Musical Youth Mash Down Birmingham : The Early Recordings Of Musical Youth Vinyl LP Due Out 22/05/26

Please note this is a pre-order item due for release 22nd May, 2026

Tracklist:

1. Can't Fight
2. General
3. Oppressor
4. Culture
5. Political
6. Political Dub
7. Mash Down Babylon (ft. Jackie Mittoo)
8. Johnny Too Bad
9. Don't Blame The Youth
10. Save The Children (ft. Sugar Minott)
11. Pass The Kouchie

‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THE EARLY RECORDINGS OF MUSICAL YOUTH’NEWLY UNEARTHED EARLY RECORDINGS BY THE FIRST LINE-UP OF MUSICAL YOUTHMastered from the original tapes by Guy Davie at ElectricNeedle Mythology, the label founded by music writer, author and broadcaster PetePaphides, is thrilled to announce ‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THE EARLY RECORDINGS OFMUSICAL YOUTH’ – an album of rare and unheard early recordings by Musical Youth, theBirmingham reggae group propelled to worldwide fame with the release of their chart-topping single PASS THE DUTCHIE.‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THE EARLY RECORDINGS OF MUSICAL YOUTH’ combinessongs from Musical Youth’s first John Peel session, recorded in 1981 with newly unearthedrecordings taken from quarter-inch reels stored for over 40 years by the group’s mentor andproducer Toney Owens.The project was seeded as early as 2020, when Paphides sent a speculative message toOwens, after he saw his producer credit on the group’s independently released 1981 singleGenerals/Political. Paphides wanted to know if Owens had made more recordings of thegroup in a similar heavier roots reggae vein to those on their debut single. Happening uponthe message by chance three years later, Owens allowed Needle Mythology access to hisarchive of quarter-inch tapes, dating back as far as 1978.The recordings gathered together on ‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THE EARLYRECORDINGS OF MUSICAL YOUTH’ shine a light on the exceptional musicianship inculcatedinto the group by their first frontman Frederick Waite, formerly singer with revered Jamaicanrocksteady group The Techniques.Backing Frederick Waite in the early lineup of Musical Youth (originally billed by Toney asCultural Musical Workshop Youths, were two pairs of brothers) Patrick and Junior Waite, andKelvin and Michael Grant. Having grown up immersed in roots reggae, the four youngmembers of Musical Youth started playing locally in Birmingham at an early age. LegendaryJamaican deejay I Roy was the Grants’ maternal uncle; while Sugar Minott and Jackie Mittoofrequently played with the group during their extended stays at the house of Toney Owens.Highlights on ‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THE EARLY RECORDINGS OF MUSICAL YOUTH’include mind-blowing Jackie Mittoo collab Mash Down Babylon featuring inspired MC’ingfrom guitarist Kelvin Grant, still only 11 at this point, and a previously unheard extended mixof Generals and a sensational dub version of Political. From their inaugural Peel session,standouts include Culture, Don’t Blame The Youth and a version of The Slickers’ Johnny TooBad.However, the coup de grace surely has to be the album’s closing track – a newly discoveredearly version of the song that would propel Musical Youth to the top of the UK charts. Withfreshly installed singer Dennis Seaton, Musical Youth’s version of The Mighty Diamonds’Pass The Kouchie can be heard here in its original form – thus contradicting interviews givenmonths later, in which the group denied all knowledge of what a “kouchie” was!Featuring thorough liner notes based on extensive interviews with Toney Owens andMusical Youth guitarist and co-vocalist Kelvin Grant, ‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THEEARLY RECORDINGS OF MUSICAL YOUTH’ is not only an important slice of musical and social history – but also an important corrective to the misconception that Musical Youth’smusicianship was anything less than exemplary. In the words of Kelvin Grant: “It feels like thecompletion of the circle. These early recordings really captured the soul of who were were.I’m so happy that they finally get to have their moment.”‘MASH DOWN BIRMINGHAM: THE EARLY RECORDINGS OF MUSICAL YOUTH’ is released onvinyl and CD on May 22nd. There will also be a strictly limited edition 10-inch dub plate onthe specially created Roots Mythology imprint featuring artwork unique to this release.