Easy Star All-Stars

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Easy Star All-Stars
Easy Star All-Stars at Fox Theatre in 2012
Easy Star All-Stars at Fox Theatre in 2012
Background information
OriginJamaica/United States
GenresReggae, ska, dub
Years active1997–present
LabelsEasy Star
Members
Websiteeasystarallstars.net

Easy Star All-Stars is a

Thriller.[2]

History

Originally formed as a studio band for Easy Star Records' earliest recordings, Easy Star All-Stars existed mostly as a studio entity until the release of their first album in 2003.[1] Although they have produced several original releases, they are best known for covering popular albums in a reggae and dub style and have released six cover albums to date.[2]

2003-2006: Easy Star All-Stars' early releases

Album cover of Easy Star All-Stars first release Dub Side of the Moon

In February 2003, Easy Star All-Stars released a cover album of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon entitled

Dark Side of the Rainbow
.

Dub Side of the Moon was followed by the 2006 release of

Toots & The Maytals version of "Let Down" on Radiodread.[4] Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has also praised the cover version, calling it "truly astounding."[5]

2008-2009

In March 2008, Easy Star All-Stars released

Climbing Up the Walls."[2][6] On 5 April 2011, they released their first original album entitled First Light.[2][7]

On January 13, 2009 the Easy Star All-Stars posted a statement on their website that they had completed their next album, a reworking of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles titled Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band, which was released on April 14, 2009.[8] However it was exclusively released on imeem a day prior. Reviews have been favourable. Sydney street press Music Feeds rated the album 10/10.[9] Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band cracked the Billboard Top 200 twice, making it the first reggae album to do so in over two years.[3]

Victor Axelrod aka Ticklah compiled a dub version of a song by the Iowa reggae band Public Property on an upcoming album Work to Do set for release in July 2009.

Michael Goldwasser compiled a dub version of the song "Turn & Run" by Umphrey's McGee.

2010-2014

In October 2010, the Easy Star All-Stars released Dubber Side of the Moon, featuring bass-heavy remixes of Dub Side of the Moon by Dubmatix, 10 Ft. Ganja Plant, Groove Corporation, Dubphonic, Alchemist, Dreadzone, Kalbata, Adrian Sherwood & Jazzwad, Victor Rice, Border Crossing, Mad Professor, Michael G. & Easy Star All-Stars, and J. Viewz.[10]

On August 28, 2012, the Easy Star All-Stars released Thrillah, a reimagining of

Thriller. On August 12, 2016, the Easy Star All-Stars rereleased their 2006 album Radiodread. The Easy Star All-Stars' rerelease contains a bonus track featuring Morgan Heritage covering Radiohead's song "High and Dry" from their 1995 album The Bends.[11] On September 16, 2014, the Easy Star All-Stars released a special anniversary re-issue of Dub Side of the Moon, their 2003 album reinterpreting Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.[12]

Recent years

In recent years, Easy Star All-Stars' producer Michael Goldwasser has worked on a handful of reggae remixes with chart-topping artists, including the tracks "Have It All" by Jason Mraz, "I Like That" by Janelle Monáe, "Heat" by Kelly Clarkson, "Orange Trees" by MARINA, and "90s Kids" by Jax.[13]

On April 21, 2023, the Easy Star All-Stars released Ziggy Stardub, a reggae recasting of David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.[14] The album garnered positive reviews, and earned an article with billboard.[15]

Current line-up

Listed in the order and as they appear in the liner notes accompanying Dub Side of the Moon:

The core of the touring line-up has remained largely intact since 2003.[3] The rotating roster includes:

  • Buford O'Sullivan (trombone)
  • Cliff Simpson (drums)
  • Horace James (keyboards, vocals)
  • Ive-09 (drums)
  • Jenny Hill (saxophone, flute)
  • Joanne Williams (vocals)
  • Kirsty Rock (vocals)
  • Ras Droppa (bass, vocals)
  • JonnyGoFigure (DJ vocals)
  • Andrew McIntyre (guitar, vocals)

Discography

References

  1. ^ a b "About Me".
  2. ^ a b c d Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013) "Adding their all-star touch", Jamaica Observer, November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013
  3. ^ a b c "Easy Star All-Stars | Easy Star". Archived from the original on 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  4. ^ "Radiohead: A ticket worth the effort - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com.
  5. ^ "GIANT STEP™ | Release - Radiodread by Easy Star All-Stars". Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  6. ^ "E A S Y S T A R * R E C O R D S". Archived from the original on February 24, 2008.
  7. ^ "FIRST LIGHT RELEASE DAY IN NORTH AMERICA | Easy Star". Archived from the original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
  8. ^ "Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band | Easy Star". Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  9. ^ "Easy Star All Stars - Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band". Music Feeds. April 7, 2009.
  10. ^ "Dubber Side of the Moon | Easy Star". Archived from the original on 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
  11. ^ Yarecki (12 August 2016). "Easy Star All-Stars "Radiodread" re-issue". Dub Massive. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "Dub Side of the Moon: Special Anniversary Edition". Easy Star Records. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  13. ^ easystar (2019-01-04). "Michael Goldwasser and Easy Star All-Stars' Remix of Kelly Clarkson's "Heat"". Easy Star Records. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  14. ^ easystar (2023-04-19). "EASY STAR ALL-STARS RELEASE ZIGGY STARDUB TRIBUTE ALBUM". Easy Star Records. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  15. ^ Meschino, Patricia (2023-04-20). "'Ziggy Stardub': Inside the Reggae Recast of David Bowie's Glam Rock Classic". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-12-11.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Easy Star All-Stars.
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