New Lee Perry Black Ark Dub CD or is It?

[finbar]

varese, those are exactly the sort of questions i would have loved roddy to ask striker. it was a great interview as it was but a part two could be just as interesting.

one
jb

The dubs are mixed by a young man by the name of Netwon who works out of Lee's studio.

While I agree that they shouldn't be misrepresented with false advertising, I am with varese in that I enjoy many of them. It's kind of surreal to hear riddims you know very well given a new twist by someone who works within the classic dub framework. So much modern dub is simply overkill of effects on poorly laid riddims, but Netwon knows how to work the arrangement and add some drama and high-points.

His dub of "Cherry Oh Baby" will re-arrange your spine if it's played on a proper set.

[Sir Bellyas]

I agree with Finbar. If JR had understood what they were being given by Striker, they may have been able to market the recordings in such a way that didn't raise the hackles, but it looks like no-one at JR had a clue, and so the perception of the label amongst reggae fans now is that they are a rip off. Bit of a shame.

[Mick Sleeper]

Thanks for the details, Finbar. I agree that it's fun to hear old rhythms/dubs being given a new twist, but it would be better if Bunny Lee and Jamaican Recordings could be more up front about releases like this instead of presenting them as "rare" or "lost". At a time when almost nobody is re-releasing classic reggae any more, it seems quite disingenuous.

[finbar]

Thanks for the details, Beth.

???? I'm not Beth, nor is she me!

[Mick Sleeper]

Thanks for the details, Beth.

???? I'm not Beth, nor is she me!

Whoops. Sorry, Finbar.

[finbar]

Thanks for the details, Beth.

???? I'm not Beth, nor is she me!

Whoops. Sorry, Finbar.

Mick, check your PMs.

[Chocolate Soldier]

I agree with Finbar. If JR had understood what they were being given by Striker, they may have been able to market the recordings in such a way that didn't raise the hackles, but it looks like no-one at JR had a clue, and so the perception of the label amongst reggae fans now is that they are a rip off. Bit of a shame.

Indeed, I wonder if there may have been more interest & respect over time had it been advertised as new mixes from original tapes from the get go rather than this dodgy tactic...

[algoriddim]

This to me is kind of like Genetically Modified Food. Its like Netwon is polluting the reggae gene pool.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to hear someone do this right, but he's such a hack at it. I would rather just hear the tapes played raw than all the garbage he's doing. Its amateurish. And the fact that's his work is being presented as "long lost" is what makes it worse. There's so much better that could be done with this raw material. (For example, the Select Cuts stuff, I didn't really like some of the styles, but at least it sounded like it was in competent hands.)

[mghifi]

I completely agree with you algoriddim.

[skunkride]

Some footage of bunny lee at his "studio" in ja was shown on that bbc documentary from a couple years back with a teenager mixing down some of the earlier "jamacian recordings" dross.

Any idea whats the name of this documentary Mark ?

[Roman]

His dub of "Cherry Oh Baby" will re-arrange your spine if it's played on a proper set.

Do you mean this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQ6_23VR2M

[jb welda]

> Its amateurish

I agree but you got to remember back in the day in ja, it was pretty amateurish as well. I think theres a lot more of a "professionalism" inferred on the music these days than there was then under the circumstances. one not really related example might be duke reid licking shots to get the musicians to play "better".

one love
jb

[guillaumebougard]

I tend to run without looking back when I see the name Jamaican whatchamacallit label name...

[mark b]

Any idea whats the name of this documentary Mark ?

Hi skunkride,am sure it was the"The Story of Jamaican Music - From Ska to Reggae" 3 parts from 2002.
Had a quick look on ytube,couldnt find the segment.

[algoriddim]

> Its amateurish

I agree but you got to remember back in the day in ja, it was pretty amateurish as well. I think theres a lot more of a "professionalism" inferred on the music these days than there was then under the circumstances. one not really related example might be duke reid licking shots to get the musicians to play "better".

one love
jb

Yeah, but compare young Scientist's efforts to these, and the aesthetic is just different. Its a matter of taste. With so much better equipment today, you should be able to do so much better if you really wanted to.