Steel Pulse by Patrick Niddrie
If reggae is the vibrant music of Pan-Africanism, England’s Steel Pulse are the militant child of the Jamaican diaspora rising against societal ills and political fuckery. For 49 years, they’ve been leading the good fight, spreading awareness and combating ignorance through intricate roots reggae that draws from global rhythms and punk attitude.
Formed in Birmingham in 1975 by singer-guitarist David Hinds, Steel Pulse stepped into the British Caribbean music and burgeoning punk rock scenes with politically charged lyrics and dedication to roots reggae as a Rastafarian voice of the striving underclasses. They quickly gained a reputation for powerful performances and social activism, and their critically acclaimed 1978 debut album, Handsworth Revolution, established them as a force in reggae and beyond. The band’s critiques of racism, poverty and inequality resonated with audiences worldwide, and their 1985 album, Babylon the Bandit, won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album.
Their twelfth and latest studio album, 2019’s Mass Manipulation, followed 15 years of studio silence and embodied one adaptation to the shifting economic landscape for musicians: It was released by reggae mainstay VP Records and the Rootfire Cooperative music nonprofit that makes zero-interest micro-loans to performers and guarantees them 100% ownership of their work.
Anchored by Hinds and longtime bandmate Selwyn Brown on keyboards and vocals, the album extends Steel Pulse’s activist musical legacy with impassioned vocals, blistering horns and rhythmic chanting. Their creativity and vision shine through in compositions reflecting the diasporic arc: “Rize” and “Stop You Coming and Come” evoke past struggles and African heritage; ”Justice in Jena” and “Human Trafficking” highlight ongoing racial intolerance and exploitation.
The album blends urgent melodies and thought-provoking lyrics about rejecting false ideals and aiming for higher goals. Also Grammy-nominated, it upholds Steel Pulse’s uncompromising ethic with a powerful call for unity and social justice. Joining Steel Pulse will be Jamaican artist Jesse Royal, one of a new generation of roots reggae musicians revitalizing the genre at home and globally. His 2021 sophomore album, Royal, received a Grammy nod and ranked as a fan favorite on multiple streaming services.
Steel Pulse and Jesse Royal perform 7pm Friday, July 19 at Miami Beach Bandshell. steelpulse.com ~ Abel Folgar
