4 December 2024

https://djmag.com/news/ras-muffet-bristol-dub-producer-and-sound-system-legend-dies

His music resonated across some of the UK’s most iconic sound systems

Bristol sound system legend and producer Steve Johnson, better known as Ras Muffet, has passed away.

The news of the dub figurehead’s passing was confirmed in a statement shared with Resident Advisor by his label Roots Injection.

A highly regarded figure in UK sound system culture, Ras Muffet was known for his influential dub and reggae productions, including ‘Warrior Style’, ‘New Dawning’ ‘Ethiopian King Dub’, and ‘Play Fool Dubwise’, which were regular fixtures on sound systems such as the Mighty Tabot, Channel One Sound, Aba Shanti-I, and Jah Shaka.

Throughout the ’90s, Muffet ran his own label, Roots Injection, which played a key role in bridging the sounds of dub and roots reggae. The label was deeply involved in dubplate culture, producing exclusive, unreleased tracks for sound system clashes.

Tributes to Muffet have poured in from DJs, producers, fans and sound system collectives at home and abroad. Read some of those, and listen to ‘New Dawning’ below.

RAS MUFFET INTERWIEW

BY BelDUB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPFYdVeJqJg

I’m known as Steve Johnson, aka Rasmusfit. I was Born in Bristol, 31st of March of 1958. 
One of the first generations to be born in the UK. 
My parents came from Jamaica in the 50s. Hence why I was born in the UK. 
So, you know, I think that everybody did at the time. Everybody was migrating from Jamaica to the UK. 
They were invited to come to the UK to work. 
I met a life that was at times.

My parents moved away to move to Hamilton, which is placed in the West Midlands of the UK. 
There I stayed until I was about 12, then moved to London. 
There I stayed until I returned to move on to many years later. 
My mother was a musical person to begin with and you know, that’s where I got my influence from when I’m old. 
I had also an elder brother and this is at the age of 9. …..8.9. 
By the time I was 10, I was collecting records already. 
By the time I was 12, I had a vast collection of records already. 
And you know, moving to London, I eventually found out I’m a family who have sound system. 
So that’s how I got involved in sound system. 
So, and then that’s where my musical journey and sound systems really started from then. 
Initially school got used to build small sound systems and carried them to school. 
And for that, I went out and record and played. 
Small sound systems and eventually got involved with bigger sound. 
From there I actually linked Shaka and got involved with Shaka at the age of 50. 
Got a link in touch with Shaka,    threw my cousin and he just started from there. 
This is going back to 1973…You have a place called Moon Shard…As it was then, not as it is today. 
So, you know, that’s where my journey started. 
When Shaka and I play, we have Falafat.

Those old men are so your cocks…….Those are the ones that around my time ….so proud to be in sounds like that. 
From back in the earlier time, like 74, 75, 76 times. 
So, those are the songs that we were going to listen to. 
When Shaka and I were playing, we were following Shaka sound at that period. 
So, Shaka didn’t play every week. 
So, there were times that we were going to listen to other songs. 
Back to our process, you know, we Shaka. 
Well, many elders left the same degrees but at the same time, we have to stand firm and stay strong. 
You know, those of us that do what we do, we still do what we do. 
A lot of the youths are involved with other things, you know. 
But there is a portion of youths, both black and white, 
 who are trying to keep what is so system, you know, in the original way that you don’t carry that forward. 
So, I can’t say nothing, you know, how the none was what we did, made them carry on and passed the time as well. 
I’ve always been involved with the construction of sound system, as opposed to having a sound. 
I’ve been one that’s always been involved with the construction of it. 
 I’ve impremmed to my own specification, you know what I mean? 
I’m supposed to have built to specifications as well back in the day, because we were using Valve. 
And, you know, throughout the times, I had a resting period……And then I got reintroduced into sound system about in 2004. 
So, I had to start all over again…..But again, my enthusiasm in learning what to do and learning what things are, 
and how things have changed, and what amps are being used, and so on and so on. 
And I started from there again. 
So, from 2000, for Cut Long Story, show up to her and today with Roots Injection……Still going on. 
Still, well, yeah man, we have a terrible sound, you know…..but we are based in Bristol. 
I do play a lot of plays, you know….. But we still, I don’t have been to a Dockham. 
So, you know, people know of the sound……Not only myself, you have a Jalokro, you have Masaiwari, Masaiwari,

all of us based in Bristol.

We have Dock Club, we have Trinity, we have Malcolm X, we have Fugeneers hat we can play, high rise, teaching the army. 
So, this is a lot of activity in Bristol. 
 All of us have our own individual sound. 
But, if I am playing, you see all of these people lifting my boxes and wiring my sound. 
I can’t play without the bridge in it….And likewise, we all move around together. 
That’s one of the big things in Bristol, you know. 
It’s a family. . 
 Bless you, love. 
 This is real. 



Ras Muffet Interviewed By Root Injection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULLGSqz8OVU

Today, we know our sounds is an upper reta with a prayer and today’s technology

you know they can parametrips and all kinds of things. You know you need to know this stuff.

And after any sound system upper reta that is not easy to do because you know everybody wants to sound as good as it can sound.

I don’t have a problem. And I work at night. It’s mechanical so you can build it where you can create your own.

You know usually when creativity is being known so no sound is the same.

Every sound is different. So in principles you look at a sound every sound is different.

That is good because variety is the spice I like.

Each one has to create them with all these truths. And the sound is hence why you have clash.

That’s another thing. Roots sounds don’t clash today. No, where I’m coming from. We’ve never had a case.

Some use the clash. Every sound man that goes into a dance has that in his head.

Why I don’t want that next song so better than me.

So you’re going to do your best this time but everything. You’re doing it.

We don’t even think in here. You know you’re not going to sit down and say yeah.

You just do it because it’s just how it is with sound systems. The next mind is thinking the same way.

So it crashes out of something that’s been there from the past. What we used to use. You know it was about trees as well. It’s being Jamaica. Who could get this and who could get that first. It’s not like it’s today and I’m going to play a next sound today. I just go to my studio and get attention. You know what I mean?

I was a night. So.

The question’s always been me. I don’t care what nobody said. And it’s still there today. Been directly.

It’s still there today. I’m not the only one you see another song. Play it with a next song.

He’s not going on that song to some death of that game.

It’s a pretty bitter tune and can get the crowd response more than him. Is not always the question.

It’s not happening anymore. It’s no use in Penny merak. To a good soul, wascha praying, to each other.

Back where you get the best, so you can have clashing him. He doesn’t end it.

Could you,aluable, well up. You can have customers brew out 30 bucks and plus his ectub. Ten more than 9 yards.

What?! Perhaps you don’t need goulas? Don’t you? That’s what we see. We say we dance, done?

Yeah, we are bridging. But for the five hours we have to leave it at night. There were a lot of people.

We like to see that kind of dance today. I would love to see dance as well. I think that’s it.

To me, it’s new for the people that are listening to sound system. They don’t understand what traffic about it.

If the crowd is not going to get educated by the song and then how are they going to know?

In UK when the song Clash the crowd run out.

I think you think we saw the kick off. But because they don’t understand it is it? So they need to educate the people as well.

And a lot of people are rising up to things as well. They are catching up. But still it’s down to the song then.

You are the one playing your song. You have to partially dictate what you have to say.

To start out things and make people know who I am. That’s all we drop it now you are here.

I am surviving. I am 60 to 60 years old.

I am not still playing sound amongst the youths. I am not still playing. The sound as what’s the word evolved since king fey.

It’s evolved to where it is now. Which is more or less a modern sound that you will find in 2020.

So I give thanks to king fey. And the sound represents the music. It represents sound system culture.

So the name was given to me by my late bridging. Binging. And I will pass the link. Came here at name in 1999.

So I have been with since recently 1999. All musical works I have done from the 79 period up to the 90s.

I have been going through them recently. I started to go for tapes. Back in the time everything was taped. Really to real.

More so. So that’s a good portion of the tour. I started to backbade with my tech transfer from TIP to digital.

But I was like, well production wise I’m still meeting out tunes today.

I’m still doing it today. I’m still always doing it.

If I finish with sound system I’ve always been making tunes. So something that I would do.

My fingers can’t turn any more knobs. Then I start producing. I’m working hard.

What we are doing with this word. And this is the word that matters. So therefore hold you. Pull tree that word have played.

Nice. Really relevant to be here. I’ve got piercing one. I’ve been talking to you. But when I’m up that. About at the same time.

It’s easier for us to do what we need to do. I make it easier for me. So I for one deal with it. I have my studio. I’m a studio.

It’s all digital. You know, I mean, at the same time. Meeting my sound systems digital. So the parent by use is digital now.

So you know, you have to do. You know, you go with it. And use it accordingly to. For your purposes are the ball of it.

No, but how much sound man over there? Me playing sound. Other than shut up.

And a few others, you know, still playing sound.

But I have a direct sound today, 2020. And at the middle of the end of.

This is the situation for me. What do I do with that sound system?

In the next four years, five years. So I have to listen to the word that is where I live.

You know, get motivated and be true. And spread the word out.

Just to far as I. I stand up, that’s huge.