Sound System - Dub Plate Specials 1975-1979 Sound System

The Sound Systems of Jamaica were always the people’s radio station. Tunes were tried and tested in the lion’s den of the dance, to see which songs rose to the top and became the most popular. This was the litmus test and the first step to a tracks commercial release, to capitalise its hotness on the circuit. When the Dub / version hit big in Jamaica in the early to mid-70’s, this was also the case and many times the version cut of a track would even prove more popular than its vocal counterpart.

These ‘version’ cuts were tried out on the Sound System dances across Jamaica as dub plates and sometimes kept exclusive to certain dances, until the producers often forced the hand to release these in demand cuts, mostly to the dismay of the sound System men. Who always hustled to maintain the tracks exclusivity to their Sound System. On release these cuts were matched up with its vocal counterpart as it’s flip / version side. Many versions were reworked with various alternatives. Sometimes turning up the brass section, for horns cut or adding a DJ to wax lyrical over the existing rhythm of vocal as in a question / answer type style. The more popular the rhythm / song the more cuts you could here. Old Studio One rhythms were reworked and cut again say at Channel 1 studio and a new vocal song dropped over that and that became the new basis for a new version to be worked up. Expanding on that great saying’ you can’t keep a good tune down’ to great effect .....

We have compiled some great 70’s dub plates that rocked the Sound Systems in Fine style. As stated above some are reworkings of previous songs as in ‘Six Million Dollar Version’ which was a reworking of Alton Ellis’s ‘Breaking Up’ recut for Leroy Smart’s ‘Shame and Pride’ and used for Johnny Clarke’s cover of the song also. This actual version was used as version side to Dennis Alcapone’s ’Six Million Dollar Man’ track hence its name, ‘Dub ites Green And Gold’ was a cut to Johnny Clarke’s version of the Burning Spear classic. So, it goes as they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and we think in this release it proves the case. Where classic rhythms reworked and honed can produce something new and exciting, that will rock the Sound Systems of Jamaica and indeed the world in fine style again and again.

Hope you enjoy the set….