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MYSTIC VIBRATIONS (USA) ROOTS OF DUB FUNK
4 - Track 11 - "DUB GAMES" Currently, we are using a 24 track ADAT system. "Dub Games", the track we contributed to "Roots of Dub Funk 4" was recorded, mixed and mastered in "The Manger." The original song, "Rasta Nuh Play Games"was written by Frank Mitchell (bass man for Mystic Vibrations) and myself (Charlton Williams, guitarist and lead vocal). I am responsible for the takes, mixing and mastering of the songs. After the song was recorded and mixed, it sounded to me like it would make a nice dub, so I got to work and started cooking up a stew and what you hear is what came of the mixture of seasoning placed in this dub track. When I heard that Tanty Records was looking for dubs for their Roots of Dub Funk 4 compilation series, we jumped at the opportunity and sent them two tracks and Dub Games was chosen. Dub Music was apart of my upbringing and eventually interlaced into my career as a musician and sound engineer. BACKGROUND In those days (the late sixties and early seventies) there were only vinyl records which came in several different formats including the 45, 78 and LP. The 45's were the most popular ones among those who had sound systems because while side A of the record contained the original song, side B featured an altered track called the "version" of the song which included various effects added to the voices and instruments. These versions are called dubs today. Versions would encourage the toasters (the name given to MC's at that time) to drop a few lyrics on the mic. For this reason dub plates became very popular and sound systems began to compete with each other to determine which one could play the latest cut. At this time, I was a youth still attending school but I acquired exceptional knowledge of how to spin records that would rock the crowd and was also introduced to dub music. I was born in rural Jamaica, Little London, Westmoreland to be exact. Music was always a part of my up bringing, whether it was in church, going to the dance halls, or listening to the jukeboxes at a nearby bar or the record player at home. I became intimately involved with music at a very young age. My mother would take me to visit my grandmother, grandfather and uncle in Sheffield which is about seven miles from our house. My uncle had a sound system and played music at the different bars and bamboo lawns (dance halls) in the area where he always played the latest music. He used to take me along with him to these places and sometimes let me operate the system at times when he wanted to take a break and dance with a lady. At home I could not escape the sounds of the Jackson Hi Power Sound System coming through the bamboo wall and thatch roof of Reid I Dance Hall. I passed this place everyday coming and going to school. On weekends I would sneak out of my parents back door when I thought they were finally asleep. I would go over to the dance hall and just groove to all the Studio One selections, Upsetter dubs with Lyn Tate (a local MC) toasting on the Microphone and all the other great releases at that time. All of these experiences prepared me for the journey that I would take later in life. As I grew older, I began playing the guitar in a band called the "Londonians". When we were not playing, we would go to the dance halls that featured many well known sound systems like King Tubby's, Sturgav, Soul to Soul, Stone Love or Jah Love. Anytime there would be a dance close by, my friends and I would go there just to hear the new music that was coming out during that time. When I was around 19 years old, our band did its first recording at the Channel One Studio in Kingston. We recorded two cuts in one session and while I was at the studio, I was really fascinated by the engineer operating the console and I began to gather knowledge by paying close attention to him. While doing this, I acquired a great interest in mixing and connecting sound equipment so I decided to start a studio of my own. My friends and I began with a small 4 track studio in Jamaica but it was very limited in sound quality and number of tracks. I have been recorded on a number of albums since those days. I played guitar for the Itals' "Easy to Catch" album and also toured with them from 1988 to 1992. I have played on tracks and albums for other people at various times. After touring, I moved to the United States in 1992 and started a band called Mystic Vibrations. We eventually recorded many of our tracks in different local studios, but none of their engineers mixed our music properly and allowed it to sound the way I know reggae should sound. So I began to construct a studio where we could record our own tracks and which would allow me to have control over the mixing and mastering of our music. I call this studio "The Manger" because of the intense struggle required to build it and its humble appearance. Our third album, "Stop Dis War", is soon to be released under our independent label "Mystik Muzik" and is being recorded, mixed and mastered in "The Manger". On stage, musicians
imitate the studio-produced dub sound by dropping different instrumentals
in and out of the songs at different times and adding echoes, extended
reverb, and creative sounds to the rhythms. At this time, musicians
are free to express themselves musically. My earliest recollection of
dub was the dub plates created by King Tubby and I think that has been
my main influence in this area of creating and producing reggae music.
I still remember hearing Little Roy's Tribal War in the jukebox and
then pressing the play button again to hear side B, the flip side, the
version, the dub . . . . Jah Love - Charlton Williams. STUDIO Mackie 24 x 8 mixing
console CONTACT: Mystic Vibrations
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