Dub To Bring Cooldown After Record Breaking Heatwave

Flippin' hot, isn't it?!

My car ended up in the garage on Monday, so I had the additional joy of using the Great Western Railway service for a large chunk of my commute for most of this week. 

Which also meant spending up to two hours stuck in the train station each evening, watching successive homeward bound trains either being delayed, cancelled or, bizarrely, still showing as "on time" even though their arrival time had long passed and there was no sign of them.

Anyway, what got me to a rather more chilled space - mentally if not physically - was a playlist of reggae and dub music, guaranteed to get me to a better place, even if the effing trains couldn't manage it.

Hence the inspiration for today's selection. Top tunes from John Holt, Horseman and Winston Francis (both ably assisted by Prince Fatty), Big Youth, Derrick Morgan, The Heptones and Lee 'Scratch' Perry.

There's also a generous portion of dub, courtesy of The Crystalites and Augustus Pablo, Linton Kwesi Johnson, G.G. Allstars, Horace Andy, King Tubby, Dennis Bovell, Adrian Sherwood and Scientist.

And, if you're interested in this kind of thing, today's post title is a BBC News headline. In dub, naturally.

Not as cool os a shady pool, perhaps and too cool for school, but it's cool enough for this old fool!

1) Which Way You Going Baby (Jamaican Mix): John Holt (1973)

2) Bass & Drum Version: The Crystalites ft. Big Youth & Augustus Pablo (1973)

3) Funny Dub (Version By Linton Kwesi Johnson & Dennis Bovell): Linton Kwesi Johnson (1979)

4) Mosquito Dub (Remix By Alvin Ranglin): G.G. Allstars (1973)

5) Ghetto (Album Version By Horseman & Prince Fatty): Horseman ft. Winston Reedy (2014)

6) Georgie: Big Youth (1995)

7) The Break: Prince Fatty ft. Winston Francis (2019)

8) Shirley Come Back To Me: Derrick Morgan (1975)

9) Don't Try To Dub: Horace Andy (1973)

10) Sneak Invasion Dub: King Tubby (1976)

11) Cool Rasta: The Heptones (1976)

12) In Tha Mix: Dennis Bovell (2012)

13) His Master's Voice: Lee 'Scratch' Perry (2009)

14) Counter Intelligence Dub: Scientist (1974)

1973: Backslider EP: 4

1973: Dock Of The Bay EP: 2

1973: 1000 Volts Of Holt: 1

1975: Feel So Good: 8

1976: Cool Rasta: 11

1979: Sonny's Lettah! EP: 3

1995: Joe Gibbs Presents: D.J. Originators Vol. 1: Head To Head: 6

2002: Dub / More Bass Culture: 10, 14

2009: Dub Setter: 13

2011: Jackpot Presents Horace Andy In Dub: 9

2012: Mek It Run: 12

2014: Dawn Of The Dread: 5

2019: In The Viper's Shadow: 7

Dub To Bring Cooldown (46:24) (GD) (M)

And because we've all made it to the weekend, here's my Lovers Rock selection from March 2022.

No More Crying, Heartaches, Sorrows Or Pain

A "quick" post about Johnny Clarke that inevitably turned into a big detour...

Having been listening to it over the weekend, my intention was simply to post Johnny's 1977 classic Every Knee Shall Bow and a couple of accompanying versions. So, without further ado, here's the original single version, produced by Bunny 'Striker' Lee...

...followed by the self-produced extended version from 1978, featuring U-Roy and a superlative dub from King Tubby on the flipside...

...and last, but certainly not least, U-Roy's own take on the song, one of his last recordings before his untimely passing in 2021. This is huge in every sense, over 15 minutes in length and featuring Big Youth and Mick Jones, with Youth, Zak Starkey and Dave Sardy at the controls. 

And the detour? Right at the top of this post, looking on YouTube for Johnny Clarke clips, I discovered rediscovered a full set from the Mekudeshet Festival in Jerusalem on 19th September 2019, Johnny performing with Dub Asante Band and Matic Horns. Well worth an hour and a quarter of your time.

Levelling The Vibes

Back to Bristol and Rob Smith aka RSD aka Blue & Red aka one half of More Rockers aka founder member of the legendary Smith & Mighty. And that's before I add other examples such as Zion Band, Restriction and Jaz Klash...

Today's selection is a brisk ten-track jog through Rob's solo and remix work between 2003 and 2021. It barely scratches the surface, to be honest, but at least gives a snapshot of the skill at work behind the desk and with a host of collaborators including Alice Perera, Sasha Perera, Jah Device, Kelz and Tammy Payne.

 

For more - much more - of Rob Smith's music, head over to his Bandcamp page.

 

1) Righteous (Dubstep Remix By RSD): Evergreen, Landlord & Ruckspin ft. Danman (2011)

2) Likeminded: Rob Smith ft. Alice Perera (2003)

3) Jim Screechy (Dub Roller Youth) (Remix By Rob Smith): Big Youth (2015)

4) Ningun Hombre (Rob Smith aka RSD Remix): Dactah Chando (2013)

5) Pump Up The Volume (Rob Smith aka RSD Remix) (Cover of M|A|R|R|S): Rude Boy ft. Kardi Tivali (2021)

6) State Of Emergency (Rob Smith aka RSD Dub Remix): Illbilly Hitec ft. Longfingah & Lady N (2013)

7) Work!: Rob Smith ft. Jah Device & Sasha Perera (2014)

8) Finding Feathers: Rob Smith ft. MC Kelz (2007)

9) Same (Smith 2019 Mix): Smith & Mighty ft. Tammy Payne (2019)

10) Boxes And Amps (Remixed By Rob Smith): Zion Train ft. Dubdadda (2009)

 

Levelling The Vibes (50:10) (Box) (Mega)

Couldn't Drag Me Away

Today's eclectic selection is linked by one thing. According to Apple Music, I last listened to these songs on 16th December in previous years. I'll leave you to surmise which ones got an airing last year and which haven't troubled a playlist since 2015 and which have fallen into varying degrees of neglect in between.

Nothing wrong with any of the songs per se, it's one of the challenges of having so much (too much?) music to listen to, with more new stuff coming in all the time, this year being no exception.

The selection opens with two of 2022's top acts, Working Men's Club and Confidence Man coming together in a remix soundclash. Prince appears in potty-mouthed abusive character from The Black Album, recorded in 1987 but shelved until an official, limited release in 1994. Another Prince - Prince Fatty, that is - pops up twice, firstly with Big Youth and Marcia Griffiths and again at the controls with Horseman. There's also a rematch between The Beatles (courtesy of My Brightest Diamond) and The Stones.

 

As I said, an eclectic selection that starts off in the club, staggers to the late night cafe and then stumbles home, regretting the excess the following morning. Perfect for a Friday going into Saturday, in that case.

1) First Class Bitch (Working Men's Club Remix): Confidence Man (2020)

2) Lararari (Canzone Felice) (Santos Disco) (Edit) (Remix By Sabino Contartese & Davide Marsilio): Santos & Sabino (1998)

3) Bob George: Prince (1987)

4) Gangster Tripping (Long Edit): Fatboy Slim (1998)

5) Of Course I'm Lying (The Truth Is) (Remix By Boris Blank & Dieter Meier): Yello (1989)

6) Steppin' Out Of Babylon: Prince Fatty ft. Big Youth & Marcia Griffiths (2019)

7) Wild Horses (Acoustic): The Rolling Stones (1971)

8) I Sold My Soul On Ebay: Swansea Sound (2020)

9) No In A Dat (Album Version): Horseman (2014)

10) Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (Cover of The Beatles): My Brightest Diamond (2008)

 

1989: Of Course I'm Lying EP: 5

1994: The Black Album: 3

1998: Gangster Tripping EP (USA promo CDS): 4

1998: VC Recordings Summer Sampler EP: 2 

2008: The White Album Recovered (Mojo magazine promo CD): 10

2014: Dawn Of The Dread: 9

2015: Sticky Fingers (Deluxe Edition): 7

2019: In The Viper's Shadow: 6

2020: First Class Bitch EP: 1

2021: Live At The Rum Puncheon: 8

Couldn't Drag Me Away (45:19) (Box) (Mega)

Wise Up! Again

Side 1 of a mixtape, recorded between December 1991 and January 1992. When I posted Side 2 last August, I mentioned the use of a couple of tracks from Keeping The Faith: A Creation Dance Compilation and there's another here. I didn't buy either of the two 12" singles of Come Together by Primal Scream at the time, but the excellent Hypnotone remix opened Side 2 of Keeping The Faith and remains my second only to Andrew Weatherall's unassailable mix. 

 

The other reference point on this mixtape side is Renegade Soundwave's debut album Soundclash. Excellent though it is, I think the real reason two tracks appear here is that I had been lent a copy by my friend Stuart and ended up cramming songs onto various mixtapes before returning it. 

 

There's also a heavy Adrian Sherwood vibe on this side, with production and remix duties for Cabaret Voltaire, Gary Clail / On-U Sound System and Tackhead. The full length version of False Leader featured on the album The Emotional Hooligan, whilst this edit was a B-side of the Escape remix 12". The Tackhead remix of Dangerous Sex was edited to squeeze onto the cassette side, so I've done the same here to preserve the original running time.

 

A Certain Ratio's Martin Moscrop remixes opening instrumental Bendy, which initially appeared on the Intastella single People; my copy resurfaced on the limited edition "Intastella Meet Adamski" remix 12" of follow-up Century. This is my favourite version of the song.

 

Killing Joke's Youth remixes Pop Will Eat Itself, dropping the BPMs and stretching the song out to over five minutes. Again, this one has the edge as my preferred version and - no surprise - provides the mixtape with its title.

 

Lastly, the song that introduced me to Colourbox. I picked up the Vertigo-Sampler from a record stall in St. Nicholas' Market in Bristol a few years previously, a Canadian import double vinyl compilation from 1985. If I'm honest, most of it is dispensable: late-period Boomtown Rats, Big Country, Dire Straits and - even more dire - Mark Knopfler solo, twice! However, there are a couple of sides of alternative and indie music: Cocteau Twins, Love And Rockets, This Mortal Coil and Colourbox, which made the price worth a punt. 

The Colourbox track is listed as Sex Gun (Instrumental Version) but is identical to the version (re)titled Just Give 'Em Whiskey on their eponymous debut album. The vocal version of Sex Gun made it onto the free extra album that came with limited quantities, though the one featured in today’s selection is far and away the best version out there, heavy with samples from Westworld and The Prisoner.

 

1) Bendy In The Disco (Remix By Martin Moscrop): Intastella (1991)

2) Biting My Nails (Album Version By Flood & RSW): Renegade Soundwave (1989)

3) Thank You America (Album Version By Cabaret Voltaire & Adrian Sherwood): Cabaret Voltaire (1987)

4) False Leader (Edit By Adrian Sherwood, Doug Wimbish & Skip McDonald): Gary Clail / On-U Sound System ft. Big Youth (1991)

5) Head Like A Hole (Album Version By Trent Reznor & Flood): Nine Inch Nails (1990)

6) Come Together (The HypnotoneBrainMachine Mix By Hypnotone): Primal Scream (1990)

7) Wise Up! Sucker (12" Version By Youth): Pop Will Eat Itself (1989)

8) Blue Eyed Boy (Album Version By Flood & RSW): Renegade Soundwave (1989)

9) Sex Gun (Instrumental Version) (aka Just Give 'Em Whiskey): Colourbox (1985)

10) Sex Overdubs (Remix By Adrian Sherwood, Doug Wimbish, Keith LeBlanc & Skip McDonald) (Edit): Tackhead (1990)

 

Side One (45:59)

Side Two here

Watching How The Other Half Lives

Having posted an Adrian Sherwood mix earlier this week, fate, coincidence, serendipity, whatever you wish to call it, determined that this would not be the only Sherwood/ON-U Sound post this week.

 

Idling on BBC4 last night, watching Island At The BBC, a compilation of Island Records artist performances, I then drifted on to the Top Of The Pops repeat, this time from 28th March 1991. I was in Australia at the time so I didn't see the original broadcast, though I'm not sure I was particularly watching the show in the early 1990s. It was much as to be expected: Dannii Minogue, Bee Gees, The Rolling Stones, Chesney Hawkes, effing Jive Bunny, but there were some saving moments from James, Definition Of Sound and Scritti Politti featuring Shabba Ranks (the latter nowhere to be seen in the video).

 

And 'live' in the studio, making his debut at #25, was Gary Clail / On-U Sound System with this song:

 

Human Nature (Live On TOTP): Gary Clail / On-U Sound System ft. Alan Lanah Pillay

 

Bruno Brookes, atop the studio scaffold, introduces Clail as only he can: "Here's a guy who started his career as a scaffolder in Bristol and is certainly somebody who's got a head for heights..." I'm guessing he was predicting the song's Top 10 placing and nine weeks in the charts. 

 

The song originally appeared as a promo 12" on Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto label, heavily featuring samples of American evangelist Billy Graham. It's a great version as it was, but clearance issues meant that Clail adapted the lyrics based on Graham's speech and recorded them himself, to the song's benefit. However, what really lifts the song to another level is the appearance of unexpected guest vocalist, Alan Lanah Pillay. With Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne on the mix, it's a perfect combination of social commentary that you can dance to. And, having been born in Bristol, hearing Clail's West Country burr on a Top 10 hit still prompts a happy smile.

 

An added bonus of Human Nature's success was that it meant that the mighty Bim Sherman also achieved a UK Top 10 hit, albeit featuring on the single's B-side, Rumours.

All of which has prompted me to ditch another planned post this morning in favour of a Gary Clail / On-U Sound playlist, mainly focusing on the 1989-1991 singles.

 

1) Human Nature (On The Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne) (DJ Promo ft. Billy Graham) (1991) 

2) False Leader (Pay It All Back Version By Adrian Sherwood & Doug Wimbish) (ft. Big Youth) (1991)

3) Another Hard Dub (Remix By Adrian Sherwood) (1995)

4) Beef (The Future Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne) (ft. Bim Sherman) (1990)

5) Rumours (ft. Bim Sherman) (1991)

6) Two Thieves And A Liar (ft. Bim Sherman) (1989)

7) The Emotional Hooligan (Dubwize Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne) (1991)

8) Human Nature (On The Mix By Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne) (ft. Alan Lanah Pillay) (1991)

 

To complete the On-U connection, Alan Pillay appeared solo on Volume 3 of the excellent Pay It All Back compilation series with this song:

Spirit Soul: Alan Pillay (1991)

And many years later, when crate digging at Plastic Wax Records in Bristol, I discovered this brilliant song on 12":

Pistol In My Pocket: Lana PIllay (1986)

 

Lanah P is still very much an active artist and performer and she was interviewed earlier this year in the Camden New Journal. 

Gary Clail gave a short interview for Bristol Archive Records in 2014, around the time that he released his last album, Nail It To The Mast. Gary Clail Soundsystem was due to appear at Springkell 2021 in Lockerbie, though I believe this is has now been moved to 2022. Hopefully still on will be his 30 Years Of Human Nature show in Manchester in September. 

 

Following their 2018 collaborative single, Electric Skies/Twisted Love, Gary Clail has also been recording new material with Tony Rafter (Glaxo Babies, Maximum Joy) and plans to play "the whole new album from start to finish. Including the dub outtakes" at the Dublin Castle in London on August 20th.

Watching How The Other Half Lives (46:17)

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