Niney The Observer - Sledgehammer Dub
SLEDGEHAMMER DUB - NINEY THE
OBSERVER
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This
classic dub album was originally released in 76/77 in very limited numbers
(3-400) on the Observer label and has up to now been very sought after by
collectors of dub reggae. It compiled alternative mixes of Dennis Brown single B
sides (from 75/76) that King Tubby had made as exclusive dubplates for his Home
Town Hi-Fi sound system. Heavier than the original single B sides they combine
to make up an awesome dub album.
The bonus
tracks all maintain the Dennis Brown link, three of them being B side dubs of
Dennis Brown songs, the fourth (CD only) is an exclusive, taken from
dubplate.
David Katz extensive sleevenotes (12
page booklet) include an exclusive interview with Niney and detail his life and
times in more depth than any previous Niney
release.
NINEY QUOTES (from interview for
sleevenotes 2002):
'Tubbys is the one that mix
Sledgehammer,' says Niney, 'hear how Sledgehammer mix: when we make the tracks,
and Dennis voice them, King Tubbys mix off a set for his sound system; he skim
the tape, do some things and reverb up, so that it don't sound like what you
have on your tape, and he play that for the sound, but he don't throw away the
tape. Gradually, when you tell him "Hey Tubbs, me want something," he go back
and mix something similar to what he have on the sound for you; when me and him
'round there, he will mix two cut, one for the sound and one for you, so that is
really how I get Sledgehammer.'
Niney notes
that King Tubby was responsible for breaking most of this hit material. 'When
we make a song, we take it to him, and when he mix off the song, he keep that
cut for his sound system, and then he make different cuts, and sell dubs to
other sounds; he promoted the song so that when the song come to street, it hit.
Tubbys was Jamaica's dancehall radio station: wherever he play the sound, people
talk about what Tubbys play the next morning, so that be a demand on the street;
we would give Tubby a song, and he play it like two or three months, and
whenever the song reach demands, we release it. We go to him and he says "Don't
release it yet, release it two weeks time," and then he makes U Roy boost that
song, and then people come to the shop, asking "Do you have this song?" The
word go 'round, so when it release, it's a hit.'
Posted: Fri - April 18, 2003 at 09:49 AM