THE DUB RIFLES    
 
Originally formed in 1980 in Winnipeg, Canada. The Dub Rifles 5 piece line-up (2 saxes, guitar, bass, drums) combined their primary influences of Motown, Stax, punk (60s and 70s variety), dub reggae, and original 60s ska into a highly danceable big rhythm blend that knocked them for a loop wherever they had an opportunity to lay it down. Often labelled a "ska" band, the bands material ran the gamut from free-form funk meltdowns and feedback guitar, to supercharged Booker T and The MGs style instrumentals.

A couple of lengthy road excursions (Vancouver-Halifax) garnered them considerable college radio play and a healthy core of followers at a time when the CDN underground scene was just beginning to flourish.

During their brief career the band was featured on The New Music program, shared the stage with the likes of Steel Pulse and Midnight Oil, released 2 independent EPs on their own Notown label, made an appearance on ROIR's Trouser Press comp. The Best Of America Underground (lone CDN entry) and saw the release of a 12 inch EP on Hamburg, Germany's Jax Pax/Juicy Peeple label.

Following their final performance at Toronto's El Mocambo in April 1984, and shortly after a brief change of base to Montreal the winter of 1983/84, the band split up. 
 

Singles
1982 No Town No Country [5 song EP] (Notown)
Tracks: No Town, No Country / Production Of Funds / Delicate Action / Number One / Reluctant Host

1983 Boom [3 song EP] (Notown)
Tracks: Stand / Testify / X

12 Inch
1983 Dub Rifles [3 song EP] (Jax Pax/Juicy Peeple - Germany)
Tracks: Number One / Stand / Testify

Compilation Tracks
1983 "Stand" on 'Trouser Press Presents: The Best Of America Underground' (ROIR)
 

 

Line-Up 1: 1980-81 Clint Bowman (bass) Eloi Bertholet (drums) Colin Bryce (vocals, guitar) Matthew "Sid" Challenger (sax)

 

Line-Up 2: 1981-83 Clint Bowman (bass) Eloi Bertholet (drums) Colin Bryce (vocals, guitar) Matthew "Sid" Challenger (sax) Dave Brown (sax)

Line-Up 3: 1983-1984 Clint Bowman (bass), Colin Bryce (vocals, guitar), Eloi Bertholet (drums),
Dave Brown (sax)

Line-Up 4: 1984 / Montreal @ Notre Dame and Guy (L to R) Colin Bryce, Eloi Bertholet, Dave Brown, Patrick ? (Sax), Clint Bowman
(No sense linking this to open coz the quality is dodgy at best. Sorry.)

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Line ups 1, 2 and 3 by Carmen Copy. Montreal shot by Hugh Vanbibber-Orr (RIP) and # by Kane
Collage poster by Carmen Copy
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