Light Of The World

London Town

Light Of The World -Round Trip (Ensign ENVY 14) 1980

Time; London Town; I Shot The Sheriff; I'm So Happy; More Of Myself; Visualise Yourself (And Your Mind); Painted Lady; Pete's Crusade; I Walk the Streets Alone; Something For Nothing.

Produced by: Augie Johnson

London Town couldn't fail or could it? British soul bands never get the recognition at home they deserve, but that changed in the late 70's early 80's with great little bands like Light Of The World.

Time is a knock-out up-tempo fun loving jazzy little groove and the fine Jazz-funk number More For Myself featuring vocals from Miki Howard. Even Bobby Lyle is featured on I Shot The Sheriff the Bob Marley song. Visualise Yourself is a good Raregroover and I Walk The Streets Alone will make 2-stepper fans, like myself happy! Just about something for everybody, the band at this point were numbering six Peter Hinds & drummer Everton McCalla to name but two.

Vintage video if you prefer

Taking there name from a Kool & The Gang album, they signed to Ensign in 1979 with a self titles album that year. Round trip was the second of three albums, with three minor hits the group split in 1981, Wellington, McKreith & Baptiste became Beggar & Co., while Maunick, Hinds & Williams became Incognito. There was a brief reunion in 1982 for the last album. Hinds went on to be a producer for the Chimes and Light Of The World re-formed in 1990.

Light Of The World,

No. 1 Girl

Light Of The World - Check Us Out (EMI EMC 3410) 1982

Famous Faces; I Can't Stop; Don't Run; Check Us Out; Tubbs In The Caribbean; Soho; No. 1 Girl; (Everybody) Move; Easy Things To Say.

Produced by: Nigel Martinez.

No. 1 Girl aka It Feels So Good To Be Home opens with Don Myrick (murded in 1993 in L. A. ) from the Phoenix Horns playing saxophone, I think he was usually found backing Earth Wind & Fire on tour. Also Josie James on percussion and background vocals. Light Of The World and Beggar & Co. the name they used before were always 'givin' it some' on TV appearances, and looked liked they were enjoying every minute. They fall into the Brit Funk category now, but then were classed a Jazz-funk outfit.

Three main members here were Tubbs (Paul Williams,) Gee (Ganiyu Bello) & Nat (Nathaniel Augustin. Although the album was recorded Sound Suite, London it was mixed in Los Angeles at George Massenburg Studios. The other nice tracks on this set are Famous Faces & Don't Run, they fall into the Raregroove stable. I have a loaded a couple of clips of the bands early video footage from www.dailymotion.com/mickeynold in my 80's playlist.

The group were formed in London in 1978. In 1979 they signed to Ensign Records and were directed by DJ/label owner Chris Hill. An earlier member of the band Chris Etienne was killed in an accident, and Tubbs the bass player died while a member of Incognito in 2007. Paul 'Tubbs' Williams was a stunner of a bass player and will be missed.

This is the band in 1980