Katchafire is one of the best reggae bands in New Zealand. With an extraordinary double platinum album sale (about 30,000 copies) in their debut album, the band was set into the road of success. As the most loved band in the pacific, they continue to tap into the hearts of people with their uplifting songs. The front man and guitarist Grenville Bell started the journey with his sons Logan Bell (vocals) and Jordan Bell (drums). Ara Adams-Tematea (bass/manager), Haanai Totorewa (guitars/keyboards), Thompson Hohepa (guitars), Leon Davey (percussions), and Jamey Fergusson (saxophone/keyboards/guitars) later joined the crew to complete the eight-piece wonder. Formed in 1997, the band started to play songs from Bob Marley’s repertoire. After numerous...

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Tags: katchafire, reggae band

Pasakanin started out as an activist group in 2001. With such a background, the band wanted to make a difference in the music scene. The name of the band is an abbreviation of “Paminaw sa Among Kanta Intawon” that encourages people to hear them out. The group is composed of Kulas Holganza (lead vocals), Michelle Glyn Betonio (vocals), John Elento (guitar), Rolando Mata Jr. (bass), Jon Ian Sagun (keyboards), Rey Pulis (trumpet), Clayton Martinez (saxophone), Irvin Jupiter Honoridez (drums) and percussionists/back-up vocals Jo Simpelo, Jan Jurel Enad and Clark Anthony Arche. Having various fields of studies in different schools, from architecture, engineering, nursing, art, and criminology,  the members of the band had one thing in common...

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Tags: homegrown talent, pasakanin, Pinoy Reggae

With the dominance of male in the reggae scene, who wouldn't notice the "almost" all-girl band from the reggae capital of the Philippines? Sefyla - derived from a female cult in Africa that was believed to be led by a godedss, stood out from the reggae scene with a unique taste of rock and ska. Now composed of Yapi Taneo (vocals), Tara Uy (guitars), Vonay Sanchez (bass), and Rey Mart Taneo (drums), the band is set to conquer the realm of reggae enthusiasts with Yapi's powerful voice and mind enlightening songs. The band started out as an all-girl band in 2003 to participate in a high school band competition. After winning the competition with cover songs from Save Ferris and No Doubt, the band decided to play music in various occasions. The...

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Tags: homegrown talent, Pinoy Reggae, pinoy ska, Reggae, sefyla

The island of Cebu has been the place for the Caribbean vibe of reggae music for years. Being named as the reggae capital of the Philippines, it is the home for outstanding reggae bands these days - one of them is Junior Kilat (the name was inspired from a 70's Cebuano band "Leon Kilat"). Composed of members Errol "Budoy" Marabiles on vocals, bass guitarist Tiano Evangelista, Archie Ybanez on lead guitar, Gina Pentano on keyboards, Diana Freese on drums, Cleofas Quijano on trombone, with the unlikely mix of turntables by Bangin atienza, the band is set for the reggae invasion all over the 7000+ islands of the Philippines. With their playful yet brilliant repertoires, we can only expect a bigger, better and bolder Junior Kilat for years to come. Formed...

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Tags: homegrown talent, jr kilat, junior kilat, Pinoy Reggae, Reggae, reggae band, sigbin

It is a usual scenario for every amateur bands to go through many difficulties that may break them or bring them up in the music industry. For the Hemp Republic, it is something that made them strong and succeed as artists. Nowadays, they're being looked up as one of the pioneers in the Philippine reggae scene. Hemp club is a product of UP Los Banos. In 1999, most of the band members were very active in the university organization UP Jammer's Club and they had their own bands then. Mags Gahol (rythm guitars), thought about putting up a reggae band since reggae wasn't that popular before. Unfortunately, it never materialized until Bunny Liwanag (vocals) and Tonton Hatol (lead guitars) came into a serious decision of putting up their own regae...

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Tags: hemp republic, homegrown talent, Pinoy Reggae, Reggae, reggae band

The music events in Bicol has been paving way for young artists to showcase their talents all throughout the region.  Some of the local bands have already reached a whole new level in the music scene and new bands are hopeful to earn a place in the country’s music industry. A few years ago, a local band from Albay was featured by Francis Brew of NU107 – the reggae band Stolen Shots, which was included in the 20 track compilation album “Musicmax Bicol” – featuring eight bands in Bicol from various genres Centerfold (alternative pop), Pepsi Paloma Experiment (Euro pop), Pentacle (rock), Pandora’s Box (Heavy Metal), Idle Pitch (alternative pop), Black Gulaman (alternative rock), and Buckyard Boyz (hip-hop). The album was officialy launched...

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Tags: homegrown talent, Pinoy Reggae, pinoy ska, Reggae, reggae band, ska band, stolen shots

Usual bands come in three or four members. Now, imagine what it sounds like to mix a number of awesome talents into one unique band. Skabeche may be unusually huge with its ten members but it somehow creates a big difference in the Philippine music scene. As flavorful as the Filipino cuisine Escabeche – a sweet and sour dish of dried or poached fish, Skabeche offers a mix of blues, punk and jazz through the dance beat of ska. The humorous way of addressing political and cultural awareness in their songs captivated the hearts of many fun loving Filipinos. The proud band from Bulacan, is composed of members Michael “Dadi Mike” Santos (vocals/guitar) – also a guidance counselor and professor, Noel Salonga (percussion), Kim “Kympwet” Patawaran...

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Tags: homegrown talent, Pinoy Reggae, pinoy ska, Reggae, reggae band, ska, skabeche

The city of smiles has been haunted by the great Mount Mayon for many years. As the young unnamed band was on its way for an act in Legazpi City, a road sign “Mudflow ahead” caught them by surprise – they already have the name for the band. Their idealism in the music that they play keeps them active until today.  The surprising fusion of the popular Bicol novelty song “Sarung Banggi” (One Night) of Potenciano Gregorio – a renowned composer of novelty songs, and reggae melody was a huge success for the band – Mudflow. The reggae band from Sto. Domingo, Albay is composed of Abraham Defeo (vocals), Ray Gerard Marquez (drums), Fidel Balin Jr. (bass), and guitarists Mark Andrew Ortiz and Fidel Balin III – all related by blood. In their...

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Tags: homegrown talent, mudflow, Pinoy Reggae, Reggae, reggae band

SOJA (Soldiers of Jah Army), a reggae band from Washington DC, has a lot to offer when it comes to reggae music. They are committed on spreading the word of love and peace through their music, inspired by the great Bob Marley. Active on both mainstream and counterculture music, SOJA definitely earns a place with the top performers around the world averaging 150 shows in a year. Jacob Hermphill (lead vocals and guitar) grew up in Virginia with the love for hip-hop and rock music. With the same interests, he and Bob Jefferson (bass) went to school as best buds. In their high school years, they met their drummer, Ryan Berty, keyboardist Patrick O'Shea and percussionist Ken Brownell and later formed the band SOJA. Although the band loved rock...

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Tags: Reggae, reggae band, SOJA, SOJA band, Soldiers Of Jah Army, US Reggae

Do you know what The Chongkeys mean to the music world? The Chongkeys means a whole lot of reggae with a little bit of alternative, rap, dub and surprises, ingredients for a wild, wild party of fun and good music! Let’s take a look at how colorful the band’s track record had started. The Chongkeys was born eight years ago in a simple, jamming session place in Marikina City called the Groove Shop described as an indie skate store where Benjie S. Estanislao (voice), was one of the owners. He was then joined by Johan Lugtu (guitar/voice), a vocalist of a hardcore band Cake Walk, Dennis Deloviar (bass), from Dai I Chi (who replace former bassist Pepito Trinidad) and lastly, by Mark Marquez(drums), former drummer of Cherry Cornflakes. After...

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Tags: chongkeys, Pinoy Reggae, the congkeys

It has been noted in Philippine history of Music that Pinoy Reggae as introduced and popularized by Jamaican music artists had originated during 1990’s in the islands of Cebu, Manila, and Boracay where many artists performs at local bars and clubs. Reggae music which had flourished in Cebu City, becoming it the Reggae Capital of the Philippines, had spread the phenomenal music not only to local Cebuanos  but  to nearby provinces and municipalities which happen to include Davao City , capital city of Davao Province in Mindanao, which is the birthplace of the now famous band Isla Era. Isla Era’s music style is not just a common Reggae but rather called as Reggaeton, it’s a combination of Reggae,...

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Tags: isla era, Pinoy Reggae

Curly hair, dark complexion, and Bob Marley look-alike – Who knew that this guy from Olongapo would be a sensation in the Philippine music industry? Blakdyak, also known as Joey Famaran in real life, is a Filipino-Barbadosian who popularized the songs “Modelong Charing” and “Good Boy”. The “masa” appeal of his songs earned him a place to the hearts of many Fiipinos, making him popular even today. He is the son of an American soldier of Barbadosian decent. He grew up with reggae and ska influences that led him to performing acts in his high school years. As an experienced performer, he made a name for himself in Olongapo and later became a hit singer in other towns like Subic, Batangas, and even Puerto Galera. Blakdyak performed together with...

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Tags: blakdyak, blakdyaks tribe, Pinoy Reggae

As a reggae band, Big Mountain became very successful in introducing reggae music in the American mainstream  in 1991. The band's popularity became even greater as they were chosen to feature the official soundtrack of the movie  “Reality Bites” later that year. The cover of Peter Frampton's “Baby, I Love Your Way” jump-started their career as it reached the Top Ten Billboard and UK Singles Chart in 1994. The band's repertoire may often be mistakenly credited to UB40 - a popular British reggae band, or the legendary reggae icon – Bob Marley, Big Mountain is set apart from other reggae artists with its great vocal, guitar licks, and pure Jamaican talent. Rainbow Warriors – the band's original name, was formed in San Diego, California....

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Tags: big mountain, Reggae

Bob Marley was a greatest and brightest star who gave many modifications to reggae music; he was a well known singer and also a song writer. Jamaica was the homeland of Bob Marley. He played the leading role in his band Bob Marley & the Wailers as guitarist and a lead singer. He was one among the prominent singers of twentieth century. The magic of Bob Marley’s voice impressed many peoples by his, so we can find his fans all over the globe. Bob Marley a unique and heroic personality was the first Reggae performer from the Jamaica who got a ranking among international celebrities, and introduced the music of his homeland to all over the world. His band entertained and got a lot of appreciations from the largest listeners in the past, any...

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Tags: Bob Marley, Reggae

Born in Semarang, a little town located in Central Java, Indonesia, Tony Waluyo Sukmoasih came from an ordinary family. His talent and fascination for art especially in music and paintings could be detected easily since early childhood where he got most of the influence from his friends. He was and is, until now, fixated by rock music and blues. Having finished his education in Technical Intermediate School (STM), Tony decided to start his music career in his hometown as a street singer in 1980; and this made him closer to what it’s called the live of street singers in Semarang. In this city which he loves, Tony had the chance to produce a compilation album of street singers together with his friends and won several competitions on street singers’...

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Tags: Indo Reggae, Indonesian Reggae, tony q rastafara

Fueled with a steady backbeat as well as rhythm area mixed with a brassy sound, Shuffle Union first burst into the local scene with its 2000 entry into the Clubska Manila circuit-chiefly made possible through pioneering ska outfit Put3ska. The band offers since already been a Clubska Manila normal and has kept shows from Mayric’s, Heckle and Jeckle, The Craic, Freedom Bar, Essex, Thousands of years Bar and Gallery, Loudhouse, and Kolumn Bar. Shuffle Union currently spearheads Skamax, the monthly offshoot from the Clubska scene, as well as Ska City United, a monthly event that serves as the showcase for bands included in the Ska City United CD, with support using their company ska bands as well. Shuffle Union won the actual 2000 National Finals...

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Tags: Pinoy Reggae, shuffle union

Pinoy Reggae is reggae music developed around the tropical island nation of the Philippines. The country possesses a couple of groups and sound systems that perform reggae as well as dancehall music in a manner devoted to its concept in Jamaica. Reggae in the Philippines includes the various types of reggae as well as its sub-genres, and also at instances integrating conventional Filipino varieties of music as well as instruments within their music. Photo Credits to PST Cebu, Manila, Quezon along with Boracay are a couple of the places in which reggae has discovered a base, with numerous musicians living in these places as well as working at at local cafes and clubs. The Visayas region in the Philippine islands has brought the biggest...

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Tags: Brownman Revival, Cocojam, Pinoy Reggae, Reggae History

Indio I is a band that was formed in 1994, to bring reggae music to a new level. In 1997, Philippine reggae band Indio I released their debut album, Indio I. The music is patterned on reggae from Jamaica, the genre's birthplace, and doesn't add any Filipino flavoring, aside from some lyrics in Tagalog, the Philippines' national language. The opening track, "'S' on My Chest," is one of the album's better songs, featuring a strong melody set amid an intense, penetrating backdrop. The song is also made distinctive by the use of a string quartet, and vocalist Vic Facultad sings with an exaggerated grittiness, which works well here. He tones down the grittiness on the tender "Di Mo Lang Alam," but keeps it rough and tough on other songs that need...

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Tags: Indio I, Pinoy Reggae