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Steel Pulse was
formed in 1975 in Birmingham,
England, specifically the inner
city area of Handsworth. The
founding members were
schoolmates David Hinds (the
primary songwriter as well as
the lead singer and guitarist),
Basil Gabbidon (guitar), and
Ronnie "Stepper" McQueen (bass).
All of them came from working
class West Indian immigrant
families, and none had much
musical experience. They took
some time to improve their
technical proficiency, often on
Roots inspired material by the
Wailers, Burning Spear and
several other prominent Jamaican
artists. McQueen suggested the
group name, after a racehorse,
and they soon fleshed out the
lineup with drummer Steve
"Grizzly" Nisbett,
keyboardist/vocalist Selwyn "Bumbo"
Brown, percussionist/vocalist
Alphonso "Fonso" Martin, and
vocalist Michael Riley.
Steel Pulse initially had
difficulty finding live gigs, as
club owners were reluctant to
give them a platform for their
"subversive" Rastafarian
politics. Luckily, the punk
movement was opening up new
avenues for music all over
Britain, and also finding a
spiritual kinship with protest
reggae. Thus, the group wound up
as an opening act for punk and
new wave bands like the Clash,
the Stranglers, Generation X,
the Police, and XTC, and built a
broad-based audience in the
process. In keeping with the
spirit of the times, Steel Pulse
developed a theatrical stage
show that leavened their social
commentary with satirical humor;
many of the members dressed in
costumes that mocked traditional
British archetypes (Riley was a
vicar, McQueen a bowler-wearing
aristocrat, Martin a coach
footman, etc.). The band issued
two singles -- "Kibudu, Mansetta
and Abuku" and "Nyah Love" -- on
small independent labels, when
they then came to the attention
of Island Records after opening
for Burning Spear.
Steel Pulse's first single for
Island was the classic "Ku Klux
Klan," which happened to lend
itself well to the band's highly
visual, costume-heavy concerts.
It appeared on their 1978 debut
album, "Handsworth Revolution,"
which was soon hailed as a
classic of British reggae by
many fans and critics, thanks to
songs like the title track, "Macka
Splaff," "Prodigal Son," and
"Soldiers." Riley departed
before the follow-up, 1979's
"Tribute to the Martyrs," which
featured other key early singles
in "Sound System" and "Babylon
Makes the Rules," and solidified
the band's reputation for
uncompromising political
ferocity. That reputation went
out the window on 1980's "Caught
You," a more pop-oriented set
devoted to dance tracks and
lovers rock. By that point,
Steel Pulse was keen on trying
to crack the American market,
and went on tour over Island's
objections. "Caught You" was
issued in the States as "Reggae
Fever," but failed to break the
group, and they soon parted ways
with Island.
Steel Pulse moved on to
Elektra/Asylum, which released
an LP version of their
headlining set at the 1981
Reggae Sunsplash Festival. Their
studio debut was 1982's "True
Democracy," a generally acclaimed
set that balanced bright,
accessible production with a
return to social consciousness.
It became their first charting
LP in America, making both the
pop and R&B listings. The
slicker follow-up, "Earth Crisis,"
was released in 1984 and
featured producer Jimmy "Senyah"
Haynes subbing on guitar and
bass for founding members
Gabbidon and McQueen, both of
whom left the group by the end
of the recording sessions. They
were replaced by guitarist
Carlton Bryan and bassist Alvin
Ewen for 1986's "Babylon the
Bandit," another Haynes-produced
effort that ranked as the
group's most polished, synth-centered
record to date. It featured the
powerful "Not King James
Version" and won a Grammy for
Best Reggae Album.
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In 1988, Steel Pulse released
"State of Emergency,"
their most explicitly crossover-oriented album yet. They also
contributed the track "Can't Stand It" to the soundtrack of
Spike Lee's classic Do the Right Thing. In 1991, they released
another heavily commercial album, the Grammy-nominated Victims,
which featured the single "Taxi Driver." Backing up the song's
views, Steel Pulse filed a class-action lawsuit against the New
York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, charging that drivers
discriminated against blacks and particularly Rastafarians.
Founding member Fonso Martin left that year, reducing Steel
Pulse to a core trio of Hinds, Nisbett, and Brown. Their backing
band still featured Ewen and was elsewhere anchored by guitarist
Clifford "Moonie" Pusey, keyboardist Sidney Mills, trumpeter
Kevin Batchelor, Saxophonist Jerry Johnson and Trombonist Clark
Gayton.
The 1992 live album "Rastafari Centennial" marked the beginning of
a return to the group's musical roots, and earned another Grammy
nomination. The following year, they performed at Bill Clinton's
inaugural celebration, the first reggae band to appear at such
an event. 1994's studio album "Vex" completed Steel Pulse's
re-embrace of classic roots reggae, though it also nodded to
contemporary dancehall with several guest toasters and a
digital-flavored production. 1997's "Rage and Fury" continued in a
similar vein, and was nominated for a Grammy. In 1999, the group
released another collection of live performances, "Living Legacy."
Fast forward a long seven years since their previous album, "Rage
and Fury," Steel Pulse would return yet again, this time with
"African Holocaust," and yet again have their ranks dwindled. Core
members David Hinds (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Selwyn Brown
(keyboards, backing vocals) are the only ones to remain from the
band's original line-up, but they more than hold their own and
they're joined by a deep roster of supporting musicians, a list
too long to list. As always, the music is what's most important,
and on that count, this Steel Pulse lineup indeed makes the
mark. Granted, it did take them seven years to get the album
out, but still it won a Grammy Awards Nomination for Best Reggae
Album of the year. There's really not too much else to say about
"African Holocaust." Longtime fans will know what to expect.
Newcomers should know a few things: above all, Steel Pulse are
known for performing well-written, Afrocentric songs that are
rebellious without being negative or inflammatory, and though
the band membership has changed over the years, the type of
songs hasn't, nor has the steady move away from dancehall that
was apparent on the band's previous album. the message and music
remain true to the band's principles and vision.
Steel Pulse is one of Britain's greatest reggae bands, in terms
of creative and commercial success. Steel Pulse started out
playing authentic roots reggae with touches of jazz and Latin
music, and earned a substantial audience worldwide. Their 1978
debut, "Handsworth Revolution," is still regarded by many critics
as a landmark and a high point of British reggae. By the late
'80s, Steel Pulse had won a Grammy and were working full-fledged
crossover territory. They subsequently returned to a
tough-minded, rootsy sound and have added touches of dancehall
and hip-hop along the way.
Listen to the
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Steel Pulse
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