Ever since becoming deeply moved and then essentially obsessed with reggae music as a teenager, Dave has always strove to learn as much as possible about the history and culture of reggae music, Jamaica and Rastafari, the ideology and lifestyle intertwined with reggae. Over the years, he has interviewed many personalities throughout the reggae world including Ziggy Marley, Burning Spear, Lucky Dube, Bradley Nowell and many artists in the progressive roots scene. Dave has also written and published a novel, “The Cosmic Burrito,” a tale of two friends who drive across the USA in search of the ultimate burrito. He plays ice hockey weekly for a recreational team he founded and manages, Team Rasta. Reggae music has filled his life with a richness for which he will forever be grateful, and he gives thanks to musicians far and wide, past and present, whether they perform roots, dub, dancehall, skinhead, rocksteady or ska, whether their tools are analog or digital, as well as the producers, promoters, soundsystems, selectors and the reggae massive at large who comprise the international reggae community. You can follow Dave on Instagram at @rootsdude and Twitter at @ElCosmicBurrito.
The American reggae community continues to grow, with talented new artists sprouting up in many communities throughout the United States. California and Florida have always led the pack when it comes to the number of bands and strength of the fanbase, probably due to the… Read More
Think back to June of 1997. What was your life like then? Where were you living and working? Who were you spending time with? Were you in school? In diapers? Were you even born yet??
Think about how much your life and the world… Read More
Anyone who has been following reggae music for more than a minute should be familiar with John Brown’s Body, one of the longest tenured, most prolific and most respected American reggae bands. Although currently on… Read More
Are you one of those reggae fans that scours the internet, including social media groups, message boards, eBay and record distributor websites in search of rare vinyl? Do you pull over to the side of the road for every garage sale to rummage through milk crates of dusty old… Read More
One of my favorite aspects of the progressive roots scene is the fraternal sense of community that is not only evident amongst fans, but also shared amongst the artists themselves. One of the ways that this endearing characteristic surfaces on what has become a regular basis are artist… Read More
Ahh, spring.
It’s probably an overrated season, although it gets higher marks just because it comes on the heels of winter, which can be so displeasing that it has been known to trigger a depressive disorder in some people.
“Learning to Swim,” the track that kicks off the new Skints album Swimming Lessons, starts off innocently with a sunny lovers rock feel: a light reggae beat, gentle piano riffs and singer Marcia Richards’ raspy yet cheerful vocals referring back to the swimming lessons of her… Read More
Everyone gets fired up when one of their favorite bands is set to release a new album. That emotion is magnified exponentially when said band hasn’t put out new music in eight years. Case in point: The Aggrolites.
For… Read More
