Greer L

L Double

Lee Johnson (born 20 July 1971) known professionally as L Double, is a British drum and bass DJ, radio presenter, and record producer. He is often credited as being one of the founding fathers of DnB through his record label Flex.

Early years

L Double was born to a Welsh mother and Jamaican father in the market town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire . His early years were very much influenced by reggae and the Jamaican sound system culture, followed by the explosion of American hip-hop. He got his first set of desk when he was a teenager and spent hours in his bedroom practising his skills and by the time he left school was securing DJ gigs up and down the country. As well as playing other people's music he then began learning how to produce his own tracks which he put out on white label. By the 90's he was making a name for himself in clubland and briefly gained fame with Bradford cult band Unique 3 before deciding mainstream music was not for him.

Championing the underground, L immersed himself in the rave scene which quickly morphed into jungle. This sub-genre of electronic music was the perfect fit for L having its origins, as he did, in breakbeats. Taking the baton L began bashing out his own unique take on the music and started a distribution company. Traveling around the UK it became apparent that DnB, as it was now known, was blowing up in the south of the country, particularly London and Bristol. Being a Yorkshire lad, L was determined to bring the scene closer to home. In 1994 as well as setting up his ground breaking record label Flex he began putting on events to introduce DnB to a new audience in the north. As his influence in the scene grew Radio came calling and Kiss Fm gave him his own show to expand on what he had started. He was soon not only breaking in new talent but working with established talent like Ram Record, Wu Tang Clan, Metalheadz, Shy FX, Elizabeth Troy, Reinforced and Mickey Finn.

he started not only showcasing new talent but also working with established talent collaborating and remixing tracks with people and labels like Ram Record, Wu Tang Clan, Metalheadz, Shy FX, Elizabeth Troy, Reinforced and Mickey Finn.

A lorry load of opportunities followed and he began working with people like Ram Records, WU Tang Clan, Metalheadz, Reinforced

Mickey Finn, Adam F, (Pharaoh Working with Mickey Finn), Shy FX , 4 Hero, Elizabeth Troy (S.O.U.R), TC Islam, re-mixing for the Wu Tang Clan In addition to his own releases L Double and Micky Finn remixed (Rza -Wu tang) BOBBY DIGITAL'S "NYC EVERYTHING",

and Metalheadz, RAM, Reinforced, Labello, SOUR, Urbantakeover, Formation/5HQ, and others to name a few. One of the first DNB labels to license tracks internationally.

L was then asked to play on Kiss when the station was heading North -Drum and B using the platform to expand what was happening in London and inform bring this new style of music to the north. First person dab rave in Sheffield and Leeds, Bradford called Dub Shack and weekly events In Leeds. 95 a b side for a track and did it one day. Biggest tracks you were involved were Base2Dark The Little Rollerz . Double dropping you have been credit with the creation double drop in 92 which is now ubiquitous in the scene and used by people like Andy C.

1xtra started the very first show 1Xtra did head hunted by Wilber Wilberforce. Weekly show dnb. Brought first national dub chart to the country and set up the system so that shops could be part of it. Gave it a face and brought it into people's homes. Did biggest user generated content generated cutting room people would send in tracks and they would be reviewed on the show and the winner would get a dub plate .

The BBC then headhunted him to front their drum and bass show on flagship digital station 1XTRA. And it was not long before L’s Connexions show was one of the most listened to of all 1Xtra shows online. Residencies, guest appearances and more music than you can quantify followed - firmly cementing him in the dnb hall of fame.

From hosting BBC's dub Awards to hosting the BBCs Youth in the Community Initiative for three years running to leading the national annual dub tour which promoted the station showcasing the talents of dub and podcast style shows with the genre leading labels such as how to run a record label with hospital.

In 2001, L was hand-picked to headline the Brazilian Greenpeace debut event in Manus, Ecosystem 1.0 and 2.0. The party drew more than a million people and succeeded in banning the European mahogany trade.

Interviewed everyone one radio and did Iive events.

2010 to present

After ten years ni radio then took hiatus. Brought family up. Took Flex back digitally - with a fresh look and feel modernizing it boring with new and established artists. Touring the world.

Hosted the MoBos from Leeds. Lover of vinyl repress the Base2Dark. because its a classic - on Metalheadz 94 tune

Twitch putting his show back online streaming world irl.

Discography

Singles and EPs

Armshouse EP (Velocite Records, 92)

The World of the Night (Pure Noise, 93)

Mo2vation and L Double - Lowdown and Funky/That Ruff Track (No Noise Recordings, 93)

Love this Style (No Noise Recordings, 93)

Little Rollers Vol 1 (Flex 94)

Your Love (12" W/LB)

Little Rollers Volume 1 / Untiltled (No Label, 94)

Three Disciples /L Double - Gwarn!/Little Rollers Vol1 (No Label, 94)

Photek/LDouble - Say it/Them Style (No Label, Vol1 , 94)

DJ Monk & TCO / LDouble - Good Body Girl/Little Rollers (No Label, 94)

L Double/FX- What am I Gonna Do?/The Sound of FX (No Label, 94)

Music For The 90's / The Mad Phunk (Flex, 95)

L Double & Liccle D - Hail Him Dubplate special (Flex, 95)

LDouble, Prizna - What am I Gonna Do? (No Label, 95

L Double & Liccle D, Elisabeth Troy - Dubplate Special/Let Me Be (No Label 95)

Remarc, L DOuble - RIP/Music For The 90s (No Label, 95)

Shoot to Kill -(Not on Label 95)

Asylum (9), L Double, Liccle D - Da Base II Dark/Runnin' For Years (Rasta Sound) (Not on Label 95)

External Links

L Double at Discogs