Roots Radics
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 by bass player Errol "Flabba" Holt and guitarist Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont. 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. They were also the backing band on several Eek-A-Mouse albums including Bubble Up Yu Hip (1980), Wa-Do-Dem (1981), Skidip (1982), The Mouse and the Man (1983) and The Assassinator (1983).
