Niney And The Observers — Tubby’s Want The Channel

Tubby’s Want The Channel is a two-CD collection that brings together forty dub remixers from the 70s by Jamaica producer  Niney the Observer. 

The two-disc set appears on Doctor Bird- Cherry Red’s reggae label.  The two discs come presented in a clear jewel case- with a twelve-page inlay booklet, this takes in a three-page write-up about Niney the Observer, those he worked with, and the featured tracks. We also get a good selection of single labels, pictures and full credits.

Niney the Observer aka Winston Holness was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1944. The nickname "Niney" came about after he lost a thumb in a workshop accident. In the latter half of the 1960s, he worked as both an engineer and producer at KG Records. His first release was "Come on Baby"- his composition was issued by his own Destroyer label.  In 1967 he worked with Bunny Lee, then for Lynford Anderson's studio, going on to work with Joe Gibbs as chief sound engineer, replacing his friend Lee "Scratch" Perry.  By the 1970’s he became one of Jamaica's most sought-after producers, working with the likes of Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson, The Heptones, Johnny Clarke, Slim Smith, Jacob Miller, Junior Delgado, and Freddie McGregor.

The collection focuses on remixes from between the years 1976 and 1978. With twenty tracks by disc. On the first disc, we move from reverberating strutting guitar tones, echo vocals pulls, and hissing ‘n’ slam beats of “One Saturday Night” by Niney & The Observers. Onto wailing vocal swim, backing vocal swoon, and skittering/ hazed beats of “One Foot Sammy” by The Observers. Through to compressed organ jaunting, lazy bass strutt, and crisply cascading percussive layers of “Burn Me Out( version 77)” by The Observers as The Rocktone Band. With the first disc finishing the darting piano keys, wavering/ watery horn work, and distant beat explosions of “Master Version” by The Soul Syndicate.

Moving onto the second disc we go from the twisting/ tapping/ popping percussion detail, reduced bass pulse, and later shambled vocal echoes of “Natty Chaiott” by  The Observers.  We have the off-key guitar struts, male vocals ahhs/ holla,  and stripped-down bass-bound moments of “Hotter Fire” by Niney & The Observers. There’s the drifting horn haze, skittering to tip-tap beat work, and floaty organ/ bass elements of “East African Herb Vendor” by The Observers as The Ethiopian Eunochs.  

Niney the Observer's take on remixing was very much to warp, stretch, and wonkily pan out the tracks in an often worn/ hazed/ warped manner.  So with that in mind, I can see Tubby’s Want The Channel - Dubbing With The Observer 1976 - 1978 not only appealing to normal dub lovers, by those who enjoyed general warped/ sonically hazed fare.