Dred I Dread
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Dred I Dread

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Band Hip Hop Reggae

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"Dred I Dread At the Fineline 2005"

Dred I Dread, featured Peewee Dread on vocals, who featured a giant purple hat on his head and a voice that sang with an obvious love for the music. Rawle G, the drummer from Kingston, gave us some fun interludes, talking happily from his nest of drums perched at the back of the stage. Everyone seemed so happy to be playing: the keyboardist, Eric Lilya, was hopping around with his hands somehow managing to stay steady. Floyd, the saxophonist/hand drummer, pulled out the air trombone during a song. He punched the slide out with so much conviction that my ears created the sound.

These musicians with so much enthusiasm converged with their gifts in 1998 to form the band. In their first year, they were hailed as the “Best Local Reggae Band” by City Pages.
- HowWasTheShow.com


"Dred I Dread brings confident reggae sound to Zoo Bar"

[Click to enlarge]


The Zoo Bar is a renowned blues bar, but sometimes it provides music that isn't so blue.
Tonight, it goes astray with the reggae band Dred I Dread, and despite the blues expectations, drummer Rawley Gopie hopes to see an audience.

"It's going to be a very, very active show," he said.

Bass player Art Erikkson said, "We just get down. I get off on just sprinting from side to side on the stage."

Although they are known as a reggae band, drummer Gopie said Dred I Dread's unique sound isn't easy to pin down.

Calling the sound a "hybrid," with hints of funk, blues and even hip hop showing up in the music, you can hear a lot of reggae influence in Dred I Dread's sound, Gopie said.

"We are like Fishbone because we are very hard to define," he said.

When the Minneapolis-based group came together two years ago, Gopie had come to Minnesota for a break from the New York scene.

There, the Jamaican man had been writing and performing punk rock.

"It's pretty amazing for Americans to see a Jamaican singing punk rock," he said.

But reggae has always been his first love, and when he met Peewee Dred, Gopie, who has been writing music for 15 years, was glad to come back to his roots.

Even though he had known founding member Peewee Dred from college, Erikkson first heard about Dred I Dread at a street festival where he was handing out flyers. Someone came up to him and said the band was looking for a bass player.

Erikkson had recently graduated college and said he was "looking for something to keep it interesting" between working at a music store and teaching.

"The first time I performed for them, it was a live performance," Erikkson said.

Although the band has had trouble keeping a steady line-up - they are currently in between keyboard players and have a new female vocalist - they recently released their debut album, "Listen to the Revolution," partially thanks to Erikkson's efforts as band manager.

"When you're a new band, people don't give you much attention," Erikkson said.

After he realized the band's potential, he decided to take on the dual role of bassist/manager.

"I was working part-time at the music store, but it gradually got to the point where I was at work and I was trying to get shows booked," he said.

For the past few months, Erikkson's life has been more or less devoted to "just doing band stuff," he said.

Erikkson attributes much of the band's success to the originality of their music.

"We don't do cover after cover of Bob Marley," he said.

In the twin cities, Erikkson said Dred I Dread's music can be heard on stations ranging from hard rock to light rock.

"We cross all those sides," he said.

"There's a pop-like influence, so it's radio friendly," Gopie said.

Both Gopie and Erikkson believe that deep down, everybody likes reggae music, which is at the heart of Dred I Dread's sound. However, Gopie said, "most people just don't understand reggae music" and so they can appreciate the American influences and look of the band.

"With Dred I Dread, at least they see people they can relate to," Gopie said.

"We're a diverse band - white, black, young, old, male and female," Erikkson added.

Breaking through the image of a "local band," Dred I Dread will be touring New York in October and hitting the west coast in January.

"We're venturing out of our comfort zone to test the waters to spread the music," Gopie said.

In the meantime, the winner of the Minnesota Music Academy's "Best Reggae Band for 2000" award can be seen tonight in their second appearance at The Zoo Bar at 9 p.m.

http://media.www.dailynebraskan.com/media/storage/paper857/news/2000/09/18/Arts/Dred-I.Dread.Brings.Confident.Reggae.Sound.To.Zoo.Bar-1732363.shtml
- The Daily Nebreskan


"Dred I Dread At the Fineline 2005"

Dred I Dread, featured Peewee Dread on vocals, who featured a giant purple hat on his head and a voice that sang with an obvious love for the music. Rawle G, the drummer from Kingston, gave us some fun interludes, talking happily from his nest of drums perched at the back of the stage. Everyone seemed so happy to be playing: the keyboardist, Eric Lilya, was hopping around with his hands somehow managing to stay steady. Floyd, the saxophonist/hand drummer, pulled out the air trombone during a song. He punched the slide out with so much conviction that my ears created the sound.

These musicians with so much enthusiasm converged with their gifts in 1998 to form the band. In their first year, they were hailed as the “Best Local Reggae Band” by City Pages.
- HowWasTheShow.com


Discography

Listen to the Revolution-2000 (Debut Album)
Live @ Witz End - 2004
A Piece of Americana-2008

Singles*
"Never Gonna Get Your Love"- 2005
"Standing There" is featured on International Roots Rock Reggae Skampilation Vol. 1".
"Marcia" was chosen for John Lennon Song writing contest finalist.

Photos

Bio

2 years after Dred I Dread formed out of Minneapolis, MN, they were named "Best Reggae Band in the Twin Cities". To break in the new millenium, the band quickly gained wide spread popularity and Dred I Dread went on to win 2 consecutive "Best Reggae Band in Minnesota" Awards from the Minnesota Music Academy (2000 & 2001). Also, Dred I Dread was quickly grabbing the attention of people of great influence in the music community. Amongst those people, Tony "Asher" Brisset, (of Black Uhuru fame), produced their debut album, titled, "Listen to the Revolution".

Over the years, Dred I Dread has had some roster changes that has helped mold and progress the band to their current sound. Their music can best be described as a fearless fusion of traditional reggae and roots music with hip hop, dancehall, jazz and blues rock for a truly original mix. Their current roster is made up of a very charismatic group of strong and well experienced musicians with heart and compassion for the music they create.

Dred I Dread is currently embarking on an adventure to be well known around the world. They are currently in the process of booking tours both nationally and globally along with playing some of the biggest summer festivals in North America. Recently they have been voted into the 10 best new band categories on various websites and online battles for festivals, proving that their music is being widely accepted by the everyday music fan out there.

Dred I Dread
"Fear Our Dreadlocks"