Children Of Dub was started by former Zero Gravity member Luke Eastwood. It began in 1991 following a one-off collaboration with guitarist Demian Castellanos and DJ Quark on what later became the song "Journey to the Inner Light". Demian decided to pursue his own music, returning periodically for many live sets and several recorded collaborations. Demain later went on to form his own recording outfit The Oscillation, which is still going strong. DJ Quark never joined Children Of Dub, he carried on running Zero Gravity with DJs Cloggi and Zach. For a while Luke Eastwood continued C.O.D. on his own but in 1993 he joined forces with DJ Zach (Chris Hunt, also from Zero Gravity) working together on a remix of Psychotropic and playing their live debut at London's Whirl-Y-Gig. After some musical differences DJ Zach also left to pursue his own music and Luke carried on alone until enlisting Katie Hecker (formerly of bands Ecstacy Of St Teressa & Revolution 9) as percussionist.
Recordings
Children Of Dub signed to Diversity Recordings (now defunct) in late 1994, recording their first EP "Nemesis" which included several remixes. For the first album they were rejoined by Demian on "Journey to...". The album "The Silent Pool" was released in September 1995, after a trip to India, to rave reviews and a long stint in the Melody Maker Chart Top 20. Their first tour of the UK was a success leading to gigs and the release of the album in Europe on Incoming! Records. Two EPs - "Nemesis" (featuring Whirl-y-gig and Bumpy capers remixes) and "Transcendental" were also released before Diversity folded, both EPs made the Uk MM Indie top 20. Sadly all the Children of Dub Diversity recordings are long since deleted. Luke and Katie played at their breakthrough performance at London's Megatripolis, in early 1995 although only one song was recorded at this gig, which appears on the Transcendental EP. Demian also returned for several live performances including Brixton Academy and WOMAD (in 1996 featuring Luke, Demian and Katie together). Tours across the UK and much of Europe followed over the following years until Luke moved to Ireland in early 1999.
As fans of Astralasia the band was more than delighted to join the same label, Magick Eye Records in 1996. The 1st Magick Eye release was the trance and drum n bass "Adrenochrome" EP. Their 2nd album "Chameleon" was also released in 1996, featuring Mick Lawlor and Katie Hecker and they completed their second UK tour (with Demian Castellanos returning, including Whirl-Y-Gig and many dates in Europe. A limited edition EP "Greed" featuring David Riley on vocals and a remix by Surge was released in spring 1997 and their 3rd and highly acclaimed album "ESP" was released in summer '97, also featuring two tracks with Demain Castellanos and "Greed" with David Riley. This was followed by the trance EP "Nemesis/Rhythm Of Life" in autumn and short tours in the UK, Holland and Germany.
A special album for USA, Canada and Japan only "Analog Meditation" was released in August '97, by Hypnotic Records featuring tracks formerly only on 12" and CD singles as well as a few tracks off of 'Chameleon' and 'ESP'. It is only available in the UK via the internet (try CDnow/Amazon). In spring '98 "Feeling Has Gone", a limited edition 12" featuring Saoirse Keogh on vocals, was released, receiving excellent reviews. This EP delvs once again into drum n bass and ambience on the flip side.
This was followed by another short tour of the UK. At the end of '98 the fourth, and arguably best, album "Digital Mantras for a Fucked Up World" was released. This album did not feature Demian Castellanos or Katie Hecker but included vocal perfomances from Lou Palmer and Saoirse Keogh-Moore. Once again this received excellent reviews and several tracks from this album were used on compilations, including "Spook" on Return to the Source's "Ambient Meditations", Their last live appearance was at RTTS in 1999, for the launch of Ambient Meditations. A best of album was released in August 2001 - "Evolution 1995-2001", through Rumour Records (now defunct). With tracks culled from the rarest 12"s, deleted CDs and rare compilations, it also includes previously unreleased versions of their songs.
Hiatus and Return
After a break of nearly 14 years ,the compilation DVD - "Ambient", was released in 2015 on the anniversary of the first record, filmed and directed by Luke Eastwood, This film serves as an alternative 'best of' with over 20 chilled-out tracks on this release. Some of their songs have been used in TV and film, including a USA surfing film and the TV series 'Top Gear'. After lying in a vault for 23 years, 'Live at Whirl-Y-Gig, WOMAD 1996' was released in November 2019, thanks to the British Library Archive that retrieved the recording (made at WOMAD in summer 1996) and allowed its release, after it was remastered by former Diversity label mate David Bell. This is available only as a download for now or streaming online.
In february 2020 a new jazzy drum n bass single "Stay With Me" was released in digital format, featuring Irish singer Emma Stack on vocals and Anton Petelchits (from Belarus) on saxophone. This was followed by the first studio album since 1998's Digital Mantras. The aptly named "5th Element", on CD/digital was the 5th and final album from Children Of Dub, released in May 2020, although much of it was recorded between 2000 and 2005. and archived in a incomplete state, for a considerable time. It features 3 cover versions as well as vocalist Emma Stack and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Chucky Chrysal. This final studio album is an homage to all things dance - all the music that inspired the ecletic mix that makes up the Children Of Dub sound. A 2nd EP, 'Fire', was released on CD and digital formats in June 2020, featuring remixes from Chinaskiz (Australia), Smit! (Ireland), Reflector Fidelity (UK) and Chucky Chrysal (Croatia).
Compilations
There are well over 40 compilations out there featuring Children Of Dub. Most feature singles or album tracks but there are a few rarities too. Check out the Goa Trance series, Amberdelic Space series, Goa Head series, Visitation I & II, Dubnology 2, Ambient Meditations and Galaxy Tribe for starters. Remixes Children Of Dub have remixed for US trance act Transmutator and Beyond The Honey Tunnel (also on Magick Eye Records), a bootleg remix of Kula Shaker's 'Tatva' and Irish band metal band Kaind and they also worked on production for soundtracks for a small independent film maker.
Final Moments
A reissue of 'Evolution', with an extra CD of 13 more tracks, was released at the end of 2020, a fitting way to mark the end of Children Of Dub's recording career, It includes more EP tracks, rarities and several previously unreleased tracks from the archive, plus the final digital single 'Be The Solution'. With the various collaborators now scattered between Ireland, England, Chile, Belarus, New Zealand and Croatia, Children Of Dub had come to a natural end. In 2021 the documentary 'The End of The Journey' was released on YouTube, featuring exclusive interviews with 3 of the main contributors.
In July 2021 Luke Eastwood performed an exclusive DJ set of C.O.D. songs for M.O.B. London, which can be found here or on their Soundcloud page. In September 2022 he played his final DJ gig, 2 nights on Mind Body & Spirit stages, at Electric Picnic in Ireland, a tremendous finale to his music career. Although members of Children Of Dub are still in touch with each other, there are no plans for a reunion or any further releases.
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