King Tubby

Photo by Pekka Vuorinen

King Tubby

File No.SAF 15 

By Dave Hendley &

Ray Hurford

[With thanks to Colin Moore]

(C) Small Axe 1979

Muzik Tree 1987 & 1992

Small Axe Reggae News 2003

All Rights Reserved

KING TUBBY

Waterhouse lies just west of Waltham Park, sandwiched between Washington Boulevard in the north, and Spanish Town Road in the south. This is the heart of Kingston 11, a maze of zince fence, potholed roads and suitably delapidated bungalows. This area has a reputation for being a gunman haven. Although, when compared to neighbouring Tower Hill, the general atmosphere is one of relative tranquility.

After dark, the streets become remarkably deserted (by Kingston standards anyway, considering that loafing on the corner is a favourite Jamacian pastime) giving the impression of an erie tropical ghost town. Except, that is, for No.18 Dromilly Avenue. Outside this modest dwelling are usually parked three or four cars, perhaps one of Bunny Lee's distinctly battered American jobs, Jammys immmaculate Triumph 200, Dillinger's outlandish Space Pacer or even Ranking Trevor's more modest motorcycle.

Inside, bass and drum rocks the little bungalow to its very foundations. This unlikely location is King Tubby's studio, the undisputed mecca of dub and focal point for some of the very best in roots music. Considering it's only a four track voicing and mixing studio (Tubb's had no facilities for laying rhythm) the size of an average kitchen, Tubby's has radically influenced reggae throughout most of the last decade. But the story must begin with King Tubby himself, a legend of Jamaican music.

Home Town Hifi

As a boy Osbourne Ruddock discovered his fascination wit h all things technical and, in particular, electronics. On leaving school, he took the first of his three courses in the subject. By 1962, he'd built his first amplifier, a 25 watt that sounded so good that friends began to urge him to start building a system for playing at dances. But young Osbourne resisted the temptation in favour of more hard graft to further his electronic studies.

It wasn't until the late sixties that he felt the urge to embark on building a sound system, but when he did he made sure that it was the biggest and best Jamaica had ever seen or heard. Osbourne Ruddock became King Tubby and Home Town HiFi became the most popular and revolutionary sound system of all time. The way Tubb's played influenced the music we listen to on record.

It was Tubby's that first began to run the basic rhythm tracks of popular tunes, the result being that 45's soon started to appear with a version on the flipside. When he tired of straight versions Tubby decided to introduce a DJ on the mike to skank the rhythm. His operator was named Ewart Beckford better known as the great U.Roy, the orginator of DJ music as we know it today.

Perhaps Tubby's greatest innovation though was the introduction of drum and bass versions, to these he added echo and reverb and a crude form of dub was born. Tubby's Home Town HiFi was Ja's number one sound right up till 1975. In that year's rather unstable pre-election climate, Tubb's system fell foul of the security forces. During a dance up country, the police stopped the proceedings, claiming they have no licence to play. A disturbance followed resulting in the over enthusiatic representatives of law and order shooting the amps and speakers to splinters.

Within a few minutes, all the careful work of many years was destroyed. Although he has often talked of making a comeback, Tubb's has so far made no movements towards rebuilding the sound. This seems in keeping with a general decline of the island's sound system scene. Too much violence has resulted in a reluctance to play anywhere in Kingston and it looks like yet another interesting aspect of Jamaican music may well bite the dust.

Aside from running his sound, Tubby has kept busy doing electrical repairs and building amps for other operators. For recreation, he built himself a music room where he could relax and enjoy his own diverse collection of records (a selection that included everything from Beethoven to John Coltrane). By 1972 he'd assembled an impressive system completed with a two track machine and a small self made mixer.

Bunny Lee

Frequent visitors would be Bunny Lee and Lee Perry, always interested to find out what new devices Tubby had added to his set. It wasn't long before he was being asked to mix versions on his equipment (perhaps the earliest patron of Tubby's was Perry although it's impossible to be certain). The results were encouraging enough to persuade Tubb's to begin the building of his studio. He acquired the old four track mixing board from Dynamics Studio and set about the task of modifications to improve its capabilities.

It would be unfair to credit Tubby with the invention of recorded dub as Errol Thompson was at the same time pioneering bass and drum at Randy's Studio 17 with a great deal of success. But Tubb's was managing to refine the sound using faders, delay echo, and a phase shifter to bend the music still further. Apart from Upsetter, the other main producers in Tubby's vanguard were Glen Brown and young melodica star Augustus Pablo (See Discography). These, though, were the formative years for King Tubby's studio. The bulk of the island's music was still being recorded, voiced, mixed and dubbed at Randy's. The golden age of the small Dromilly Avenue studio was still nearly a year away.

King Tubby;Pic-Pekka Vourinen

The next major dub album to come out of King Tubby studio (in 1977) was for long time producer Harry Mudie. Harry's 'Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby In Dub Conference Vol.1' is probably the most unusual dub album to come of Tubby's studio. Mudie was still using string arrangements on some of his records in the mid 70's, and these were kept on the the album (a series of three, so far) suitably dubbed by Tubby. Listen out for 'Dub With Difference' a dub to 'Love Without Feeling' by The Heptones. Surprisingly and thankfully 'Rome Dub' a dub to 'Leaving Rome' by Jo Jo Bennett, one of Harry best rhythms is string free.

More traditional - yet at the same time more advanced - was the 1978 release 'Beware', this time for producer Yabby U/Vivian Jackson., who had been coming to Tubby's for at least two years previously to that for voicing and mixing. 'Beware' was not the first dub album from Yabby U and Tubby, but it is generally agreed that this ranks among the best work. Prince Jammy is also given a credit on the album. And together Tubby & Jammys create the best dub album from the late rockers era. Once again horns make a big impact to the overall sound. Tommy McCook is on two tracks. 'Peace' the first, is outstanding - the drums are mixed to nothing, leaving Tommy to solo over bass and percussion provided by Skully who also features prominently on the album.

By 1979, Scientist was enjoying his brief stay at Tubby's en route from Studio One to Channel One. Sugar Minott's dub album of his 'Ghetto-ology' set which Trojan issued in the UK in '79 would have shown us what Tubby's with Scientist on the baord could do with the Dance Hall style rhythm. But unfortunately this powerful dub album didn't come out until 1981. During those years Scientist at Channel One ruled.

In 1981, King Tubby was encouraged back to the board by Ranking Joe & Jah Screw to mix the tracks for their dub album which was eventually called 'Dangerous Dub - King Tubby Meets Roots Radics' released on Copasetic. Contained within a stark black and red sleeve were some of the strongest dub mixes that reggae music had heard for years. ''Uptown Special', a dub of 'Heavenless' must be one of the hardest ever to come out of King Tubby's studio. The weight and treble is tremendous. Then there's 'Country Gal Dub' a terrific dub of the 'A Get A Lick' rhythm, the rhythm that Shinehead used for his 'Mama Say'/'Billie Jean' dance hall hit two years later.

For three years from 1981 the only new music to come out of Tubby's studios was for Bunny Lee and Tad's. The early '80's had seen dub's popularity go down to zero. Interesting dub was still being mixed, but it could only be found on the B-Sides of singles and discomixes, where it was expected and accepted.

In 81/82 King Tubby, with his new assistants - Professor, Pug The Chemist and Rat, began the long process of converting King Tubby's from a mixing and voicing studio into a 32 track recording studio. By 1985, Professor had left for the U.S. to study electronics and computers. His return is expected to signal the opening of Tubby's new studio.

In 1985, Tubby launched his own record company with three new labels - Firehouse, Waterhouse and Kingston 11. The biggest hit came from Anthony Red Rose with his 'Tempo' title featuring electronic bass and drum. The record also introduced two new engineers Peego and Fatman. King Tubby with his skillful engineers and talented collection of singers was all set to change the music again.

Over the next three years King Tubby proceeded to work with a vast array of talent, his studio was as busy as it was in the early seventies. 1989 looked like being a great year for Tubbs. Then on the 4th of February 1989 he left his studio in Waterhouse at 1am. He drove to his home in Duhaney Park. It took 10 minutes. On parking his car in his driveway, he was confronted by a gunman who demanded his gun (a licensed weapon). A single shot was then heard by Tubby's wife who was in the house, in bed. King Tubby had been killed and then robbed.

The killing of King Tubby was and still is beyond understanding. Certainly months after the brutal act, people were still talking about it. Why - the reason for the killing - is the one question still not resolved.

Whatever the truth is, it must be told. For Tubby's killing casts a very dark shadow over reggae music. Currently reggae music has a very bad image - before Tubby's death it was associated with every kind of drug dealing known to mankind. On top of that was its lawless nature, companies ripping off producers, producers ripping off artists, with nothing done to try to resolve the problems. Now another murder.

The media in this country has never liked reggae, but it must not be given one reason after another to condemn it. Events like the killing of King Tubby only make it easier for them to ignore the music. Or when they do feature the music, only a negative image is projected.

Due to their ignorance of the music - King Tubby's death has gone largely unnoticed. So thankfully we won't be reading about the death of reggae music - in the same way that we did when Bob Marley died. And yet if they did know what King Tubby represented in the music - this time they may have been able to prove the point.

What individual today is going to give the guidance that King Tubby did in the early 70's. Certainly there are many fine ideas going about in the music at the moment, but who is capable of turning those ideas into something more solid. That person will also have to be very popular, not only with the people, but within the business. King Tubby had everyone on his side (except the person or persons who killed him) This is the sort of loss that the music is facing up to Although others have contributed greatly to the rise of the music over the years, no one will surely deny that King Tubby was the greatest.

ALBUMS - Mixed By

or At King Tubby's 1973 - 1980

Bunny Lee Produced

King Tubby - Dub From The Roots - 

Total Sounds - 1974 - Ja

King Tubby - The Roots Of Dub - 

Grounation - 1975 - UK

King Tubby & The Aggrovators - Shalom Dub - 

Klik - 1975 - UK

King Tubby Meets The Aggrovators At Dub Station -

Live & Love - 1975 - UK

Winston Edwards Produced

King Tubby Meets The Upsetter At The Grass Roots Of Dub -Fay Music - 1975 - UK

Harry Mudie Produced

Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby's In Dub Conference Vols 1-3 -Moodisc - 1975/76/77 - Ja

Upsetter Produced

Upsetters - Blackboard Jungle Dub - Clocktower - 1974/81 - Ja/US

Niney The Observer Produced

Dubbing With The Observer - Attack - 1975 - UK

Augustus Pablo Produced

King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown - Clocktower - 1977 - US

Rockers Meets King Tubby In A Firehouse - Yard Music - 1980 - Ja

Yabby U Produced

Beware - Grove Music - 1978 - UK

Ranking Joe & Jah Screw Produced

King Tubby Meets Roots Radics - Dangerous Dub -Copasetic - 1981 UK

Youth Promotion Produced

Ghetto-Ology Dub - Black Roots - 1981 - Ja

King Tubby 8/15

KING TUBBY's labels

FIREHOUSE/ WATERHOUSE / KINGSTON 11 / TAURUS / PIONEER MUZIK

(Taurus Label owned by Derrick Lee)

(Pioneer Muzik owned by Clifford 'Specialist' Dillon)

King Tubby Studio Productions 1985 - 1989

(Fencebeater Selection Graded >1-10)

7"

001 Sugar Minott - Hard Time Rock - Waterhouse - 3/85 > 7

002 Little John - Tickle Me - Waterhouse - 3/85 >6

003 Michael Palmer - Them Nah Sting - Waterhouse - 3/85 > 7

004 Patrick Andy - Speak Your Mind - Waterhouse - 3/85

005 Anthony Red Rose -Under Me Fat Ting - Firehouse - 5/85>6

006 Wayne Palmer - Hell In A Town - Firehouse - 7/85 >8

007 Wayne Smith - Miss Do It Sweet - Kingston 11 - 9/85

008 Don Carlos - Play Girl - Kingston 11 - 9/85 >6

009 Mystic Vibration - Dilly Dally - Kingston 11 - 9/85 >6

010 Phantom - Stylee - Kingston 11 - 9/85

011 Anthony Red Rose - Tempo - Firehouse - 10/85 >10

012 King Everall - After All - Firehouse - 10/85 >10

013 Wayne Palmer - Hold Your Corner -Firehouse - 10/85

014 Anthony Red Rose - Can't Knock Me - Firehouse - 1/86>8

015 King Kong - A.I.D.S. - Firehouse - 1/86 >9

016 Anthony Red Rose - Gwan Talk - Firehouse - 1/86 >7

017 Anthony Red Rose - Bang Ga Wrong -Firehouse - 1/86>7

018 Hortense Osbourne - A Me Smarter -Waterhouse - 1/86>8

019 Little John - Hello Josephine - Waterhouse - 1/86 >6

020 King Everall - Automatic - Waterhouse - 1/86

021 Wayne Palmer - Trash & Brok - Waterhouse - 1/86

022 Patrick Andy - Woman A Yard - Firehouse - 1/86

023 King Kong - Step On My Corn - Firehouse - 1/86 >6

024 Lily Melody - Jumbo - Firehouse - 3/86 >5

025 King Kong - No Call Me No Boops -Firehouse - 5/85>6

026 Anthony Red Rose - Me No Want No Boops - Firehouse - 5/86 >6

027 Lily Melody - Older Than Me - Firehouse - 5/86 >7

028 Wayne Palmer - Come See Me Ya -Firehouse - 5/86 > 7

029 John Wayne - Me No Response - Firehouse - 5/86 >6

030 Lloyd Hemmings - Rude Boy - Firehouse - 6/86 >10

031 John Wayne - Me No Boops Lover - Firehouse - 6/86 >6

032 Sugar Minott - Give Some Love - Waterhouse - 8/86 >7

033 Trevor Levy - Follow Me - Firehouse - 8/86 >6

034 Trevor Levy - Key Card - Firehouse - 8/86

035 Phantom - Sorry Fe Dem - Firehouse - 8/86

036 Al Campbell - A We Rule - Waterhouse - 9/86 >6

037 Trevor Levy - Murderer - Waterhouse - 9/86

038 Lily Melody - How You Pretty So -Firehouse - 9/86>7

039 Tinga Stewart - Dry Up Your Tears-Firehouse - 9/86>8

040 Jays - In A De Ghetto - Firehouse - 9/86 >8

041 Anthony Red Rose - Worries Again - Firehouse - 11/86 >7

042 Edi Fitzroy - Shame - Firehouse - 1/87 >8

043 Cornell Campbell - Cowboy Town - Firehouse - 1/87 >10

044 King Kong - Babylon - Firehouse - 1/87 >9

045 Lily Melody - No Problem - Firehouse 1/87 >7

046 Anthony Red Rose & Don Angelo - Pum Pum - Firehouse 3/87>4

047 Little John - No Tek No Set - Firehouse - 3/87 >6

048 Jays - Queen Majesty - Firehouse - 3/87 >8

049 Lady Junie - Nah Get Punaany - Waterhouse - 3/87>6

050 Louie Culture & Wayne Ranks - Rat A Badda Me - Waterhouse - 3/87>6

051 Ashman - Mind Your Business - Waterhouse - 3/87 >5

052 Sassafras - Bum U Saddle - Waterhouse - 4/87 >6

053 Super Barry - Don't Distress It - Waterhouse - 4/87 >5

054 Little John - Mad Over Me - Waterhouse - 7/87 >6

055 Wayne Ranks & Louie Culture - Ram Puss - Waterhouse - 7/87>5

056 Junior Murvin - Make It And Set It - Taurus - 9/87

057 Cornell Campbell - Hell In A De Yard - Firehouse - 11/87 >10

058 Lady Junie - Jamaican Man - Firehouse - 11/87 >5

059 Lady Mackeral - Don Girl - Waterhouse - 12/87 >5

060 Courtney Melody - Ninja Me Ninja - Firehouse 2/88 >8

061 Thriller U - Juggling - Firehouse - 2/88 >7

062 Leroy Gibbons - Please Stay Don't Go - Pioneer Muzik 2/88 >9

063 Lecturer - Invest Your Money - Taurus - 2/88

064 Red Dragon - Canter Me Horse - Taurus - 2/88 >6

065 King Everall - Special - Taurus - 3/88 >9

066 Gregory Peck - Stamma Me Stamma - Taurus - 3/88 >6

067 Dillinger - Dangerous - Pioneer Muzik - 3/88 >7

068 Singing Melody - Three Times A Day - Taurus - 3/88 >6

069 Frankie Paul - Through The Years - Pioneer Muzik - 4/88 >8

070 Thriller U - Crazy Girl - Taurus - 4/88 >7

071 Thriller U - Christian Girl - Firehouse - 4/88 >6

072 Phantom - Dirty Garbage - Pioneer Muzik - 4/88 >5

073 Bunny General - Donkey Man - Waterhouse - 4/88 >7

074 King Everall - Beat That Sound - Waterhouse - 5/88 >6

075 Lukie D - Let Me Love You Now - Pioneer Muzik 5/88

076 Gregory Peck - Doogle Berry - Taurus - 5/88 >7

077 Courtney Melody - Loving Woman - Waterhouse - 6/88 >6

078 Hog Head - My Company - Waterhouse - 6/88 >7

079 King Everall - Run Down - Taurus - 6/88 >7

080 Lady Mackeral - Your Shape A Badda Me - Taurus - 6/88 >4

081 Pad Anthony - Born Lover Man - Taurus - 6/88

082 Papa San - No Battery - Taurus - 6/88 >7

083 Hopeton Lindo - All My Love - Taurus 7/88 >10

084 Wayne Rankin & Louie Culture - Live Dead Stock - Taurus - 7/88 > 5

085 Johnny Osbourne - Nuff Respect - Taurus - 8/88 >8

086 Horace Martin - Lap Frock - Taurus - 8/88 >6

087 Angelique Cameron - Shejay Prayer - Pioneer Muzik - 8/88

088 Courtney Melody - Listen To Mama - Pioneer Muzik - 8/88

089 Super Eye - Bring My Baby - Taurus - 8/88

090 Studio Case - Dance Hall Queen - Taurus - 8/88

091 Struggle & Coverman - Let's Reason - Taurus - 8/88

092 Bananaman - Kill a Sound Boy - Taurus - 8/88 >7

093 Frankie Wilmot - My Sound - Taurus - 8/88 >6

094 Don Angelo & Danny Dread - Mampi Size - Waterhouse - 8/88

095 Conrad Crystal - I've Got To Go - Taurus - 8/88

096 Sanchez - My Girl - Taurus - 9/88 >7

097 Gregory Isaacs & Johnny Osbourne - Hard Core - Taurus - 9/99>8

098 Derrick Irie - The World Is Messed Up - Taurus - 10/88

099 Brigadier Jerry - Hard Drugs - Pioneer Muzik - 10/88 >8

100 Pliers - Marry Me - Pioneer Muzik - 10/88

101 Bingy - Visa Wedding - Pioneer Muzik - 10/88 >6

102 Chris Wayne - Long Time Gal - Pioneer Muzik - 10/88

103 Chris Wayne - Smile A While - Pioneer Muzik - 10/88 >7

104 Robert Valentine - $1000 Reward - Pioneer Muzik 10/88 >6

105 Derrick Irie - Fight Over My Love - Pioneer Muzik - 10/88 >5

106 Gregory Isaacs & Josey Wales - What A Disaster - Taurus - 10/88 >9

107 Tipper Lee&Rappa Robert - Bulletin One - Taurus - 11/88 > 7

108 King Everall - Ram Dance Hall - Taurus - 11/88 >6

109 Wickerman - What A Agony - Taurus - 11/88

110 Hog Head - Love Me Bonefi - Taurus - 11/88

111 Derrick Irie - Guy For De Cold - Taurus - 11/88

112 Bananaman - Gilbert Attack Us - Taurus - 11/88

113 Little John - Fade Away - Taurus - 12/88 >10

114 Gregory Isaacs - Christmas Time Again - Taurus 12/88 >7

115 Johnny Osbourne - Gilbert Mash Them Up - Taurus - 12/88 >7

116 Papa Skull - Scandal Bag - Taurus - 1/89

117 Leroy Smart - Good Kind Of Loving - Taurus - 1/89

118 General Trees - Jah Run Things - Taurus - 1/89 >7

119 Jays - You'll Never Get To Heaven - Pioneer Muzik - 1/89 >7

Albums

Anthony Red Rose &

King Kong - Two Big Bull In One Pen - Firehouse - 1986

Anthony Red Rose - Red Rose Will Make You Dance - Firehouse 1986

King Tubby's - Two Big Bull Dubwise - Firehouse - 1986

Various Artists - Punaany - Waterhouse - 1986

Various Artists - Waterhouse/Firehouse - 1986

Various Artists - Computer Seh So - Waterhouse - 1987

Courtney Melody - Ninja Me Ninja - World Enterprise - 1988

Various Artists - King Tubby Presents Sound Clash - Taurus - 1989 

King Tubby - Presents Sound Clash Dubwise - Taurus - 1989

Thriller U - Hilary - Pioneer Muzik - 1989

Various Artists - Salute To King Tubbys - Taurus - 1989

All Information extracted from Dub Vendors Mail Order lists (C).