Don’t know if there are any fellow dub fanatics on here (that’s where my forum name comes from — King Tubby, the Dub Organizer — as I’m actually a thin guy), but Joseph Hill, the lead singer of Culture (Two Sevens Clash, International Herb, Too Long In Slavery, and about a hundred other killer tunes) died suddenly at age 57. Sad, sad shit — the man was the real deal, a committed rasta with a prophet’s fire on stage yet also a warm sense of humor, and a voice unlike any other (though he got compared to Burning Spear all the time by those who weren’t listening closely enough). He never got the mainstream props that others like Marley, Spear, Toots, the Meditations, even Israel Vibration got, but he never stopped playing and singing and spreading his rasta gospel with the fervor of a militant believer. Can’t believe I’m never going to witness him on stage again. Here’s a cool web tribute for anyone who’s interested: http://www.consciousparty.com/joehilltributebook.html

Check that old picture of him and Marley — Joseph’s grinning like an excited kid!

He and Augustus Pablo and King Tubby are likely making some amazing music in Zion at the moment…..