| PROFILES................................................. CONTROL TOWER ALL STARS | ||
| Fred aka The Dub Machinist | version française clicker... ici | |
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Fred has been member active of UZINADUB crew since its creation in 1998. Besides being a great cooker, he's also a riddim killer and a famous dubmixer inna king tubby style!! and became "The Dub Machinist". Strictly dubwise, no compromise! he makes riddims and dubplates for soundsystems and dub addicts. From kinshasha to cosmos.. via Control Towa. Since 2005 we recorded and mixed at the Control Towa lot of riddims from Fred Machinist like the "stepper anthem" featuring Carlton Livingston, first release from Control Tower Records. Many more and new dub productions from the machinist are ready to be released and will be available soon in his first album: "World Wide Dub", produced by Control Tower Records. Don't forget this name! stay tuned. check this link-> http://www.myspace.com/thedubmachinist also check-> www.uzinadub.com |
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| Brother Baptist aka I-Tist | ||
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Brother Baptist has collaborated with the crews Uzinadub, Webcam HiFi and Equal Brothers Sound. Powaful MC with the energy of the lion, producer and dub mixer talentuous, supporter of parts..3, 4, 5, 6!! This man is ever ready to share his rage of life and his love of music. I-Tist signed numerous riddims and mixes at Control Towa studio , and produced the singers Carlton Livingston and Mighty Cricket, big tunes still unreleased.. Lots of his dubplates like the "washington", the "jah loving" or the "sufferers" are played by big names of the Uk scene like Iration Steppas, Jah Tubbys and many others.. In 2009 we're waiting with impatience the first releases of I-Tist, notably on Control Tower Records and his own label.. stay tuned! check this link-> http://www.myspace.com/itistdub also check-> www.uzinadub.com |
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| Tooney Roots [I-PLANT] | ||
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Pluri-instrumentalist and addict to reggae since early age, Tooney begins music around 15 years old, and has been quickly interested in Dub music. In 1999, he joined the reggae band WOODBLOCK and built a studio in Arpajon. They play dub every days and Tooney records everything on a old tape recorder with 2 fx like mac guyver! STRICTLY DUBWISE!! Mixtapes auto produced : "inna fire dub vol.1 & vol.2". In 2001: he moves to Libourne (near Bordeaux). Tooney plays and mixes his dubz on a synthetiser sequencer : the MIDI years!! formation of the FREEDUB FIGHTERS Band, with Patoch´rock, Antoine and Raph. In 2004: born I PLANT Concept, with Patoch as guitarist: live DUB ! DROP TO STEP HAFFI PLAY!! He realised the CD demo "all style dub " and numerous riddims... he also collaborates with the jamaican singer Ganja Tree. In 2005: creates the label I-Grow Records, he also meets Sirhill from the Control Towa studio where Tooney will produce there the first I-PLANT's 10 inch vinyl. Closely linked together, they produce the Holy Vibe riddim for the Uk singer Marga (2nd release of Control Tower label CTR002 10"). Tooney is an incredible musician and sound engineer: he got his own studio now and he's working to produce the I-Plant album with some vocals. Respect. check this link -> www.igrowrecords.com also check -> http://myspace.com/dubiplant |
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| Cyrill aka Sirhill | ||
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In 1998, Sirhill meets Fred Machinist. Together, they created the Uzinadub crew quickly joined by their brothers Lee Yann, Koniks, Mousaka, Alex et Baptist. After numerous years on the roads, in Dances and Studios as operator, selector, sound ingeneer and promoter for "Uzina", Sirhill opened in 2005 his own studio in Bordeaux (fr) under the roof of a 3 floor building with the real appearance of a tower. The inner vibrations brought the inspiration to create a concept for a new label specialised in dub music: Control Tower was given life! Since then he runs the label and studio bringing his experience and offering opportunities for many producers, singers, artists, musicians and soundmen to use the studio and produce numerous riddims, vocals and dubplates. For three years, the Control Towa has become a meeting spot for exchanges and productions in the "bordelais" reggae scene and further beyond even. A few singles are available on this label and many other projects are awaiting to be pressed. Stay tuned! During 2008, Cyrill choosed to quit Bordeaux, the tower and has closed his studio... for a while ! A page has been turned but a new chapter is still to be written... Don't worry, works are still in progress. He's on mission for dub music. Respect. check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/controltowerrecords also check -> www.uzinadub.com |
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| to read ControlTowa interview by Reggae-Bordeaux.com, click here | ||
*** SPECIAL GUESTS at CONTROL TOWA *** |
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| Muzikal Ben | version française clicker... ici | |
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Apparently quiet and peacefuff, Muzikal Ben is a talentuous and complete artist, as much as singer that as roots or heavy dub riddims composer. He's still few known but his dubplates however are run and played by many sound systems. During 2006, he has recorded and mixed two riddims at the control towa studio: "Duppy dub" (heavy, heavy dubwise!!) available on Control Tower records (CTR003) and played by Iration Steppas, OBF and many heavy sound systems.. The second riddim "Master of Works" will go out soon on the future label of Equal Brothers with a tune of Ras Daniel Ray and another by Muzikal Ben himself. Stay tuned! Respect. check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/muzikalben and also check -> www.equalbrothers.com |
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| Humble-I | ||
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When Humble-I arrived in Bordeaux in 2002, he already got a long way in the reggae music scene... Humble-I is born in Jamaica. Kid he migrates in England where he'll make grow up his passion for singing in his church´s choir. Later he discovers the reggae and engages himself in the production, working with Mad Professor, The Twinkle Brothers, Black Steel, Mickey Zim and Jerry Lions. Humble-I likes to sing and moreover got the feeling to transmit to the audience his positive energy by his enthusiasm and consious lyrics. When he arrived in France, he met Sirhill in studios of Bordeaux and called him for voicing works. In 2004, Humble records the tune "looking for my way" for Uzinadub album (finally unreleased). In 2005, he is one of the first to use the Control Towa room recording. Lot of tunes of Humble have been recorded and mixed by several producers like The Dub Machinist, I-Tist, Webcam-hifi and Weeding Dub. There are enough to be gathered in one album ... the project of Humble-i album is still under construction .. and will be released by Control Tower Records. We are on mission my bredda!! RESPECT HUMBLE-I. Reprezent Rasta ina Bordeaux city pressure! BiG singer!! check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/humblehi |
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| Carlton Livingston | ||
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legendary jamaican reggae singer, Carlton started singing around 1978 in soundsystems with Lone Ranger and for the famous Studio One Label.
Since Carlton Livingston is still working in the reggae music and keep up the good works. read Carlton's biography here-> http://carltonlivingston.ipowa.com In novembre 2005, Eric aka Homeless from Black Catalog introduces Carlton to us. He's stayed few days at the Control Towa studio and has recorded the famous tune "stepper anthem", first release of Control Tower Records. RESPECT. check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/carltonlivingston |
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| Romain aka Weeding Dub | ||
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Weeding Dub is an activist since long time. After several demos and apparitions in compilations like: Digital Park, Dub Excursion, Dub in France...
He united on a Lp vinyl some dubs, born of musical and human meetings. This first album "steppactivism" (Sounds Around label)
ina stepper and conscious style was released in 2004 with famous featuring like Manutension, Naima from Dubians, Neil "Zion Train" Perch and Steve Vibronics. In 2006, at a wedding time in the french dub family, Weeding Dub met the Uzinadub crew. The both are already appreciating each other musically since long time, now they are going to kown themselves humanly. His open mind, his motivation and the desire to share his love of music will contribute to build a strong dublink between Lille and Bordeaux. He is going to find in the bordelaise dub school (I*D*S, Dubrowsers, Humble-i, Control Towa and others...) material to feed his recorder and desk. End of 2007, he comes some weeks in bordeaux, long nights spent to voice Humble-i at the Control Towa. He records a melodica cut for the next 12 inch of Control Tower Records (CTR003). It's the beginning to a fertile collaboration wich will make born in 2009 a 10 inch single and a LP vinyl (featuring Humble-i and Yt) on CTR. It's also the occasion for the label to open up to others productions after his moving from Bordeaux. Stay tuned! Heavy Weight release is coming next soon! Respect Weeding Dub. check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/weedingdub |
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| Parvez aka The Dub Factory | ||
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Parvez, known as, "The Dub Factory" was born in Birmingham (UK), with his roots in Pakistan. "As an Asian living in a multi-cultural area of Leicester I had a variety of influences as a youth. Reggae was the main music at that time. The big basslines echoed off the walls day and night and just became part of my life". Parvez created The Dub Factory sound in the 90's and released LPs and 12". "My main objective now is to take reggae music into another dimension. Roots reggae music is my heart and soul and that is what I will put into all my future albums (...). I am an Asian from an Eastern Land, Making roots music for every nation, Whether your black, white, Chinese or Indian, I, have the rhythm to conquer everyone...." Now Parvez works with Steve Vibronics and records some tunes for Scoop Records. in November 2006, Parvez came to Bordeaux for a show with Vibronics. They stayed one day more to do some works in the studio. We recorded 2 tunes and dubplates like "Mr Bossman" previous to release by CTR on 12". We had a good time with Parvez, Steve and Madu at the Control Towa. Raspek. check this link-> http://www.myspace.com/thedubfactory also check-> www.vibronics.co.uk |
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| Gilou aka Mighty Cricket | ||
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Singer, selector and entertainer... born in New-Caledonia, Gilou aka the Mighty Cricket (nickname given to him by Spider man of the legendary Jah Observer sound) started in 2004 as selector
involved in many sounds across the city of Lille like Chalice, Move Dem Hi-Fi, Coptic sound, Weeding dub, Meli'ktennya Rockers and Tomaski. The latest really observed his singing abilities and got Gilou involved in doing his first songs. Mighty Cricket is really involved in his local dub scene being a real activist. Always there to vibrate with his low-tone voice as he grabs the mic in sessions, he brings forward his native kanak energy that he delivers in a his deep style. In 2006, after a dance organised by Musical Riot in Marseille, Fred Machinist, I-Tist and Sirhill got in connection with Mighty Cricket. Gilou wasn't long to drop his lyriks on the heavy selections played by the crew from the Tower! The feeling was there and they came together finding themselves tuned to the same channel! After the dance, the brothers decided not to quit like that and they organised a voicing session. Few weeks later Gilou was reaching the Control Towa studio.. With the help of Baptist, he dropped the song "Jah is so good" on a Dub Machinist stepper riddim ordered by the upcoming label of Musical Riot crew. The bridge between Lille and Bordeaux was set. Highly motivated to be part of the productive and collective spirit of the Control Tower, he's regularly there. We present him to our local activists and the dubplates or voicing sessions are going to be many. I-Tist and Mighty are producing together the song "Iron Lion" for the Control Tower label. Humble-I is also writing and directing him on the interpretation of a couple texts. Respect Tonton. check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/mightycricket |
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| Rico O.B.F | ||
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Nuff Respect for Rico, Guillaume, Stef and the whole OBF crew in Geneva... Real dub warriors building a solid foundation: Original *Bass* Fondation. Large UP!! In 2004, OBF invited Uzinadub to come play in the "Hotel Kalifornia" Squat in Geneva... it was a big dance! A real and authentic meeting!!! We will never forget it and eversince then we have are binded together as brothers of sound. During the 2006 summer, we got in touch once more with Rico in the Ja'Sound Festival. We brought him back to the Towa to compose and mix a riddim in the OBF dub style! dark side!! Another dubplate for sound systems! Since three years, OBF has taken roots in Geneva's famous and mythical venue called "Le Zoo", where every two months they set up their dances: DUBQUAKE. They have become with their positive energy and their oversized sound system established in the dub bizness playing and providing sound for the "Dub Stations" in Paris. check this link -> www.obfdub.net also check -> http://www.myspace.com/obfdubsoundsystem |
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| Marga [Reality Shock] | ||
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Jamaican singer based in UK, MARGA give dem conscious lyrics and pon the Holy Vibe riddim .......i see dem go round dehhhhhhhhhh.....pull up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiGG Tune!!! Give thanks to Kemist Kris, Marga & all Reality Shock Crew to make da fi real... Outernational Music for In'In'I... I see dem go round deh, I move with dem I groove with dem, righteousness... I see dem go round deh, With pure badness Dem tings deh I cant comprehend... Me prefer Reality Shock, We sit down & mek nuff tracks, Cos we music’s not abusing & its just like that..now we link ControlTower & now we get the power Fi bun dem every minute every hour Marga has been involved in music from an early age. Over the years he has recorded with producers such as Jazwad, Ruffcut & Mungo's HiFi & has toured extensively in Europe & America. Marga is most famous for hit tunes such as "Walk like a Jamaican". With too many years in the business to count, Marga is still going strong & is currently working on a new album with Reality Shock Records. check this link -> www.realityshock.com also check -> http://www.myspace.com/margadread |
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| Fredread aka Webcam hi-fi | ||
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WEBCAM HI-FI is a project leaded by Fredread since 1999. Fred lives close to the nature in a wooden house nested in the countryside
that he built by himself somewhere on top of a hill. Thats where he located is studio. He's a real rootsman, simple and generous. In 2005 Sirhill met with Fredread who was just launching his Tube Dub Sound label. The feeling rose quickly and they shared alot, helping each other to develop their labels. When Carlton Livingston came to the Control Towa studio, Fredread voiced him also. The tune "hotta fire bun" will come out next year on a 10" on his label. Since then, a close relation started between Fredread and the various artists of the Control Towa. He met there with Humble-I & I-Tist and you can see them performing live. He worked with Tooney Roots and they produced 3 vynil singles. He's also often in the Tower, voicing songs with Humble-I like "can't keep i down". Recently, Fred Machinist made a step to Fredread's Huge Studio to mix one of the riddim due to come out on a Webcam Hi-Fi album. Respect Fredread the rootsman from the hill. check this link -> www.webcamhi-fi.com also check -> http://www.myspace.com/webcamhifi |
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| Patoch' [I-Plant] | ||
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Patoch is a professional winemaker but also and essentially a great muted guitar player. With his bredrin Tooney they form the duet I-Plant. Patoch is the official guitarist for the Control Towa studio. He also recorded for Fred Machinist, Muzikal Ben, I-Plant & Humble-I productions. Respect check this link -> www.igrowrecords.com |
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| Gilles aka Xilà de Barca | ||
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Gilles is a spanish (Cataluna) guitar player specialised in "farucca" (a style that can be related to "flamenco"). He lives in Barcelona since many years. But everytime he comes to Bordeaux, this reggae afficionado never misses to bring his guitar and share some musical vibes in the Control Towa. During one of those sessions, Xilà dropped a theme on a Fred Machinist riddim... el farucca cut! Discover it soon on The Dub Machinist album. Si Senõr! |
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| Mykal Roze [Black Uhuru] | ||
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Formerly lead singer and member of the legendary vocal trio produced by Sly & Robbie in the 80's known as Black Uhuru, Mykal Roze as also gained a personal career becoming known as the Grammy Kid
after striking the Reggae world with his uncountable hits during three decades. During his international carreer he became author of hits songs like "Guess who's coming to Dinner", "shine eye girl", "sinsemillia"
and so many others. His singing style and gimmicks gave him an unique recognition that many tried to follow... but none achieved to pattern. He's definitely unique. During the summer 2006 Mykal Roze passed in Bordeaux and thru the connection of Miss Lou, he was introduced into our studio. After a dubplate session, he keenly listened to the riddims under work at the Towa and felt a vibe with this studio and sound quality. Inspiration came quickly and he started to sing. The day after he came back to the studio and licked in a "one shot" style a massive tune on a Dub Machinist riddim. Stay tuned cause this production is due to be released in 2009 on the Control Tower label. Another anthem for the dancefloors... Respect! check this link-> http://www.myspace.com/mykalrose1 |
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| Miss Lou | ||
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Reggae radio dj number 1 in Bordeaux since 10 years now! This woman upkeeps Reggae on top in her heart. Miss Lou is passionated in Reggae and she invest uncontable energy in keeping it alive and on the air. She developped throughout the years a solid network of contacts and friendships with numerous jamaican, uk and french artists. Miss Lou barely never missed a dubplate session in the Control Towa. Her presence and feeling has always been helpfull to make the artists feel at home in the studio. People like Alpheus (Studio One) or the legendary Mykal Roze (Black Uhuru) came through her connection. Thanks Sista, Control Towa is your home. Respect. check this link -> http://www.myspace.com/missloureggae |
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| Eric aka Homeless [Black Catalog] | ||
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In 2003, during the distribution of Uzinadub first singles, Sirhill met with Eric in Paris. Being in direct connection with London's studios, being also specialised in importing and distributing reggae across France, he helped us to open the gates of the UK market. With his help, the first Uzinadub releases reached Reggae Vendor shop and appeared into the ErnieB or David Slayen (aka Dubwise) catalogs. When Control Tower started, the collaboration grew and became stronger reaching another stage when Eric introduced us with Carlton Livingston for the making of the "Stepper Anthem". He's really a not to be missed personality and activist in the Reggae business with his Black Catalog company, not to mention also the label Reggaexplorer. He's also involved in solid projects with his bredda Manjul. Respect. check this link -> www.blackcatalog.com also check -> http://www.myspace.com/blackcatalog |
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| Nuff RESPECT to: | ||
| GIVE THANKS AND BIG RESPECT TO ALL WHO CAME TO WORK AT THE CONTROL TOWA AND SHARE THE GOOD VIBRATIONS: sista Sophie, Dub "lee" Yann & The Spiritual dub Warriors, Natty Breakz crew: Gary Clunk, Hatman and Fighta, Weeda aka Jah Militant, Meekman Radix, Marmotte, Ras José, Julien roots brother, sista Mawie, Hagar and Jé selecta Tuff always ready for a dubplates session, Bandolero bad boys: Carlito, Biga and Yanoush, M'Balo and Jacob from Guiding Stars, Paul from Sankombine, Marie, B Roy, Helène, Céline, Maeva, les collègues de chantier: Yann and Loran, the neighbourgs, Cécile, Yak and Mac Leod, Oliva from BBJ, Alton Elis (r.i.p), Max Roméo, Alpheus, Tonto Irie, Blackmann, Madu and Steve Vibronics, Mikey Dread and Ras Kayleb from Channel One, Julian from MusicalRiot, Mousaka, Mahogany, So, Cathy, Linda and Beauty, JB from Equal Brothers, Knarf & Maria from I*Dub*Sound, Stef d'OBF, la mifa béninoise: BX-POLE and Diamant Noir, Cotonou City Crew, Carter, Alex and Nico koniks, Allan, Dan-I, Rootystep and MacGyver from Stand High Patrol, Charly, Melane, Kadijah, Hervé Maki, Ben Karma, I-M@n, Félipé, Thierry Sounds Around, Tomah, Ben I-dren, Rémi and ReggaeBx.com, Véro & Elodie, Saïda, les frères de TightenUp, Bruno RastaVibes, Ben Levy, Man-i seb, Terror Poupoune. All the many we forgot to mention forgive us... they are in our hearts. NUFF RESPECT to those who never came at the Towa and that we're still waiting for: Stout, Kemist Kris, DubSoljah and all our bredrins, contacts & supporters. |
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| stay tuned, Control Towa II ...is coming soon, seen! | ||