Skip to content
ErasScenesAlbumsBreaksArtistsGearVideosArtifactsStylesGraffitiSubmit
Artist

The Heptones

The Heptones: Kingston trio of Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn. Studio One hits “Fattie Fattie” (1966), “Pretty Looks Isn’t All” and “Party Time”; later “Book of Rules” (1973).

More rappers from Kingston →

Formation

The Heptones formed in Kingston in 1965, first calling themselves The Hep Ones. The original trio was Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn. A first single for Ken Lack's label did not sell, and the group moved to Coxsone Dodd's Studio One.

Studio One

At Studio One the Heptones cut "Fattie Fattie" (1966), "Pretty Looks Isn't All", "Get in the Groove", "Be a Man", "Sea of Love" and "Party Time". Their Studio One rhythms, including "Fattie Fattie", "Pretty Looks Isn't All" and "Party Time", were re-recorded and versioned for decades in reggae and dancehall. Studio One issued the LPs The Heptones (1967) and On Top (1968).

Leroy Sibbles at Brentford Road

Sibbles was also Studio One's chief bass player and a studio arranger. He played on sessions released under the names Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension, including Alton Ellis's "I'm Still in Love with You" and The Abyssinians' "Satta Massagana". Many of the rhythms he played on became standard riddims.

1970s

In the early 1970s the group recorded for Joe Gibbs and Harry J. "Book of Rules" (1973), with Barry Llewellyn on lead, was a major hit. Island Records released Night Food (1976) and Party Time (1977), the latter produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark.

Later line-ups

Sibbles left for a solo career in 1978 and Naggo Morris took his place. Barry Llewellyn died on 23 November 2011. Earl Morgan has continued the group, with a 2016 line-up of Morgan, Robert Dacres and Carlton Scarlett.

Press play

Watch

Now playingThe Heptones - "Party Time" [Official Audio]
ShareX (opens in a new tab)Facebook (opens in a new tab)Reddit (opens in a new tab)WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)Pinterest (opens in a new tab)
The Heptones - "Party Time" [Official Audio]
The Heptones - "Party Time" [Official Audio]Studio One
Suspicious Minds
Suspicious MindsThe Heptones - Topic
THE HEPTONES - Fattie Fattie [1967]
THE HEPTONES - Fattie Fattie [1967]Bionic Dub
The Heptones - Pretty Looks Isn't All (1968)
The Heptones - Pretty Looks Isn't All (1968)GOLDEN EAR
Every record

Discography

Pulled from Discogs. Titles in yellow have a full page on Breakbeat Archive.

Studio albums 34

  1. 1967The HeptonesStudio OneeBayDiscogs
  2. 1968On TopStudio OneeBayDiscogs
  3. 1970Black Is BlackStudio OneeBayDiscogs
  4. 1971Freedom LineStudio OneeBayDiscogs
  5. 1973Book Of RulesJaywaxeBayDiscogs
  6. 1976Night FoodIsland RecordseBayDiscogs
  7. 1976Cool RastaTrojan RecordseBayDiscogs
  8. 1976The Original HeptonesTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  9. 1977Party TimeIsland RecordseBayDiscogs
  10. 1978Better DaysThird WorldeBayDiscogs
  11. 1979King Of My TownJackal RecordseBayDiscogs
  12. 1979Good LifeGreensleeves RecordseBayDiscogs
  13. 1982On The RunShanachieeBayDiscogs
  14. 1983Back On TopVista SoundseBayDiscogs
  15. 1983In A Dancehall StyleVista SoundseBayDiscogs
  16. 1985Swing LowBurning SoundseBayDiscogs
  17. 1986Changing TimesMoving TargeteBayDiscogs
  18. 1987A Place Called LoveMoving TargeteBayDiscogs
  19. 1988The Heptones Sings Good VibesClarendon SoundeBayDiscogs
  20. 1991Mr T.LagooneBayDiscogs
  21. 1994Rainbow ValleyPrestige Records Ltd.eBayDiscogs
  22. 1995Pressure!RAS Records Inc.eBayDiscogs
  23. 1995Wonderful WorldPioneereBayDiscogs
  24. 1998Live Around The WorldRhino RecordseBayDiscogs
  25. 1999On The Road AgainRoots & Culture RecordseBayDiscogs
  26. 1999Them Can't Hold WeBlack Liberty RecordseBayDiscogs
  27. 2002Suspicious MindsBurning Bush RecordseBayDiscogs
  28. 2005Unreleased Night Food & Rare Black Ark SessionsAuralux RecordingseBayDiscogs
  29. 2009The Heptones Sing The Wailers Musicians Play RiddimTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  30. 2012Good VibesAAO MusiceBayDiscogs
  31. 2022Better Days & King Of My TownDoctor BirdeBayDiscogs
  32. —Big And Free With 20 Massive HitsTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  33. —Greatest Hits - Instrumental ClassicsTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  34. —University Of DubTrench TowneBayDiscogs

Collaborative albums 4

  1. 1980Mr SkabeanaAlton Ellis & The Heptones · Cha ChaeBayDiscogs
  2. 1981Street Of GoldHeptones* · Park HeightseBayDiscogs
  3. 1981One Step AheadHeptones* · Sonic SoundseBayDiscogs
  4. 2006Dub FeverThe Heptones Meet King Tubbys* · Trench TowneBayDiscogs

Compilations 15

  1. 1978In Love With YouUnited Artists RecordseBayDiscogs
  2. 1992Twenty Golden HitsSonic SoundseBayDiscogs
  3. 199622 Golden HitsTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  4. 1997Three Coins In The FountainJamaican VibeseBayDiscogs
  5. 1997Sea Of LoveHeartbeat RecordseBayDiscogs
  6. 1998They Came, They Saw, They Recorded And They ConqueredTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  7. 1999The Meaning Of Life (Best Of The Heptones 1966 To 1976)Trojan RecordseBayDiscogs
  8. 1999Dub DictionaryTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  9. 2004Peace & HarmonyTrojan RecordseBayDiscogs
  10. 2007Nightfood Ina Party TimeTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  11. 2007Sweet TalkingHeartbeat RecordseBayDiscogs
  12. —25 Years Silver JubileeTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  13. —Journey - Caltone To Treasure Isle To Studio 1Trench TowneBayDiscogs
  14. —Trench Town ExperienceTrench TowneBayDiscogs
  15. —Legends From Studio OneTrench TowneBayDiscogs
Dig in

Albums on Breakbeat Archive

Crates are empty… for now.

We're still digging. Check back soon or browse the Artifact Wall.

Build this page

Know something we don't?

Suggest a correction
A link that backs it up gets it through faster.
Credit
Shown on the site as the contributor.
Never shown. Gets you a contributor page.
Linked from your contributor page.

Everything is checked by hand before it goes on the site.

Have a flyer, tape cover or photo of The Heptones?
Where you got it, the show, who was there.
JPG, PNG or WebP, at least 400 px, 10 MB max. Scans or straight-on photos.
Credit
Shown on the site as the contributor.
Never shown. Gets you a contributor page.
Linked from your contributor page.

Everything is checked by hand before it goes on the site.

Are you The Heptones? Claim this page
We give you a code to paste there, and the page verifies itself when it shows up. Instagram and TikTok can't be checked automatically.

Everything is checked by hand before it goes on the site.

Put this page on your site

Artists, fans and blogs: link this page with the badge or the card. Copy the code and paste it into your site.

Badge

Card

Keep digging

More artists

All artists →
ArtistThe GayladsKingston, JamaicaArtistJibbsSouth St. Louis, MissouriArtistMannie FreshNew Orleans, LouisianaArtistBlade IcewoodDetroit, Michigan

As an eBay Partner, Breakbeat Archive may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Videos embedded from YouTube.