OK. I know. You’re thinking: UB40? “Red, Red Wine”? Really?  Don’t UB40 just release endless reggae-lite albums? It may be true that since the late ’80s the band’s output has become less exciting, but when they first formed in 1978, they produced some cutting-edge reggae.

Present Arms in Dub, their third album, is a dub remix version of their second album of the same name. Interestingly, instead of lifting out the vocals and tinkering with the bass, they actually rewrote most of Present Arms for a dub presentation.

Such was UB40’s powers in the U.K. that when Present Arms in Dub was released in 1981, it went into the Top 40. This was the first time I know of that a dub album made it into the U.K. charts, and it probably hasn’t happened since. 



posted by Ian Cauthery on Feb 28, 2012