The Gladiators

The Virgin Collection

As roots went global circa 1976, Albert Griffiths’ Gladiators were on the rebound from Studio One, but through producer ‘Prince Tony’ Robinson wound up on Virgin’s Front Line subsidiary for a four-album late-’70s run, here collected in full. Aggressively ‘outernational’ to the point of including two Wailers covers on FL debut Trenchtown Mix Up, these records have since waned in credibility, but make irrepressibly summery listening.