reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
band from
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, United States, which formed in 2002.
Overview
The Aggrolites are an amalgamation of two previous Los Angeles reggae and
ska
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
bands, the Vessels and the Rhythm Doctors. They formed in 2002 as a live backing band for reggae icon
Derrick Morgan
Derrick Morgan (born 27 March 1940)Walters, Basil (2012)A New Day – Songs heralding JA’s Independence", '' Jamaica Observer'', 3 June 2012, retrieved 3 June 2012 is a Jamaican musical artist who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He worke ...
, and were asked to record music for a new Morgan album. The project was never released, but the recording sessions inspired the Aggrolites to become a permanent band. They have served as the backing band for
Phyllis Dillon
Phyllis Dillon (27 December 1944 – 15 April 2004) , ''
, Scotty, Joseph Hill of
Culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
,
Prince Buster
Cecil Bustamente Campbell (24 May 1938 – 8 September 2016), known professionally as Prince Buster, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer. The records he released in the 1960s influenced and shaped the course of Jamaican contemporary ...
, and
Tim Armstrong
Timothy Ross Armstrong (born November 25, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer. Known for his distinctive voice, he is the singer/guitarist for the punk rock band Rancid and hip hop/punk rock supergroup Transplants. ...
.
Regarding their musical style, Aggrolites organist Roger Rivas has stated that a combination of the sounds of 1960s
soul music
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
,
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
, and
skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture which originated among working class youths in London, England, in the 1960s and soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working class skinhead movement emerging worldwide in th ...
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
(also known simply as early reggae) constitutes what the band has dubbed "Dirty Reggae."
In 2003, the Aggrolites released their debut album, ''Dirty Reggae'', on local reggae label Axe Records. The album was recorded at Signet Studios in Los Angeles in one day, with each song recorded in one take, and with many lyrics improvised on the spot. In November 2004, the Aggrolites were featured on
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...
compilation ''
Give 'Em the Boot IV
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...
'', and were officially signed to Hellcat in October 2005. The Aggrolites' self-titled Hellcat debut was released on May 9, 2006. In December 2006 they toured the UK as the support band for Madness. The Aggrolites finished a collaboration with Rancid frontman
Tim Armstrong
Timothy Ross Armstrong (born November 25, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer. Known for his distinctive voice, he is the singer/guitarist for the punk rock band Rancid and hip hop/punk rock supergroup Transplants. ...
for his new solo album, ''
A Poet's Life
''A Poet's Life'' is the debut solo studio album by American musician Tim Armstrong. It was recorded with The Aggrolites in Los Angeles, California and released on May 22, 2007 via Hellcat Records.
The album was initially released for free as down ...
''. They are providing the instrumentals with Tim as lead singer.
They released a new album on June 5, 2007 called '' Reggae Hit L.A.'', which won an IGN award for Best Reggae Album of 2007.
The Aggrolites made an appearance on the
Nick Jr.
Nick Jr. (known on-air as the Nick Jr. Channel) is an American pay television channel spun off from Nickelodeon's long-running programming block of the same name. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Gr ...
/
Paramount+
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
show ''
Yo Gabba Gabba!
''Yo Gabba Gabba!'' is a children's musical television series created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. The series is about five costumed toys come-to-life and their friend DJ Lance Rock ( Lance Robertson). It is co-produced by Magic Stor ...
'', created by
Christian Jacobs
Christian Richards Jacobs (born January 11, 1972) is an American musician, television producer, and actor. He is perhaps most recognized as the co-creator of the award-winning Nick Jr. TV show ''Yo Gabba Gabba!'', on which he additionally serves a ...
, lead singer of
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1994. Throughout many fluctuations in the group's line-up, singer the MC Bat Commander and bassist Crash McLarson have remained the band's two constant fixtures. ...
.
In mid-2007, original bassist J Bonner quit the band and played his last show on August 12, 2007 in Washington DC. He was replaced by Hepcat bassist David Fuentes. Fuentes died on September 23, 2007.
The band entered the studio in early 2009 to record their fourth album. It was released June 9, 2009 and titled '' IV''."The Aggrolites hit the studio to record fourth album." Punknews.org. January 8, 2009.
The band kicked off a US tour in October 2009 before joining Slightly Stoopid for a run of dates in November 2009.
The band released their fifth studio album, ''
Rugged Road
''Rugged'' is a 2019 Indian Kannada-language romantic action film written and directed by Mahesh Gowda and produced by Arun Kumar A. The film caption is "Neenu Malagisiruva Goriyolage Nanninu Jeevathavagiddene".
This Movie was launched in Novemb ...
'', on February 22, 2011. It is their first album for Young Cub Records.
In 2015 the band released three new songs on Bandcamp. Later that songs were re-recorded for their sixth studio album, ''REGGAE NOW!'', released on May 24, 2019. It is their first album for Pirates Press Records.
Members
Current members
*Roger Rivas (born July 19, 1981) – piano,
organ
Organ may refer to:
Biology
* Organ (biology), a part of an organism
Musical instruments
* Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone
** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument
** Hammond ...
*Alex McKenzie – drums
*Jesse Wagner (born May 30, 1980) – vocals, lead guitar
*Jeff Roffredo (born September 18, 1975) – bass guitar
*Ricky Chacon (born October 1, 1971) –
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
The band's song "Free Time" from the album '' Reggae Hit L.A.'' was featured in the film ''
Bandslam
''Bandslam'' is a 2009 American musical romantic comedy drama film directed by Todd Graff who co-wrote the screenplay with Josh A. Cagan. The film stars Aly Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelan Connell, Lisa Kudrow, Scott Porter, Ryan Donowho, and ...
''.
The band's song "Work to Do" was featured in the film '' 50/50''
Discography
Albums
*''Dirty Reggae'', Axe Records, 2003
*''
The Aggrolites
The Aggrolites are an American reggae band from Los Angeles, California, United States, which formed in 2002.
Overview
The Aggrolites are an amalgamation of two previous Los Angeles reggae and ska bands, the Vessels and the Rhythm Doctors. ...
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...
, 2009
*''
Rugged Road
''Rugged'' is a 2019 Indian Kannada-language romantic action film written and directed by Mahesh Gowda and produced by Arun Kumar A. The film caption is "Neenu Malagisiruva Goriyolage Nanninu Jeevathavagiddene".
This Movie was launched in Novemb ...
'', Young Cub Records, 2011
*''
Unleashed Live Vol.1
Unleashed may refer to:
Art and entertainment Film and television
* ''Unleashed'' (2001 film), a film featuring Jeff Anderson
* Unleashed (2005 film), ''Unleashed'' (2005 film), a 2005 martial arts film starring Jet Li
* Unleashed (2016 film), ...
'', Independently (US) / Brixton Records (Europe/Australia) / Ska in the World (Japan) 2012
*''Reggae Now!'', Pirates Press Records, 2019
Compilations
*''
Give 'Em the Boot IV
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...
'' (2004)
*''
Give 'Em the Boot V
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...