Throwback 45s: Douglas Boothe – Idler’s Corner

ARTIST: Douglas Boothe
TITLE: Idler’s Corner
LABEL: Eek-A-Mouse Records
YEAR: 1975

While names like Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Yellowman became known around the world, plenty of Jamaican musicians, singers and producers never received the same international recognition. Douglas Boothe, sometimes credited as Neville Cooper, is one of those lesser-known figures. Active mainly during the 1970s roots reggae era, he left behind a small but interesting catalogue of singles that deserves a closer look.

Boothe recorded a string of roots reggae and lovers rock tunes during the decade, including Feel It, When I Fall In Love, Girl I Left Behind, Socialist, Diplomatic and Take Heed. He also crossed paths with several respected figures from the Jamaican music scene. He worked with Jah Lloyd aka Pat Francis, on 1972 productions including Channel One and Sunshine Girl, while musicians such as Conscious Minds, the Revolutionaries and the Eek-A-Mouse All Stars provided backing on his recordings.

One particularly interesting recording is Idler’s Corner, a self-penned tune recorded with the Eek-A-Mouse All Stars. Produced by Anthony Dehaney, owner of the Canadian EAD label, the song was released in 1975.

The song itself is a little piece of reggae history. Idlers Rest was the nickname for Chancery Lane, a small side street in downtown Kingston, right next to Randy’s Record Mart and Studio 17 at 17 North Parade. During reggae’s golden era in the 1960s and ’70s, the street’s corner spot became a popular meeting place for musicians, singers, instrumentalists and sound system operators.

People would gather there while waiting for recording sessions, trying to get a song heard, making connections or simply soaking up the atmosphere of Kingston’s music scene. Boothe was part of that world, and Idler’s Corner captures something of the uncertainty and ambition that came with it. At one point, he reflects on his own future, wondering where his road will lead.

One final point is worth clearing up. Douglas Boothe is regularly mistaken for Ken Boothe, one of Jamaica’s best-known singers. The shared surname and the fact that both recorded during the same period can easily cause confusion. But Douglas Boothe was a different artist, with his own body of work and his own place in the story of 1970s Jamaican reggae.