In 1989, the Link label released
The Legendary Judge Dread, Vol. 1 and
The Legendary Judge Dread, Vol. 2, and this compilation brings together both of the Link albums in their entireties onto one two-CD set. Together, the two albums bundle up some, but far from all, of
Dread's hit singles, numbers from his charting 5th Anniversary EP, and a couple of rarities. Of the latter, the most notable was "Molly," a
Clancy Eccles song
the Judge covered in 1973 on a benefit single for the Ethiopian famine relief fund. Incidentally, it's not the least bit rude, but was banned regardless, and did not chart. Over a third of the set was culled from
Dread's 1980 Reggae & Ska and 1981's
Rub a Dub albums. The latter album went virtually unnoticed; the former was released initially in Germany, then picked up the following year in France, but remained import-only elsewhere until the new millennium. Needless to say, within a few years both sets became quite difficult to find, which was the main selling point for both the Link sets. Now, of course, both Reggae and
Rub have been reissued, with bonus tracks to boot, making this compilation rather redundant. Even so, it's a fine trawl through
the Judge's court. ~ Jo-Ann Greene