You're Gonna Need Somebody Else

The first Dubhed excursion into reggae and dub soundscapes of 2026, with thirteen irresistible grooves to transport and transform you.

The selection spans over half a century from Derrick Morgan in 1968, through to Panda Bear and Sonic Boom's dub extravaganza, courtesy of Adrian Sherwood in 2023.

Sherwood's not the only master at the controls, he's joined by Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Bunny 'Striker' Lee, Tapper Zukie, Mad Professor, Jah Thomas and Scientist.

The line-up alone should give you a heads up that this is heavyweight. Turn the bass up, turn your phone off and let yourself go.

1) Midnight Calling: Roger Rivas ft. The Brothers Of Reggae  (2014)

2) Kaya (Album Version): Bob Marley & The Wailers (1971)

3) The Sun: Burning Spear (1977)

4) No Man Is An Island (Single Version) (Cover of Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians): Johnny Clarke (1975)

5) Siren Dub: Danny Red (2016)

6) Zion: Knowledge (1978)

7) Rebel Rock: Mad Professor (1983)

8) Whirlpool Dub (Adrian Sherwood 'Reset In Dub’ Version): Panda Bear & Sonic Boom (2023)

9) Do The Beng Beng: Derrick Morgan (1968)

10) Yipee I Aah: New Age Steppers (1981)

11) Magic Touch: Glen DaCosta (1976)

12) Trade It All For More: Pama International (2009)

13) Keep On Dubbing: The Roots Radics (1981)

1968: Do The Beng Beng EP: 9

1971: Soul Revolution Part II: 2

1975: No Man Is An Island EP: 4

1976: Soldier & Police War / Magic Touch EP: 11

1977: Dry And Heavy: 3

1978: Hail Dread: 6

1981: Roots Splashdown: 13

1981: Wild Paarty Sounds: 10

1983: Dub Me Crazy Pt.3: The African Connection: 7

2009: Pama Outernational: 12

2014: Last Goodbye: 1

2016: Red And Conscious: 5

2023: Reset in Dub: 8

You're Gonna Need Somebody Else (45:59) (GD) (M)

I've created many dub-inflected selections in the past five years, too many to share them all today, but here's six from the archives to keep the vibe alive.

May 2021: Dubhed Excursion To The Outer Limits

June 2022: Tomorrow Is Promised To No One

July 2022: SunDub

April 2023: Dubby Happy People

June 2024: Growing In My Backyard

June 2025: Keep The Fire Burning Inside

Octogintennial

Happy 80th birthday, Dad. 

I've recorded various mixtapes over the years to variously appease or expand my Dad's musical tastes, none of which are featured here today. Instead, today's selection is topped and tailed with a song from the year of his birth and the current year, sandwiching 1994, the year that my Dad was 52, the same age that I am now.

This has proved to be quite an enlightening shortlist and an odd tribute insofar as I can pretty much guarantee that my Dad will have hated (and would still hate) every track between #'s 2 to 11. If I'm honest, I don't think he'd be that bothered by The Alabama Singers or Andy Bell either. 

 

Dad's record collection was meagre but introduced me to Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and, for a bit of nostalgia, Glenn Miller. Oh, and he loved a bit of Status Quo. I'm saying all this in the past tense as I don't think he particularly listens to music these days, bar what's on the radio whilst driving or the latest hapless schmuck shuffling onto stage in the latest "talent" show on TV.

 

Dad hated (and probably still hates) Julian Cope's music, especially World Shut Your Mouth, so our musical differences were apparent quite early on. Thinking about what I subjected him to, musically-speaking, at the age of 52 - I temporarily moved back in with my folks between bedsit moves in 1994 - I feel I've got off lightly so far with my daughter, who has yet to subject me to comparable aural challenges.

 

Weather-permitting, we'll be joining other family members today in my parents' back garden celebrating Dad's milestone achievement. If it's pissing down with rain, the party's off and we'll be forming an orderly queue to celebrate indoors in a one-in, one-out basis, a sign of these post-Covid cautionary times with vulnerable loved ones.

 

Happy birthday, Dad, with lots of love...and apologies for subjecting you to my eclectic music taste for at least half of your life so far. There's more to come.

 

1) Jesus Met The Woman At The Well (Cover of traditional song): The Alabama Singers (1942) 

2) Jacob Street 7am: The Sabres Of Paradise (1994)

3) 1st Transmission (Album Version): Earthling (1994)

4) Middle Class Revolt (Album Version): The Fall (1994)

5) Heat Miser (Album Version): Massive Attack (1994)

6) New Dawn Fades (Single Version) (Cover of Joy Division): Moby (1994)

7) Riddimwize (Part II - Re-Assess Your Style) (Remix By Nick Manasseh, Martin Madhatter & Peps): Danny Red (1994)

8) Freak Like Me (Dub Instrumental) (Remix By Mass Order): Adina Howard (1994)

9) Fall (Voyage To The Bottom Of The Dub Remix By Noko 440 aka Norman Fisher-Jones & Stuart Crichton): Single Gun Theory (1994)

10) It's My Mind That Works (Live ISDN Transmission @ The Kitchen, New York): The Future Sound Of London (1994)

11) Dead Eyes Opened (Re-Opened) (Remix By Robert Racic & Kathy Naunton): Severed Heads ft. Edgar Lustgarten (1994)

12) Lifeline: Andy Bell (2022)

 

Octogintennial (54:52)

Always Be At Peace With Your Soul, You Were Never Alone

To ease you into the weekend, a selection of dancehall grooves from the 1990s, featuring three UK Top 5 hits (Dawn Penn, Bob Marley & The Wailers and Aswad), one Top 15 single (Sly & Robbie) and, surprisingly, one Top 40 (Mishka).  

 

I say surprisingly for the latter, as I remember rolling my eyes when I first saw the video for Give You All The Love on The Chart Show. Adding grist to the mill, it was released in 1999 by a then-sinking Creation Records (they sunk that same year). A few years later, I spotted the CD single in a record shop and it was the remixes by Mad Professor and Bristol legends Smith & Mighty - and the 50p price tag - that convinced me to give it another go. I'm glad I did; I generally skip the album version, but the remixes are great. For all you trivia fans out there, Miska is the brother of Heather Nova.

In just under an hour, you get the brilliance of Adrian Sherwood, Bim Sherman and Jah Wobble, a 'lost' Marley song rediscovered a decade after his passing, and a version of Aswad's 2nd biggest hit that may appease those who thought they'd sold out by getting Beatmasters to remix the main 7" and 12" singles. Danny Red may be familiar to any of you with a copy of Leftfield's incredible Leftism album, as he contributed vocals to Inspection (Check One).

 

I don't usually comment on the accompanying photo but, in keeping with the relaxed rhythms of today's selection, I was working in Coleford the other day, a town in the heart of the Forest Of Dean. In a similarly relaxed style, I was tickled to see that they've been in no hurry to take down their Christmas neons. Either that, or it's taking this sentiment far too literally...

 

1) Solid As A Rock (Hexadecimal Remix Full Length By Steve Osborne): Bim Sherman (1996)

2) Night Nurse (Jah Wobble 12" Mix) (Cover of Gregory Isaacs): Sly & Robbie ft. Simply Red (1997)

3) Mammoth Galactica (Album Version By Audio Active & Adrian Sherwood): Audio Active ft. David Harrow (1995)

4) You Don't Love Me (No, No, No) (Extended Mix By Steely & Clevie): Dawn Penn (1994)

5) Iron Lion Zion (12" Mix By): Bob Marley & The Wailers (1992)

6) Riddimwize (Part II - Re-Assess Your Style) (Remix By Nick Manasseh, Martin Madhatter & Peps): Danny Red (1994)

7) Shine (Majorwad Mix By Aswad & Carlton 'Bubblers' Ogilvie): Aswad (1994)

8) Give You All The Love (Smith And Mighty Club Mix): Mishka (1999)

 

Always Be At Peace With Your Soul, You Were Never Alone (53:39)