Names on the Marquee: Pablo Gad

A gem from late 1970s/early 1908s reggae. Also, why dub proves to be useful for coming up with new drum sound techniques.

Overlooked by most, save for die-hard reggae and dub fans, Pablo Gad is pure gold. His vocal styling is distinct, and his cadence haunts with a depth and direction reminiscent of American soul-stirrers. But the added benefit to a Pablo Gad track is the dub instrumentals that often accompany the vocals.

Studying dub instrumentals has helped me to better understand the sort of sound textures that individual drum hits can make, when layered (dubbed) over themselves. Over the years, layering drum sounds, usually for the purpose of creating custom drum sounds, has played a major role in the development of my style and sound. Also, the ways in which dub tracks are typically mixed have helped me expand the ways in which I “pre-mix” my sounds.

The music and video below is presented here for the purpose of scholarship.

Pablo Gad – “What Makes A Natty Dread Cry”

Pablo Gad – “Hard Times”