The late 1970s were the boom years for dub; hundreds of albums were isuued
between 1975 and the end of the decade. This reissue collects the two dub
albums Inner Circle made in 1978; when they were released, the group were
riding high with the late Jacob Miller, their popularity at the time in
Jamaica exceeded that of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Inner Circle themselves
have been together as a group for over thirty years, still with foundation
members the brothers Ian Monteith Lewis (bass) and Roger Lewis (guitars).
The group started out in 1969; as well as the Lewises, at that time the
lineup included Carl Barovier (drums), alongside  future members of Third
World,  Stephen 'Cat' Coore, Michael 'Ibo' Cooper, and vocalist Milton
'Prilly' Hamilton. Percussionist Irvin 'Carrot' Jarrett  - also joined after
this.  Inner Circle's first taste of success came when some of the band
were drafted in by producer Bunny Lee to play backing for Eric Donaldson's
immortal "Cherry Oh Baby", the Song Festival winner in 1971; they went on to
play on other hits for Donaldson including "Love Of The Common People".
Later that year and during early 1972 they were the backing band for the
Manley-PNP "Musical Bandwagon", playing behind artists like the late Dennis
Brown, Alton Ellis, the Chosen Few, Scotty and Tinga Stewart.  In 1973, as
Third World formed, the Lewis brothers  recruited drummer Calvin McKenzie,
keyboard players Charles Farquharson  and Bernard 'Touter' Harvey. Together
they won the prestigious Best Band  Contest on the Johnny Golding Show. They
hooked up with producer Tommy Cowan, cutting a couple of albums, mainly
covers; they also played on Augustus Pablo's "Ital Dub" for the same
producer. When Jacob Miller joined them mid-decade, they began a run of
success that only ended with Miller's untimely death in  March 1980 .
Miller had made a series of classic roots records with Augustus Pablo; with
Inner Circle he took that sound further and initially in a more commercial
direction - in 1976, they signed to Capitol Records who released two albums
"Reggae Thing" and "Ready For The World" that caught the band trying to make
headway in the US market they would eventually conquer after Jacob's death.
Meanwhile, driven by Inner Circle/Fatman Riddim Section, the Jamaican hits
like  "Tenement Yard", "Tired Fe Lick Weed In A Bush" and "Forward Jah Jah
Children' soon followed during 1976-1977. The group continued their
association with Cowan, releasing their productions on Top Ranking and Top
Ranking International.  In 1977,  "Everything Is Great " their  first album
for Island Records, gave the band an  international hit (the title track )
although once again, the album was decidedly commercial.

The dub albums were released in 1978, along with an excellent instrumental
set featuring keyboard player Bernard 'Touter' Harvey and The Fatman Riddim
Section. The dubs - one mixed by Maximillian at Channel One, the other at
King Tubby's by Prince Jammy were mainly drawn from Miller's roots-oriented
albums issued on Top Ranking ,"Killer Miller" (1977) and "Wanted" (1978).
(They also released a further Miller set "Mixed Up Moods" in 1979).
"Heavyweight Dub" kicks off  with a cut of Desi Roots' monster 1977 hit
"School Tonight", here entitled "Copper Bullet". Also included among the 19
cuts are dub versions to Miller favourites like "Peace Treaty Special"
("Peace Time Now"),  "I Shall Be Released" ("Release Dub") "80,000 Careless
Ethiopians" ("Careless Dub"), "Big Stripe" ("Rock For Ever") ", "Shaky Girl"
("Shaky Dub") "Killer Miller" ("Killer Dub") and  "Land Called Home" ("Addis
Ababa Rock").  Miller's hit  "Standing Firm" is dubbed up on "Frelimo"; this
rhythm, a recut of the old rocksteady intrumental "The Russians Are Coming"
was  also used for  Dean Fraser's instrumental "To Take It All" (aka "Take
Five") originally issued under the name of  Jah Devon). The hard-driving
"Frelimo" also propelled deejay Trinity's swipe at one-hit wonders Althia &
Donna, called "Real Ranking". "Unemployment Rock" is a dub of the rhythm for
Jacob's herbal take on the Christmas carol "Deck The Halls"; "All
Babylonians" is a another version of  Earl Zero's "City Of The Weak Heart",
also covered by  Jacob.

Follwing Jacob's death, the Lewis  brothers relocated to Miami, eventually
opening their own studio in that city. It remains their operational base
today; from there they have continued  their success, issuing more than a
dozen albums from the mid-1980s, and scoring monster global hits with "Bad
Boys" and "Sweat". Most recently (1999)they recorded some of the best of
today's artists, including the masterful roots singer Luciano, in a series
of duets with Jacob Miller, as part of a reissue tribute to a man who, had
he lived, would surely have continued in reggae's vanguard.

Blood and Fire are proud to make these recordings available again for the
first time since their original vinyl issue 21 years ago, and to present the
truly 'fat' sound of Inner Circle with The Fatman Riddim Section.

Steve Barrow / September 1999

Musicians include:
The Fatman Riddim Section:
Roger Lewis / rhythm guitar
Ian Lewis  / bass
with:
Bernard Touter Harvey / keyboard
Charles Farquharson / keyboard, guitar, 
Calvin McKenzie / drums
and
Earl Chinna Smith / lead guitar
Sly Dunbar / drums
Sky Juice / percussions