David Katz: Chasing Dub Beyond the Soundsystem

This week we're putting The Tonearm's needle on noted reggae author David Katz.

His new book, Dub Revolution: Jamaica's Sonic Innovators and the Birth of Remix Culture, traces Jamaican music from its earliest sound systems to the 21st century.

We talk about the 1982 San Francisco night that blew David’s mind and opened his ears, the job that paid his way to London, and even the technology and tools the dub greats used.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are Lee “Scratch” Perry - "Dub Revolutions," King Tubby - "King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown," and Scientist - "Scientific" )

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Author and Book:

• Visit David Katz at davidkatzreggae.com and follow Dub Me Always on Instagram and Facebook
• Purchase Dub Revolution: Jamaica's Sonic Innovators and the Birth of Remix Culture from White Rabbit, Hachette, or Bookshop
• DJ Mag on the book's publication
• Katz's production, annotation, and compilation credits on Discogs

The Architects of Dub:

• The Strange World Of… King Tubby — The Quietus
• King Tubby's first authorised biography — The Wire
• The life of Lee "Scratch" Perry through the lens of Dennis Morris — DJ Mag
• Scientist on Bandcamp, and at length on his methods in Tape Op
• King Jammy Legacy
• U-Roy — Perfect Sound Forever
• Augustus Pablo and Rockers International

Engineers and Players:

• Hedley Jones: The Renaissance Man Who Pioneered Jamaican Soundsystem Culture — Red Bull Music Academy Daily
• Hedley Jones obituary — The Wire
• Thirteen classics from Philip Smart's HC&F Studio — L