Dave Barker

Crooks was born in 1947 and raised by his grandmother and three uncles from the age of 4 after his mother emigrated to England in 1952 (his father emigrated to the United States before he was born). He began singing as a teenager, inspired by James Brown and Otis Redding, whom he heard on American radio stations. "Double Barrel" was followed in June of the same year with a number 7 UK hit in the form of "Monkey Spanner". at Club Ska in London. A version of "Double Barrel" (recorded with the Riffs) was released on The Riffs - Live at Club Ska album the following year on Moon Ska Records. He appeared as a guest on the Radcliffe & Maconie BBC Radio 6 Music show on 20 August 2012, talking extensively about the music he was influenced by and the music he had created alongside Ansell and about Jamaica's independence. ==Discography==

Albums • Prisoner of Love (1970), Trojan (Dave Barker meets the Upsetters) • Double Barrel (1971), Big Tree/Techniques (Dave & Ansell Collins), also issued on RAS with different track listing • In the Ghetto (1976), Trojan • Roadblock (1979), Bushranger • Never Lose Never Win (1976), Gull (Chain Reaction) • Change of Action (1983), Vista • Chase a Miracle (1983), Vista • Classics (1991), Techniques (the Techniques) • Monkey Spanner (1997), Trojan • Dave and Ansel Collins (2001), Armoury (Dave & Ansell Collins) • Kingston Affair (2002), Moon Ska (Dave Barker & the Selecter) ==References==