Sandeeno

Sandeeno started his career as Superman in highly rated JA deejay combination Superman & Spiderman way back in the mid-'80s. 
He was born in Birmingham, UK but raised in the same Jamaican parish of Manchester as <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=340">Garnett Silk</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=413">Tony Rebel</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=1293">Culture Knox</a> and <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=875">Colourman</a> - all of whom he and Spiderman shared the spotlight with on many occasions in the early days. 
Sandeeno is a multi-talented individual who paints and draws and plays a variety of musical instruments, as well as sings and dee-jays. Inspired by <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=1710">Michigan & Smiley</a>, he and Spiderman recorded their debut album for <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=1901">Ranking Joe</a> in 1984 after thrilling Kingston dancehall crowds with some electrifying performances on the Inner City and Metromedia sound systems. They then voiced hit songs for <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=2734">King Jammys</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=69">Penthouse</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=252">Shocking Vibes</a> and <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=275">Steely & Clevie</a> among other top Jamaican labels during the late '80s and early '90s. After the duo's acclaimed "It Ain't Easy" set for Outernational in 1993 they travelled to Switzerland, at which point the two friends went their separate ways. 
On reaching England, Superman became Sandeeno - a name that came to him in a dream - and began experimenting with different musical styles, eventually releasing his debut solo single "Gangster" via Earl Minott's <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=579">Black Roots</a> imprint. This was followed by the self-produced "Ten Commitments" on his own Bust Out label in 1995, a record that highlighted his gift for both singing and dee-jaying. Tracks for Genius, Paul Coxsone's Goldhawk label and Daddy Noddy followed, with the latter producing his hit "Ready And Prepare" and then introducing him to <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=1718">Mikey Simpson</a> of MCS. 
This was to prove an auspicious meeting, as it has been Sandeeno's roots and culture tunes for MCS that have most successfully established his reputation in this country so far. "Tear Down Babylon" flew straight to the No.1 slot soon after it's release in 1996 and stayed on the UK reggae charts for several months. Today it's regarded as a classic of the new UK dancehall/roots movement, and can still be heard thundering over sound-systems and pirate radio stations the length and breadth of Europe. 
The follow-up "Mankind" also topped the charts in several European countries (including Italy), and "Nah Go Down Deh" also proved to be yet another successful release. These songs plus many others were contained on his extremely successful "Tear Down Babylon" album. 
Since then, Sandeeno has continued to release many popular tunes for producers like <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=78">Fashion</a>, Blacker Dread (including the immortal "Borrowed Time"), RDK and Yush. 
August 2001 saw a long-planned visit to the <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=56">Third Eye Studio</a> finally materialise, where Sandeeno voiced two real killer tracks produced by <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=236">Rootsman</a> - "Hard Road To Travel" and "Thinking Back in Time". "Thinking Back in Time" is contained on Rootsman's "<a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/albumDetail.jsp?aid=3186">New Testament</a>" album.

Sandeeno on BigUp Radio ● Listen Live

← Browse All Artists