Dubucation

leamas

leamas

Well-known member
I've realised recently that my knowledge of dub is seriously poor given that most of the music I like is so closely related to it. I've always liked stuff like Basic Channel, Deepchord, and I grew up listening to Jungle and DnB. More recently I've been enjoying some of the Dubstep that I've heard, especially Kode, Pereverelist, Skull Disco etc... I've always been overawed by the sheer volume of dub out there and not really known where to start.

Hence, at the risk of courting ridicule, I'd be really grateful for, say, your top ten suggestions for a dub education. Can be tunes or albums. Preferably stuff which can be picked up without breaking the bank :cool:
 
STN

STN

sou'wester
Some quick personal favourites off the top of my head, all oldies:

Aswad - A New Chapter of Dub
Augustus Pablo - Africa Must Be Free by 1983 dub (available with vocal album on one CD)
The Mighty 3 - Africa Shall Stretch forth her hand (available with vocal album on one CD/Double LP)
Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus - Rastafari Dub
Scientist Clocktower Dub
King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown

A lot of the blood and fire stuff is worth checking too - esp the Glenn Brown one in my opinion. The Yabby You one has some incredible dubbing on it too.

Will think on it and come up with more...
 
blubeat

blubeat

blubeat
Crikey. Where to start. Tubby. Jammy. Perry. Shaka. Shaka. Shaka!

If you want a very cheap primer:

http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=29495 £1.99 for a mix (mp3 download) with some choice cuts.

Otherwise check out this thread on dubstepforum.com for some mixes and see which artists you like then you can make a more educated choice:

http://dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3374&highlight=

Also a 77 minute Tubby mix:

http://dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=18540&highlight=roots

Hope that helps. Holla back when you're done!

:)
 
A

Anderai

Active member
...and here's a few others:

Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub (Blood & Fire)
King Tubby's - In Fine Style (Trojan)
Studio One Dub (Soul Jazz)
Various - Forward The Bass: Dub From Randy's (Blood & Fire)

and a couple of mid-price compilations on Metro:

Dub/Original Bass Culture and Dub/More Original Bass Culture
 
leamas

leamas

Well-known member
@ STN and Anderai - thanks, going to seek all those out, looks good

@ Blubeat just downloaded those (8!) mixes and also picked up the dub vault mp3 from BK - mixed by pendle coven who I also really like, cheers

:D
 
blubeat

blubeat

blubeat
leamas said:
@ Blubeat just downloaded those (8!) mixes and also picked up the dub vault mp3 from BK - mixed by pendle coven who I also really like, cheers
Click to expand...

When you get done you could do worse than sign up to emusic.com - you can opt out after the free trial period with no penalty but you will have 25 free non-DRM good quality bit rate dub mp3's.

Have a look at their selection for Dub:

http://www.emusic.com/browse/0/b/-dbm/a/0-0/1200000337/0.html

I pay £11.99 per month and get 65 tracks each month.

If I sound like I am plugging them then I am but only because I have been a happy customer for two years, I don't get comission!
 
leamas

leamas

Well-known member
blubeat said:
When you get done you could do worse than sign up to emusic.com - you can opt out after the free trial period with no penalty but you will have 25 free non-DRM good quality bit rate dub mp3's.
Click to expand...

Thx for the heads up, I've tried emusic and already exhausted the trial. I wasn't that impressed by the overall quality of the catalogue when compared to some of the other sites available. In fact I was a member of Napster for a while because they just have everything but I no longer have a pc at work so it doesn't make sense.

Maybe when I've established a taste for dub it will seem more worthwhile...
 
D

Diggedy Derek

Stray Dog
By the Rough Guide To Reggae. It's a wonderful book, and everything it says is essential is wonderful. You really can't go wrong.
 
M

mms

sometimes
Diggedy Derek said:
By the Rough Guide To Reggae. It's a wonderful book, and everything it says is essential is wonderful. You really can't go wrong.
Click to expand...

quite right.
please please please don't forget that dub originally was just a mix of a song and without the song the dub would not exist.
things might have changed now where dub is a method, but this is an important thing i think.
 
matt b

matt b

Indexing all opinion
mms said:
quite right.
please please please don't forget that dub originally was just a mix of a song and without the song the dub would not exist.
things might have changed now where dub is a method, but this is an important thing i think.
Click to expand...

yeah- i'd always go for albums where the vocal is followed by the dub. eg. jacob miller
 
M

martin

----
King Tubby / Prince Jammy - Dub Gone 2 Crazy
Lee Perry - Kung Fu Meets The Dragon / Original Blackboard Jungle
Scientist - Meets the Space Invaders
Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub
Augustus Pablo - Original Rockers
V/A - Trojan Dub Box Sets Vols 1&2

I honestly can't see you going wrong with these for starters
 
john eden

john eden

male pale and stale
All of the above and you might want to consider these three for a different flava:

v/a - Lead With The Bass (UK dub from the 90s including classic tracks by The Disciples and Iration Steppas)

V/a - Xterminator presents MLK dub (JA dub from the 1990s - i.e. when most people weren't making it!)

v/a - Macro Dub Infection - you may already know this one but it's some nice 90s experimental dub compiled by Kevin Martin aka The Bug.

I'd reiterate the point about songs being important - if you are like a lot of people YOU WILL become obsessed with the vocal snippets and end up trying to track down the songs themselves. Its akin to a mania, but enjoy the ride.
 
STN

STN

sou'wester
I wouldn't disagree with a single suggestion on here so far.

It's easy to dismiss, but Lee Perry's Arkology has some great dubs and is in the tune/dub/tune/dub format. As does Barry Brown's Midnight Rock at Channel One (dubbed by Scientist). Having the vocal cut always lets you love the dub a little bit more I think.

Oh, and The Best of Pablo Gad is pretty crucial.
 
M

mms

sometimes
would add to this cry tough dub encounter 3 by prince fari.

and kaya dub by the aggrovators, which has just been re-released - rather nice rough hewn marley covers dubbed up.
 
STN

STN

sou'wester
mms said:
would add to this cry tough dub encounter 3 by prince fari.

QUOTE]

Definitely - an all star and unusual line-up on that LP. For more 'conventional' dub (if there is any such thing), Cry Tuff 1 and 2 (esp 2) are pretty good as well.

King Tubby meets Lee Perry - 'Open the Gate' is hard to beat for upful, carefree dubs.
There's a nice Dennis Bovell comp on Pressure Sounds which is a good place to start with him.
Click to expand...
 
blubeat

blubeat

blubeat
The Burning Spear 2CD Marcus Garvey/Marcus Garvey Ghost has a vocal CD and then a versions dub CD. These days I think a dub is equally likely to be a version or a method. It's a good point tho - the tradition of a DJ playing a vocal and then a dub is a strong one and is employed at all the current dances.

I do take the point about eMusic.com as well - I wasn't impressed with the catalogue until I found all of the Reggae which, bizarrely, is filed under "International". Now I'm happy!

Is Napster .mp3 and .wma or just .wma? I *thought* I avoided it as it was .wma only - maybe I need to look again?

Where else is good for dub/reggae/roots as no-DRM/high-bit-rate downloads?

Boomkat
eMusic
...?

I have finished work for the week and I'm off to Camden to buy some vinyl :cool:
 
blubeat

blubeat

blubeat
john eden said:
v/a - Macro Dub Infection - you may already know this one but it's some nice 90s experimental dub compiled by Kevin Martin aka The Bug.
Click to expand...
Ooh! So nice I'm leaving work early to try and find it! And buy the book. This thread is very interesting!

@ STN: Top selection! Arkology was the soundtrack for all my kid's births and subsequent cot rearing. Arkology is always on loop in the kids bedroom :D
 
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