Category: Interview

Echo Beach - the hamburger Dub-Label turns 20 years old. 1994, at the height of the UKDub founded, it is not only one of the longest serving today Dub specialized labels, but is also likely to be the most productive in the world. Reason enough for us, with label founder Nicolai Beverungen and proven Dub-Specialists about Dubto philosophize about its developments and trends and last but not least about the fascination of this music.

Nicolai Beverungen: I came to reggae through punk, then worked for the now faded record company EFA as a label manager for On-U-Sound. When I left EFA in 1993, I wanted to publish a CD that would look back on the last few years of my work. Only one came for me Dub-Compilation in question, because that was the sound that excited me the most. This then results in “King Size Dub Vol. 1 ”, which was presented by Spex. That was a good start in 1994 for my label "Echo Beach".
Why I'm still there after twenty years is probably because the label concept "Dub“Is so open. If I just focus on rootsDub concentrated, then I would probably be the postman today. But I was always open to other influences. Take, for example, “William S. Borroughs in Dub“Which recently appeared on Echo Beach. Every Jamaican would ask: “What does that mean? Dub to do"? But that is what is most interesting for me.

Markus Kamman: I come from the club scene. In the eighties I founded the Beat Box in Wuppertal, the first ambitious club that existed nationwide. But at the same time I've always been a musician, which very few people know. Back then I often went to London to buy records for the club. After the records were on in the club, everyone wanted to buy them. So we thought about starting a record store. That was Groove Attack. Today I am producing crazy Dub under the name Robo Bass HiFi.

Thomas Hoppe: I represent the handmade music here, from the band side. I'm the drummer for the Senior Allstars. With the band we have that Dub gradually approximated. We had him with us from the start, but he has become more and more important to us. That Dub Today the main element is also live on stage, we hadn't planned on it. That's how it turned out.

Felix Wolter: Just like Nicolai, I come from the time when punk and reggae had a liaison. I felt strongly influenced by Adrian's On-U-Sound as the Londoner Dub closer than Jamaican reggae. I only really got to know, love and appreciate him over the years of my active career with the German reggae band The Vision. I'm next to my TVS and Dubvisionist projects in the related downtempo (PFL and Chin Chillaz) and work in our company Time Tools Recordings on the compilation of compilations in the lounge, downtempo and house area, which we offer for download worldwide. I love studio work and a balanced sound.

René Wynands: I discovered reggae at the tender age of 15 when I bought my first Bob Marley album. I had read that it was music with a lot of bass, which was obviously an important reason to buy for me even then. Dub For the first time I did “LKJ in Dub"Heard and with the album" Pounding System "from Dub Syndicate only really understood. After that I have everything on Dub bought, which I could get hold of. Today I look after them DubPage in the riddim and write with the dubblog.de a small German-language blog about my favorite music.

My definition of Dub

Rein: We want over our favorite music, over Dub speak. But what is Dub I agree? A genre? Even a sub-genre? Or is it a universal production technique that can be applied to any style of music? Is Dub so very small and sharply defined, or is Dub the exact opposite: big, open and universal?

Nicolai: "Space is King" - The space is the generic term for Dub, because space opens up possibilities. Reggae is my music, but I would still use the term Dub do not want to restrict yourself to reggae. I see Dub much more open.

Mark: Of course, the roots of the Dub in Jamaica. But shortly after the invention of Dub already has it in America Dub-Versions of funk and disco pieces given. Dub was by no means limited to reggae in the past. The classic principle of Dub consists in the fact that the sound engineer in the studio is not only responsible for the sound, but becomes a musician himself, taking the liberty of reinterpreting a piece using the means of studio technology.

Thomas: The origin is of course Jamaica and I like the variety best Dub, where you can still hear the origin. But actually I see it like Nicolai, but would add “atmosphere” to the term “space”. The space is created by the reduction, the thinning, which in the Dub is made. We Dubber are from the church of subtraction. Leaving it out reduces a tune to the essentials.

Nicolai: Correct. There are magical moments in many classic reggae pieces, while other parts are rather uninteresting. And that's the essence of Dub: At the Dub the magical moments of a piece can be picked out and emphasized. Dub is the essence of a piece.

Thomas: However, we don't necessarily reinterpret a piece. Many of ours Dubs are called Dubs produced. There is no longer any preceding “original”.

Mark: For my new album “Nu School of Planet Dub"I had" originals ", but I'm with Dub-Mix proceeded very differently than the Jamaican originators. Instead of remixing the original and adding effects, I take it apart completely and build a whole new piece out of it. I make completely new pieces out of the material. The only constants are drums and bass - the groove base. I take a lot of freedom in everything I do about it. Why should I limit myself there?

Felix: For me, the magic of is in limiting Dubs. Get by with less and essence musical resources. My goal is to sound as timeless as possible. I love a sound that was there years ago and that will still be there in tens of years. The current “zeitgeist sound” has a major disadvantage for me. It has a certain daily topicality, but also only a limited half-life. In the 80s, I also started with the concept of deconstruction and breaking-of-the-listening habits, prematurely (infected with On-U-Sound). But since this is now being done in all sorts of current music styles, I am now feeling a bit bored. Production has of course also become very easy thanks to the computer. This causes the results to become inflationary and lose their value. Meanwhile I prefer a quality sound again. There's a difference between a record like “Sgt. Peppers… ”and one programmed on the cell phone Dubstep. I prefer to focus on music than technology.

Rein: I am surprised that nobody here says: "Dub is bass ”. Because although reggae is already a style of music that gives bass a prominent position, it is Dubwho, by omitting the vocals and thinning out the rhythmic-tonal texture, emphasizes the bass like no other genre before him. Without Dub what is now called “bass music” would be inconceivable. Dub was the blueprint for the music that can be heard in hip clubs today.

Mark: That's true. Drum & bass, Dubstep, trap, Moombahton - that's it all Dub developed. Practically all of modern dance floor music.

Rein: Therefore, I also believe that it is the bass that is essential for the fascination of Dub responsible for.

Felix: The physical experience of music is of course very easy with bass.

Mark: I see it that way too. This deep, rolling bass figure creates the hypnotic effect of Dub. The trance-like, psychedelic, "trippy" of Dub exerts a great fascination. You also have to say: This also fits perfectly with certain drugs.

Nicolai: Dub may remind us of the situation in the womb. You are safe and protected and surrounded by fluids through which all noises in the environment are filtered. The rhythmic beating of the mother's heart is a steady beat. Actually, therefore, all people should Dub-Be fans.

Rein: Cool theory. I do believe, however, that you have a special disposition for Dub and needs reggae. I'm sure each of us has experienced it like this: You hear reggae for the first time and it clicks. A key fits into the lock. The beginning of a lifelong relationship. In my case it has Dub clicked a second time. Reggae and Dub for me are inseparable.

Felix: Safe in its original form. But as we also know, there are also numerous parallel developments that only have to do with reggae to a limited extent and Dub propagate as an independent art form, such as downtempo, Dubhouse, Viennese school with Kruder and Dorfmeister, Berlin school with rhythm & sound etc.

Nicolai: I originally came from punk, but now I listen to reggae more than anything else. That's why I'm with Dub the reggae flavor is also very important. If the DubMethod is applied to another genre, then I think that's good too, but it doesn't pull me under its spell as if it contains reggae. Whenever I hear an offbeat skank, I'm in right away. It works like magic for me.

Thomas: Yes, reggae and Dub belong together. But Dub doesn't necessarily need a reggae vocal piece as an original. I have the vocal version and Dub equal rights next to each other. I couldn't and don't want to decide what to prefer.

Exodus: Dub Goes International

Rein: I totally agree with Thomas. Dub is now an independent genre and no longer needs a reggae vocal original. More modern Dub is of course based on what Jamaican studio technicians had developed over the course of the 1970s. But with the handover of the baton of the Dub from Jamaica to England in the mid-1980s, has become Dub fundamentally changed. Was in Jamaica Dub the “version” of a vocal original, with the mix and sound effects given the attention previously reserved for the voice. Dub was secondary use and bound to the conditions of the original. That only changed when Dub died out in Jamaica and was further developed in Europe. You can say: the Dub found himself. He was no longer dependent on a vocal original, but became directly as Dub produced. This made it possible to tailor the music for certain qualities: for hypnotic repetition, for a dense, magical atmosphere, for intensity and for bass, bass and bass. Dub is no longer a derivative of reggae, but an independent genre that - to put it bluntly - has more to do with European club music than with classic reggae.

Nicolai: What in Europe as Dub applies, is only ridiculed by the Jamaicans. We Europeans made something of our own out of it. We brought in many influences from European music.

Mark: I used to have the whole Jamaican Dub-Bought albums. Today i see Dub but very different. I also produce my music very differently. I go much further than just twisting the buttons.

Felix: I now dare a very steep thesis: That the Jamaicans get away from the Dub removed may also be due to the fact that the Jamaican dance hall sound has de-spiritualized itself. It's just no longer roots reggae that reminds you of its origins. It was already atmospheric Dub, Magic and intensity the talk. I think we mean the same thing. Such a situation arises when one can “look beyond one's own nose”. That was the 70ies reggae with its message and the atmospheric Dubversions that have inspired and influenced us all. Homophobic dancehall acts who only dissect in their lyrics and turn the screw, probably also place less value on the atmosphere of a philosophical reasoning. That Dub is currently hidden there is for me (and the Dub) rather pleasing, because also clearly delimited.

Rein: Felix's thesis is: Dub died out in Jamaica because the music no longer fit - "de-spiritualized" - as you say. That sounds logical. But isn't it also conceivable that it is for Jamaican Dub simply no longer an audience? It's really interesting that all the famous Jamaican Dub- 1970s albums were essentially made for the international market. The albums were hardly sold in Jamaica. Dub was also used in a completely different context in Jamaica: the one pressed on singles Dub-Version served as a pimped rhythm basis for the live performance of the dancehall deejays. Quite different in Europe: here crowds of white reggae lovers bought them Dub-Albums and listened to them pure and without live toasting on their stereos. Dub has been received completely differently in Europe. And what Europeans are up to Dub appreciate - the atmosphere, the magic, “Computerized Reggae” and subsequently Dancehall could no longer offer that. That is why people like Mad Professor and especially Jah Shaka began to produce for the domestic market and took a direction contrary to Jamaican reggae. While reggae in Jamaica became faster, more reduced and more vocal-dominated, the European one demanded DubAudience for slow, hypnotic beats and (induced by electronic dance music) for instrumental music. In Jamaica the good old bassline disappeared from reggae, in the newly emerging UKDub on the other hand it was increased immeasurably. In short: the European one Dub emancipated himself completely from the Jamaican original. From there drum & bass, garage, Dubstep and trap.
Now that this bass music is so popular, Jamaican producers are also appearing again Dub to reflect. That also goes very well with the roots revival.

Felix: Yes, of course, as soon as the music wakes up again from its insignificance and is filled with content, the space-giving function of the Dubs. I mean to say that there is an increased interest in real played roots reggae. Today's youth - like every new generation - are bored of their direct predecessors. You are looking for an authentic, personal attitude towards life. You will currently find that more in organic roots than in the omnipresent, computer-aided dance styles. This is just an observation from our environment. Sure there are other young scenes that would be happy with Dubstep etc., but I don't know them.

Mark: I think the Jamaicans produce very conventionally at the moment. Classically at the band level, just like it was done before. For me, productions from the Mad Decent and Diplo environment are much more interesting because they break down all boundaries. I like Major Lazer partly too. Trap is fantastic. I am very inspired by their ideas.

Felix: I think Major Lazer is very cool too. He's cheeky and intelligent when it comes to programming and mixing. The quality is right again. But when Dub I wouldn't necessarily call it well-made pop

Nicolai: Major Lazer is too trendy for me. The last good one Dub- The album I heard, on the other hand, is “Hurrican Dub“By Grace Jones. It's phenomenal in sound and very imaginative. There were good people on it, all handmade. Otherwise I am now hearing a lot of drum & bass influences again. It is possible that this sound will become more important again in the future. The wobble bass from Dubstep, however, is declining. For me, the more open Dub the better I find it. I think it is with Seeed: “Berlin guys on the wrong track, just about to take off, making the first record is like laying an extra big egg, actually you have to put something on the roof ex officio, purists, style policemen with 7: 0 sweep off the square! ". The quote is like a motto to me. I've always had problems with purists.

The Spirit of Dub

Rein: Purists and dogmatists stay below Dub- Rarely finding friends - with one exception: the Steppers sound system scene is somewhat orthodox and sees itself as extremely spiritual. Which, by the way, I can understand well, because such a thing Dub-Soundsystem-Nacht has something metaphysical about it.

Nicolai: I was at Jah Shaka's in London once and I have to say it was incredibly spiritual.

Felix: Yes, the first Shaka Dance has for many Dubheads something of an initiation. The first time you come into contact with this intensity, something happens inside you.

Mark: The basses that stand a meter high in the room, which you can almost touch, are spiritual. It takes you physically.

Nicolai: You keep coming back to the bass.

Felix: But bass is only the "fuel", the technology. In my opinion, the much-cited “positive vibe”, similar to gospel, is caused by the performed conviction of the protagonists.

Nicolai: Dub is already spiritual. But not in a religious sense. Hence it is actually an abuse of the spirituality of Dub to reduce to the topic of Rasta alone.

Thomas: For me personally, Rasta and the religious side is not important. Everyone should deal with that for themselves, but I think that the spirit of reggae and Dub can be felt even without this side.

Rein: I think that humans have a biologically based longing for spirituality. In my case, Bass & Space serve this need quite well. But I can understand that many fans don't know what to do with such an abstract spirituality and then, even as white Europeans, subscribe to Rastafari. There is of course a certain contradiction in this, which makes one thing very clear: namely that we are fans of music that originally had nothing to do with our own culture. Isn't that strange? Actually we are cultural imperialists.

Cultureclash

Nicolai: The effect of the music is generally human. It affects us directly and independently of cultural affiliation. There are tones and vibrations. What matters is what touches my heart. No matter what culture it comes from.

Mark: I've always felt spoken to by rhythmic music instead of the melodies of classical European music. So I inevitably ended up with Black Music. That has nothing to do with culture, but with personal feelings.

Thomas: If you start making the music yourself, then you have the opportunity to leave out aspects that do not fit your own life situation. We love Jamaican music but try not to pretend we're Jamaicans. It's safe to hear that it's the continental version we're playing.

Rein: You are absolutely right. That's actually how I see it. The decisive factor is the aesthetic experience that comes with listening to Dub is triggered. The production technology, the cultural origin, even the artists don't really matter. The music must - even without prior knowledge - stand for itself and be able to convince aesthetically. I find that up Dub particularly suitable for this because it is instrumental. The texts - alien to their own reality - are left out.

Word, Sound & Power

Felix: The mainstream still needs a singer who mediates between the fan and the music to understand. This clientele will be with you Dub Always have a hard time anyway. Dub is far too abstract for the average consumer.

Nicolai: If you listen to the charts (including the reggae charts), you quickly notice that only vocal songs are present there. The music is in the background. People are guided by their voice, words, and singing.

Thomas: We are still often asked why nobody sings here. Then we say: Because we want it that way. The lack of vocals can be a hurdle in marketing Dub be. But we do it anyway!

Mark: If you consciously listen to pop music like Lana Del Rey, for example, you will recognize that it is very slow, sedate pieces that are completely dominated by the voice. The music behind it literally disappears - and is mostly total crap. In fact, it sounds really bad. The videos, on the other hand, are elaborately produced. It's too thin for me, too limp. But that's how you sell music. It's mainstream. Dub is the exact opposite.

Rein: What Dub What makes it so exciting as opposed to the mainstream is the fact that Dub is much more complex. So can Dub for example perceive purely physically. The groove captures body and mind and you let yourself be carried away by it. One can Dub but also listen very consciously and analytically, almost like classical music. Only when it works on both levels is there a Dub really good.

Thomas: I agree. We play concerts where everyone is dancing, but also so-called “sofa concerts” where the audience just sits and listens. Great that that with Dub is possible.

Who the Cap Fits

Rein: Not everyone appreciates that. I am surprised that reggae and Dub mostly have different followers. The scenes are not identical.

Felix: The reggae scene is traditionally based on the Jamaican original, while the Dub-Scene, as we have already noticed, is more of an international thing. The fact that things develop in very different directions in such a cosmopolitan scene is an enrichment and a challenge, also or precisely because it can sometimes be amusing or disturbing.

Thomas: There are many people in reggae who have the fascination of Dub do not share. But that's okay too. Our audience is made up of Dub-Lovers. It's not exactly your typical reggae crowd. We also like to play in clubs that tend to have a jazz audience. It works very well. Most of all, these people enjoy watching the musical craft on stage.

Nicolai: So, I have to say: That DubAudience consists mostly of older men and few women.

Rein: But my experiences are very different. Z. B. the Dub-Weekender in Wales, where I was recently, the audience is completely mixed. Young and old and also a lot of women. I think that's good at the moment Dub: Different to z. B. in techno or blues, people of all ages and both sexes can agree on the music.

Nicolai: Okay, the steppers scene is different. Young audiences also go there. Women too.

Mark: Dub speaks to women as well as men. It depends on Dub is produced for a reggae audience, or whether you want to appeal to a younger, club-oriented audience. Then you would have to dare to do one Dub-Act to be placed next to a techno DJ. For this to work, the DubBut they are mixed together like a club DJ would.

Nicolai: I'll get you a seat next to Westbam on Mayday. Then you can prove it.

Mark: Oh yes!

FutureDub

Rein: No matter whether young or old, men or women: For Dub it doesn't look bad at the moment, does it? I have the impression that it is attracting more audiences again.

Mark: I am currently experiencing this with a lot of young people who come from dancehall and are tired of the whole jump up carnival. They come and discover the dimension of Dub, the huge bass.

Felix: Well, if that's not the famous “whistling in the forest”. For me the last statements are also the proof of my thesis that the form alone does not really lead to the goal. Otherwise we wouldn't have to pat each other on the back and look for positive approaches, then there would be a positive development. I am placing my hope in future generations, who will by far the developments and Dubwill reevaluate visions for themselves.

Nicolai: I still get requests from people who do Dub Just discovered for yourself and me after the king size Dub Vol. 1 from 1994 ask. I therefore believe it Dub will always give. Sound & Space are immortal and will definitely become more popular again soon. On the other hand will Dub still remain a niche. Unfortunately, it is difficult to earn money with it. I will retire in 2023. We'll have to wait and see what happens until then. But I am optimistic because I don't only see the material side. I love the music and the people who make it. That's what I enjoy about my job. It will stay that way. I'm not worried about that. The bass rolls and will keep rolling.

Three Dub-Albums that show the way into the future:

Nicolai:
1. TheDuBpink: Instigation
2. Dub Syndicate: Hard food
3. Lee Scratch Perry vs. Robo Bass Hifi vs. Dubble standard: Nu School of Planet Dub

Mark:
1. Lee Scratch Perry vs. Robo Bass Hifi vs. Dubble standard: Nu School of Planet Dub
2. Various producers: Dillon Francis, etc! Etc !, Bro Safari, Elliphant, Flosstradamus

Felix:
1. White noise: Electric Storm
2. Jimi Hendrix: Electric ladyland
3. The Beatles: Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Dlub Band

Thomas:
1. King size Dub: Germany Downtown, Chapter 2
2. Umberto Echo: Elevator Dubs
3. Dubmatrix: In Dub

Rein:
1. Hey-O-Hansen: Sun and moon
2. King size Dub: Germany Downtown, Chapter 2
3. Dubmatrix: In Dub

Your name: Thomas Hoppe (drummer, The Senior Allstars)
You live in: Münster
Title of your last album: The Senior Allstars - Verbalized And Dubbed

What is your definition of Dub?
Dub is an original Jamaican style that reveals the essence of a song by reducing it. By omitting them - completely or partially - individual elements are particularly emphasized, be it through effects or by simply bringing them into focus. In a nutshell: I also love the term “psychedelic reggae” that Neil Perch used here on the blog.

What distinguishes a good from a bad Dub?
A good one Dub is based on a good tune. The bassline is of course very important, as is the groove. And the good one Dub impresses with space and atmosphere. If there are still some magical moments then this is the good one Dub very good. A bad one Dub can arise when technology is more important than music.

How would you your Dub-Describe style?
I perceive the style of the Senior Alltars as “authentic continental Europe”. We love the Jamaican roots of the Dub, and that is always a fixed point. And yet we try to do our own thing with it. Free space is important to us, and somehow everything is analog. For example, we don't have a programmed delay time on stage, the factor of chance should definitely remain on board.

How does the creation process of a typical Dub-Tracks from you guys?
There are two paths that we have taken as a band and are still taking: Either there is a song and we will do one later Dub from that. So the classic way. Or a song is created directly as a Dub-Tune. The special thing about the Senior Allstars is that everyone is themselves dubbt. And that we keep a high degree of freedom. So everyone is played live Dub always a little different. And when things go well, the magical moments mentioned above may arise.

When are you with one of you produced Dub satisfied?
When I no longer hear him as a music maker, but as a music listener. So when my gut tells me, instead of my head, that I like the song.

What are your personal Dub-Top 5 albums?
Prince Buster: The Message Dubwise
Keith Hudson: Pick A Dub
King Tubbies: Meets Rockers Uptown
Lee Perry / The Upsetters: Great ape
Burning Spear: Garvey's Ghost
Linton Kwesi Johnson: LKJ In Dub

Who is the greatest for you Dub-Artist of all time?
King Tubby. Simply as the most important pioneer of this wonderful genre.

And who is currently the most interesting Dub-Artist?
I still enjoy everyone Dub by Victor Rice. And that for almost 20 years.

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why?
If I look at my list of top albums, it's probably the 70s! Because the albums from that period are the essence of Dub define and still get to the point today. And because perhaps the results are particularly musical because of the limited technical possibilities.

What is your current favorite album?
Curtis Mayfield: There's No Place Like America Today (old ham, newly discovered).

In what form do you buy your music: vinyl, CD, download, subscription? Why?
I'm definitely a vinyl fan. To justify this, I pull an open Rolling Stone magazine off the shelf: “Vinyl is the romantic way of listening to music, it is the most devout format. You have to take part, get up, place the needle. ”That's what Jack White said, I couldn't put it that beautifully myself. I also own CDs, of course, but for some genres - and that includes Dub - Vinyl is particularly important to me. The only ones Dub-CDs that I consciously bought in recent years were the Greensleeves “Evolution Of Dub“Boxes. But then the need arose to look for the best albums on vinyl as well. And when I get the Prince Buster label of my “The Message Dubwise “look, crooked cut and skewed centered, wonderful!

Can you make a living with music?
No. But I don't even try (anymore). That brings time problems to music making, but also relaxation. In our band, however, it's very mixed.

Which artist would you like to work with?
On our last album we just worked with so many people that I was happy to have worked with: Felix Wolter, Tokunbo, Umberto Echo, Dubmatix… But yes, Linton Kwesi Johnson on one of our tracks, that would be a dream for me!

What is your particular strength?
My strength and that of my band are, I believe, that we don't have to force ourselves to “less is more”, but that it comes from within. That fits with the music we play.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
That I don't see it as a “job” at all. And that I can sink into making music and forget everything else.

What do you dread in the studio?
Nothing at all. I love studio sessions because it's a particularly intense form of making music together. Everyone's attention is sharpened to the utmost, and if things go well, it's like a flow experience.

When you're not at Dubs screwing, what is your favorite thing to do then?
Listening to music, being a father, doing sports. Oh yes, and making music also includes all the trimmings. Then there is also office work.

What is the current state of health of Dub?
Perceived individually quite well. Is Dub a sprightly middle-aged person? Or should we even try “Forever Young” by Alphaville dubben? After all, they also came from Münster. I digress ...

How do you see the future of Dub?
There will always be people who are fascinated by the Dub-Reggaes by King Tubby, Lee Perry and Co. succumb. And there will always be people who Dub develop and use elements of it for exciting new things.

Your Name: Mathieu Pe aka Dubbecame Dubble (Keys and Trumpet by Braintheft, Brass Wood & Wires, The Magic Touch ...)
You live in: Berlin
Title of your latest album: Pressure drop

What is your definition of dub?
Dub is first a minimal, mostly instrumental bass oriented, somewhat psychedelic and trance evolution of Jamaican popular music bringing post-production techniques to the front. It started in the 60's as an emancipation of the sound engineer as central part of the creative process. The mixing desk became an instrument. Dub had a huge influence worldwide. The minimal and trance aspects brought a whole new time perception in popular music leading the way to all electronic styles as we know them now.

What is essential for a good dub?
Space and Bass !!!

What is the difference between a good and a bad dub?
Who am I to judge? I'd say I like or I don't.

How would you describe your style of dub?
I try to keep up to the roots staying away from the computer as much as possible, using actual instruments and analog gear. So hopefully it sounds more authentic.

What is your process of creating a typical dub-track?
Well, the good old way of doing it was first to record a song with the band. Then bounce it down to eight discrete tracks in order to mix it on the flight at the mixing board with all sort of effects connected to it. So that's how I like to work too. I believe to get inspired by limitations.

When you're satisfied with a dub produced by you?
If I felt the flow while mixing and there's no major issues: I'm happy. I believe the better is the enemy of the good. Most of the time first takes that thing you can't reproduce.

What are your personal top 5 dub albums?
In no particular order:
Augustus Pablo: King Tubby meet Rockers uptown
Serge Gainsbourg feat. Sly and Robby: Aux armes etcetera
High tone: Opus Incertaint
Scientists: Heavy wheight Dub
Jackie Mittoo: Champion of the Arena

Who is the greatest dub artist of all time for you?
Guess what ... the King: King Tubby. The simple fact that he was the first makes him untouchable.

And who is the currently most interesting dub-artist?
The Breadwinners (Alan Redfern at Bakery Studio). Best sounding dub I heard in a long time. All analogue, pure feeling. Check him out.

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? why
The seventies for sure. Because the electrification of music brought a lot in all styles. New genres popped out everywhere. It was a very creative time. Probably because back then the music industry, the distribution, democratization of private copy, the access to musical instruments boomed like crazy.

Where is the biggest market for your music?
France is the last el-dorado. We played at the last telerama Dub with braintheft. It was amazing to see how young the crowd was! The venue was packed of Bass addicted youngsters! Go west!

Are you able to earn a living with your music?
Not really. And I'm not running after it otherwise I'd make compromises to do so.

Which artist would you like to work with?
There is so much ... and not only in dub. I'd say Victor Rice would be one of them just to keep that list short.

What is your particular strength?
inner peace

What do you enjoy most about what you are doing?
Playing! In all contexts would it be behind the mixer or instruments, at home, with friends, on stage ...

What horrifies you in the studio?
The time / money factor! There's never enough time in the studio!

When not tinkering with dubs, what do you prefer to do?
Playing trumpet! Tweaking synths!

What is the current health status of dub?
Dub and music in general knows no illness. In todays world where musical vividness tends to be measured in financial success, talking about health of a style makes little sense. Money is at the root of all evil and it affects music as everything else.

How do you see the future of dub?
It will still be there in fifty years because Dub artists have experimentation in the blood. So I guess it will keep on and on, mixing with other styles.

Your name: Philipp Greter (keyboardist and producer of Dub Spencer & Trance Hill)
You live in: Lucerne (Switzerland)
Title of your last album: William S. Burroughs IN DUB - conducted by Dub Spencer & Trance Hill (Echo Beach 2014)

What is your definition of Dub?
The following characteristics define for me "Dub"
• off-beat feeling
• no clear song structures
• played very reduced
• Little or no singing
• Enriched with effects, so that the listener can immerse himself in the music.
The real environment can sometimes rapture. I love it when, while listening, one suddenly doubts whether a sound is coming from the speakers or whether it comes from a chirping bird on the windowsill.

What about a good one Dub indispensable?
A deep, warm bass sound.

What distinguishes a good from a bad Dub?
You should hear the handwriting of the producer or the band. Therein lies the difficulty and the art. There are many Dub-Tracks that sound just too random.

How would you your Dub-Describe style?
As I did above the "Dub“With a psychedelic twist. The distorted guitar sound of Markus Meier, which is actually in the Dub rather atypical and rare. Furthermore, the absolutely deep bass sound of Marcel Stalder and the virtuosity of the drummer Julian Dillier.

How does the creation process of a typical Dub-Tracks from you guys?
We play everything live and together in day and night-long recording sessions. The material is then passed through the Dubwolf shot (it's in my little home studio at home). And already done.

When are you with one of you produced Dub satisfied?
Well, that's one of the things ... If it sounds good to my ears, I'm happy. Usually only when the date has come to deliver the material ;-)

What are your personal Dub-Top 5 albums?
Augustus Pablo and King Tubby: Rockers meets King Tubby in a Firehouse
The Upsetters: Blackboard Jungle Dub
Jackie Mittoo: Champion in the arena
Rhythm & Sound: The Versions
Trentemøller: The last resort
Understood: There are hundreds of others who belong here too ...

Who is the greatest for you Dub-Artist of all time?
King Tubby. Co-inventor of the Dub. With the limited resources available to him, he conjured up great recordings!

And who is currently the most interesting Dub-Artist?
Umberto Echo. Live at the mixer and as a studio producer. Absolute cream! That's why we love working with him so much (he is of course an exceptionally fine guy too ;-).

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why?
Now and the future. Because we don't yet know what's coming.

What is your current favorite album?
Unfortunately, I'm not exactly up to date ... The productions of Aldub I like it very much, as well as the Blood and Fire samplers.

Can you make a living with music?
In part ... As a used car dealer you would probably earn better ;-)

Which artist would you like to work with?
Unfortunately all of them died.

What is your particular strength?
Our strength lies in the collective. As a live band, we always manage to pull people away who actually don't know anything Dub- Have music on your hat.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
To have no limits and to inspire people!

What do you dread in the studio?
When the technology doesn't work and when the beer runs out ...

When you're not at Dubs screwing, what is your favorite thing to do then?
Family outings ;-)

What is the current state of health of Dub?
I have to ask the doctor. Surely already old and frail. But we live longer and longer. Every now and then a lift, then it's okay.

How do you see the future of Dub?
As long as I live he lives too Dub, afterwards it's my sausage.

You have to get used to a new thought: the best Dub and Dub-oriented reggae no longer comes from England or France (not even from Germany or even Jamaica). He comes from: Canada! Because there is currently the hardest-working, most talented and probably also the cleverest producer of the genre: Dubmatix. He is not only a studio virtuoso par excellence, but also an incredibly reflective artist and perfectionist, who, with his unmistakable feeling for the ultimate groove, pulls out productions that define the current state of the art of the genre. When music hits, you feel no pain - luckily, one can only say, because the rhythms of Dubmatix strike with irrepressible force. But this power does not arise from bass and even more bass, but is the result of a finely thought-out arrangement and perfectly fitting timing, which brings every single element of the music to its maximum effect. This studied musician started work 10 years ago and has since produced 6 brilliant albums (Dub and vocal). Now he reveals how his music is made and what makes its special quality.

What is your definition of Dub?
Space! Space, experiment and freedom. In the center of Dub stand drum & bass. They form the foundation. The song, the instrumentation, the effects and the arrangement only serve to strengthen this foundation. Dub is one of the few musical genres that offers almost unlimited freedom - anything is possible. For me it is Dub the highest form of musical expression. There are no hard and fast rules.

Your father is a well-known jazz musician. Has it influenced your musical development?
My father played blues, funk, rock, jazz - everything, and we always had bands at home that my father rehearsed with. In addition, as a small child I was allowed to go on tours and spent a lot of time in the studio. My parents were also reggae fans and heard the young Bob Marley. My father played in one of the first reggae bands in Toronto during the early 70s. Over the years it has all influenced me a lot: my father's record collection, the music he played himself - and of course my parents' encouragement to learn an instrument and to try out all kinds of music. It all created the core of who I am today in musical terms.

You have a degree in music. How does academic training affect your music?
I started playing drums when I was a little kid. When I was 11, I was given the opportunity to learn a second instrument: tuba or bass. It was an easy choice - I went for the bass without hesitation. So for the next 7 years I learned to play the double bass. I learned to read music, interpret music and play as part of an ensemble. It was a fantastic experience. At the same time I learned to play the piano and took jazz guitar lessons. All of this finally enabled me to grasp musical ideas, to implement them, to record, to mix and finally to publish them.

You would expect someone like that to play more classical music or at least jazz. How did you get into reggae?
I've listened to a lot of classical music, but also a lot of blues, rock, metal, punk, hip hop, funk and reggae - practically every genre. But there is something about reggae that particularly appeals to me. Perhaps that has to do with the fact that my two most important instruments, drum & bass, are also the most important instruments of reggae. In addition, reggae with its sub-genres offers such a diverse musical landscape in which you can romp around and experiment that it inspires me immensely. I also never tire of a good skank. Reggae is also incredibly uplifting, positive music. I love Marley's line of text: “When music hits, you feel no pain”. It expresses exactly what the musical art form "reggae" stands for.

How does your musical training help you in the production of reggae?
I've spent most of the time in studios over the past 25 years, experimenting a lot with styles and techniques. I've learned to understand exactly what I'm doing and how I can create certain sounds. But my real training was to listen to the reggae productions of the 70s and find out how they got that dry drum sound, or how they went about making the bass sound so big and fat, or why it was sounds so good when the winds play slightly out of tune, or how they produced that incredibly percussive guitar skank. This knowledge is very important in my studio work today. Just as one learns by z. B. re-enacting a Jimi Hendrix solo note for note, I tried to "reproduce" King Tubby mixes and imitate the clean, polished Marley recordings or the reduced sound of a Burning Spear.

Your productions are complex and incredibly detailed, but at the same time they sound very simple and clear. How you do that? What is your approach to producing reggae?
Experimenting and layering, constructing and deconstructing, these are the essential elements. I always start with a drum pattern or a bassline - the whole song develops from there. I try a lot: one drop, stepper, half step, blend, etc. - until I find the perfect drum pattern for the bassline (or vice versa). As soon as I have a drum & bass rhythm that I am satisfied with, I layer the instruments on top of each other: organ bubbles, organ skanks, piano skanks, guitar skanks, guitar riffs, organ riffs, synths (if it fits), percussion, etc. When the track is ready, then I may decide to replace the programmed drums with live ones or to record the bassline again. I delve into the smallest details until everything is perfectly coordinated. For me, music is like a puzzle where every piece has its place. Every instrument, every effect, every sound has its own specific position. The last step is adding the effects: echo, reverb, reverb, phasers, sound FX, cymbal crashes, drum rolls.
Then I listen carefully. Does the piece have a continuous flow, from the beginning to the end? Are there any irrelevant items that I can remove without loss? Sometimes I remove an entire chorus or verse when I feel like the piece is stuck somewhere. If I wander with my thoughts while listening, it is a sign for me to shorten or restructure the piece.
Only when I can listen to the piece without anything bothering me do I know that I have finished my work. I am very particular about it. It can be a single hi-hat beat that I don't like that makes me feel uncomfortable. Then I sit down and tinker with it until it is finally correct. Only then am I satisfied.

You've been recording a lot of vocal tunes lately. How do you choose the artists you want to work with? How do you contact them? Do you tell them what to sing?
When I started letting artists voice my rhythms for my album “Renegade Rocker” in 2007, I contacted almost all of them via Myspace. Ranking Joe, Pinchers, Sugar Minott, Mykal Rose, Linval Thompson - all on Myspace! Today this is done through promoters, tour managers and friends.
Usually I send the artists a few selected rhythms from me and let them decide which one they want to voic. For me, that's exactly why I want to work with them: I want their vibe on the rhythm. They should sing whatever comes to mind. I usually produce specific rhythms for individual artists, in exactly the style that suits them. For example, I sent Alton Ellis a rock steady rhythm. As soon as I get the vocals, I do them intensely. Most of the vocals that can be heard on my productions have been edited to a greater or lesser extent. Sometimes I cut entire stanzas or split them up, or I create a chorus from a hook that I found somewhere in a stanza. Always with the aim of enriching the overall production. One important technique I've developed is simply to give a song room to breathe. This can be heard on almost all of my tracks: After a chorus, the vocals only start again after four bars at the earliest. Instead, maybe the horns can kick in, or I just let the music play. It is very important to me that the singing has ebb and flow, so that it is dynamically embedded in the music and never dominates the song.

What inspires you
Traveling and touring opens my ears to new styles of music and new sounds, which I really want to experiment with. For example, on our tour last November, we listened to MUSE for hours while driving between two gigs. The sound bored into my head. When I got back home in the studio recording songs for my album “Rebel Massive”, I incorporated some of these ideas into the song with Prince Jazzbo (RIP). The same goes for certain Steppers sounds that I encountered, as well as for Dubstep and jungle. At the moment I'm inspired by Congo Natty, who brings back memories of the 90ies jungle in me.

Your name: Neil Perch
You live in: Cologne
Title of your latest album or your last EP: Dub Conference by Abassi All Stars 2013, previously State of Mind by Zion Train 2011.

What is your definition of Dub?
Dub is psychedelic reggae ... deconstructed and reinterpreted by the mixing engineer.

What is essential for a good dub?
Essential for a good dub is a good tune / song to start with and a talented, open minded mixing engineer.

You are a pioneer of UK-produced dub. How did you get into the business?
I got into dub by being hugely affected by sound systems, mainly Jah Shaka - once I heard that, I had to make music like it.

You produce dub-music for more than 20 years now. Do you still enjoy it?
In fact I produce dub for over 25 years now and every day I remember I am one of the lucky people who earns their living with something they love and that touches other people “s hearts - so yes, I still enjoy it.

What was your biggest success and your biggest failure?
My biggest success is always avoiding categorization. My biggest failure is not YET converting the whole of humanity into dub loving pacifists.

How has the dub-music scene changed, since you started your business? When was the best time?
Dub music has gone international since I started in it when it was not even well known in the UK. At the same time the internet has started and multiplied, Cds were born and since then CDs and vinyl have died so the scene has changed hugely - what remains the same is the basic positivity that always comes with Dub. The best time is yet to come ... of course.

How would you describe your style of dub?
I would describe my style of Dub as open-minded.

What is your process of creating a typical dub-track?
I have no typical process of producing a Dub track as I like to take a different approach everytime I work in the recording studio - I treat it as a personal challenge. However in general first a musical idea, then record it, back it up with instruments, sonic texture and arangements, then deconstruct into dub using the chosen method of the day.

What do you like best about dub-music?
I like the mental space Dub music provides - a universal language with no need for words.

What are your personal top 5 dub albums?
Israel vibration: Israel Dub
Aswad: New Chapter Of Dub
King Tubby: Dub Jackpot
Burning Spear: Living Dub
Creation Rebel: Starship Africa

Who is the greatest dub artist of all time for you?
King Tubby is the greatest Dub artist of all time for me.

And who is the currently most interesting dub artist?
Radikal Guru (PL) and Gentlemans Dub Club (UK).

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why?
Musically most interesting decade 68-78 due to the technology explosion, the political and social changes that rocked the worked at the time.

What is your current favorite album?
Revolver by the Beatles.

What is your opinion on dubsteps?
Dubstep is an interesting musical phenomenom with an occassional good tune - but like most musical explosions, it is 95% rubbish.

Are you able to earn a living with your music?
I have earned my living for 25 years solely through music.

What is your particular strength?
Discipline, honor and respect.

What do you enjoy most about what you are doing?
The thing I enjoy most about what I do is FREEDOM - particularly the freedom of self expression.

When not tinkering with dubs, what do you prefer to do?
When not tinkering with Dubs I prefer to tinker with my dog.

Is there something you still want to achieve? A big goal?
I still need to achieve converting the world into pacifist Dub lovers - so I will stick to that task.

Where and how do you see yourself 10 years from now?
I guess I will be right here on planet earth still try to achieve converting the world into pacifist Dub lovers.

If you could choose the one most essential track from your oeuvre, which one would it be?
I never listen to my own music outside of the studio or performance, many of my tracks are important for personal reasons but I hope never have to choose an essential track.

How do you see the future of Dub?
The future of Dub, is more global spread, more diverse influences, more people diluting it, stealing the essence and making money from it but hopefully more peace and love through the spread of this good vibes sound and attitude.

If time and money wouldn't count: What project would you like to start?
I would deweaponize the globe and feed every hungry mouth there is.

Your name: Felix Wolter
You live in: Hanover
Title of your last album or your last EP: "Dubvision III “, an album compilation with Dubtunes (own material and material from friends), from my studio M7.
- "Lovin Peace" EP, my Steppas project

What is your definition of Dub? 
Just do it “differently”. Cultivate wonder and amazement. Breaking listening habits and re-evaluating source material.

What about a good one Dub indispensable?
The basic atmosphere.

What distinguishes a good from a bad Dub?
The good is based on vibes, the bad is based on technology.

How would you your Dub-Describe style?
In XNUMX, when Dubvisionist, I go to work “classically”. A Dub has an original, at best well known. Then new arrangements on the mixer and the "making visible" of sub-tracks make sense of the conscious listening pleasure.
I work differently at TVS. Here electronically interpreted beats are created as an atmosphere in which you can experiment with other elements. I find the friction between electronic sounds and roots influences interesting.
In addition, I'm still working on 2 related downtime projects, PFL and Chin Chillaz. Further musical essences flow into this. In this case it works Dub as a melting pot that combines different styles into something new.

How does the creation process of a typical Dub-Tracks from you?
Trax go through different stages with me. I collect ideas in a “backing pool”. When I get the feel for the song, it goes on. Someone is voicing the song or playing instrumental overdubs on it. At some point the track is a song and / or a Dub. I'm not rushing. I give the material as much time as it takes.

When are you with one of your produced Dub satisfied?
When it's done and I know where to use it.

What are your personal Dub-Top 5 albums?
Aswad: New Chapter Of Dub
Keith Hudson: Pic A Dub
King Tubbies: Meets Rockers Uptown
Scientists: Meets The Space Invaders
African Head Charge: My Life In A Hole In The Ground

Who is the greatest for you Dub-Artist of all time?
King Tubby produced a really unique sound. Thanks to his technical knowledge, he was able to sound out the resilience of the devices in a completely different way than others. He had partly built or modified devices himself. This resulted in a unique selling point in the sound that earned it the title "King".

And who is currently the most interesting Dub-Artist?
I think Mad Professor is very cool. An album The roots of Dubstep and then "as always" British roots Dub I think it's great to deliver. But not everyone understands this sense of humor. No matter - for his interpretation of Money on DubAbout Side of the Moon (Remix album by the Easy Star Allstars) I can celebrate it in a big way. He's so cheeky and anarchist about it. That really impressed me again.

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why?
There is good music in all decades. Of course, in the 70s I love the original roots reggae from Jamaica. For me, the 80s represent influences from the UK, e.g. the overlap of Dub and punk. In the 90s the UK steppas came and from 2K on I continued with downtempo Dub.

What is your current favorite album?
Kiddus I: Topsy Turvy World. A very nice album, I would love to have some dubI.

In what form do you buy your music: vinyl, CD, download, subscription? Why?
Fortunately, good music always finds me - no matter what form.

Can you make a living with music?
Yes, similar to that of my colleagues. From my Dubproductions alone, i can't pay all the bills. But I make a living from music. In addition to the studio and productions, I run the digital label “Time Tools Recordings” with a friend. There I am responsible for the sub-label “Percussion & Electronics”, on which I publish many of my projects. I also do remixes and Dubs for other artists. At the moment I am working on the light and sound installation “Seelewaschen”, which will take place here in Hanover in the Maschpark from June 15.6. until July 15.7 takes place. That is ambient sound in an urban living space. The common ground in this project is the Dub on the focus of deceleration.

Which artist would you like to work with?
I'm looking forward to my next remix for my colleagues from the Senior Allstars, whom Sarah Winton (singer of Nightmares On Wax, among others) was able to win for the vocals of a Trax. Sarah had voiced titles from Chin Chillaz before. I love her angelic way of singing and I look forward to your contribution.

What is your particular strength?
My weakness for music.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
That he's my job.

What do you dread in the studio?
Demos. I hate demos and haven't done one in 30 years. I hate nothing more than having to chase after an idea that was defined in the demo. It should of course sound just as expressive and spontaneous, but just "in a better sound format". Rubbish - never really works convincingly. The moment makes the music, not the technology.

When you're not at Dubs screwing, what is your favorite thing to do then?
Cook. The stove is like a mixer and a good meal is like a good one Dub.

What is the current state of health of Dub?
Quite well in my opinion. We have been running the "Liberation Skank" four times a year here in Hanover for about 3 years. This is a Roots & Dub Dance with Sounds & Members from Hanover and Berlin such as Cham Panda, Chris Re-Ignation, Sandokan Intl., Tobi Dread and TVS /Dubvisonist. All parties are always well attended. We play roots Dub and British UK Steppers for a really interested young audience.

How do you see the future of Dub?
The "Liberation Skank" collective makes parties in an environment that values ​​awareness. The motto is: No slackness, pure vibes. Celebrate with respect, without homophobia and sexism. I think that's great and sometimes really modern.

Your name: Aldubb
You live in: Berlin
Title of your last album or your last EP: Aldubb meets Diana Levi 10 ″ EP / Welcome to Bassland CD

What is your definition of Dub?
Hard to say. Remixed reggae music with little vocal content, I always insist on the difference between Dub and "Soundsystem" / "Steppas with Singing". Then there is a whole world full of Dubwho actually has nothing to do with reggae and yet Dub is called. So for me there are hardly any limits, little vocal, that is perhaps the most important thing - besides a bass-heavy arrangement and the mix, of course.

What distinguishes a good from a bad Dub?
My brain. I can't really pin down that, I think some things are good, some not so. As a producer, I have the stupid habit of always listening with an analytical ear, which is sometimes annoying because I always think about how this or that was done, or I analyze the mix, but whether one Dub is good or bad, don't tell me that, luckily that's still a bit of magic.

How would you your Dub-Describe style?
Now it's getting nasty ... It always depends on the project, my own things range from roots to “steppas with singing” to techdub or even Dubstep. I am popular as a remixer because of my wobble bass in connection with King Tubby's moderate delay styles. The Space Echo is my most important instrument ;-)

How does the creation process of a typical Dub-Tracks from you?
First I make a "song" - if there is a vocal track. Then I break the arrangement up into groups of instruments and rearrange the song using the classic Dub-Do things, so mute, delays, reverb, actually it's pretty classic, like King Tubby and Lee Perry did. Sometimes I cut up the tracks quite radically on the digital level, or for example replace a bass track with a synthesizer. A really "typical" DubI can't really imagine track of mine right now. One track I still celebrate is “Let there be dub“Somehow everything is there, mystical speaking vocals with a wink, filtered wobble basses, digital drum sounds with a lot of effect, but also real percussion and riddimsection.

When are you with one of your produced Dubs satisfied?
Sometimes pretty quickly - that's often a good sign, sometimes it takes forever (but that doesn't have to be a bad thing). I've got used to leaving the versions lying around for a while, and sometimes playing to people I trust. At some point I'll declare the song finished. However, I find it easier to do so when there is a deadline or a release date. The worst thing is when I do my own things, I could go on filing forever, I sometimes set myself deadlines ;-)

What are your personal Dub-Top 5 albums?
Dub Chemist: Light up your chalice
Paul St Hilaire: Unspecified
East meets West: Time is the master
King Tubby: Declaration of Dub
Lee Perry: Kung Fu Meets the Dragon

Who is the greatest for you Dub-Artist of all time?
Lee Perry

And who is currently the most interesting Dub-Artist?
No plan, I hear very little current Dub. What I do know is that the last Mad Professor album wasn't that great. So far I've really celebrated everything from Benga, but that's yes Dubstep ...

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why?
The 70s, pretty much everything was invented that still exists today, punk, house, metal, hip-hop, funk - reggae has been around for a while, but the best and most radical things came out of the 70s too. Dub had its heyday, rock bands experimented with all kinds of electronic avant-garde. It's hard to do something new today.

What do you hear besides Dub?
Pretty much everything except Gothic, Wave and Depeche Mode. When metal gets too progressive, I'll quit too. I like repetitive music, but not too minimal. I also find a certain punk attitude important, I don't like overly smooth productions in any style.

What is your current favorite album?
Haha, Cultural roots: Drift Away From Evil it is out of date, but I just discovered it for myself. Errol Brown is one of the best at the mixer!

In what form do you buy your music: vinyl, CD, download, subscription? Why?
Preferably vinyl, if possible, but also CD. I've never downloaded it before, I still think that you have to put music on the shelf, for whatever reason. Actually, I don't buy a lot of music anymore, I listen to so much in the studio all day and then my own stuff. As a consumer, I prefer to listen to music in a club or, best of all, at an open air, at home really little.

Can you make a living with music?
I make a living from him Planet Earth Studio - so mostly with music. My label One-drop music however, makes no profit. So if you classify karaoke and audio books as music in the broadest sense, then yes ;-)

Which artist would you like to work with?
Mutabaruka, Linton Kwesi Johnson ...

What is your particular strength?
Much experience. I have a feeling that the longer I do this, the better I hear. It also often helps that I play some instruments, especially drums and bass, myself. What I always underestimate is my knowledge of studio technology and devices in general. I find it normal to know what a compressor does and how to use a patchbay. But unfortunately many producers are using more and more presets and don't even know what a Treshhold is or how to use an aux path. You can hear that somehow.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
Satisfied costumers. But I chose this job because I've always liked to be surrounded by music equipment and instruments. I only got to know and appreciate the human side in everyday studio life. There is nothing better than when a musician has the feeling that he has found the perfect studio.

What do you dread in the studio?
Apart from burglary, fire and technical problems that hold up the whole operation, it annoys me when people don't know what they want and always want to do everything from scratch. There are “rappers” who then start looking for their beat on YouTube in the studio and write the lyrics. I now calculate the hours for it really hard, but it's still annoying.

When you're not at Dubs screwing, what is your favorite thing to do then?
To travel.

Which music website do you prefer to visit?
Soundcloud.

How do you see the future of Dub?
Dub is actually timeless. Inspired every few years Dub sometimes a new style of music, last Dubstep, formerly House and Triphop. I am very excited. I think somebody will always remix reggae songs, that's just too much fun to stop at some point.

Your name: iLLBiLLY HiTEC
You live in: Berlin
Title of your last album: Reggaetronics (Echo Beach)

What is your definition of Dub?
For me there is somehow no definition. Dub is limitless, can merge with pretty much all genres of music, and simply offers a lot of opportunities to let off steam. That's what makes music so interesting for us.

What distinguishes a good from a bad Dub?
Technically it should be right, the rest is a matter of taste.

How would you your Dub-Describe style?
We generally have a lot of vocals in our productions and therefore use effects sparingly. All in all, apart from the excursions into electronics, our style is quite reggae-heavy.

How does the creation process of a typical Dub-Tracks from you guys?
We'll do that out of our guts. It usually takes a long time to get the final result, but the first hook comes spontaneously. We have higher calling z. B. The process, melody and vocals were finished very quickly - but the fine-tuning took a while.

When are you with one of your produced Dub satisfied?
Never. Isn't that always the case? We tend to come to a point with every song where you wonder if it will get better or worse if you keep going.

Who is currently the most interesting Dub-Artist?
Al is from Germanydubb certainly at the forefront. Live have me personally Kaly Live Dub very flashed from Lyon. We played with them once in Bucharest - very good musicians and great performance.

What do you hear besides Dub?
Thomas comes from hip hop, Longfingah is a right reggae head. I'm actually more of a rock. That Dub and similar sounds have become our musical focus, is probably due to the breadth of the possibilities of the genre.

In what form do you buy your music: vinyl, CD, download, subscription? Why?
Depending on the production, very different for me personally. But Thomas almost only has vinyl.

Do you manage to make a living with music?
It's very close.

Which artist would you like to work with?
There are quite a few. You have to wait and see what is still going on with the vocals and the mixer.

What is your particular strength?
Although there are only three of us performing, Longfingah's vocals and the live drums create the experience of a concert. In addition, our program is also very varied due to the different styles. So we can play at very different events and reach people from all corners.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
The tours and the resulting friendships are a lot of fun for us and also give us energy and ideas to develop the project further. Travel is always worth it!

What do you dread in the studio?
Before we finish producing the songs, we'll take them on tour. You get used to the fat live sound of the drums, the large PA and the vibrating stage. In the studio everything sounds comparatively dry at first. I get frightened every time.

When you're not at Dubs screwing, what do you like to do then?
Music doesn't leave us much time for other things at the moment. But Thomas has a great passion for walkmans, ghetto blasters and sneakers. But cooking is my top priority. Good food shreds!

Which music website do you prefer to visit?
Soundcloud.

How much you the future of Dub?
In Germany the scene is currently quite manageable, but still well positioned. I think there is still potential. Some artists become the Dub sure to bring it forward soon.

Your name: Umberto Echo
You live in: Munich
Title of your last album: Elevator Dubs, March 15, 2013 Enja Records

What is your definition of Dub?
Instrumental music based on reggae with a little vocals and sometimes extreme effects, not necessarily echo but often and happily, sometimes solos.

What distinguishes a good from a bad Dub?
A worse Dub gets boring quickly because it is predictable. You can always hear a good one.

How would you your Dub-Describe style?
Eclectic maximalist.

How does the creation process of a typical Dub-Tracks from you?
Ideally, I have an idea in advance that I can then implement. Sometimes I end up somewhere else, which doesn't necessarily have to be bad.
I open the session, mix the tune so that all elements sound good and then start taking individual elements in and out and alienating them. Then I am in my world for a few hours. When I have a good feeling with the base, I take a break and listen to the whole thing with a little distance.
Then it's time to fine-tune. I go over individual passages and refine the transitions and remove unnecessary parts. Possibly. I play a few tracks myself and or invite a musician friend so that he can play a little something for me. If I am satisfied with everything that is going on, one more lap will only be honed on the sound.

When are you with one of your produced Dubs satisfied?
If I can listen to it several times in a row without wanting to change anything and find it interesting every time I listen to it.

What are your personal Dub-Top 5 albums?
Aswad: New Chapter in Dub
Mad Professor vs. Le Scratch Perry: Dub Take The Voodoo out of Reggae
Scientists: Dub From the ghetto
Earl 16: The Fittest Dub versions
Umberto Echo: Dub Train

Who is the greatest for you Dub-Artist of all time?
Lee Perry, I've been happy about him so often. It's not necessarily the best, but the coolest.

And who is currently the most interesting Dub-Artist?
Umberto Echo

What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why?
70s. Warm sound, real vibes, real musicians, optimism.

What do you hear besides Dub?
Jazz, HipHop, Soul, Funk, Afrobeat, Electronic Music, High End Pop, Classical, in the past a lot of Punk, Hardcore, Rock.

What is your current favorite album?
Antun Opic "You Can Spare A Dime"

In what form do you buy your music: vinyl, CD, download, subscription? Why?
CDs. I grew up like that, haven't changed yet. Price performance (sound) is especially good for older albums.

Can you make a living with music?
I produce a lot of music for other people in various genres and live from it exclusively. I hardly make any money with my own music.

Which artist would you like to work with?
All who will come

What is your particular strength?
Good hearing, having fun, musicality.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
Producing my own albums and being able to make all the decisions on my own.

What do you dread in the studio?
Badly prepared musicians with out of tune instruments.

When you're not at Dubs screwing, what is your favorite thing to do then?
Record and mix good music.

Which music website do you prefer to visit?
I rarely do it, tend to look for certain people (musicians) who interest me, you always end up somewhere else.

How do you see the future of Dub?
Positive! Dubstep will sink further into the mainstream varieties and new people will become the old ones Dub- Reinterpret concepts in unexpected ways.