Roots Radics

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The Roots Radics are a reggae band from Jamaica founded in 1978 .

Band history

The later members of the Roots Radics, bassist Errol "Flabba" Holt and guitarist and singer Eric "Bingi Bunny" Lamont, met when they both played in the band The Morwells in the early 1970s . They then initially took part in the Revolutionaries , the house band of Channel One at the time . After Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar left the band to found their own label with Taxi Records, Errol Holt and Eric Lamont founded the Roots Radics in 1978 together with other musicians who changed over the years. Among them was Lincoln Valentine "Style" Scott, who was the drummer of the Roots Radics from 1979 to 1983 and later the band leader of Dub Syndicateand co-produced Adrian Sherwood . Other musicians included Noel Bailey (guitar), Dwight Pinkney (guitar, vocals), Roy Hamilton (guitar), Carlton Davis (drums), Eric "Fish" Clarke (drums) and Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (keyboards).

The Roots Radics worked for Channel One in the late 1970s under producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes , who brought them together with the young Barrington Levy : together in 1979, Bounty Hunter , Barrington Levy's debut album was recorded, which was extremely successful. The Roots Radics also played together with the already popular Gregory Isaacs , they accompanied him on tours and in the studio, including on the hit album Night Nurse from 1982. The Roots Radics developed into one of the most respected and sought-after session bands in Jamaica and shaped the beginning of the 1980s the sound of early dancehall . Their influence waned again in the mid-1980s when more and more digital sounds became popular in dancehall. The Roots Radics stayed in business and worked as a studio and live band with a number of other artists, including Bunny Wailer , Israel Vibration , Sugar Minott , the Wailing Souls , King Tubby and Eek-A-Mouse . With Prince Far-I they went on tour through Great Britain under the name The Arabs .

Since the late 1980s they have rediscovered their own singing qualities, or those of Lamont and Pinkney - they made a few records and went on tour alone. Hot We Hot was released in 1988, followed by Forward Ever, Backwards Never and 1992 World Peace Three in 1990 . The albums ranged stylistically from roots to lovers rock . The album Radically Radics that followed in 1996 , like Hot We Hot , was partly more towards dancehall. They also continued to work with other musicians, including in 1996 with Dennis Brown on Milk and Honey .

Founding member Eric "Bingi Bunny" Lamont died in 1993 at the age of 38. Lincoln Valentine "Style" Scott was found dead in his home on October 9, 2014 in Manchester, Jamaica. The circumstances spoke for murder.

Discography (selection)

  • Hot We Hot (1988, Ras)
  • Hot We Hot Dub (1989, ROIR)
  • Forwards Ever, Backwards Never (1990, Heartbeat)
  • World Peace III (1992, Heartbeat)
  • Radically Radics (1996, Ras)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "Drummer 'Style' Scott Killed" , in: Jamaica Observer October 13, 2014, accessed November 22, 2014