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*soundclash |’soun(d),clash| noun.- two or more DJ’s/Sound Systems in a head to head battle over who has the best/livest/ rarest and most party-rockin dubplates and exclusives in their record box

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1otp-x3IRu4[/youtube]

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March 27 2007 – That’s Dave Q (Dub War) on the left vs Geko Jones and 3rd Rayl (Funkworthy FM) on the right. Hosted by Deffrei – ‘The 456’ (Ahficionados/Soulvibes Digital).

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A couple of years ago, some friends and I decided it would be fun to put together a soundclash series that allowed for several genres of the reggae/ragga/dub persuasion including, but not limited to, dancehall, jungle, rocksteady, ska, dubstep , garage and the occasional broken to bits type tune that ya can’t really classify. We wanted all the vibes of a traditional Jamaican clash but alternative sound systems and rounds.

The following is a recording of the clash in the video. Dub War’s resident vibes man- Juakali – was out of town, so dubstep mafioso Dave Q of Dub War is here rollin longside the Hip-step/Junglist and Zulu King- TC Izlam vs my sound system, Funkworthy FM backed by the Lyrical Gungourgon – Jahdan Blakkamoore.

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Our host was well-wasted by this point in the evening and having trouble controlling the crowd. I’d had a rocky first round train-wrecking blends that I had rehearsed a hundred times and was consequentially playing catch up. I mostly blame myself and my love of Guinness for that first round- live and learn. Since then, I definitely try and keep myself moderately sober till after I’ve performed. I remember the frustration of not being able to correct the mixes and the distinct feeling something was off with my gear. Two weeks later, one of the turntables I was using rolled to a stop and died in the middle of another party we were doing! Dave Q too faced his own set technical difficulties. Some kind of blow out or disconnect on his set up forced us share the rig on my side of the stage, taking the clash went into extra innings.

I had managed to let my ego convince me that beating Dub War in the tune for tune round was gonna be easy. There was no way DQ was gonna pull out specials like mine. I knew a fair number of the titles he was playing and he didn’t have any real soundclash dubplates for me to worry about.

*dubplate|dub’plait| noun.- an exclusive limited-edition or one-off record used to kill soundboys. In Jamaican clash context, its a battle tune voiced by an original artist that bigs up ur sound system. In the UK, unreleased pressings in jungle, dubstep and grime are also considered dubs.

The third tune he played, the one from the video, was a 45 the Heatwave released called Mad LDN and I had it in my bag that night (shouts to Gabe and man like Rubidan). Its a fun tune, but a released tune nonetheless… nothing exclusive about that. I honestly thought we had already won on the strength of the first two dubs. I thought about playing the 45 back at him, which hindsight would have probably been a better selection. I thought about running The Police dub Jahdan voiced for me, which we’d won the last clash with. Or the Mr Easy dub. So many options…………..only 30 seconds to decide.

All I could hear in my head was the crowd’s reaction to the Sugar Minott dub I’d just played specially recorded for the event. I stuck decided to stick to my dub pistolas and played another exclusive. A gyal-choon called She Told Me by Noble Society feat 77 Klash. I’d just finished the 140 night nurse version for this tune with Fuego Campo and knocked out both a Gregory Issacs special and a new choon on the riddim that month and had them both cut to 12″- of course I was gonna play that shit! It was the right tune- the ladies loved it- at the wrong time- my dudes thought it too soft a response. I sunk the eightball and Dave Q got the forward… and the crown… a fair fight.

Wounded- but not buried. I vowed to regain my thrown.

Dub War came back with Juakali to defend their title a few months later vs Shadetek and Jahdan Blakkamoore. Dutty Artz sweep the leg for a 3-0 victory! Now, who waan tes’ the champion sound?

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The Code of the Samurai Soundboy

Both of the great works used in the post are used with the permission of illustrator/animator and good friend Chuck Collins. He created several works especially for the series which were used on the flyers for the events. If your looking for an ill-cartoonist for your album, music video or other professional project, he’s the mang.

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