Five years ago we told the story of Subdub. 21 years of Subdub. We spoke with Mark Iration and Sgt. Pokes to hear about the origins, the journey, and the birth of a new genre which found itself a home outside of London at Subdub, Leeds. Many legendary stories have occurred over the years. This Saturday Subdub celebrate 26 years at Beaverworks with more rooms than ever. Below is our interview from 2019.
UK underground music is an integral part of growing up British. In the 2000’s bass influenced music blew up and the UK mainstream embraced it, from the radio to the movies it featured where it once did not and eventually impacted on the US and then the world.
You most likely will have been introduced to one of the many UK bass influenced genres at a young age by older brothers, sisters or friends. You may have only been familiarised to it when making the big move to a metropolitan thriving with fresh music. One thing is for certain, if you are reading this magazine it is almost guaranteed that you have come across it at some point, and if by slim chance you haven’t, then you are now.
If you are obsessed with the music and its surrounding culture then there is no doubt you have experienced or heard about, the Jerusalem of the UK underground music scene that is Subdub. People often make the pilgrimage from as far as Bristol, London and Scotland for just one night. In some circumstances people have crossed borders to experience Subdub.
We spoke with Mark Iration, from Iration Steppas, the resident sound system at Subdub since its first event in 1998, and Sgt. Pokes who became a part of the Subdub journey since Dubstep first ventured out of London to the West Indian Centre in Chapeltown, Leeds in 2005. We go through the foundation, the transitions, it's impact on others along with Iration Steppas parallel journey and how Iration Steppas has grown alongside Subdub.
Subdub started 21 years ago in the 90s at a venue called the Think Tank, which is now named the Wire. This is why Mark Iration enjoys still doing Subdub sessions at The Wire as he still remembers going there where it first started with two stacks with a total of 8 bass bins.
Early on in Mark Iration's career, he had a regular booking at the Checkpoint in Bradford during the 80s. He credits this night as his training ground where he learnt how to control a crowd whilst playing a variety of music.
“It was supposed to be a dub thing but it ended up been house, dub, lovers, rubadub, I ended up playing for Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds like a Yorkshire thing. When I look back at it that's how I learnt to be a DJ, because I used to use turntables, no Technics, just normal belt-drive and needle, boom bam, and that's how I learnt to talk on the microphone, between music because you had no choice because you had massive gaps between tunes and that was a massive influence for me to be who I am now.”
Following this he became the main resident sound at a night called Sound System on Briggate, Leeds and also a night called Dub Me Crazy in Bradford with Rootsman, when Simon Scott approached him about doing a night called Subdub.
“Simon asked me to do this Subdub thing and I said “Yeah why not” because back then you were hungry and you had to do what you could. So he offered and we did and it worked. Obviously it started off small with 40 people, then 100 people then it started getting bigger and bigger” Mark Iration
At this point Subdub had to move from the Think Tank to the renowned West Indian Centre to accommodate the growing demand. Iration Steppas would introduce 3 stacks of speakers in the big room, inviting big dub acts of the time. Zion Train, Mad Professor, Blakamix and the Disciples were just some of these big acts at the time who were invited to play off the Iration Steppas Sound System, and eventually after that other sound systems were invited to play in the West Indian Centre. What followed for Subdub and Iration Steppas was over two decades of influencing UK underground culture, and inspiring many other musicians and promoters to follow in their footpaths.
“When it first started really and truly you don’t really expect success, you just expect to do it for fun and play music for the people. We didn’t expect it to be as big as it is, and in fact to be a teacher to all these other nights that are coming up now like High Rise and other nights. We didn’t expect it to be a takeover and have other people coming and asking for advice, how do you do this, how do you do that. I'm proud of the longevity thing because dub is getting bigger and bigger and you can tell its getting bigger because I'm getting phone calls now from Peru, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Once you start getting calls like that, it's gone wild, its gone international because you never thought back in the 90s you were going to go Japan, Brazil, Peru or America.” Mark Iration
“I remember the first time I went to Japan, over 10 years ago, and that for me was one of my highlights, to get that call to go to Japan and that opened my eyes for a lot of things, to go to the far east, see how they agwan and it was like Subdub, all them people going crazy for it. There was a language barrier, well the music was talking, the music talked. Japan is a beautiful country and I advise anyone to go there.” Mark Iration
Mark Iration recalls one event early on in the Subdub journey entitled ‘The Worlds Biggest Dub Party’ where they brought Lee “Scratch Perry, Scientist, Mad Professor, and Zion Train to all come and play on the Iration Steppas Sound System.
“It was chocka block, absolute chocka block and we had to turn people away, and I think that opened people's eyes to what you can do if you do good promotion, and I think from there that's when Subdub started going up. That was the pinnacle, the temple when that happened then we started getting bigger acts from then, Twinkle Brothers, Jah Shaka, Johnny Clarke, Horace Andy, Michael Prophet, you name it, we've had them”
Subdub was now a rock of cultural significance which would not be moved. It is easy for some who have not experienced Subdub as just a successful music night, but the real success of Subdub is the impact it has had on the wider community, a celebration of integration and inclusion. An institution that promoted so many good values. Subdub has been a key part of so many people's lives and those people will support it religiously and defend it with pride, as if it was their football club, their tribe.
“Chapeltown was rough area in the 90s, people doing mad things, and now Chapeltown is humble again. You can go down there and queue and be humble and it's a zone for White, Asian, black, Chinese, Japan, all races, creeds and colours and Subdub has done that tell you the truth, Im born and bred in Chapeltown, lived here grew up here and know what happened, and I seen the doors open, and people coming out of town and even out of country flying coming to Subdub. That's when you know things agwan , because it's Leeds, not London, London will always be top venue because its London but Leeds is Leeds, and people starting to realise Leeds is a pretty place, it's not a dump, and it's a vast growing city now and people are starting to realise that. “Wow I didn't realise you had that” What do you mean you don’t know we had that going on like were cavemen or something? We got the best food shops up here, the best curry houses and the best fish and chips, so if you want to compete we’ll compete on that level there. Football teams not that good yet but we will get there, you know what I mean.” Mark Iration
In the early 2000s Iration Steppas were invited by Easy Dub Ducasse to cross the Channel into France, which they did and left a lasting mark. Easy Dub Ducasse were the first to bring any dub into France, then after them Musical Riot took over.
During this time Iration Steppas crafted a particular style of dub labelled the ‘year 3000’ style, in the High Rise Studios which became widely recognised for its experimental and forward-thinking yet spiritual vibe. This style led to a new age of producers all over the UK and France attempting to recreate that same musical atmosphere within their own music. Gentleman’s Dub Club, OBF and Kahn are just a few names who have declared Mark Iration as their influence.
Their sound system defines the title ‘Vanguard of Dub’ which is always trialling the newest Pre-Amps, speaker boxes and FX units.
“Iration Steppas has influenced nuff people to build sound systems, and play how we play and do or copy what we’re doing. You even now have Indica in foreign who has joined the Iration Steppas family of QSS, who are the best builders right now.” Mark Iration
This has all played a vital part in creating that Subdub identity which has become acknowledged by many as a unique experience, as well as the immense hardworking promotion to make each night a success.
“Simon Scott has influenced people to put good nights on for people because don’t forget we put nights on for the people, not for ourselves, it's for the people. So you have to have a good combination of the guest sounds and the night itself, like in London you have Aba Shanti-I is the resident sound of University of Dub and he brings two other sounds in, but then you got Iration Steppas and Subdub combination where we bring people in to play in our home, our temple, church. That's what Subdub has done for people and it's influenced nuff by making people put on nights to compete with Subdub all over the world.” Mark Iration
Mark Iration is always happy to share his pride that Subdub was the first of its kind to offer a two-room event. Funny to think, especially given that currently in this industry a dual room offering comes as standard, again Subdub is seen to have influence here.
Born as just a dub event, room two was first introduced at the West Indian Centre which became a haven for pioneering music. Although Mark Iration did have his concerns about some of the labels that were associated with this music..
“We had a back room and it wasn’t doing anything so we had some reggae DJs, and then eventually it went into Jungle and then Dubstep and whatever music was around and coming up. Simon had a hunch about what was coming up because he had a record shop, Tribe Records, and it made me laugh because Simon kept talking about this Dubstep and when I heard it I thought, ‘Dub’ ‘Step’ and I wasn't happy because I thought “there's no dub in that”. Then it got popular, I’m not knocking it, but I just don’t like the name ‘Dub’ that’s in any music that’s not dub. I've not heard a dubstep tune yet that sounds like dub. Dub to us is a mystical thing and it means Dub.” Mark Iration
At the turn of the millennium, Dubstep was created and for a while the sound could only be heard in London at events such as FWD and DMZ but in the early 2000’s Dubstep was taken to Subdub for the first time the new genre was taken out of London. Sgt Pokes was amongst the line up that brought Dubstep to Leeds and recalls his feelings.
“I don't think it was any more nerve wracking than any other shows- it was more a feeling of determination and I don't want to say pride, but a strong belief i think. We were all stood together, a unified sonic force who were fans of one another. It was definitely exciting though- knowing that we were going to play on that Iration Steppas rig, knowing what we were going to play on that rig! Anyone who was there that night knows about the structural damage that Loefah and Mark Iration did to the West Indian Centre when Loefah dropped "Ruffage", it was out of order. How's that gaff still standing!” Sgt Pokes
Of course this was an exciting time in UK underground music, and therefore Sgt Pokes has many fond memories of his trips to Subdub.
“Loefah dislodging most of the ceiling into everyone's drinks and that lump of roof that landed on the deck when he dropped Ruffage. Hijak and his friend hiding in the baggage hold of the coach back to London, one can only speculate on what was going on there. I remember fully trying to eat a plate of curry goat whilst Coki was playing one time. Actually i'm gonna turn that into a future Olympic sport. Just so you know, no one ever gets a medal in that game. Its proper hard.” Sgt Pokes
Subdub at that time was experiencing the pioneering days of something that grew to become an influence on global mainstream. As Sgt Pokes puts it, “It was a zeitgeist thing”.
“Lots of winding roads converged at that exact point at the exact right time. We didn't understand it then and it's kinda hard to explain now- but it was a perfect storm in the middle of the unknown - we'd never heard or felt anything like it and I believe for the most part no one had. Subdub is full to the brim with people who know where they are going and why- FWD some weeks would be 8 people all holding CDs to give out and Youngsta blazing a zoot. The next one was a queue down the street ,1 in 1 out and no real reason for why this one and not the one before. We just didn't know. What subdub and exodus have to do now is even harder - they have to keep the interest, maintain the energy and keep all of those people satisfied as well. From talking to heads at the dances, seems a lot of the students who end up in Leeds experience this as one of their first 'proper' parties. In that sense, personally for the individual it has that same wide eyed power that FWD and DMZ had, it was just that back then, everyone, new and old, was feeling like that. Luckily, it seems to me they're doing just that and smashing it to absolute smithereens! Big up Simon, Mark and all the team every time!” Sgt Pokes
Over two decades is a considerable amount of time, and a great achievement for any event, and Subdub is still alive and kicking even with attendees younger than the event itself. Over this time you would expect to see changes. One of the biggest changes to UK nightlife leisure culture came when the smoking ban was introduced in 2007. This had a huge impact on dub sessions across the country, where for many in the dance hall, smoking weed was a spiritual part of their night, where they could meditate and rock to the music, but this restriction influenced many of the "ghetto mandem" as Mark puts it from coming to the dance.
"they liked to roll up a spliff and go in a corner and do their thing because that was part of the music. From the 70s, 80s, that's what they have been doing, even I used to smoke back in the day, you have a rizla in your hand and your there rocking your head, rocking your body and rolling your spliff to the bass line. It was part of the heritage, and to lose that, its like losing pubs like people go to pubs and socialise, it's the same thing, you lost that vibe about a pub. I used to go pub back in the days, because I used to go play pool and just meet up and have a drink and smoke in pubs as well. So i can understand and feel sorry for those who can't go socialise in pubs anymore because of the smoking ban because that was part of it.” Mark Iration
All above photos - @leedsteppa
Although the numbers of locals from the Chapeltown area were diminishing, a new demographic started to become more common at Subdub, some of which was due to the rise in popularity of alternative bass music amongst young people that were regularly shaking room 2. Leeds is a popular choice for students from all over the UK, and many of those students made Subdub a monthly ritual. A vast majority of those young students got to subdub for room 2 but some find themselves staying and immersed in room 1 where sound systems are invited to play alongside Iration Steppas Sound System. The thunderweight bass, decorated sound systems, huge towers of amplifiers and pre-amp, and the skanking of the crowd makes up the mystical experience that captures the attention of the young who no doubt will have never come across any night similar.
"I like to call a revolving door. Students come up here to Leeds for 3 years and leave and then the next students come along for 3 years and it's like a revolving door. The older people that came the first time and they were excited and then they go back and tell the next lot of students about this dub and Subdub and then they come and get excited and so it revolves for years and years, but its changing more now because the world is changing itself, and there's so much music going on nowadays and no money for students or people to go here or there, that it's time to choose, iv noticed in past 3 years or maybe even 5 years, people are choosing now where to go or when to go. If you can see an artist or an act every week or every month, and someone comes up every year, people will go I'll go see this act here because I can see that other act next month. People are like sheep and they will flock to where there's a buzz. It's like West Indian Centre, people have a buzz about West Indian Centre, so when we have a night there it's guaranteed people will go there because it's like a heritage thing but we can move somewhere else which we do, just for subdub sake and you won't get the same flock. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and it can sometimes be about timing. It is changing, a lot of things are changing, and I don’t know if it's for good or bad but all we can do is do what we do, music will always be there and if we're doing it the right way and doing it for the right people. For me what gives me a buzz is when someone comes sees me at the end and they tell me its first time they brought this girl or brought this guy and they love it, and that's what gives me a buzz because you've schooled somebody and we have actually inspired somebody to like what we're doing. I remember back in the days people told me they actually met each other and I have made people have babies because they've met each other at the dance and are still together. They've told me that afterwards, “it's your fault we’re still together”. It's a good reflection on what we’re doing because we’re making people happy and were still gaining fans and like I said to you earlier were getting phone calls from foreign places we never thought we would, and this year we even played in a library, because they have faith in what we do. That gives me a buzz."
21 years on, Subdub has had trials and tribulations, particularly in more recent years where it has not had a solid home, moving from venue to venue each event throughout each year, ever since its regular attendance at West Indian Centre had to be limited to just a couple of nights a year.
From Beaver Works to Freedom Mills, along with the usual Wire and West Indian Center Session. Subdub has adopted a slightly more nomadic lifestyle, moving from venue to venue. But this is all part of the Subdub journey, growing each year and teaching new generations about Roots, Dub, Sound Systems, style, values, and promoting forward-thinking alternative bass music.
All photos - @leedsteppa
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