A History of Dub Flash
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This shall be some sort of history page of Dub Flash. It is in no way complete and maybe not even 100% accurate. So many things happened during these years... It's also some sort of public memories or biography. I usually don't write much personal stuff online, but here is my exception. ;-) |
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May 1991: I just turned 14 when I was on a musical school trip in Hitzacker, North Germany. I was part of the school band back then and during a break, I was listening to my walkman-radio because I hoped to hear a live stream of a football cup match. Unfortunately, I only received one station: a semi-pirate station called "DT 64". They were announcing a live stream of a concert from "Definition of Sound", a band I knew. Due to technical problems, they had to stream a concert from someone called "Gary Claiton" though. And there it was: "Human Nature". I was immediately blown away. It struck me like lightning and thunder. MY music. About 30 minutes, I lay paralyzed in bed with big eyes, astonished by the amazing music that came out of my speakers. I had no idea what this was. I never heard anything like this. But I know that destiny brought me to this point. |
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September 1991: For several months, I was desperately looking for records by this guy called "Gary Claiton". At WOM record store, they kept saying "sure, we had it in stock, but it was sold out, should come back soon". However, it never did. When I already gave up hope, I stood in front of a record store in Europa Center (don't remember the name anymore) with my father and he pointed to an obscure sleeve in the shop window: black, with huge speakers on it and half of a face, covered in tape, only the eyes shown. He said: "Look, this sounds just like the music that you described to me." I thought what the heck, how can he think so just by looking at a record cover. Because I was resisting, he asked me to buy him this record as a birthday present. So I did. And what shall I say: My dad was right: Gary Clail's On-U Sound System "The Emotional Hooligan". The radio guys said the name wrong. One week after my father's birthday, it was a Saturday morning (I will never forget that moment!), I way lying on the sofa and he came in with a plastic bag with a record inside. He said, he found something which would interest me: Dub Syndicate's "Stoned Immaculate" LP. I was shocked about the cigarette cross on the cover. It looked like death to me. Then he put the record on. It was mind-blowing. What was that? It was 100% real DUB! My life started! |
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Some time during 1993 or 1994: I was active in the young German rap scene as "Der Dieb" (engl. thief, spoken as "deep"; the story behind that is interesting as well, but I will not tell it here). I do not remember why and exactly when, but at some point, I started "Dieb in Dub Productions". I was already spinning records on parties back then and this became my official name. Nobody knew what the heck it meant, but it did not matter. I still did not know much about Dub back then. It was only the On-U Sound releases, I knew. |
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1995 (?): I am not sure when exactly, but destiny came on me once again: Playing around with my new cable radio, I found the BBC. And at that very moment, my radio made BOOM. I tuned in exactly during a John Peel session and he played first a tune from Mad Professor and then afterwards a dubplate (whatever that was) using the James Bond theme. It was later released as "Agent Dub" by Dub Plate Vibes Crew on the "Dub Out West 1" compilation. The Mad Professor tune must have been "Kathmandu Dub" from the "Evolution of Dub" LP. Since both albums came out in 1996, I suppose, since the tunes were previews, that late 1995 could be accurate. Anyway, on that very day, I got to know UK Dub. |
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1996: Now it was easy. Since I knew the genre, I found everything I need. And I started to make mixtapes as "Dieb in Dub" and also played my first pure dub selections as a DJ. It was the high times of Neo Dub and it was the best DUB time for me as well. We had big parties in the Berlin Dub Club. Disciples were here, Rootsman, Jah Warrior, Full Moon Scientists and many more. The club was burning, completely crowded. People went nuts on all the heavy steppers. |
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1997: After having bought my first personal computer, I started to make music with a keyboard and a cheap version of Cubase. First, I used the name "Dieb in Dub", but at an unspecified time later I wanted to have an international name, because which non-German-speaker understands the play of word with "Dieb" and "deep"? I am not really sure how I ended up with "Dub Rogue", but since I know myself, it is likely that I had various reasons. One was obviously that "Rogue" is not too far away from "Dieb" (thief), although not as negative. Han Solo was a Rogue. And Rogue 5 hit the Death Star in Episode IV. I always liked Wedge Antilles as well and he later became the Rogue leader. Also, Rogue is my favourite X-Men character. So, all in all, it just made sense to become the "Dub Rogue". ;-) Back to the music: None of the tunes were good enough (I had no idea about mixing, EQing, etc.), but several sketches later made it to the album "Dreams of a Lost Soul". |
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4th May 1998: I was online for the first time in 1996. Back then it was so expensive, you could only afford a couple of minutes. ;-) There was no Google. The first search engine I got to know was Altavista. My first two searches: 1. Sex. 2. Dub. ;-) But seriously, there was nothing about Dub online back then except two little entries on general music websites or something. I decided that I want to put something about Dub online. For that, I started to teach myself HTML, because there were no WYSIWYG editors available back then. Or maybe there was, but for a 1.000 EUR or so. On 4th May 1998, my first website was ready. Maybe 6 pages or so, called "The Dub Flash". The pages got more content and after some months, it was listed at Altavista. Soon after, Jah Warrior contacted me and encouraged me to make a real web directory about Dub. So I made a new concept and a re-design and that was just the first out of many during the next 13 years. If you click on "Dub Information Portal (Archive)", you can see what content I had during the years. The reviews, which were the main ingredient, are still archived. |
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2000: At that time, Dub was completely dead. The scenes in UK and Germany went on to the next genre, maybe Garage, 2Step or whatever. I tried to keep the remaining people left and inform them. I have no idea in how far I achieved it or how much I was involved, but some years later, Dub got bigger again. I claim for my own peace, that my website and works and least played a little role in that development. |
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1st April 2003: After 5 years of "Dub Flash's Dub Information Portal", I made a big winning competition and I got a very nice present from Dubcreator: The "Dub Flash" hymn. He raised the question if I wouldn't want to release it and start my own label. So, on 1st April 2003, "Dub Flash Records" was born. |
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Summer 2003: I got some records from people and started my own webshop. There were not many back then and I hoped to get a niche by offering rare records for nice prices. I also wanted to sell my own release(s) there. But to be honest, I do not remember if this did not happen only a year later, in summer 2004? Well, it is not that important, is it? |
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October 2003: After problems with the pressing plant, the first release "Dub Splitz Part 1" featuring Dubcreator, Jonah Dan and Sayan was finally available. 500 7"es in a bad quality and on 33 rpm waited to be sold throughout the world during the next months. I immediately got hooked by the idea of releasing more records like this, even though it became clear straight away that there will be no money to be made. |
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December 2003: The second release, the "Righteousness EP" (12") featuring Sir Larsie I, Rankin Diddy and a wicked Dubcreator remix, was released, just in time for christmas. The very limited quantity was sold out after only 3 months and a repress followed in 2004. The vinyl quality was fine, thanks to using a different pressing plant (Duophonic). |
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April 2004: The first LP was released: AB-10 meets Uptown Selector "Dub Splitz Part 2". Two Finnish acts with their own way of dubbing. The album sold very well in Scandinavia but had problems outside which is a pity as the album was really good. A little tour with three gigs in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku accompagnied the release. That was the official start for the "Dub Flash Sound" (even though no actual sound was ever involved). Before, I had always DJed as "Dieb in Dub", but now I was announced as "Dub Flash" and/or "Dub Rogue". So I finally gave up the name "Dieb in Dub" as it became obsolete. |
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June 2004: The repress of the "Righteousness EP" was released due to heavy demand. At the end of the month, two Dub Flash sessions in Northern France helped spreading the message there. |
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September 2004: A promotional gig for the next release saw me playing together with Lhuger from the Finnish Suhinasounds and Berlin's finest: Lujah in the Berlin club "Dub Pub". Unfortunately, we blew the speakers... |
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October 2004: The compilation LP "Dub Shoe - Episode 1: The Stepping Shoe" was released. It featured 10 dubs from 10 artists from 10 countries and was supposed to show people what big variety in dub music you could find on the market. All artists were newcomers or underground artists. The cover featured a worn-out shoe. It was meant as a joke, but only few understood it. The title was a hommage to "Star Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menace". I planned six compilations like this (just as Star Wars had 6 films). The album sold very badly. The last copy was sold in 2010. |
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December 2004: A christmas dub party saw Dub Flash playing a heavy roots selection alongside Peacetime Sound in Berlin. I gave away promotional mixtapes as christmas presents for the visitors. I ended the party with the singing dog's version of "Jingle Bells". |
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February 2005: After 8 years, I completed my concept album "Dreams of a Lost Soul". As mentioned before, sketched going back to 1997 were finished now. The album was 80 minutes long, so it had to be pressed on CD. It was not really Dub, but a mixture of meditation, chill out, Dub, trip hop, etc. It tells a story by instrumental music. In the 8 page booklet, there is an explanation for every song (or dream, as I should say). It is some sort of fairytale in Dub. Too complex for most people. Only very few understood. Out of the rap scene came some good critics though. |
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March 2005: A Japanese distributor asked me for exclusive CD-deals in Japan. Since I only had one CD, I needed to make another one. So within few days, I compiled the "Best of Dub Flash" CD which got the release number DFR010 (because I had planned the 010 to be a best of compilation anyway, now it only came early). 10 tracks from the first six release and 6 exclusive bonus tracks can be found on the CD. During the same month, the third "Dub Splitz" release was ready: a vinyl LP featuring Social Living Sounds from Sweden and 19 year old Gary Dub from Southern France. On the last day of the month, Dub Rogue and Dub Pipe (later to be known as MoonBass Hi+Fi) played a legendary steppers selection in Berlin's "RAW Temple". Three MCs and one flute player showed up at the party. The best moment ever was when a little techno rave girle who came from some other club which was already closed by that time of the night, asked if we couldn't play something fast. We already were at the speed of let's say the early Dubwise 10"es. Pitched up! ;-) As Gary Clail would say: Rave! Rave on, rave on! |
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July 2005: Dub Rogue and Dub Pipe played on the "Seasplash Festival" in Pula, Croatia and on the "Garden Dub Party" in Lyon, France. Promotion for the forthcoming 10" "Dub Splitz Part 4" was done there, including radio selections and interviews. |
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Autumn 2005: Yet another new web design for the Dub Flash website. Needless to say that I still added a lot of input to the site during all the years. I do not mention it anymore here. |
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November 2005: DFR007, Dubcreator feat. Madu meets Inspirational Sound feat. Dan-I & Iration Steppas "Dub Splitz Part 4: Run Soundboy Run" 10" was released. I pressed 750 copies. It was by far the best Dub Flash seller. But let me add that this does not mean I made profit with it. I did not make any real winning with any of my releases. I rather spent more money on good mastering and pressing plus some of the main distributors paid only little money, especially if the shipipng costs were high. And I always prefered to sell e. g. 200 copies at once, even it is is for self-cost rather than 200 times one copy with winning. |
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December 2005: Yet another christmas dub party in Berlin in the WAF Salon with Dub Flash and friends. I don't know why I remembered this and thought I should add it here. I suppose something interesting happened there. But what? |
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March 2006: Part 2 of the legendary steppers selection in Berlin, exactly one year after the first session. This time, Dub Rogue and Dub Pipe played together with King David Sound on his own soundsystem. When the lights turned off due to electrical problems, people start to dance like crazy in the dark. |
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May 2006: Dub Flash Sound played in Pforzheim (Southwest Germany) on the Ganja Riddim Soundsystem. |
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August 2006: Dub Flash moved to Finland. |
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October 2006: Two sessions in Switzerland with Jah Roots Hi-Fi Soundsystem in Neuchatêl and Chezidek Hi-Powa in Aarau. Especially the latter became a rough and raw hardcore steppers session after the drum & bass freaks (all five of them) from the upper floor marched in. ;-) |
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January 2007: Selected Dub Flash release became available as MP3 version in story like iTunes or Amazon. Dub Flash's "Dub Mash" radioshow on Oi fm started. |
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Spring 2007: Several DJ bookings in Finland, for example in Karjalantalo as warm-up for popular Finnish rap act Kemmuru and in Teatteriklubi at the Marsipaanikerho-event, together with popular local DJs. DFR008, the second part of the "Dub Shoe" series ("Episode II - Attack of the Babylonians") was released as a 10". Due to the bad sales of LPs (DFR004, DFR005), I decided to make a compromise and release a mini LP on 10". Sold much better, but didn't make as much fun. Sold out by December 2007. |
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September 2007: Another legendary moment on a session in Berlin: A gangster rapper with baggie pants and everything came to the desk and asked "Could you please play some steppers?" I did not need to be asked twice. The rest of the evening was a rough steppers night including Dubsteppers from Dubstep artists like Caspa or Rusko. |
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April 2008: More releases were transformed to MP3 versions and sold online. Did not really pay off yet though. |
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Summer 2008: The next Dub Flash re-design brought several interactive parts. People could now rate the records I reviewed themselves or could provide news. There was even a session calendar, a feature nowadays found everywhere. |
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January 2009: Putting Dub Flash to a new level, I swapped to Web 2.0. Now as a weblog, the interactive parts could be used even more. A RSS export put all new entries directly to Myspace and Facebook, etc. |
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March 2009: DFR009 with Vibronics, Trulaikes, Sir Larsie I and Dub Rogue was released as "Dub Splitz Part 5". Sold out quickly. |
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June 2009: DJ set at the legendary techno festival "Fusion" in Northeast Germany. 2 hours on Munich's Dandelion Soundsystem on early Friday evening. Surely 10 people in the crowd. ;-) |
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September 2009: Two sets in two days. First in Berlin at the "Berlin Dub 2.0" festival, then in Hamburg on the "Heavy Dub" party, together with the mighty Pensi from Ire Hi-Fi, playing Dub fi Dub with Dub Flash. Oh, what a joy! Later that month, Dub Flash officially joined the MoonBass Hi+Fi Soundsystem as "Vinylsaber Soundpadawan Dub Rogue, the sample recycler". |
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Winter 2009/2010: Most time was spent on Dub Flash Distribution. Sales were good. A lot of records were in stock and were also sold. Preparations for DFR011 started. |
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January 2010: The last record review I wrote. Back then, I didn't think it would be, but so it was. |
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Spring 2010: Several successful sessions with MoonBass Hi+Fi. Guests: Intergalaktik Sound, Dan I, Trulaikes. Unfortunately, the "Transformer" club closed again after just a few months. |
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June 2010: From one day to the other happened a complete stop of sales in the webshop. Three months without any sold record! And since the Autumn it was never more then three tiny-winy orders per month. |
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August 2010: The last official Dub Flash selection took place on the "Dub Camp 2010" festival in Rieben nearby Berlin. On late Saturday evening, shortly before Vibronics, I showed the crowd what Dub is for me. No culture, no rasta business, just extremely good vibrations. "Pissen from Outer Space" is my message. Again, hardly anyone understood. I didn't care, because it was probably my best selection ever: 100% Dub Flash, no compromise! ;-) |
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March 2011: Final sale in the Dub Flash Webshop due to bad sales. The company is closed. The motivation gone. |
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April 2011: I started a new netlabel: Dub Flash Records' Whimsical Music. I hoped to release here some of the many tunes I would have ready to press on vinyl for free, since I did not have the money for professional releases anymore. |
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May 2011: The website was archived and put back to version 1.9 without interactive parts. Dub Flash Distribution was out of business. Dub Flash Sound was no more. Dub Flash Records waited for funds. The netlabel just started. Dub Mash is on a break like Ross and Rachel. |
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June 2011: This article was written and finished. The End? No. |
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September 2011: The first net releases on Dub Flash Records' Whimsical Music were published. |
