Artist Name
Natural Ites

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Genre
genre icon Reggae

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Born

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Active
calendar icon 1982 to dead icon 1990

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The Natural Ites were a British reggae band formed in Nottingham, England, in 1982. They consisted of the vocal trio Ossie Samms (also known as Ossie Gad), Percy Dread McLeod and Neil Foster, they were backed by a changing line-up known as the Realistics. Their debut single Picture On The Wall was released in 1983. The single was to become a roots classic and also the title of their debut album released on CSA in 1985. The album was produced by Johnny White and backed by the Realistics. By 1987 when their second album, Marvellous, was to be released the vocal trio had decreased into a vocal duo consisting of only Ossie Gad and Percy Dread McLeod. Also the line-up to the realistics had changed. In 1989 the third, and last, album, In Ites, was released. The next year (1990) the group split up. Both artists pursued solo careers. In 2001 Ossie Gad and Percy Dread decided they wanted to reform the Natural Ites.
The band's first break occurred when they appeared on the television show Rockers Roadshow, hosted by Jamaican DJ Mikey Dread, which showcased Nottingham's finest talent. Their debut single, Picture On The Wall, penned by Ossie Samms (now known as Ossie Gad) was first released in 1983 on their own Realistics label, climbing to the top of the reggae charts and went onto become a roots anthem for years to come. Airplay on BBC Radio 1 in particular, widened the band's appeal and fan-base, combined with live sessions for top radio DJ's John Peel (aired on 13 June 1983 with Jah Love This, Jah Holy Hills, I Want Your Love and Suffer) and Janice Long. Further television appearances including Channel 4's The Tube, along with constant gigging around the country, helped the single to enter the mainstream British singles chart, no mean feat for an independent reggae outfit. The band's first album, also titled Picture On The Wall, was released to great critical acclaim in 1985. Lead vocals were shared between Ossie Samms, Percy 'JP' McLeod and Neil Foster, with an array of musicians, known as The Realistics, providing the rhythm and horn sections on the album.
The Picture album, released on the CSA label and produced by Johnny White, proved to be a major springboard for the group. Samms, McLeod (who also played rhythm guitar) and Foster shared the song-writing and lead vocal duties and were backed by band regulars Lenroy Guiste (bass), Paul Prince (lead guitar), Marcus Hodges and Winston Williams (keyboards), Alton Rickets and Chester Marzink (drums), Albert 'Eitiko' Barnes (trumpet) and Hugh Duffus (sax), amongst others. Recording took place in London and Nottingham, their home town, with mixing at the Aquarius Studios in Jamaica. The band's second single, Lion Inna Jungle, quickly followed their initial successful release and like Picture, became a roots classic amongst reggae followers worldwide. John Peel provided them with a second live session on his Radio 1 show on 11 June with the tracks Pull Together, Rastafari, Your Love and Guide Me With The Tide aired.
Within a year, a third single, Lately, was making an even bigger impact and remained at the number one spot in the UK Reggae charts for six weeks, forming the backbone of their second album, Marvellous, released in 1987. By this time, Neil Foster had departed leaving Samms and McLeod as the main pairing, alongwith the same Realistics core of Guiste, Prince, Hodges, Williams, Barnes and Duffus with Dennis Cole now on drums and Wil Fearon (percussion). The Marcus Garvey Studio in Nottingham was home to the recording, again under the control of producer Johnny White, with the album released on the Realistics Record label. Another single, Cry For You was released, followed up by a Temptations cover version, I Wish It Would Rain and Happen All Over Again.
The band's third and final album, Naturalites in Ites, was released in 1989. However, it failed to make the same impact as their previous releases and marked the beginning of the end for Nottingham's finest. McLeod and Samms continued to share the writing and singing duties with familiar back-up from Guiste, Prince, Barnes, Duffus and Fearon, joined by Chris Whitely, Winston Squires and the return of Chester Marzink. Within a year the band's members had gone their separate ways and the British and worldwide reggae fraternity had lost one of its finest exponents.
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Last Edit by PapaMok
05th Oct 2022

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