The next bad news: After Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, Corona unfortunately caught the next one and brought them to the grave much too early. The well-known sound engineer Barry O'Hare died at the end of September at the age of 56. He leaves behind his wife and two children. He reportedly died just days after testing positive for COVID-19 at the West Indies University Hospital in Kingston. Barry O'Hare might be relatively unknown to some, although he was also at the mixer for Burning Spears Grammy Award-winning 2000 album "Calling Rastafari". It was not until 2018 that he was honored by the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) for his significant role in the development and continued existence of reggae.
The greatest work that Barry O'Hare leaves in my eyes for the fan base is the remix of "Burning Spear: Living Dub Flight. 2"From 1992." Living Dub Vol. 2 ”was originally published in 1980 as Dub-Version of Burning Spears epoch-making "Hail HIM" in a mix by Sylvan Morris released on LP. The present album is not a new edition of the originalDubAlbum but a completely new one Dub-Mix of Barry O'Hare and Nelson Miller (Burning Spear drummer). For me, “Hail HIM” is the last classic Burning Spear work, if not his definitive masterpiece. The backing band made up a large part of the “unemployed” Wailers. Bob Marley was just very seriously ill and was receiving medical treatment in Dr. Issel's clinic in Bad Wiessee. So Burning Spear took the opportunity and worked with Aston "Familyman" Barrett to produce this gem. The remix album doesn't have a single weak point either. The album starts with “Cry Africa” (Cry Blood Africans) and Burning Spears fading in and out, plaintive vocals knock me out again, as happened when I first came into contact with this album. Actually, “Living Dub Vol. 2 “so homogeneous that there is no track that is worth highlighting. Every title has the perfect flow. The Wailers deliver great music and Barry O'Hares congenial Dubs with lots of sound effects are fantastically beautiful. From the haze of echo and reverb, fantastic "blowers", flowing keyboards, rich bass lines, complex Nyahbinghi drumming and Burning Spears plaintive voice emerge again and again. Even if you might think I'm crazy, “Burning Spear: Living Dub Vol. 2 “is still one of the best classics Dub-Albums from the heyday. An absolute must for everyone Dub- / Reggae fan. Really well done, Barry! (RIP)
8 responses to “Burning Spear: Living Dub Vol. 2 "
The steaming services offer the wrong one Dub-Album, the one discussed here can only be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Socb2PUe024
Great confusion: From “Living Dub Vol. 2 ”there are now three versions.
"Living In Dub Vol. II ”we both discussed in detail last year Ras Vorbei. It was about nothing less than the “Holy Grail of Dub". After initially doing another album for the “Holy Grail of Dub"Brought me into play, you got me with" Living Dub Vol. II “countered very cool and in the end I agreed with you out of deepest inner conviction.
I also say:
Rest In Peace Barry O´ Hare ……………………………………………………………………… (lemmi)
hi lemmi,
true and again not. As far as I can remember, we had it about the first of the three versions. The one mixed by Sylvan Morris in 1980. Basically you are right again, because the bottom line is the same. The album whether vocal or Dub is just awesome! I was also interested in the final eulogy for Barry O'Hare, because with this mix he made himself immortal.
Ah now yes! All right Ras Vorbei ! You (or I) have to listen carefully to both or all three versions in order to hear the subtle differences. If I'm not mistaken, the version by Barry O'Hare is the one where at the end there is another - also very successful - DubVersion of Civilized Reggae resp.
"Do The Reggae" is on it. First and foremost, the albums live the most, through the excellent riddims - who determine the measure of all things worldwide.
I could have checked it out exactly again on youtube, but youtube is currently very much suspected of promoting right “bad thoughts”
and thus to advance worldwide fascism. In any case, it goes against the grain for me what they are "sending" and what kind of comments they allow. I have to wonder that reggae is still shown and broadcast there. But somehow you have to collect all the sheep first. Maybe not the best topic and maybe misinterpreted by me, but my youtube algorithm seems to believe that you can somehow turn me to the "right".
YouTube System is the Vampire ……………… lemmi
hi lemmi,
a title from the original Hail HIM - "Jah See & Know" - was omitted, but 9th World Dub (Bad to Worst) and 10. Over All Dub (Civilized Reggae) packed on the album. The order of the titles was the same as in the O'Hare version of Living Dub Vol.2 not retained. I couldn't find any reasons for this. Just artistic freedom.
I don't know the third edition. As it stands, the tracks have been renamed again and the album has been extended by two more Dubs added. Barry O'Hares Mix was otherwise remastered but retained. So much for my research.
Give Thanks Ras Vorbei !
I heard somewhere the third version of the album was out at two Dubs extended by Adrian Sherwood ;-)
Can't guarantee nothing. Sometimes I hear voices too
in my head that didn't say anything ;-)
"The Road is so foggy" ……………. lemmi
Respect Ras Vorbei... thank you for your in-depth information ... haven't put on the album for a long time, thanks to your (sad) review I'm just enjoying it again; much of what you mention has so far eluded my knowledge ... really great! Back then I experienced Burning Spear live around '95 or '96 at Usine in Geneva. That resonates to this day ... Jah bless ...
PS And it's always nice to hear that spotify doesn't give everything after all ... so the "ancient hunter-gatherer" is sometimes worth it ... just don't get away from it ...
Hi Philipp,
Thank you very much for your positive feedback.
Yes, Burning Spear live has never disappointed me, on the contrary, he and his Burning Band have always left a lasting, very positive impression. On his very first tour through Germany in January 1981, I was very lucky - from today's perspective - to see Burning Spear in the Mannheim rose garden. You can easily find the bootleg from Mannheim and later the gig in the Rockpalast on youtube. The intro alone ... awesome. The entire concert was a truly mystical event that still gives goose bumps when you listen to it again.