Roots Radics
Related: 1978 - Channel One - dancehall reggae - Linval Thompson - roots reggae - reggae
Scientist And Jammy Strike Back! (1982) - Scientist & Prince Jammy
Produced by Linval Thompson
Profile
The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 by bass player Flabba Holt and guitarist Bingy Bunny. They were joined by a great many musicians. As a combined force the Roots Radics became a well respected studio and stage band, which dominated the sound in the first half of the 1980s. They supported artists like Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs and Israel Vibration and have released several albums to their name as well. As an aside, 'Radics' sounds very much like 'Radix', which is the Latin word for 'Root' also.
Somewhere late in 1979 the band recorded the riddims for Barrington Levy's first songs for producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes, credited at the time as the Channel One Stars. With hindsight these riddims are now considered the birth of Jamaican dancehall music. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_Radics [Oct 2006]
Profile
The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 when bass player Flabba Holt joined forces with the now late guitarist Bingy Bunny. Since then, they have been joined by such excellent musicians like Dwight Pickney, Steely 'Wycliffe' Johnson, Lincoln 'Style' Scott, Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson, Christopher 'Sky Juice' Burt and Noel 'Scully' Simms. Other musicians filled in when needed. Some of these included Noel 'Sowell' Bailey, Eric 'Fish' Clarke and Carlton 'Santa' Davis. When a horn section was required, David Madden, Headly Bennett and Dean Fraser were brought in. As a combined force the Roots Radics became the most respected studio and stage band, which dominated the sound in the first half of the eighties. They supported artists like Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs and Israel Vibration and have several albums to their name as well.
Somewhere late in 1979 the band laid down the riddims for Barrington Levy's first tunes for producer Junjo Lawes, credited at the time as the Channel One Stars. No one could envisage the importance of these sessions, but with hindsight we can point back to them as the inception of Jamaican dancehall music. After this the band was constantly in demand for session work. Dwight Pickney remembers playing on an astounding 34 tracks, in one straight session for producer Junjo Lawes.
The sound the Roots Radics created was much sparser than that achieved by the Revolutionaries, allowing more scope for a variety of one off mixes and flip side dubs.
Adrian Sherwood
see also: Adrian Sherwood, who's Hitrun label issued the first Roots Radics dub set "Dub To Africa" in England and Scientist, King Tubby's disciple.