Dave and Ansell Collins


Dave and Ansell Collins are a Jamaican vocal/instrumental duo.

History

is a session vocalist, and Ansell Collins is a keyboard player. They were working for producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in Kingston in the late 1960s and joined forces in 1970 for the reggae single "Double Barrel". Released in late summer by Techniques Records, part of the Trojan Records label, it topped the Jamaican and UK charts in May of the following year. It was the first record that drummer Sly Dunbar played on. In the US, the song appeared on an album of the same name, on Big Tree Records.
The follow-up release, the similarly styled "Monkey Spanner" also enjoyed international success. Most of their recorded work was written by Winston Riley. After cutting an album, Collins and Barker parted company; Collins becoming a session player and Barker, now resident in the United Kingdom, singing with several soul groups. They attempted a comeback in 1981 without success.
In 1986, Ansell Collins appeared as one of Ernest Reed's back-up musicians in the reggae-themed comedy film, Club Paradise. He was billed as "Ansel 'Double Barrel' Collins". Collins has played and worked with The Upsetters, Black Uhuru, The Mighty Diamonds, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, U-Roy, Pama International and Jimmy Cliff.
"Double Barrel" was sampled by Special Ed on the song, "I'm The Magnificent". Two of Barker's introductory exclamations were quoted by vocalist Chas Smash, in the introduction to the Madness single, "One Step Beyond". It was also cited as an early influence by Daniel Ash of Bauhaus, Poptone, and Love and Rockets, as well as the first record he ever purchased.
In 2012, they reunited for several live shows including a performance at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles