Dub in Babylon: Understanding the Evolution and Significance of Dub Reggae in Jamaica and Britain from King Tubby to Post-punk PDF
Preview Dub in Babylon: Understanding the Evolution and Significance of Dub Reggae in Jamaica and Britain from King Tubby to Post-punk
Dub in babylon Studies in Popular Music Series Editors: Alyn Shipton, journalist, broadcaster and former lecturer in music at Oxford Brookes University and Christopher Partridge, Professor of Religious Studies, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University From jazz to reggae, bhangra to heavy metal, electronica to qawwali, and from production to consumption, Studies in Popular Music is a multi-disciplinary series which aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of popular music. It will provide analyses of theoretical perspectives, a broad range of case studies, and discussion of key issues. Published: Open Up the Doors Music in the Modern Church Mark Evans Technomad Global Raving Countercultures Graham St. John Forthcoming: Send in the Clones A Cultural Study of Tribute Bands Georgina Gregory Dub in babylon Understanding the evolUtion and significance of dUb reggae in Jamaica and britain from King tUbby to Post-PUnK Christopher partridge Published by UK: Equinox Publishing Ltd., 1 Chelsea Manor Studios, Flood Street, London SW3 5SR USA: DBBC, 28 Main Street, Oakville, CT 06779 www.equinoxpub.com First published 2010 by Equinox Publishing Ltd. © Christopher Partridge 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permis sion in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Partridge, Christopher H. (Christopher Hugh), 1961- Dub in Babylon : understanding the evolution and significance of dub reggae in Jamaica and Britain from King Tubby to post-punk / Christopher Partridge. p. cm. -- (Studies in popular music) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-84553-311-3 (hb) -- ISBN 978-1-84553-312-0 (pb) 1. Dub (Music)--Jamaica--History and criticism. 2. Dub (Music)--Great Britain--History and criticism. I. Title. ML3532.P37 2010 781.646--dc22 2009035241 ISBN-13 978 1 84553 311 3 (hardback) ISBN 978 1 84553 312 0 (paperback) Typeset by CA Typesetting Ltd, www.publisherservices.co.uk Printed and bound in Great Britain by Lightning Source UK Ltd., Milton Keynes and Lightning Source Inc., La Vergne, TN IN MEMORIAM Mark Dickinson 10 May 1959–18 September 2000 Contents Acknowledgements ix Introduction xi PART ONE Dub JA: From the Days of Slavery to the Creation of Dub 1. Roots and Culture 2 Do You Remember the Days of Slavery? 3 Afro-Christianity 8 The Emergence of Ethiopianism 11 Leonard Howell and the Advent of Rastafari in Jamaica 17 Rastafarianism in Britain 25 Belief and Practice 29 Concluding Comments 41 2. Rastafarian Music, Sound-System Culture, and the Advent of Dub 42 Nyabinghi and the Emergence of Rasta Drumming 43 The Rise of the Sound System 49 King Tubby and the Advent of Dub 58 The Rise of the Upsetter: Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry 71 The Sacred Art of Dub 82 Version Culture and Copyright Legislation 88 Concluding Comments 89 PART TWO Dub UK: The Arrival and Evolution of Dub in Britain 3. Sound-System Culture and Jamaican Dub in the UK 98 ‘Inglan is a Bitch’: Settling in the Second Babylon 98 The Emergence of Sound-System Culture 101 Sound Systems and Dub 109 Jah Shaka, Sir Coxsone, and Fatman 118 The Initial Dub LPs in Britain 134 The Significance of Bass 138 Concluding Comments 145 4. Punks, Poetry, and Anti-racism 153 Hippies, Space Cadets, and Dub 154 Dread Meets Punk Rockers Uptown 161 Dread and Punk Meet Branson Uptown 171 Punks, Racists and Swastikas 173 ‘Love Music, Hate Racism’: Rock Against Racism 183 Punk…in Dub 189 Dread, Beat an’ Blood: Dub Poetry 197 Blackbeard 209 Concluding Comments 214 5. Psychotic Jonkanoo: Theorizing Post-punk Dub 219 African Space in an Age of Plunder: Some Comments on Dub and Postmodernism 220 A Journey of their Own: The Emergence of On-U Sound 229 Concluding Comments 245 Endnotes 251 Bibliography 274 Discography 292 Filmography 301 Index of Subjects 302 Index of Names 310 Acknowledgements This book is, of course, indebted to several people, most of whom are, as is usually the case, those closest to me. First and foremost, as always, my sons, Tom, Sam, and Jordan are the most important. While they have benefited from a large dub and roots reggae collection in the house, they have repaid me many times over, not only with a vibrant, friendly home, but also by introducing me to much dubstep, electronica and drum ’n’ bass. My growing music collection is large because of my addiction to music, but interesting because of their recommendations. (It’s particu- larly pleasing that, as I finish this book, my youngest son, Jordan (aka Decyfer), has just released his first contribution to dubstep on the Studio Rockers label.) I am particularly blessed to share my life with a partner who has a keen interest in and extensive knowledge of popular music. Few partners would have so willingly endured so much conversation about popular music. Thank you Marcia. Of my close friends, with whom I have spent more hours than is per- haps healthy ‘dubbed out’ in the North West over the past three decades, four deserve a special mention: Crossy, Alex, Jeff, and Mark. Mark, who died on 18 September 2000, is greatly missed by us all and still fondly remembered for his outrageous humour and his devotion to reggae. It is now difficult for me to think of Misty in Roots and Bob Marley without also thinking of Mark. He was a good, gentle human being who made our lives that little bit brighter during the too short time he was with us. This book is for him. While, of course, all those partners who have put up with us listen- ing to dub and reggae over the years deserve a mention, Mark’s partner, Diane, deserves a special mention. They were a genuinely lovely couple, which is why it was they who most often hosted our late-night dub ses- sions in the early 1980s. Another reason was Diane’s cheesecake… I am also enormously grateful to one of those dubheads, Jeff, for so enthusiastically agreeing to design such an outstanding cover. I am indebted to the guidance I’ve had from academics and writers over the years, particularly Sara Cohen and Anahid Kassabian at the Insti- tute of Popular Music, Liverpool University, Jason Toynbee at the Open University, and the independent scholar Erik Davis. Finally, I want to thank the many people in the dub and dance com- munities with whom I have spoken over the years for offering help,
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