Premiere: Long Beach Dub Allstars Return with “Holding Out/Steady Customer”

October 3, 2017

Long Beach Dub Allstars came together in 1996 following the death of Sublime vocalist Bradley Nowell in 1996. The group then recorded notable records, 1999’s Right Back and 2001’s Wonders of the World drawing on an animated blend of reggae and punk. The group has now come back together to release two brand new songs with some November dates on tap with Fortunate Youth and Arise Roots. While bassist Eric Wilson is unavailable due to his full-time commitment with Sublime With Rome, longtime LBDA members Marshall “Ras MG” Goodman (drums), Michael “Miguel” Happoldt (lead guitar/vocals), Opie Ortiz (vocals), Jack Maness (vocals/guitar/keys) and Tim Wu on (sax/flute/vocals) are joined by Edwin Kampwirth on bass and Roger Rivas on keys.

Goodman tells Relix,”The Long Beach Dub Allstars have always been inspired by the core components of music styles, whether it be Punk Rock, Ska, Hip Hop, Reggae, or Dub. When writing and recording songs we look to recreate the core feelings of the music / cultures that have influenced us. “Holding Out” and “Steady Customer” are examples of us transmitting feelings generated in the Reggae and Ska genres. “Holding Out” is that mid-tempo, melodic, one-drop swing style that has always been a go-to for us since the Sublime days, and “Steady Customer” is our interpretation of melodic, cerebral, groove Ska that our organist / keyboardist Roger Rivas knows so well.”

As for future recordings, he adds, “Playing shows has been our focus during this first year back as we felt this is the best way to rekindle our fanbase’s awareness of the energy we present at our shows–which we’re certain they have missed during the previous 15 years. We are taking our time re-entering the industry in order to insure that we maintain the spirit of friendship among the band members–which, along with Kevin Zinger, brought us back together last year. Some of us have known each other since Junior High School, and to have the privilege of doing something that we enjoy with long-time friends is something to be thankful for and to cherish. We’re taking calculated steps to fulfill our business goals, while keeping our long-time bonds a priority. Although the music we previously created is fortunately still relevant with our fanbase today, new music is always on a musicians mind and we are no exception. For the process of writing new material, we aim to create the same internal environment of camaraderie and inspiration that brought forth the music of Sublime and the Long Beach Dub Allstars, and within this familiar environment, we will create new music based on our current views and experiences. As always, you can expect some features from family and friends of the Long Beach Dub Allstars / Sublime family on these new recordings as well.”