Rampant Sound Interview

“You have to remember that in the early 90s that was when things got really clamped down in Glasgow. You had the Criminal Justice Bill coming in; you had a curfew in Glasgow, you had to be in the clubs by 12. The illegal parties and illegal gathering were really clamped down upon, with the whole repetitive beats thing and all that. It was quite heavy in those times.”

I had the opportunity to talk to Paul and Alan, aka. Doctor Dub and Professor Collie, the original Rampant Sound, at their first return behind the decks in over ten years. We discussed how they began as a sound, the Glasgow music scene in the 90s, as well as their thoughts on the current sound system culture in Britain and Scotland. 

So what was the glasgow scene like when you started ?

Alan : Well there were a few things. There were a few a guys with connections with Rubadub Records, they played out in 13th Note originally. They had an event, like an ambient night as well called Sonar I think – with people like Dribbler, and Dave Heart and State of Flux played at it.
Before us, there was a guy in the kind of 80s…

Paul: There was Joseph too. He was from Edinburgh but he was more of an eclectic mix, it was like soul, funk, a bit of reggae. His DJ name was Joseph of Babylon.

Alan : I heard he’s become a muslim now, and he’s really into acid jazz, and funk and stuff.
But there was a guy even before that, quite a long time ago – in the 80s – from East Kilbride ; and that had Dillinger, and Steel Pulse and all sorts of people playing in community centres in East Kilbride. But that was way before us. When we started in ‘91-‘92.

Paul:  ’92 probably because we got that gig in January – in the place which is now 13th note, when it was on Glassford Street… That was always a good venue. And yeah, in January of ‘92 – because I arrived in Glasgow in ‘91. And we did a mix night with Joseph a couple times, he came down from Edinburgh.
Then we went from under Ventura to a night at the Art School. A few soundclashes with Soundclash,

Alan : we also played with Mungo’s who were called the Dub Dentists at that point. And we played a few gigs with them.

Paul : that was early 2000 though

Alan : oh yeah that was second time round. I’m getting ahead of myself. So yeah in the early 90s we played at the Art School, and then we had Zion Train up, Revolutionary Dub Warriors.. and who was the other one again ? With the ex-specials in them ?…
Anyways, we had a few guys coming up and playing with us.
And then we went down and played in London, at the St George Robey. It was a pub, with a dance space in the back. And then we played at quite a few parties, with connections from Pussy Power – Terry and Jason.
Terry got Twitch’s first gig – Keith – from Optimo. And we also did a few things with this band called State of Flux, which was a guy – Dave Clark – who now records for Optimo and Numbers under the name Sparky. We did a few parties with them. The Beach Coma party…

And that was all early, mid-‘90s ?

Alan : Yeah. And then we took a rest. Had kids…

Paul : Yeah, life got in the way (laugh).

Alan : And then we got back into it, continued to play.

Paul : You know, we’ve only been dub-jockeys, dub DJs. We grew up listening to Shaka, going to Shaka gigs. But we didn’t have the equipment. Glasgow’s a techno city, it was a lot of dance. And you’ve got to try and mimic that, the way they play the records and tunes, so we mixed and scratched the tunes too. Then we got an echo box, an echo chamber, in order to make it sound like a sound system, over whatever we were playing. And then when we came back in 2002 and started to move more into using a sound system, we had a guy that we knew, that would upright the sound, he was our sound engineer. And he was responsible for the system. That limited it a bit, but it also opened it up to some new people.

But then it meant we were always reliant on running our sound system, and where we were in our lives at that point it was a bit too much. Because you know, it’s having a van, and it’s being on the road a lot. And after a while it was just too much, we didn’t have the time.

Alan : The one thing I regret not doing at the time is going in the studio.

Paul : I still want to do it now. I’d do it tomorrow if we could, because there are tunes there that need remixing. We always had a particular style as well, we like our dub. We like our vocals, our version, and we like our dub. We don’t like ska, or whatever.

Alan : We don’t like it when it’s too diluted.

Paul : It’s all about the bass line to me. I mean you can put anything you want over the top, if you get that right, then that works.
You know, I can play you a tune that’s maybe 40 years old and you’ll go « well that’s drum and bass ».

Did you have at some point any releases ?

Paul : No we didn’t, but we recorded a lot of our session, and even now they really hold up.

Alan : but that’s the one thing I regret is not releasing anything original, you know. And I think if we had kept our relationships with the likes of Zion Train and stuff, it would have probably come to that at some point. One friend of mine in particular still makes tunes, and had 2 or 3 releases on R&S label. We went into his studio a couple of times, and we kind of just started to get to know the machines. But it didn’t come to anything really.

But we listen back to some of the sessions and you can see how our inspiration and our musical thought processes were changing. I was listening to this one CD recently, and it’s kind of organic, and it’s quite lush sounding. And then you listen to another one and its very steppers, it’s very rigid.
There was a lot of good stuff coming out in the mid to late 90s, quality releases. A lot of really seminal releases.

So in the ‘90s, doing reggae and dub in Scotland there was you guys and anyone else?

Alan : Messenger. there was Messenger in Edinburgh. We always rated Steve. I think he’s still active today.

Paul : He had a good system, a good sound. They brought the likes of Dougie Wardrope, Conscious Sounds. Big Sound, we used to buy our records of them in London. He made our siren box;

Alan : He also got Russ Disciple, Nick Manasseh. Well we played with Nick Mannaseh at the Art School as well. He was instrumental in what you taught me about dub, it came from Kiss FM, from the Manasseh show.

Paul : The first time I heard Manasseh was at like 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning after a rave, and Manasseh sound was just great.

Alan : But yeah, I think there’s arguably more today, obviously with Mungo’s and Argonauts. And then you’ve got Bass Warrior, with Kenny. I went to see the Jamaican Longbowl team and Kenny was there with a sound system on a Saturday afternoon in the park.
So now you can say it’s going well.

Yeah reggae in Glasgow now is quite big – every week now you’ve got reggae playing.

Alan : well we really struggled, and I think that’s why we played it the way that we played it. Because it’s a techno city, and everybody wanted techno. So we used to speed our records up a lot.

I mean if you listen to what Mungo’s and Argonauts and Bass Warrior play it’s very digital and dancehall :

Alan : Yeah

Paul: I listen to them, and I love them but they’re still keeping afloat because I think you’ve still got be somewhere near that techno-dub mix.
And for me, any sound system I’ve listened to that has been afloat there’s been a start and a finish to their night.

Alan : It’s a way to share a musical journey. We always try to do that, a warm-up, and then get people into it. But you know, if you go to see somebody like Shaka or Aba Shanti or someone like that, I mean they’ll play 11 versions of a song to start the dance off. But what these guys don’t do so much is, they don’t mix.

And I always think if you’re a reggae sound system and you don’t mix, you need a toaster or an MC. You need something, unless you’re Shaka and you’ve got that presence. And then you can have silence. When you go to see Shaka, and there is silence, nobody will cheer or yell. You’ll have silence at moments.

We always felt that perhaps the Glasgow crowds weren’t ready for that. They wanted continuous music, because they were used to it.

Paul : Well yeah it’s because they were used to techno, they wanted raw beats. And you know, a lot of the time we used to pitch up the records too [laugh]

Alan : Yeah some really slow stuff, some really old stuff and you’d play it +8, and it sounds like a techno tune… well, a drum and bass tune at least.

Paul : I always felt it was a shame to do that and now we can play stuff that we want to, and people get it. But it’s true at the time in Glasgow we had to train people, because it wasn’t like London where they were all used to it, you know what I mean. We had to train people to the sound.

Alan : And we had a cowbell, we had a siren box, we had a melodica sometimes. So we used to kind of add things to the sets.

It sounds like it was very rootical. Quite like the UK or London sound.

Alan : Aye

Paul : we had a friend come down to play the congo drum too

Alan : we also had several guest vocalists and toaster, Kwasi Asante and another guy, Desi Nile was it ?

Paul : They really understood the vocal and version thing. We do a lot of that. I could play the same tune for half an hour just with versions. But we can’t do that here, because people want the next thing, they’re impatient. Honestly, we could play the same tune in here for 45 minutes, with various versions. We would love it.

That’s quite a cultural thing. In France a lot of the new sound systems have taken on the one turntable thing. Whereas here, a lot of the new sounds in the last 4-5 years have gone for the two turntables and mixing.

Paul : But then that tells you a lot about the situation of the city you’re in, and where you’ve grown up. Because that’s the vibe of the city, isn’t it; its clubs, its DJs. We don’t have the weather for great outdoor festivals, setting up on beaches – which we’ve done, but that was for a special occasion. And it’s a shame, because we’ve got some of the best outdoor locations in the world.

It’s true that even a session in Kelvingrove Park would be fantastic.

Alan : Well there used to be one. Every May day, there would be two or three sound systems playing techno or dub in Kelvingrove park.

Paul : well it wouldn’t say reggae.

Alan : well maybe not reggae, but there was stuff happening then. You know, you have to remember that in the early 90s that was when things got really clamped down in Glasgow. You had the Criminal Justice Bill coming in; you had a curfew in Glasgow, you had to be in the clubs by 12. The illegal parties and illegal gathering were really clamped down upon, with the whole repetitive beats thing and all that. It was quite heavy in those times.
And so I suppose we grew up with quite a lot of illegal underground parties.

So there was quite a big free party in movement that kept on?

Paul : yeah. There were things like the ferry. Parties on a ferry that we used to rent out.

Alan : yeah, that was Pussy Power that did that, Subterrania, they used to take the ferry out, and had a rave on in.

Paul : They used to have parties in Ventura, it was a great basement venue. You’d lock the door, people were let out at two exits, in groups of ones and twos, at 6 or 7 in the morning.

Alan : there was that kind of culture at that time, I suppose. And it was good. And I suppose it did encourage that kind of underground music, and dub is an underground music.

Because all that was happening at the time of the Criminal Justice Bill, was there a kind of politics attached to the movement too ?

Alan : I would say political with a small ‘p’. Dub and reggae have always been political, if you listen to the political content and what it’s all about, it’s essentially political.
Personally I wasn’t really drawn into that, I was more just for the music. I met Paul when we were working in a pub together, and I was just back from working in Jamaica for the summer. And so that’s when I had really gotten into reggae.

I’d liked reggae when I was younger, but that’s when I really got into it, going down to dances in Jamaica. So then I came back, and when I met Paul I had just bought a Jah Shaka album, and I didn’t really know anything about dub. And I said to him « why is every tune the same », and he said « it’s not, go listen to it again » (laugh).  So that was me starting to get into the dub side of it.
But politically, no. I’m not really a political animal. Don’t think you are either

Paul : I’m not really into politics no. But they are there, especially a lot of Jamaican tunes, and even some English ones. Steel Pulse and the Handsworth riots, that was very political.

In the end it’s a medium…

Paul : yeah exactly, there’s not a medium in the world that hasn’t done that. And reggae as a music is very powerful. Music does something to you. You listen to music, whatever genre you like, you’ll feel something, whether it’s emotionally or other.
And that’s what I like about dub, because for me, it’s intimate. You conserve it. You know how you have vocals and versions? Well eventually you’ll listen to a vocal version, and you’ve already got that song without the lyrics, and so when you add the lyrics, fucking hell!

It also takes another dimension when you play it on an actual sound system, something that you may not get in other genres as much.

Paul : I think most DJs can play any sound system. We played at Sub Club with Mungo’s HiFi, and we played the club’s system as a (reggae) sound system.

Alan : Seriously, that night. Let’s put it this way, it put their sound system to shame that night.

Sub Club is known for having an excellent sound system.

Alan : La Cheetah’s also got a good sound system, it’s got a function one sound system.
But we used to tear them up, we used to blow them up. You remember when I broke the one in the George Robey.

Paul : yeah it’s because you wouldn’t listen (laugh).

Alan : no I would not. I had all the dreads shouting at me.

Well home-made sound system is something you find a lot more in techno and reggae, whereas in other genres it’s more of an attempt to put loads of speakers together.

Paul : well with a sound system you can do something completely different. You know, you want your sound to sound like x. But then for the type of music that we play we would want our sound to sound like y. It’s like, we knew where we wanted to go with it as well.
You never heard Mungo’s sound have you?

Alan: no I’ve never been and seen them.

Paul:  I did hear it at New Year ’s Eve, down at Stereo. It was a good night. I though at the end, in terms of the tunes, the tunes were better upstairs.
But as far as Glasgow’s concerned, yeah I’m a big fan of Mungo’s sound, because they built their sound system, it requires a lot of dedication. And I get quite envious because I think we should have had that kind of dedication at the time. Maybe we didn’t have the finances and Glasgow I would almost say was not ready for it.

Alan : And at the time we should have probably pressed a number of individuals to give us some money but we just didn’t really do it. We should have done. But no, I think they’ve done a great job, and as Paul says, ultimately that’s exactly what we would have like to have done. Have a sound system. But you know, things didn’t happen, the planets didn’t align, you know what I mean. That’s just the way of it.
But I think it’s great what they do, that they have their record label and they actually release stuff as well. That’s really really good.

Something I was talking about with Argonauts was what do you think made Glasgow attracted to reggae so suddenly? Because it’s really taken off in the last 5-6 years.

Paul : Well there’s a big reggae scene in Dundee from the start. And city-wise nowhere is that far in Scotland.

Alan : It’s true I don’t know why it kicked off…

Paul : It’s got to do with the population of Glasgow. Glasgow doesn’t have a West Indian community. When I first arrived in Glasgow there were three black people [laugh]. Me and a few others. In Edinburgh slightly more but Glasgow’s never had that West Indian population. Which is weird for the second city in Britain.

Especially as it’s not as if Glasgow had nothing to do with the West Indies.

Paul : Exactly, every city on the West Coast of the UK : Bristol, Liverpool… have all got a huge West Indian population. And you would have thought Glasgow too. But even now, it’s weird.

Alan : Maybe there was more of an influx of more english students, at that time in Glasgow. And that would have coincided with the time that tuition fees came in. And we don’t have tuition fees. And so perhaps we had an influx of english students who traditionally would have been more educated in terms of sound systems.

Paul : And the proliferation of better universities in Glasgow. Because with just Glasgow Uni, you had generally quite a wealthy group. Well the Art School is a little more diverse and open, which is why we played there I think. But because of the proliferation of better universities in Glasgow, everybody’s come to Glasgow, a lot of people from more average backgrounds, who have probably already been to sound systems, who are culturally a bit more different and therefore that brings it up.

Alan : Maybe that’s got something to do with it. But apart from that I can’t really think of other reason why it exploded. I mean Mungo’s obviously took the bar and they ran with it and took it to the next level, and that definitely helped. But I think there’s probably more to do with the kind of people that were there in Glasgow at that time and were going out.

Well that’s something we touched on when I talked to Mungo’s. they were saying that unlike London where there was the West Indian and Jamaican influence in the way of running a sound system. Whereas in Glasgow they felt as if there wasn’t any existing template, so it allowed for a lot more freedom.

Paul : which makes it very real, you know, the reggae scene in Glasgow. It’s a dedication. It’s had to develop on its own, because of the conditions we talked about before; there isn’t a West Indian community that brought in sound systems; that knew how to build them; that organized that sound clash or this sound clash. There isn’t that.

Alan : I suppose it’s also one of these things where the more systems you get, that’s going to produce more systems.

I think there’s about five or six sound systems in Glasgow now.

Alan : well that’s good, and obviously it means that there’s a market for it. If they’re all playing out regularly. I mean, we haven’t played in quite a while, quite a number of years (laugh)

That was another aspect that is quite interesting – the whole idea of meetings. You don’t really have the clash culture here, or in France or Italy, like you had in England, or Jamaica.

Paul : Well it’s because there was a lot of violence in those times

Alan : yeah it was turf wars wasn’t it. Again, these sound systems in London, I mean I’m a white middle class boy. We don’t have the same social problems and social issues that these guys had and still have. And yeah, ‘money run tings’ you know, that’s what it was about a lot of the time.
And reggae’s evolved in so many ways and so differently in Britain. When Reggie Steppa played for instance in London, there would be gunshots. The police would be rocking off the roads. It was that period I mean, the late 80s, where it became really gun and cocaine orientated. And then you had New Roots, which came in the kind of early 90s.

Paul: You also had new people in the scene, you know, in the likes of Dougie Wardrope: working class, these white London boys.

Alan: But who grew up with black culture.

Some people have said that there’s now been 3 generations of sound systems. The first one was the Jamaican sounds, the second one was the first sounds in England, and then the third generation is like you have here, or in France or Italy, people who do not have any links with Jamaican culture but still have taken on the reggae sound system tradition.

Paul : But then you can say that about any genre of music. Music moves on and evolves over time. The fact that you talk about sound systems in the like or France or Italy. They’re not sound systems, they are people who play dub and dubs. They are people that play techno, you know what I mean ?
Andy Weatherhall does a really good dub set, but he’s not a sound system. You can invite Nick Mannasseh to play some records at your gig, but he’s not a sound system.
Jah Shaka turns up with his system then yes, then that’s a sound system session.

Alan : He’s never played in Scotland on his sound system. Scottish people have never heard Jah Shaka.

Paul : He’s played here before, he played on Mungo’s sound.

Alan : Aye, and he’s played on Stevie’s system, and Messenger’s system in Edinburgh. But he’s never come here with his own system.

So there’s never been that thing where you would invite people up here with their sound system ?

Alan : It’s too expensive.

Paul : but then again you don’t need to do that, because that’s not what it’s about. When you’re playing in a venue like the Art School, or even the Arches which have a great system, why would you need to. People are there for the music. I’m almost to the point where anyone that labels themselves… I mean we never called ourselves Rampant Sound System. We’ve always been Rampant Sounds.

Alan : Out of respect for these guys, because we’ve never had a sound system. We played records.

Paul : Yeah, so apart from Mungo’s and Messenger, even Unity Reggae to a point, I’ve not really seen proper sound systems here. And I don’t know why that makes it any more special, because if your tunes are shit, or you can’t play your system well, it’s not going to make any difference.
In the end I’m there to listen to good music. If you’ve got a sound system that can enhance it, then that’s even better, but it’s not the most important.

But then again, when a crew have a sound system, a home-made system, it’s generally built for their own sound, their own music. So if they bring their own sound system, it won’t be the same as hearing them on the PA system of, say, the Arches ?

Paul : Well you know, again, I could go with Alan to any gig and I guarantee we could put on a serious show with the selection of tunes that we have. And ultimately, that’s what it’s about. When sound systems are clashing, at any historic clash, it’s about who’s got the latest tune, who’s got the latest dubplate, who’s going to rock it. Exactly that same as in clubs nowadays, who’s got a version of x, who’s got the latest remix of x by y.

Alan : I mean there’s a famous story of Shaka who was playing against Coxson I think. And he played something like 14 versions and the Coxson jut went like « i’m away, that’s it, you won ». But we’ll have that kinda… I suppose we had a bit of rivalry with some of the guys… like when we played with them we would put tape on their mixers so they couldn’t turn it up, and then we would come on and take the tape off and turn it up [laugh] But that was as far as it got.

Another thing about playing records, say if you go to a DJ set in a lot of hip-hop or techno gigs, it will often be mixed in a pre-set thing. Whereas when one uses vinyl, it seems there is a lot more improvisation going on, how one feels according to the crowd.

Alan : I mean I’m not a fan of… I don’t even know what they’re called, these new things, traktor ? you know what I’m talking about. So as long as someone’s playing vinyl, if it’s played well, it’s good. But I always liked DJs and techno DJs that weren’t perfect. I didn’t want this silky, smooth thing. I wanted to hear the tunes. With reggae especially. You want a distinction, you want to understand one record before you go onto the next.
I think it can become too sanitized, you know. And that’s what I don’t like. I think if somebody can play the records and maintain the integrity of the record and the character of it, then they’re doing a good job, and that’s what it’s all about.

And then you get into all the other stuff, effects and such. A proper sound system, like Shaka, of Coxsone, or whatever… they can do things with the sound. I mean, they’re splitting the sound, they’re rolling the bass round them, they’re panning the hi-hats right round the room. That’s what you don’t get nowadays, with the sound systems that you have in Glasgow, they don’t do that. We always tried to do that, but from the mixer, because we didn’t have a sound system. So we would always mess about with the levels; cut the hi-hats ; cut the bass completely… and then bring it in: bang ! All that kind of stuff. We were trying to create the sound of a sound system without having one.

Rampant Sound on facebook

AF

‘United We Stand’

Reggae and sound system culture has been growing more and more these past few years, both in the UK and across Europe, so it’s no surprise that there has also been a desire by many to explore the more recent developments in the scene. Set up by frenchman Alexandre Goanach, ‘United We Stand’ is one of the lastest projects that attempt to dive into sound system culture in Europe.
As he explains, the aims are:

– “To do justice to a culture that is too often boycotted and caricatured by the mainstream media and cultural world by giving a voice to the artists of the underground roots, dub, stepper and free party techno scene, all united by their love of music and sound systems.

– To discover how this alternative way of listening to music, through the medium of sound systems, has become entrenched in Europe and especially in England and France, by talking to 3 generations of artists who are part of this scene.

– To find out how the sound system becomes an art and a way of life for these artists, and how Roots and Dub music heard through this medium can reach us deep within our subconscious, and what this implies for our role as audiences in modern society.”

A teaser for the documentary is now available, and features already several interviews of leading sound system crews as well as footage from Garance Reggae Festival 2014 and Dub Camp 2014. The hope is of course to be able to explore the scene across Europe, not only in France.

The project is crowdfunded, so if you enjoyed the teaser and want to help, you can visit the United We stand page on KissKissBankBank

AF.

Fogata Sounds Interview

We had a  small chat with Fede aka. KrakinDub and Troy Berkley from Fogata Sounds before their session in Glasgow. They told us about their start in the techno free party scene, the idea behind Fogata Sound, and their thoughts on the future of the sound system scene.

How did Fogata Sound start and who is Fogata Sounds?

Fede : well Fogata Sounds started in 2009. Two of us founded the label, me and my mate Hugo. Hugo is one of the pioneers of the dub and reggae scene in France. He was in the punk scene in the 80s, and was one of the first to make bridges from punk to reggae. So he grew up with things like Gom Jabbar, Puppa Leslie. So he’s the one who introduced me to reggae in the early 90s.

You were part of the Mas I Mas crew, which was mostly a jungle and techno sound ?

Fede: And reggae, yeah. I was playing reggae as part of the Mas I Mas from the start, from ’96. At that time the French free party scene was growing hugely, and it was only about hard techno. Everyone was playing that kind of music, acid, speedcore. And we wanted to propose different parties, staying in the idea of the free parties: free  for the people, taking places that don’t belong to us, fuck the police… and that was all about the TAZ –the temporary  autonomous zones.
But we wanted to do it not for a larger audience, but with different vibes; from reggae, to techno, through jungle, because we were all junglists at that time.

We experienced a big boom in ’96, from the first parties of like maybe 20 people in a bar, to a couple of months later, 2000 or 3000 people attending our jungle parties. But always with a bit of reggae, and then final mixes with techno. We also liked to have visuals and decorations. We wanted to complete the music with decorations and visuals. We didn’t want to have only a DJ behind a wall of sound. Because that was the idea of free parties at the time, you had a big rig and the artists were behind it.

Did you also have your own sound system at that time?

Fede: Well we had our sound system from ’99. But it wasn’t that potent, so we always borrowed more sound to make it better.

So you were doing mainly link-ups?

Fede: Of course we did link-ups. The first link-up was with Heretik sound system, from 96’ the first free parties were mainly with Heretik. Then we did parties with Furious, a techno sound system from that time. They were playing very slow techno, not that hardcore thing.
And then with many, many others, including UK people, Austria… all over Europe.

And how did reggae come into this, were you the only ones playing reggae in this techno scene?

Fede: No not really the only ones. Some people went to play reggae in some techno parties that were happening already. But it wasn’t the sound systems themselves.

We as a sound system tried to be open minded, breaking all barriers between those musics. But the free party audience was already a mix, from punks & squatters, to everyday working people, to hard core drug dealer… every kind of people were there, so we thought every kind of music should be there too.

That sort of explains the idea of « Rubadubstep », the title of your album.

Fede: Yeah Rubdadubstep is the idea about Fogata. Fogata is born because I saw the growing of the reggae scene, the so-called ‘new dub’ scene. And we wanted to put back in some parts that were somehow forgotten in their own place. Lyrics are the first thing. That’s why we call it Rubadubstep, because rub-a-dub is riddims but also lyrics. We also obviously try to have conscious lyrics. We wanted to make a bridge between reggae, dubstep, and the conscious part of the music. That’s why ‘rubadubstep’

There’s also a lot of new dub sound systems in France, and many say the free party scene in the 90s paved the way for the current reggae sound system scene.

Fede: That’s true. But we were hard core [laugh]. We fought the police sometimes during parties, I mean really fought. The dub scene that is growing now in France is not about that. They are not looking for frontal confrontation. We were, we really were. But still, they have the same feeling, the same idea of using big sound systems to get people to understand the real meaning of the music, that’s something that joins us. Also having our own rigs, and other similarities.
But they don’t do ‘free’ parties. Nowadays in France it’s prohibited, there are several laws that make it such that if you put a free party on you can have big troubles, you could see your sound confiscated, your vinyl and gear confiscated, and if you’re not lucky you could face jail.

Maybe that is why the reggae scene has become so big, because its legal alternative?

Fede: Of course, that’s the only way they could take. We tried it, at the end of the free scene, in 2003. We made a couple of semi-legal parties. We could sell beers without paying the state, that’s the illegal part. But we had police at the entrance, ambulances, and every aspects of regular festivals.

There was one big festival you did with Heretik in 2004 or 2005

Fede: Yeah, we made that big party named « Alice au Pays des Merveilles », which had maybe 10 000 people attending. A huge party, with big sounds. But we lost money, because we still wanted to keep the low prices. It wasn’t free, but it was a low entrance price, and we wanted big sounds, big names, so we lost money.

So Troy Berkley, next question is for you. When did you first start MCing ?

Troy: Oh God man. It was a really really, really long time ago. I guess i started when i was about 13, which was ages ago.

Fede: Early 80s to tell the truth

Troy: I’d say the late 70s.

And was it always on reggae sound systems or did you begin on something else?

Troy: Let’s be honest – shit man you take me way back. When we was 13 we would be doing kung-fu fights in the street and shit like that – so he was able to imitate the sounds of the kung-fu fights. So he started doing that but we couldn’t sing over that, so we weren’t really interested. And then he started doing proper beatboxing.
Do you remember Joey Lickshot? Well he used to imitate Joey Lickshot – and everyone was like « shit, he does it better », so he became Lieutenant Lickshot.  I guess I was about 13, something like that. So yeah, thank for that memory lane.

So you started with Hip hop and then moved on to other stuff?

Troy: Both at the same time actually. I was singing in my bathroom when i was well young, when I could hit those high notes. Then of course your balls drop and you can no longer hit those high notes [laugh]. And then I guess around 13 I found myself in my first reggae session, in a big dancehall. We used to listen a lot to Saxon MCs. I used to imitate the Saxon greats, like Senior Sandy, Tippa Irie. These were my secret teachers, they were teaching me the fine style of MCing. So basically we would get these cassette tapes, and I would sit up all night putting it on rewind like « what the fuck did he just say » ! And then you’d get it down to a pattern, you’d switch it up, you find yourself somewhere along that line. Or you don’t, but you keep going anyway.

Trying to figure out your style?

Troy: Yeah, and then you figure out there is none. But that’s another story.

About the art of MCing – MCing is something quite hard, especially in sound system, it’s all about reading the crowd.

Troy: yeah it’s true, you’ve got to be synchro. It’s best to be synchro. I mean there’s no law, you don’t have to be, but you’ll have a better time if you are. It’s like, there was a game we played when I was a kid. We had this little game where the DJ would try to find the shittiest music he could find, to give to you to sing on it. And there you were, mic in your hand and you just had to go for it. So what happens is, it make you develop your ability to ride the riddim, to find where is the groove, instantly, and to sit your ass down, because it’s coming, you only get one look at it, and if you don’t take it, it’s dead. So basically this thing kind of develops your impro skills. When I think about it that’s pretty much the only professional experience I had. Even though it was a joke with friends, in actually fact it does develop, it helps you a hell of a lot. Because instantly you have to find your place, right away. So If you want to play the game, well you get better.

It must also help your ability to hype things up Even if it’s a shit tune, you singing over it has to make it good.

Troy : Yeah, you’ve got to make it a wicked tune. It’s your responsibility, if you don’t, well you flopped. You’ll get over it, but you flopped. And you don’t want to flop, so you go searching yourself to bring out what’s wicked.

It appears that in the sound system scene in France you don’t get all that rivalry that was found in the early sound system scene in the UK. There seems to be more focus on ‘meetings’, ‘in combination with’… stuff like that.

Fede: well that’s the outside point of view. No, there is competition, as there is competition everywhere. There’s no big brotherhood in the dancehall scene, that doesn’t exist. If you’re not friend with such person, then you won’t play on his sound. I mean some sounds have open minded stories to tell, and they are bringing different kinds of acts to play in their nights, but that’s not everyone.

The scene grew on the Dub Station scene. Dub station is a franchise, like MCdonalds. So in France, some towns said « ok, we accept your deal, we book your artists, we pay you for the flyers because we use your name », and some other towns said « no, fuck you Dub Station. We are going to make our own dub meetings ». So it’s complicated in France. We have so many different actors on the scene. Some of them coming from techno as you said. Some of them just born on new dub, and they don’t know shit about techno, or reggae roots. But still, they put on parties.
So I don’t know, we’ve been playing for several dub sounds in France, but still it’s a few of them that are open minded enough to open their arms to us, to say welcome.

I guess that’s one comment that comes back quite a lot, that France is still quite conservative, in the sense it’s very focused on roots and stepper.

Fede : that’s true. And a lot of ‘new steppers‘. A lot of them don’t even know about the huge UK scene, like Jah Warrior – 90s stepper – or Zion Train, Universal Egg. For me it’s foundational for techno-dub. Because they call themselves ‘dub sound systems’. But in reality they are not really playing dub, they are playing a new music – I’ve got nothing against it. But it’s not dub. It’s a part of dub music, dub music is so much more.
And you’re right in saying that it’s really conservative. But not in the right way. Not in the way that conservatives look at their roots and project them to the future. They are conservative about this new thing, without looking backwards or onwards.

Going back to the free parties, like you were saying, the early raves were quite political, focusing on autonomy and all that.

Fede: yeah, in that sense every free party was political because of the confrontation with the police and the state. But 98% of sound system didn’t really give a fuck about politics

Reggae as well at the start was very political – do you think the current reggae sound system scene has kept a bit of that political engagement, or is it a bit like the free parties?

Fede : well thank god Macka B exists, that kind of person. Macka B can put out a tune today, and the youths will play it, and Macka B has always been a conscious artist, telling a message to the people. Not only singing ganja tunes or love tunes, it is always with a point. So of course some of the youths in the scene are growing with a message, but still I think most of them lost that political engagement. And forgot that the entire reggae foundation is built on ghetto issues, political issues…

It’s a bit like you were saying with dub stations, in the sense a lot of people in the crowds are there just for the beat.

Fede : not all of them of course. A crowd is made of many different people. You can say that crowd is shit, or that crowd is just sheep. A crowd is made up of different people. Sound systems are made up of different people. I mean if everyone in the sound system is a sound man, then you have no promotions, no good flyers, no good singers. You need a whole bunch of different aspects and people to build a sound or a crowd. And those crowds are not bad, but of course a big part of them come just to jump up – as they say today, they come to skank, and that’s it. But they don’t listen to the lyrics; they don’t know what the song is about. So it’s half-half.

It’s funny, if you look at sound system nights in France and in the UK. In France the crowd focuses on the speakers, and in the UK they focus on the crew.

Fede: Sometimes you go to play, I swear, and we are playing, he [Troy] is singing and everyone is just looking at the speakers. So it happens sometimes i just cut the music and say ”hey folks, it’s happening here!” this man came all the way from the Bermudas ».

Troy: And on my side I don’t really care, because I used to sing in techno shows, where I wasn’t allowed to be there. I fucking loved it, because you take the mic and you have to sit in the background, and don’t let them see you because otherwise they go like « what the fuck ! An Mc ? bla blabla ». So you give them a little bit of lyrics, and they notice it at the end, like « holy shit there was a guy singing this whole time? ».

Fede : And that was one of Troy’s abilities. To be part of the vinyl playing. Merging with it. It sounds as if there’s no MC, it’s just on the vinyl.

Troy : Sometimes I’d be sitting down, and nobody could see me [laugh]

Fede : But a big part of what you say is true. A big part of the crowd is looking at the system, the speakers.

Isn’t that a legacy of the techno scene?

Fede : Maybe, but at that time the live acts, the DJs, they were behind the speakers. So everybody’s secret will was to see who was playing, go behind the speaker and see who was playing. And experience what is a badman sound system person’s life. But now, instead of being behind it, it’s in front of the speakers. But the people are still only looking at the speakers

Troy : But it’s humbling, you know…

Well that was something else i wanted to ask, about MCing over techno – a music where you don’t really have the MC tradition that you have in reggae. How was MCing in the techno scene?

Troy: well drugs helped [laugh]. I mean the problem with drugs is that they work right? so it helps yeah.

Fede: In the techno scene at that time, we had a lot of people who were against MCs. I mean jungle MCs have always been boring to me. Too much blabla, too much non-stop talking

Troy: All over the place

Fede: and the first time I met Troy, a friend presented him to me, he said « I’m going to present you a wicked MC ». And I was like, « pfff one more of those boring motherfuckers » [laugh]. But I had the good surprise to meet Troy and to experience what an MC actually is. Someone who knows when to sing, when to keep his calm, when to check the crowd… and all the other MCs abilities.

It’s true it’s an art to feel that there’s a dub you should just leave, and then another moment when you feel you have to hype up the crowd

Troy : Yeah you feel the vibes. You just have to follow the vibes. There’s an expression in Britany : « tout est bon dans le cochon ». Everything is good in the pig… Now how do I explain why I’m using this expression. I mean you can’t really go wrong with if you’re following the vibes, if you’re riding with your feelings, you’re going to be synchro with it.

It comes back to the idea that sound system is emotional; it’s run with an emotional feel, not only a technical one.

Troy: It’s definitely emotional. It’s 100% emotional.

Bart: Looking from back, today with everything like in the internet, how do you see the scene today, is it expanding?

Fede: I’ve been playing different continents, lots of countries all over. And one thing about the cyber part of it… It’s an illusion. It’s just some pictures, and some things on the net. It’s not true, anyone can pretend anything. So I don’t really look at it like a real thing, even though I find a lot of my bookings and a lot of people find me on the web. And then there is real life, where you have some real people, some fake people too, and each country has both of them. Each country has people trying to build a thing because of their love of music, and some others are just following the fashion

Troy: I mean it all pulls each other, so it would be a big yes to the question « is it expanding ». I mean I’m listening to Fede here and thinking about Steppa (Style), who’s in Russia, in Moscow ; and that Mc from Indonesia…

Fede: yeah, we’ve been working with lots of international acts. Not international in the way that they are moving from their home, but they are all looking outwards. And that is the basis of what we always did. We do the things for the world, not just for our neighbourhood. You don’t do music just to keep it for you. You do it to spread it.

Troy: It’s a wicked feeling, I mean you think that you’ve got guys in Russia singing over your riddims, you know what I mean? It’s fucking wicked.

Fede: Steppa Style he was on our first album already, and now he’s on the next Fogata 10 inch, which also has Troy on the A-side with ‘Matta’, a good hit. And Steppa is on the same riddim on the B-side. And it’s come together only now, because things are complicated, vinyl is expensive. We’re not rich people, we are humble people.

Troy : So Humble [laugh].

Where would see the scene growing to, or would you see it stopping at some point? Now you have sound systems trying to have as many scoops as possible, is that maybe a tipping point?

Fede: That’s not really true, I think a sound system sounds good even if you have a large amount of boxes. Of course, there is always a competition. If you’re a beginner, things look lost from the start, and that’s sad. I mean you look at Blackboard Jungle with 26 scoops, and you just have 3… So of course it’s hard. But there’s not going to be an ending to it. I don’t see why there would be an end. It will just mutate, it’s going to be something different.
I mean tell me if I’m wrong, each and every year in the dancehall scene, the real reggae scene, the youths discover the Sleng Teng riddim. Each year you go to sound systems and they can play the full fucking Sleng Teng, I mean you want to kill them because you know them already and you’ve heard them so many times before [laugh], but it’s good for them. Because they need to know about it.

So you know, it’s always about different paces. You may not always be in sync with others, so the good thing is to take the boat with someone for a while, do a part of your journey with them. I mean here with Argonauts who invited us, that’s a part of our journey. Tomorrow we go our separate ways, but somehow we stay together for ever. You know, at different paces, in different ways, but we are all in the same boat.

Troy: yeah the joy is in the journey not the destination. That’s pretty much it. The joy is definitely in the journey, than trying to focus on some sort of destination

Fede: for real! A young sound beginning today doesn’t need to get his 26 scoops to enjoy himself, you can enjoy it with your stereo at home.

Troy: it’s accessible to everyone

So even though you’re saying that the sound system community online is a bit of an illusion, but at the same time i mean, it does make it more accessible. If you want to build scoops you can go online, you don’t need to go to a dance and take the measurements there and all.

Fede: and find someone who can teach you, so you do the thing maybe better than with just plans from the web.

Bart: but there wouldn’t always be someone around. I mean maybe it would then just spring around centres where there would already be someone but not anywhere else?

Fede: there are always teachers. Inside sound system school there are always teachers, there are people that did it just to spread it, always. And they have shared their knowledge; they always shared what they knew. It’s not about keeping it for you.
I do workshops when I’m traveling. Not this time but often, and everyone is welcome and any questions I will answer. Any part of my knowledge I will share with people, because I don’t see the point of keeping it just for me.

But that’s the point of putting it online though, that you share your knowledge with everyone

Fede : yeah, and in that sense it’s pure positive. Of course. But now the statement that a big part of the reggae scene believes, the statement that says « the only good system is a sound system ». Well I don’t agree with that. A sound system is just an amplification of what you’re saying. If you’re bad minded then only shit will come out of your sound system. So the only good system, is the system where we are brothers, we are equal, there are real sharing vibes. Not every sound system is a good sound system. And that’s the problem with the internet thing. It leads you to believe that the only good system is a sound system, and that’s not true.

It comes down to what makes the identity of a sound system. Is it the system or the crew?

Fede : It’s definitely the crew behind it. Because the records can be played in many ways. The same boxes can played on in many ways.

AF & Bartosz Madejski

Fogata Sounds website

Frenchtown Hifi Vol. 1 Release

Over the past several years, France has become one of the new hubs for dub and sound system culture. It now hosts some of the biggest reggae festivals in Europe (such as the Reggae Sun Ska and Garance Reggae Festival), the dubs coming out of the country are being played at sessions all over the world, and the number of sound systems and crews continues to grow (the magazine I-leaf attempted to list all the sounds in France, and made a poster of its results).

It’s with this backdrop that Ras Mykha and Dub Livity decided to put together a sample of France’s dynamic scene. Spread over 2 CDs are a collection of 35 tracks, most of them exclusive and unreleased, that show off the best french dubmakers and singers.

Quite refreshing is the amount of female voices on the compilation; from the already well known Marina P, Daba Makourejah and Mo’Kalamity, to the newer (and welcome) voices of Jazzy Lei, Sista Charlotte and Sis Irecla. But the album is also balanced with talented male MCs such as Joe Pilgrim, Ras Mykha, Yehoud I and Jacko.

The productions have a distinctive ‘french’ touch, mostly defined by a roots and dub stepper sound, but are spread out across the whole spectrum, ranging from Ackboo’s heavy “Lef Mi Nuh Babylon” to the mellow and conscious “Rise Up” by Inner Rose. There are also a few digital injections, courtesy of Creation Culture.

But whether you are curious about the state of the french dub scene, or you are simply seeking new sounds, you should definitely give this compilation a listen.
And hopefully “Vol.1” hints at a number of future follow ups.

Various Artists – Frenchtown Hifi Vol.1 (Frenchtown Records/Musicast)
Buy on Itunes

CD1 :

1. K-Sänn Dub System – Beware (feat. Sis Irecla)
2. K-Sänn Dub System – Beware Dub
3. Roots Ista Posse – Tell Them Again (feat. Ras Mykha)
4. Roots Ista Posse – Tell Deh Melodica
5. Rootical 45 – We Are The Generation (feat. Daba Makourejah)
6. Rootical 45 – Dub Generation
7. Barbés.D – Stop di Shado (DiscoMix) (feat. Ras Hassen Ti)
8. Jacin – Conscious Education (feat. Adé)
9. Jacin – Conscious Education version
10. Indy Boca – Hopeful (feat Sista Aude & Far Esat)
11. Indy Boca – Hopefull Dub
12. Dawa Hifi – War & Crime
13. Dawa Hifi – War & Crime Dub
14. Jahspora – We Try (feat. Humble Youth)
15. Jahspora – Try Dub
16. Ackboo – Lef Mi Nuh Babylon
17. Ackboo – Dub Mi Nuh Babylon

CD2 :

1. Scient’Sim – Change (feat. Jazzy Leï)
2. Scient’Sim – Change In Dub
3. Mo Kalamity & The Wizards – Majesty
4. Mo Kalamity & The Wizards – Majesty Dub
5. Nyabin Sound – Mr President (feat. Jacko)
6. Nyabin Sound – President Dub
7. B High – Beware (feat. Marina P)
8. B High – Dubplate Born To Be High
9. Odessa – Youthman (feat. Yehoud I)
10. Odessa – Youthman Dub
11. Inner Rose – Rise Up
12. Inner Rose – Rise Up (Dub by Pilah)
13. Creation Culture – Take It Easy (feat. Sista Bethsabée)
14. Creation Culture – Dub It Easy
15. ITP Music – My Enemy (feat. Sista Charlotte)
16. ITP Music – Dub My Enemy
17. Fu Steps – To The Next Generation
18. Fu Steps – Dub Generation

Interview Lion King Dub

L’équipe du Lion King Dub sound system a très gentiment accepté de répondre a quelques questions lors du festival South Bass Attack. Au final une longue discussion au sujet de leurs débuts, de la scène reggae française, ainsi que sur ce que c’est de gérer et de maintenir un sound system,

 

Alors, quand est ce que et comment vous avez commencé votre sound system ?

Charly : En fait c’est parti de 2010, après un Garance en fait. Mathieu, le quatrième du groupe qui est encore au Canada et qui va revenir dans pas longtemps, juste avant la date de Vitrolles – en fait il a fait un Garance, et a pris la grosse baffe sur les sounds systems, notamment sur Blackboard Jungle. Et s’est dit « ouai c’est bon on rentre on va faire un sound. »

Donc c’est assez récent quand même.

Charly: Ouai ce n’est pas très très vieux, c’est 2010 quoi. Fin 2010. Donc on a commencé à construire le sound , on a fait une première version de la sono, et ensuite nos compères Manu et Antoine nous ont rejoint peu de temps après, et puis là on a construit la deuxième version.

Et selon vous, qu’est ce qui fait, ou qui contribue à l’identité d’un sound system

Antoine : déjà il y a le grain de la sono, comment elle va sonner. Le style musical que tu vas jouer – si tu vas être plus roots, digital, UK… très moderne style OBF, plus roots style Blackboard. Après ça va dépendre de si t’as des MCs. Les selectors aussi font l’identité, l’image.

Manu : ouai, il y a une part de sélection, il y a une part de sono aussi. Parce que suivant ce que l’on va jouer en vinyle et en dubplate, on aime que la sono elle sonne d’une certaine manière. On a des tunes qu’on ne va pas jouer sur la sono, il y a d’autres tunes qu’on va favoriser parque qu’elles sonnent mieux dessus.

Et puis on est 4 séléctors dans le sound system. En France c’est pas courant d’avoir autant de selectors, du coup on se concerte, on regarde un peu les tunes qui nous plaisent dans les boxs, celles qu’on vient d’acheter, les dubplates qu’on vient d’acquérir tous les quatre… et on essaye un peu de se coordonner et de créer une identité complète. Avec 4 selectors c’est pas facile, mais au fil des ans on y arrive de mieux en mieux et on arrive à proposer quelque chose de propre, et qui ressemble à du Lion King Dub quand on joue. Nous ce qu’on veut c’est que les gens qui ne soient pas forcément devant le mur, qui sont à peu à l’extérieur du sound, arrivent et se disent « tiens, la d’après ce que j’entends c’est les Lion King Dub ». D’après le son de la sono, d’après leurs sélections… et après on reconnait aussi les voix au micro. Donc voilà, je pense que c’est un tout le sound system, c’est les MC, le son, et surtout le son qui supporte les vinyles.

Charly : et une complémentarité aussi je pense. Par rapport à notre cas ou on est quatre, on va avoir des sélections du Lion King Dub en unité, mais on va aussi avoir chacun des petites préférences de style. Et c’est vrai que nous quatre réunis ça fait un peu l’arc en ciel, t’as vraiment une couleur pour chacun.

Antoine : c’est vrai qu’au final il y a Charlie et Mat qui sont, pas pour caricaturer, mais qui sont plus dans le Aba Shanti style, tu vois, vraiment sound system traditionnel UK au niveau des basslines et tout. Et après avec Manu parfois on tend plus vers des trucs assez moderne, un peu plus électronique.

Manu : on essaye de jongler avec tout ça, et de proposer aux massives tout ce qui est frais, récent, et dans différents styles. Alors on va jouer du roots, on va jouer du digi-roots,  du dubwise. Alors comme il dit Antoine, il y a des dubwise qui sont un peu plus rootical que d’autres. Et ensuite, on voit que les massives ils réagissent devant la sono, donc là on va passer des sonorités un peu plus modernes,  qui jouent sur les basses, les basses un peu plus wobble. Et le tout ça crée une sélection, et on essaye que ça soit cohérent. Et je pense que c’est un pari réussi, on y arrive de plus en plus, et du coup on se fait plaisir.

Ce n’était pas simple au début d’avoir quatre selectors, parce que chacun voulait jouer ces sélections, et des fois c’était un petit peu contraire à celle d’avant et à celle d’après. Mais aujourd’hui je pense que quand on passe la main au séléctor d’après, on lui sourit parce qu’on arrive à s’aligner.

Et puis souvent j’ai remarqué que dans les sounds ou ils y a plusieurs selectas, ça rajoute une ambiance, de voir l’échange

Charly : Bin disons que pour un selector, tu as plusieurs sentiments. Tu as le sentiment de te dire « putain celle-là je l’ai écouté chez moi, elle me fait ressentir des choses, j’aimerais voir si les gens sentent la même chose, reçoivent le même message ».
Et c’est vrai que même si des fois tu as une tune que t’aime bien, tu te retournes vers le groupe pour voir avec eux, et là ils te font « ouai ouai là c’est le moment où il faut la passer, c’est maintenant ».
Et pourtant ce n’est pas forcement la tune que le bro va avoir dans ses favoris, mais il sait que c’est la carte à jouer maintenant, c’est maintenant qu’il faut la passer.

Ça revient du coup à la question de reconnaitre, lire la vibes, comment reconnaitre le moment vraiment spécial.

Charly : Après c’est une vibes qui est bizarre, parce que des fois tu as envie de la jouer cette tune, et sur deux soirées différentes, tu peux la même à la même heure, même moment, il y aura à peu près le même nombre de gens, ça va pas forcément réagir pareil.
Donc ouai, il faut essayer de capter l’attention des massives, et voir si ça va capter.

C’est un peu un dialogue au final.

Antoine : et d’autant plus que nous on anime, mais on ne va pas chanter, on ne va pas toaster, on n’est pas des chanteurs donc d’autant plus qu’on va inviter des gens.

Manu : C’est pour ça qu’on est amené souvent à inviter des MCs qui viennent d’ailleurs, on prend contact avec eux parce que c’est des brothers a nous, et on les appels, et on fait « man, on va jouer à tel endroit et il nous faut un MC, parce que c’est une grosse date », et à ce moment-là il fait son aller-retour. On travaille beaucoup avec les frangins du coin, du sud-est de la France – donc dès qu’on a des opportunités de faire travailler des MC locaux, on le fait. On a travaillé pas mal au début avec Ras Mykha, un chanteur parisien qui nous a suivis sur deux-trois dates, notamment les toutes premières de la Lion King Dub avec la sono rouge. Bon malheureusement c’est un frangin qui habite dans le nord, donc suivant les moyens qu’on a on n’a pas souvent l’occasion de l’inviter, mais on pense à lui et il pense à nous je pense (rires)
Et sinon, bin notamment pour Vitrolles, on a pris contact avec Hugo de Roots Powa Sound System, qui est aussi au festival South Bass Attack. Tonton Charly a pris contact, il nous a dit « bon écoutez, je voie bien Hugo sur nos versions pour le 9 aout, ça nous apporterait un petit plus sur la sono ». Plus que de l’animation simple au micro, mais du chant. Et puis on connait Hugo et il a un réel talent au micro, et du coup sur cette date on va travailler avec lui.

Et les MC sont plutôt rares, donc on fait des recherches sur internet, on regarde des vidéo sur YouTube, des sessions live, on voit quel chanteur est avec quel sound dans le sud est – on dit “ah tiens lui c’est pas mal, on va prendre contact avec lui”. Et on se bouge dans les danses, on va prendre contact avec les MCs. Mais on essaye de travailler avec des breddrins qu’on connait un maximum.

Charly : et les sistas quand il y en a. Comme là il y a sista Daba. Elle est passée sur le Garance, elle a passé une tune avec les blackboard et ça a vraiment mis le feu.
Elle a sorti un vinyle avec Amoul Bayi – qui est un label de Marseille, big up a Fabyah d’ailleurs. Et ouai, c’est bien. Comme hier soir quand il y a eu deux sista qui ont pris le micro, et qui assurent vraiment, les voix féminines c’est bien aussi. Ça change, ça remet du frais… Après, elles ne sont pas assez nombreuses.

Après il y a quand même une différence entre faire de l’animation, et vraiment chanter et être MC.

Antoine : vu qu’on n’a pas de MC avec nous et qu’on n’est pas forcément bon dans le chant et tout, on se doit d’autant plus d’avoir des tunes qui sont fortes aussi dans le message ou dans la vibes pour la partager, parce qu’on n’a pas forcément le micro pour s’exprimer vraiment.

Manu : et ça me fait penser que hier soir, sur deux-trois versions qui suivaient les vocaux on a demandé à Sébastien qui fait partie du sound system Natural Bashy, qui prend le micro plus aisément que nous on va dire. Donc il était à coté de nous et on lui a dit « seb, prête nous main forte, viens sur les versions », et il a toasté deux trois lyrics dessus, et ça fait bien plaisir. Ça apporte quelque chose en plus. Tu joues le vocal avec des lyrics, avec un message et tout ça. Et suite à ça tu joues la version, c’est dans la tradition des sounds systems – et s’il y a des MCs dans le coin, tu les appelle au micro, tu fais un petit clin d’œil. Les mans ils viennent, ils prennent la version, et ça rajoute de la pèche dans la danse.

C’est vrai. Et je sais quand j’ai vu les danse en Angleterre, en France on dirait qu’il y a plus, peut-être pas collaboration, mais d’échange, de partage.

Antoine : c’est vrai que même les mans comme Dubkasm, Murray man ils nous disent qu’aujourd’hui on a rien à leur envier, c’est chez nous que ça se passe. Et puis il y a un délire beaucoup moins clash. C’est plus centré sur l’unité, les rencontres, meetings… la plupart des flyers tu ne vois pas « clash » dessus, tu vois « meeting ».

Manu : et puis dans le milieu des sounds systems « à l’anglaise », quand on dit ‘versus’ ou ‘clash’ ça reste quand même bon enfant. Mais c’est revenu il y a quelques années ça en Angleterre, où tu peux voir des ‘King Earthquake clash with Iration Steppas’. Mais c’est très cool, c’est des breddrins qui se voient aux platines et qui se montent la pression à coup de dubplates et à coup d’ampli.

Antoine : mais c’est vrai que cette vibes, comme tu dis un peu plus dans l’unité et tout, je pense que  ça se ressent surtout dans le public, et tu vois qu’il y a très peu de violence dans ces évènements, il y a très peu de débordements, c’est toujours dans la bonne humeur, il n’y a pas trop de vols…  Je veux dire hier soir on nous a ramené un porte-monnaie, un téléphone…

Mais ça c’est due au message non ?

Manu : bien sûr ! À partir ou tu moment où tu joues un message d’amour et d’unité… enfin le jour on nous invite en disant « bon les Lion King Dub, on veut se clasher avec vous », on refuserait de suite. Pour nous ce n’est pas possible. On est là pour partager, leurs faire des gros big up au micro… on est loin de les siffler, même si ça reste dans un délire au second degré, ce n’est pas notre truc.

Charly: c’est à l’opposé de notre message quoi

Manu : on préfère faire des « untel in unity with untel » plutôt que « untel versus untel ». Même si le versus ne veux plus dire grand-chose, c’est juste pour que les massives ils se disent « tiens il va y avoir un peu de compétition ce soir, ça risque d’être un peu excitant ».

Antoine : et puis c’est vraiment pour tout quoi, c’est vraiment de A à Z. Nous par exemple on arrive, il y avait des mans donc il y en a quelques-uns qui nous ont aidé à décharger la sono, Hugo il est arrivé plus tard, donc ils sont tous allés l’aider parce qu’il arrivait tard pour vite qu’il monte sa sono…

Charly : voilà, c’est l’unité et le partage, et des fois t’a vraiment des surprises. On a fait une date à Néoules, où on était avec Solo Banton, Stand High, Soom t, et on  a eu la grande surprise en jouant la tune de Daba. Et en fait, dans le public il y avait Ganja Tree, qui est venu jusqu’au stand, et puis il a pris le micro et il a fait sa version quoi.
Donc voilà, là tu restes un sur le cul. On ne savait pas qu’il était dans le coin forcément. Et ça fait une belle surprise quoi, un beau cadeau autant pour nous que pour le public.

Antoine : de toute manière on ne fait pas ça pour l’argent. Ca ce sait dans le milieu. On n’est pas là pour gagner des sous, on a tous nos jobs a côté, nos vies a côté.

Charly : des fois même on mange beaucoup de pâtes [rires], pour pouvoir justement assurer notre petit plaisir partagé.

C’est vrai que c’est une passion au final

Antoine : c’est ça, c’est une passion. Parce qu’on fait des bornes, des fois on fait des bornes pour peu. Le temps, si tu calcule, pour aller de A à Z, montage de sono, démontage…Le temps de logistique pour le temps de jeu il est énorme.

Manu : Bin tu réfléchis que sur un festival comme celui où l’on est depuis deux jours. Si tu calcule 7 sounds systems, chaque sono ou chaque selector va jouer en tout et pour tout 25 minutes/ 30 minutes sur deux jours. C’est vraiment l’exemple pour dire qu’on ne vient pas que pour nous – ce n’est pas que Lion King Dub. On sait qu’on va louer un camion, on va passer du temps à charger la sono, à faire 3h30 de route, on va installer la sono sur place, on va jouer – très peu de temps, parce qu’il y a beaucoup de sounds, et qu’on partage le temps – ensuite tu remballe le sound, tu remontes dans le camion, tu reviens à la maison, tu décharge à la maison… et tu vas te coucher et le lendemain tu bosse.
Des fois c’est très peu de temps de sélection pour beaucoup d’heures d’organisation.

Charly : mais d’un côté tu te mets à la place du massive. Tu regardes le festival où on est qu’a organisé Bass Explorer, c’est énorme. Pour un prix super dérisoire [ 15 euros], tu peux avoir 48h de son non-stop, et surtout, et c’est ça qui est énorme, c’est que tu peux avoir un échantillon de chaque sound diffèrent. Et là on revient à la sonorité, à la vibes que chaque sound va avoir – ils vont chacun avoir leurs préférences. Et ce qui est bien c’est que tout le monde sera content, et pendant 48h chacun va avoir un petit échantillon. Et logiquement, bin tu ne joues peut être qu’une demi-heure, mais tu joues les tunes les plus fraiches

Manu : celles qui définissent le sound

Charly : voilà celles qui définissent notre son. Bon je ne vais pas dire qu’on passe des tunes pour faire passer le temps, mais la t’essayes vraiment de faire le nectar.

Manu : et puis des fois c’est un peu de l’expérience. On a une radio tous les mardi soir depuis deux ans. Et on joue des tunes à la radio, des tunes qu’on peut retrouver également quand on les joue en live. Et des fois c’est un peu une expérience parce qu’on se dit ‘tiens celle-là on l’a jamais joué sur la sono’, on va la tester et on va voir la réaction que ça donne. Et donc des fois c’est aussi être sûr de soi, connaitre ses morceaux – et des fois c’est jouer un nouveau truc, prendre un risque, jouer cette tune-là qui est un peu différente de toutes les autre auparavant et voir si ça fonctionne. Alors soi il y a une étincelle dans les yeux et les gens ils adorent et on la remet depuis le début ; et des fois on voit que les massives, bin ils sont allé acheter une bière à coté parce que on était plus dans le même bain.

Charly : c’est vrai, c’est super difficile – juste un petit aparté personnelle – les sélections des sets, depuis 2006 – j’en ai fait avec un autre sound avant, c’est vrai que j’avais la fâcheuse tendance de tout organiser. De dire je vais passer cette tune en premier, puis celle-là, celle là… A la limite mettre un CD ça aurait presque été pareil, parce que je les pré programmaient et j’imposais au massives le programme. Et c’est qu’après avec l’expérience, t’essaye de te pas tout prendre – comme si tu faisais un peu la cuisine et t’avais plein de légumes, peut être tu ne vas pas tout prendre mais tu mets un peu de si, un peu de ça. Et peut-être prendre un petit peu plus au départ, prendre un éventail, et puis aviser au moment.

Manu : l’avantage d’être quatre membres dans le crew c’est qu’on apprend énormément de ses copains. Moi depuis que je suis rentré dans Lion King Dub, je faisais du son avant, on faisait tous du son avant, et du coup entre nous on s’est appris énormément de choses.
Moi notamment dans le technique du sound, avec Matthieu qui est fort dans la construction, Tonton Charly dans l’électronique et tout ça. J’ai appris de la sélection avec Antoine.. Je crois qu’on a tous appris les uns des autres, et aujourd’hui, plus on avance dans le temps tous les quatre avec la sono, et plus on acquiert de l’expérience.
Et je remercie mes trois frangins du Lion King Dub d’être toujours présent, parce que tous les jours j’apprends avec eux. Alors des fois je fais la gueule sur un truc parce que je refuse de l’entendre, mais au final je vois que ça m’apporte un putain de plus dans le future.

C’est vraiment dans l’échange

Manu : ouai c’est vraiment dans l’échange

Charly : il y a moins d’individualisme qu’avec un DJ qui a préparé son set, par exemple les mecs qui vont préparer tout leur set. Et c’est vrai qu’il faut amener de la surprise, mais aussi du contentement. Il faut jongler entre toutes ces vibes.

Et le coté home-made, qu’est-ce que ça vous apporte ?

Charly : bin comme on a dit, ce qui est bien dans le sound system c’est qu’on a vraiment tous nos points forts. Par exemple moi au niveau culture musicale, je connais que dalle (rire). Après je ne sais pas si c’est bien de dire ça en tant que selecta, mais j’aime vraiment la tune que quand je l’entends. Par contre à l’inverse j’ai un côté très bricoleur – pour moi c’est une solution, un truc à trouver, un truc à réajuster…  A côté tu as Manu par exemple qui va être une bible vivante, il va te dire le mec il a enregistré ça, c’était un jeudi soir, quelle année… Antoine il va ramener la fraîcheur par exemple. Bon c’est un peu bête a dire, je suis le plus vieux du sound, mais il va ramener cette fraîcheur quand moi par exemple je vais être un peu plus orthodoxe. Et moi aussi ça me fait du bien, j’apprends de ça et ça me permet de m’ouvrir aussi.

C’est toujours un esprit de groupe. On a commencé a vraiment trouver ce feeling. C’est un peu ce que disait aussi Manu tout à l’heure, c’est un peu ce qui nous a été dit gentiment – une critique n’est jamais négative, elle est constructive. Et c’est d’autres sound qui sont arrivés, qui nous ont dit « franchement les gars, nickel votre sélection, par contre c’est brouillon – vous passez un roots, derrière il y en a un qui va passer un dub énérvé ». Et parce que peut-être qu’au début chacun voulait se faire plaisir individuellement, et en fait on a compris au bout d’un moment que c’est dans l’unité. Le mec ou la fille qui vient écouter Lion King Dub, ils vont écouter un ensemble.

Antoine : Ouai, pour revenir sur le home-made. Mat et Charlie qui sont très bricoleurs. C’est vraiment Mat qui a tout réfléchit, qui s’est renseigné sur la sono – et après nous derrière on était là pour couper le bois, pour coller. On apporte chacun notre truc. Mais c’est vrai que le coté home-made, c’est ta sono à toi, tu l’as faite de tes mains.

Charly : Après c’est un peu comme l’arc en ciel des compétences, qui rejoins un peu l’arc en ciel des émotions quand tu joues, et la fluidité entre les deux. Je pense que maintenant on est arrivé à une fluidité instinctive. Par exemple si on a des petits trucs d’une demi-heure, par exemple hier soir on s’est dit « bon là on est trois, il y en a deux qui jouent un petit quart d’heure chacun ». Si on commence à prendre 10 minutes chacun après on commence à revenir dans le trip où chacun essaye de jouer sa tune à lui.

Manu : et puis ce qu’on essaye de faire aujourd’hui, si on sait qu’on a une danse prochainement, et bien on favorise deux selectors sur le timing cette fois-ci, et puis deux selectors sur la prochaine. Parce que c’est vrai qu’aujourd’hui, on aime jouer en unité avec énormément de sounds, du coup on accepte aussi le fait qu’on ne va pas jouer longtemps. Comme dis tonton, on ne va pas proposer aux massives quatre selectors sur 30 minutes. Même si on essaye de rendre ça évident, à un moment ils vont être complètement perdu. Mais des fois quand on a un peu plus de temps on se regarde tous les quatre est on se dit bon là on va jouer une tune chacun, et puis ça n’empêche pas non plus la cohérence dans le son

Charly : exactement. Par exemple ce matin on a fait une tune chacun, et c’est bien passé, mais c’est une autre ambiance. Si on avait eu une heure hier soir, ça aurait peut être été différent. On aurait peut-être fait un quart d’heure chacun, histoire d’enchainer au moins deux-trois vinyles chacun.

Antoine : Je pense aussi qu’on a la chance d’avoir la radio aussi, parce qu’on joue et on s’exprime tous les mardi soirs.

Manu : et les bars dans lesquels on joue également. Parce qu’à l’heure actuelle, on ne peut pas sortir la sono tous les weekends, c’est une réalité.

Parce que vous êtes basé où exactement ?

Manu : on est à Toulon, la Seyne-sur-mer.

Antoine : Six-Fours, dans le var quoi

A oui parce que j’avais vu que pour la fête de la musique vous avez fait la session sur la plage à Six-Fours

Manu : Ouai on a joué sur la plage de Six-Fours. Ça fait deux ans qu’on a ce coin, et c’est un de nos meilleurs endroit je crois.

Charly : et par rapport à ça, je rebondit sur la fête de la musique. Une date de fête de la musique, c’est pas une date comme les autres, c’est pas une date comme ces 48h de festival, ou une date avec Musical Riot. C’est une date où tu vas plus faire découvrir aux gens, donc peut-être pas forcément partir sur des choses super pointues, énervés ou très fraiches, parce que les gens seront complètement perdu.

Il faut savoir – sans se mettre en avant – qu’on est le seul sound system à jouer à l’anglaise dans le Var, avec un sound system. Tu vas avoir des villes comme Montpellier où il va y avoir 10 sound system, mais attention, des sounds systems de qualité, comme Salomon Heritage, Jah militant, à qui on fait un gros big up. Se sont vraiment de très gros activistes, et qui sont seuls surtout – ils ont des boxmen, mais ils sont seuls a gérer toutes leurs soirées, et ça c’est chapeau.

Et comme je reviens à la fête de la musique, là on va plus faire découvrir aux gens. Et c’est vrai que, vite fait on va avoir le reggae Jamaïcain et l’identité qui viens de l’Angleterre. Nous on a fait le choix de l’Angleterre parce que ça nous parle plus, émotionnellement parlant. Slackness et tous les trucs comme ça ce n’est pas pour nous. Après respect à tous ceux qui font leur truc, mais il y a des paroles et des lyrics que je ne peux pas accepter.

Et ça, ça fait partie de l’identité du sound

Charly : tout à fait. Et en revenant sur cette date, ce qui était bien c’est que tu avais des petit de deux ans – bien sur un peu écarté du son – et ça allait jusqu’à 70 ans. Et c’est là que tu capte en fait, tu n’imposes pas ta musique, tu capte les gens. Et alors là où c’est vraiment marrant, c’est quand tu as des personnes qui ont 60-65 ans, ils viennent vers toi et te disent « mais c’est des vinyles que vous jouez ? ». Et pour eux c’est un petit peu leur jeunesse.

Maintenant c’est vrai qu’il y a plein de formats – bon on essaye de jouer 100% vinyle mais quand tu passes des dubplates, on va pas faire tout presser non plus, on a pas des budgets de folie. Mais voilà on essaye de jouer un maximum en vinyle.

Antoine : Et après il y a aussi le fait qu’à la fête de la musique, les gens il voyaient cette sono rouge, énorme, qui vibre, et c’est là qu’il comprennent ce que c’est que la culture sound system.

Manu : et surtout c’est le seul moment dans l’année où on joue chez nous. Parce qu’aujourd’hui il est très difficile sur l’aire Toulonaise. Aujourd’hui il y a énormément de salle alors soit qui ont leur propre systeme de sonorisation, qui leur ont couté très cher, et quand nous on arrive avec un projet de faire une danse, ils nous disent pas de soucis. Mais quand on leur montre des photos et qu’ils voient la sono, une grosse sono rouge, ils nous disent « oubliez la sono les gars – on a mis je ne sais pas combien dans les satellites, les subs et tout ça, on a tout ce qu’il faut pour vous insonoriser, vous venez juste avec deus platines ».

Du coup on a toujours cet espèce de mur en face de nous. Nous on est un sound system, donc quand on veut jouer sans sono on va dans les bars. Si on va à l’encontre des salles, c’est parce qu’on a une sono artisanale à sortir, on a envie de jouer dessus parce que le reggae s’écoute de cette manière. Du coup on a ce mur de gens qui disent « non désolé, on accueille pas sono parce que ça fait trop de bruit, soit parce qu’on veut rentabiliser notre systeme de son à nous ».

Ca et aussi beaucoup de salles ferment très tôt à Toulon – c’est minuit ou 1h du matin. Aujourd’hui tous les massives sont concentré la plupart du temps sur Marseille/Aix en Provence, donc pour les faire venir en voiture sur Toulon, ils font 1h à 1h30 de route, et si la soirée finit à minuit/1h du matin et que les mecs ils ont fini de bouffer ou de faire l’apéro vers 11h, ils comptent sur un 5h – 6h du matin. Minuit ou 1h du matin, les mecs ils restent chez eux. Donc aujourd’hui on cherche des salles qui nous accueillent avec un sound system et qui puissent nous faire terminer au maximum 5h, au minimum 3h du matin.

On continue de chercher et en attendant on se fait inviter. Mais on a l’opportunité d’être de bons amis avec pas mal de sounds dans le sud-est de la France – notamment tous ceux qui sont là ce weekend. Donc eux nous ont invités pas mal de fois, et on travaille dur pour leur rendre la faveur et les inviter un de ces quatre, d’avoir nos propres danses sur Toulon avec un thème, des soirées trimestrielles… Mais aujourd’hui ce n’est pas simple à Toulon.

Mais ça c’est au niveau des salles; Les massives ils sont là. Quand on va a des concerts de reggae, dans des grosse salles de concerts, les salles sont pleines – on le voie ça à l’Omega Zenith à Toulon, quand il y a des concerts roots, il y a énormément de personnes qui adorent le roots. Mais qui ne connaissent pas forcément le délire sound system. Pour eux c’est simplement poser deux platines dans un bar avec un MC.  Le sound system c’est un tout – c’est les séléctors, c’est des colonnes de son…

C’est vrai que le sound system c’est une autre manière d’apprécier la musique

Antoine : voila, c’est de la vivre.

Charly : le coté anglais, par rapport au côté Jamaïcain, est très peu connu. C’est pour ça qu’avec des fêtes de la musique on va peut-être faire découvrir à des gens. Et au delà de ça, on essaye à la radio de développer ça et de le faire entendre.
Malheureusement tu ne peux pas tendre un plat a quelqu’un et dire « vas-y mange », il va gouter avant. Et bin en fait les gens goutent avec la radio et des petites choses comme ça, et après ils viendront festoyer avec nous.

Un autre truc qui intrigue – là ça va faire 5-7 ans que le reggae en France, la scène sound system commence à vraiment grandir.

Manu : vraiment, c’est grâce à Musical Riot en France, qui a énormément développé la scène sound system. Moi j’ai découvert les sounds systems en revenant de l’océan indien en 2003-2004, je me suis de-suite rapproché de ces soirée-là, parce que j’ai découvert le sound system avec King Shiloh.
En France, c’était au début des année 2000 – Shaka et Aba Shanti sont descendu à Paris fin ’90, début des années 2000, donc c’était encore dans le nord de la France. Et dans le sud,  ça a commencé vraiment en 2000-2001 avec Musical Riot qui organisait des soirées avec des sonos. Et là on allait voir ça quand on était youth

Antoine : ouai, King Shiloh cette danse au bois de l’aune, on était tous jeune. Moi c’est cette  danse qui m’a fait dire « putain, un jour aussi j’aurais un sound system ».

Charly : le pire de tout, c’est que toutes les personnes qui sont présentes à ce festival, ont tous quasiment découverts le sound system ce soir là – par exemple Anne Luminy, qui est une grosse activiste dans la scène du sud, qui était à l’origine des University of Dub à Luminy, et qui étaient vraiment  des évènements énormes. Et ce qui est marrant c’est qu’on était tous présent à cette soirée là – et on ne se connaissait pas à l’époque.

Manu : c’était en 2004, King Shiloh à la salle du bois de l’aune.

Charly : on n’avait jamais vu ça avant, tu te prends une claque.

Antoine : donc à partir de là, ça a fait ça pour pas mal de monde. Tu prends cette claque de basse, c’est des bonnes vibes, c’est du reggae, mais c’est un peu électronique aujourd’hui –  donc ça touche plus en plus de public… Il y a une bonne ambiance, les gens l’apprécient – et c’est pour ça que ça monte en flèche. Et tout le monde voit qu’au final c’est réalisable de monter une sono, et de gérer une sono.

Manu : surtout tu as énormément d’aide aujourd’hui pour monter une sono. A l’époque si tu voulais monter une sono même au début des années 2000, il fallait prendre son mètre, aller dans les danses et mesurer les boxs comme ça. Il fallait vraiment aller dans les danses au poser des questions au opérateurs pour pouvoir monter une sono complète.
Et aujourd’hui tu peux aller sur google, taper ‘monter un sound system’ et t’as des forums.

Antoine : c’est vrai, c’est indéniable que le net a contribué à cette montée.

Charly : sur l’aide, on a deux grosses expériences. La première est quand Mat avait commencé à commander le pré-amp. Et quand il l’a reçu, il l’a mis sur sa page facebook, et le grand frère Steph’ de Lion Roots  – à qui on fait un gros big up – quand il a vu l’image il nous a dit de venir tester le pré-amp sur sa sono. Il nous connaissait ni d‘Eve ni d’Adam, et puis c’est quand même un grand frère qui est là depuis plus de 15 ans dans la partie, donc quand il nous a dit ça, c’etait énorme quoi !
Et il y avait une date juste après à Montpellier, et on est monté là-bas et on a eu la chance de croiser Channel One. Et pareil, ce petit regard de Channel One qui rentre dans la salle avant la soirée. Nous était des petits jeunes qui arrivaient avec notre pré-amp, Steph avait fini tout son check up, son branchement, et il nous a dit de le tester. Il y avait de la curiosité de son côté parce que nous c’était un Jored et lui il utilise un Irad Processor.  Et t’a Channel One qui rentre, ils viennent te checker, et ils te disent « alors les youths ça va commencer ? Vous allez envoyer ? ».
Et c’est fou ces petits passage dans ta vie. On n’a pas parlé pendant des heures, mais tu sentais quand même que la vibes passait.

Pareil avec notre bredda JB, ex-membre des Jumping Lion qui nous a énormément aidés. On a commencé le sound avec Mat, on avait les pré-amps et tout ce qu’il fallait, mais on était le genre « bon comment on branche en fait ». Et une des premières soirées, grâce à Anne Luminy, on a eu l’occasion d’aller sur une des date de dub station avec les OBF. On les a questionné et pareil, les frangins super cool, ils ne se prennent pas la tête – ils nous disent « on n’est pas ingé son, on a appris ça sur le tas ».

Et ce JB ils nous a fait des prototypes de caissons, qu’on était les seuls à avoir – et dans le partage, dans tout ça tu vois, le truc t’as JB qui viens nous voir dans une soirée il nous demande si on est content avec, et il vient humblement te voir et te dire « au fait, ça te dérange pas si les plans je les passe à un autre brother ? ». Et bien sûr que non, c’est tes plans !

Et justement, le fait que tout le monde commence amateur, c’est fait par passion et que ce n’est pas vraiment professionnel c’est peut-être pourquoi il y a tant de solidarité.

Charly : tout à fait. Tout le monde se tire vers haut.

Antoine : c’est très ouvert, très accessible. Je pense que c’est peut-être pour ça que ça évolue aussi en France. Parce qu’un minot s’il est curieux, il peut accéder facilement à certain artistes, que ça soit amateur comme nous ou un peux plus grand, ils vont te parler facilement et t’expliquer deux trois trucs si tu demandes…

C’est ça aussi l’autre principe du sound system, tu peux vraiment discuter avec les gens contrairement au live où il y a une séparation

Manu : ouai parce qu’on est au même niveau que les massives, on n’est pas comme un groupe traditionnel. On ne monte pas sur une scène à deux mètre de haut des massives, avec des grosse barrières de sécurité, et où pour nous parler il faudrait utiliser Facebook. Non, on est au même niveau que les massives. On met des barrières sécurité attention, parce qu’aujourd’hui à trois heure du matin les mecs ils sont un peu plus chaud qu’à 8h du soir. Et ils sont tellement excités par les sons que des fois il y a des mouvements et tout ça. Mais on reste à proximité des mans qui nous écoutent pour pouvoir partager un sourire, un regard, quelques paroles. Si t’as des questions à poser, ou même nous si on veut te demander si t’a kiffé la sono. On va toujours demander aux massives s’ils ont aimé.

Donc toujours le sound system au même niveau que les massives, on ne se met pas au-dessus, je ne vois pas pourquoi on ferait ça.

Charly : et surtout ce qui est bon, c’est un bro qui va venir te voir et te dire « bon franchement ta sélection nickel, mais par contre fait gaffe au niveau des aigues » ou « fait gaffe avec ton niveau de micro »… et c’est bien parce que ça ne vas pas être de la critique négative, peut être tu n’y as pas pensé. Je pense que tu as aussi beaucoup d’émotions qui se mêlent à ça. T’as le fait de dire ‘moi j’ai écouté ça, ça m’a fait tripper, est ce que vous ça vas vous faire tripper’. Et t’as aussi le fait de gérer ton son, et t’aimerait que ça claque au bon volume, sans saturation, et ça c’est une autre technique. Et il faut que tu jongle avec ces deux émotions. Un truc qui va être plus technique et rationnel, et la tune qui est plus émotionnelle.

Antoine : Pour revenir à la question pourquoi ça l’expansion en France, je pense que sur le plan social aussi il y a une baisse de la teuf. Donc je pense qu’il  a beaucoup de teuffeurs qui se rapprochent de la culture sound system. Le fait qu’il y ait un gros volume sonore, sans l’illégalité.

Manu : ils récupèrent ce qu’ils aiment et ils laissent derrière eux ce qu’ils n’aimaient pas en teuf. Je pense. J’ai fait de la free party pendant quelques années, de 16 à 19 ans, entre les caraïbes et l’océan indien. Et quand je suis rentré en France, j’ai voulu en faire une aussi, et je me suis rendu compte que c’était pas du tout le même délire. Et j’aimais en parelle le reggae, et du coup je suis allé en sound system et je me suis dit que c’était la même chose, sauf que…  c’était plus serein, il y a plus de love, c’est moins glauque.

Charly : une question qui m’a déjà était pose par une personne qui ne connaissait pas forcément la scène, et ça c’est très fort dans l’esprit français, c’était « comment est-ce qu’il faut danser dans une de tes soirées ? »… Tu danse comme  tu veux. C’est ça le truc, on met tout à plat, on est tous pareil, il n’y a pas de honte.

Antoine : voilà tu ne regardes pas l’autre, tu es la pour toi au final.

Charly : et même si tu croise l’autre, tu vas croiser un regard, un sourire. C’est ce qui se passe très souvent. Et c’est là que je disais qu’il y avait vraiment une différence entre une session d’une soirée et une session de festival. Parce que le lendemain matin tu vas peut être recroiser la personne à qui tu as souri dans la soirée, et tu peux aller discuter… En plus tu n’as pas à te prendre la tête quand tu dois reprendre la voiture ou quoi. Alors qu’en festival tu n’as pas cette pression, et tu vois cette ambiance.

Antoine : et puis il y a tout ce côté aussi, avec le message de partage, d’unité, de respect, qui se perd peut être un peu dans les valeurs d’aujourd’hui. Il y a de plus en plus d’individualisme dans la vie de tous les jours, tous les débats politique, les infos, tout ça. Ce n’est pas terrible.

Bin justement, est ce que vous pensez qu’il y a toujours un aspect politique dans la scène sound system d’aujourd’hui ?

Charly : je pense que si. Bon après je vais être le fervent défenseur du bio. On a une tune que j’aime bien passer, c’est ‘chemical food’ – et pour moi c’est ça, le carburant que tu ingère c’est ton carburant à toi, essaye de manger un truc un minimum sain. Je pense que ça fait partie de l’éducation, de faire passer un message

Antoine : Ouai, il y a toujours un message à faire passer. Après de la politique pure, on évite quand même.

Manu : Après je pense que les massives ils entendent des trucs toute la semaine par les différents médias, les journaux, la télé. On leur bourre le crane de merdes, de nouvelles lois, de nouvelles taxes, des trucs qui vont te faire encore plus chier dans la vie de tous les jours. Mais tu vas a un sound system le samedi soir, t’oublies tout. Parce que humainement on est tous au même niveau, et on vient tous ici pour s’amuser, pour oublier notre semaine de boulot, on prend du plaisir tous ensemble. Et le dimanche matin, quand on se réveille on dira « bon bin j’ai pris un maximum de vibes dans les dents, dans la tête, dans le cœur, et je suis reparti, j’ai rechargé les batteries ».

Charly : Après, je ne veux pas partir dans le truc mystique, mais logiquement quand t’es dans un sound system, t’es là à dire « je vous propose ça – que vous allez peut être connaitre », ou « je vous propose ça c’est une surprise, que vous allez peut être apprécier ou pas ». Et les massives, ils se disent « je reçois, c’est énorme le sound system ». Mais il faut savoir que nous on re-reçoit cent fois, mille fois plus. Il y a des vibes qui passent, et nous on se recharge presque encore plus. Eux ils ont l’impression d’avoir le son fort et de recevoir beaucoup ; mais nous on reçoit aussi énormément, et c’est un échange comme ça – que ça soit dans le regard… dans la vibes quoi

Manu : et elle est tellement bonne qu’on ne va pas la quitter avant un bon moment

 

Un grand merci à Bass Explorer pour l’organisation, et à tout les sounds systems présents pour cette première édition du festival South Bass Attack.

Lion King Dub sur Facebook
Cultural Bass Radio Show – tous les mardi 9-11pm sur Radio Fly Foot Selecta

AF

Chronique: South Bass Attack Festival

 

Organisé par l’équipe du Bass Explorer Sound System et l’association Musique 4 All, il faut dire que la programmation était alléchante : 7 sounds systems pour 48 heure de musique non-stop. Le principe est simple : une arène composée de 6 sounds qui jouent de 10h du matin, pour le reste de la journée, et jusqu’à 4h du matin; puis une sono qui prend la relève pendant les 6h restantes– pour du reggae et des bonnes vibes en continue.

A peine arrivé, on croise les têtes connus des activistes reggae du sud et autres aficionados, et la session commence donc dans une ambiance bien familiale. De plus, Il n’a pas fallu longtemps pour se rendre compte de la qualité du site. Situé entre Saint-Marcel-Les-Sauzet et Montélimar, la féria a rempli tout les critères. L’arène trônant au milieu, avec l’espace chill-out aux airs de Zion Garden et les stands buvettes et barbecue de chaque côté – un aspect idyllique, le tout entouré d’arbres, d’ombre, et de verdure.

(Site du South Bass Attack – photo: After All)

Le premier soir, chaque sound jouant 30 minutes chacun, les sélections ont vite pris du niveau. Les Jumping Lion ont tout de suite montré leurs talents de collectionneurs,  tandis que les Lion King Dub ont ouvert leur caisse de dubplates pour notre plus grand plaisir. After All, accompagné de la talentueuse MC Pitch-up, a délivré une sélection digital à souhait; et Roots Powa et les cuivres de Fayalite Horns ont partagés leurs message conscient à coup de roots puissant.  Les Welders HiFi ainsi que Bass Explorer nous ont aussi fait découvrir leurs productions faites maison, et le Dub Fi Dub final a probablement été ressenti jusqu’à Montélimar

Pour le reste de la soirée, l’équipe du Natural Warrior a pris le relais dans une ambiance festive, l’occasion pour ceux qui en voulaient encore de skanker jusqu’au petit matin.

Le seul bémol du week-end fut la pluie, qui vint se joindre à la fête durant la journée de dimanche. Mais elle n’a pas fait peur aux massives qui sont restés – quoiqu’un peu moins nombreux mais tout aussi motivés– pour cette deuxième partie.

En somme, ce festival a été une belle réussite. De plus, après quelques années où la scène sound system aura été marquée par des festivals toujours de plus en plus grands (tels que le UNOD, Dub Camp, Outlook, Rototom…), il fait grand plaisir de retrouver un festival comme le South Bass Attack où la convivialité est le mot d’ordre. Malgré le fait qu’il n’y ait pas eu de « grand » noms, les invités représentaient tous la nouvelle génération de sound systems, nés aux alentours des années 2010; et qui sont très souvent ignorés dans les festivals de l’envergure du Dub Camp, du Rototom ou de l’UNOD.

Ces festivals souvent ne permettent pas l’interaction et l’échange qui a lieu dans des événements plus petit – et qui au final sont au centre de l’idéal du sound system : que tout le monde soit au même niveau, écoute la même musique, et partage les mêmes vibes. Il n’est pas possible au Rototom ou au Garance par exemple de se pencher vers la control tower et demander le titre de la chanson qui vient de passer, ou même ne serait-ce que féliciter ou serrer la main aux selectas.

Le grands festival permettent de faire venir des légendes,  mais les plus petits permettent un retour à l’esprit moderne du sound system et du reggae : où le clash a été abandonné en faveur de l’échange et la coopération.

Enfin bon, tout cela pour dire qu’on attend très impatiemment une deuxième édition !

Interview Lion Roots [english]

 

Short interview with Lion Roots Sound System, about what it means to run a sound, the differences between the UK and French scene, and the early sound system days in the sound of France.

 

How did you discover reggae and what pushed you to build your own sound system ?

Yes-I, greetings. Well what pushed me to build my own system, was the fact of going to London and seeing the sound systems in England. En terms of reggae, I was listening to some before but not with the sound system influence. It was more traditional bands like Israel Vibration… the foundations. Bands that allowed reggae to have today’s status.
Then sound system came a lot later.  I discovered that movement 15 or so years ago.

And since when have you been active?

Well in the area, because I was born in Cannes, it’s been nearly 15 years. I tried to get things here to move a bit in the South-East, because there wasn’t anything in terms of sound system culture and Jamaican reggae. There was nothing. But besides that there were a lot of people that would go to concerts, with the foundation bands. With famous bands like that promoters are sure people will know them so they go. But when it’s a bit more obscure, it’s harder to make people discover things.

You are the ‘oldest’ sound system in the south of France that I know of. Is your sound system home-made?

Yes, it’s completely home-made

And what does having a home-made system add?

Well it’s kind of the sound system’s identity. It’s true that now with more accessible means, internet and all that… we were talking about that just before with Aba Shanti, today it’s easier to get such and such equipment, whereas before, you had to build everything yourself. And it was even worse when Aba started, where everything was home-made. I mean everything from A to Z. From the amplifiers  to the pre-amplifiers.

Talking about identity, what makes a sound system’s identity? What creates it?

The identity also comes from the quality of the preamplifier. It’s the preamplifier that reproduces the sound. You also need decent speaker so that the sound can be heard well, and that’s the most important I think. Then you experiment with the boxes, try different models. One builds other models on the foundations that have existed for a long time. Si in that sense we are lucky to have the internet. It helps a lot.

In your opinion, what is it that makes this music special; that creates that vibes. A reggae session has a vibe that you can’t find anywhere else.

That’s true. Part of it is the acoustic pressure, the fact of listening to this over-sized music. But that is how it is supposed to be heard. We are not used to listen to music with that much acoustic power. Even at a concert, unless you go and see the big bands, U2 or stuff like that, but otherwise, in small venues, there isn’t the quality of sound that you find in sound system sessions.
That pressure and the quality of sound, that comes from the knowledge of building your own boxes. It’s a chain – if you have amplifiers that are at the end of their life, but the rest is good; the result will be average. It is a whole that allows the sound to be good.

So sound is the most important?

Yeah, during a session.  When you aren’t used to listening to this kind of music, when you listen to some tunes you have previously heard at home or on a small hi fi system, and you hear them at a session with big kilowatts and a huge bass, it’s another dimension. That’s the thing.

Someone once described a reggae session as if you were swimming in the music

That’s it, you are completely within it. Sound sends a “wave”, that’s how they call it. So it’s exactly that, you should feel the waves of the sound in the dance.

When you organize a dance, you bring the music of course, but is there something else you try to bring?

A sound system session isn’t only about playing music and spinning records, well in my opinion anyway. It’s about message you try to pass on through the music that you play, with the artists that you may invite. It’s a message of peace, unity. Those are the foundations; if we don’t have them, then unfortunately we aren’t going to go very far.
And then again, I think we have a responsibility, for the future generations, to show that there aren’t only bad things. It may be because of this that reggae has difficulty gaining attention. Because it’s a really strong message, and maybe that the elites are scared of it. It doesn’t push you to start a revolution, but it does make you think.

About that, in Jamaica and in England, at first the movement was very political and social. Is it possible to find this in France as well?

Well there are two categories, I think. Those who see the thing and say to themselves this movement is quite good, and who have some money so they say “we’ll start”. And then there are those who struggle, and who really want to do something and will do anything to make it.  The fact that the owners of a system have the finances behind them or that they struggle and organize nights to make a bit of money and pay for a scoop, it’s not the same. But in the end it’s the message that is the most important.

I imagine you have noticed this but for a while the sound system scene in France has been evolving quite a bit. Would you have an idea why?

Yeah, for the last 5-6 years it’s started to grow. Even 7-8 years. After I’m not sure why, but it’s good. Things are being built, it’s moving. It’s good.

One observation I have made through this research, is that France has begun to level with England in terms of the number of sound systems, of production…

For sure. There are good labels in France. Good French live bands. Good dubmakers, and good sound systems. In the reggae-dub scene there is quite a lot. But I think it’s still harder to organize dances here than in England. Here concerning the law it’s harder.
In England, I imagine considering the amount of nights there are, that people can bring their system everywhere. In a small nightclub they bring in 4 scoops. It’s not in a small bar in Cannes that you will see 4 scoops. Despite this enthusiasm, people in the sound system scene – like everyone else – we struggle. It’s different from when we get booked and play for other people.
It’s different when you want to organize your own thing and there aren’t any venues, well you can’t do anything. It’s a lot harder in France I think.
There are some towns where it’s more or less open than other, but still…

When you organize a night, does what you play change according to where you are, or according to the crowd?

Already, it depends a bit on the place. Especially in the region, because you really need to show people what reggae is about.  So you have to play more or less ‘commercial’ tunes, get people to dance a bit, and then venture into more obscure things.
I play mainly according to the feeling. I don’t have a prepared selection that I decided on at home – “that one is the first”, “that one is the last”. We were laughing about that with my friends earlier, because I always bring a ton of records and in the end I’ll only play 40 or 50. 50 records with a version, a couple of singer, you can easily make it 3 or 4 hours. It goes really fast.

It’s essentially according to the vibe. In July, I did this thing for the “nuit de la glisse” in Cannes. In that case there were young kids everywhere so it was more to let them discover it. But there was a stack next to the water. When I’d push the sound up a bit they were amazed.
The future mayor did his speech on the sound system. It was fun.
It creates a link with the town hall. They were the ones organizing that, so now they know I’m here. Every month they organize a ‘night neighborhood’ as they call it, and in july it was on boardsports.
So they had put a mini-ramp for the summer open to everyone, right at the end of Cannes, just near the sea. A great spot.
It created a link with the town hall, so we’ll try make it last. The guy was up for it.
I think we have to now. I could try and be more or less official, so that people decide to come. I think you have to go through city councils. So that there can be a message passed on through them as well, that can reach more people.

It’s true that is a bit in their interest

Of course. If it works, they see that it doesn’t cause any troubles. I have never had any issues in the sessions. It’s a conscious message.

And the fact of building your own sound system, being autonomous in organizing your night, is that still possible?

The hardest part is to last. Being 100% autonomous, having your own generator so you can set up anywhere, that’s a bit more difficult. Generally all the reggae nights in France are official I think. It’s managed by associations, either there is a profit or there isn’t. Often there isn’t any profit. It’s often very tight. Often we lose out, very often.

But the plus side is that they aren’t considered as rave parties. And I say that without criticizing raves.

And vinyl, it’s a central part of sound systems. Now that we have serrato, mp3… how come it has stayed around for so long?

Vinyl is the basis. Then having everything on vinyl when you have exclusive tunes, pressing everything on vinyl or on acetate discs, it costs a fortune. You have to be realistic.
I have my laptop for everything that is dubplate or pre-release. I can’t go ahead and press everything. When you add up the system, all the other equipment that goes with it. I think I’m one of the only (sound system) to have my own truck, for example. That brings in costs.
Pressing everything on vinyl I don’t think that would be possible. Having ‘collectors’ on the other hand, that’s something else.

I generally juggle between the two. I play a lot of records, and when I have things that I don’t have on vinyl I play them from the laptop. I preferred to switch to laptop because I find it easier than having 50 CDs, which also means an extra turntable. So might as well have a laptop, and everyone tends to use one these days. If it’s well encoded, it sounds like a CD, the sound won’t change.
As long as what you have behind it is good.

Something that differentiates a concert or a DJ set from sound system session is the interaction between the sound system and the crowd. How do you view this interaction?

I talk, but more because I have to, especially if there’s only me. Otherwise I have 2 or 3 friends that are quite good. What they do is ok. Because it’s hard to find someone that can do things well, that can get a vibe going.
So because I didn’t particularly enjoy it, I got quite a lot of contacts, and now I’m in the habit of getting singers to come over, to play with me. And it promotes them too. They are happy as well.
So with Jah Marnyah we’ve known each other for nearly 10 years. He comes from Montserrat. He arrived in England after the volcano’s eruption.  And he’s been singing since he came over.
Of course, having someone to pass on a good message with the people, make it more interactive is important. It’s another way to make the people aware of the music, of the message. Because not everyone understands English.

Does having someone who interacts with you allow the people to appreciate the sound more?

I think there is a way of doing it, that’s certain. When a tune is running, you have to let it run. The guy that’s constantly talking over records, I can’t stand that. You have to be reasonable, find a middle ground. That’s the hardest thing for an MC I think, being a singer is something else.
It’s a ‘know-how’. Not everyone can be a singer.
The special feature of sound systems is that generally there is only one turntable. So when you change a record there a small time lapse which leads to calling out to people. They aren’t DJs.

I used to do some juggling at first. I always enjoyed that way of playing on one turntable, but at first we only had Jamaican records. We couldn’t find English records. If you didn’t go to England you wouldn’t find a distributor. That was back at the beginnings the internet, in 2002.

That’s starting to date back a while

Yeah [laugh] We’ve been doing this since 1998. The first time I saw Aba Shanti was in 98.
I lived during 3 or 4 years in the south west (of France) and during that time my wife was in England for her studies. Due to that, some friends and I we had a house in the Lot & Garonne. I was already listening to reggae, I had a friend that was a rasta. But they were albums, there weren’t any 10 inches, 45s. They were mostly albums. So we would listen to that.
And from then on, we learned that there were some nights in Bordeaux, because we were only 100km away. So we would go to Bordeaux to hear sound systems.

Who was active in Bordeaux at that time?

There was King Jammin. Big up by the way, because he’s still there – on internet in any case, he’s still got his website. So I began buying Jamaican records off him, because he used to do albums, CD and Jamaican records. He didn’t do English records. There wasn’t that link yet to buy them.

Even though it’s closer?

It’s crazy! There were links with Jamaica but nothing with England. Only 7”, Jamaican press. So I would go up regularly to England to see my wife, and one day we were walking around and we saw some flyers for Aba Shanti. So we went to see him for the first time, and it was a shock.
When I went back down to France I bought two small full range speakers, in the countryside we were on the edge of the Garonne, there was no-one around us. We would put the speakers on full volume all day, at was awesome.

And then my wife came back down to Cannes, and I came back down too. And we decided to set up an association, to get a small studio. My friend in Bordeaux who owned the record shop gave me all the tips, the suppliers. And we started a small record shop in Cannes, when there wasn’t anything else. That was in 2000. It was Lion Roots Records. It worked relatively well, it was cool. There were two or three DJs who bought Jamaican presses, who played in Pubs in Nice, or sometimes in nightclubs. They were more hip-hop, ragga, jungle, a bit of dancehall. You know, Jamaican.

So that would pay the bills and the costs. And so I would also play in pubs in Nice to get things going. And so that’s how it began. Then from Nice we went back to England. We went to the Carnival for the first time. We saw Aba again, and that’s where we made a link. We had him come down in October after the Carnival. And there was a demand, so I got him a gig in Toulouse, one in Bordeaux. And then I organized a gig in a pub between Nice and Antibes that closed at 5am, in an industrial zone. It was a good set up. At the time I didn’t have all that. I had four 15” scoops, and the chromed speakers that are over there.

And to finish, do you think there is either a difference in the message or in the vibes between a more roots dance like Aba Shanti, and a more technoid style like Iration Steppas?

No it’s good, I think it allows a mix of people when you vary. There may be young people that go to see Iration because it’s more “jump up”. But Aba can still turn up a dance with roots.

The thing is knowing how to bring your selection, how to spread your message. And what’s good about that ping pong effect is that you don’t have the same thing for three or four hours. It’s good when there are different sounds and it’s varied. It gives energy to the people who are there as well.

 

I-Skankers Records: Charlie P – Ina The Ghetto

Back in France, the I-Skankers crew have released a new 12’ inch. Over the last couple of years they have been steadily building their label, expanding their own home-made sound system, and bringing in crews from all over Europe to their regular Dub Corner dances – which by the way bring some mad vibes!
Although they have only released two records in 3 years, both of them are impressive.

Their first release brought together french dubmaker Dub Foundry and vocalists Ilements and Ranking Fox – and sold out in an instant. I-Levation Riddim builds on heavy basslines and sawing synths. With “Bless We Jah” Ilements delivers a spiritual Rasta message, while Ranking Fox’s “Don’t You Worry” is an ode to the sound system dance. Dub Foundry’s version brings back memories of classic 70’s dub, albeit infused with steppa rhythms: soulful guitar riffs, djembe drum lines, and echoing melodica cuts and vocals.

This newest release is the result of the collaboration between I-Skankers, Dub Foundry and RDH HiFi during the 2013^th edition of the United Nations Of Dub.

While the first release was maybe more upbeat, this one delivers a much rougher edge, a more somber vibe. However, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great record! Charlie P provides his distinctly conscious lyrics over the militant tune “Ina The Ghetto”, while the B-side explodes with the Dub Foundry and RDH ‘clash’. The names speak for themselves – “Dub is Raw” and “Dub is Harder” are two rough and heavy versions, ready to make the dancehalls tremble!

 ISR12002 – limited edition, 700 hand numbered copies.

A / Charlie P – Ina The Ghetto // Dub The Ghetto

AA / RDH meets Dub Foundry – Dub Is Harder // Dub Is Raw
A.F

Bliss Zion – Freedom Outta Babylon / Maasai Warrior – Fyah Step

Maasai Warrior emerged out of Bristol in 2010, and since then have built a solid reputation around the UK and Europe. With a beautifully designed sound system and some terrifically heavy dubs, they are now leading the new generation of heavyweight UK sounds. Anyone who has been to one of their sessions knows that they can  produce an incredible vibe, through the sheer weight of their system and productions, but also through Paul Maasai’s incredible energy and presence as an MC (they don’t have ‘Warrior’ in their name for nothing).
As such, this year signals their first vinyl release on their own label, featuring Bliss Zion on vocals.

‘Freedom Outta Babylon’ is a deep, politically conscious, bass-heavy track, with Bliss Zion calling out the injustice and corruption that is endemic in the Babylon system. The combination of the soulful voice and the slow stepper riddim results in a profoundly meditative tune.

The B side – ‘Fyah Step’ – is a Young Maasai production, a very minimal yet heavy dub in the pure stepper tradition that would get anyone ready to march in a warrior style, forwards ever. Although the minimalism of the track may seem disconcerting at first, this is because this record is supposed to heard on a sound system. It is through the sound system that the depth of the tracks can really come out, with the bass playing the most important part. Admittedly this applies to most reggae/dub releases, but I think even more so for heavier, more ‘stepper’ oriented tunes, that do not have the horns or the same instrumental melodies that allow the roots-ier songs to be appreciated maybe a bit more when played on normal speakers.
In any case, you should definitely get this record,  and make sure your home system has some good subs!

Maasai Warrior’s Soundcloud
follow them on twitter: @MaasaiWarriorUK

A.F

Mungo’s HiFi, Daddy Freddy & Kenny Knots @ the Art School.

So, this is the second installement of Mungo’s Art School takeover. To be very honest, after january’s line-up (Mungo’s HiFi, Gorgon Sound, Mr Williamz, Charlie P), I thought it was a bit of a shame that they did not invite another sound. BUT, the thing you learn from 4 years of regular attendance at Scotch Bonnet nights, it is that Mungo’s HiFi rarely disappoint.

This time the Art School was a little less packed than the previous session – which was a blessing considering we had to wait for an hour in the queue outside for the January session (but that’s what happens when you re-open one of Glasgow’s best loved venues after 3 years of refurbishment). It followed the same principle of having two rooms, each dedicated to different genres – Mungo’s and the heavy dubs upstairs, and D Double E, Elijah & Skilliam, and Inkke b2b Milktray downstairs.

I got in just past 12, with Mungo’s still in their opening set. As I was ill and a little knocked out by the medicine, I retreated to a corner of the room following the idea that I would lean against the wall and enjoy the show from there.
But then Kenny Knots and Daddy Freddy came in. And those laid-back plans quickly went out the window: those two could get the most lethargic sloth skanking like there’s no tomorrow. Add to that Mungo’s HiFi’s blend of digital-dancehall reggae, and I guarantee you will be burning holes in your skanking shoes.

Kenny Knots I regard as probably one of the best MCs around today. He is incredibly versatile. I mean he can ride a riddim like no other, be it some heavy stepper, digital or roots, he can sing or toast over anything. He also goes beyond the general lyrical focus on ganja and your-sound-can’t-test-we. Most of his tunes are really thoughtful and always conscious, adding a certain depth that other MC often lack. Also – and this is strictly personal – some of Mungo’s best productions sound particularly brilliant when he voices over them (Gimme Gimme and Don’t Let Them are my personal favorites, but the Brand New Bangarang EP is definitely a recommend).

And then you have Daddy Freddy. Now I’d never seen him before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, although judging by the Original Babaloo video I figured it would be pretty intense. But bloody hell! I have to say I was impressed. Although he may lack Kenny Knots’ vocal dexterity and versatility, I’m still trying to remember the last time I saw someone who gets the vibes going as well as he does. If the crowd was jumping with Kenny Knots on the mic, when Daddy Freddy would take over it reached a whole new level. He simply gives off so much energy that everyone in the crowd has no choice but to follow him.
(Oh, and did I mention that he once broke the record for most syllables spoken in 1 minute? I kid you not)

Both Kenny Knots and Daddy Freddy complement each other incredibly well – and provided one hell of show. The Mungo’s rig and crew were impeccable as always, playing both heavy dubs and all-time classics. I’m sure it’s safe to say everyone had a great time – so great in fact that it was pretty hard to get everyone to stop at 3am. Daddy Freddy was quite intent on keeping the whole thing going and once the music stopped, him and Kenny Knots just went on accapella and beat boxing for a good fifteen minutes.

So yeah, really looking forward to the next one!

A.F