Roots Archives Forum

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..

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!

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

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.

Thanks for the info.

Jahson wrote:
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.

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?

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.

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."