Dubbing In Tokyo

Charity Chant in Hadano during Golden Week

2011-04-16T19:41:00.002+09:00

Selectors, Sound Systems, live entertainment and information on ital living from Ras Daniel himself, ital food and more during Golden Week. Camp spots available for folks who wish to attend all three days. Proceeds to support victims of the March 11th disaster. Yours truly will be bringing new sounds on May 4th. Come down to Hadano for good times and support a good cause!

3/11 Earthquake in Japan

2011-03-13T09:04:00.001+09:00

My family and I are safe, I dont have any information yet about anyone in the local reggae scene.

Final Dub Blood @ One Blood and Tokyo scene update

2010-07-19T14:06:00.002+09:00

August 14 will be the final Dub Blood @ One Blood. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over the last 18 months and thanks to all our guest selectors and performers as well!

Dub Blood @ One Blood Sound
Roots, Dub, Dubstep, Steppers Music All Night!
22:00~05:30
Men ￥1500 Women ￥1000 w/ 1D
Ital Food available

One Blood
Ikebukuro 2-12-11
03-3590-7827

We might move the event, we might just take a break, watch this spot for information.

In other Tokyo reggae news, Killa Sista has transformed. From what I hear the drummer has departed and Ras Dasher who has been their producer will fill in with electronics. Band name is now Lovewise Dubwise, not sure if thats a permanent change. Makiko of Killa Sista/Lovewise Dubwise has also been on a recent 12" with Chazbo of Conscious Sounds fame as well with Ital Horns on the B side.

Orange Street Records, one of Tokyo's premiere reggae music shops recently had their 20th anniversary. Congrats to Sister Yumi and Ras Ume also for their interview in Irie Up magazine out of Germany. Even in this world of the web, Irie Up is worth your cash, support them as well.

Dub Blood @ One Blood July 10

2010-07-01T23:34:00.001+09:00

Dub Blood @ One Blood Sound
Roots, Dub, Dubstep, Steppers Music All Night!
22:00~05:30
Men ￥1500 Women ￥1000 w/ 1D
Ital Food available

One Blood
Ikebukuro 2-12-11
03-3590-7827

Dub Blod @ One Blood April 10 with special guest from UK

2010-04-06T23:55:00.002+09:00

Dub Blood @ One Blood Sound
Roots, Dub, Dubstep, Steppers Music All Night!
Special Guest Dubstep Selector Simon SubDub UK
22:00~05:30
Men ￥1500 Women ￥1000 w/ 1D
Ital Food available

One Blood
Ikebukuro 2-12-11
03-3590-7827

Dub Blood @ One Blood February 13

2010-02-09T20:02:00.003+09:00

Once again, myself, Itak Shaggy Tojo, One Blood Tom and Sister Korin take the controls of the One Blood Sound! As always men are JPY1500, women JPY 1000 for entry with 1 drink included. Ital food available. Doors open 10PM and we play till the sun rises the next morning.

One Blood, Tokyo, Ikebukuro 2-12-11. See map on flier or call 03-3591-7827

Skatalites to play in Japan

2010-02-09T19:58:00.003+09:00

The legendary Skatalites with Stranger & Patsy will do a 3 city tour of Japan. The opening band for the Tokyo show will be Tokyo's Ska Flames, credited as the first ska band in Japan. If your pockets are overflowing with Yen its probably a good show to go to. Here is the Japanese page about the show.

new JP dub vinyl from Mystic Inna Warrior

2010-02-09T19:56:00.003+09:00

Nice new 7" from Japan's own Mystic Inna Warrior Sound. Digital steppers style "Encourage Riddim"/"Encourage Dub". Seek it out from your favorite seller or delve into the pits of ebay.

Dub Blood Jan 9 Special Guest Rash Kush

2010-01-06T04:59:00.002+09:00

Dub Blood @ One Blood first dance of 2010 with special guest Ras Kush from Black Redemption Sound. Entry 2000 Yen with one drink. As always the event is at One Blood, Tokyo, Ikebukuro 2-12-11. See map on flier below or call 03-3591-7827

Dub Blood Final dance for 2009 Saturday 12/12

2009-12-08T17:17:00.002+09:00

Calling out to all Tokyo massive! Come to Dub Blood @ One Blood in Ikebukuro for a night of fine entertainment. Bredren ¥1500 Sistren only ¥1000 both get 1 drink with entrance. Fresh ya soul with reggae music from our outernational cast of selectors:

Sister Korin plays early and closeout roots
One Blood Tom brings you the latest dubstep and dubplates
Israel B from Downpressor Records with a full range of roots, dubs, steppers & new sounds, heavy on the FX
Itak Shaggy Tojo of Black Redemption Records dropping heavyweight JA/UK sounds with lyrical stylings

As always the event is at One Blood, Tokyo, Ikebukuro 2-12-11. See map on flier or call 03-3591-7827

Killa Sister update

2009-11-15T20:31:00.002+09:00

Heard last night that Killa Sister is going back into the studio to record new material. Also there are 4 new 10"s out with different dub mixes than on the CD. Look for em at your favorite reggae importer or on the ebays.

Dub Blood @ One Blood this Saturday 11/14

2009-11-10T23:31:00.002+09:00

Once again its time for Dub Blood @ One Blood! A full night of fun for just ¥1500 for the bredren and ¥1000 for the sistren including one drink! Ital food available at the bar as well. Come hear the finest in roots, dubs, dubsteps and steppers presented by our outernational cast of selectors! Doors open at 10PM and we keep things running till the early morning.

As always the event is at One Blood, Tokyo, Ikebukuro 2-12-11. See map on flier below or call 03-3591-7827

Analog devices & signaling

2009-11-07T23:41:00.007+09:00

When I went back to NYC earlier this year, I got some of my gear from the 80s out of storage. I wish I could say that I had great synths or famous FX and drum machines from that time, but mostly what I found was the cheap stuff I could afford as a youth. If you buy any piece of music gear now you can safely think its going to have some built in sequencing or at least MIDI. In the 80s that just wasnt the case. Pre-MIDI, sequencing was all about voltage control or pulse clocks.

The simplest way to explain a pulse clock is that whenever a clock "tick" occurs, a positive voltage signal is sent from your master clock. Devices which received this signal would move forward one step in their program when a positive voltage was detected on the input. I used to have a Sequential Circuits Pro-One synth which had an internal 16 step sequencer and accepted pulse clock input. I was also lucky enough to have a Roland TR-707 drum machine which would do MIDI and output a pulse clock signal whenever you programmed in a rimshot.

(credit BDU's Flikr stream)

In the photo above, the Pro-One would play a note on beats 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,13,14,15,16. Since most of the time the down beat is on 1,5,9,13 that would be a very busy synth line even at the slow speed of 63BPM (slower than most roots reggae).

Drum machines generally only had pulse "out", you usually used them as your master clock. If you wanted to sync a drum machine like this to something else you had to do it manually. Even Roland's relatively cheap DR-110 drum machine (the last of their analog drum boxes) has a pulse out. The DR-110 is one of the items from that era that I have and recently I tried to get it to play nicely with some other noisemakers like the Boss PC-2 percussion synth pedal which happens to conveniently have an external input which when it sees a signal it makes sound.

My first attempt is like this:

With the DR-110, every time an accent is programmed in a pattern or if you hit the accent pad while the DR-110 is playing, it sends a positive voltage to the "acc trig out" jack. This signal is enough to make the PC-2 make sound. (Check YouTube for various examples of the PC-2 if you are curious).

Sometime in the last year or so I picked up the Gaken SX-150 Analog Synthesizer kit. Its a very simple synth, but I never really go into using it musically. Recently I remembered that also had an "external source" jack and figured I'd see if it worked as some kind of signal filter or if it was a trigger input. Turns out it is supposed to work as a trigger by doing a voltage to note conversion. I figured I'd try the same trick as above and see what happened.

I patched the trigger out from the DR-110 to the external input of the SX-150 and nothing happened. I tried twiddling with the "balance" and "accent" knobs but still no sound. (On the DR-110, "balance" is like the tone knob on an old tape recorder changing the output from bass to treble, "accent" changes the accent level and does actually change the voltage on the accent out jack.)

Not wanting to give up after seeing people talking about this problem on the web, I figured I'd try a "hotter" signal and rout an auxiliary output from a mixer to the input of the SX-150 like this:

This worked. Sound came out of the SX-150 and changed depending on the level of Aux send fed to it. The result is not very musical but at least its a little something. When I sent it the signal from the DR-110 I get a progression from growl to screech to beep and back. The PC-2 made a growl or a screech depending on how I was twisting the knobs on the PC-2 while I played it. I did try feeding back the Aux send of the SX-150's mixer channel but that just made a nasty screech.

Oh yes, that really is a Radio Shack "Realistic Reverb" from the 80s for that nasty bucket brigade delay sound. Gear fetishists please note, its not worth chasing one of these down, just get the Audio Damage RatShack Reverb plugin instead.

Dub Blood @ One Blood this Saturday 10/10

2009-10-09T15:44:00.002+09:00

Ladies & Gentlemen, Friends & Lovers, Bredren & Sistren!

Once again One Blood will proudly host Dub Blood featuring the usual cast of outernational selectors: Sister Korin, One Blood Tom, Israel B/Downpressor and Itak Shaggy Tojo for a night of roots, dubs, steppers and dubstep. 1500 Yen for the men and 1000 Yen for the women gets a full night of entertainment and entry price gets one drink. Club opens at 10PM and we go till sunrise on Sunday.

Come on out to One Blood at Ikebukuro 2-12-11 (see map on flyer)

New Civilization Dub Blood @ One Blood

22:00~05:30

男￥1500/女￥1000 w/ 1D

池袋2-12-11

三井ビル１F

03-3590-7827

Itak Shaggy Tojo

2007年1月に、Wackiesより1ｓｔフルアルバムがリリースされる。2008年5月、Alpha Enterprizeより自身produceのroots&dubアルバムSUDDEN DESTRUCTIONがリリースされる。Black Redemption Soundの1員として、主に同レーベルのｖiｎyｌリリースに参加。又、日本の最重要 new roots ＆ dubのproducer Mighty Massaとのコラボワークは特にヨーロッパで高い評価を受けている。自身の打ち込みによる楽曲も、ＵＫでAbba Shanti I,King Earthquake等のSystemでDub plateとしてplayされている。

Downpressor/Israel B

NY出身のダブプロデューサー。ジャマイカのルーツとUKのニュールーツの流れをくむ、渋くて深みのある独自のヘビーダブをクリエイトしている。80年代のUSでスタジオの音響技術者として仕事を始める。複数のレコード会社でのレコーディングのほか、パンクバンドのダブミックス、NYのクラブDJ向けリミックス等、制作プロデューサーとしての経験は多岐にわたる。最近のリリースは2007年のSevens Dub Four、Trinityのボーカルをフィーチャーした2008年Jah Fire。

One Blood

今年で、オープンより１６年を迎える老舗。特に、２００７年の店内大幅改装で、それまでのbar形態から、より音を追求したclub形態の営業に移行して、Al Campbell,Horace Andy,Trinity,Luckie D,Determine,Tony Curtis,Robert Lee.Josey Wales,U Brown,Johnny P等、来日Jaアーティストのshowを行うなど、東京クラブシーンで、常に注目されている。池袋の繁華街で、稀有な路面店として、重低音を鳴らしているこの箱は、artistととの距離感の近い、音の良い小箱として、国境を越えて、多くの音好きがおとずれている。店内の内装は、木目の壁に、ヴィンテージのポスターや、多数のドーナツ盤が飾られ、広く取られたバーカウンターは、落ち着いて心地よい。フロアーには、それぞれをラスタ色に塗り分けた、３箱のローボックスを中心に組んだSOUND SYSTEMがおかれている。、DJブース前のレゲエミュージシャンの肖像画は、全て、手描きで、以前、店外の外装であったものを何とか移動させたもので、この店のレゲエクラブとしての歴史と思い入れの深さを、感じる事が出来る。毎月第２土曜のレギュラーダンス、Dub blood@One Blood では、この箱のマスター、TOMもセレクターとしてプレイし、レゲエに造詣の深い彼の、レゲエというフィルターを通した、レゲエの枠を超えたダビーな選曲は、その知識のない人を踊らせ、その知識のある人を頷かせる。そして、JAMAICA ７０’後期から８０’初期のロッカーズサウンドを主に組み立てられるSIS.KORINのセレクトには、どこかで耳にした事のあるフレーズが満載で、その心地よさの中に時々牙をむく、彼女ならではのDUB音感覚が、そのセンスの良さを際立たせている。

Google Maps politricks or just an error?

2009-09-23T20:14:00.007+09:00

This post is not about reggae, but I need to say this somewhere.

Here's the story, on September 22 I'm talking to a friend and he is trying to tell me where a city in Israel is located. I take out my iPod Touch and do a Google Maps search for Israel. The entire country is blank except for areas marked Gaza and West Bank. I try zooming in to see if thats the problem but no, all the surrounding areas have city names clearly marked, but nothing in Israel. When I got home I tried the same thing and got the same results but this time I took pictures with my camera. See for yourself:

I dont know if someone somewhere is playing politricks or if this was a system error, but this is wrong. I dont get the same result from maps.google.com or maps.google.co.jp, only when using the google maps app on my iPod Touch.

Update 1: This same thing happened to an iPhone user in Texas, USA and is also confirmed by another Japanese iPhone user.

5770 starts this friday night

2009-09-18T03:57:00.002+09:00

A new year is almost upon us! By the Hebrew calendar, the year 5770 starts this friday night. If you read up your Bible you will see that the new year starts on the month of Tishrei and since months are calculated by the moon, Tishrei starts Friday night. Why friday night and not Saturday? Again, its in your Bible, check the start of Genesis "and there was evening and there was morning, a new day".

Here's wishing you a year full of livity and blessings!

Next dance 8/8 @ 池袋 One Blood

2009-08-04T22:05:00.003+09:00

Men男性￥１５００ women女性￥１０００ w/1 drink

Selectors:
Sister Korin - roots rockers
Tom - dubstep steppers
Israel B/Downpressor - new roots steppers dubwise
Itak Shaggy Tojo - roots hard steppers pon de mic sound system styles

One Blood is at Ikebukuro 2-12-11 close to the west exit of Ikebukuro station.
03-3598-7827

Killa Sista debut CD is out

2009-07-13T19:16:00.002+09:00

Japan's all girl dub band Killa Sista just released their debut CD on Far East Records and its HARD! The liner notes are full of praises from Mad Professor, Adrian Sherwood, Mark Iration, Chazbo, Mighty Massa and more. Its not available outside Japan officially but get your hands on this one. This is probably going to be the best reggae to come out of Japan in 2009.

Amazon Japan order page for the CD is here and they will ship outside of Japan.

See also http://www.killasista.com/ (all in Japanese though)

Check "Legal Pirates" on Shibuya FM July 13

2009-07-13T01:15:00.003+09:00

I'll be guesting on Shibuya FM's Legal Pirates reggae show on July 13 between 24:00 and 1AM with Double H. Tune your FM dial to 78.4MHz to enjoy. I promise at least one unreleased cut for your listening enjoyment!

Next Dance July 11 Dub Blood @ One Blood

2009-07-05T15:16:00.002+09:00

All night roots, new roots, steppers and dubs just ¥1500! Ladies free before midnight!
All star selector lineup: Sister Korin, Tom, Downpressor, Itak Shaggy Tojo
One Blood is at Ikebukuro 2-12-11 close to the west exit of Ikebukuro station.

Downpressor picked for Japanzine Top 10 Foreign artists

2009-06-11T12:59:00.003+09:00

Big respect to the staff at Japanzine for featuring me in the 2009 selection of foreign artists in Japan. If you live here, check the June issue, its free. In Japan or not check seekjapan.jp and grab up a free copy of my track "Cold War 2 Dub"

See you saturday night for Dub Blood @ One Blood in Ikebukuro

New Civilization Dub Blood @ One Blood now monthly!

2009-05-11T15:51:00.003+09:00

Like the title says, Shaggy Tojo and Downpressor are happy to say that New Civilization is now a monthly event. We come out every second saturday at One Blood with guest selectors and live artists for a full night of fun! As always, 1,500 Yen gets you in and gets you one drink and a night of roots, rockers, dubs and steppers.

One Blood is at 2-12-11 Ikebukuro

If not now when?

2009-01-22T00:34:00.007+09:00

If this isnt the greatest time to learn to produce dub I dont know when is. There is just so much new stuff out there in the way of hardware controllers to simulate a mixing desk on your PC,

(see http://www.korgnano.com)

so many decent free or affordable good sounding delays and reverbs

(see Audio Damage Dub Station)

and digital audio workstation software is either free or cheaper than its ever been. The market for selling music may be dieing thanks to all the freeloaders and thieves, but the chances to make music are better than ever!

Also, I'm now regularly selecting with Itak Shaggy Tojo at the New Civilization event at Tokyo's One Blood in Ikebukuro every 5th Saturday. Next event is January 31

One Blood is at Ikebukuro 2-12-11 (Google Map)

long overdue

2008-12-23T18:01:00.001+09:00

6 months or so but I've been busy. Here's some news from the Eastern Front

Shaggy Itak Tojo put out three records on the Pirka Atuy label. Good luck finding them.
Jacques Golub of Kingston Connexion started up a new venture Tokyo Connexion and release a fine 7" by Riddim Conference. Well worth you money. Nuff respect to Jaques and all the European bredren and sistren keeping the true fires burning!

I been selecting sometimes with Shaggy Tojo at a monthly event in Ikebukuro. Next one is end of January as my overstanding. I dont play the secrets game, you want to know the records I play, ask and knowledge will be yours.

Whether in the studio or in the booth, the Kaoss tools from Korg are a blessing! Love my Kaoss Pad 3, mini KP and Kaossilator. Wish I had more of em and more hands to tweak the sounds.

More tool talk: when I was a youth my drum machine was a Roland TR-707 bought from a pawn shop for whatever money I had. Large LCD for step programming, individual outs for each sound, built in mixer and many options for time control. Back in those days, many things still didnt have MIDI so the 707 offered control voltage out synced to the rims shot. As a youth I used this to drive the built in 16 step sequencer of my Pro One synth.

Over the years and before I moved to Japan I sold off all my gear. Good bye to all the old mixers, effects, synths and riddim boxes. Fast forward to the 21st century and I got a big bag of regret for doing that. So a few years ago I picked up a 707 on auction. Now thats my master clock for other drum boxes and once again the analog features come to the rescue. I got lucky enough to find an old Boss PC-2 and once again having Control Voltage clocking comes in Handy!

One of these days I'll figure out a way to diagram my rig of hardware and post it up here.

Tagged: Seven Songs

2008-05-26T20:48:00.002+09:00

responding to John Eden's Tagged: Seven Songs

1 Matisyahu - Jerusalem

So I'm a little late to this party, when I first heard Matisyahu a year or two back all I could say was "meh". Now I come to check his sound and find some enjoyable bits. Pure reggae its not but its something a bit different and Jerusalem is some nice reggae influenced pop with good work from Sly & Robbie and Bill Laswell producing.

2 Glen Adams - Jordan River

Just acquired this 7". Heavy heavy rockers sound versioning a track we all know and love. B side riddim keeps the woofer moving.

3 Bush Chemists - Rain and Thunder

Found this riddim on the b side of some recent 7"s out of France, nice work by Dougie & crew, looking forward to running this one inna dance.

4 Dr. Israel - Armageddon Time

One of my favorite riddims done up jungle/DnB style. Sure its almost a golden oldie by now but I like it on headphones while I navigate the crowds.

5 Little Roy - Piece of The Earth

Coming from the out of print "Longtime" album, not the Adrian Sherwood DnB version by the same name/source. Bassline of this one keeps me moving but the mix sounds really dated, the intro synths just make me imagine some flock of seagulls hairdo keytard. Still how can you argue with the lyric "Every man wants a piece of the earth but no man wants peace on the earth"!

6 Sister Beloved - Freedom of the Land

As I understand, first record produced by Jah Shaka's son Young Warrior. Bought it cuz its a good UK digital cut, not for the famed bloodline, tho its nice to see Young Warrior and Joe Ariwa carrying on through the generations.

7 Agony Column - Rain Comes Down

One of my all time favorite tracks from a band I saw more times than I can count. Agony Colum was Texas's own Hellbilly Deathmetal Onslaught and boy howdy did they rock! This wasnt their fastest or most popular track but I always enjoyed hearing it live. Big ol howdy goin out to Richie, Crow, Stuart & Charlie wherever you guys are now!

passing the baton to:

Chris Randall

Heshman

Joi Ito

It aint seven and none of em are in the reggae space, lets see how that goes.

Mute Beat One Night Live

2008-04-21T21:01:00.002+09:00

On April 2, 2008, Mute Beat performed a one night only reunion gig at Liquid Room in Tokyo. Even though the show was sold out the minute tickets went on sale, I managed to get in to see the show.

The first time I heard Mute Beat was in 1990. I was in Tower Records at 4th & Broadway and saw a cassette with a trumpet over a red circle called "Mute Beat in Dub". The sign said something about that this was a Japanese dub reggae band. I couldnt believe the idea. All we knew about Japanese music was YMO. I still remember walking up Broadway with that tape in my Walkman and being blown away by the sounds I heard.

Who were these guys? I didnt know how to say the names except for Dub Master X (what a cool name that was) and I couldnt find any information about the band except what was written in the tape insert. I wore out three copies of that cassette listening to it over the years. The year before I came to Japan the album was released on CD. Of course since I came here I've found all their releases but I still listen to "Mute Beat in Dub" regularly.

Of course I dreamed of seeing this band, but by the time I moved to Japan they had broken up. Tonight one of my dreams became reality (big up to the man who made that happen, you know who you are). The band was in great form! Matsunaga-san's bass shook the ground, Gota-san's drumming was tight, Kodama-san & Masui-san's horns blew down the walls of Jericho, Asamoto-san's keyboards kept the skank and DMX's mix glued it all together.

I waited 18 years for this show. It was worth the wait. Thank you Mute Beat!

Setlist:

(intro) DMX BEAT〜DAY SHOULD TURN TO NIGHT
01. AFTER THE RAIN
02. METRO
03. LANDSCAPE
04. ORGAN'S MELODY
05. TAKE 5 (DUB NO.5)
06. BUTTERFLY〜MIXED UP
07. WHISKY BAR
08. SUNNY SIDE WALK
09. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
10. COFFIA

ENCORE 1
11. STILL ECHO
12. BEAT AWAY

ENCORE 2
13. JENKA
14. SUMMERTIME〜FROZEN SUN

ENCORE 3
15. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

intro and part of Metro

On-U Sound in Japanese magazine 1992

2008-03-03T21:53:00.006+09:00

Remix is one of the longest running Japanese non mainstream music magazines, this issue is from April of 92 (issue #12) and had a 5 page feature on On-U Sound as part of tour support promotion. I'm pretty sure Spin Records (later Alpha Records, no longer in business) only got this much coverage because they bought a full color back cover ad. Thats how media coverage goes here.

Two things about these scans, the magazine is read right to left, I've scanned the pages individually but for Western readers the alighment and page numbers may look off. Also most Japanese magazines are not printed full color. Most inside pages are black and white. Only 7 of 128 pages are printed in color in this issue. Unfortunately they chose to make one of those a picture of Courtney Love rather than any of the On-U pages. Oh well.

P25-29 (click for larger view)

Back Cover

Notes on the back cover: Three of the four albums shown here were Japan only releases with the exception of Stoned Immaculate, but as was common at the time the Japanese release of that got a bonus track. "Pay It All Back Live" (top left) is the live recordings from Town & Country in the UK. Acording to skysaw.org this really was a Japan only release. "Snakeman Show in the 90's" was Adrian Sherwood mixing 3 tracks for a Japanese radio show. "S.E.T. in the 90s" is more Sherwood remixology.

The door prices for the tour were 5,500 advance, 6,000 at door. Oddly enough thats about what it costs to see any one of these acts now when they come here 16 years later. Shibuya On Air is still around, dont know about W'ohol in Osaka.

Sorry but I just dont have the energy to translate the 5 page article.

Club Yellow of Tokyo is closing

2008-02-28T19:44:00.002+09:00

After 16 years of hosting local and overseas DJs, live acts and more, Spacelab Yellow is closing its doors on June 21. Though I'm not a fan of the club itself, its a loss for Tokyo since thats one less venue for reggae, dub, D&B, techno, etc. Clubs come and go, few stay around for this long though.

For the most part, I only go to smaller bars and clubs because entry prices for events at Yellow or Liquid Room tend to be over 4,000 Yen. Double that so I can take the wife, add in some drinks and transportation and a night out to see a band becomes an expense item. Only went to Yellow once to see Adrian Sherwood, planning to go once more to see Zion Train in April. Not really fond of the place because they oversell tickets and it gets too crowded to dance or have fun. Liquid Room is a better space and Unit is more fun anyways. For a good local night theres Open or Garam or One Blood. Even with plenty of choices left, its too bad when one is removed.

new record "Jah Fire" Trinity & Downpressor

2007-12-12T23:36:00.000+09:00

Hot biscuits from the oven, fresh from the presses, "Jah Fire" voiced by the one and only Trinity AKA Junior Brammer, dub by Tokyo's own Downpressor!

Its a bass heavy outing in a Satta style, Trinity puts in a sing-jay performance on the A side, the B side is a smooth echotronic voyage.

Now available in Japan, soon in UK and US, worldwide when they get there.

Populous Cast

2007-09-27T00:19:00.000+09:00

Man here in Tokyo, kind enough to feature me in his podcast, check it at http://www.populuscast.libsyn.com/

Have a taste of Step By Steppers, my dub mix of Tear Drop and an unreleased track The Call on the ever popular Stalag riddim.

Next record coming soon

2007-09-17T13:42:00.000+09:00

Master data for next downpressor production on its way to the pressing plant. more traditional thing with a roots vocalist you know and dub mix. iTunes will get an extra version extended mix which was actually the original version.

Downpressor "Sevens Dub Four" & "Step By Steppers" now on iTunes worldwide, vinyl still avilable

2007-09-01T17:35:00.000+09:00

Finally, iTunes has gone outernational for me

Sevens Dub Four on iTunes
Step By Steppers on iTunes

Vinyl still available at
Tanty Dub Shop
Jah Warrior
Ernie B's Reggae

as well as other fine stores

Big up Shaggy Tojo

2007-07-31T20:34:00.000+09:00

Word has it that the Shaggy Tojo produced Earl 16 track "Jah Messenger" (see Sudden Destruction post below) was recently played by the man Jah Shaka himself. Nice that Japanese reggae can be known a foreign for something more than Junko the dancehall queen.

Dubsensemania -> Dubsentimental?

2007-07-24T19:57:00.000+09:00

I heard a little story. Dubsensemania, a Japanese reggae band started out indie, played lots of gigs, built a local following and eventually got signed to Sony Records for a two year contract. Sometime recently that contract ran out. The band is no more, but some members still play together as Dubsentimental.

Nothing exciting there. Theres a bit more to it though. The CDs released by Dubsensemania while signed to Sony were all Copy Control CDs, meaning they wouldnt play in anyone's computer and possibly their car stereo, etc. I dont have numbers to back it up, but no one I know bought those CDs, even fans of the band. The other thing about those CDs is the music did not sound like what the band sounded like live or like their previous studio work. DSM was a very fun live band, but these CDs were .... popish? mainstream j-rock sounding? boring? Talk is also that Sony wanted them to cover some old popular j-pop songs "inna reggae style".

The other bit that may come as a surprise is that being signed to a Japanese major label means the band goes on salary. Contracts here are not built around "X albums in Y" years, but "Band members recieve a monthly salary of Z Yen per month and will damn well do as they are told." Knowing what I know about Sony Music, the company probably owned the band name, merchandising rights and promotional rights as well. As weird as this may sound, for some musicians this can be a good deal. I know a few studio musicians who work for Sony Music as musical salarymen. Everyday they go in and play what they are told to and get enough of a paycheck to feed their families. Lots of studio guys I knew back home would have given their eye teeth for a reliable job like that and for most factory style cookie cutter j-pop the system works. Sell just enough CDs, do the promotional events, commercials and promotion events you are told to and you get a salary.

Evidently this wasnt quite the case with DSM. Some band members supposedly didnt want to keep on without Sony's monthly check, possibly the band no longer owned its name, so as I understand things, most members are working on solo careers or playing together sometimes as Dubsentimental. Have not seen them play lately, cant say how they sound now.

Somewhere I have some video of DSM recording at Ariwa Studio with the Mad Professor himself.

Anyways, wherever the band members are now, I wish them the best. Japan needs live reggae not more children screaming on a mic over backing tapes and calling themselves a soundsystem.

FWIW, all of the above is based on hearsay, take it all with a grain of salt, it might all be wrong.

Updates

2007-07-22T22:27:00.000+09:00

Did a dub mix for Pole Pole Taxi Soundsystem, might come out on CD next year

Someone asked me to contribute to a compilation CD sponsored by a hamburger place down Yokohama way. The theme is "hamburgers and dub". Never heard of such a thing, but I'm all for promoting the local scene so I'll do that. With any luck it will be available outside Japan as well.

Have not mentioned it yet, but Ras Itak AKA Shaggy Tojo has produced an outernational CD collection "Sudden Destruction" with contributions from Japan's own Mighty Massa and vocalists from UK & JA and work from NYC also.

See list of artists etc here Page in Japanese, but artist list in english. There are a couple of 7"s to go with it, but they are VERY limited.

some japanese music

2007-07-12T21:15:00.000+09:00

El Riddim Conference

One mand act recording some nice demos. Not much information to say other than I got the demo CD at Drum Song in Shimokitazawa.

Check the sounds at http://elriddimconference.hp.infoseek.co.jp

bumbaclaaaat

2007-05-22T20:49:00.000+09:00

The word is really popular with j-reggae fans. Most of the kids I've talked to dont really know what it means but they know its a curse word. Thank kind of explains why its popular, there really are no curse words in japanese beyond "poop" and "stupid". It feels good to curse sometimes!

big up Revolution Reggae Podcast

2007-05-19T16:55:00.000+09:00

Thanks for playing my tune "step by steppers"
http://reggaerevolution.podomatic.com/entry/2007-05-07T18_38_58-07_00

Clancy Eccles & Michael Manley

2007-05-13T14:05:00.000+09:00

"POWER FOR THE PEOPLE"
1972 release by Clancy Eccles & Michael Manley
on Clandisc.

The A & B sides are a speech by Manley dubbed over Eccles "Power For The People" riddim. As far as I can tell, this was done and released by Eccles on his own just to show his support for Manley and the PNP in the 1972 election.

Eccles was known as a lifelong socialist and Manley's unofficial adviser on reggae music as well as being the organizer of the 1972 "super groups" tour in support of Manley's election bid.

The friend who gave me this record told me that he remembers it being played by his teacher during class in elementary school in Jamaica. Of course everyone is exposed to political propaganda in school under the guise of history or civics classes, but I cant recall any occasion where one particular candidate's propaganda was favored over another.

Nice review from Hi Fashion Records

2007-05-08T23:09:00.000+09:00

Hi Fashion Records down in Machida (Southern Tokyo) found my 7" from Ernie B's in the US and reverse imported it (yes I am lazy about promotion). They gave it 4 out of 5 stars and compared the B side to a Lee Perry production. I'm flattered!

I went down and checked out the store, nice place, good people. The store manager Masa lived in London for a few years and is a big Shaka fan. Definitely a store to support.

"Jamaica One Love Festival" in Tokyo

2007-05-08T23:07:00.000+09:00

They do this in may for the last few years. The irony is there is not a single Jamaican performer or business listed on the web site. 100% Japanese performance and profit.

Not like there are no Jamaicans here either...

Downpresor 7" available in US

2007-05-03T16:17:00.000+09:00

From Ernie B's Reggae here

Amsterdam

2007-04-24T12:33:00.000+09:00

If in Amsterdam, there seems to be one main record shop that has much regage, Boudisque near Amsterdam Central station.

"Get Records" on Utrechsestraat has some as well. They also have some copies of my 7" "Sevens Dub Four" for sale as well. Thanks to Joost for taking some and being a good guy overall!

Becoming a Cliche

2007-04-10T00:12:00.000+09:00

Just occurred to me today, "Becoming a Cliche" appeals to me so much because it sounds like Tackhead back when they were worth listening to. Not that its covering the same ground, (well a little bit), but that it challenges me to listen. This is what Tackhead should have been rather than a crap copy of Living Color. Bernard Fowler never did it for me.

Finding a singer

2007-04-01T14:17:00.000+09:00

I'm starting to plan my next release, I know which ridim track I want to use. Its 100BPM but sounds slower, minor key, one drop. The dub version uses some samples of Marcus Garvey. Sweet and dandy so far, but see Tokyo is not exactly an easy place to find good roots singers, so I'm kind of asking for advice here. So far my ideas are:

Wait and find someone locally. There are a few singers here in Tokyo, I could book studio time (no vocal booth in my studio) or give them a mixdown and have them use their own studio. Problem: finding the right singer half way around the world from where most are.
Use the web to find and contact a "name" singer, send a mixdown and have them arrange to record vocals somewhere and send em back to me for final mix & overdubs. Problem: many! First theres the trust issue, its always hard setting up something with someone you dont know (not to mention the money aspects over distance). Next is the fact that if I'm not present at the recording session, its not going to be easy to say what I like or dont like on a vocal take or ask for things like harmony or backing vocals after the fact. The other thing is making sure the vocals are sent back to me in some kind of format I can work with. Not everyone is going to understand if I say "44.1Khz, unprocessed, WAV or AIFF only".
Try and work something out with another studio who has contacts with vocalists over the web/email. This takes care of the technical issues in #2 above, but still leaves me with the trust and presence issues tho hopefully if I can work with someone who knows their sound, I can trust them to come up with a good recording and get it to me right. Problem: working out the .biz side of the whole thing. Not unsolvable, perhaps only a minor issue.

So if anyone out there has dealt with this before, please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Downpressor 7" now available in UK

2007-03-21T18:00:00.000+09:00

Web orders of Downpressor 7" Sevens Dub Four/Step By Steppers now at these fine shops

Reggae Record Store

Tanty Record Shop

Respect to Steve @ Jah Warrior/Regae Music Store and Kelvin @ Tanty Records!

low volume on repress 7"s?

2007-03-08T00:17:00.000+09:00

I been buying alot more 7"s lately, lots of repress issues of old roots. Seems to me that alot of them have very low volume when played on a decent turntable. Anyone know a possible reason for this?

Oh, the why is I'm going to DJ out in April after a 20+ year break from spinning for an audience. You know they didnt even have CDs the last time I did this in public and now thats all most people in Tokyo use. I feel old.

Update: There was a thread on Blood & Fire which related to this. The general consensus was reuse of old stampers as the cause.

Zion Train @ Tokyo Liquid Room 2005

2007-02-04T16:19:00.000+09:00

Some trueheart tokyo massive at the start there

under investigation

2007-02-04T03:03:00.000+09:00

lyrical similarities between Callman Scott's "Devil In The City" and the Gary Clail/Bim Sherman track "Two Theives And A Liar"

Update: I should have been more clear that "Devil In The City" predates "Two Theives And A liar" by a number of years. Also I do not mean to disrespect either singer with this question.

Now it can be revealed

2007-01-16T23:05:00.000+09:00

The "famed" Ari Up/New Age Steppers track "My Whole World" was actually sung by Elmer Fudd loaded up on helium.

On U <-> Mikey Dread

2007-01-16T22:52:00.000+09:00

Found these On U riddims on Mikey Dread songs:
African Blood/African Dub (Congo Ashanti Roy / Singers & Players) -> Childhood Days (Mikey Dread)
Breaking Down The Pressure (Congo Ashanti Roy / Singers & Players) -> Autobiography (Mikey Dread)

Update: Of course I'm hardly the first to catch this. David of Skysaw.org documents and explains here http://www.skysaw.org/onu/artists/singersandplayers.html

Dub of NYC

2007-01-13T20:23:00.000+09:00

Lately I've managed to chase down some records which involve NYC dub, as far as I can tell the mixer/producer is Victor Rice. Stuff including Version City Sound Clash, Crazy Baldhead and 33HZ/Strikkly Vikkly. Labels are Jammyland and Redbud Records. Chase it down, ts an original sound .

2006-12-05T20:03:00.000+09:00

Yamaha DD-11
Aurion Stereo Delay
Zoom RT-234 w/ foot pedal controller
Zoom 1010 multi FX
crap bass amp

The stereo out of the delay goes to the line in of the RT-234, mixed with the RT-234 sound and gets reprocessed through the Zoom 1010. While playing the DD-11 can tweak the direct/stereo switch as well as the delay time knob on the Aurion. The 1010 is set to a big reverb with some distortion and "presence" on one pedal, delay and verb on another.

Playing with this rig reminds me of why I stomp boxes with knobs over the zoom style ones with presets, you just cant tweak the zoom stuff in real time without buying an addon foot pedal and even then you can only tweak one parameter.

Hooray for "junk" bins and used gear

2006-11-25T15:38:00.000+09:00

This week was good. Picked up a used Zoom RT-234 cheap on auctions and a working BOSS petal swtich out of the junk bin from Ishibashi.

For musicians/producers wanting old cheap gear in Japan, your options are sadly limited. The biggest auction site here is Yahoo! Auctions and due to the 10 minute clock reset at the end of acutions bargains are pretty darn rare. The idea is to prevent sniping by giving bidders a chance to increase their top bid before the clock runs out by resetting the clock to 10 minutes if a new high bid comes in at the last 10 minutes of an auction. The effect is that closing prices end up much higher because people end up bidding more than they thought their max was at first. The unintended effect is that the prices of used stuff in stores goes up to match auction closing bids. Also if you are new to auctions here, dont forget that you have to pay the bank transfer fee and shipping fees which can add up to 2,000 Yen onto your real costs.

In the US I used to buy used gear at pawnshops, garage sales and flea markets. Japan has pawnshops but they never really have music gear. There are used shops called "recycle shops" but music gear besides accoustic guitars or the occaisional DJ mixer is almost never to be found. Even when you do find something dont expect a bargain, there is a nation wide price guide published for these shops telling them the "correct" prices for things. There is a chain store which sells used stuff called "Hard Off" which often has instruments, FX, mixers, speakers, etc. but prices are again high. Forget flea markets for the most part, I've never seen a piece of music gear at one in the greater Tokyo area.

This basically leaves actual music gear shops. In Tokyo they are concentrated around the hill from Ochanomizu station. Some kind soul created a map here. Or theres some around the south exit of Shibuya station. Ishibashi mentioned above is a chain of music instruments and related stuff. You can check their used pricing here. AFAIK they have stores in many cities of Japan. I've been to their Kobe shop and it was pretty large by local standards. Dont expect great prices or much selection on used guear.

Generally do not expect many shop clerks to speak anything besides Japanese and in Tokyo anyways dont bother trying to haggle. In this part of Japan prices are almost always carved in stone.

Kodama Kazufumi (ex Mute Beat) live

2006-11-18T17:30:00.000+09:00

He does get talkative during his shows...

Dry & Heavy Live vid

2006-11-18T17:17:00.000+09:00

Cuz this IS dubbing in tokyo after all. Vocalist from ADF pon the mic, and Likkle Mai doing some harmony tings.

Fact is D&H been playing live around and about lately, no news if there will be new record or not. Hope so!

Bonus treat, ificcial "Dawn is Breaking" music vid:

Likkle Mae has dreads there, I never saw a picture of that before.

polish on-u sound documentary

2006-11-18T17:15:00.000+09:00

Adrian Sherwood Dub Sessions vol 2 camphone vid

2006-11-18T17:00:00.000+09:00

Quality bad, but waddaya want for free moochers?

german name check dub video

2006-11-18T16:57:00.000+09:00

Courtesy of some German TV show. Past and present name checks in effect

anyone who knows more, please comment!

"True Rasta Man Don't Suck Cock" - Lee Scratch Perry

2006-11-01T22:59:00.000+09:00

Actual quote from the 10/31 show. Almost no one in the crowd got that line, but AMS sure looked surprised when he heard it!

AMS did material from his new CD, LSP did some new and some older material then they came out together and did Fever (the old torch song), War Inna Babylon as well as a couple others. Most of the crowd was there to see LSP, he's "more famous" in Japan than AMS.

Japanese Reggae Flyers

2006-10-29T21:00:00.000+09:00

These are from Tokyko & Kobe. Did not go to most of these events. Just presenting for your viewing pleasure.

Yeehaw! says the donkey (says Lee Scratch Perry)

2006-10-24T21:53:00.000+09:00

Q Why has Gary Clail been whitewashed out of the Tackhead media ethos recently? He seems to have been cut almost entirely out of Tackhead Sound Crash, most of his chant in Half Cut For Confidence was replaced with panned sounds of race cars or some crap like that. Uncarved Eden recently linked to some UK media bit about AMS & On-U which covered some Tackhead but had no mention of Clail at all. None of the Japanese press has mentioned him except on the insert booklet of the re-issued Tackhead Tape Time.

A1 The whole world is still embarased by Clail's solo work, especially the song Beef, but thats no reason to whitewash out the good stuff. Two Theives & A Liar (JA Minor) remains one of my favorite tracks.

A2 The remaining members of Tackhead are still embarased by the fact that they recorded more tracks with Bernard Fowler but cant bring themselves to admit it. None of my favorite tracks include the ex Peach Boy.

Rastafari! says the cat (says young Ms. Sherwood)

2006-10-24T21:14:00.000+09:00

A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-GitaVishnuis trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him he takes on his multiarmed form and says, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." I supose we all thought that, one way or another. - J. Robert Oppenheimer regarding the Trinity test of the atomc bomb

Just wanted to source that quote which is used on AMS's Cliché CDs and on Tackhead Sound Crash: Slash & Mix.

So far I'm enjoying the Cliché CDs much more than Never Trust A Hippie

maybe the text colors here are messed up, Blogger's text interface is going odd on me.

Becoming a Cliché

2006-10-19T20:44:00.000+09:00

Adrian Sherwood's new CD is out. In Japan its a double CD with the second CD being Dub Cliché. See here. Maybe I'll post something about the music later. Theres a Japanese language booklet insert which has alot more text than the normal english CD booklet. Might try and do something with that for here.

The fact that I linked to that also means that On-U Sound has a website again. Not much there yet, but promise of more to come.

AMS & Lee Scratch Perry are playing two nights in Tokyo, 10/31 and 11/3, both at Liquidroom. Nice space, will probably be much better than the Club Yellow show a year or so ago which frankly sucked ass due to overcrowding.

Other Japan dates:
11/1 Nagoya Club Quattro
11/2 Osaka Shinsaibashi Club Quattro

Plan on paying at least 6,000 Yen for each ticket.

record labels

2006-10-09T19:45:00.000+09:00

The quality of JA 7"s is a running joke on the net. Me I think the label errors are much more interesting than oddities of pressing. Only about 5 of my singles have the label aligned right, lots from the 80s onward have the artist or song name rubber stamped on blanks labels showing the info of the record company (come to think of it I've never seen anything on the Techniques imprint with a printed label). I guess labels like this one here get serious record collectors all a flutter, but Im just enjoying it cuz its the only Roots Rodicks record I own.

FWIW the single is mostly forgettable but has a nice horn riff. The B side claims to be mixed by "the late great king tubby's" but I'm not so sure. Has none of Tubbys signature sound at all.

the root and the suck

2006-09-30T00:54:00.001+09:00

Two things:

Aswad used to be a roots band. This is hard to believe, but go find the album they did with Jah Shaka. Totally sparse roots music. No overdubs, no hooks, no pop. Aswad with all the suck scraped off was roots.
Roots Radics. "radics", "radix", "radical" all from same word, all mean the root of things. The roots of the roots. Why did it take me almost 20 years to catch this?

about that reggae dvd box set

2006-09-20T22:14:00.000+09:00

Now I've had time to watch all three and have something to say.

The Harder They Come
Its a great film, but you know that. The DVD is 16:9 and is indeed a great transfer. Plenty of extras including interviews with just about everyone involved, even Jimmy Cliff. Well over an hour of extras.
Reggae In A Babylon
This one impressed me the least, except that it was interesting to see some of the old UK bands. Thats all it is really. Oh! There was a time when Steel Pulse did not look like complete dorks. 4:3 but looks like it was shot on 16mm and I doubt there was any use of widescreen since its "documentary".
Countryman
I've heard about this since the mid 80s and had the soundtrack but never had a chance to see it till now. Simple story, good simple hero, wicked official men, fight scenes and obeh, nothin not to love. Carl Bradshaw from THTC plays two different roles in this one. 4:3, good color and sound, a 12 minute "making" type feature as an extra.

Reggae Movies

2006-09-10T13:47:00.000+09:00

As far as I can tell this is a Japan only thing. Just released today, a DVD box set including:

The Harder They Come
a new transfer from the original 16mm negatives in 16:9. There are many different edits of this movie, I couldnt tell you which one this is.
Countryman
have not sen yet, no comment
Reggae In A Babylon
a German produced movie about the 70s UK reggae scene

I ordered this from Kinokunia's website and ended up with a free poster and t-shirt. The surprise was that the t-shirt is not the expected THTC logo, but a blue shirt with a yellow star of david like the main character of the movie wore.

Those of you seeking this outside Japan, Kinokunia wont ship to you, try Amazon instead.

versionology

2006-09-04T21:38:00.000+09:00

"Jungle Fever" by Truth, Fact & Correct vs "Ala - Mecka - Bickally" by Audio Active.

Dont find any references on jamrid or anywhere. If anyone else knows of a version, please comment.

I promise I wont make a habit of this

2006-09-01T20:05:00.000+09:00

In the 20 years I've been listening to the On-U Sound family, I've seen darn few images and almost no videos of the people involved. So when I came across these YouTube clips, I was at least pleased to see the people even if this lead song is one of my least favorites.

Gary Clail & On-U Sound System - Human Nature

Bim Sherman in studio

the making of Bim Sherman's "Miracle"

Adrian Sherwood on the knobs

Audio Active - Happy Shopper

Akabu live

I skipped the few Tackhead vids since they are ones with Bernard Fowler and I dont like that era of Tackhead really. Sure there is a basis to say that the Gary Clail really had nothing to do with Tackhead besides chanting over their tapes, but pretty much everyone I know prefers that stuff to the later records. Interesting that neither vocalist really ended up on the Japanese released Tackhead megamix CD that came out this year.

Kobe Report/Yeah I thought so....

2006-08-27T23:01:00.000+09:00

Went to Kobe (city in western Japan), found three reggae record shops. As usual mostly all JA 7s, 99% dancehall. 411 and Jet Set Kobe dont make my list of places to go back to. However found a new litle place called Livity just near Motomachi station. Again mostly dancehall but a few 10s and 12s of roots & dub.

So this brings me to the "Yeah I thought so". Now this may be screamingly obvious to some of you record collectors out there, but I'd only suspected it up to now. Some records released under Tubbys name are actually mixed by Scientist. Makes sense since Scientist was Tubbys intern, but in the light of the whole Rockstar Games VS Scientist VS Jammy controversy of last year, here's some hard evidence that Scientist was mixing at Tubbys studio. The 12s in question are "King Tuby's Answer The Dub" and "Razor Dub Dem At King Tubby's & Cannel 1". Both feature Roots Radics band and are mixed by Scientist. Usual low quality JA pressings on Roots Tradition and Razor Sounds respectively. 99% sure these are re-issues, but no idea if they are just represses or a mix bag of old stuff. No dates on either record.

Speaking of represses, I grabbed a 12 of Black Uhuru's "Anthem" in the original JA sleeve. No idea yet if this is the "legendary" original mix of the album or a repress of what Chris Blackwell did to it later. Black Uhuru did some great pop songs but I'm overall not a huge fan. "Legend has it" that the first version of this record was actual hard roots and a thing to be heard. If so all you soundboys start yer engines cuz perhaps a supressed classic is back. Or not.

Horsemouth in Dub - Feat. Earnist Ranglin

2006-08-20T21:58:00.000+09:00

Mojo Rock
Mojo Dub
Armagadon Dub Inst.
Natty Dub Inst.
Love Up Dub Up Inst.
More Dub
Ska Dub

Recorded at Harry-J and Leggo's, mixed by Silvan Morris and Bravo Gaylord.

Drums & Percussion: Horse Mouth Wallace
Keyboard: Ebu Cypper
Bass: Loyd Parks, Clinton Fergususon, Prof: Larry
Horns: Vin Gorden, Dean Frazer, Nambo, David Madden & Tommy McCook
Guitar: Earnist Ranglin, Earl Chinna-Smith & Bingy Bunny.

Nice but short CD from Jam's Promotion Co., Ltd. in JA. No high production dub, just solid reggae instrumentals with the ever reliable Horsemouth on drums.

Audio Active (from the outer space)

2006-07-30T20:08:00.000+09:00

So I wanted some Audio Active tracks beyond what I've got on the Pay It All Back comps and the Slash & Mix CD. I was at Tower anyways to pickup a magazine so I go down to the 4th floor and look throught the Reggae section. No dice. Over to "club music". Bupkus. Try the touch screen info kiosk. After battling the interface wich was about 2cm off in terms of registering any touch, no info as to where to find anything. Ask a clerk... he cant understand me whether I pronounce it right or in katakana. He thinks I want ABBA, RUN DMC or sports music. Write down "audio active" on a slip of paper. "OHHHH. Its in the JPOP section, 2nd floor".

For the first time in my life I go to the JPOP floor. Cant figure out how things are organized, its not particularly by "alphabetical order", so once again ask a clerk. Get pointed to the club music section and low and behold, 4 CDs. Of course the anti theft cases and the "obi" manage to obscure the tracklists on all of em except Slash & Mix so I couldnt tell which one might or might not have the songs I wanted. No sale.

Come home and check iTMS-J. One album, none of the songs I want.

Time to flip a coin to see if I check Amazon or say screwit.

Footnote: Someone recently cleared something up for me. The Massa in Audio Active is not "Mighty Massa". Mighty Massa came from a japanese ska band whose name I did not catch.

new Kodama and the Dub Station CD

2006-07-24T23:11:00.000+09:00

"More" CD with bonus DVD now out. 13 tracks, but 3 are new versions, (Fiolina, Jenka, Kiyev No Sora). Only one dud on first listen. Not heavy dub but a good CD. The version of "What A Wonderful World" is fast like the Joey Ramone version but with a ska/reggae skank to it. Rico Rodruigez blows guest on the title track as well.

The bonus DVD has some live footage as well as some in the studio/interview material. Heres the amazon.co.jp link http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B000FI8U0E/250-9908765-4203409?ie=UTF8&language=en%5FJP

I'm still damn glad that Kodama is back to stage and studio.

record shops

2006-07-24T22:50:00.000+09:00

Lemme say the obvious, we have alot of reggae record shops in Tokyo and lots of other places to find reggae records.

A few weeks ago I found an old JA 7" on the Black Ark label of Mikey Dread's "Dread at the Control" . Beat to hell and the shop clerk had the balls to blow his cigarette smoke on it while it was spinning, but I wanted it anyways. Thats in Shibuya, cant remember the name of the store but its in the same building as Jammers. From that window you can see at least four other places to get the latest and oldest JA 7s, 10s and 12s.

Place in Koenji where the shop clerks think they are better than all who dare enter sell lots of JA repress and plenty of UK dancehall as well. Picked an odd LP of Roots Radics mixed by Scientist "Roy Cousins Presents Kings & Queens of Dub" but not credited as a Scientist record. Some boring tracks but some good Radics riddims too.

West Shinjuku has at least two good places.

Shimokitazawa has a few places as well, but no names leap from my mind right now.

Lotsa Earl Sixteen 10s around town right now since he was here a while back. Plenty Jammyland vinyl all over town.

See the thing is though, most of these places have a very elitist attitude. They will stock a shit JA 7 over the hardest plate from a local or often a UK and you pretty much never see any EU plates. "だめだよ！われはJAだけだろ！” Commerce rules supreme in most places and many clerks can rattle off the names of 50 sides of the same riddim but have no ears to hear a one.

Sound like bitching on my part? Just reporting the facts as I see em. I could care less how they look down their noses at me, I can still get some good chunes. Anyways, we got good record stores here.

DMX does theater

2006-07-20T22:35:00.000+09:00

This last sunday I went to a Japanese surrealist play "Hitsuji no Shippo" which was scored by Dub Master X. I cant say anything nice about it so I wont say nothin at all. The only good point was I got to briefly meet DMX and act like a fanboy.

test tone

2006-07-20T22:30:00.000+09:00

I said something before about Scientist giving us the test tone "dub beep". I might be wrong. I found a track credited to King Tubby "A Heavy Dub" which I think uses the test tone. Now theres a few things about this which make me uncertain: the famous Tubbys mixer was a self built 8 channel unit and in the pictures I've seen, there is no test tone button, maybe this was done later since the track wasnt dated; the other thing being is that it could have been a Scientist mix while he was working for Tubbys. No date on the track so hard to know. I cant find a reference as to when Scientist started working under his own name so I have no way to check this. If anyone knows please comment.

Again with Scientist

2006-06-24T01:16:00.000+09:00

Somehow I scored Scientist's "Dub 911" when it came out a while back but never listened to it. I finally got around to spinning that. Waste of money. boring boring boring.

This week I also found Style Scott & Flabba Holt's "Nurse in Dub". Looks like an On-U production but it isnt. Mixed by Alon Adiri at On-U Sound Studios though. Also somewhere in my stack of records is "Prophecy of Dub" on Clocktower Records. Dub Syndicate produced by Nkrumah "Jah" Thomas. No mixing engineer credited. Both of these blow away most of my Scientist stuff.

Now I hate to come to this conclusion about a man with so many albums out when I have nothing but one 7" under my own name, but I think Scientist needs to hang up his reverb. He had his golden period. He pretty much defined the test tone dub beep and taught us all to filter sweep our EQs. Was it just the nature of the JA record industry and producers like Junjo that resulted in a flood of disks that might as well be forgotten but for the relentless re-issue machine of Greensleeves?

Not wanting to cut down the man, he has Jammy & Co. to do that for him. Maybe I just wish Scientists work lived up to what I know can be done with the raw material of Style Scott & friends.

BTW for those of you who always wished you could mix Style Scott, why dont you pay a visit to drumdrops.com. Now if only we could get Flabba, Bingy Bunny and the other Radics to do the same...

japan's reggae self image

2006-06-16T23:18:00.000+09:00

There's a social network site here called MIXI, lots of reggae related interest groups on it. Mostly dancehall cuz thats what all the youth are into now. Really they mostly see it as sort of an extention of hip hop. You can buy books and magazines to tell you how to dress and what the words in the songs mean. We actually have several monthly magazines and free papers covering reggae of all types and a good selection of record stores in the major cities. There are Japanese sound systems and deejays a plenty. The boys all try their best to look really hard. The girls are all interested in the latest fashions and dances and avidly buy up DVDs which will teach them to dance reggae.

Anyways... getting back to MIXI, theres a thread in a group called "reggae" which is roughly titled "what is japanese reggae". The original poster was interested in peoples ideas about "battymen" (rendered in katakana (there is no commonly used kanji to mean homosexual, even "homo" the common word is written in katakana. They just cant seem to admit that it exists here)) and if people think that its all about love and irie and rasta. There have been a few hundred responses. Most people seemed to come down on the side that japanese reggae is all about love and irie, reggae is pretty much the same as hip hop, and the few people that voiced an opinion about battymen seemed to be evenly split on whether they should be killed or not. Some people agreed that its great music for sex and everyone agreed that the girls look pretty. A very few voices said that reggae here was nothing more than monkey see monkey do. They were mostly ignored.

In a certain sense, perhaps a musical sense, reggae made here is every bit as valid as that made in the US or Germany or anywhere else where its made almost entirely by non Jamaicans. There are certain parallels, the average person is completely politically disinfranchised and there doesnt seem to be much in the way of an ownership culture of beats/melodies/riddims. And after all a few years ago a Japanese woman actually won the title of "Dancehall Queen" for her performance in Jamaica. I'd say it ends near there though since pretty much .000001% of the fans here have ever known anything like depradation much less poverty, but that can probably be said of the US, Germany, etc as well. The whole question of how "real" any imported culture here is far bigger than I.

My only question in the thread was does japanese reggae mean reagge made by japanese people or reggae made in japan. Never got a clear answer on that but I bet I can count the number of gaijin here making reggae on one hand.

6-6-6

2006-06-06T21:08:00.000+09:00

Tracks for today:

"Seven Devils Dead" - Lee Scratch Perry
"I Chase The Devil" - Max Romeo & The Upsetters
"Satan Dub" - Lee Scratch Perry
"Satan Side" - Keith Hudson
"Escape From Hell" - The Musical Intimidators
"The Voodoo Curse" - Scientist/Roots Radics

more on Dub Master X

2006-05-30T22:02:00.000+09:00

some kind soul on Yahoo! Auctions here in Japan is selling a set of 10 of the "Dub Wa Crazy" 7"s. Here's the list:

Ｖｏｌ．１　（ＮＣ−２０２４）：Ｄｏｎ’ｔＳｌａｖｅｔｈｅＡｍｅｒｉｃａ　／　ＷｈｏｉｓｔｈｅＭａｓｔｅｒ？
Ｖｏｌ．２　（ＮＣ−２０３１）：Ｍｒ．ＤｕｂＭａｓｔｅｒＸ　／　ＳｅｎｔｉｍｅｎｔａｌＤｕｂ
Ｖｏｌ．３　（ＮＣ−２０３４）：ＥａｒｌｙｉｎｔｈｅＭｏｒｎｉｎｇ　／　ＴｈｅｙａｒｅＯｎｌｙ２００Ｙｅａｒｓ
Ｖｏｌ．４　（ＮＣ−２０３５）：ＷｈａｔｔｈｅＨｅｌｌＤｏＴｈｅｙＷａｎｔａｎｙＭｏｒｅ？　／　ＲｕｎａｗａｙＤｕｂ
Ｖｏｌ．５　（ＮＣ−２０３７）：ＭｏｎｓｔｅｒＤｕｂ　／　ＤｕｂＤａｎｃｉｎ’
Ｖｏｌ．６　（ＮＣ−２０３８）：ＲｏｔｔｅｎＯｒａｎｇｅｓ　／　ＤｕｂＦａｍｉｌｙ
Ｖｏｌ．７　（ＮＣ−２０３９）：ＷｈａｔＷｅＮｅｅｄｅｄ　／　ＹｏｕＳｈｏｕｌｄｎ’ｔｂｅｉｎｔｈｅＰａｒｋ
Ｖｏｌ．８　（ＮＣ−２０４７）：日常のＤｕｂ（ＭｏｒｎｉｎｇＢｏｏｋＭｉｘ）　／　日常のＤｕｂ（ＮｏｒｔｈＶｉｌｌａｇｅＭｉｘ）
Ｖｏｌ．９　（ＮＣ−２０４８）：Ｃｈａｎｇｅｌｅｓｓ　／　ＹｏｕｉｓＰｅｒｆｅｃｔ
Ｖｏｌ．１０（ＮＣ−２０４９）：ＦａｌｌｉｎｇＬｏｖｅｗｉｔｈＤＵＢ　／　ＴｏｋｙｏＤｕｖｓｔｏｒｙ

The kanji in #8 translate to everyday/ordinary.

9 I've mentioned before, 5's guest is "Emmerson Kitamura", 8 features Asamoto Hirofumi of Ram Jam World and "Emmerson Kitamura" again. No. 10 rounds out the celebrity guestlist with "Pianica Maeda"

For those who care, DMX's name is Miyazaki Izumi.

pressing vinyl

2006-05-29T22:51:00.000+09:00

Its my understanding that all small labels in japan get records pressed overseas. There are only one or two pressing plants here and they only deal with Avex, Sony and the like. I got my records pressed from United Record Pressing in the USA. I'm very happy with the result.

Japanese dub mixers

2006-05-27T02:04:00.000+09:00

Sad thing is I only know of two "name" mixers here and only one of em is still active.

There was Dub Master X who did the Mute Beat records, but he want on to do a bunch of mostly weak dance record remixing.

The other I know of is Naoyuki Uchida, he did at least the Dry & Heavy records and I know he did the live mix for the African Head Charge live in Japan CD that came out just a while back. Hes also associated with Flying Rhythms, KTY and Little Tempo. May have mixed an Asian Dub Foundation track and probably lots of other records. Naoyuki Uchida's sound is pretty much "traditional" but he does know when to let go and let the delays feedback till yer crown pops. Definitely a man to listen to.

Dub Syndicate vs Roots Radics Round 2

2006-05-25T21:31:00.000+09:00

This one continues to mystify me and I suspect I'll end up writing about it again after this.

How the hell can the same band and sometimes the same riddims end up sounding so damn different? I dont just mean different versions/mixes, I mean so damn completely different. Again I'm gonna come back to Scientist vs Sherwood as part of it but not the whole. Scientist pretty much defined his sound by the time of the "meets the" series and probably before. Its a good sound, but workmanlike, almost predictable. Sherwoods sound keeps changing but in a way I cant describe yet, its got a signature.

I find myself going back to "African Landing" and hearing something new more times than not. You cant even find the same sounds in the two DS & LSP albums. The drums on "Let The Spirit Rise" sound unlike anything else I know of in reggae or dub. I'm guessing theres the usual delays, compression, gated reverbs and possibly ring filters giving that song its sound. Its probably no coincidence that the two that came to mind right off are from Murder Tone.

Scientist has his shining moments with the Roots Radics, "Fission" (Scientist Meets The Space Invaders) and "Your Teeth In My Neck" (Scientist Rids The World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires), but to me some of his best work has been thinks like "Dub Of The Traveler" (Armagedeon Time ridim, can be found on the bargain package "Dub Reggae") and "Yes Yes Yes Dub" (You Dont Love Me ridim, "Ranking Dread In Dub" CD). I have no idea who the backing band on either of those two is. None of his work on Dub Syndicate's "Pure Thrill Seekers" or "No Bed Of Roses" really stick in my mind at all (the CD is somewhere so I cant quickly look to see which tracks Scientist did on those two).

OK, but that doesnt make my point at all. Heres the part I dont know, theres something which eliminates the producer from the product and thats the quality of the source tapes he gets to work with and how much gets added afterwards. Im of the over/standing that even though Dub Syndicate was considered the "house band" of On-U, often as not, Style Scott would just send 2" tapes from JA to the UK for Sherwood to mix. I dont know if the same practice has been done with Scientist in MD, USA or not. Whether or not the producer/mixdown engineer works with our without the musicians who recorded the tracks can make all the difference. What else is hard to guess at is how much gets overdubbed past what was on the 2".

Dub Syndicate vs Roots Radics

2006-05-21T20:36:00.000+09:00

If you already know these two names for the same band you maybe wonder how I say "VS"

Saaaaaaa... Downpressor yuh crazy, dem same band

Yeah but... white grapes taste different from red grapes right?

See heres the thing, I associate Roots Radics dubs with Scientist and Dub Sydicate with Adrian Sherwood. People usually think that Dub Syndicate is always On-U Sound with Adrian Sherwood on the controls, but look at the last few Dub Syndicate releases. They on Style Scott's own Lion & Roots label and at least 50% mixed by Scientist. Style Scott done gone and diluted his brand by doing that.

Scientist done some of his best work with the Style Scott centered Roots Radics. Check the credits of any Scientist record, you see it.

Now I aint setting up a soundclash between Sherwood & Scientist in my head, such a clash could never end till both men were down bleeding on their reverbs and no one could be declared the winner. But you see thing is, Scientist mixing a Dub Syndicate release is like ordering pizza in Japan. It might be tasty but its gonna have stuff that dont belong on pizza except in a world run by a madman. What comes off the tape may be good dub, but it aint quite what I ordered.

2006-05-18T21:11:00.000+09:00

Have to start somewhere so I'll start at the end.

Just listened to Version City Rockers - Version Dub Clash. Cant tell you about the people on this record, but I can tell you its pretty good. Probably you can find it through Jammyland.

Should tell you about a Japanese dub record since this is "Dubbing in Tokyo". You may never find this 7", but Dub Master X's "Dub Wa Crazy Vol. 9" has a good A side and a dull B side. The A side is almost a secret Mute Beat record since it features the horn of "Echo" Kodama on the lead with DMX on the mix. The B side is just an unfortunate example of local hiphop/dancehall boringness with "You The Rock".

Mighty Massa recently put out a new CD, "Zion Gates". Nice piece of plastic. Good release party at Unit last saturday for the CD, Earl 16 put in a stage appearance as well as Ras Kanto from Dubsensemania. See I like Dubsensemania even though they arent really heavy heavy reggae, they have a good sound thats unique and they do credit to the Japanese reggase scene. The only thing I can say is its too bad they are on Sony Records since all new domestic Sony releases are Copy Control CDs. Even if I owned something that could play that, I wouldnt buy it on general principal. Cant blame the band tho, so buy their vinyl if you come across it.

Iration Steppas were in the area the week before last. Good show, much bass, nuff respect to that UK crew!

Last but not least, my new 7" "Sevens Dub Four/Step by Steppers" is out on pre-release at Jammers Record shop in Shibuya. Jammers is the only place to get it for at least a month.