Lee Perry does not travel to Brazil, but Mad Professor brings great DUB to the Dub Mamute festival!

With the cancellation of Lee "Scratch" Perry's appearance at the tumultuous Dub Mamute event at Sesc Pompéia this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, São Paulo's audience was left with Mad Professor as the main international attraction. Lee Perry's absence doesn't represent much of a loss, since it is precisely Mad Professor who does the dub and operates the mixing desk during Lee Perry's performances. After his own presentation, Mad Professor and his band The Robotics - bass, drums and keyboard - will present Perry's complete set. The audience lost its emblematic figure, but kept the good dub.

Pulso spoke with the good-humored Mad Professor by phone from his hotel in São Paulo. Mad Professor is one of the most prominent and influential representatives of dub, a musical genre born alongside reggae on the island of Jamaica in the 60s. In the conversation, he told how his shows in Brazil will be and a bit about his relationship with Lee "Scratch" Perry. At the time of the conversation, Perry's cancellation was not yet official, although Mad Professor said Perry had not yet boarded from London.

 What will you show the Brazilian audience?
I will bring dub to the audience. Show dub in a remix setting. For the shows in Brazil, I will recreate the studio mixing technology and live music. I will create dub before the audience's eyes. I will show that dub makes you happy, makes you dance and show the full dub experience.

 And how will you do this since you don't play records in your performances?
I don't play records, I make dub. Well, it's a bit complicated (laughs). Basically I manipulate and mix my tapes with what the Robotics plays live on stage through my desk, thus bringing the studio to the show.

 Is dub basically something made in the studio?
Dub was created in the studio, it's music created by technicians. Dub is the father of techno.

 Is this your first time in Brazil? What do you know of Brazilian music?
Yes, it's my first time in Brazil. Even so, it's like coming home. I'm from British Guiana and I feel at home here. I only know the Brazilian artists I've worked with, Cidade Negra and Chico Science.

 What is your relationship with Lee "Scratch" Perry, since he is known as an unstable person?
Unstable! (laughs). That's a good way to put it - I like your understanding. I can only say he isn't here yet, but I hope he manages to catch that plane in time...