SIR LARSIE I (Germany)

ROOTS OF DUB FUNK 6: Track 5 - "JAH IS GREAT - Mix 2"

Mixed by Dub Creator

Sir Larsie I was born and raised in a suburb of Cologne, Germany in 1979.

At the age of 15 he started getting into roots music being inspired by a local group of youths enjoying the irie vibes when reasoning and hanging out in a little woodshed in the backyard of a next youthman’s place. It was one of those youths coming up with his future artist name Sir Larsie I which is based on the fact that his first name is Lars.

Starting reggae with classic records by JA legends such as King Tubby’s, Prince Jammy’s, Pablo, Scientist, Lee Perry etc. his real addiction was found purchasing The Disciples "Resonations" EP in one of the two Cologne based records stores dealing with reggae: Music Works (R.I.P.) and Music Rebel. From that very day the way to produce heavyweight dub music was paved as shortly after he decided to purchase an ATARI computer and some sound canvas gear as well as a Tascam 8 Track tape recorder.

First dubs were being produced and besides he played keyboard in a local roots reggae band called "Road to Zion". First DJing experiences were gathered when selecting for a reggae community based in Cologne downtown by the name of "Rootical Foundation. Tho due to different interests amongst the members of this community it was disbanded shortly after but contacts to former members such as Oli Dread from Dubfront Outernational and Benjy77 from Tabernacle Ites were kept up and live on to the present day. In the summer of 1996 a dream came through when meeting one of his biggest idols, Russ Disciple, in the Dubshack at Camden Market, London to buy a siren off him.

Sir Larsie I’s record collection kept on growing continuously and his production techniques improved from month to month. During a 6 months long school exchange program in 1997 connections with the French roots massive got established and you could find him chilling in the many reggae record stores in Paris such as Patate Records, Dubwise, Blue Moon, Deep Root, and Reggae Revive whenever he found some free time.

Being back in Cologne he finished school and after that moved out at his parents’ place to take the opportunity to live and work in a Cologne downtown studio which was kindly equipped with top outboard equipment by Lex from Fireball Sound System. It was there where he had the chance to perfect his mixing skills on a 32 track Soundcraft mixing desk as well as learning how to engineer properly recording dubplate sessions for Cologne’s local sound systems.

It was in this very studio as well where Sir Larsie I’s first release "Babylon Shitstem EP" was produced and played out to Sander from Walboomers Records, Amsterdam during a visit in Cologne in autumn 2001. The EP was released on Paqua Roots (sublabel of Walboomers) shortly after and featured two vocal cuts sung by Ras Pyton and Royalex. Those artists are Cologne based singers. Royalex was a longtime bredrin and Ras Pyton was just moving in from JA and got introduced by the Tabernacle Ites connection. It was at this time as well that another Cologne based artist by the name of Junior Kigwa (former Ranking Diddy) joined the camp and just like Ras Pyton remained a resident singer to the present day.

In 2002 Neil Perch from Zion Train was moving to Cologne and got kindly integrated in the local roots scene. The link up with Neil ment a lot to him as he caught up nuff production hints from this virtuous producer as well as having good vibes with him personally. Over the years remix collaborations have been performed and personal link ups with UK dub producers such as Stevie Vibronic, Nick Mannaseh, Mark Iration, Dougie Wardorp, Jah Free as well as singers such as Dubdadda, Al Pancho, and Brother Culture have been arranged via Neil during their visits in Cologne. Neil was also playing his Abassi Hi Power Sound System where Sir Larsie I was a regular visitor to enjoy listening to some of his own productions on this mighty system.

In 2002 Sir Larsie I left Cologne to study on a music college in Enschede, NL. It was on this college where he bucked upon the virtuous female singer Miss Lynx and the way was paved for upcoming collaborations as they can be found on the "Glory to HIM” and "Iniversal Consciousness" riddims.

During one of his many visits in Amsterdam Holland’s top ranking roots sound system’s selecta Bredda Neil from King Shiloh got linked up as well as Holland’s top ranking dub producer Dubcreator. The good relation with those roots music activists remain to the present day.

In 2003 he left Holland to continue his audio engineering studies on an audio college in Berlin, Germany. It was there where he met Ralf Wunderlich aka Dub Rogue from Germany’s stunning dub label "Dub Flash Records" in order to publish his next releases featuring Junior Kigwa (former Ranking Diddy) which had still been produced in Cologne.

After having achieved his audio engineering diploma he moved back to Cologne to forward the works with his local crew in his own studio. Riddims such as "Glory to HIM", "Babylon be still", "Peace and Harmony" and "Iniversal Consciousness" were built to be released on his own label "Phoenix Upliftment Records". Those riddims feature his resident singers beside outernational singers such as Dubdadda (UK), Al Pancho (JA), Jah Pearl (FR), Ras Zebi (SE) beside remixes by Disciples, Bush Chemists, Jah Warrior and Dubcreator.

In the winter of 2004 Matt Unity from Unity Sound, N.Y. was visiting Sir Larsie I in Cologne to celebrate their highly acclaimed 7" release on Unity Sound. This meeting took place shortly after Sir Larsie I had the chance to place a track on the famous British label Dubhead. Another N.Y. linkup, this time with Ras Kush from Black Redemption, was happening in mid 2005 and let to the release of the crucial "Running away" 10".

In 2006 Sir Larsie I produced a heavyweight stepper remix for the dub band “Blondub” being based in Israel. It got released as CD on imusic. There are more remix collaborations with this band coming up this year.

This biography has been written by S. Kies in 2006.

My inspiration to produce Dub is first of all my total addiction for this musical genre, Dub music itself inspires me. Second: I want to help spreading the positive message in it. Third: it's a passion not to say it makes my life, I couldn't do without it. Fourth: I wouldn't know what else to do ;).

CONTACT: Sir Larsie I