With the flair of their Jamaican brethren and the elegance of their English roots, Steel Pulse has crafted some of the finest grooves in reggae that span 40 years of unmatched creativity. In those 40 years, Steel Pulse has become the most successful British reggae group with a Grammy win, numerous sold out performances and the honor of becoming the first reggae band to play at former president Clinton’s inauguration.
To celebrate this major milestone, the pulse of reggae will stop at The Warehouse in downtown Fairfield on Wednesday, Sept. 30. To add to the monumentality of the event, Steel Pulse will become the third band to play at the venue behind Rusted Root and The Weight.
With a style that cannot simply be nailed down to one genre, Steel Pulse draws from the influences of jazz, hip-hop and Latin rhythms. Each release evokes a different sound and message whether it be the politically explosive “Handsworth Revolution” or the spiritually-invocative “Babylon the Bandit.”
Songs such as “Roller Skates” and “Taxi Driver” evoke the playful tongue-in-cheek satire of the British political system that has come to define the band as the Rastafarian answer to worldwide political injustice, which originally caused them
problems in matters of booking when they first started touring.
For those who do not understand the Rastafarian religion, it embodies the spirituality of humanity with the Earth with a specific emphasis on peace.
Just as powerful as their Rastafarian political stance is their spiritual guidance within their music, specifically with 1985’s “Babylon the Bandit,” which won them the Grammy for Best Reggae Performance in 1986.
The album as a whole explores the Rastafarian aspects of religion with pieces that are just as powerfully moving as the next.
One standout track off the seminal album is “Not King James’ Version,” which boldly states the lyrics, “Phoenicians, Egyptians and the Moors / Built civilization, that’s for sure / Creators of the alphabet / While the West illiterate.”
Steel Pulse transcends expectations with bombastic live stylings and a theatrical stage presence that is fed by the their spiritual kinship and political fervor.
Each show is different, with the audience never knowing quite what to expect from night to night. Their live spectacle has even caught the attention of the likes of The Clash, Generation X and even The Police.
Steel Pulse today still continues their tradition of live splendor and is even putting out a new record, “Steel Pulse: The Definitive Story,” this year after being delayed due to conflicting projects for almost two years.
The new record, which has been hinted at with the release of two singles, “Positivity” and “Jah Way,” will also be released alongside a documentary of the same name that captures the monumental, 40-year history of Britain’s most predominant reggae-roots band.Though going through various lineup changes since their inception in 1975, Steel Pulse has retained an uncompromisable work ethic and stylistic genius that has served them right for the past 40 years and will continue to long past their expiration date.
As best said in their 1978 hit “Handsworth Revolution,” “It’s a long, long way we’re coming from / To send this message across, across / It’s been hidden, forbidden, concealed, unrevealed / It’s got to come out in the open.”
If you consider yourself a reggae aficionado or just like to get down, Steel Pulse at The Warehouse is your best bet for the best Rasta party in Connecticut. Also be on the lookout any day for their new album, which is set to drop unexpectedly this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIfUdUT9RWA
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