Spanglers Clap

[Dubbaddikt]

Can anyone give me any info about the track called Spanglers Clap by Upsetters?Im sure there is a version on Herb Dub by jah Lion under another title using same riddim..

[Jahson]

Yes there it certainly is on Herb Dub, it was one of Jah Lloyd's most-versioned riddim, best known for his 'Soldier Round the Corner'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXsX_rXyE40

Spanglers of course refers to the notorious bad man posse who were enthusiastic followers of King Tubby's sound!

[Arkle.]

So called because of their impeccable dress sense. It seems Jah Stitch always classed himself as part of the Spanglers.

[Nicholas]

The riddim is of course "To Be A Lover" by Earl George.
"Spanglers Clap", as far I know, is only to be heard on the "King Tubby’s Home Town Hi Fi" tape. That cut is basically the same as on Blackboard Jungle Dub ("Lovers Dub"), only not shortened, with a a sparse pounding keyboard and echoes added.
Probably a dubplate thing only...

N.

[davek]

[Dubbaddikt]

Thanks for the info.

[blakbeltjonez]

Spanglers of course refers to the notorious bad man posse who were enthusiastic followers of King Tubby's sound!

Tubby's unenviable reputation for attracting a rowdy Spanglers following ultimately was the demise of the sound. "Spangler's Clap" was a dubplate that was played at later Tubby sessions - one of the WCTD Tubby tapes from mid-1975 features U-Roy chatting over a "scratchy, very very scratchy" "Spangler's Clap", apparently by "request", no doubt from one or more of the rankings attending the dance.

sometime not too long after that session, King Tubby's Hi-Fi was put out of commission permanently in St. Thomas by the JCF, and i've seen conflicting accounts about who led the raid - some name badman cop Trinity Gardner, and others say it was Keith "Scorcha" Miller.

either way, King Tubby's Hi-Fi was shot up and never made another peep again. apparently Tubby sued the JCF and ultimately got compensated.

[davek]

blackbeltjonez:

Curious as to where you heard that Tubby's reached a settlement, because according to the man himself in 1986, he was never compensated. Did this occur between that time, and his demise a few short years later?

[blakbeltjonez]

i read it in an interview - can't remember if it was I-Roy or someone else close to Tubby, but as hearsay it's entirely possible it didn't happen. if Tubby says he didn't get compensated, then he didn't - which is hardly surprising. it's possible that he won a judgement against the JCF but never got paid.

i'll look for the interview, i have it somewhere.

[blakbeltjonez]

found it - it was an interview with Jah Wise of Tippatone who mentioned it.
below is an excerpt of the interview that mentions the incident:


Q: Why was Tippatone selected to play at the Peace Treaty dance?

A: "Only sound in West Kingston, no other sound."

Q: So Tippatone could play and other sounds couldn't?

A: "No, sometimes the violence so bad - you cannot play sound. I was playing in St Thomas, and Police came into the dance and curfew it. And tell me to tell King Tubby's that he can't play there again. And I tell Tubby's and he go there and they shoot up his sound and mash it up. From that day King Tubby never play again. He sued the Police and got a lot of money."