Israel Vibration are a reggae harmony group, originating from Kingston, Jamaica. Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skelly" Spence all contracted childhood polio, and went on to be a Jamaican roots reggae group in the 1970s. The trio initially met as children at a rehabilitation center.
History
Bulgin (born 1955), Craig (1955–2020), and Spence (1952–2022) first met as children at the Mona Rehabilitation Clinic, all polio patients in the epidemic that spread through Jamaica in the 1950s. Several years later they formed Israel Vibration. Craig attended the Alpha Boys School but ran away at the age of fourteen, living on the streets. The single was successful enough for the group to be offered support slots at shows by artists such as Dennis Brown, Inner Circle, and Bob Marley. The album, and its dub counterpart, Israel Tafari (aka Same Song Dub) were a success internationally, leading to a deal with EMI label Harvest to reissue the album in the UK, the label also releasing a second album, Unconquered People in 1980. They each attempted to launch solo careers, with Bulgin releasing the Mr Sunshine album in 1985, but by 1987 they decided to relaunch Israel Vibration. Skelly and Wiss continue to record albums and tour the world as Israel Vibration, backed by longtime associates Roots Radics. In December 2014 they were reportedly recording a new album set for release in early 2015. The new album, entitled "Play It Real" was released on 31 March 2015 via Utopia. On March 23, 2020, Albert "Apple Gabriel" co-founder and former member of the group died due to 'compilation sickness', earlier reports indicated that Albert was not well for quite some time, this was supposedly due to some of the polio infections left in his body. On a Facebook post on March 7, 2020, he had indicated that he had had a stroke. He died on March 23, 2020. On August 26, 2022, Cecil "Skelly" Spence died of lung cancer.
Discography
thumb|right|280px|Skelly in 2006
thumb|right|280px|Skelly in 2018
thumb|right|280px|Wiss in 2018
Studio albums
- The Same Song (1978), Top Ranking
- Unconquered People (1979), Harvest
- Why You So Craven (1981), Volcano
- Strength of My Life (1988), RAS
- Praises (1990), RAS
- Dub Vibration: Israel Vibration in Dub (1990), RAS
- Forever (1991), RAS
- IV (1993), RAS
- I.V.D.U.B. (1994), RAS
- On the Rock (1995), RAS
- Dub the Rock (1995), RAS
- Israel Dub (1996), RAS
- Free to Move (1996), RAS
- Ras Portraits (1997), RAS
- Pay the Piper (1999), RAS
- Jericho (2000), RAS
- Power of the Trinity (2002)
- Dub Combo (2001), RAS
- Fighting Soldiers (2003)
- Cool and Calm (2005)
- Stamina (2007), Mediacom
- Reggae Knights (2010), Mediacom
- Play It Real (2015), Utopia
- Reggae Never Dies (2025)
Live albums
- Israel Vibration & The Gladiators Live at Reggae Sunsplash (1982)
- Vibes Alive (1992), RAS
Living truth (1999)
- Live Again! (1997), RAS
- Live & Jammin (2003), Nocturne
- Vibes of Zion (2024)
- Basco Sessions (2025)