01. Please Stop Your Lying - Errol Dunkley
02. Rock A Shock - Lynn Taitt & The Jets
03. I'm Gonna Let - The Mellotones
04. I Am The Upsetter - Lee "King" Perry
05. Upsetting Version - Lee "King" Perry
06. Hold Them - Roy Shirley
07. Long Shot - The Pioneers
08. Lulu Bell - The Versatiles
09. Girl You Ruff - The Overtakers
10. The Wicked - Reggae Boys
11. Train To Soulsville - Count Sticky
12. Take Back Your Duck - The Inspirations
13. Memories - Amalgamated All Stars
14. Love Brother - Errol Dunkley
15. Doctor Feelgood - Sir Lord Comic
16. Don't Touch Me - Nicky Thomas
17. Be Good - Roy Shirley
18. Red Eye - Nicky Thomas & Delores

Explosive Rock Steady is a great collection of rare rocksteady and early reggae from the Amalgamated label. In the late 1960s, Perry worked uncredited for greenhorn producer Joe Gibbs (who at first was just the guy with the money), and this collection contains many of Perry's earliest records as a producer. Most interesting, it contains the first song to use a brand new rhythm that they would eventually call "reggae", The Pioneers' "Long Shot". Therefore, the song is a good argument for those who claim that Lee Perry actually invented reggae... Highlights include the menacing "I Am The Upsetter", the "don't mess with me" number which earned him his famous nickname, Sir Lord Comic's crazy "Dr. Feelgood" and The Inspirations' "Take Back Your Duck", which is right up Perry's alley: it's actually about an unhappy customer asking for a refund at a whore house. Recommended for serious Scratch fans as well as rocksteady fanatics.

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