Woofah Issue 4

The fourth issue of Woofah, the UK's premier reggae, grime and dubstep magazine is out now. I can't do justice to its 92 pages so you'll have to get your own copy here, but there's a couple of articles of particular interest to South Londonists.

In the First Cut is the Deepest, Emma Warren explores the hidden history of UK dub cutting houses - a key part of reggae sound system culture and other subsequent bassist developments. She tells of the unsung engineers, often operating out of suburban houses, who cut the dub plates to be played out by sound systems. A few South London places get mentioned - Transition Mastering (still going with a studio in Kemble Road, Forest Hill), Pablo in Lewisham (operating from his house from early 70s), and 'Stingray in Perry Vale that's still running. It's in a very respectable semi-detached street but you go there at two in the morning, there are all these cars parked up. He's go a small studio and cutting room in the shed in the bottom of the garden' (Lloyd Bradley, quoted in article).

Then there's an interview with Joe Ariwa and Young Warrior, the sons of Jah Shaka and Mad Professor respectively. They have teamed up to record an album together - 'Joe Ariwa meets Young Warrior', recalling their dads' earlier collaborations, particularly 'Jah Shaka meets Mad Professor at Ariwa Studio' (1984). We've mentioned Shaka and the Prof's New Cross and Peckham activity here before - and indeed will be posting some more about this shortly. Joe Ariwa & Young Warrior have been using the current Ariwa Sounds studio in White Horse Lane, South Norwood, but the studio was at one point based in Gautrey Road, SE15.