Dub Reggae: Origins and Influence

The origins of Dub reggae trace back to the 1950’s Kingston Jamaica, where local DJs would load up trucks with turntables, p.a. systems, and massive speakers to create mobile “soundsystems” for parties and concerts. Originally playing American R&B/Motown records and radio stations, soundsystem DJs moved towards focusing on local musicians as Ska emerged in response to the American sounds. Like R&B, with Ska the musical emphasis was rhythmic, walking bass lines and four on the floor drums. In the mid-60’s, the music evolved into a slower, more melodic style known as Rocksteady, which was later was slowed down even more to become reggae.

Soundsystem DJ’s were pressed to deliver the latest and most original tracks to play, leading many to produce “dubplates,” exclusive remixes of a current single. While making a dubplate, one popular soundsystem DJ Osbourne Ruddock (King Tubby) accidently left off the vocal track. Already known for his use of echo in dubplate producing, Ruddick dug the vocal-less track and began playing stripped down, heavily mixed and effected “versions” of popular singles. Soon, nearly every single released in Jamaica came accompanied with bare-bones, instrumental, and extended version. And dub was born.

Stylistically, dub shares many of the same musical traits as reggae: heavy, heavy bass lines, four on the floor drums, syncopated hi-hat work and downbeat beat snare clicks. The main distinguishing element is production; with dub, the producer becomes an artist and the studio becomes both a compositional tool and an instrument in itself. Dub production utilizes huge amounts of echo, reverb, phasing, panning, and fading (though sounds are often very specific to a single producer) to create an expansive and fluid echo chamber version of an original (an interesting creative model in general). Marijuana use abounds in dub contexts, which makes sense given the reverberating and spatial qualities of the music.

In the 70’s, dub evolved into a singular and extremely progressive musical form. Other producers began to arise with their own signature sound and style. Lee “Scratch” Perry (aka the Upsetter) is often considered the most adventurous dub producer of the period. After working with King Tubby for a few years, he built his own studio, the Black Ark, which later burnt down (Perry maintains he burnt it down himself in a fit of paranoia). He also produced much of Bob Marley and the Wailer’s most famous works, like Exodus and African Herbsman. Augustus Pablo is well known for his use of the melodica and for his work with King Tubby on such classic albums as “King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown.” Other important producers of the era include Bunny Lee, Dennis Bovall, Prince Jammy, Keith Hudson, and Scientist.

Though its popularity continually waxes and wanes, Dub’s influence on contemporary music is incredibly vast and apparent, but often goes unacknowledged or unappreciated. For instance, the act of toasting, in which DJ’s talk and sing over a dub recording, set the groundwork for rap and hip-hop. Dub, and Jamaican music in general, was and is massively important in pop music originating out of England, influencing everything from the mod scene, punk rock groups (particularly the Clash), new-wave bands like Public Image, Ltd., the London electronica and rave scene of the 90’s, Tricky and trip-hop, and current styles like Dubstep. The music of English post-rock groups like Bark Psychosis, Disco Inferno, and SeeFeel demonstrates great debt to dub music. American avant-garde cellist Arthur Russell used dub techniques in recording many of his compositions.

See my dear friend Rory Nugent’s blog for a continuation of this annotated listening.

A new movie being made about the influence of dub on electronic music:

Songs to be downloaded from my flash drive:

Dub Fi Gwan-King Tubby-~1975
I Chase the Devil-Max Romeo/Lee Perry-1976
King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown-Augustus Pablo/King Tubby-1976
Noah Sugar Pan-Congos/Lee Perry-1977
Roast Fish & Cornbread-Lee Perry-1978
Careering-Public Image Ltd-1979
Justice Tonight/Kick it Over-The Clash-1980
Leaving Babylon-Bad Brains-1982
The Platform on the Ocean-Arthur Russell-1985
More Like Space-SeeFeel-1994
Absent Friend-Bark Psychosis-1994
Last Living Souls-Gorillaz-2006