Gentleman’s Dub Club return with a new music video and release of “Use Me,” a funky reggae- infused cover of the classic Bill Withers hit. The song features vocals from UK-reggae star Kiko Bun (who has worked with Loyle Carner, Shy Fx, Chase And Status, and Ticklah, among many others). The video premiering via Clash Music is a pitch-perfect take on Withers’ well-known live performance on the Old Grey Whistle Test from 1972. The digital single also includes a dub version mixed by Ben McKone of General Roots.
The single is a welcome follow up to last year’s critically acclaimed album Lost In Space (Easy Star Records), blending influences from genres such as dub, reggae, ska, bass culture, jazz, and everything in between. This is the 2 nd standalone since the album following on from 2019’s “100%,” which featured a guest vocal from another UK reggae legend, Bitty McClean.
The song was recorded while working on Lost In Space. The band explains, “When we were writing Lost In Space in Wales we had a routine of playing covers in the morning to give us inspiration for our afternoon’s writing. ‘Use Me’ is one of our all-time favorite songs and has that timeless riff that translates so well into reggae. We recorded it along with a few other covers with a view to releasing them along the way in between albums.” The video captures that moment as the band, joined by Kiko Bun, record a silky-smooth jam session as they breeze through this timeless classic with abundant swagger.
On “Use Me,” the band pays homage to the legendary singer-songwriter and musician, Bill Withers, who passed away earlier this year. The band concludes, “With his passing, it has made it all the more poignant, and going back through his work is a thing of wonder. A truly incredible human being as well as an astonishing songwriter.”
