A prolific English bassist and passionate self-taught musician, Dub Judah crossed paths with the Twinkle Brothers in the early 80s. To join them on stage, he learned 34 basslines in two days. Perfectly integrated into the band, of which he became a permanent guest, he has travelled the world with them while continuing to nurture solo career projects. A brief chat with a discreet musician, the morning after a solid performance.
What are your impressions of last night's show?
Twinkle Brothers It went very well. When I see the audience catch fire like they did last night, I'm delighted. I love playing in France... So far, France has always been a very good audience. They're adorable. Even in the 80's, France was already there. The dub scene is expanding fast. But dub lacks festivals. At one time, there were lots of “Bashes” bringing together mainly roots reggae bands. There is a very peaceful vibe in France.
You were the one who opened the concert; were those your own compositions?
Twinkle Brothers Yes, I sang Head Creator, Exercise, No Matter Where You Go and Babylon is a trap. I'm trying to be more present by leading my own projects. My aim is to put together my own show.
You already have several albums in the shops...
Twinkle Brothers Yes, the latest being “Too Much Innocent Blood” but a new one is about to come out. I only have a few choices left to make at the mix. I'll start promoting it in January (2005, editor's note).
Can you go back over your history with the Twinkle Brothers?
Twinkle Brothers It's a long story... In the 80's, I played in a band called Jah Foundation. We shared the stage with the Twinkle several times. In 1981 I remember the Twinkle didn't have a bass player. I had to learn 34 songs in 2 days. I had time to play each bassline half a time and the next day I was doing the concert. And it went perfectly. But I want to develop my own projects. I have my own label (Dub Jackey – editor's note).
How did the connection with the band come about?
Twinkle Brothers While the Twinkle Brothers always chose big studios, I was recording in a smaller one with a four-track console. Our two studios were very close to each other. We got into the habit of visiting each other. We first worked together on a few dubs, then a few tracks and finally albums. Norman (Grant, leader of the Twinkle Brothers – editor's note) only has to sing me part of the bassline and I understand straight away what he wants. It's been working like that between us for years. The Twinkle now have their own studio and carry out most of their projects on their own.
What do you think of the new dub artists?
Twinkle Brothers I'm very happy to see artists of the new generation moving things forward. It gives dub the vitality it needs. I live in London and not in Birmingham but I know that the Iration Steppas crowd is very young. You come across kids of 14, 16 there. There are all sorts of variations of dub. I've played every imaginable style of dub. But I always keep the roots of dub like Sly & Robbie. For me, 70's dub is stronger than the rest. We have to manage to bring it up to date.
You've worked with a lot of artists; do you manage to keep control of all this output?
Twinkle Brothers Exactly! A friend called me the other day to tell me he was watching a DVD of me playing alongside U Roy. It's a 1997 concert filmed in France and when the DVD came out, I was in the United States. I had completely forgotten about it, so no, I can't say I have perfect control (laughs)! I've worked with so many people! Bob Andy, Dennis Brown, Prince Alla, Sista Aisha and all the artists on the Twinkle Music label. I also remember playing for a Frenchman... Pablo Master! I've also done loads of things on small, old equipment. It's a very good school. When you manage to get something out of a 4-track, it's much easier to move on to 48 tracks. A track like Babylon is a trap was recorded on 4 tracks. The tape of the whole album having gone missing, I re-recorded everything on a 16-track.
Do you have a favourite bassman?
Twinkle Brothers Not really. Robbie Shakespeare, Lloyd Parks... I think more in terms of songs. When I hear a good track, I always want to know which bass player is playing on the version. I also like funk and certain bass players like Jaco Pastorius. I was a drummer to begin with and then I switched in 1983, when we formed the band Jah Foundation. I never put the bass down again. Some people say that as an instrumentalist, the only way to improve is to practise every day. I think that the simple fact of thinking about the bass and what you can do with it is essential. If you ask me how I learned, I'll tell you: by listening. I never took lessons but the Almighty gave me the “spirit” to get by.
You live in Notting Hill; do you manage to lead a Rastaman's life there?
Twinkle Brothers For centuries it has been very difficult to live your faith in the city. Leading a Rastaman's life is something difficult but... life is difficult. If you want to be observant, eating ital is impossible! But it is the Rastaman's duty to preserve his culture by practising it in the cities. The Rasta knows he must never stop spreading his message.