Nianatty One Love Stylee

Drummer and music producer Desmond Mahoney is another of the unsung heroes of British reggae. Born in Jamaica, he moved to the UK in 1967 and began his professional career playing drums in a band called Young Ones From Zion. He was a founding member of Black Slate when the group formed in 1974, played with them through their glory years and after running a sound system in North London for many years, returned to the fold when the group reformed a few years ago. His first foray in music production probably came during a brief period in Toronto in 1978, working with a band called the Ishan Lions, but he was back in the UK in time for Black Slate’s breakthrough material, which brought them onto Ensign in the UK, Barclay in France and Alligator in the USA. At the same time, he continued to arrange and produce for a number of British reggae artists operating in both the roots and lover’s rock modes; female duo Nya & Natty’s ‘One Love Stylee’ seemed to bridge the two styles quite successfully on this greatly sought-after 12-inch, first issued in 1981 on the S&G label, then based at a record shop in Bow.