Levi Roots is best known around the world for his Reggae Reggae brand. What began with sauces continues with Caribbean-inspired cooking sauces, ready meals, soft drinks, desserts and more. Available in a number of high-profile restaurant chains, Levi’s sauces are included on menus including Wetherspoons and additional high street franchises.
Host of his debut TV series ‘Caribbean Food Made Easy,’ Levi makes the vibrant tastes and healthy ingredients of Caribbean food more accessible; the series was accompanied by his iconic book of the same name. As music and food go hand-in-hand, we caught up with Roots to talk about Vinyl.
VP: What is your favorite LP?
LR: One of my all-time favorite vinyl LPs of all time is Scientist Rids the World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires.
Sound System Culture has been my life’s love for over five decades. In my view, Dub is Sound system’s contribution to the different styles of Reggae and to Jamaican music in general. The great King Tubby was the architect and Father of Dub but when his young protégé Scientist started to make a name for himself it was with this album that he really dominated Dub and eventually immortalized himself among Sound Systems and their fans. It wasn’t just the effects he was now using, but more the audacity, the dare to push the boundaries of the bass more than even the King ever dared to, that was revolutionary.
VP: When did you first hear it?
LR: I first heard the LP as a member of the legendary Sir Coxsone Outernational Sound System, because of connections, we were lucky to have been playing all the tracks from Evil Curse of the Vampires and other Scientists mixes on dubplates well before other Sounds or DJ’s in the UK. The tracks went on to help us win consecutive Cup Dances and Sound Clashes all before they were actually released to the public.
VP: Your Thoughts on the album Art Work?
LR: The album’s cover artwork too was brilliant and broke new boundaries. Allowing one to totally immerse and lose yourself in the music; with the wonderful funny animated Artwork. That was almost like reading a comic book with all your favorite horror characters and if you were to look closely there is a story there, amazing. All in all, an absolute masterpiece.
VP: Your favorite track:
LR: Your Teeth in my Neck. I love this track because it really reminds me of the inspirational Michael Prophet. It was an anti Knife, anti Pickpocket and anti-Gun crime song and really is the type of message Michael was known for; and of course Scientist did an exceptional job on the Dub mix.