Raging Fyah: Everlasting USA Tour 2016
Raging Fyah on Everlasting USA Summer Tour from 11th July to 3rd August 2016!
For Tickets and more info visit www.ragingfyah.com
About Raging Fyah:
Regarded as one of Jamaica’s most promising young acts, the band
Raging Fyah makes music that is tethered to their island’s enduring,
much emulated roots rock reggae tradition yet is distinguished by an
expansive vision that propels their musical journey forward. The five
piece band from Kingston, Jamaica, received critical acclaim for the
intricate harmonies, nuanced musicianship and impressive songwriting
skills showcased on their previous self-released albums, Judgement Day
(2011) and Destiny (2014), earning comparisons to legendary reggae
outfits including England’s Aswad and Steel Pulse, and Jamaica’s beloved
Third World.
“That ‘70s vibe is a complete natural for us,” says singer and
guitarist Kumar Bent. “We all listened to a lot of music from that
period. The Wailers, Third World, and the British reggae bands like
Steel Pulse and Aswad. It’s a big influence.”
Pele, Demar and Anthony Watson met while studying music at Kingston’s
Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, under the
tutelage of Ibo Cooper, former keyboardist with Third World. They joined
forces with veteran guitarist Courtland “Gizmo” White and formed Inside
Out in 2002 before changing their name to Raging Fyah in 2006. The band
spent years backing artists at major stage shows in Jamaica; their long
held ambition to perform original music became a reality when Kumar
Bent signed on as lead singer in 2010. Kumar attended Edna Manley
College a few years after his band mates, initially studying piano; at
Cooper’s insistence he began writing and singing his own songs.
“That was when we really began rehearsing and writing,” explains bass
player Delroy Hamilton. “There’s no one person who writes the songs,”
Bent says. “We all contribute. We’re a collective. Sometimes a piece can
come out of a bassline or a drum lick. It has to have a vibe; if it
does, then we work on it.”
The Fyah Squad spent time honing their material and integrating
knowledge from their time at Edna and from their individual experiences
supporting other Jamaican veterans. Each member bringing their own
groove, life experiences and musical influences recognized the mutual
dedication required to take their efforts to the next level. They were
all ready to dedicate themselves full-time to Raging Fyah which then led
to the decision that the next step was to make an album.
“It took a while,” Hamilton admits, “…but we needed to make the
transition from just playing to understanding how serious we all were
about this. We were always passionate about our music, but finally we
were ready to make that commitment and take on the sacrifices to do it
properly.”
In 2011, they released their critically acclaimed debut album
Judgement Day, gaining instant popularity and presence locally and
internationally. Some of the songs like the title track Judgement Day
and hit single Far Away received heavy rotation on the airwaves and even
found their way onto a few notable charts. With conscious roots/reggae
on the rise again, the “Fyah” continued to spread into 2012 as they
steadily captured the hearts of the Jamaican listeners. There was a
heavy demand for the talented and versatile band’s thrilling live
performances at various shows – from intimate acoustic sets to large
stage shows such as Rebel Salute and Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival. In
that same year the band hit the road to perform on a number of global
stages as well as to headline several major reggae festivals in Europe
like Summerjam, Rototom Sunsplash and Garance.
Destiny was a different journey, having been on the road for the
majority of 2012 many recordings took place wherever they could. Some
tracks were laid down in Poland during a stopover, others though, still
came from the heartbeat of Jamaica. The lead cut, “Fight,” with its
distinctive, ear catching whistling introduction along with “Mankind”
were actually among the first songs the band ever recorded.
“We did those two in 2008,” Bent recalls, “but it had never been the right time to release them before this [Destiny].”
Their sophomore album, launched to the world in 2014, bringing with
it rave reviews, widespread recognition and a massive global following.
The band has since been touring heavily throughout Europe, Costa Rica,
Siberia and areas of the South Pacific promoting their message and
delivering solid performances from both albums.
“We try to show reality, but in a very positive way,’ notes Hamilton.
“That hope of a better tomorrow is important to all of us. They’re
messages to keep us all grounded, but to push ahead too. We’re
optimistic and we want to communicate that to uplift people and make
them feel better about the world.”
Destiny shows how Raging Fyah has developed. Reggae is still the
heartbeat of the sound, and the positivity of the lyrics remain as
strong as ever. Fueled by passion, purpose and life experiences, their
lyrics touch the soul of the listener, uplifting and motivating people
from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Whether the message is
love, peace or empowerment, Raging Fyah burns through barriers of time,
age, race or class with relatable songs for everyone to love.
Having just completed their third album, Everlasting, set to debut
May 27th, 2016 the Fyah Squad promises to deliver on this one as they
set out to rekindle a flame of positivity in the music industry (Raging Fyah, 2016).
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