As the vultures of cultures ravaged my brain, I stumbled into Wax. I fantasized that some astute musicophile would enlighten me about the tailor of these threads. But I knew no astute student of sound would be slogging about this mire of noise. I was stuck in a Wax hole until a visitor on my last post brought me to my nonsenses.
Pal Joey commented:
“...stop goofing...Get serious.”
The day I stop goofin' is the day I stop breathin', sucka, but I'll get serious. Seriously twisted Dubwise, that is.
I've served up a couple tastes of Nick Manasseh in the past, two 45s from his vast catalogue. You can find the here & here. I just never allotted him the space he deserves. So I'll GET SERIOUS & remedy that right now.
Nick Manasseh is a UK dub producer/selector. Nick is widely credited for pioneering the 'UK Steppers' genre with Sound Iration's 'Seventh Seal' in 1988. He co-founded Roots Garden Records in 2004. He has released records on the Acid Jazz & Riz Records labels as well.
Nick teamed up with schoolmates Ed Maiden & Billy T in 1985 & created Manasseh Sound System. Based out of West London in the Shepherds Bush area, they debuted on Sunday morning at the Notting Hill Carnival 85. Manasseh Sound System played root reggae, a style not prevalent in the UK scene at that time.
Nick started producing that same year for Sound System Dubplates. His earliest productions with his partner Scruff (Steven Gilder) eventually became Sound Iration. Their first single, 'Seventh Seal' was issued on the Mystic Red label in 1988. Sound Iration went on to release In Dub for Youth (Martin Glover [Killing Joke]) & Alex Paterson's WAU MR Modo label. It was another huge success. The album was re-issued by Year Zero in 2010 & again on the 11th this month (7/22) on green vinyl for Partial Records.
In 1990 Nick set up his first studio. He also began a new label called Riz Records with co producers Gil Cang, Eddie Joseph, & Mak Gilchrist. The label ran for about 7 years, with many notable successes such as Earl Sixteen's "Natural Roots", Admiral Tibet's "Permission", Orville Smith's album Walking on Tightrope & Manasseh meets The Equalizer - Dub The Millennium.
Manasseh Studio (Brixton 1991-2000) was popular with many other musicians (especially visiting Jamaican artists. Manasseh recorded Dennis Brown, the Mighty Diamonds, Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minott, Brigadier Jerry, Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin, Johnny Osbourne, Junior Delgado, Tony Tuff & The Melodians.
At this same time (starting in 1987) Nick, Ed, & Billy T started their radio show on pirate station Kiss FM run by brothers Norman & Joey Jay. They were given the 3-7am graveyard slot.
When Kiss became a legal station in 1990, Manasseh occupied the 3-6am slot until 1999. Bearing in mind that in those days there was no internet, no file sharing, Nick's radio show, along with their Sound System, established Manasseh as a positive force in the reggae scene in the UK & internationally as well.
In 2004 Nick teamed up with Jon Jones, host of the long standing Brighton roots night, Roots Garden. Jon wanted to start a new label. Nick had a release that he thought would be excellent for the new label's premier. Nick & Gil Cang had recorded a tune with Johnny Osbourne originally intended for Riz Records that had remained un-released called 'Black Star Liner' (see first link paragraph 4). Roots Garden Records has continued to grow since then with releases from Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Brother Culture, Dark Angel, Ava Leigh, Kenny Knots, Bob Skeng, Cate Ferris, Mc Trooper, Ruben Da Silva, Jahmali, Danny Red, Vin Gordon & many more.
In 2012, after living in the South West of England for twelve years, Nick returned to London. He opened a new studio, The Yard, in West London, just around the corner from where he first started with Sound Iration in the 80s.
Nick continues to DJ & work as a selector throughout the world. He still finds time for the occasional radio (Passion Radio, the Sufferer's Choice show).
Was that serious enough, Joey? But enough about the man, let's get to the music. Starting with one of my all-time favorite Manasseh releases. Here's The Missing Two Weeks (originally on Natural Response 1995) re-issue on Echo Beach with tracks 3, 5, 10, 16-18 as bonuses. Let's get Dubby.
Covert Dub
Spectre Overseas
Dub Overseas
The Missing Two Weeks
The Missing Dub
Throw Down Spears
Spectre in the Dance
Mad Frank Lends a Hand
Blow
Blow (alternative Dub mix)
Vibration Version
Tribute to Scratch
Errors
The Prez
End Games
Covert Drum & Bass
Covert Dub (Youth emix)
Spectre Overseas (The Orb remix)
Now some of Nick's fantastic Dubplate stylee.
Clash Version
Clash Version Pt. 2
Creation
Creation Dub - Nick Manasseh
Rise Up
Rise Up Dub - Manasseh & Johnny Osbourne
Skenga 12" mix
Masaï Get a Bly - Manasseh & Natty P
Mind the Gap Version
Jungle Trees Dub
Pharoah's Dub
Good Stepping Pt. 1
Stepping Pt. 2 - Manasseh
Natural Roots Original 12" Mix
Natural Roots Sound 12" mix
Natural Dub 12" mix - Manasseh & Earl 16
I Planet Humanity
Humanity Dub - Manasseh & Ras I
Walking on Tightrope
Tightrope Version - Manasseh & Orville Smith
In part two, all songs by Nick except Clash's "Guns of Brixton" Dub (& no, not that MAGA).
Thunder Roll Dub
Challenging Version
Maga Man
Maga Dub Part 1 & 2
Science Part 2
Zion City (featuring Earl 16)
Zion Dubbing
Western World Version (featuring Ras I)
Tear Down
Dub Down
Don Gorgon (featuring Danny Red)
Dubbing the Gorgon
The Next Step
Next Version
Dubs of Brixton
But seriously folks,
NØ