Do good reggae bands still exist?
cpeetz
2,112 Posts
Does anyone know of a current reggae band with an original/throwback/real roots sound?Funk has Sharon Jones, El Michaels types, Afro-funk has Anti-Balas, Femi Kuti etc.?What about reggae?Seems like it's corny bands or dancehall and that's it.The only seen a few reggae shows other than new dancehall that were worth a shit.Trinity, Dillinger and Ranking Joe with the Blood and Fire Sound System wasridiculous!The Skatalites circa '92ish were killer.Who's putting down in 'O6?Anyone?
Comments
- spidey
I want a band that is trying to achieve an "old" sound.
Like Sharon Jones trys to sound like a 60's soul band rather
than a current soul band.
Most bands today are way over produced and one of the
best examples in reggae especially are the drums. Every reggae band i've seen
has huge miked rock n' roll sounding drums. I posted this clip
in another thread that didn't get that many views so I'll repost it
here.
not to mention this is how "hip hop" was birthed.
You got some priority issues doggie.
- spidey
Another good band that I like but kinda leans to the SKA sound is HEPCAT. Those dudes are dope. Seriously one of my favorite bands of all time. There stuff is easy to get. Should be able to get it at any popular music store.
EDIT: OK So Ocean 11 are still around they have a myspace search google for it. And I guess the CD I have is pretty rare since its probably like 10 years old now and they are waayyyy underground but they are dope.
burning spear did a great show, when I saw him a couple of years ago. fantastic performance with a dope live band. I would love to see more acts like this including younger artists.
But as has been said, reggae's never been a big touring-live-act kinda genre
And the path you're heading down with the question is loaded with landmines in the form of whitey American groups that play with jam-bands (if you're seriously interested in checking these out, I'd suggest going to your local Whole Foods and asking the employees whats poppin)
But yeah, a lot of the old head gods of this shit still tour the US with live bands occasionally... I never pony up the $20-25 for any of those shows but sometimes I hear they're good
Now, they are a pretty serious, politically oriented band. Not recommended if you're looking for a more fun sound.
Um, not really.
But to answer the original poster's question, you might wanna check out Axe Records (http://www.axerecords.com/). Their bands (Aggrolites, King Terror, Impalers, etc.) tend to play very traditional rock steady kinda stuff. The Aggrolites have backed Derrick Morgan and Prince Buster, to boot.
I've heard the Slackers are good although i have yet to see or hear them. One band that disbanded awhile back was sick ska band from san diego called Donkey Show. They did a show up here years ago with No doubt back when No doubt was a ska band in the early 90's. They crushed No doubt that night.
Also a group out of New York called Easy Star All stars be killin' it on the Dub tip. Jammed with the keyboard player Victor Axelrod once at a manhattan house party L.E.S and man that dude is talented. For awhile i remember he had a night at Joe's Pub spinning Dub records... real good guy and a great party he had goin' there.
oooh okay i'll take that challenge...
you want to tell me your version?
There is no "my version." Just what did and didn't happen.
Kool Herc is from Jamaica. That much is true. But it seems like people wanna extrapolate all kinds of schitt from the fact that he was Jamaican, such as "Reggae started rap!" I just don't buy it.
But back on topic (and speaking directly to you): you should check out that Axe Records link I posted earlier, as I seem to recall that you're a big fan of late 60s reggae. You might really dig it.
yeah i checked the link, i likes thank you kindly.
but i have to add that i have had the great fortune of having this same conversation with Kool Herc himself believe it or not, and to quote him " Hip hop started in Kingston JA". so imma go with Herc on this one... not that i really give a fuck about hip hop anyway. ooops i feel a BAN coming on.
Katchafire
Salmonella Dub
Trinity Roots
Black Seeds
Fat Freddys Drop
all of these acts have one + album out and do scorching live shows .. admittedly some of them are perhaps a tad more left than straight reggae, but that organic earthy goodness sentiment prevails like the smell from a quarter oz
co-incidentially one of NZ'a national holidays - Waitangi day - falls on Feburary 6 which is the date of bob marley's birthday, so every year there are free massive outdoor reggae events gwan down, complete with clouds of smoke
The hip hop comment is actually rather accurate.
I saw these guys and they were good...
what about..
Kidding
This band seems to get a lot of love among house music fans, and I never understood why. Plaese essplain their appeal to the garden veriety househead.
SG
True indeed. Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid and King Edwards were travelling to the states, grabbing up jazz and blues records, and rocking them on their "systems" as early as 1955.
An Excellent read might i add...
Also,you havent lived until youve witnessed the fury of these two NZ bands.
Kora
&
Little Bushman
(admittedly not strictly on the 'roots' tip, but lovely all the same)
Huh?
Who made the music in the first place?
Robots?
Studio musicians that didn't want to play live gigs playing calypso music at hotels frequented by tourists thats who.
i feel you though, no musicians = no records.
but he has a point being that the real live sound IS all about the selectors/toasters at the soundsystems and the dancehall parties that were happening at the time.
Another head scratcher...
Asking this question doesn't mean I'm not up on young Mr. Marleys work or
Horace Andy (who is one of reggae's best vocalists ever).
My question was very specific.
You wanna test my reggae crates and knowledge, puppy?
Bring it!