Tokyo’s Dub Store Records have just announced a series of reissues of Studio One Ska and Rocksteady tunes on 7″ vinyl. Something like this had been expected for a while so it’s great to see the first singles appear. Less good new is some of these issues appear to duplicate releases put out from Dreum & Bass/Rock A Shacka, more of that later.
Expect around 20 singles in coming months, they boast that most come direct from the master tapes and there will be a number of previously unreleased tunes. The first batch (if not all) come in a great looking replica of an early 60′s Coxsone sleeve.
- Soul Brothers – Freedom Sounds/Soul Brothers – Freedom Sounds Take 2
Two previously unissued early Rocksteady cuts of the Skatalites Ska classic. Released on a replica blue and silver early Studio One label.
- Monty And The Cyclones – Summertime/Monty And The Cyclones – Dog It
Originally recorded around 1960/61 this was the first of a number of cuts of the standard that were recorded for Dodd over the years. The original on the Teen label is the stuff of legends and this reissue on a replica label is more than welcome.
- The Wailers – Rock Sweet Rock (AKA Sweetest Rocker)/The Wailers – Jerk In Time (AKA Jerking Time)
Two classic late Ska Wailers tunes issued on a replica Coxsone label like their first issue circa 1966.
- Roland Alphonso – From Russia With Love/Roland Alphonso – Cleopatra
Two great tunes but these are already available on a Rock A Shacka repress from 2012.
Forthcoming releases to look forward to in the series include a previously unreleased second take of Last Call by Don Drummond, James Bond Girl by the Soul Bros and Ice Water by Jack Sparrow (Leonard Dillon).
On a less positive note many tracks that were already issued by Rock A Shacka on 7″ single in the last eighteen months are also slated for re-release, these include Chain Gang by the Jamaicans, Give Me A Little Sign by Owen Grey, People Get Ready by the Minstrels and Summertime by Roy Richards. The reason for these duplicate reissues is probably because of the feud Dub Store had with Rock A Shacka over alleged bootleg recordings a couple of years ago (Dancecrasher wrote about it here). That said Dub Store have previously duplicated re-issues from New York based Deadly Dragon as well, this prompted a furious attack on the Japanese company via youtube. This seeming lack of concern about the potential harm their activeness can have on other record labels makes it hard to really respect Dub Store regardless of how great records they put out.
