3/25/2023 0 Comments Steel pulse![]() ![]() Rolling Stone's Daisann McLane praised it as "the best album from one of the most important U.K.-based reggae bands of the '80s."Įarth Crises, released in 1984, was a turning point for Steel Pulse. Their first album for a new label proved to be a redemptive effort: it was energetic, reminiscent of their early, lauded material and marked by a new, rigorous production style. That same year, Steel Pulse released True Democracy on the Elektra label. Reggae Report's Lee O'Neill wrote, "Steel Pulse-according to all accounts-stunned the audience." Soon after the concert, Elektra released Reggae Sunsplash '81 in 1982 with four Steel Pulse songs featured on the collection. Steel Pulse performed at the 1981 Reggae Sunsplash and won over the audience. Steel Pulse opened for the Talking Heads at Radio City Music Hall in 1980, which brought them further to the attention of the American audience. When Mango Records collected the best of Steel Pulse for its Reggae Greats album in 1985, the label focused primarily on Steel Pulse's early Handsworth Revolution album instead of their later material. Reggae Fever was the result of an effort to smooth out Steel Pulse's rougher edges, characterized by a freewheeling style, and the album did not spark as much interest as their previous two albums. Reggae Fever-known as Caught You in England-was released in 1980 and was the band's last recording on the Mango label. The singles "Handsworth Revolution," "Sound System," "Ku Klux Klan," and "Soldiers" from these first two albums would set the standards for their live performances for years to come and would prove to be the most enduring. As a result, Steel Pulse had a tremendous audience base for touring but did not fare as well on radio or in dance halls. ![]() While other reggae bands at the time were focusing on harmonic melody, heavy bass, and slow Rastafarian drum beats, Steel Pulse fused reggae with a faster, more confrontational rock-inspired delivery.Īlthough Steel Pulse's first two albums were well received, the songs on these albums were created more with live concerts in mind than for dancing. Their lyrics shared an outrage with punk rock musicians, their confrontational style was borne of rock music, and their beat was a mixture of African reggae and England's "Two-Tone" ska music. Steel Pulse's first and second albums cemented their reputation as a reggae band with punk rock and ska undertones. In spite of this, Steel Pulse's first two albums on the Mango label in 19, Handsworth Revolution and Tribute to the Martyrs, have a ska beat and feel to them, which reflects the era in which they started. Unlike the ethnically mixed, England-based ska groups that gained popularity in the late 1970s-like the Specials and the English Beat-Steel Pulse's members are all of Jamaican ancestry and have African-centered influences. ![]() Steel Pulse has consistently emphasized societal problems through their lyrics. Steel Pulse, however, frequently opened concerts for punk rock bands like Ultravox, XTC, the Stranglers, and Generation X-and were as likely to be part of a punk rock concert as a reggae festival. When English reggae bands were gaining international attention in the mid-1970s, few of them allied themselves with England's punk rock movement. President Bill Clinton's request- was the first reggae band to perform for a presidential inauguration.Īlthough other reggae bands-such as the Wailers-fused rock with reggae in the 1970s, it was Steel Pulse who focused most intensely on the mix. Steel Pulse established themselves as one of reggae's major forces throughout the 1980s and-at U.S. Addresses: Record company-MCA Records, 1755 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.įormed in 1975 by David Hinds and Selwyn Brown in the Handsworth section of Birmingham, England, Steel Pulse is most noted within reggae circles for being one of the first international bands to mix reggae's African, salsa, and calypso beats with pop and rock music. Members include Kevin Batchelor (born December 19, 1960, in Missouri joined group 1989), trumpet Selwyn "Bumbo" Brown (born June 4, 1956, in London, England), keyboards, vocals Alvin Ewen (born August 27, 1961, in Birmingham, England joined group 1987), bass David Hinds (born June 15, 1956, in Birmingham, England), rhythm guitar, lead vocals, songwriter Gerry Johnson (born March 23, 1959, in New York joined group 1990), saxophone Phonso Martin (joined band in 1977 left group 1991), vocals, percussion Sidney Mills (born Janujoined group 1990), keyboards Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett (born March 15, 1948, in Nevis, West Indies joined band 1991), percussion Clifford "Moonie" Pusey (born September 25, 1953, in Bridgeport, CT joined group 1990), lead guitar. If you would like to share Steel Pulse lyrics with other users of this site, please see the bottom of this page on how to submit Steel Pulse lyrics. ![]()
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