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Roots Radics Band

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.

Roots Radics is currently playing with Israel Vibration and is regarded by some as the best band in Jamaica.

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