About me:

A broken leg led to my obsession with reggae? In 1971, my father Ron, broke his leg playing for the Cleveland Browns and rented a private villa (Bleu Haven A) from some friends in Cleveland for a months stay in Ocho Rios. There I heard a mento combo (wonder if it was the Jolly Boys) and that was that- I've been hooked on Island Music ever since from that young age. Belafonte's version of Jamaica Farewell is something I've been playing in my head since those early days. During the 70's my parents brought back some great reggae from several trips to Jamaica-mostly Third World and Bob Marley. But it wasn't just Jamaica's musical pulse I felt, on other vacations to Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands- i learned that these islands are also full of amazing riddims. In the early 80's I was listening to a local radio show on KUCI 88.9FM Irvine with DJ Goldilox called "Rocking Reggae" each and every week, taping the shows to savor the music over and over. I also listened to the great KCRW show the Reggae Beat with Roger Steffens and Hank Holmes. One day in 1983, my friend Hugh and I skateboarded over to the KUCI studio and met with DJ Goldilox- this was the day I decided I wanted to be a reggae DJ. Listening to KUCI to hear this show each week was something to look forward to. In 1986, Hugh and I won tickets from KUCI to see Bunny Wailer at Cal State Long Beach for his first show outside JA in many years. It is mostly Goldilox that gave me a desire to take REGGAE 101(not a school class actually but lots of reading liner notes, observing and learning all you can about the roots and history of reggae) and it set me on a path I'm still trodding today. A few years back I was able to relink again with Goldilox and thank her for doing her job as a DJ, inspiring youth with positive music and lyrics and passing the torch to the next generations. During High School where my love for reggae music continued with thanks to friends who said "Here, have you heard THIS?"-ordering records by mail and sitting down and discovering an album like Wiser Dread or Knotty Vision and saying "wow". I even met with the headmaster and tried to get a radio station going on campus and was told in plain terms,no way Jose, "too difficult, blah blah, etc". But I am proud to say many many years down the road Brewster Academy finally has a radio station in 2005.
In 1997, I met another Reggae fan DJ Gregory G at a local record store and he told me he had just started a Reggae show on KUCI called Uptown Top Ranking. Tim and I won tickets to see Pato Banton and made Gregory a T-Shirt which we gave to him. We made a T-shirt for Lee "Scratch" Perry and Gregory gave it to him onstage in 1997 at the Coach House and were surprised to see Scratch wearing it in a photo taken by Jim Marshall(you can see it here). I wound up taking the training course and joined Gregory G on air as the Co-host a few months later. From 1997-2000 Gregory and I interviewed many of Reggae's Legends to it's latest rising stars. My friend Tim Noble has also played a huge part in the show, creating websites and logos, taking pictures, getting ids and making T Shirts. In Late 1999, control of Uptown Top Ranking was given to me by KUCI management and Gregory G left in early 2000 to work his sound system in Long Beach. To Gregory- I give thanks as he helped make my dream of being on KUCI come true.
2000 brought in King Pablo aka Sean Panigutti and he stayed till 2003 before going back to his excellent Firehouse Rock show which is heard on KUCI Fridays 10am-1pm Pacific.
In 2004, Tim aka DJ Jah T became the Co-host and continues being a major part of Uptown Top Ranking history.

Uptown Top Ranking is KUCI's longest running Reggae Program and continues to play reggae music from all around the world and sharing the good vibes.
UPTOWN TOP RANKING is also the 2nd longest running reggae show in Orange County History after KSBR/KWAVE Reggae Showcase.
In 2001, I worked at the World of Reggae Exhibit at the Queen Mary as the Sole (soul)Tour Guide. This exhibit featured the treasures of the Roger Steffens Reggae Archives. While working there I met many reggae fans from around the world, as well as people who had never known anything about reggae-left richer for taking the time to walk through the exhibit. I also met many Reggae Artists as they came to view the exhibit and sometime I got to witness the double takes of fans as Bunny Wailer, Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths,Ziggy Marley, Ky-mani Marley, Al Campbell, Ras Michael,Sugar Minott, Tony Chin, Phil Chen, Tippa Irie walked through this living reggae history -which they've all have had hands in making. This was truly an honor to work there and I give Large Respect to Roger Steffens and Global Treasures, Mike Wardlow for presenting a reggae experience like this.
In the late 90's I wrote a few articles and reviews for Downey CA based REGGAE NUCLEUS MAGAZINE- which was a great source for Reggae and Ska fans and now sadly missed. I'd like to thank Eric Kohler, Ireno Rodriguez and Russell Gerlach, Junior Francis, Rude Girl, and rest of the Staff, it was a honor to be a part of it.
In 2004, Uptown Top Ranking and Firehouse Rock were named two of the best radio shows in Orange County by the OC Weekly. In 2007, KUCI was again voted best radio station in OC by the OC WEEKLY and again in
2008 KUCI 88.9FM was again voted best Radio Station in Orange County by the OC Weekly, maybe it has something to do with having the most Reggae per week 10 hours as of 4/1/2009 in Orange County of any radio station-or just maybe because KUCI is a great radio station. Check Out David Roots and his show I Got Rocks to the KUCI airwaves Saturdays 4-6pm Pacific on KUCI and then listen to the Dread Zone (2 hours of Dub). KUCI is the number one source of Reggae music in Orange County Californa
After 10 years doing the show, in Sep 2007 I finally got a write up in the OC Register magazine Squeeze OC check the article at http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/were-jammin-1272912
I am very proud to have given Third World's Bunny Ruggs Clarke the idea to record a song with Julian Lennon "Hold Tight" and having provided a few lines in the lyric- but I am still waiting for some kind of credit for my part in the songs creation. I guess I will just have to be glad I have influenced a band that I grew up being influenced by. I am very glad I have been able to spin the best in Roots Music from all around the world to the world and the OC for the last 12+ years now. When I get calls from fans who tell me the show means something to them, its good medicine for me. Thanks again Goldilox! I also have had the honor of working the ASUCI with it's yearly reggae show called Reggaefest, for students on the UC Irvine campus. I've served as MC, DJ and also booking assistance. This year 2009 will be the 22nd year.

If you'd like to submit any music to KUCI please send it to BIG JIM SNIDOW REGGAE DIRECTOR KUCI 88.9FM PO BOX 4362 IRVINE CA 92612 or send me mp3 files @UTRDJBIGJIM@GMAIL.COM or DJBIGJIM@YAHOO.COM I've also got a yahoo group for Uptown Top Ranking @ http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rootsreggaedjs/
LIST OF ARTISTS INTERVIEWED ON UPTOWN TOP RANKING 1997 on: Winton Rodney -Burning Spear Ralston Grant and Norman Grant of the Twinkle Brothers Apple Gabriel- formerly of Israel Vibration Ras Michael Henry - Nyabinghi Specialist Haile Maskel- Michael Rose- Ziggy Marley- Kymani Marley- Donald Manning of the Abyssinians- Cedric Myton of the Congos- Bunny Ruggs of Third World- Keith Porter of the Itals- Peter Rowan-Bluegrass Legend/ Reggaebilly Pioneer- Tony Chin-Guitsy Extreme!- Fully Fullwood- Bassie Extreme- Ranking Joe -Choice JA DJ- Pato Banton, Dave Wakeling of the English Beat & General Public, Andru Branch, Danny Clarke of the Meditations- Mikey Dread(many times)- Isaac Haile Selassie- Selwyn Brown and David "Dread" Hinds of Steel Pulse- Dr. "Cosmo" Fraser (we all need to hear from the reggae DR!),Clinton Fearon of the Gladiators and the Boogie Brown Band-Aggrolites Half Pint- Watty Burnett-of the Congos- Lloyd "Bread" McDonald of the Wailing Souls- Garth Dennis of Black Uhuru and Wailing Souls- the legendary producer Jah Man Swaby of 129 Beat St. fame Ras Otis "Obey Jah" White- Chrisinti & Eight 76 Records Producer Yahbreeze Taj Weekes,Ras Shiloh, Jah Roots from Missouri, Trevy Felix and Lesterfari from BOOM SHAKA Rula Brown, Eric from Soul Majestic, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay of the Grateful Dead Lloyd Hemmings- Jeffrey Moss of Roots Underground- Wadi Gad, Kaya from the Lambsbread, Joseph Israel, Kevin Kinsella, Tommy Benedetti from John Browns Body, Gilly Gilbert IKUS records head and Ital Chef for Bob Marley, IWORD WOLDE SELASSIE- recorded Spread the Word LP TUFF GONG (1981) Tchiya Amet-very gifted singer and songwriter, Anna Fisher, Nadine Sutherland, Dr. Irving Schaffner- African Humanitarian, Thousand Oaks Dr- Poet and Teacher and Musician Joy Harjo, Reggae Historian Roger Steffens- REGGAE BEAT MAGAZINE,KCRW, WORLD OF REGGAE exhibit, GURU Reggae Roberto Angotti (KROQ KNAC REGGAE DJ)- Author David Katz: author of "People Funny Boy" and "Solid Foundation"- Author Norman Stolzoff author of "WAKE THE TOWN"- Author Robert Roskind "RASTAHEART" and "GATHERING OF THE ELDERS"- Author/Photographer/Producer LEE JAFFE "ONE LOVE: MY LIFE WITH BOB MARLEY & The WAILERS Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and Mystic Bowie from the Tom Tom Club/Talking Heads Zema - Deep roots singer, one of my favorites Harrison Stafford of Groundation, Soul Majestic, Sizzla Kalonji, Fyah Blaze, David Asher from the Process, Rusty Zinn, Mystic Roots,Katchafire, Natural Vibrations, Iration, Gavinchi- Joe Tomino- Drummer from NYC band DUB TRIO, Tortelvis, Charly Haj,Carl Jah and Bob Knarley from Dread Zeppelin. I've also interviewed excellent reggae artists from Orange County/Los Angeles but also from all over California (golden state for Reggae Music) Isouljahs- Kyng Arthur- Kurt Mahoney's ROOTS FOUNDATION- Upstream- Harlan Steinberger, Artist and Hen House Studios Head RASCALIN AND THE ROOTS ROCKERS- 420 Band- Mass Confusion, Kiro and Africa Corner Drum Squad, Jah Mark and the Soul Shakers- Cannons(Santa Barbara)- Isouljahs- BADFISH- Chapter 11- King Nappy- Resination (San Luis Obispo)- Danny Dread from RISING LION- Mr. Ganjahmon aka MC Stew- Jativa- Local Culture- Tulasi- Waterhouse- DreadStarr- Jah Mex- Cubensis- The Lions- Dread Daze-