Music A.D.D.

RIP Winston Riley & Errol Scorcher

2012-01-22T11:46:00.005-05:00

That awful cliche of bad things happening in threes unfortunately holds true for this past week- in addition to Etta James, the world lost legendary Jamaican singer/producer Winston Riley and deejay Errol Scorcher. Scorcher, born Errol Archer, had a huge hit in 1979 with "Roach in di Corner", and released a handful of singles throughout the '80s. Read a little more here.

Winston Riley is truly an unsung hero of Jamaican music. He started singing in the early 60's and became a member of the Techniques, one of the best harmony groups of the rocksteady era. By the end of the decade however, he left to go into producing and turned the name of his former group into one of the most prolific labels in JA history. Some of the most timeless and endlessly versioned riddims came out on Techniques- like "Stalag 17" and "Double Barrel". Read more about Riley here. A few years ago, VP Records released a two-disc set of his productions which I highly recommend.

Bootleg Babylon: Echo Chamber

2012-01-14T23:12:00.001-05:00

More ocular nonsense to clog up video babylon: "Echo Chamber" from LLTV.

We could've put together shots of Fox News A-holes and media propaganda bullshit, but that's too easy (and would be pulled down). Instead, we'd like to DAZZLE you with outdoor safety, aliens and skateboarding. Enjoy responsibly, and watch again and again until it makes sense...

More Occupy Music

2012-01-03T22:59:00.000-05:00

‎New Hampshire Magazine dubbed our new album "just as suitable for a dance party as for a street fight... a radical DIY masterpiece for the Occupy generation." Plus the review is featured in "the pot issue"... proud of our NH roots right now! Read the full review here. Thanks to the nice folks at NH Mag.

Irie Up DB

2011-12-22T22:53:00.000-05:00

More LLTV reviews rollin' in: "Close your eyes listening to this album and you can imagine what Led Zepellin might have sounded like if they started playing reggae." Wo, really? WIN. Full review here. Thanks Irie Up Magazine!

LLTV in The Big Takeover

2011-12-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

Our new album LLTV received a nice review in The Big Takeover issue 69:

"Destroy Babylon play such a fluid dubby-reggae style, they sound more like original early ’70s Jamaicans (they deserved their bill with Lee “Scratch” Perry)... absolutely skilled, soulfully political, and riding all the right horns and harmonies."- Jack Rabid

Read the full review here or order this great bi-annual tome of a magazine here. Also- notice Great Scott, one of our favorite Allston venues on the cover!

RIP Barry Llewellyn of the Heptones

2011-11-25T12:20:00.006-05:00

(photo by Nicolas LÊ)

Barry Llewellyn, one third of the original Heptones, passed away the other day. The Heptones, also featuring Leroy Sibbles and Earl Morgan, were one of the greatest groups to come out of the rocksteady era and continued to put out timeless music throughout the reggae era (They continued to tour occasionally up to this year). While usually providing backing with Earl, Barry did take lead on a number of classics like "Book of Rules" and "Sufferer's Time", which is the closing tune off one of my favorite albums ever, the Lee "Scratch" Perry masterpiece Party Time (we played a tune off that record on our Backyard Babylon, "Mr. President", check the free download)

11/11/11

2011-11-11T14:48:00.003-05:00

Seems like a good day to listen to Morphine records all night... I still remember first hearing Yes when I was a kid. It was one of the first CDs I ever owned, bought it a few years after it's '92 release (I was little, I didn't know shit...). The band had such an amazing, unique sound... especially alongside my NOFX, Bad Religion and Toasters CDs.

We were honored when Dana Colley, the trio's saxophonist, played on "Blast" off our new record. You can catch him these days playing Morphine tunes with Jerome Deupree and Jeremy Lyons, as well as with Tommy B and the Dub Apocalypse crew playing around Beantown and the North Shore- both are highly recommended.

Duff Reviews LLTV

2011-11-05T23:37:00.000-04:00

Massive thanks to The Duff Guide to Ska for writing an amazing in-depth review of our new album! Steve is spot-on with his song analysis, and says so many nice things I don't think we've ever blushed this much... We still have some copies of the limited deluxe package left... don't miss out on "one of the top five ska/reggae releases of 2011."

It's not every band that lays out their mission statement in their name, but with Destroy Babylon, what you read is what you get: defiantly political roots reggae--which, in the best tradition of rebel music, blisteringly denounces, skewers, and parodies societal, governmental, and economic injustice. But even this description sells them short, as their lyrics aren't a cliched laundry list of perennial left-wing grievances--they're much more subtle and intelligent than that--and require that you invest a bit of time interpreting their meaning (the lyric book that accompanies the CD is much appreciated). And their superb late 70s reggae sound is permeable enough to allow the influence of other musical genres (such as rock and 60s psychedelia) to seep in, adding color and a pumped-up muscularity to their mix.

Destroy Babylon's extraordinary third record, Long Live the Vortex, is a concept album (!) of sorts that brilliantly captures the tenor of our Wall Street bailout, Citizens United, crony capitalism, 1% versus 99% times. And it could arguably serve as a soundtrack for the masses who are slowly-but-surely awakening to the fact that the political structure (and judicial system) of the nation has been increasingly rigged over the past 30 years to respond almost exclusively to the demands and voracious greed of wealthy individuals and corporations, who in turn largely view the public as saps to manipulate, exploit, and fleece. In short, Long Live the Vortex is an odyssey through the disorienting, alarming, and oftentimes brutal landscape of an America in crisis--seemingly in the process of societal disintegration, really--but a sojourn that also reveals real hope for salvation through the decency and tenacity of its people who are willing to struggle for what is good and right.

Click to continue reading...

LLTV: The Art

2011-09-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

I'd like to take a moment to show the process of creating the artwork for the new Destroy Babylon album, Long Live the Vortex.

The first element came from our long time friend Biz. She had sent me a series of photos she took of Tanoak stems while studying Sudden Oak Death, a fatal disease affecting trees throughout North West America and Europe. Using her mad scientist skills, she cut, stained and then photographed the stems using a Nikon compound microscope. The results are the star-bursted cell textures currently seen all over our web pages, many of them virtually untouched by photoshop.

The MTV-style logo was an appropriation I did earlier this year just for fun. This record was basically our conscious attempt to make an album of single-worthy tunes, so I found it appropriate to create some sell-out/big business art inna Culture Pirate fashion. We considered using it for the cover- and I did 50+ versions of it- but didn't have the originality we wanted this album to have.

The original BOOM concept sketch by Marc

The cover we went with, a logo we call the "DB Boom", was a total collaborative effort. Going into it, all we knew was that we wanted something unique, iconic, and able to become a one color screen print. I met a few times with resident DB artist Ktron, and we quickly landed on the idea of a woodcut. While we didn't want the imagery to be too explicit, we did want to reference the Vorticist BLAST book since it was the source for many lyrical themes (that is an entire other blog post in itself).

The BOOM done by Matt Doughty

Rob originally conceived the cover idea: graph lines that tangle in the center to form a literal stock market crash. After a few clusterfucked sketches, I realized we could probably hide "DB" within the image. I then referred to master designer Matt Doughty who drew an awesome, 80s-inspired (as always) logo that would basically become the BOOM. I tweaked it one last time, sent it off to Ktron and she churned out the amazing woodcut in her signature style. She inked it and made a few prints to choose from for digitizing. After we scanned the best looking stamp, our residing screen-printer, Jesse Moore, burned the screen suitable for both 12" vinyl jackets and t-shirts.

The BOOM woodcut created by KTRON

When we got the test presses from Gotta Groove Records (who, btw, kick major ass), they had sent them in jackets with die-cut center holes, 12-inch-single-style. Originally, I thought we'd print on blank white jackets to keep things simple, but after this happy accident, quickly saw the potential of the die cut. We had never seen a record jacket printed simultaneously with the vinyl label, and thought it could work well with the vortex theme. The vinyl can be spun around inside the jacket to further complicate the inner workings of the grand design, which somehow translates both aesthetically and thematically. We actually just shot two videos- one that demonstrates exactly how they're made, the other showcasing the final product. As always, our brother Mercer was instrumental in creating these.

As I sit here in my home office, surrounded by nearly 200 lbs of vinyl records, I consider how much time we would have saved if we had paid to just have the album jackets printed and shipped retail ready. But the DIY route is not just about saving money- once you get the gist of things, putting together album packages is therapeutic. Sure we botched the first few- without ever seeing something like this done, it's hard to find a super reliable source of reference (but Jesse, Ktron, and Boris offered great advice). The satisfaction of making our first project on 12" wax so hands on is beyond rewarding... this has been a dream since JBo and I were spinning "Axel F" on a Fisher Price turntable as kids. There's also something great about involving so many friends in a project like this. "Do It Yourself" does not mean do it alone- it's only right that the collaborative nature of the recording is reflective in the aesthetic side of things.

So, before this becomes an entire book on LLTV worthy of the 33 1/3 Series... I'll wrap this up with a final thank you to everyone that has taken an interest in what we're doing- our journey has taken us this far but part of me feels like it is only the beginning...

Boom!

2011-08-02T14:35:00.004-04:00

Destroy Babylon's 3rd studio full-length, Long Live the Vortex, is finally here- listen and download now! The album will be available on limited edition 12" vinyl from Young Cub Records on September 20th, pre-order here!

Get the Digital LP exclusively from the band, or pre-order LLTV Deluxe which includes the 12" vinyl, instant download plus a handmade 20 pg. CD Book, featuring new artwork, lyrics & more!

@destroybabylon

2011-08-01T02:51:00.000-04:00

Hey all you socialites- we have revived the official DB twitter account! Music ADD will still continue @musicADD, but check @destroybabylon for the latest with our upcoming album release, tour dates and more!

Llyod Ricketts of the Itals, RIP

2011-07-24T14:13:00.002-04:00

Posted yesterday by Keith Porter (of the Itals):

"Original Itals member brother Lloyd Ricketts passed away yesterday. He came into this world Lloyd George Ricketts born Sept. 23, 1947. He came back to do those reunion shows earlier this very month because he really just wanted to perform for the people. Trials and tribulations get him down and he was out of performance for many years but it was all he really ever wanted to do."

Sad news. Llyod was supposed to join Keith Porter and Ronnie Davis at the show we recently did together at the Western Front, but Llyod had to miss it due to feeling ill. Lloyd will forever be remembered through his timeless recordings, one of my favorites being "I See a Sign." RIP

Steamy new DB tracks!

2011-07-22T15:11:00.005-04:00

With this insane heatwave going on right now, we thought it would be appropriate to debut a brand new tune called "FREEZE" from our upcoming record! Stop waiting around- hit us on Facebook to stream it right now for a limited time and cool down the pace!

Also, tune in to The Paradox Box on 88.1fm WMBR (or online) at 1pm tomorrow for a special hour hosted by Generoso with guest Johnny Babylon. We'll be debuting several more new DB tunes and spinning other good stuff to keep you cool in the dread hot!

(and, did you catch yet another brand new tune, "Something Very Wrong" premiered on Pipeline this past Tuesday? It's still avail to stream)

Let's be Honest... Today

2011-06-23T16:20:00.001-04:00

From NORML:

Today, a bi-partisan group of representatives introduced the first federal bill since 1937 aimed at ending marijuana prohibition. To coincide with the bill’s introduction NORML is launching a new public service announcement featuring NORML Advisory Board member, country music icon, and cannabis enthusiast Willie Nelson. In the video below, Willie calls on you to support this important legislation and to contact your elected officials and encourage them to do the same.

NORML has launched a bill specific Facebook page, where you can keep up to date on all the latest information. It can be accessed here. You can also utilize our Take Action Center to contact your elected officials and urge them to support HR 2306, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011, here.

DB with STEEL PULSE

2011-06-20T02:16:00.003-04:00

DB supports STEEL PULSE - June 30 at Hampton Beach!!

DB with THE ITALS

2011-06-10T22:57:00.001-04:00

Amazing last minute addition to our schedule: one week from tonight Destroy Babylon will support legendary Jamaican vocal group THE ITALS! Featuring the original line up of Keith Porter and Ronnie Davis- the first time in over a decade they have toured together- the Itals have been around since the late '60s, releasing a string of timeless singles and LPs, even earning a Grammy nomination. The show is at the intimate Western Front in Cambridge, which will also be our venue debut there. Do not miss this epic show!
Friday, June 17
The Itals w/Destroy Babylon & Dubbest
The Western Front
343 Western Ave, Cambridge MA
8pm | $15 | 18+ | Tickets

New Music from Brandee Younger and Jupitang!

2011-06-07T09:04:00.005-04:00

Our good friend and amazingly talented classical harp player Brandee Younger just released an EP available now on iTunes! You may remember her from playing on DB's [massive hit] single "Culture Pirates" (and no, that is definitely not her in the video during the harp breakdown), as well as "Spectral Perceptor", our version of Alice Coltrane's "Journey to Satchidananda". Coltrane is an obvious influence on Brandee, and in fact she had the honor of playing harp in several Coltrane tribute shows, playing along side jazz legends like Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Reggie Workman, Kenny Garrett, Rashied Ali, and Ravi Coltrane. The EP features two vocal tracks and two instrumentals, all showcasing Brandee's gorgeous, melodic playing. Do yourself a favor and drop the $3.96 for some real music!

Also just released is the debut full length from our friends Jupitang! Featuring the Macrotones bassie Nate Smith and a host of other local stars, the album is a crazy eclectic roller coaster ride of instrumental jams that's nearly impossible to label. Just check it out for yourself, and with a pay-what-you-want price, you've got nothing to lose.

Mighty Mighty Macrotones

2011-06-02T14:21:00.003-04:00

This Saturday night, The Macrotones celebrate the release of their 2nd record, First Signs of Danger, which is available now on iTunes. The record is AMAZING. The release party goes down at Johnny D's in Somerville, and between sets yours truly will be spinning classic and rare roots reggae to level the vibes all night. Rumor has it that the band will not only play the entire album start to finish, but a whole other set as well that just may feature some other warriors of Babylon... Don't miss this show!

Also, the first track off their new record is the MP3 of the week at the Phoenix, and another tune is featured on Boston Band Crush! Go Macros!

Next Music

2011-05-23T13:47:00.008-04:00

If you've caught one of our shows over the past month or two, you might've noticed a pretty major change in our line-up. Our bassie since the beginning, CMo, (aka CMonster, CMotion, The Sheriff) Chris Moran, has taken a break from all things Babylon. We are all saddened by his absence, but wish him the best in his future endeavors. He is, was and always will be a great friend and an enviable talent.

Since our recent shakeup, we have been refining a new sound and re-examining the way we "drive the bus." We hope you will come out and celebrate our new beginning with us soon. Onward, forward, don't step backward...

Join us this Wednesday night at our venue debut of the prestigious Lizard Lounge where you can see the new line up in action, including more special guests than ever- for a number of songs, we will become the DB Octet!

Babylon at Lizard, also STEEL PULSE in NH

2011-05-18T11:47:00.001-04:00

One week from tonight Destroy Babylon will make their venue debut at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA! This is one of those perfect small venues that always has top-notch music booked with an intimate atmosphere, quality sound, great drinks and tasty food. We will have numerous special guests including at least two horn players and other aural treats.

And we're very excited to announce that DB will be supporting a band that has had a massive influence on us since we started, STEEL PULSE! Formed in Birmingham, England in 1975, Steel Pulse created a unique progressive roots reggae sound that was highly political and spiritual, and have been touring the world since. Mark Thursday, June 30th on your cal, take that Friday off, and start your 4th of July weekend the right way.

RIP Skatalites Drummer Lloyd Knibb

2011-05-13T13:30:00.005-04:00

Lloyd Knibb, legendary drummer for one of the most important and influential Jamaican bands of all time, The Skatalites, has passed away. He started playing jazz in the 1940's, more or less invented the ska beat in the mid 60's, and performed his last concert just weeks ago, with more gigs with the Skatalites on the books. Over 5 decades of playing music, that is a life well lived. Knibb had been living in Massachusetts and his son Dion Knibb has been playing in the area with his band The Agitators for a long while. I've seen Dion sing several times, and man is he a powerhouse. Dion was supposed to sing with Dub Station tomorrow night at Johnny D's in Somerville for their 18th Anniversary show- I can't imagine he'll be there now, but either way, if you're in the area, you should definitely make it out to this show. Kyle Russell, bassie and main man behind Dub Station and KRucial Reggae, has been keeping the reggae scene alive in New England for nearly two decades. The show is jam packed with special guests, check the last link for more details.

Save a Bookseller

2011-04-11T10:14:00.003-04:00

Shortly after my post yesterday, I received an email from Alex (the owner of Back Pages) who wrote a piece concerning an Israeli bookseller who is inexplicably being forced to leave his home country. Please read Alex's letter here and sign the petition if you can see the wrong in this situation.

Let's Go to Waltham!

2011-04-10T18:31:00.006-04:00

Back Pages Publishers just released A Model Factory in a Model City: A Social Study, a short and sweet book about the historic Waltham Watch Factory, at the time one of the largest factories in the world. Written in 1887 by John Swinton, one of the most prominent socialist writers in American history, it is a fascinating glimpse of Waltham and the Factory, a strangely uplifting read that paints a vivid picture of life during simpler times. You don't have to be a resident or holding down a residency in Watch City to take pleasure in the humor and history of this book- check the link above and pick it up for cheap directly from the publisher.

The Hippie Hoodlum

2011-03-29T19:02:00.001-04:00

Our man Too Deep dropped his long awaited debut album today!! Features some of the best names in NYC underground hip hop including the DXA crew, plus DB's own Jbo and Rob on the title track! Big up to the Larry David on the Mic, the Alfred E. Neuman Lyricist, the Hippie Hoodlum!

Jah Woosh & Knowledge

2011-03-02T15:25:00.009-05:00

RIP Jamaican DJ and producer Jah Woosh and Anthony Doyley, leader of the group Knowledge.

The always amazing blog Kill Your Pet Puppy has a nice little tribute with two rare tracks to download and more info on Jah Woosh.

I discovered the group Knowledge when the great French label Makasound released a solid collection of tunes from their first two LPs called Straight Outta Trenchtown: 1975-1980. Not the strongest of singers, but they cut some heavy roots.

Rugged Road

2011-02-22T20:53:00.008-05:00

The new album by The Aggrolites dropped today on Young Cub Records and I thought I'd give a little insight to why we're excited about it. The Aggros had actually just wrapped up recording the tracks at KissyPig Studios last summer, right when we first started tracking the new Destroy Babylon full length. They worked with the same one man army as we did- Craig "DubFader" Welsch, who has worked with the likes of John Brown's Body, 10 ft. Ganja Plant (including a legendary cast of Jamaican singers), Leonard Dillon of The Ethiopians, Pressure Cooker, The Macrotones... the list goes on and on.

As fate would have it, I got the opportunity to help design The Aggrolites record! I worked on the LP label, the full CD package, and created a slew of promotional materials for the album. Working with Young Cub Records has been a blast so far, and I'll be sure to post future work we do together. I can't go into details at this point, but big things are in the works for Young Cub, be sure to keep them on your radar.

Bedtime Buttons

2011-02-20T14:53:00.002-05:00

Homemade Babylon Buttons now in production (on my bed), supplies courtesy of my good friend Boris (of Banimon fame). Come to the premier night of our residency at the Gaff tonight to grab a few from the first run!

DB on Grooveshark

2011-02-18T14:37:00.005-05:00

In addition to our bandcamp page (aka the DB:DL), we have several albums now streaming in their entirety on Grooveshark. Add us to your playlist and spread the Destruction.

TONIGHT!

2011-02-03T09:28:00.000-05:00

Forget About It

2011-01-31T15:27:00.002-05:00

Remember Your Death

2011-01-26T08:14:00.006-05:00

Mercer, aka D.Bro #5, is working on a new short film, but these things don't come cheap. Check out the video below to see how you can help make this project come to life... or death.

Aaaand We're Back

2011-01-21T13:31:00.007-05:00

DB is back for 2011. We officially started the band in 2001, so this starts our 10th anniversary (though we've all been playing together since we rode the bus to school). During the first 4 years, aka the Power Trio era, we all attended different colleges throughout New England, and it wasn't until the end of '05 when we moved to Beantown and started getting our act together. So, while we do have A LOT of things to be proud of and thankful for over the past decade, especially all of the close friends that have been with us since day one, we'll keep the prerequisite anniversary celebrations to a minimum.

We have a lot of great stuff coming this year. Most importantly, we'll finally be releasing a new full length LP (on vinyl, cd + digital) featuring 10 new originals. People that have been catching our shows recently will be familiar with some of them, but we promise the production value of the record will make them sound brand new. Working with Craig Welsch (John Brown's Body, 10 ft. Ganja Plant, The Aggrolites) was an absolute blast, and opened the gates to try new things. We'll of course keep you posted with release dates, etc. The first single, "Mr. Money Bags" is available now. Production of our second music video is also in the planning stages.

Another project we're about to begin will involve us recording some classic covers inna DB fashion. We've been having a ton of fun covering non-reggae tunes and giving them our own twist, so we thought we'd take advantage of some free studio time at my work and track them for all to hear. They will most likely be released individually or in pairs, exclusive on our website. What covers, you ask? Well the first pair will be the most obvious of choices, the biggest and most influential band of all time (well, the Clash may come later...). We're not trying to be the Easy Star All Stars (no diss- they're great at what they do), this is just a fun experiment. The second round will be "DB does DB". Figure that out?

Stay tuned, 2011 will be a big year for the Destruction of Babylon.

*And for those interested- the logo at the top is the newest die-cut vinyl sticker we just got in. Grab a handful at the next show...

RIP Captain Beefheart

2010-12-18T11:58:00.007-05:00

Seems like we've done more blog posts on RIP notes than anything else this year. Damn shame, but we do this to honor some great artists that have inspired us during their lives.

Hopefully the last one of the year, the world has lost the inimitable Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart. I was introduced to him via listening to Frank Zappa, first on Zappa's classic "Willie the Pimp" off Hot Rats. Beefheart's masterpiece Trout Mask Replica (produced by Zappa) is one of those records that critics always mention as one of the most important albums of all time (further down on the list), yet over 40 years after its release, it's still challenging and remains in a category of it's own. The amount of inspiration on that record comes FAST and BULBOUS.

Some of us have tix to see the Zappa Plays Zappa show tomorrow at the HOB, hopefully they'll do a tribute to Willie the Pimp...

And speaking of the HOB, thanks to everyone that came out to the show last night, it was a killer night. To have Generoso Fierro spin from his mighty collection was amazing, plus Andy Bergman tearing up lots of new stuff and Tyler Randall playing his sitar on several tunes... just epic.

See you in 2011.

DB in the 'Dam

2010-11-21T11:47:00.006-05:00

Our longtime friend and supporter, who shall remain nameless, is a judge in the High Times Cannabis Cup where he is currently spreading the bad news about Babylon. Someday we'll make it out to Amsterdam, until then, the warnings are in place.

Sonia Pottinger, RIP

2010-11-08T08:14:00.004-05:00

2010 has turned out to be a pretty bummer year as far as Jamaican legends passing on. But here's another; one of the very few female producers, Sonia Pottinger (b. 1943). She began producing in '66, ran her own High Note label and took over Treasure Isle in the early '70's (and produced all of these records). One of my favorite productions from her is The Melodian's "Swing and Dine" which DB has been known to do here and there.

Here's another favorite from her, Johnny & the Attractions covering "Young Wings Can Fly":

Canada, Sweden, America... UNITE!

2010-11-03T01:01:00.006-04:00

Countries Clash at the Middle East... and you're invited! Destroy Babylon kicks off the worldly affair at 9pm sharp, this Sunday November 7th at the Middle East Downstairs. Following DB is an artist that some have dubbed "The Joe Strummer of Sweden", Grammy winner Anders Wendin, aka Moneybrother. Headlining is Canada's own Bedouin Soundclash! This is an uncanny 18+ event not to be missed!

TICKETS: http://tiny.cc/MEnov7

Sunday November 7th

The Middle East Downstairs

Bedouin Soundclash, Moneybrother, Destroy Babylon

480 Mass Ave. Cambridge MA

18+ | $15 | doors: 8pm

facebook event

Mekano Turbo

2010-10-28T12:59:00.007-04:00

"In the year 2491, Earth's wealthiest citizens left the planet behind. To make sure the unwashed masses could not follow them to their new stellar utopia, these kings of men unleashed a virus that caused the complete collapse of modern technology. The result: War. Starvation. Plague. Mutation. The great powers were wiped out. Fifteen years later, roving gangs of marauders and thieves run roughshod over the Venezuelan Wastelands, fighting over society's scraps in ancient petrol-burning automobiles and 200-year-old battle-robots. Into this blasted landscape drives a man with one eye. A man with no fear. A man with no friends. A man called... Tuerto."

This new 80+ page beaut of a comic, 2491 A.D. aka Mekano Turbo, features some insanely talented artists including our new friend Ralph Niese, and is available now! Ralph recently spawned the cover art for Dub of Ages Vol. 2 from the vortex of his mutated mind, and we are now bound to forever hype his creations.

No, Seriously, Stop Dying

2010-10-27T10:25:00.005-04:00

photo: Katy Lyle

Just got word that Boston legend Bill Ruane passed away last night at 53. I only met him a year or so ago, he was a regular at my girlfriend's bar. We talked a lot about music- he had an undying passion for the local scene, ALL genres, and was more or less the guy that opened up the Upstairs part of the Middle East (DB's fav venue). He always came in right before the bar closed, bought everyone a round (was a generous tipper), and was always falling off the barstool. He was insane (I think legally), and changed the Boston scene for the better. Learn more about him at the Phoenix.

Stop Dying

2010-10-25T12:29:00.006-04:00

Just days after Ari Up... RIP Gregory Isaacs, The Cool Ruler. We may have to bring back "Let's Dance" to our repertoire... So many good Gregory tunes in his 40+ year career, I wouldn't know where to begin to talk about his vast catalog.

*update: just realized "Let's Dance" is John Holt tune.... whatev, Gregory made it his own!

Dub of Ages Vol. 2: DB Meets Prince Polo

2010-10-21T01:10:00.020-04:00

Download for FREE or name your price.

The next volume in the Dub Of Ages series is a compilation of mixes by Billy "PRINCE POLO" Szeflinski featuring 6 unreleased tracks! Billy has recently manned the helms for the likes of Lee "Scratch" Perry live... needless to say, he is in top form these days with his original and authentic approach to the fine dub arts. No computers were used in any tracking at the Kennel, and his mixes are one shot passes of dial-twisting wizardry.

Here's the lowdown for all you interested in the making of this release:

The first 2 tunes are brand new dub mixes from the unreleased Echocomplex album, recorded live to 2" in August '09 by Billy at the Kennel Recording Studio. We promise to not let those tapes collect much more dust... Both tunes are originally Keith Hudson productions (as well as track 5).

Next up is a version of "Culture Pirates" from our first Kennel session early last year, recorded live to 1" tape. The last two songs are also from this session, taken from Culture Pirates Deluxe.

Tracks 4-6 were recorded with HB at Grandma's Studio back in March '08. Two are alternate Billy mixes from the Shadow Army EP, the third an unreleased recording of the Heptones and Lee Perry's "Mr. President". Shadow Army will someday be released with the other 6+ additional tunes... (DOA Vol. 7?)

The album art was a concept that we presented to artist Ralph Niese, a friend I happen to meet at the right time, right place! I was introduced to Ralph through the Glyos community about a year ago and had the pleasure of spending a few days with him before the NY Comic Con last weekend. He returned to his home in Germany and somehow managed to put this together in a matter of days! Ralph has an incredible knack at creating compositions bursting with character, color and confidence. He nailed the Marvel/Star Wars throw back we had in mind and he truly made it his own, while paying homage to in-house DB artists Matt, Jesse and Ktron. Expect more of the Mighty Bruno in future MADD releases.

We hope some of you dig this little release. Be sure to properly space-out before listening... Download it here and name your own price (we won't mind if it's zero, just pass it around and don't break the DB psypha). The upcoming LP, tentatively Long Live the Vortex, is still in the mixing stages. It's looking like a late winter/spring release next year, and we're extremely excited with how it's coming together. All I can say is we've never heard ourselves so well produced and sonically-tidy... As always thanks for the support and keep it here for the latest from the DBoyos.

DB Live Tonight @ Johnny Ds

2010-10-14T14:34:00.004-04:00

TONIGHT - DB @ JDs in Somerville! A set bookended by BEATLES tunes? New BOOTHE and PABLO covers? RADIOHEAD? Last show until winter..!?

These set list mysteries and more revealed TONIGHT! We'll be joined by MACROTONES legends Andy, Jay, and for the first time CASEY on KEYS! All this plus the debut of JUPITANG and a chance to grab Dub of Ages Vol. 2 on CD, hand crafted by the DBoyos themselves... damn, don't miss this one folks.

Starts at 10pm sharp. $10, 21+

PONDA

2010-10-10T15:18:00.005-04:00

Only in NH will you see something like this... snapped this pic as we passed it on our way to Milford (DB does not condone using your camera phone while driving, unless you see something mind blowing). Half Honda motorcycle, half Pontiac... hence it's name, the "Ponda" as declared on its vanity plate. God Bless America.

Thx to all for coming out to the Festival yesterday, we had a blast. Toddlers dancing in front, stoners on the side, and we sold a CD to an 80-year old woman. Perfect.

DBeer Fest and More Evil Shenanigans

2010-10-08T16:07:00.013-04:00

Tomorrow, October 9th, the DBoys are returning to our home state to perform at the Milford Pumpkin Festival!

DB sets from 5.30 to 9.30 during the highlight of every Pumpkin Fest... the beer tasting! Smuttynose, Martha's Exchange and more will be featured this year. The beer tent is 21+, but the performance is free and open to everyone. WXRV 92.5 The River will also be broadcasting from the beer tent, come join the evil shenanigans! ...that was a Super Troopers reference. Why? Because I discovered THIS today...

On deck is our album release party at Johnny Ds- if your anywhere near Beantown, be sure to keep Thursday October 14th clear, this is one not to miss. The next volume in Dub of Ages features the DEADLY production of Prince Polo! Full details to come. [FB RSVP]

One last note- the Mighty Bearded Destroyer of Babylon, aka Jesse Moore, has just released possibly the most badass version of the plastic skullface yet... Tron fans unite, and grab your own glow-in-the-dark Callgrim Legacy!

In a Studio Far, Far Away...

2010-10-01T17:28:00.006-04:00

3 Floors of Ska Boston - TONIGHT!

2010-09-25T11:18:00.000-04:00

THREE FLOORS OF SKA | BOSTON DEBUT!

The Toasters

Destroy Babylon

The Void Union w/King Django + Dave Hillyard

Guns of Navarone

Royal City Riot

Mr. Kowalski

Tip the Van

Brunt of It

Mile 21

The Middle East Downstairs, Upstairs, and the Corner

472 - 480 Mass Ave • Cambridge MA

$13 ADV, $15 DOS • 18+ • FB RSVP

KTRON art show tonight!

2010-09-17T10:53:00.001-04:00

Resident DB artist and our good friend KTRON will be showing off and selling new work tonight at Hour Glass Tattoo in Cambridge! Joining her will be anotehr great Boston artist, Keri McGill. Doors open @ 8PM. PBR reception from 8pm to 9pm when you RSVP at hourglasstattoos@gmail.com! Also check out the start of Ktron's new site at ktronart.com.

Review: DB @ Beachcomber 9/3/10

2010-09-07T10:48:00.005-04:00

Big thanks to Jay Miller for the humbling review of our Beachcomber set from Friday, and big up to the heroic handful that braved Hurricane Pearl's furious 5 mph winds and devastating drizzles... The first time we played there was in March, and we were up against torrential downpours and downright nasty weather... and played to a full house (not to mention 3x the cover charge)! Just goes to show you, the best weatherman... is your window. Don't let the media bastards grind you down!

Next up: DB supports THE TOASTERS at the Middle East! Get your 3 Floors of Ska tickets now and secure your pass for Beantown's first ever celebration spanning the ME downstairs, upstairs and corner featuring some of the best names in ska/reggae including The Void Union w/King Django and Dave Hillyard, Royal City Riot, Guns of Navarone and lots more!

Seriously? Fuck You, Glenn Beck

2010-08-26T12:38:00.006-04:00

There's enough people covering the bad shit going on throughout the world that we typically refrain from blogging about it here, but I had to say something about this. The thought that Satan-reincarnate Glenn Beck is planning some sort of rally on the anniversary of MLK's "Dream" speech exactly where he spoke is really disturbing. Celebrate the Dream, Glenn Beck, FUCK OFF.

Love Music? Buy Music

2010-08-11T12:53:00.005-04:00

It's an overly simple concept, but needs to be heard now more than ever: I Buy Music. Read why at their site, but it's pretty obvious. It's become so easy to download music for free (illegally) that it's daunting to be an artist- why bother spending so much time and effort (and money) creating something that so many people will just get for free? Take the pledge to really support music.

Some good music that just came out that'll be worth your money: new Lee Perry dub plate compilation and 45 from Pressure Sounds, another Scratch comp from Trojan (they totally ripped PS's artwork), as well as more good stuff from them including a Dekker 7" and a roots comp, Stand & Give Praise, with lots of rare tunes, the new Budos Band, QOTSA's Rated R Deluxe, and more Light in the Attic reissues, just to name a few.

Pirate Pics

2010-07-16T01:15:00.007-04:00

View the full set of photos from the High Seas here, courtesy of Paul Ware. We are working on a new photo gallery section of the site. If you have any incriminating shots of the Culture Pirates, please hit up: contact [at] destroybabylon.com. Check back soon!

Lost in the Bowling Alley

2010-07-11T16:20:00.003-04:00

Guns of Boston, Straight to Brooklyn

2010-07-10T16:20:00.007-04:00

Another rude track followed by a twenty second riot from the Brooklyn Bowl, thanks again Emma!

One final HUGE THX to all that came out and rocked the boat with us last Friday. It was an amazing night; Craig Welsch behind the board, the Macrotones killin' as usual, CDIA representing (pics from Paul here), and only the true fans in Boston would unanimously prefer us to end with "Straight to Hell" over "Should I Stay or Should I Go". Too bad we had to end a little early, but at least we got to play more the next night. The Brooklyn Bowl was one of the coolest venues we've played in a while, and God Saves Queens did a perfectly suitable and convincing Sex Pistols (and Nancy shooting up on stage was ridic). Here's the set list- we switched it up this time and threw some other favorites throughout the night.

Armagideon Time*
Gimme Dub
Culture Pirates
Echo Chamber
Freeze
#1 Killer
London Calling
Brand New Cadillac
Jimmy Jazz
Hateful
Rudie Can't Fail
White Riot
Spanish Bombs
The Right Profile
Lost in the Supermarket
Clampdown
The Guns of Brixton
Wrong 'Em Boyo
54-46
Pressure Drop
Death or Glory
Koka Kola
Police & Thieves
The Card Cheat
Lover's Rock
Charlie Don't Surf
Four Horsemen
I'm Not Down
Revolution Rock
Train in Vain
Straight to Hell
Rock the Casbah*
Should I Stay or Should I Go*

*Brooklyn only

London Bowling

2010-07-09T11:44:00.004-04:00

Footage from our London Calling set at Brooklyn Bowl. Thanks to Emma Story for the video, more to come!

LON > BOS > NYC

2010-07-06T22:24:00.008-04:00

Thanks to Kristin Viens for the above shots.

The London Calling show at Brooklyn Bowl was smashing fun. Thanks to all that came out, whether or not you knew it would become the most punk rock bowling game of your life... Big ups to Andy and Nate of The Macrotones for taking the hike with us after an insane night in Boston Harbor.

That set will remain one of the most fun (and epic) in the DB catalog... but alas, we have a new album to finish! Only a few more Summer shows while we prepare the next release, and you can bet you'll hear a whole new set with plenty of shiny DB originals (and maybe some with the dust kicked off...).

We're excited to announce 2 shows with local favorites The Void Union! These guys absolutely hold it down for the traditional ska scene, brought to you in part by the the seasoned Westbound Train crew. First up is Thursday August 19th at TTs in Cambridge, our first time since 2006! The second show takes place next door at the Middle East upstairs, downstairs, and corner... On Saturday September 25th, for the first time in Boston, the infamous 3 Floors of Ska comes to town! This year's headlining act... The Toasters! More info on this show soon come.

Also- our new split EP with The Macrotones, Clash on the High Seas, is now available worldwide. Check out early/live versions of tunes that will be featured on our respective forthcoming albums!

Brooklyn Calling - TONIGHT!

2010-07-03T10:25:00.005-04:00

The booze cruise last night was unreal. Thanks to every single person aboard for the amazing energy and one of the most fun sets we've ever played. The Macrotones slayed as always. Pics, full set list and hopefully video to come.

Round 2 Fight!, er Tonight! London Calling continues at the Brooklyn Bowl. 9pm 21+ Only $5!

Pussy Galore

2010-06-24T14:42:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to plug a friends worthy organization... I've always been a strictly dog, not cat kind of guy, but I gotta admit, some cats can be pretty cool. And I'd much rather see any animal being taken care of by a willing person, not homeless or neglected by shitty owners. So if you're in the feline market, consider Black Cat Rescue. Apparently black cats are only half as likely to get adopted as cats of other colors... Even with a black President, some people still can't change.

Mr. Money Bags

2010-06-09T16:20:00.001-04:00

Check out the first taste of DB's upcoming,
yet-to-be-named full length!
Mr. Money Bags + Deep Pocket Dub

DB w/THE WAILERS (18+)

2010-05-21T19:17:00.009-04:00

Massive news... DB will be supporting The Legendary Wailers! Last year we had a couple great shows together in NH and CT, and we're stoked to support them at the Paradise in Boston! We have another announcement to coincide with the show to be revealed next week... stay tuned!

Big up to Jeff Proctor for letting us steal some art for the flier- check out his twisted mind at makenonsense.com, and grab a print at his new store.

Thursday June 3rd 2010
The Wailers plus Destroy Babylon and Elmwood
The Paradise Rock Club
967 Comm Ave Boston MA
8pm 18+ $25

Clash on the High Seas

2010-05-19T19:45:00.006-04:00

Friday July 2nd 2010 - Clash Tribute Concert Cruise
Destroy Babylon + The Macrotones rock Boston Harbor!
TIX HERE | 21+

Here's the full scoop...

TICKETS: On sale now, HERE! Each purchase will receive an instant download of an exclusive split EP, Clash on the High Seas, featuring new tunes from each band! We will mail your ticket(s) out right away, and your download will start immediately. There are NO FEES for everyone that buys tickets through us! Last year's cruise SOLD OUT, so buy in advance!

SHOW: The cruise starts boarding at 7:15 and leaves at 8pm sharp... so get there early! Once aboard, The Macrotones will set sail with an original set of their booty-shakin brand of Boston-Afro-beat. DB follows with a few originals before performing all of The Clash's seminal album London Calling with the Macros backing up on horns, percussion, kicks and punches. We'll continue to play until we dock at 11pm.

DRINKS: It's a cash bar so stop at an ATM machine on your way, light snacks and hot dogs will be available on the boat.

DIRECTIONS: Rock On! Concert Cruises are on Mass Bay Lines and depart from Rowes Wharf at The Boston Harbor Hotel Atlantic Avenue – CRUISES ARE RAIN OR SHINE. There is $7 Parking @ INTERNATIONAL PLACE GARAGE directly across the street from the Hotel - Arrive after 6pm, get your parking pass stamped at the Cruise Box Office.

By T, Take the Red Line to South Station - it's 1/4 mile up Atlantic Ave or take the Blue Line to Aquarium - it's 1/4 mile down Atlantic Ave.

QUESTIONS? Contact us if you need any more info, otherwise, see you at the docks!!

Regent Theatre Pics

2010-05-05T14:28:00.004-04:00

We posted some new pics from our recent Regent Theatre gig. Big thanks to Kristen Goehringer for the colorful shots - gallery here.

Clash on the Horizon...

2010-05-01T02:14:00.012-04:00

Something huge is headed this way...
it involves a clash of artists big enough to rock anyone's boat...
Clear your calendar for Friday July 2nd
and check back here next week!

Swearwolves 5/22

2010-04-27T08:55:00.002-04:00

The 'wolves come out! On Saturday May 22nd, come out to Club Bohemia (aka Cantab downstairs) in Central Square for some heavy tunes with The Swearwolves, fellow Boston rockers Bacchus King and our Brooklyn buds The Cool & Deadly! There may be one more act, so stay tuned.

Big up to Boris from Banimon- more vectors that fell victim to Babylon... He created the kickass-commie graphics, and I pillaged it with text. Play some quick and fun games at his newly launched Banimon TV! Destroy Banimon continues...

4 20 10

2010-04-20T09:57:00.003-04:00

DB Dub Sesh at The Last Chapter Pub
SNHU Manchester
3-7pm, Students only

4/17 @ the 'bud, 4/20 in NH

2010-04-15T00:00:00.005-04:00

Join us this Saturday in Davis Square where DB will play/party/drink from 10pm to 1am! It's also Record Store Day, so we're celebrating early with the coupon above (just use promo code pirate at dl.destroybabylon.com to get 20% off... whatever you choose to pay). Pick up the Culture Pirates 7" if you haven't already... they're almost all gone!

Don't worry about silence on the facebucks and twittys... we've been busy! Big summer plans are brewin'...

Saturday, April 17
Rosebud Bar (behind the diner car)
381 Summer St, Somerville MA (Davis Square)
Destroy Babylon all night!
10pm, 21+, $5

Tuesday, April 20
420 Celebration at Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH)
3pm - 7pm @ Last Chapter Pub- SNHU Students only

Friday, May 7
DJ set | Vintage Roots @ Rosebud Bar & Grill (First Friday of every month)
Selector Johnny Babylon spins the best in classic and rare reggae!

381 Summer St, Somerville MA (Davis Square)
10pm, 21+, No Cover!

Saturday May 22
Club Bohemia @ The Cantab Lounge
738 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA
The Swearwolves w/ The Cool & Deadly & Bacchus King!

Eat Peeps.

2010-04-04T11:46:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter folks!

Keith Hudson Day!

2010-03-18T08:15:00.019-04:00

Forget your St. Paddy's hangover, we are officially declaring March 18th Keith Hudson Day.

Keith Hudson was born March 18, 1947 in Kingston, JA, and tragically died of lung cancer in 1984. During his life, he had a drastic impact on the Jamaican music industry, and really pop music over all, though he remains obscure. He was arguably the first producer to release a strictly Dub record, 1974's Pick A Dub, while his first LPs, 1972's Furnace and Class & Subject, were the first records to feature a mix of vocal tunes, dub mixes, and Deejay versions on one album. There's some more interesting biographical info on his myspace page, apparently written by one of his sons.

Anyone that knows Destroy Babylon knows we are hugely influenced by the "Dark Prince of Reggae" and have covered a handful of his tunes (our Shadow Army EP starts with Hudson's "Nuh Skin Up"). We recorded two more Hudson tunes in the studio that will be on our next record. Click here to download an unreleased dub version of "Nuh Skin Up" from DB's Shadow Army sessions... appropriately mixed by Prince Polo of The Cool and Deadly, who will be sharing the stage with us tomorrow in Stamford!

Above is a short list of Hudson tunes that plays like an anthology. Although much of his best work is done behind the controls, not as a performer, this mix features his work as a producer and vocalist. To make it easier to choose, I just picked one track from each of his 13 LPs. Pressure Sounds will forever be the most respected reissue label in my book because they have kept three of Hudson's best albums in print; Pick A Dub, Brand, and Nuh Skin Up. You need all three. The other sets you need are The Hudson Affair, a great compilation by Trojan of his work with others, his dark masterpiece Flesh Of My Skin Blood Of My Blood, Wackies' Playing It Cool Playing It Right, both reissued by Basic Replay, and his Greensleeves classic Rasta Communication.

Listen to the tunes above, check out his releases and show respect to one of the most important and underrated figures in reggae music. Next year, since it'll fall on a Friday, we want to do a Keith Hudson tribute show. Any musicians interested in being a part, hit us up!

Happy Hour Babylon showcase

2010-03-10T19:09:00.000-05:00

This Saturday at the Beachcomber in Wollaston Beach (Quincy MA), DB plays from 4-8pm for an Autism Benefit Beach Party! We will be joined by some of our BFFs from the Macrotones for some suped-up horn action. DJ Mark McGillicuddy will spin before & between sets, so the party will never stop. See you there!

Precinct this Saturday

2010-03-03T13:32:00.000-05:00

JOIN US!

Callgrimation Domination

2010-02-22T15:54:00.005-05:00

Artist extraordinaire and good friend Jesse Moore has unleashed a new art assault: collectible/interchangeable Callgrim figures (each packed with their own art card), badass t-shirts (printed by Jesse himself), and Episode 1 of a new animation series (featuring original, haunting noises from the Swearwolves). Whether it was writing/recording the space-cowboy composition or animating/editing the imagery- the entire MADD crew had a hand in giving life to Jesse's incredible artwork. Check out the video, and be sure to check out everything over at Callgrim.com. Many more projects with Jesse are in the works, stay tuned.

JA Love at the Bud

2010-02-11T13:56:00.007-05:00

This Sunday meet us at the Rosebud Bar & Grill (right behind the diner) in Davis Square. I'll be spinning vintage Jamaican love chunes, classic and rare. Hopefully you have Monday off for Prez day, so come out, have some drink and pretend you're in sunny JA...

Googlyon, my friend. Googlyon.

2010-02-09T01:42:00.003-05:00

Swearwolves at Church Pt. III

2010-02-07T11:38:00.001-05:00

Our version of Dan Auerbach's "I want some more".

Shop Update

2010-02-06T23:12:00.005-05:00

Click to see the new shop section at destroybabylon.com/shop

Release Recap

2010-02-05T13:45:00.007-05:00

Massive thanks to all the guests that joined us last night for a fun & dubbed out night of music. Big ups to everyone that came out and brought their dancing shoes. The night was filmed & recorded (thanks CDIA crew)- we'll keep you posted with all media right here, but until then- check out the Destroy Babylon Download Store, aka, the DB:DL...

What's the DB:DL all about?
-Pay what you'd like for albums & tracks.
-Download in 320k mp3 or higher formats.
-Receive instant downloads of music ordered on CD or vinyl.
-Stream every song in its entirety while reading lyrics and liners.
-Turn on the visualizer and crank up the speakers...

Available now are Dub of Ages Vol. 1, featuring the complete collection of tracks from 2009's Dub of the Month Series (remixed & mastered), as well as Culture Pirates Deluxe, featuring an eclectic array of remixes from some of our favorite artists.

Our continued Dub Club series will always debut at the DB:DL. We are spending the rest of Febrewary working on lots of new material, including our next LP in addition to the first few cuts for the Dub Club 2010 series. Stay tuned!

Tonight!

2010-02-04T13:41:00.002-05:00

Confirmed guests: Andy Bergman on sax + theramin, Jason Buhl on sax + flute, Tyler Randall on sitar, Aaron Duffy & Wyatt Posig on various percussion, & Jamie Lynn Hart & Dana O'Connell on vocals... Don't miss a minute!

Swearwolves at Church Pt. II

2010-02-01T12:15:00.000-05:00

AquaGate: Never Forget

2010-01-31T20:42:00.006-05:00

Three years ago today marks one of the more embarrassing moments in Boston history, when the BPD caused a city-wide panic after mistaking Lite-Brites for bombs. As part of an Adult Swim ad campaign for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, tiny LED signs featuring a bird-flipping Mooninite were placed in random spots around the city. For whatever reason (blame it on Bin Laden), Boston's Finest identified these things as improvised explosive devices, and went as far as blowing up the first one discovered. The best part: these things were in place for almost 3 weeks, in 10 major US cities before the BPD decided the shut down I-93 and the MBTA to investigate the devices. Every other city had no problem realizing exactly what they were, and by the end of the day, Boston law enforcement looked like a bunch of Meatwads.

As level-headed, tax paying Boston citizens, we decided the best way to remember this famed-fuck up was to write a song about it. Jbo quickly wrote the lyrics to what became "This is Not a Bomb", which itself is a reference within a reference... Boston's Dada-loving Mission of Burma's "This is Not a Photograph" appropriating the Belgian surrealist artist Magritte and his famous work "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" ("This is not a pipe"). In addition, and in true Culture Pirate fashion, Jason Ralls contributed "This is Not a Pirate" to the 7" book... holy appropriation Batman.

To accompany this asinine event, we had Matt Doughty illustrate a Mooninite in a most crude way. Here are some early versions of the Rat Fink inspired creature that became the cover of the single. The track (and bonus dub) are available on itunes.

Swearwolves at Church Pt. I

2010-01-30T18:57:00.004-05:00

Beards with Benefits

2010-01-29T10:47:00.007-05:00

Thanks to everyone that came out to the benefit this past Wednesday night at the Skellig. It was a lot of fun, and we raised over $700, plus more that will be donated by the Skellig! There may be some video coming in the future, but check out some photos by David Tunick! And ya, we're like the lumberjack twins...

Waltham 4 Haiti

2010-01-23T22:42:00.004-05:00

This Wednesday, Jan. 27th, the MADD crew will be participating in a benefit concert to raise funds for Haiti. There will be a scattering of indie, acoustic and hard rock acts, in true Music ADD fashion. Rob will do a bunch of tunes and maybe a handful of DB/SW unplugged. Please join us at the Skellig in Waltham for this special night of good tunes, food & drinks, all for a great cause.

RIP Lynn Taitt

2010-01-22T19:48:00.005-05:00

Days after Yabby You passes, we lose another reggae legend. Lynn Taitt was hugely influential, helping develop the sound from ska into rocksteady and reggae. Check out the article in the Jamaica Observer for more.

A few years ago, Generoso Fierro directed an award-winning documentary on Taitt, called Lynn Taitt: Rocksteady. Those around Boston (and perhaps worldwide) should know him as DJ Generoso, the host of the Bovine Ska & Rocksteady Radio Show on WMBR 88.1FM. Generoso plays tunes from his ridiculously amazing vinyl collection, focusing on the earliest recordings of Jamaica from 1955-1970, mainly mento (Jamaican calypso), buru, Jamaican Rhythm and Blues, Ska, Rocksteady and the earliest reggae tracks. Tune in every Tuesday starting at midnight and you will never be disappointed- I'm sure he'll be doing the best tribute to Taitt that's possible.

Swearwolves Come to Church

2010-01-19T12:34:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow night- come see DB perform as The Swearwolves! We will be unleashing a slew of new material, including a few originals as well as covers from 1977 & 2009... set starts at 10pm!

Culture Pirates Music Video

2010-01-18T23:42:00.001-05:00

Check out the official music video for DB's "Culture Pirates" in HD! Thanks to so many great people for making this happen- full credits posted below the video on the link. More videos on the way!

RIP Yabby You

2010-01-13T13:09:00.004-05:00

Some really sad news: roots reggae legend Vivian Jackson, aka Yabby You passed away on January 12th, 2010. Yabby has been a huge influence on Destroy Babylon and really all of reggae. Despite numerous health issues due to malnutrition in his youth, Yabby persevered and created some of the heaviest, deepest songs to come out of Jamaica. His first LP, Conquering Lion, is easily one of the best roots albums ever. Blood & Fire records (who are also very sadly no longer around) did some amazing reissues- I recommend them all. He will be dearly missed, but the music lives on.

Callgrim Trailer

2010-01-04T14:25:00.005-05:00

The Swearwolves (aka the band formerly known as Growlers) will be featured in Callgrim's upcoming animated web series! Check out the teaser here (which includes an unreleased instrumental version of "Crawl")! Big thanks to Jesse Moore, creator of Callgrim, for allowing us to be a part of this wicked project. Jesse is the artist that did The Shadow Army cover as well as the back cover to Culture Pirates. Check his blog every morning for Dailies!

London Conquered

2010-01-02T16:31:00.020-05:00

Holy shit was last night fun. Thanks to EVERYONE that came out and helped sell it out and make it one of the funnest shows yet! Kevin and The Astronauts killed it, they even did Strummer's "Coma Girl", and The Macrotones destroyed as usual.

Here's our set list:

White Riot
I'm So Bored with the USA
Safe European Home
Tommy Gun
London Calling
Brand New Cadillac
Jimmy Jazz
Hateful
Rudie Can't Fail (w/ Macros)
Spanish Bombs
The Right Profile (w/ Macros)
Lost in the Supermarket
Clampdown
The Guns of Brixton
Wrong 'Em Boyo (w/ Macros)
Death or Glory
Koka Kola
The Card Cheat
Lover's Rock
Four Horsemen
I'm Not Down
Revolution Rock (w/ Macros)
Train in Vain

Encores:
Straight to Hell
Police, Bank Robbers & Thieves
Should I Stay or Should I Go
Rock the Casbah

We got video of the show, so keep an eye out for that in the near future. Thanks again to all (including the Herald), we hope to do this again soon- leave a comment with the time and place.

And I thought I'd share this...

TOP 10
by extermitent

Listen to DB's Pipeline! Set

2009-12-24T11:27:00.010-05:00

Go to Pipeline's site to stream the full 45 minute set from Tuesday, Dec 22nd. We had a lot of fun and were joined by Andy and Jason of The Macrotones on a couple tunes. We did a little tribute to Joe Strummer, some new tunes and one we haven't done live in a while.

Check back soon for mp3s downloads. Here's the set list:

War is KAOSS
Culture Pirates
Dub Me Out
Echo Chamber
Great Yob
Armagideon Rock
Clampdown
The Robot Sings in Dub
Blackwater

Dub of the Month XII

2009-12-16T13:20:00.000-05:00

Buddhahookah

Dub Time Is Here Again

2009-12-15T10:42:00.010-05:00

On December 15th...
1791: Bill of Rights ratified
1877: Thomas Edison patents phonograph
1964: Canada adopts maple leaf flag
1967: Beatles release "Christmas Time is Here Again," an exclusive 45 for their record/fan club
2009: Destroy Babylon debuts "Buddhahookah" and completes their Dub of the Month series of '09.

We did it! One tune every month for the whole year. Go us. We hope you enjoyed the evolution of the Dub of the Month series, we had a lot of fun doing them, and just maybe we'll continue them next year....

Tune in tonight to WMBR 88.1fm's Pipeline! at 8pm to hear the grand finale, "Buddhahookah". The Culture Pirates exploitation sees no evil. This one features Tyler Randall on sitar (something I've been wanting to work with since becoming almost obsessed with the Beatles' "Within You Without You" when I was 13), plus Aaron Duffy and Wyatt Posig of the Macrotones on a plethora of hand percussion. That brings the number of Mac's featured on DOTM's to 5... the other 5 will have to make it next year!

Stay tuned for the album art, and details about the CD release of the whole collection!

London Calling Live

2009-12-06T20:45:00.007-05:00

On January 1st, 1980, The Clash released their masterpiece London Calling in the US. Exactly 30 years later, celebrate this landmark release with us when we perform the entire double LP (19 songs), plus more at one of the best venues around. We will be posting more about this special night throughout the month, stay tuned.

Tickets are $10 in advance, show is 18+, doors at 8pm. Kevin Verni (ex-The Stolen Records) will be returning to Boston for a special solo kickoff set, followed by an entire set by thee Afro-Funk Titans, aka The Macrotones, who will then join Destroy Babylon for the ultimate recreation of a musical monument. Don't miss this epic event...

Tickets: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=520605&pl=rockon

FB event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176866714569&ref=mf

DB PRTY + CP RMX

2009-11-27T23:40:00.006-05:00

We hope everyone had a good Turkey Day. We are psyched for good leftovers all weekend, when we plan to be super productive and gear up for our studio makeover. Music ADD and Dungeon 1 recently picked up a new studio desk, and we'll actually we selling off the old one sometime this week (for anyone interested, we'll be posting pics in a few days). As we clean out the Dungeon we also plan to post up some new merch and specials for the holidays. We have new shirts and maybe even a new DB track in store for this week. And speaking of new tracks...

During our Blogtober series, I did a post on Father Abraham, who contributed a track from his 52 pickup series. As he approaches his final month of new material, week #47 brings a remix of Culture Pirates! Abe puts a very cool spin on the song with his Zombie Remix, and we're glad some of our sounds became part of his prolific project- DL the track and read his nice write up here.

I originally met Abe at New Alliance Studios, where we will be playing this Thursday for a full on studio party. Joining us will be two fantastic local artists, Monqie Ortiz with drummer Larry Dersch. For those unfamiliar with these names please check their links, as both have been involved in super cool projects over the years and we're excited to say the least. The party starts around 7pm and will go to 11ish, in the EMF building (120 Brookline Ave) in Cambridge. The night is sponsored by good ol' Narragansett, some come on out for some free beer and listen to some great music in one of the best sounding rooms around. No cover (donations appreciated).

Swearwolves... TONIGHT!

2009-11-23T16:09:00.005-05:00

Join us for our debut outing in the new outfit, tonight!!

O'Brien's Pub
3 Harvard Ave.
Allston MA 02134

Swearwolves up first at 8.30pm

Dub of the Month XI

2009-11-22T12:33:00.005-05:00

Fauxhouse Rock
(featuring Jay Buhl of The Macrotones)

Tonight!

2009-11-21T12:31:00.000-05:00

DB On Air

2009-11-16T15:10:00.006-05:00

Back in August, we played a double header in Northampton, MA, the second show being a benefit for Valley Free Radio. They kindly dedicated an hour to DB (and threw in a real JA classic or two), and you can still stream the show here.

In other radio news, our Dub of the Month for November will debut live on air tomorrow evening on WMBR's Pipeline! Show starts at 8pm. This one features a special guest previously featured on a different DOTM, but he plays a different instrument.... tune in! The track will be available for download shortly after.

Word(le)

2009-11-07T23:10:00.003-05:00

Just a quick update- MADD can now be translated worldwide, try the drop down on the right. Word cloud above created by Wordle.

NERDS! (in clever tees)

2009-11-05T10:33:00.004-05:00

Randomly stumbled across some great threadless designs.

NERDS!!!!!

2009-11-02T11:26:00.008-05:00

Pics by the DB fam. Full gallery here.

NEW BAND NAME

2009-10-31T23:25:00.000-04:00

Bombs, Bats, and Floating Eyes of Death

2009-10-31T00:45:00.001-04:00

When this album came out in '99, I was thankfully maturing from the 3rd wave ska bands that were flooding the market throughout the nineties towards more traditional (and respected) artists in the genre. But the Aquabats always caught my interest with their cartoon-like existence, and after seeing them live, I witnessed why they had such a cult following. The super hero rockers literally battled 7 foot monsters while they played their set... pretty rad. On Vs. The Floating Eye of Death, the Bats almost completely abandon the ska sound for a more Devo-esque rock album (the Aquabats currently help produce the popular kid's show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" with the prolific Mark Mothersbaugh of the D-evolution).

Choosing one of their songs was surprisingly difficult- once again, another album that suites October perfectly: Do I go with "The Thing On The Bass Amp," or maybe "Monster Wedding," which is a perfect lead off for any Halloween compilation... I decided to go with "Chemical Bomb." This track, though at first sounds like background music for a vacation in the Bahamas, has some of the most fucked up and hilarious lyrics I've ever heard: "Chemical bomb / Chemical bomb / Eyes melt, skin explodes / Everybody's dead / It wont be long / It wont be long / People gonna run around losing their heads /A river of blood / Whose gonna live? / The earth is tired of human kind / And I think this world is gonna wash up in hell." Followed by a chorus of "La La Las," sung by a choir girl... enjoy.

The Aquabats - Chemical Bomb