Musical Youth Mash Down Birmingham: The Early Recordings Of Musical Youth

Mash Down Birmingham: The Early Recordings Of Musical Youth: an album of rare and unheard early recordings by Musical Youth, the Birmingham 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 combines songs from Musical Youth’s first John Peel session, recorded in 1981 with newly unearthed recordings taken from quarter-inch reels stored for over 40 years by the group’s mentor and producer Toney Owens. The project was seeded as early as 2020, when Paphides sent a speculative message to Owens, after he saw his producer credit on the group’s independently released 1981 single Generals/Political. Paphides wanted to know if Owens had made more recordings of the group in a similar heavier roots reggae vein to those on their debut single. Happening upon the message by chance three years later, Owens allowed Needle Mythology access to his archive of quarter-inch tapes, dating back as far as 1978.

Featuring thorough liner notes based on extensive interviews with Toney Owens and Musical Youth guitarist and co-vocalist Kelvin Grant, Mash Down Birmingham: The Early 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’s musicianship was anything less than exemplary. 

Released: May 2026
Cat: NEMYLP024
Label: Needle Mythology

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