Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn first
banded together in Kingston in 1965 as The Hep Ones,
but quickly changed it up to the Heptones when
Morgan randomly spotted a discarded bottle of
Heptones Tonic. We're not sure what was in that tonic,
but it sure made for some smooth vocals. By 1967 the
group was recording for Coxsone Dodd's famed Studio
One moving into the organization just as the Wailers
were moving on. Though one may argue which group
had sweeter harmonies, there's no doubt that The
Heptones, unlike many others at the time, were not
followers of the Wailers vocal stylings but rather
contemporaries. After parting ways with Sir Coxone,
post a string of international hits and renown, the
group released abundant material through a string of
labels (including their own) ahead of being catapulted
it international prominence due to a deal with Island
Records in the late 70s. "Book Of Rules" being one of
those recordings. In 1973 the group entered Harry J's
studio in Kingston, with the record being issued on
Harry's Jaywax imprint soon after the last note of the
session tapered off.
The effort features one of the biggest Heptone's hits in
the title track "Book Of Rules," one of the very few Hep-
tones songs where Leroy Sibbles does not handle the
lead vocals, instead the songs co-writer Barry Llewelyn
sang lead. Once again available as first issued in
Jamaica in 1973, this is a landmark recording that's
not to be overlooked.
