Concert in your area for Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Indie & Alt.
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Bushell was in a punk band and had recorded some hip-hop demo tapes and the two started collaborating, recording in Bushells garage. They created their blend of pop-punk, reggae and hip-hop that was to see them through their recording career under the name “Dirty Head”, which was apparently the name they earned from their family members in their garage days.
Before long they had formed a full band with other members, percussionist Jon Olazabal, drummer Matt Ochoa, and bassist David Foral. They were scheduled to release their first album, “Any Port in a Storm” with Warner Brothers but decided they’d stick it to the big record label and went with EMG.
The first single, “Lay Me Down”, featuring Rome Ramirez from Sublime with Rome, got them a Number 1 slot on the Billboard Alternative Song Chart for 2010.
The rest of the album was a symposium of big wigs including Beatles sessioner and R&B multi-instrumentalist, Billy Preston, Vandals drummer, Josh Freese and reggae singer Tippa Irie.
Dirty Heads began to tour regularly, supporting the likes of Unwritten Law, 311 and Matisyahu.
After a recording hiatus, they put out “Cabin by the Sea”, which also hosted a bunch of cameos including Kymani Marley on “Your Love”, a reappearance of Rome Ramirez on “Mongo Push”, Matisyahu on “Dance All Night”, and hip-hop veteran and cameo machine Del the Funky Homosapien on “Smoke Rings”.
Their studio album, “Sound of Change”, debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Alternative Albums Chart, with the single “My Sweet Summer” drawing in a new electronic infusion to their rootsy reggae sound, resulting in a dolled-up dancehall number with a melancholic undercurrent, its chorus channeling some the jilted blues tracks of the 1960s, perhaps most recognizably Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”.
The Dirty Heads are quintessential band to listen to. Their music defines the ”laidback, at the beach, with the year round perfect weather” atmosphere of Southern California. Being a born and raised Southern Californian I was so excited when I found out they were part of the lineup at my university’s winter music festival, I knew that I needed to see them live. Despite my making a big deal and rushing my friends to get to campus to catch the Dirty Heads, I missed about half their set. BUT…they were so good that it is still one of the most memorable performances I have ever seen.
While we were waiting in line to get into the performance area we were able to catch the tail end of “Believe” because their stage was right by the entrance. By the time we reached the back of the crowd, they had started their rendition Rolling Stone’s “Paint it Black.” And while nothing compares to the original, putting their own unique brand of reggae-ska-punk sound made it one of the best I had ever heard.
They closed with “Lay Me Down” which even Duddy B had said, “we’re going to close with the obvious song that you all know best…” This definitely hyped up the crowd even without the actual presence of Rome (his vocal tracks were present however). Throughout the entirety of the song, the audience sang along to every word, and Duddy B’s vocal really could have been enough.
Satsang's Energy and Flow never disappoints Drew Mcmanus, Karl Roth, Ben Teters and new addition Charlottes's own Stefan Kallander rocked the intimate venue here in Charlotte, NC with the same soulful magic as they bring to the main stage in Harmony Park where I first experienced them live at 2017 Shangri-la. Resonating with Consciousness in the process of self evolution. What comes through most for me in Satsang's music/lyrics is resilience. Sharing his own growth and healing processes in an ever evolving and consistently expanding world view Satsang seems to say I walk WITH you but we got to keep moving, with a no man left behind attitude.