A scarce mid-1960s Jamaican 45 issued on Pat’s Record—the boutique imprint associated with Vincent “Randy” Chin and Patricia “Miss Pat” Chin of Randy’s/Studio 17 (later founders of VP Records). Musically it captures Alton Ellis in full ska stride with the Skatalites behind him: A-side vocal “Mouth A Massey,” flip “Ska Beat.” First issues are Jamaican pressings.
Label / production background
Pat’s Record (Jamaica): a small Randy’s-connected label used on select mid-’60s singles; titles often appear without a formal cat. no. (listed as “none” on Discogs).
Randy’s / the Chin family: Randy’s Record Mart (shop) and Studio 17 were run by Vincent “Randy” Chin and Miss Pat—later the nucleus for VP Records in New York. Their ecosystem handled recording, retail, and export/distribution.
Why it matters: linkage to Randy’s/Studio 17 boosts desirability—many cornerstone ska/rocksteady sides trace back to this network.
Dating the original
Commonly cited year: 1965 on multiple discographies and release pages
Conflicting listings: some 45cat entries list 1963; treat as tentative metadata rather than documented label copy. For sale/insurance descriptions, “c. 1965” is safest.
Known original variants (Jamaica)
Mouth A Massy / Ska Beat – Studio One (7", Jamaica, c.1965)
Some pressings exist with different Studio One label designs (red/white, blue/white), a common practice at the time, though the audio pressing is the same
This record belongs to Ellis’s early ska/rocksteady period and is considered a highly collectible Jamaican 7-inch today.