Stanley Bryan was a jack of all trades at Channel One in its heyday. As an engineer, he mixed the Eek-a-Mouse classic Wah Do Dem, for instance. If a drummer dropped out of a session, Stan was the man to step in. And into the night, Ranking Barnabas worked the mic for the Channel One Sound System, often toasting over rhythms that he had recorded himself in the studio. Though Barnabas mixed countless dubs during these years, The Cold Crusher is the only LP released solely under his name, as a limited edition in the US.
Very well presented by the Italian label Jamming, with new notes, and expert sound restoration at Dubplates & Mastering. The terrific cover photo is by Beth Lesser.
Dub fans, don’t dilly dally. This won’t stick around.

With a storming Tubbys.

With Dennis on the flip, Home Sweet Home.

An upful, radiant, chugging version of the McFadden & Whitehead, by way of Harry J, strung out on flute and Syndrums.

Superb, under-the-radar, late-seventies roots. Beautifully sung, punchy, serious-minded; but under-stated and natural.
‘The world is getting dread… dreader dread… so stand up, and look up… for the time is so hard… harder times to come.’
Crucial bunny.

Jah Upton joins Lloyd Barnes and Prince Douglas at the desk for another must-have Bullwackies dub set, originally released in 1977. From tapes recorded at Tubby’s with the Soul Syndicate band.