News & Updates — King Tubby

Producer and vocalist Yabby You was one of reggae's most original characters as he was a Christian with dreadlocks, not a Rastafarian. That is how he came to be called "the Jesus Dread". Vivian Jackson grew up in extreme poverty in the ghettos of Kingston JA. Working at a blast furnace at age 12, he became partially crippled from malnutrition and lost the job as a result. Finding no promise in the streets, he was given a chance by King Tubby to cut an original single at Tubby's studio. "Conquering Lion" was released in 1972 and went straight to the...

Definitely the world's most famous melodica player, Augustus Pablo was a crucial figure on the reggae and dub scene for two-plus decades. Born Horace Swaby in Jamaica, he learned organ and keyboards while in school before becoming addicted to playing the melodica, a free-reed mouth keyboard mostly used as a tool to teach children music. While still a teenager he cut his earliest sides in '71 for Aquarius Records, taking on the name "Augustus Pablo", which had previously been used by other musicians for records on the label. He began working with Randy's and other labels and "East Of The...

Osbourne Ruddock aka "King Tubby" is the all-time Heavyweight Dub Champion. Where would contemporary music be without this man from the Kingston, Jamaica ghetto of Waterhouse? A radio repair man and electronics expert, Tubby built amplifiers and operated a sound-system starting in the late 50's. He invented the dub remix by dropping out vocals and instruments with his mixing board and adding effects (including his infamous spring reverb). These "versions" soon became their own artform in the hands of Tubby and his methods became known worldwide. His work is featured on hundreds of records and he was mentor to Scientist...