980s and 1990s West Indies cricket side. Aside for barracking for the Aussies, I always had a soft spot for the Windies and games where they faced off the Australians were always great fun. The Windies were a strong side that required the Aussies to work their butts off. It was great stuff to watch.

The other night on one of the Big Bash matches, Sir Viv mentioned to Mark Waugh that he plays in a calypso band from time to time with former Windies players Curtly Ambrose and Richie Richardson called Dread and the Baldhead. There's precious little tuneage around the internet of their works, largely because there was another band called Big Dread and the Bald Head who were more of a roots reggae band around some years before.

This particular band has some fine booty-shakin riddims (if I may appropriate the local terminology) with their track from around 2010 called "Back In Yuh Face" being a cracker of a tune.

It sure as hell puts their local cricket heroes' musical attempts to shame. The less said about the Lee Brothers' abysmal efforts "Six & Out" the better.