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"Dub mean raw riddim. Dub jus mean raw music, nuttin water-down.
Version is like your creativeness off the riddim, without voice."-Prince
Jammy Osbourne Ruddock, known professionally and affectionately as King
Tubby, the Dub Master of all dub masters, is truly the Daddy
of Dub, in every sense of the word. Not only was he one of the most innovative
musical engineers of his time, but an artist, a pioneer, and a teacher to the
procession of dub masters that would follow in his shadow. The list is endless
of those he influenced first-handedly, including such noble names as Hopeton
Scientist Brown, Philip Smart, Lee Scratch Perry, Prince
Jammy, and Yabby You, to name a few. His reign as the Dub Master
lasted for nearly a decade, but his innovative techniques, spaced out rhythms,
and overall inventiveness have left a lasting imprint on the dub scene. King
Tubby is dub, and he will never be forgotten. January 28, 1941 marks the day this emperor, Osbourne Ruddock, was born
into the world. He was raised on High Holborn Street in Central Kingston, remaining
there until 1955 when he moved to the Waterhouse district. (1) His career took
off very slowly, as it did not have a title, never mind an available position,
at that time. He began working as a radio technician, or repairman, and by the
late 1950s, had already started experimenting with sound system amplifiers,
manipulating the available sounds to ones that sounded native of outer space.
By 1964, he had his own Tubbys Home Town Hi-Fi system,
to which he would eventually incorporate a custom reverb and an echo facilitator.
During this time, he had taken up a job, working for Duke Reid as a disc-cutter.
One day when Tubs was mixing up a version for Reid, he accidentally left out
pieces of the vocal track from the recording. After replaying the mix, he found
himself pleased with the sound he had inadvertently created. Tubby began to take the latest Rocksteady hits and create new versions of them
by "dropping the vocal track, boosting parts of the instrumental track,
and add(ing) subtles effects like echo or delay to the instruments he had isolated",
writes John Dougan.(2) Without knowing it, Tubs had stumbled upon a whole new
era for Reggae: he had invented DUB. In order to get his new sounds heard and recognized by the public, Tubby
ambushed the radio waves in the early 1970s by hijacking one of the two
lines available in Kingston. Steve Barrow writes of the publics reaction: "
the crowd did a quick double take and then went wild, pushing down
the fence until it was flattened, and then rushed in, knocking speaker boxes
flying." It was clear that Tubby had encountered a style of music that the people related
to, something that had the potential of revolutionizing the Reggae music scene. At first, these versions were only used for dub plates, acetates
made solely for sound system deejays. By 1971, however, top producers, such
as Joe Gibbs, were placing these rhythmic versions on the B-sides of their records.
(3) They provided a perfect lay out for deejays to "toast over", in
mechanical and economical aspects. Mechanically, dub acts to clear away space
in a musical composition, providing an ideal tableau for artists to rap over.
Economically speaking, dub not only condones, but promotes the recycling of
already popular rhythms. The contributions of Tubbys invention to Jamaican society were not confined
in the music world. Producers were banking on these fresh re-mixes of already
popular hits, and upcoming deejay artists were provided with an affordable means
of mixing. Instead of having to buy unaffordable mixing tables, they could now
simply toast over theses already mixed up versions. The spread of Dubs
popularity also worked as a catalyst for the popularity of Dub engineers and
producers. It wasnt too long before consumers were buying records based
on the engineer or producer who mixed them. Dub fans actually became more interested
in whether or not a record had been given the "Tubby Treatment" than
in the artist him/herself. In light of this natural compatibility between dub music and deejay artists,
it is not surprising to see Tubby and Edwart U Roy Beckford, a famous
Reggae chanter, team up together. Tubbys spacey sounds were
a perfect background for U Roys "outrageous jive"(Hist of Dub),
synergistically producing some of the most innovative music that Jamaica has
ever seen. Tubs became the first engineer to record the vocals of U Roy over
an already popular rhythm, taking a giant leap for both the dub and deejay worlds.
It is from this particular partnership that the quote "it takes two to
dub it" originated, establishing the norm for dub versions.
(4) In 1972, Ruddock moved locations to a quaint studio at 18 Bromilly Ave in Waterhouse,
a district of Kingston. His new place allowed Tubby to only further his exploration
into the depths of the sound universe. Tubs bought himself an old four-track
mixing console from Dynamics Studios , and was now building his own music equipment
to experiment with. Some of the devices include faders, reverbs, delay echoes,
and equalizers. (sonicnet) Due to his background as a sound technician and engineer,
Tubby was able to specially customize faders, allowing for smooth transitions
both into and out of a mix. King Jammy recalls of his late predecessor (5): "When I was at King Tubbys studio mixin dubs, a lotta those
equipments, King Tubby build those imself, yunno what I mean? If im
dont build most of them, im jus improvise on them an
mek them different from the original, so we had something different. The reverb
unit that we used to use there it was a Fisher reverb, an we change it
up to become a King Tubby and Fisher!(laughs) The slides that we use to
use, we change them from original slides, because the mixin console was
so old you couldnt get replacement parts for it. We use other models to
incorporate in that console." With his new gear, Tubby was able to out compete his only standing rival at the time, another leading engineer, Errol Thompson. Thompson still
had to punch buttons to introduce and fade tracks, both limiting the engineers
"hands on" experience in the mix, and creating a somewhat choppy sound.
With his specially designed fader, Tubby was able to gently execute transitions,
leaving the listener with a smoother, more ear-pleasing piece, giving him the
edge in the dub world. On his contribution to reggae riddims, Tubby recalls: "We introduce a different thing to the sound system world. This amplifier
here have chrome front and reverb. Thats the first time a reverb was introduced
in Jamaica is when my sound come out. And it get de people so excited that everywhere
we go we have a following." Tubby not only invented a new style, he had marked the turning point for
the version. He accomplished this by dubbing out the band track
immediately following the introduction of the melody, leaving the singers to
sing the first set of bars without accompaniment. Tubs would then turn off the
vocals, sometimes mid-sentence, and drop the band back in to play alone for
a while. King Tubby speaks of his discovery: "I had a little dub machine and I used to borrow tapes from producers
and mix them down in a different fashion. You see I used to work on the cutter
for Duke Reid and once a tape was running on the machine and I just drop off
the voice y know, and it was a test cut
it sounds so exciting the
was the records start with the voice, the voice drop out and the rhythm still
going" The experience that Tubs describes here works in the opposite direction as
well. Instead of dropping out the vocals, he drops out the rhythm, allowing
it to "cool" for a while, only to bring back the vocals. By treating
rhythm and vocals as two separate entities, rather than a blend of sounds, Tubs
is instilling suspense in the listeners mind, leaving him eagerly anticipating
the return of the dropped out rhythm or vocals. Personally, the return of the
rhythm has always been a greater thrill than the return of the singers, due
to the magnitude with which the bass is typically reintroduced. Davis and Peter
illustrate this bodily experience rather eloquently: "During the acappella vocals the abdomen is not being resonated by the
bass, and the head is occupied by the singing. When the band track drops back
in, the awareness of the listener is quickly diverted down towards the abdomen
for a moment and the cerebral stimulus of the singing ceases."(Whew!) Even though King Tubby was and is not considered an instrumentalist, his experimentation
with his "little dub machine" was more than just the work of an engineer.
He would employ his mixing desk and limited homemade equipment as instruments,
hitting the reverb device to assimilate thunderclaps or gunshots, as he did
on so many mixes. (6) Such unprecedented styles and provocative ideas led Tubby
to his other title, Scientist, as he was continuously experimenting
in his studio, or laboratory with any mixes that he was able to
concoct. Osbourne King Tubby Ruddock, the engineer, the instrumentalist,
the electrician, the teacher, the Master, the Scientist is considered
to be the last "confirmed ruler of the sound world". He not only gave
way to a dynasty of dub masters, he established dub as a genre in the music
world. Shortly after completing the studio that was to give way to his successful
career as a producer, Tubby was tragically shot and killed outside his home
in Duhaney Park, Kingston, on February 6, 1989. The motive was said to be robbery,
but the outcome was a complete devastation for his Jamaican family, friends,
cohorts, and music fans. His reign was short-lived, but his legacy continues
to play out today. Evolution of King Tubbys Creation: The World of Dub- "Over the years, people have often said that they have had direct encounters
with something deep in themselves through reggae music in general, and through
dub especially"- Davis & Peter A two-track recorder, with vocals on one channel and the band on the other,
was initially employed to record dub tracks. Producers saw versions as the most
economical approach to recording new material, contesting that it was a cheap
method of getting the most "mileage out of each tune". The idea behind
dub is recycling. The number of times one can remix a dub is infinite, allowing
for a world of possibilities. In the words of Luke Ehrlich, "It takes two
to dub it". Perhaps the most poetic description of what dub music truly is has been
written by Davis/Peters: "Dub is really a display of musical shadow-boxing
by the recording engineer which allows us to hear isolated passages of parts
that normally interlock with others." By letting each piece stand alone,
we are able to fully experience each part for what it is worth. The effect it
leaves behind sounds similar to a riveting rhythm-section jam, displacing the
vocals as the focal point of a piece with a delicious texture of drum- and-bass.
Dub creates a tripped-out-space-age version for popular rock steady rhythms,
manipulating sound beyond its previously presumed limits. The spaced-out drum
and bass rhythms that it gave birth to assimilate the experience of floating
in a vaccuum-like darkness, "with sounds suspended like glowing planets
or with fragments of instruments careening by, leaving trails like comets and
meteors". The conglomeration of these elements allows for a mind-expanding
experience, without the use of hallucinogens. By dismantling a piece of music into various layers and pieces, the engineer
or artist is allowing for the reshuffling of these parts, in turn, creating
a "kaleidoscopic musical montage". Through this reshuffling, results
a composition of odd juxtapositions and extraterrestrial sounds, the main focus
persisting on the rhythm and bass. Jamaicans have always felt that the infrastructure
of a musical piece is (should be) based on the drum and bass beats, an idea
that stems from their African roots. Therefore, it is no surprise that Dub music
would eventually unfold as a type of Reggae music. Authors Stephen Davis and
Simon Peter go as far as contending that dub is a "natural result of a
Jamaican cultural tendency", maintaining that it is an inherent piece of
the Jamaican livelihood. One of the main ingredients of dub music is the use of the echo to for
intros and outros to mixes. King Tubby contributed to the echo by
slowing up the formerly employed tape echo of the 1950s. In doing so, Tubs was
only further acting to clear space for more interesting sounds or silences created
by the instruments. This slower-paced echo was implemented as a means of "making
the more trebly textures climax and wash over into the dub texture." As proven true with the majority of his techniques, Tubbys echo became
the most popular, having a rate of almost 168 echoes per minute. This spacey,
computer-generated echo mimics one that might occur in the natural world, producing
the same effect of a sound bouncing between two mountainsides, standing two
hundred feet apart. Mixed in with the right amount of echo intensity, this effect
leaves behind a trail of sound to fade in and out of a piece "like a blinding
rush of blood to the head". Another contribution of significance that Tubby gave rise to is a technique
known as reverb. There is not a piece of dub music that lacks the crucial element
of extra reverb, usually added to the snare and bass drum downbeats. In more
innovative dubs, reverb is applied to the hi-hat, the afterbeat, and the vocals
of a mix, truly Tubbifying every aspect of the piece. This particular
invention has added largely to the deep, abysmal atmosphere that dub effects
create, assimilating the far-off sounds of cannons or guns being shot off in
the distance. Many are turned off by the mechanical rhythms and mysterious sound waves
that dub effects ignite. Dub didnt sit well with me until I took the time
to really listen to it and absorb what it had to offer musically. In doing so,
I discovered that not only were the beats fresh, but they provided a spiritual
outlet. I realized that there was a method to this madness of echoes
and reverbs, a reason for all the space that these mixes leave behind. Space
is just as crucial in a composition as sound is, making the removal of the rhythm
equally as significant as the introduction of one. Allowing the echo of a rhythm to mellow for a while gives the listener a chance
to fully absorb every aspect of the vocals and instrumentals that are blaring
in their ear. By distorting sound, the engineer is distorting time, along with
all the other lines and boundaries drawn up in society. It is in the midst of
these distortions and spaces that people find their connection to dub music,
freeing their minds for spiritual exploration. By removing sounds, or effects, that usually convolute the various pieces of
a mix, the dub artist is leaving each part to stand on its own, to be examined
and appreciated by the listener. In an interview with Hopeton Scientist
Brown, Stephen Davis asks him to explain why dub has been described as a "musical
X-ray", to which he replies (7): "
it come in like you just examining that particular body of music
the
thing is not to take it out: its why you take it out, how
you take it out
to create a certain feel. That is the thing you have to
study." This particular trait of dub music is what makes it such a valuable learning
tool for reggae artists, specifically drummers and bassists, as well as deejay
artists. They are able to clearly pinpoint exactly what their particular instruments
are adding ( or taking away from) a piece of music. In contrast to its dissipation of the interconnected pieces of a work, dub
has inadvertently brought unity among the Jamaican people. By repeatedly recycling
particular bass rhythms, the artists are giving them recognition. Through this
recognition, listeners are not only establishing a dub language for themselves,
but a cultural identity. Identifying the rhythm of a dub has become as common
in the Jamaican culture as identifying a psalm in the New Testament. Both are
a means of creating ties between a people and their culture. Davis and Peter
convict that "Without dub music
reggae music might have stayed confined
to a select group of studio musicians in Kingston, perhaps for ever." A
difficult idea to tackle, but a good one to think about. That is not to say that the legacy Tubby has left behind with his creation
of Dub is confined to Reggae music. The repercussions of this creation have
diffused to and made way for various genres of music, including Trip hop,
Drum and Bass, and Jungle. The impact of Dub music on
Western society alone can be found just behind the doors of any dance club.
Here, you will find music that amplifies the drum and bass as the focal point
for the listener, as well as the application of several dub devices.
Barrow contests of Tubbys invention: "Tubby was, by any standards, a genius
he invented Dub-which, as
we know, is the pulse that beats through much of todays dance music from
trip-hop to techno. If Lee Perry was the first surrealist of dub, Tubby was
definitely the first modernist." There is little to no argument that Tubby was truly a King, whose reign far
outstretches anything that he could have conceived possible. Tubby: A Master in the Words of his Pupils King Tubby was not like a normal king that generally uses his power to
monopolize those who present a threat to his reign. From the beginning, Tubby
was interested in the success and accomplishments of his creation, rather than
that of himself and his career. He was constantly taking new young hopefuls
under his wing to teach them his tricks and guide them on their way through
the dub world. From his studio were born the leading producers and engineers
of Jamaica, such as Bunny Lee, Philip Smart, and most significantly, Hopeton
Scientist Brown, and Lloyd Prince Jammy James. By the
time he died in 1989, Tubby had given rise to a dynasty of Dub Masters to live
out the legacy that he left behind. The closest that any other dub artist has come in comparison with Tubbys
deity is one of the Kings past apprentices, Hopeton Scientist
Brown. The two were introduced by a friend of Browns who got him a job
working at Tubbys studio in 1978 as a radio repairman. (8) Brown relates
that he had been building his own audio amplifiers, but when he tried to mix
reggae beats, the amplifier would over heat, so he would use King Tubbys
mixing board. He contests that Tubbys were the only ones to comply with
his mixes, becoming "fascinated by his (King Tubbys) exclusive style
of mixing and unique sound effects." During Browns employment at the studio, he would often assure Tubby
of his mixing abilities, given the opportunity. As typical of Tubbys teaching
techniques, he would simply reply that Brown was too young (15 -16 yrs.
Old) to know his abilities, and that there were plenty of older men who try
to mix for years and never get it. Eventually, when Prince Jammy was out of
town one day, Browns opportunity came when Tubby offered to let him mix
in the studio, to which Scientist quickly took him up on. From that point on, Brown, who took on the name Scientist,
left his work in the repair shop, to mix in the studio. During this time, Scientist
further pushed the limits of dub music, taking Tubbys equipment to never-before-seen
levels, surpassing the lengths that his predecessor had reached. By the time
he was sixteen, Tubby introduced Brown to his first producer, Don Mais, with
whom he would create his first hit, a mix of Barrington Levys "Collie
Weed". Brown recalls that of his experience working with Tubby, the most valuable
part was the criticism that he received. Scientist contests that he would whittle
away at a mix for hours on end, only to have Tubby react with anything but disapproval
of his creation. Tubby would persistently assure Scientist that he was young
and had much to learn yet, only driving Brown to improve his styles. It wasnt
until years later that Tubby admitted he had merely been pushing Scientist to
test his limits, encouraging him to continue experimenting, and that these early
versions had really been excellent. Grant Smithies writes: "
of all
Tubbys many challengers, Scientist was the real heir apparent to the crown." A few of the Scientists trademark techniques include controlled distortion,
choppy guitar, flying hi-hats and enveloping horns that reach previously unattainable
heights, commanding that the highest respect be given to his works. In speaking
of his career as the most prestigious dub technician that Jamaica has seen since
King Tubby himself, Scientist writes: "
when I would mix a record, I would tek it to im and say Tubbys
hows that sound? He used to say it dont really sound too good, but
his reason for doin that is to let you always keep tryin harder.
Years after he confesses; he said, A lot of that stuff you were doin,
it was good but I was scared at the time that if I let you know how good you
doin, you probably would have gotten swell headed an stop tryin.
He was truly a genius." Another apprentice of Tubbys to hit the Dub scene with magnanimous
intensity is dub engineer, Prince Jammy. Jammy was an old friend and fellow
sound system operator of Tubbys that began much like Scientist did, first
working in the studio, and later producing albums of his own. Alongside, Brown,
Jammy became a leading dub engineer in 1979-1981, the two regularly appearing
on albums together, competing in showdowns for the title of "Heavyweight
Dub Champion". Prince Jammys characteristic sound is described by
author, Stephen Davis, as "a bit busier, less hollow and fatter-sounding
than Tubbys." Jammy found himself working with producer, Bunny Lee who, by 1977, was
encouraging him to start producing his own records. Upon discovering Reggae
musicians, Black Uhuru, Jammys career as a producer was in full swing.
He quickly established himself as the leading Jamaican producer of the eighties,
as well as the owner of the Kingstons freshest studio, King Jammys
Super Power. Today, he continues to work as a top producer in Jamaica,
but in the midst of his success, will never forget his late friend and teacher,
King Tubby. In an interview with Steve Barrow in May of 1996, Prince Jammy writes
lovingly of his cohort: " Well, thats like a never endin friendship. Its like
family, yunno- I grew up with King Tubbys- I used to live on Dromilly
Avenue. The great King Tubbys- yunno, they dont call people great
or King for no reason- the reason why they call im great King
Tubbys, (was) he was such a nice person. If im ever get vex with
you for five minutes, the nexminute, he is o.k. A lotta good him do for
the community. His loss was one of the greatest loss to me- I dont know
about the music fraternity, but to me, personally, because he was my teacher,
yunno. It was so unfortunate that he had to go that way- that was terrible." Here, we are able to get a glimpse into the gentleness of this music giant,
as told through none other than one of Tubbys closest and most re-known
students, Prince Jammy. Through this account, Jammy demonstrates the sense of
admiration and adoration that Tubbys friends, colleagues and family held
for him, not only out of respect for his work, but out of love for the man behind
the music. Together, these two accounts of King Tubby, as perceived by his two most
successful students, Scientist and Prince Jammy, encompass more significance
than any other account. Both men worked long hours along side this master, both
learning from and sharing their own inventions with Tubby. These men experienced
first hand the workings of a genius, and continue to carry out the legacy their
predecessor has left for them. Living Proof of a Legend: To complete the story of Osbourne King Tubby Ruddock, King
of Dub, there is one more place that needs to be explored: The Music. The tracks
are the only living proof that we have of this late genius and his creation.
Only through the music itself can we fully experience and understand the aspects
of Dub that made it such a success. In order to save space and redundancy, I
have chosen only one of Tubbys countless albums to explore: "Dub
Gone 2 Crazy", a magnificent compilation of mixes performed by King Tubby
and Prince Jammy, produced by none other than Bunny Striker Lee. "Dub Gone 2 Crazy" is an album that speaks loudly of what Dub
music has to offer. In every nook and cranny of the record, the Tubby techniques
that I have been discussing can be seen in action. There is little room for
mediocrity on an album mixed by two of the three most famous Dub technicians
in Kingston at King Tubbys studio, nonetheless. From start until finish,
the tracks are captivating and loaded with intensity. Each is fully equipped
with Tubbys usual armor of echoes, reverb, drum snares, gunshots, and
thunderclaps, incorporated with the Aggrovators tight rhythms and beautiful
melodies. Tubby and his protégé, Prince Jammy, mix these tracks
with authority and the right amount of discretion, maintaining the integrity
of the original rhythms at hand. Although the entire compilation of "Dub Gone 2 Crazy" is well
worth listening to, there are a few tracks that stood out among the rest, based
on my own personal preferences. Perhaps my true favorite, at least for the past
few weeks, has been the track, "A Living Version", a remix of the
Aggrovators tune "Live Up Jah Man", sung by Cornell Campell.
The track is set off by a cacaphony of gun shots and explosions, a well-known
trademark of the Tubman, followed by the introduction of Campells
penetrating voice, over which the bass and drums kick in. This dub is packed
full of Tubbys styles, including the use of the reverb, echo, fader, delay,
along with the effective alteration of vocals and instrumentals. If youre
into rootsie Reggae beats, then this piece will most likely appeal to
your senses. Another rootsie remix that stood out is called the "Skalawatt
Version". This track has a very mellow, playful melody which differentiates
it from the rest of the albums tendency toward a more profound context,
laying the dub on thick. The remix of the Aggrovators "African People",
a track named "African Sounds" is a perfect example of this profundity.
The rhythms that are born out of this version embed themselves deeper in the
spiritual realm than the musical. While the lyrics are few, their physical and
metaphorical voice is extremely powerful. By delaying and echoing the lyrics,
the engineer is, in effect, conveying a sense of the struggles and hardships
faced by the African people, exemplifying the effectiveness of clearing away
space to attain clarity. Last, but not least, stands the superb remix of one of my all-time favorites
Marley songs, "Time Will Tell", a track named "Drums of Africa".
The title of the track provides an accurate portrayal of what this piece is
all about: Drums. By taking away the vocal accompaniments for extended intervals
at a time, the engineer is giving the listener a chance to really absorb the
African Drums beats that too easily fall into background. The song, "Time
Will Tell", is ideal for dubbing and dismantling because it is a perfect
mix of beautiful lyrics and powerfully resonant drumbeats that work almost as
well as individual pieces as they do together. (9) Aside from the provocative tracks it contains, "Dub 2 Gone Crazy"
can be considered great on so many levels. For one, the album has been compiled
in a non-discrete manner by Steve Barrow. There are no citations of the engineer
that mixed each track, letting the album stand as a group effort, giving credit
equally to Jammy, Tubby, and Bunny Lee. Grant Smithies writes in his review
of the album, "Why have dubs this earth-shattering, brainbox-abttling and
soundbwoy-battling lain in the vaults for so long?" describing the tracks
as "the kind of transmissions youd expect to hear from an African
settlement on Mars." We are lucky to have the opportunity to experience
an album of such "undiluted musical pleasure without measure." Notes`KING TUBBYS REIGN
Andrea Seddon
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