Jon Page, when not away at uni, lives in Barrow and plays guitar in the very lively, reggae-dub- hip- hop band called Megadub. If you'd like to listen to their music go to where you have a choice of tracks and can also download. Apart from Jon the other members of this six piece band are Jacob Saintjames on bass, Phil Garret, keyboard and sax, Lee Happs, drums, and the strangely nicknamed 'Aeroplane Dope' doing vocals. Lex Baldwin who is the band's MC also helps out with vocals too.

They've been together for three years having got to know each other through the Leicester music scene as Jacob, Phil, Lee and Aeroplane Dope all come from that city; only Jon is from Barrow but Lex Baldwin is next door, as it were, in Loughborough. They very much enjoy playing together and do so about once every six weeks. They'd love to do more but uni courses and full time jobs impose time constraints.

Their overall sound is classed as dub reggae but is made more interesting with elements of hip hop, dance, funk and world music. In one of their songs they incorporate a Punjabi bangra theme and in others use Arab scales to produce a very different sound both lyrically and musically. Megadub are truly creative as they write most of their own songs and one of the vocalists, Lex, loves to improvise rap lyrics when on stage. On their first CD they wrote six of the seven tracks and have sold 200 copies at gigs. The band are into music for the love of it not the money! Because they play their own music ( they aren't a covers band ) they don't earn anything from gigs and the price of a Megadub CD is always modest; their first sold for £3.50 just to cover costs. Mysteriously the CDs themselves don't have names, just the tracks.

Megadub were gigging at The Squares Bar in Leicester that night and the rhythm is most infectious. You could never feel down in the dumps listening to Megadub!

One highlight of the band's life was winning a 'Battle of the Bands' at 'The Musician' in Leicester. Coming first gave Megadub the chance to play at the huge music festival 'Summmer Sundae 2009' in the grounds of De Monfort University. Not only were they very well received by the crowds but after their set enjoyed hanging out with members of a world-famous American dub reggae band called the 'Easy Star All Stars'. This band had been headlining at the festival that day and Megadub were delighted to learn these top exponents of dub reggae had listened to the Megadub set and thought them really good. High praise indeed!

So if that was a great high were there any lows? Jon explained that as the music is easy going the crowd around them are usually happily listening or dancing like mad so don't cause problems. However, the band was once extremely annoyed by a radio station which messed them about and wasted hours of their time. The station was Demon FM, a Leicester based station which broadcasts to De Montfort Uni and the city itself. They'd promised Megadub a live slot on a show but because the Demon FM presenters allowed the earlier bands to overrun, the programme was over before Megadub had even got on air! This meant Megadub fans and friends, looking forward to listening to this live performance, were let down. Demon FM tried to make it up by giving the band air time two days later but it wasn't the same.

And the future? It looks good. The release of a second album of four more new songs is an exciting prospect and more explosive dub reggae gigs are booked in for the autumn.

Jon also teaches guitar and is at present accepting more students.

Contact:
tel: 07814 572320
Email: jons_stringdom@yahoo.co.uk

Jon Page 'Outstanding Guitarist of the Year ' .

The highly esteemed Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford has awarded Jon Page, formerly of Barrow, the accolade of 'Outstanding Guitarist of the Year 2011' for his virtuoso playing over the two years of his degree course. To win this award is a great achievement as over 80 fellow students competed for the honour. Jon, who plays with Megadub, ( a band featured in the 2011 autumn edition of Barrow Voice) Xerox and Electric Dreams, now lives in Rothley where he has a music room and gives guitar tuition. If you would like to contact him concerning lessons please phone 07814 572320 or e-mail him at jons_stringdom@yahoo.co.uk

Sample Tracks by Jon Page

Sample Track 1. 
Title: Ying 'n' Yang

Sample Track 2.
Title: Essence of the past

Sample Track 3.
Title: Winters love

Sample Track 4.
Title: Distant sunset

Sample Track 5.
Title: Lazy boy