Horace Martin

Though Martin cut a wealth of sides across his career, the vocalist remained largely overlooked. His first recordings appeared in 1980 on Robert Palmer’s Negus Roots, where he delivered the tracks ‘Zuggy Zuggy’ and ‘Sweet Something’. While affiliated with the fiercely unconstrained Big Ben imprint he also issued ‘Africa Is Calling’, ‘We Are All One’, ‘Beautiful Dream’ and ‘Jah Jah Children’. Throughout the 1980s he stayed visible as a singles artist, yet genuine crossover success eluded him. Fortune shifted in 1985 when he laid down ‘War’, cut with veteran DJ Jah Thomas atop the classic Stalag rhythm. That release opened the door to sessions with Prince Huntley, whose Modernize Printery print shop gave rise to the Modernize Music and Greedy Puppy labels. Although Huntley had earlier recorded ‘Pressure In A Babylon’ himself, his greater impact came behind the board as producer. For Huntley, Martin scored a string of successes that included ‘Na Fry No Fat’, ‘Sonia’ and ‘Mi Rule’. When Patrick Andy’s ‘Sting Me A Sting’ gained traction, Martin answered with his own ‘Shock Me A Shock’. In 1987, working for Harold McLarty, he released the hit ‘Type Of Loving’, which showcased the emerging DJ skills of Tiger alongside the Riddim Kings Band. The single finally brought Martin broader recognition, though the moment was eclipsed by the sudden acclaim surrounding the young DJ. He followed it with the quieter ‘Can’t Get Used To Losing You’, after which he once again slipped from view.