Artist:Max Romeo
Song:Chase the Devil
Album:Ultimate Collection
Max Romeo was a Jamaican singer songwriter who became popular in the 70s with a more mature sound than we were hearing from singers at the time. It started with the sexually suggestive lyrics of the 1968 hit single Wet Dream and continued in the 70s with hits like the 1976 single Chase the Devil. Romeo wrote most of his hits with legendary producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. He was born Maxwell Livingston Smith Nov. 22, 1944 in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. He left home at age 14 and worked at a sugar plantation in Clarendon. After winning a local talent contest, Romeo moved to Kingston to start a music career. In 1965, he formed The Emotions with Kenneth Knight and Lloyd Shakespeare while working at Caltone Records. The group was unsuccessful until Caltone owner Ken Lack heard Romeo singing to himself and offered The Emotions an audition. After a few singles, Smith was calling himself Max Romeo and he started a solo career in 1968. After a slow start, Romeo had his breakthrough hit with the single Wet Dream. After it was a hit in Jamaica, the song was banned from the BBC for overtly sexual lyrics. That always spikes record sales. Romeo always claimed that Wet Dream was about a leaky roof. Wet Dream was a top ten hit in England. Romeo released his first album and toured England. Romeo's 1971 album Let the Power Fail had some politically charged songs including the title song which was the theme for the 1972 Jamaican election. After that, Romeo started working with Perry and they wrote and produced his 1976 album War Ina Babylon featuring the single Chase the Devil. Romeo and Perry wrote Chase the Devil. You can get it on this comp. Romeo and Perry had a falling out. Romeo wasn't as successful after that. He moved to New York wrote and starred in the 1978 Broadway musical Reggae. After appearing on The Rolling Stones' 1980 album Emotional Rescue, Keith Richards produced Romeo's 1981 album Holding Out My Love to You, an unsuccessful attempt by Romeo to break into the US market. After working at a New York electronics store, John Holt convinced Romeo to return to Jamaica. Romeo continued to record and tour. His sons are known as the duo Rominal. His daughter records as Xana Romeo. Max Romeo died on Apr. 11, 2025 at age 80. Here's the video for Chase the Devil by Max Romeo.
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