Came to Dub by way of punk. By '77 we were ready to tell the Corporate Music Machine to FUCK OFF. The shit they were playing on the radio. Then came Punk Salvation. With it came the awareness of all things JA: the political repression of the poor (read black); the way of Jah Ras Tafari; & of course, the sacredness of ganja. Dub had it all. Reggae just seemed a touch too??? New Wave, I guess, for this anarcho-crust. But one song that was making the rounds was the Reggae singer/porn crooner Max Romeo’s title track from his 1976 release War Ina Babylon. Somehow Max had found his way to the Black Ark & had fallen in with Lee Perry. Max had hooked up with the Upsetters & was chasing the devil.
Fast forward to 2005. Jamaican Recordings releases a Dub album from the reggae great. A Dub album recorded in 1974. Before War Ina Babylon. This is strong MOJO.
What a cast of players: Max on vocals; Chinna Smith – lead guitar; Tony Chin & Winston Bo Peep – rhythm guitar; Robbie Lynn – keyboards; Winston Wright – organ; Tommy McCook – tenor sax; Vin Gordon & Deadly Headley Bennett – 'bone; Robbie Shakespeare – bass; Santa Davis – drums; & backing vocals by Cynthia Scholas, Marcia Griffiths, Barry Llewellyn, & Earl Morgan.
Once more special thanks to ASFM. I am always searching & to paraphrase the Proverb(s) on the cover: 'a searcher of music shall be overwhelmed by tunes.' Overwhelm me, Jah.
Once more special thanks to ASFM. I am always searching & to paraphrase the Proverb(s) on the cover: 'a searcher of music shall be overwhelmed by tunes.' Overwhelm me, Jah.
Max Romeo – Crazy World of Dub, Jamaican Recordings JRLCD21, 2005.
decryption code actually in comments
decryption code actually in comments
Tracklist –
Ethiopian Anthem
Dis Dub Nhu Free
Crazy World of Dub
Dub Trouble
Dub Down Rome
Dub for Moses
Dubbing Dangerously
Take Dub Serious
Dub Ganja
Love Thy Dub
The Dub Clock
Dis Ya Dubwise, Keep You Moving
Can’t Hide from Dub
Dub Forever
Dub forever,
NØ
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ReplyDelete"Reggae just seemed a touch too??? New Wave..."
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Like something heard from the top deck of a tourist bus. Or a barbecue on the beach looking onto some carefully contrived theme park.
Chris Blackwell, of course, was complicit in this. Certain artists it would be almost blasphemous to confess indifference to. Never mind the bollocks, here's the symposium. Conveniently processed as a fucking McDonald's.
Agreed. Look what happened to Bob Marley and the Wailers' music after they signed to Island. They were encouraged to make records that sounded less foreign to rock fans. Just as Nevermind was "sweetened" to transform Nirvana from a feral animal into radio-friendly unit shifters. Every fraternity house on US college campuses has a copy of "Legend" but they are blissfully ignorant to the message (warning?) that a hungry man is an angry man.
DeleteLee Perry got the best work out of both Max R & Bob M.
DeleteAfter that it became like Starbucks' muzak.