Rediscovering Reggae’s Golden Era

Producer Joe Gibbs released a series of dub LPs titled “African Dub All-Mighty” between 1975 and 1979. These albums, which play a central role in classic reggae, including artists like Dennis Brown, Culture, Prince Far I, June Lodge, and Marcia Aitken, have recently been reissued by VP Records, still attracting new fans after over four decades. Joe Gibbs, born on October 14, 1942, had a remarkable career that spanned from the rocksteady era to the digital age.

These dub albums share a strong connection with the Jamaican rocksteady and early reggae catalog from Studio One and Treasure Isle, forming the foundation for dub and the emerging dancehall genre.

Errol Thompson, the recording engineer and mixing maestro, played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of these albums. The collaboration between Gibbs and Errol Thompson, collectively known as the Mighty Two, lasted for three decades.