Available on CD and via streaming platforms for the first time on November 8, 2019, “12 Inches Of Dub” is the spectacular and long lost dub companion to General Echo’s 1980 Greensleeves album “12 Inches Of Pleasure”, produced by reggae icon Henry “Junjo” Lawes.
The dub mixes were delivered to Greensleeves by Lawes in 1980, but never released. After a transfer of the lost tape was recovered and restored, the tracks were released by VP/Greensleeves on vinyl for Record Store Day 2019.
The set features the Roots Radics band in their prime with signature mixes by Scientist. The CD includes the entire General Echo album as a bonus in a deluxe digipack with detailed liner notes. The dubs connect to several other artists and albums across the Junjo Lawes stable, including Rod Taylor’s “Where Is Your Love Mankind” LP (GREL17), and tracks by Barrington Levy (“Fulfillment”), Wayne Jarrett (“Dreadlocks Postman”), Flick Wilson (“Yallas Pond”), and Little John (“Tell Me What You Want To Be”), among others. The album presents alternate mixes to Scientist’s “The Dub Album They Didn’t Want You To Hear!”
Formed in 1978 by bassist Errol “Flabba” Holt, drummer Lincoln “Style” Scott, and guitarist Eric “Bingy Bunny” LaMont, the Roots Radics band would reach an apex within several years as the most in-demand session band at Kingston’s Channel One recording studio, backing reggae superstar Gregory Isaacs in concerts around the globe and on his iconic “Night Nurse” album.
The band was heard on hundreds of key tracks during the early 80s, often working for top producers Henry “Junjo” Lawes and Linval Thompson, providing the massive yet crisp rhythms found on now iconic dub albums featuring engineer Scientist. Their sparse sound can be heard on breakout recordings from Barrington Levy (“Collie Weed”), Yellowman (“I’m Getting Married,” “Zungguzunnguguzungguzeng”), Frankie Paul (“Kushumpeng”), Michael Prophet (“Gun Man”), and Eek-A-Mouse (“Ganja Smuggling”), while helping propel the career of Bunny Wailer into the 80s (“Rock and Groove” LP) as well as veteran John Holt (“Police In Helicopter” LP) and Johnny Osbourne (“Ice Cream Love”).
Producer Henry “Junjo” Lawes was the leading reggae and dancehall producer in Jamaica from 1980-1984, bringing some of the genre’s most important acts to global attention, including Barrington Levy, Yellowman, Eek-A-Mouse, Michael Prophet, Frankie Paul, and others. Lawes worked with VP Records to launch the Jah Guidance imprint in the US and licensed key recordings to Greensleeves in the UK, as well as Jah Life in the US. Lawes is the producer with the most recordings on VP’s 40th anniversary box set, Down In Jamaica – 40 Years Of VP Records, released on October 25th.