Dub master and reggae legend returns for last NZ tour

If you're a dub fan, chances are you've got an album that has the Mad Professor's magic touch.

His Ariwa recording label began in his living room 25 years ago and now boasts 160 albums.

He's added his flavour to some of music's big names including Massive Attack, KLF, the Beastie Boys and Jamiroquai. Born in Guyana and raised in London, Neil Fraser, AKA the Mad Professor, is no stranger to New Zealand.

He reckons he's been here more than half a dozen times and lost count of the number of times he's played here.

"I've probably spent more time in New Zealand than the average human being," he told NZPA before launching his 2005 four city tour.

"I love Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, they are all beautiful places," Fraser says, adding "Dunedin is a bit desolate."

Christchurch band Salmonella dub had their first top 10 single and were propelled onto the international stage in 1989 with the release of their Killervision album which the Mad Professor helped produce.

Fraser says more recently he has "hung out" with Fat Freddy's Drop and the Wellington band are "coming up" in the international music scene.

Finding new talent was becoming harder and harder, the Mad Professor says.

"There are a lot of people claiming to be artists but there's not many good ones.

"It's too easy now for people to play around with a computer and think that's it."

Ariwa is about to celebrate its 25th birthday and a number of compilations are being released for the anniversary, as well as new albums by English roots singer Aisha and veterans 1970s singer Earl 16.

Owing to the amount of dub music being produced in New Zealand, it is easy to think it's a sound that appeals more to New Zealanders.

However, Fraser says its popular around the world because it is international music.

"Dub music is more popular around the world than New Zealand would have believe," he says, pointing to recent concerts he's performed in Japan, Spain, Italy and even Mexico.

"It's music that is not just one language. You feel the music whether your English, Spanish or French.

"You understand it instantly. It's very warm and receptive. It's very seductive, seductive in a hip-hoppy kinda way."

Now 50-years-old, two of Fraser's four children -- aged between 16 and 24 -- work for him at his London studio.

He began his musical career as a service engineer for mixing desks and amplifiers.

At school Fraser's love of carrying out experiments resulted in friends dubbing him the Mad Professor.

He has been working with Lee Scratch Perry since 1983 and the pair have already had sell-out tours in 1999 and 2002.

This time around they'll be playing some new sounds and Perry will work with material from his Black Ark period, which he has never done before, Fraser says.

The Jamaican producer, recording artist, performance artist and shaman ended his Black Ark days in 1983 by burning down his Jamaican studio.

"Me and Perry go back years. We've hung out so long together.

"He's like the elder statesman of reggae and dub. He's been around for years and you're always learning something from him."

Perry is now 69-years-old and lives between Jamaica and Zurich. Although he's renown for some crazy antics and heavy marijuana smoking, to the Mad Professor he's just a regular guy.

"I know him as an ordinary guy who gets in the shit just like anyone else."

PERFORMANCE DATES

The Mad Professor and Lee Scratch Perry's The Truth As It Happens Aotearoa 2005 tour dates are:

* Dunedin - Friday, September 16 at Sammys;
* Christchurch - Saturday, September 17 at The Civic;
* Auckland - Sunday, September 18 at Studio; and
* Wellington - Tuesday September 20 at the Town Hall.

- NZPA