Skindred

Kerrang magazine consistently labels Skindred as the best live band in Britain. I would go further than that and say that they are the best band in Britain full stop. There isn't much originality or creativity left these days amongst home-grown groups and Skindred stand well apart from the rest of the pack. Their effective fusion of metal, punk and reggae, infused with a pop sensibility, works consistently well and there is literally none like them.

Skindred were formed in 1998 from the ashes of Dub War, the former band of Skindred frontman Benji Webbe. Dub War had a reasonable amount of success but for me the different elements of their sound never came together in the way that Skindred have successfully managed to achieve.

Their first album "Babylon" appeared in 2002 and was subsequently re-issued on different labels, hence there being no real definitive version around unfortunately. It had some really great songs like "Nobody" and "Pressure" which were perfect fusions of dancehall reggae and metal. The album was a success and Skindred's loyal grass-roots following was born. I first saw the band live around this time and was amazed at how entertaining they were. Benji oozes charisma and never fails to get any crowd rocking. The musicians - Dan on bass, Mikey Demus on guitar and Arya on drums are no slouches either. All are not only great players but have the ability to straddle a number of different styles, seemingly without effort.

In 2007, after a long wait, the second album "Roots Rock Riot" was finally released. To me, this set is where Skindred really came into their own and proved that they are a really top-drawer band. From beginning to end, memorable tunes hit your head without hesitation and the ideas behind each track really work. I can't speak for anyone who approaches the band from a non-reggae standpoint but I notice that the CD is chock-full of references to not only the UK reggae experience going back at least two decades, but also the British black experience (for example, you can hear a reprise of a classic scene from the 1980 UK movie "Babylon"). Phrasing and melodies from 1980s dancehall - the best and most creative period of this era of reggae - are liberally sprinkled throughout. Particularly noteworthy is "Rude Boy For Life" which delivers a deadly reconstruction of the intro to Dixie Peach's "Pure Worries" digital reggae classic, pumped out on a Casio MT-40 keyboard like the original. After the opening coda, the track fully licks in to being a massive metal-ragga monster where every part of Skindred's differing elements come together in perfect harmony.

Former single "Rat Race" is possibly the the best-ever Skindred track in my opinion. Conscious lyrics expertly delivered with a brutal rhythm track, yet it still sounds like a timeless pop anthem that is impossible not to sing along to. Title track "Roots Rock Riot" is a killer too with pure 80s ragga vocals, and "Destroy The Dancefloor" and "Cause A Riot" do exactly what it says on the tin. "Killing Me" and "Ease Up" both have wicked guitar riffs that lead to superbly constructed songs. A few lighter moments can also be had which proves that the band don't always need to go for the sledgehammer in your face approach. All the songs feature strong melodies, something that isn't too common among a lot of heavy bands.

2009 saw a third Skindred set called "Shark Bites And Dog Fights" which took the band in a slightly different direction. Other influences can be heard on this 8-song set that include 1980s pop music and greater use of electronics. I didn't think this album was as cohesive as its' predecessor but don't let that put you off and there is easily more than enough to keep the listener satisfied. Opener "Stand For Something" is a success and slowly creeps up to the chorus. "Calling All Stations" is a brutal ragga-metal concotion where you can almost imagine it's Capleton fronting a thrash band. "Corrupted" veers between retro-pop, big beat and metal and works perfectly. Even better is the beautiful "Who Are You" which features reflective lyrics inna lovers rock style accompanied by a sympathetic jungle backdrop.

All of Skindred's three albums contain dazzling highs and a number of deeper, reflective moments. However, it is as a live act that the band's strengths are increasingly revealed. I have seen them a number of times, both as headliners and also as a support act. Everyone knows that support bands have a near-impossible task to make an impact due to the partisan nature of fans. However, Skindred never seem to suffer in that department. Benji is a natural entertainer and instinctively knows what to do to win over a crowd. Not only does he demonstrate a variety of vocal styles, his persona often wildly changes, sometimes lapsing into hilarious absurdity.

Another thing I always like about seeing the band live is that Benji does little skits in between songs. These are usually clips of old reggae songs like Tenor Saw's "Ring The Alarm", Courtney Melody's "Bad Boy" and Frankie Paul's "Get Ready". Considering that the vast majority of the audience probably know nothing about reggae, it is startling to see these people rocking to these tunes.

The band are currently writing new material for their next album and it will be interesting to see how their sound continues to evolve. They will be playing live across Europe this summer and beyond and I cannot recommend enough that they be witnessed live in concert. Skindred are vastly underrated in the UK which is a scandal but often there is no justice when it comes to who becomes wildly popular and who doesn't. This band have been ignored too long by sections of the media in this country, who are too eager to back the latest fad or whatever is happening with X-Factor.

What is also very interesting about Skindred is the lyrical content of their songs. Benji is a talented lyricist who writes in a classical reggae style. Skindred's output consistently feature conscious lyrics heavily grounded in a UK urban context. Not only do you find themes of struggle, gangsterism and big city alienation but also issues based around the black British experience since the late 1970s.

If you trace a line from the original days where reggae and punk first crossed-over (with bands like Aswad, Steel Pulse and Misty In Roots on the one side and The Clash, The Ruts and Bad Brains on the other); then the short but sweet days of 2-Tone, in particular the output of The Specials; follow the line through the classical sound system experience of Jah Shaka and Sir Coxsone; through the killer early dancehall of Junjo Lawes' productions (recorded at Channel One with the Roots Radics and mixed by Scientist); then the days of UK dancehall and the embryonic digital era of sound systems like Saxon and Unity; next, into ragga, jungle and grime - then you can find all of these elements in the songwriting of Benji Webbe. Therefore, these songs not only represent an authentic tradition, but are also completely part of it. This is one of the key reasons (apart from simply being a great band) as to why Skindred are so important and not just any typical band predominately based in the heavy metal scene.

Here are some photographs that I took when Skindred came to Leeds at the end of May to play at the Slam Dunk Festival. I will publish more pictures from this day on my blog in the next days.