Bedouin Soundclash has emerged in the past two years as a young group refusing to be classified, while blurring the lines of reggae and rock. Jay Malinowski's soulful wail and rasp rests on Eon Sinclair's deep dubbing bass while Pat Pengelly drives a heavy rhythm, blazing their own path in the musical landscape. The three-piece group was conceived three years ago at university. "At the time we were making music that reflected the music we grew up on, and that we were exposed to …punk, reggae, dancehall, world, dub, jungle, two-step, everything… We wanted to try to make something that was ours and was our experience, and that has continued to push us, to incorporate the music we love in a new way."
After nine months together the band recorded 'Root Fire' (stomp records). The Album captured the band raw, recorded in 12 hours live off the floor. 'At the time we had no money, and that was what we could afford.' From this inauspicious beginning, 'Root Fire' was picked by Montreal based punk/reggae label Stomp Records and released nationally, heralded by Exclaim magazine as "one of the best albums [we've] heard lately, and with this as their launching pad, [we] can't wait to see what this band has in store for the future."
The band toured from Vancouver to Montreal in support of Root Fire, while still remaining in university. In the meantime the group shared the stage with such acts as the Slackers, Vernon 'Maytone' Buckley, and the legendary founders of ska, The Skatalites. Bedouin was also recently asked by Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar to appear on several dates of their Canadian farewell tour.
Presently, the band is set to release their follow-up album 'Sounding A Mosaic' on Stomp Records. The record was recorded in Montreal with founder of the New York Hardcore scene Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains. 'Working with Darryl was a real education…he has an amazing knowledge and he really related to what we wanted to do, which may seem strange, but he understood our sound and where we are coming from. Bad Brains to us were amazing because they broke boundaries and rules taking really fast breaks and splicing reggae…our sounds are different, but we really relate to their ideals.' The record also features Vernon Buckley of the Maytones, and a reworking of their classic rockers hit 'Money Worries' and as well boasts a blistering remix by Paul Lazare, violinist of the acclaimed Parisian tango-dub outfit, Gotan Project.
The album is set to be released on April 27, 2004 on Stomp Records. Visit www.unionlabelgroup.com.
Eon Sinclair, bass
I love my bass guitar. I rarely get so attached to an inanimate object, but my bass guitar can only be called a ‘bass guitar’ at it’s most basic and obvious level. You all see it as a sunburst Jazz Bass with a rosewood fretboard, black nylon strings and 2 pickups.
The sunburst colouring doesn’t show you that it was bought in 1976 by my father, to be used as a leisure time activity for a single, young, new immigrant to Canada.
The rosewood fretboard on the neck won’t explain to you that he never got to learn it because the real world immediately called him to the workforce, and 5 years later, a newborn responsibility would prove how crucial this decision had been.
The black strings refuse to complain about the 17 years the guitar spent, locked in its case in the basement storage rooms of the houses we lived in during that time, and how I unearthed it for my Grade 7 music class, resurrecting the instrument.
But every time I play, the 2 pickups get to tell you how I feel about the world around me, and I hope you hear what I’m trying to say. I don’t live in the real world when I’m on stage. It’s more like I’m in a fantasy world, where it’s 1976 and I’m living out my dream without a care in the world other than to spread the vibes to the massive. Si’in?
Pat Pengelly, drums
Coming soon...
Jay Malinowski, vocals/guitar
As well as playing in Bedouin Soundclash, Jay is also a painter. He works with mainly wax and oil paint out of his studio in Toronto and is represented in the city by Gallery Bibianne, you can view some of his work online at www.gallerybibianne.com/Jay_Malinowski.htm
