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1974
NONE SHALL ESCAPE THE JUDGMENT * JOHNNY CLARKE * EXPLOSION 2089 * GB

Born in Kingston January in 1955 Johnny Clarke grew up in the Kingston ghetto of Whitfield Town. His first recording was for Clancy Eccles, God Made the Sea and Sun, early in 1973. He then recorded a handful of tunes for Rupie Edwards, including Everyday Wondering, which Edwards had a massive hit in England with when he redid it as Ire Feelings. Johnny Clarke left Edwards after he found out that he had been ripped off, and had the good fortune to work with Bunny Lee where, after another piece of fortuitous luck, his career took of with the above track. None Shall Escape the Judgment was originally an Earl Zero (Earl Johnson) from Greenwich Town, record with Clarke as backing singer, but Lee took the tape to engineer Sid Bucknor at Treasure Isle studio to have his (Lee's) new 'flying cymbal' sound dubbed on, according to Steve Barrow   . . ." when Bucknor transferred the tune to four track, to be mixed at King Tubby's studio, he unaccountably left Earl Zero's original vocal track off. When Tubby called this to Bunny's attention, Johnny spoke up, saying that he knew the song and could sing it. One take and it was done". From this point on, the sound Lee created with Johnny Clarke, laid the foundation for the Dance Hall sound that swept Jamaica, Europe and America in the next decade.


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