Stop That Train: Updated

Stop That Train by Keith & Tex, according to the amazing music shop Ernie B's, is a mid tempo reggae track recorded in 1967 for Trojan Records. Originally done by the Spanishtonians (AKA the Spanish Town Skabeats) in 1965 and released on Blue Beat, the later Keith & Tex recording has been used as a backing rhythm in a number of fantastic DJ versions. As good as Keith and Tex track is, two of the DJ cuts manage to surpass the original.

Draw Your Brakes by Scotty appeared on the famous The Harder They Come soundtrack. Starting out with a DJ call "Forward..." and with the addition of some minor percussion and delay, this track really helps bring attention to the rhythm its self. The guitar and break towards the end of the track never fails to bring the song home.

Cool Breeze by Big Youth starts much like the Scotty version, but is more aggressive with dropping the vocals in and out of the mix. Originally done in 1972 for the Crystal and Green Door labels, this track is an excellent example of the blue print that would soon be exported to America, quickly becoming Hip Hop. Taking an existing track and adding vocals to produce something new had been done in Jamaica for years, but this track in particular is a shining example of the art.

According to Google Analytics, lots of people come here looking for the original Spanishtonians track... Well this guy has it, so enjoy:



And for that matter, here is Cool Breeze by Big Youth and Draw Your Brakes by Scotty:

Patience by The Upsetters

Patience by The Upsetters

Part of my interest in dub is that the producers like Lee Perry and King Tubby furthered a new roll for recording that was more than just basic capturing and documentation of music. The recording process itself was now becoming an active participant in the creative process. The mixing desk was becoming an instrument. George Martin and The Beatles pioneered this kind of studio wizardry with their work in Abby Road Studios in the late 60's with such noteworthy tracks as Tomorrow Never Knows. But Lee Perry, less than 10 years later, was not only using cutting edge studio technique, he was also fulfilling the lo-fi "DIY" promise made by mid-60's garage rock. He was, by his own account, using toys to produce astonishing works of art.

From the 1976 album "Super Ape", "Patience" is one of my favorite Lee Perry dub tracks. As you listen to it, the entire song has a slight "breathing" quality that evolves as the track plays, possibly in part due to the countless overdubs that we're a standard practice in Perry's Black Ark Studio. Perry recorded on a 4 track analog tape recorder, and would mix down to a 2 track machine while adding live instruments at the same time, then he would re-record the 2 track tape back to the 4 track, freeing up at least 2 tracks on the primary deck so the process could be repeated. Tape hiss and distortion became a permanent part of the song. The vocals drift in and out of the mix, evoking a 3rd world radio station echoing across a city. Delay in the middle of the song is transformed into a crunchy swirling sound that is essentially a new instrument. Intertwined in the mix is a horn section that somehow sounds both rich, and mid-range at the same time. The track is a delicate balance between noise and subtlety that few but Lee "scratch" Perry could maintain.

No Peace & No Peace Dub

No Peace by The Meditations

No Peace Dub by The Upsetters

Lee "Scratch" Perry was one of the major Jamaican music pioneers from the mid 60's thru 1970's, producing dub "versions" as early as 1973. "No Peace" by The Meditations, was originally recorded at Black Ark studios by Perry and released as a single in 1978. Both the original version and the dub are excellent examples of the signature sonic qualities that were unique to Lee Perry. From the wave-crashing reverb on the initial vocals of the dub version, to the effects laden vocal build at the end of the original. Perry consistently managed to create a balance of overdriven tape distortion that merges the instruments and vocals into one cohesive sound. If you are new to the dub genre, pay particular attention to the edits on the vocals in the dub version around 1 Minute, 20 seconds. The singer is cut in and out of the mix by the producer, leaving the delay to carry the melody. This technique was used by most of the dub producers at the time, and is a good example of what a dub remix is.

Yeah, I'm a Dub Nerd

I have been collecting a genre of music called Dub for many years. Initially my goal for this page was to write up a history of dub, but that has already been done on the web in several places. Notably, JahSonic has a good grasp of the history of dub, and a breakdown of the major players.

Rather than reinvent that particular wheel, I've decided to put together a collection of reviews of some of the best tracks in my collection, and talk a bit about the artists that created them. Where possible, I am linking to the songs in the iTunes music store, or Amazon.