Interview: BB Seaton – The Gaylads Together Again [PART II]

In part two [read part one here] of our exclusive interview with BB Seaton we hear about his solo success in the 1970s. We also chat about how he created one of the perennially versioned roots reggae rhythms; had a runaway UK hit which lead to him settling down there; his reconnecting with Coxsone; and how the Gaylads finally got to reform.

You went solo in 1972.
I recorded my first solo single Accept My Apology which was a massive hit. When people would see me on the road they would say “Why you telling the Gaylads to accept your apology” and I’d say “It wasn’t them.” It was my wife! We as Jamaicans in those days had that chauvinistic mentality where we were too big to say to women “I’m sorry”. So when I did that song I used to put it on in the house whenever anything went wrong and said “That’s me talking to you babe!” This is the reason behind when I write my songs. I try to have that influence on people. The second song I recorded was produced by Lloyd Charmers Lean On Me and that was a big hit in Jamaica too. I did a couple more songs with Lloyd Charmers like Thin Line Between Love and Hate which was a big hit here in England. But Charmers was more interested in recording Ken Boothe.