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How UB40 Brought Reggae to the Mainstraem

admin — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Reggae music has long dominated the Jamaican islands and found traction exported to neighboring nations with cultural and ethnic similarities. Long a music preaching non-violence, faithfulness to family, community and faith, and resisting the tides of violence that have long beset the beautiful Caribbean island nations, reggae music has inspired generations of islanders throughout the region. Though reggae music gained some popularity in large Western hemisphere markets early on, it was not until much later that big stars emerged and promoted reggae as an acceptable musical pop genre. First capturing the public’s attention with such artists as Peter Tosh and the esteemed Bob Marley, further leaps towards mainstream music were made when artists like The Police and later, UB40 blended contemporary pop and rock music with punk and reggae styles.

UB40 helped reggae music stride forward into the top of the popular music charts by blending reggae with vocals and vocal harmonies more reminiscent of contemporary and older pop music. Although it may be unfortunate, the Caucasian lead singer for UB40 may have helped many white music listeners to accept and adapt to a new musical genre, as has happened with past styles. Whereas Eric Clapton helped introduce white audiences to the delta blues, UB40 eased the transition into mainstream acceptance of reggae music.

Reggae Music Made Famous by Rock-n-Roll Song Covers

admin — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Jamaican popular music known as Reggae became known and well appreciated at the end of the 1960′s. When thinking of Reggae music, Bob Marley and The Wailer’s always comes to mind. Some of the greatest rock stars has done covers of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sherriff, such as Eric Clapton. Not to mention the many other covers performed by many other rock stars because of its rhythms and the way the music flows. During reggae’s golden age of the 60′s and even today, rock stars found themselves being attracted to the sound of the bass and the choppy rhythm tracks, of reggae music. The expression of the strong connection of rock music to reggae music has been visible for many years. Many of the third world Reggie songs became main stream, through covers done by Mick Jagger, Boy George and Blondie. The soulful songs caught on fast among rock’s greatest performers. The audience enjoyed the sound and the rhythms, which made it easy to move to the beat. The covers of some of Reggie’s greatest performers told the story of their lives, the civil unrest, and the troubles their country was facing at the time. It was also a way of giving news coverage and spreading awareness of the difficulty of every day life for the people of Jamaica.

Reggae Music Featured in Rock Songs

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Today many artists, from every genre of music, are borrowing tunes and sounds from other genres, to give their music a new and unique twist, which fans have never heard before. Two of the popular pairings have been regaee and rock music. Many rock artist have been using the instrumentation, the slow jams, and the sounds which is so popular in regaee, and have been adding it into their heavy metal, or their rock songs. It has actually been fairly accepted by fans, and although took some time for many fans to accept, the blend in the tunes does make for a new harmony, and something rather enjoyable, once you really listen to the final piece.

It is only natural that taking sounds from other genres would eventually come around the music world. After so long, there is only so much an artist can put out that is going to be considered a new sound. So, borrowing from regaee, is a great way to bring in that new sound, without an artist having to recreate the wheel. So, whether you love or hate it, bringing in a mix or regaee to some of your rock artist tunes, is something which many artists are doing.

Our Favorite Reggae Movies

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you’ve recently scored some directv deals you’ve just gained access to some of the best reggae movies around. If you’re wondering which ones are worth a watch check out our list of our favorite three:
Shottas: This one’s a bit of a silly flick but it’s about two Jamaican criminals who make their way to the US and hijinks ensuesounds decent enough, right? There’s a lot to love about these two crazy criminals so we think it’s worth a watch.
Bob Marley: One Love: It’s one of the greatest tribute concerts in history and it’s got footage of some of the most memorable Bob Marley songs ever recorded. If you want to feel close to the great one just one more time, seek this one out.
Countryman: An unwitting fisherman becomes a pawn in a political chase in this thrilling rasta film. If you’re interested in the human struggle in reggae-loving areas you’ve got to try and catch this one. It will change your views and your actions when it comes to Rastafarians.

The Life and Times of Bob Marley

admin — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Bob Marley was one of the most iconic reggae music leaders the world has ever seen, to this day his messages of peace are still being promoted and listened to by all generations.

Bob Marley, or Nesta Robert Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in a small village called Nine miles situated in St. Ann of Jamaica. When Marley was 14 he quit school and began pursuing his interest in music which was very heavily influenced by the political problems affecting Jamaica at the time. He became a part of the band Bob Marley & the Wailers and toured the world. Unfortunately during his European tour Marley injured his toe and was found to have Acral Lentiginous Melanoma but decided to continue his tour despite his illness. His health started deteriorating and his cancer began spreading through his body.

Bob Marley died May 11, 1981 at age 36 of Melanoma to the sadness of all of his fans, with his final words to his son being “Money can’t buy life”. 30 years after Bob Marley’s death his music is still influencing people all over the world spreading both Rastafarian beliefs and Jamaican reggae music to a huge international audience.

Instruments Used to Perform Reggae Music

admin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Reggae music originates in Jamaica and has been a major part of the music industry since the late 1960′s after Ska and Rocksteady were. The style of Reggae is slightly slower then its forerunners with emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beats and intricate base lines that distinguish it from other sounds.

Percussion instruments play a very prominent role in Reggae music. The typical drum set is used however rhythms are typically in 4/4 or swing time. The toms and high- hat are incorporated into the main drumbeat and a highly tuned snare creates the distinctive sound.

The bass guitar is generally the lead emphasizing lower tones giving off heavy sounds in combination with the drum and cross sticking. The bass lines are simple yet intricately woven into the primary sound that makes Reggae unique. Guitars, keyboards and horns are used also yet they do not play the dominant role. In fact with vocals they are more of an accent to the heavy base and drum.

Historically Reggae was part of a social movement speaking out about injustice and the lyrics reflected this. Today’s Raga and Dancehall styles are quite a bit more primal and less involved with social concerns.

The Lifestyle of Reggae Musical Performers

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Reggae music started in Jamaica. It served as an outlet for the working classees and the young to rebel against harsh working conditions. This musical genre inspired another type of music called Ska, which switched the upbeats. Ska would letter mix with punk to create a new style called ska punk. Ska punk would take influences from reggae, ska, punk and the American genre of swing music. The lifestyle of a reggae musician varies widely between the musician’s lvel of success.

Like most musicians, few reggae artists are rich and famous. Indivuals like Bob Marley are exceptions to the rule rather than the reality. They work long hours and may have to hold down a day job in order to pay the bills. Unlike Marley, they do not always do drugs. Some reggae artists may reject drugs entirely, others use recreational pharmaceuticas casually. They may often affect Jamaican accents and styles if they are not actually Jamaican.

The best thing about reggae music, at least in the minds of people who are not diehard fans of the genre, is the bright, happy brass section of many of the bands. Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” would not sound the same without trumpets. In fact, it’d sound like Eric Clapton’s much slower rock rendition of the same song.

The Influence of Reggae on Modern Music

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Reggae music has existed long before the advent of modern rock music, but it was definitely not at the forefront of any particular musical trends. For many years it existed as a local phenomenon that was not well known to the world outside of Jamaica and the surrounding regions. However, all of this changed in the ’70s when English musicians discovered, and coveted, the reggae sounds and political meanings.

Eric Clapton may be the first modern musician to exploit this technique on his version of “I Shot The Sheriff.Get more information here. http://fleamarketfunk.com/2011/07/08/sir-david-rodigan-all-jamaicans-hands-in-the-air/” This song was well received globally, and other artists were soon to follow his lead. This type of music had an even bigger impact on the nascent punk rock movement in England during the late ’70s. Reggae, and its rougher cousin Ska, was incorporated into many bands musical array, and often with great success.

Two modern bands that have used reggae to great effect, and that have achieved a tremendous level of success, have been The Police and No Doubt. Other, lesser known, bands – such as Fishbone, The Specials, Rancid, etc. – are still performing as well. Reggae is one of the few genres that have managed to remain valid over time, and it is an example of the possibilities available through the marriage of localized sounds and political ambitions.