Roots Archives Forum

great album, i just wanna know,whose the fatman?
or is just a clever title for dub master Tubby??

Ken "Fatman" Gordon was(is?) a British Soundman.He evidently did some producing too, as he's credited with producing Michael Rose's "Born Free (Discomix)" along w/Jammy on Yabby U's "Jesus Dread".

Here's a quote someone gave me on another forum when I asked a similar question.

http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=20422

Fatman aka Ken Gordon hails originally from Waterhouse, and after relocating to london in 1963 found himself pon microphone for Sir Fanso’s sound all over North london at this time. Progressing through his own early sets mid seventies , Wild Bells, Imperial Downbeat and then eventually becoming Fatman Hi-Fi, where his strong links to jamaica served him in good stead for obtaining dubplate of the highest grade. Close to King Tubby, Scientist, Bunny Lee, Carlton Patterson and most enduringly Prince Jammy.

Hope this is helpful,
PAPA D

This is the same FATMAN as in Fatman Riddim Section.

I agree with Leggo Rocker.

I also thought that the Fatman Tapes had something to do with the Lewis Brothers aka The Fatman Riddim Section.

Speacking of this one?

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1243

This is neither Fartman Riddim Section nor Tubby.

Actually this dub come from the UK Fatman sound system owner as Suff' explain. This was dubplate mixed by Jammy (and other dubmasters such as Crucial Bunny) for the sound system. Actually, Fatman had a link with Bunny Lee who since 77 encouraged jammy to go into production and to release his work in UK. As a result, B Lee introduced Jammy to Count Shelly (of Third World rec) and Fatman.

Some of these dubplates where issued in 1979 & 1980 on at least three LPs:

Crucial Bunny vs jammy "Fatman Dub Contest" (Star): http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3800
"Fatman vs Shaka Dub Conference" (Live & Love): http://www.roots-archives.com/release/2062
King Tubby & Prince Jammy & Scientist "First, Second And Third Generation Of Dub" (KG imperial): http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1345

I have the first one and the Jammy side is among the hardest dub side I know (a tuffer than tuff dub to "Play Fool Fe Get Wise" and another one using Bunny Lee's cut to Satta). The secong and the third ones are said to be also very strong.

These dubs (and some additionnal ones) were esissue in 1993 by Esoldun in at least two sets misscredited to Tubby: "Shinning Dub"
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1241
which I have and contains some overlap with the Star pressing and an other one(s) which name(s) escape me.

Culture Press reissue some of them few years later and credited them to Tubby (and even Perry, I Think). Few years ago, Fatman issued them on his label and this year Auralux offers a reissue with bonus tracks of the Fatman vs Crucial Bunny set.

All this was discussed in extensive form on the BAF forum. Pure reggae business playing on alternative names given to tunes and the tubby's fame.

At the time the original dubs were done for Fatman, Tubby didn't mixed by himself anymore, except very few cases (i.e. some Yabby You prod).

wareika

Impressive knowledge.

I stand corrected.

No argueing with Wareika, he knows his stuff!!

Maybe Wareika will tell us how he knows all this stuff? WHO are you Wareika?

But now I am even more confused!!!

I too have the Fatman Dub Contest, and on the strength of that LP (and yes, it is HARD) I had been seeking out Fatman Riddim Section stuff under the impression they were the same thing.

I also have Twin Spin Vol 1 (also called First, Second and Third generation of Dub) this on the Fatman label - is this the repress and same sounds as this? :

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1345

This is credited to the Mighty Fat Man and credited as published by by Ken Songs. Is that as in Ken Gordon?

So who, or what, is the Fatman Riddim section?

OK, I check the track listing on my FATMAN repress of 1st 2nd 3rd gen of dub, it is the same track listing as

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/1345

so I must be the same. (just cost a lot less as the original get expensive now!)

More about Fatman Hi-Fi, heavyweight roots soundsystem.

http://www.uncarved.org/dub/splash/fatman.html

http://www.uncarved.org/dub/splash/ribs.html

Fatman Riddim Section is made up around the Lewis Brothers, Roger & Ian, of Inner Circle fame. Much of their recorded output is based around their work with Inner Circle, many of the dub albums coming out under Fatman Riddim Section. They seem to have had a relationship with the Top Ranking label, as much of their work was released on this label.

There is a listing for them:
http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/282

Papa D