LINVAL THOMPSON DUB STORY

Although known for his production work primarily, Linval Thompson cut some great vocal roots tracks, back in the 1970's, and it's these classic cuts in there dub form, again a musical style much suited to Linval's makeup, that we would like to concentrate on here.

Born in 1959, Kingston, Jamaica, Linval Thompson was actually raised in Queens, New York City, and It was here at the age of 16, that he cut his first track for Bunny Rugs,an underground track called 'No Other Woman'.

While in New York Linval also subsidised a possible career in engineering by supplying fresh reggae to a newly expanding US reggae market. This became so successful that it would lead to his return to Jamaica, in search of new product. It was 1974 and Lee Perry had just opened his Black Ark Studios, at his home in Washington Gardens district of Kingston.

Linval was here to cut some tracks for producer Phil Pratt, and while there Lee Perry got him to supply vocals to a new track he was working on, later to be called 'Kung Foo Man'.

Opportunity was opening many doors for Linval and his friendship with Johnny Clarke, whom he lived along side in the Whitfield Town district of Kingston, would lead to another fruitful meeting.

This time with producer Bunny Lee, who Johnny Clarke was working with as a singer.Bunny Lee was at his most productive around this time and taking Linval into the studio with his band the Aggrovators proved another winning combination.

Such Linval classics as 'Big Big Girl', 'Black Princess Lady' 'Cool Down Your Temper','Jah Jah the Conqueror' and Linval's first track cut for Bunny Lee 'Don't cut off Your Dreadlocks', were all cut around this time. Many of which we have found their rare dubs, straight from the mastertapes to put this album together.

We hope you will find it to a winning combination also with the added ingrediant of the great King Tubby adding some of his magic to this selection.

As with many of his stars Bunny Lee encouraged Linval to go into production himself, leading him to work with many of Jamaica's finest. Including Cornell Campbell, Tappa Zukie, The Wailing Souls and Trinity, to name but a few

Also to produce his great 'I Love Marijuana' set and its dub partner 'Negra Love Dub' we hope you put this release next to them, more great work from Mr Linval Thompson Roots Vocalist as well as great Roots Producer....Respect Jah Floyd.

1. GET MY DUB TOGETHER.
A lost King Tubby dub to Linval's 'Get Myself Together', over the great Take 5 rhythm featuring Mr Val Bennett on sax.

2.ETHIOPIAN DUB.
A dub to Linval's 'Ethiopian Girl'.

3.WE NEED MORE DUBWISE.
A lost dub to Linval's 'Money Money', a great haunting rhythm
using some great dub effects, with it's classic piano line.
'' Everybody needs money.''....

4.MY DUB PRINCESS.
A killer King Tubby dub to Linval's classic 'Black Princess Lady'...
Tubby at the controls again ....

5.DUB CHEAT.
You can hear King Tubby's vocal introduction to Linval as he lets forth some roots conscious lyrics over this unreleased dub classic...

6.A WICKED DUB.
A lost dub to Linval's 'Ride on Dreadlocks',which was itself a reworking of The Tenor's 'Ride Your Donkey'.Killer...

7.DUB CONQUER.
Another lost till now dub, this time to Linval's roots & culture classic, 'Jah Jah the Conqueror'.

8.BIG BIG DUB.
A lost Dub to Linval's 'Big Big Girl',using the flying cymbals sound to great effect.

9.SUKU MAKA DUB.
Again King Tubby counts in Linval as he works out over this unreleased cut. Suku Maka meaning to Dup them.. in Jamaican slang, 'Run Bald head Run' indeed...

10.RUNAWAY DUB.
Cornell Campbell's 'Natty Dread in a Greenwich Town', which was itself an answer to Bob Marley's 'Natty Dread'.Here you can hear Linval's dubbed vocal workout over this classic dub, lost till now...

11.NYAH BINGI DUB CALL.
This is a different cut to Linval's 'Long Long Dreadlock's' rhythm.
Again unreleased...

12.DUB TRIBE.
Linval works over the classic '12 Tribes of Israel ' rhythm to great effect...

13.CHEAT ME OUTTA DUB*.
An unreleased cut to Linval's 'Don't Try To Rob I'

14.DUB TEMPER*
Last but not least a lost dub cut to 'Cool Down Your Temper', Linval pleading to the Youthman, 'Stop your Tribal War' ...as relevant today as it was way back then....

* CD Bonus Tracks.