Dion Dublin has invented a musical instrument, but what is "the Dube" and how does it work?

The Dube is a cubic percussion instrument, either 9, 12, 15 or 18 inches in size. It is played in a number of different ways, but is usually referred to as a percussion drum and is played with the hands. Think of it like a cube-shaped bongo!

Due to it having six sides, it offers a wide variety of applications, and can be played by individuals or even a number of different performers at once. It can also be modified, to have different colours and numbers on each side, which makes it a great teaching tool for learning tones and sounds. This versatility allows a performer to produce different sounds simply by drumming in different parts, or on different sides of the cube, meaning that it can produce a much wider range of sounds than a traditional percussion drum. It has even been referred to as an essentially new sound for today's music.

Dion states that he invented it while he was playing football for Norwich City FC, and he made the first one himself. The instrument is now in production and has been used in workshops in schools and endorsed by many musicians and DJs, among them Tim Westwood and Courtney Pine, who used one on his latest album. The more people become interested in this new instrument, the more it gains momentum, and the more people are realizing it can be used in a number of different ways, for example, teachers are using it to great affect for teaching rhythm in music classes, while the ease at which it can be used, along with the range of sounds that can be made, is increasing the popularity of percussion as a whole.

It seems Mr Dublin has quite the range of talents hidden up his sleeve. Along with his Dube business, he also manages several bands, owns a shopfitting company, and does a lot of work for the BBC. He is definitely not one of the ex-footballers who struggles to find work post-retirement and is keeping himself busy with a number of different business ventures.

When I decided to branch out into having my own online business as well as my day job, I thought I would never find time to manage both. It turns out I found ways to make it work and I did have the time, but just barely. However, compared with Dion, I think I need to find more time in the day, the man works hard, and he produces quality. The Dube looks to be a sure winner for the future and I wish him all the success he can get with it.