Dub Specialist - Better Dub

Dub Specialist - Better Dub

Studio 1 LP 1974, produced by Dub Specialist

Since Studio One producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd was famous for some great early ska and rocksteady sides, he was pigeonholed and found that respect as a roots producer didn't come easy. He won fans over with a string of hits, but when it came to dub he played it safe and disappeared behind the pseudonym of Dub Specialist. A series of cheaply packaged and generically titled releases appeared under this name, and their unique combination of dub plus more uptempo rhythms than usual made them highly sought-after collector items. Coxsone's less freaky and upbeat style of dub is worth exploring (David Jeffries - All Music Guide)

This Better Dub album I have not yet seen elsewhere on the net so hopefully the fans will find it now here. Though there has been a 2006 Heartbeat reissue of this album, simply called DUB, with retitled tracks and extra tracks added, presented here is the original album, cause I prefer authentic value and nostalgia.

Better Dub strangely enough opens with a beautiful VOCAL cut by John Holt. The other tracks are awesome somewhat modest DUB versions to the local hits of the days, including the first dub version of the NO NO NO riddim, which two decades later was topped to the charts by Dawn Penn.

So no futuristic keyboard sounds or heavy phasing here. Around the time that Better Dub was dubbed Coxsone Dodd did not have a mixing board like King Tubby had, self-made with the new possibillty to FADE instruments in and out the mix, instead of the old style which was merely dropping them in and out. The push buttons on the mixing desk later replaced for shifters are a first stage in the evolution of dub. They could be used very effectively by leaving out what is not needed and therefore emphasizing the instrument(s) that carry the track at a certain point. So the mix was definately functional in duty of the music.

Whereas the later following shift buttons mixing desk made dubs which we all know best sometimes tend to be too much non-functional by overdoing it and in case of Joe Gibbs' mixer Errol Brown mixing in flushing toilets, barking dogs, cuckoo-clocks: Sounds I can hear in and around my house too ( OK the cuckoo-clock I don't have luckily)

But anyway. If a dub mixer has a weak track he can fill it up with funny sounds and thus pimping it, but in case of that weak track it would still be what is called music per meter. Now if you listen to the Dub Specialist you can hear that by effectively omitting and adding instruments in the mix variations are created that can reveal a new vibe, a new feel and that variation is what keeps the music captivating.

Banana Walk
Quick Stick
Rub A String
Jamaica Back
Ready Rock

Guiding Star
Better Dub
Congo Call
Never Rub A Dub
Dub Me Girl
Greedy G

Dub Specialist - Roots Dub

Studio 1 LP 1975, presented NOW is the CD version including six bonus * tracks. Finally available classic dub out of Coxsone Dodd's studio. Enjoy!

Roots Dub
Callie
Roots Man
Chainey Roots
Granny Scratch Scratch
Marcus
Strong Back
Roots Rock
Saucy Perila
Bridal Wisp
Soulful Roots *
Rasta Roots Rock *
Pepper Roots *
Meany Roots *
Roots Undying *
Cocksion Roots *