TRACKLIST
A SIDE:
"TEA HOUSE FROM EMPEROR ROSCOE" : DICE THE BOSS
B SIDE:
"BRIXTON CAT " : DICE THE BOSS
DESCRIPTION
First reissue of two super rare Boss Reggae Anthems!
CHECK THE TRAILER HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB3hFtkzqnU
“Tea House From Emperor Roscoe” by Dice The boss aka Pama Dice was first released as a B side of the early Reggae classic “She Caught The Train” by Ray Martell released in 1970 on the Trojan sublabel Joe (which we will also release separately on the 22nd of March 2024) whilst “Brixton Cat” was released in 1969 on the Duke Label under a Joe logo.
Both titles are skinhead reggae classics that have never been reissued and are very much demand.
About Joe Mansano:
“Tea House From Emperor Roscoe”” and "Brixton Cat" were both credited to Joe Mansano, real name Joel Mansano, who also produced the songs. Joel was a Trinidadian who moved to London in 1963. He was a record shop seller, song writer and producer and became heavily involved in the early reggae era producing and writing tracks for several Jamaican artists, enough for Trojan to dedicate a label to him: the “Joe” label aimed at the emerging Skinheads market. He also owned a shop the Joe's Record Centre in Brixton and recorded two handfuls of singles under the name Joe The boss…
About Dice The Boss/ Pama Dice:
Not much is known about Dice The Boss. His real name was Hopeton Reid and he was alternatively known as “Pama Dice”. But we know more about Pama Dice thanks to Gaz Mayall!
"Pama Dice was one of Prince Busters ‘no-shoes’ ‘Sunday school gang in west Kingston Jamaica. According to the Prince there wasn’t a car that Pama couldn’t nick. He used to nick the cars uptown with no shoes on & take them to the ghetto to teach the youth to drive. They were called the Sunday school or no-shoes gang as they were so poor that they only had one pair of shoes each & only wore them to church on Sundays. Pama Dice rose in the ranks to become one of Prince Busters main sound system DJs before emigrating to London in the late sixties where he MC’d for Duke Vin & recorded many great records for the UK/Jamaican booming new Reggae market in its infancy on the shoulders of the Bluebeat & Ska & Rock Steady music scene."
Source Gaz Mayall 27/2/2021
A SIDE:
Title: "TEA HOUSE FROM EMPEROR ROSCOE" Artist: DICE THE BOSS - Limited Edition 500 copies
Year: 1970
Genre: Boss Reggae
Produced and written by Joe Mansano
This is the first reissue on 7inch vinyl single of this Boss Reggae anthem released in 1970 on the Trojan sublabel Joe in the U.K.
This is the original song with Dice The Boss/Pama Dice toasting on this striking organ driven Boss instrumental. It is strange but brilliant track as sometimes the best Boss tunes can be. It exists an instrumental version called “Tea House” By The Opening released on the label Reggae. But this “toasted” version is much rarer and far superior on our opinion.
B SIDE:
Title: "BRIXTON CAT " - Artist: DICE THE BOSS - Year: 1970
Genre: Boss Reggae
Produced and written by Joe Mansano
Here is another rare and cracking track written by Joe Mansano with Pama Dice on the mike…
“Brixton Cat, Big And Fat” was released in 1969 on the Duke Label under a Joe logo. It was also showcased on the 1969 eponymous Trojan album along with 13 other Joes All Stars tracks. This upbeat, syncopated track underpinned by aggressive organ riffs tells the story of a famous working “belle” of Brixton as illustrated on the L.P. Rare and brilliant Boss hit!