Fat Nostalgia for Dele

I gathered this while working on Sound Systember. So glad to finally be able to share it here.

Dele Sosimi was born in Hackney, East London, but returned to his parents' native Nigeria at the age of four. Dele was musically schooled & raised in Fela Anikulapo Kuti's shadow at the height of early 70s Afrobeat. Chosen by Fela to join his band at somewhat of a tender age, he was still a young man when he began sharing his soundscape vision. 

 

He fronted Fela's Glastonbury stage in 1984, becoming Musical Director for both Fela's Egypt 80 & FemiKuti's Positive Force. After Fela's passing in 1997, Dele went on to concentrate on his own solo career. With diligent patience, he carved out his own Afrobeat niche. In London, where he again resides, his Afrobeat Vibration all-nighters are charged with the Sound System culture of his passion, labor, & unrelenting spirit.

You No Fit Touch Am was released by Wah Wah 45s in May 2015. It represents what Dele has become to today's music scene, something of an vital untouchable force. The album provided a musical representation of Dele's strong socio-political opinions, as well as delivering classic song-writing that could have come straight out of 1970s Lagos. You No Fit Touch Am was mixed by Ben Nostalgia (Nostalgia 77).

In his 4 star Mojo review, David Hutchinson sez:
       "A Dub version could be a stone killer".

Well, here it is. Afrobeat icon Dele Sosimi's recent album gloriously re-imagined in Dub by two production masters, Prince Fatty & Nostalgia 77. Prince Fatty brings the spirit of 80s On-U Sound, Mikey Dread, & Mad Professor to the mix & Ben, being on the boards for the original, has intimate insight. This is a perfect blend of Afro-funk, Ethio jazz & Dub tripping off into the deepness of groove, space, & time. I couldn't let this month pass without sharing this nugget.

All Dubs performed live & mixed by Prince Fatty / Nostalgia 77. Original sessions recorded at The Fish Factory Studio London, mixed at the Ironworks, Brighton. 

 

 

Dele Sosimi meets Prince Fatty & Nostalgia 77 - You No Fit Touch Am in Dub,
Wah Wah 45s WAHLP010, 2016.
decryption code in comments

Side A -
You No Fit Touch Am Dub
E Go Betta Dub
Santuary Dub

Side B - 
Na My Turn Dub
Dance Together Dub
I Don’t Care Dub
bonus track
Dance Together (radio Dub)

 

 

 

African unity,
NØ

Sound September 6

Mad Professor

 

Decided to share some Mad Professor here. Although Mad Professor never had his own Sound System, he & his Ariwa label worked closely with Jah Shaka & many of the Sound System culure figures.

I think it is important to acknowledge Mad Professor's huge influence on bringing Dub music to the mainstream in the UK & beyond. His Ariwa record label has released over three hundred records. He is a one of the cornerstones of UK Dub. I have shared much of his music here in the past

Here's a few of his collaborations with Jah Shaka... 

 

Jah Shaka meets Mad Professor - At Ariwa Sounds, Ariwa & Jah Shaka SALP001, 1984.
all decryption codes in comments

Side 1 -
Satta Dub
Almighty Dub
Warrior Dub
Living Dub
H.I.M. - Jah Shaka

Side 2 -
Creation Dub
Atmospheric Dub
Claps like Thunder
People of Yoruba
Rorima - Mad Professor

 

 

 

 

On the fifth installment of Commandments of Dub, Mad Professor takes the boards... 

 

Jah Shaka - Jah Dub Creator (Commandmets of Dub Part 5), SHAKA856, 1985.

Side A -
In the Begining Dub
Jah Creation Dub
The Spirit Dub
Dub, Like Water
Jah Light Dub

Side B -
The Firmament Dub
Heavenly Dub
Earth Dub
Night & Day Dub
Very, Very Good Dub

 

 

 

 

The next share is a follow-up to the in-demand 1984 album Jah Shaka meets Mad Professor - At Ariwa Studios. As the titles says, here's a new decade from the Prof & the Zulu Warrior...

 

 

Mad Professor & Jah Shaka - New Decade of Dub, Ariwa ARICD116, 1996.

Ecological Dub    
Natural Roots    
One Million Man Dub    
Wig Wam    
Chanting Down the Wicked
New Decade Dub    
Gautrey Road Style    
Roots Jamboree    
Zulu Hut    
Morphing Dub    
Only One God

 

 

 

 

But even before Jah Shaka was to influence Mad Professor with the Sound System Sounds, the Prof was already producing music akin to or leading the current trends in UK Dub. The Ariwa backing band was the Elektro Robotik Dub Orkestra or just the Robotiks. Under the Robotiks moniker, Mad Professor issued one of his early classics of quirky analog dub. It is a fantastic juxtaposition of retro sci-fi & Afro-futurist Sounds. 

 

Produced in Ariwa Studios, 42 Gauntrey Road, SE15, Dub Peckham.

 

 

Robotiks - My Computer's Acting Strange, Ariwa ARICD027, 1986.

Dodgy Contacts
More Dodgy Contacts
The Dopler Effect
Drop Out
Dub Bonus
Funk-a-Dub
Electromagnetic Seduction
Echoes of Deaf Journalists
Deaf & Dumb
Thermal Runaway
The Duke
Livication Dub
Sicilian Rock

 

 

 

 

One last burst of Mad Professor before moving onward. From 2015, just to show he's still at the height of his game, teamming up with Prince Fatty, another producer closely associated with Sound System culture...

 

 

Mad Professor meets Prince Fatty - In the Clone Theory, Evergreen Recordings, 2015.

Dub Revolution
Devil Dub featuring Winston Francis
Fanfare Dub
Back Off Dub    
Torah Dub
Final Stage Dub featuring Earl 16
Cork Ball Dub
Idi Amin Dub    
Brute Dub
Marijuana Dub featuring Earl 16

 

 

 

Bass culture,
NØ

Dubtember 15

Today I share with you Dubly Beloved Prince Fatty. 

 

Here he's teamed up with London songstress Shniece McMenamin so there's a goodly share of Lovers Rock stylee in with the Dub.

Be (sh)nice.

Covers of Lyn Collins "Take Me as I Am", Gwen McCrae "90% of Me is You", LaVern Baker "Love Me Right", Little Willie John "Fever", Ike &Tina Turner "You Got What You Wanted", even Kraftwerk "The Model" are all given the Fatty treatment.

Issued as a 500 copy limited edition 12" white label vinyl, numbered & hand stamped by Prince Fatty & Shniece. It was only available direct from Fatty's Bandcamp but is now sold out. 

 

Prince Fatty featuring Shniece - Disco Deception Dubplate LP, Evergreen Records EVER114, 2020.
decryption codes in comments

Side 1 -
Take Me as I Am featuring Winston 'Horseman' Williams
90% of Me is You
Love Me Right
Fever
You Got What You Wanted

Side 2 -
Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)
Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.) Dub
The Model
The Model Dub
Dub Fever

 

 

 

 

From the above guest appearance of Winston 'Horseman' Williams straight to the Horsemouth.

 

 

Here's Leroy ' Horsemouth’ Wallace. Recorded in 1978. Sat on the shelves for twenty-two years. Finally released in 2000.

 

Horsemouth - Original Armageddon Dub, Stable One CDSO 01, 2000.

Let It Burn
Fire Burn
Live Good
Rastaman Dub
I Love Reggae
Reggae Dub
I Want to Be With You
I Want to Dub You Dub
Armageddon Dub
Tribute to His Majesty
Freedom Dub
Marcus Garvey Dub
New Day Dawning

Dub Onward,
NØ

How Many Victims?

On June 28, 2019 I posted "Nobody was Ready" that paired four tracks from The Last Poets - Understand What Black Is with the Dub versions from Prince Fatty's Understand What Dub Is.

Here are the other three cuts by The Last Poets & their Dub versions. 

 

The Last Poets & Prince Fatty - How Many Victims?, NØ Comp., 2022.

Certain Images
Certain Images Dub
How Many Bullets
How Many Bullets Dub
We Must Be Sacred
We Must Be Sacred Dub

Hear the truth,
NØ

Julian & 'Bubblers' have a Mexicali Stand-On

Sorry I haven't posted much recently. 

I'll try to pop on a few things as I can, but folks, it's harvest time. 

So I'll be scarce for a while, but I'll be around.

Prince Fatty meets The Mutant Hifi – Return of Gringo!, Mr. Bongo MRBLP086, 2011.
decryption code in comments

Side A –

Transistor Cowboy

Black Powder

Plague of Locust

Wear the Black Hat (if the Black Hat Fits)

Way Back to Town

Across the Border

Side B –

Up the Creek

Moscow Mule

Son of a Thousand Fathers

 The Good, the Vlad, & the Ugly

Blondes Have More Guns

Hava Nagila

Enjoy,

NØ