Winston Holness, better known as Niney the ObserverOD (born George Boswell, 1944 in Montego Bay, Jamaica),[1] is a Jamaican record producer and conscious roots reggae singer who is a key figure in the creation of many classic reggaerecordings, discomixes and sound system dubplates dating from the 1970s and early 1980s.
Biography
Holness gained his nickname "Niney" after losing a thumb in a workshop accident.[1] In the latter half of the 1960s he worked as an engineer at KG records, where he began producing. His first release was his own composition "Come on Baby" issued on his Destroyer label.[1] He moved on to work with Bunny Lee in 1967, then for Lynford Anderson's studio, then working for Joe Gibbs as chief sound engineer, replacing his friend Lee "Scratch" Perry. While working for Gibbs he produced Dennis Alcapone and Lizzy's "Mr. Brown", and played a major role in launching the career of Dennis Brown.[1]
After leaving Gibbs' setup, his first major success as a producer was "Blood & Fire" in December 1970, initially released in a pressing of 200 on his Destroyer label, but reissued the following year on his Observer label, and going on to sell over 30,000 copies in Jamaica.[1][2] Inspired by Perry's nickname of "The Upsetter", Holness adopted "The Observer", using the name for his new Observer label, and the name of his house band, The Observers (actually the Soul Syndicate).[1] Several singles followed, some reusing the "Blood & Fire" rhythm, including Big Youth's "Fire Bunn".
In the mid-1980s, he relocated to New York City, returning to Kingston again in 1988, and working with Yami Bolo, Frankie Paul, Andrew Tosh, and Junior Byles. He began an association with Heartbeat Records, working on reissues of much of his back catalogue, as well as new recordings. He continued to produce new material through the 1990s.
In the mid-1990s, noted collector Steve Barrow and Simply Red vocalist Mick Hucknall started a reggae and dub reissue programme, naming the company Blood and Fire (record label) in honour of Niney's hit record, and, in 2001, they reissued Observer rarities on an album entitled Niney the Observer – Microphone Attack 1974–1977, collecting rare Discomixes of the work of Ranking Trevor, Big Youth, I-Roy and Leroy Smart, thus introducing Niney's productions to a new generation of listeners. In March 2013, Niney The Observer opened his own Observer Soundbox Studio on Lyndhurst Road, Kingston.[3]
Holness, who has a child with autism, recorded the single "Children" in 2015 with Jimmy Cliff, Sly and Robbie, and Errol "Flabba" Holt, to raise funds for Cliff's foundation and a school for autistic children.[4]
In August 2015, it was announced that he would be awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government.[5]
Discography
Albums
Bring the Dub Come (1975)
Observer All Stars and King Tubby's – Dubbing with the Observer (1975)[6]
Nuclear Jammin' (1986)
King Tubby's Special 1973–1976 (with King Tubby, Observer All Stars & The Aggrovators) (1989)
