Sunday, July 19, 2009

MAKING JAH LAUGH...

MAKING JAH LAUGH...
MESSIAN DREAD PERSONAL UPDATE JULY 19, 2009



WWW, July 2009 - After having been unable to update the site for a week or so, I finally found the opportunity to write a personal update in which I hope to be able to share something about the things I went through these last times, as well as my current status.

This is not easy: how to share some private things without touching the privacy of others around me, and myself? I have to do it, though. For when private matters have such an influence that I am unable to update the Dubroom as I hope to do, I feel I have to share some things still.

I'm usually quite reluctant in sharing things about my private life, especially when this involves other people around me. Loved ones, friends, family, where none of them have anything to do with the Dubroom persay. A few instances wherein loved ones around me were personally harassed, threatened and insulted because my online works made me come to that decision.

Usually, I manage to separate my private life and that of the loved ones around me from the works I do in and on the Dubroom. By working ahead, sometimes even a month, I managed to balance between traveling to and from a different continent several times, where I was unable to update the website because of other obligations.

I've been in this situation for a long time. When I was here, in the Netherlands, I worked hard to get the Dubroom ready for the times I would be abroad. The rest of my time was completely livicated to a personal and private matter, in which I've had a lot of intense and learning experiences.

Woody Allen once said: "If you wanna make God laugh, tell Him about your plans". I definitely had other plans than Jah, for flying airplanes and facing all these absurd security and immigration issues isn't really one of my hobbies. I thought I would be spending a few years building up a studio right here, but instead I would have an experience that I will never forget.

That particular experience has recently, very recently I might add, come to an end. Fortunately, I will no longer have to take the plane and I can, Jah willing, start to build further here, locally, in the Dubroom.

Things have been hectic like never before, especially the last few weeks. Things which I had expected to happen in the beginning of May, suddenly all came down around the middle of July. Important meetings, unforeseeable complications, I could hardly face the things I had to face.

All of this resulted in the fact that I was simply unable to even leave a message on the Dubroom saying something like I am saying in this update. I would wake up, start to deal with the situations about 20 minutes after, and I would be dealing, worrying and praying for the rest of the day, until I would go to sleep.

This stress has really taken it's toll now that once again I have seen how Jah is in control. I see Him controlling everything. I see Him working on me to make me realize I should fear Him, that I am depending on Him, and also: that He wants to use me.

I was very much unsure, as on one hand I feared Jah and hoped that the things I did were His will, where on the other hand I knew I needed to trust Jah too. I discovered to a much deeper level, where that fear and trust would actually meet in the spiritual spectrum of things: it is within His will.

I made a lot of plans, and I made Jah laugh about them all the time. I see that in retrospect. I see, how He is in control and does things His own way. It's not about me doing a thing for Jah at all, and so I realized I had to let go the idea that I could plan anything that can be considered the Will of Jah.

These last times, I faced what seemed to be unovercomeable problems and obstacles many times. Every time I thought I found a way out, that door was closed. And indeed: every time, another door opened. Supernaturally, even.

It was not, that I did not believe that Jah can and will interfere directly and obviously for those with eyes to see. I mean, just take a look at the universe: would the Creator be unable to fulfill His will? That in itself is so ridiculous that I don't even wanna go further commenting to that idea.

It was this: I was very much afraid, that I was not doing Jah will at all! As people encouraged me to trust Jah, I said to myself: "How can I trust Jah to do what I prayed for when I'm not sure if it is what He wants in the first place?"

Jah showed me, however, to step out of myself as it were. He showed me, that in all the things I was involved in, I was actually not doing my own things at all! Sure, I made plans and all that, but most of them turned out to be kind of absurd when I see in retrospect just how the problems I faced were actually solved. No, He gradually showed me how He was using me in a thing that was much bigger, a thing that has to do with His will.

More and more, I realized how I was more of a witness than an actual participant with own initiatives. I went through the belly of the beast several times, just to hear how that beast could do nothing but bark. In the valley of shadows, I feared evil no more as I saw how Jah was with me showing me more of His enormous power.

Jah doesn't give any (wo)man more than (s)he can bear. I can testify this to the max. Just a week ago, I was at end of my ability to absorb anything. I had kind of lost most of my energy, even to the extend that eating and drinking became too difficult!

I had one thing left, which was: trust. Trusting in Jah. Trusting, that He would simply do His will in front of my eyes where me I could do nothing but realizing my own inabilities. I feared Jah because I knew that my will is irrelevant when it comes to Jah's will, but I learned that I had to trust in the fact that indeed, Jah Will Be Done.

Now that I saw just a little bit about how His will is done, I'm moving forward from the valley of shadows to the green pastures where I am being made to lay down as He comforts my soul and gives me strength.

I just found the strength to write this update. Yes, that's how bad it was. And yes, that's how Good Jah is! He taught me some crucial lessons and now He makes me to lay down for a while so I can meditate over everything that has happened.

I know, that I need some time to recover physically. I hope, that I can be able to do some things somewhere within the next two weeks. In the meantime, I hope you'll stay with me as I try to answer correspondence, work on some interesting material, et cetera.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread

Thursday, July 2, 2009

SUMMER SIMMER

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Dubroom Online, Edition July 2 - 10 2009


"SUMMER SIMMER" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, July 2 2009 - To make an edition of Dubroom Online, it takes about 6 hours on average. That's excluding all the site maintenance, communications, long-term projects et cetera.

So, yes, it takes more than an average work day for the Dubroom to keep everything running.

Since I've got a lot of things to do in the Outernet currently, I wish I would have these six hours to sit down and produce the columns and items, but I simply don't have them right now and the worst is that I do not really know when that time will be available in the future.

Am I talking about the end of the Dubroom?

No way.

But I am talking about an uncertain time when it comes to me being able to update the Dubroom daily. A period which could well take up over a month.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

TOMMY MC COOK (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

Click For More

WWW, July 2009 - Saxophonist and founding member of the Skatalites, Tommy Mc Cook (Havana, 1927) has been involved in the development of Reggae Music throughout the decades. His musical education at the famous Alpha Boys School brought him a career which lasted until his death in 1998, as he spiced up the sound as part of a horn section.


WHAT'S AHEAD? (DUBROOM IN-SITE 17)

Click For More

WWW, July 2009 - As mentioned in the Webmaster Column in recent editions of Dubroom Online, it's kind of quiet in the Dubroom at the moment due to Outernet activities which takes up a lot of time and energy at the moment. Still, there's something interesting ahead as well.

WHAT'S AHEAD?

WHAT'S AHEAD?
DUBROOM IN-SITE 17

read on Dubroom Website



WWW, July 2009 - As mentioned in the Webmaster Column in recent editions of Dubroom Online, it's kind of quiet in the Dubroom at the moment due to Outernet activities which takes up a lot of time and energy at the moment. Still, there's something interesting ahead as well.

Somewhere next week, Jah Willing, the Dubroom will publish a conversation between Messian Dread and David Pablo, an online artist who -like yours truly- has some pretty strong opinions and observations about the (online) Reggae artist community.

In the last few weeks, we have been working on this and we hope to publish it somewhere next week.

That publication could very well be the only publication in this month, next to the edition of Dubroom Online that came out today (about 12 hours late, too). Things are very hectic in the Outernet Dubroom as one period is flowing into the next. It might take a while before everything is a bit settled and some serious work in the Dubroom Studio can begin.

Fortunately, it's summer time which means that many people have Outernet business to attend.

So, what's ahead?

In short, without mentioning private details which are rather irrelevant to mention at this place, an uncertain period for the website.

Uncertain, in the sense that at this moment it is not really clear just when things have settled and some new serious work can begin. In the end, though, we hope that we've got the studio ready for session artists and record riddims in a new style and sound.

At this point, it seems like it might take at least a month before it's possible to produce musical works and write reviews and articles et cetera. It takes about 6 hours work to produce a Dubroom Online edition with a column and -usually- two items, and that time is simply not available at this moment.

In spite of all of this, I do wish everyone who reads this a blesseth time to come. Your prayers are appreciloved!

One Love, Give Thanks
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

SEE YOU IN JULY!

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Dubroom Online, Edition June 18 - July 1 2009


"SEE YOU IN JULY!" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, June 18 2009 - I got some very important news yesterday. Actually, I was waiting for that news since the first day of last May.

I can't really say too much about it, if only because it has to do with some personal and private affairs and unrelated to the Dubroom.

But when everything goes the way I and I hope and pray that it goes, it will mean a giant step forward in my personal life which will have an enormous positive effect on the Dubroom as well.

I do need to spend a lot of time in the Outernet, though, and will therefore not be able to update the site every day.

In the meantime, enjoy some free music, among which is a little Dub I made, or step by in the Dubroom Message Boards.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

MESSIAN DREAD - A CASE OF CULTURE (DUBROOM STAR SELECTIONS RELEASE)

click

This Steppers DUB track starts with and contains some crucial percussion. The Drum and Bass are massive, and the echo machines don't rest. Not even when all the instruments drop and the percussion only comes through via a heavy phaser.

Too technical? Possible.

In the case of DUB, one can speak about a technique, an Art, and a Culture even. A Culture where technique and Art are interchangeable, where technique is applied to express the soul.

DUB is definitely... A Case Of Culture!



THE HEATWAVE (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, June 2009 - They're much more than "just" a collective of producers and DJ's hailing from the UK (London and Bristol, to be exact) releasing some very interesting material on their more than excellent website.

The Heatwave collective play it's regular gigs in Europe and the UK, writes it's articles and releases it's CD's, has very interesting people working alongside, the list goes on.

click



MESSIAN DREAD - A CASE OF CULTURE

MESSIAN DREAD - A CASE OF CULTURE
DUBROOM STAR SELECTIONS RELEASE

click for cover art and more



This Steppers DUB track starts with and contains some crucial percussion. The Drum and Bass are massive, and the echo machines don't rest. Not even when all the instruments drop and the percussion only comes through via a heavy phaser.

Too technical? Possible.

In the case of DUB, one can speak about a technique, an Art, and a Culture even. A Culture where technique and Art are interchangeable, where technique is applied to express the soul.

DUB is definitely... A Case Of Culture!

THE HEATWAVE

THE HEATWAVE
DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW

CLICK FOR MP3 AND MORE



WWW, June 2009 - They're much more than "just" a collective of producers and DJ's hailing from the UK (London and Bristol, to be exact) releasing some very interesting material on their more than excellent website.

The Heatwave collective play it's regular gigs in Europe and the UK, writes it's articles and releases it's CD's, has very interesting people working alongside, the list goes on.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

REGGAE, MY STORY (3)

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Dubroom Online, Edition June 17 2009


"REGGAE, MY STORY (3)" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, June 17 2009 - Unlike most people, it was not Bob Marley through which I got my first Reggae injection. In fact, it took me a long time before I would even start to overstand just what Bob Marley was up to.

When I started to enjoy the music, just after discovering it in the early 1980's, I was struggling against my strong Christian upbringing which had -as I saw it back then- deprived me from so much.

I was in my early teens and definitely not ready to accept the fact that the Creator did not need no building so to speak, so I figured that I was basically dumped in this creation, a creation created by a Creator Who simply did not want me to be who I am, even though He was said to have created me.

This whole -rather crazy- idea was totally chanted down in the years I was about to live, and discover Reggae.

And Rasta.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

DREAD AT THE CONTROLS PART FIVE: DJ STYLE (DUBROOM PODCAST REVIEW)

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WWW, June 2009 - In the one-before-the-last episode of the Dread At The Controls Podcast, Mikey Dread takes us to the Jamaican DJ's of the 1970's, and explains all about the culture that brought us the Sound Systems and Dub Plates and all the rest.

DON CARLOS - PROPHECY (DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW)

click

WWW, June 2009 - In the year 1987, Rub a Dub Music was still very much the style of the time, even though we already had the Sleng Teng revolution.

Six outstanding discomixes, sung by one of the most heartical Reggae singers of all time. Another Don Carlos showcase album you simply can't refuse even though the album seems to be out of print.

DON CARLOS - PROPHECY

DON CARLOS - PROPHECY
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW

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WWW, June 2009 - In the year 1987, Rub a Dub Music was still very much the style of the time, even though we already had the Sleng Teng revolution.

Six outstanding discomixes, sung by one of the most heartical Reggae singers of all time. Another Don Carlos showcase album you simply can't refuse even though the album seems to be out of print.

Prophecy contains a number of truly heartfelt titles. Crucial Situation, Prophecy, and the more than penetrating Jah Hear My Plea are reasons alone to try and purchase this album, if you can still find it.

The message is crucial, and the way Don Carlos sings the message makes it impossible to not be touched in one way or another. Especially the fact that there's some DUB niceness in the second part of each track (after all, it's a showcase album) enhances the vibe of the tunes significantly.

Originally, the vinyl album was released in 1987. That was a time wherein Rub a Dub was slowly being replaced with ragga/dancehall as the popular music in Jamaica. Nothing of that on this one, though. This is played by a band, mixed crucially and of course accompanied by the great voice of one of the original singers of Black Uhuru.

There's a thing, though...

Indeed, the album seems to be out of print and that means you got to look for it. If you're living in the US, though, you can get the MP3's of this document of Rub a Dub niceness for a few cents.

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