THE AGGROLITES

There are singers, guitarists and even entire bands who will say that if not for so and so if not for the music and classic albums of this artist or that artistthey wouldnt exist. In the case of the Aggrolites, thats not just hyperbole. If not for the great Jamaica ska singer Derrick Morgan, the Aggrolites would quite honestly not exist. The band was borne out of a small collective of Southern Californian reggae and ska artists who, after backing the singer in a local concert, came together about four years ago to record music for a new Derrick Morgan disc. While that project never ended up seeing daylight, the various recording sessions gave rise to the Aggrolites, an amalgamation of two area bands, the Vessels and the Rhythm Doctors, a band that originally came together purely by accident, says lead guitarist/vocalist Jesse Wagner. We were having fun in the studio, so we just said, Hey, why dont we book some shows and do our own thing. We were just five guys enjoyed playing music together. Beyond having a good time, while cutting the Morgan tracks the bandWagner, bassist J Bonner, rhythm guitarist Brian Dixon, piano/organist Roger Rivas and then-drummer Korey Horn (who has since been replaced by ex-Hepcat skinsman Scott Abels)knew they were onto something. Reflecting the deep love for rocksteady, ska and reggae in Southern California, this new fusion of two bands was hitting on something that sounded truly authentic: from the classic, keyboard riffing recalling the great Jamaican keyboardist Jackie Mittoo to the swinging, horn-filled rhythms of Morgan himself. They decided to run with it, booking shows throughout L.A. and Orange County, during which they were mixing originals with Mitto and Upsetters covers. The band took its name from the 1960s British slang term aggro, meaning tough. During that era, aggro was a term used to describe the tough reggae sound getting more and more popular in the U.K. It was a perfect fit for the Aggrolites: a tough name for a tough band. In between gigs, they reentered the studio and began cutting tracks that eventually became their first record, Dirty Reggae. We were recording the album without even knowing it, says Wagner. Before we knew it we had an album done, before we had even really honed our sound. Released on the tiny Axe label, Dirty Reggae is a collection of one-take tracks cut within a matter of hours, instead of weeks or days, Wagner laughs, noting that most of the lyrics came right off the top of his head. Recorded in L.A. at Signet Studios, the former relocated, West Coast home of Motown, the tracks were cut using some of the same instruments employed by the likes of The Jackson Five and Smokey Robinson, some of the very records that Wagner and his bandmates grew up on: While their love for Caribbean rhythms is deepthey share a particular affection for the likes the Upsetters, Delroy Wilson, Toots, Ken Boothe and Alton Ellisthe bands sound and style was informed by everything from the Clash, WAR and James Brown to Tower of Power, Wilson Pickett and the Meters. Finding Dixon, a sound engineer at Signet, sculpting the soundusing older microphones and tinkering with retro recording techniquesDirty Reggae laid the bedrock for their The Aggrolites, the bands Hellcat Records debut. Taking Dixons retro approach one-step further, The Aggrolites is a 19-track mix of sing-a-longs and instrumentals that not only sounds straight out of Kingston, circa 1967, but one that with great respect and style recalls such pillars of island music as Toots & the Maytals, the Ethiopians, Mittoo and the early Wailers. Its that rare kind of album that really, truly sounds like a bona fide homage, a disc that sounds like a group of guys genuinely in love with the great, late 60s music of Jamaica, guys who are interested in reviving rather ripping off those classic records. Indeed, if the band members had a collective goal, it would be to increase awareness of reggae musicto show Americans especially that theres a whole lot more to Jamaican music than Bob Marley, ganja and growing dreadlocks, says Wagner. Wed love to help put it more on the map. With The Aggrolites, he says, We tried to get serious. While the music was created spontaneously, a little more sculpted were the melodies and lyrics, which can be quite playful, and intentionally have an almost child-friendly, nursery rhyme-like vibe in songs like Work to Do. In the great story-song Countryman Fiddle, Wagner and the gang sing: I need more soul in my music/I got to have reggae, reggae music/I dont need no countryman fiddle/I need a real cool sound. A lot of the songs are about fun, while other can get somewhat serious, like when we talk about poverty, things that we were going through at the time, Wagner laughs. Being broke and trying to make it in a band But every single song is about something completely different. En route to the release of The Aggrolites have had plenty of time to hone that real cool sound, having gigged across the States, in Canada and Mexico and overseas. The bands appeared on several tiny international releases, and experienced a boon in its career when Hellcat chiefs Chris LaSalle and Tim Armstrong of Rancid placed the bands Dirty Reggae, the title track of their first album, on the fourth volume of the popular Give Em the Boot compilation. It was a perfect introduction to a bigger audience, says Wagner. Dirty Reggae has essentially come to define what they do onstage and what they are, he says: White boys faithfully playing Jamaican music but with grit. Its reggae, but its a bit dirtied up by a group of guys who range in age from mid-20s to mid-30s and informed by all sorts of rock music. Its a mix that comes across live: Watching a ska band, or reggae band, Wagner says, if you dont like the music, youre gonna be bored out of your mind, because most bands sort of stand onstage with a deer-in-headlights look. We try to do something to catch their eye, because if you think about it, the Specials used to jump around, people like Prince had sex appeal, someone like Otis Redding would get down on his kneeswe try to put that energy into the music. Theyve done so during opening sets for the likes of Madness, Rancid, Floggin Molly, The Selecter and Ozomatli. Perfectly enough, their sound has proven so true that they even ended up serving as the backing band for not only Derrick Morgan, but late Jamaica vocalist Phyllis Dillon, Scotty, Joseph Hill of Culture and Prince Buster, who afterward provided as powerful a testament to the Aggrolites authenticity, saying: It reminded me of the old days, I cant believe that this young band from America could play my music just as good as the day it was recorded. Mission accomplished.

Audio

Shows

Ship Point (Inner Harbour)
Fri. June 23rd 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
$39.50 - $49.50 advance
On Friday night this year, we celebrate the musical diversity of the west coast in a big way. One of the west coasts most revered and loved MCs returns to Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival for the first time since 2018 and this time he comes armed with his band and all his own songs. CHALI 2NA & THE HOUSE OF VIBE take the stage for a celebration of hip-hop, funk, soul, reggae and everything in between. The last time the Jurassic 5 alumnus came to Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest was with his friends in Ozomatli, he left us all asking for more. Well, we heard your calls, the legendary rapper returns! With his unforgettable baritone voice, Chali 2na is one of the most instantly recognizable rappers on the planet, but it's not just his voice that has kept him relevant. His nimble, often rapid-fire flows, clever wordplay, his effervescent presence and most importantly, his willingness to try new sounds and not shy away from new musical ideas, have all kept him in the ears of music fans consistently for three decades. His acclaimed work with the Funk Hunters and Krafty Kuts have helped him branch into the world of electronic music like few North American MCs have. When he's with the House of Vibe the energy is always beyond high.

Coming up from California to join us for the first time in what has been way too long if you ask us, are our dear friends and favourites of reggae and ska fans everywhere, THE AGGROLITES. The Aggrolites (Or Aggros, as their affectionately known) as beloved for their untouchable rocksteady revivalism, bringing the rocksteady sounds of 60s Kingston and 70s London modern audiences unlike anyone else doing it today. The bands' high energy reggae and ska provides the perfect base for the soulful vocals of singer Jesse Wagner. There are few bands who continue to unite the fans of reggae, punk and ska the way that the Aggros can. And as long as we're bringing back old friends and celebrating the west coast, why not bring back our Vancouver pals, LOS FURIOS. One of the most high-energy bands Vancouver has ever birthed, Los Furios has been assaulting ear drums for over 20 years with their own brand of punk, ska and reggae. Not only are they proof positive of the diverse musical landscape that is the west coast but they're also the perfect band to kick off Friday of Victoria's 24th Annual Ska & Reggae Festival. Our fellow solider for the culture and one of our all time favourite DJs, TANK GYAL will be heating things up and holding things down between sets as she assaults us from behind the decks!