Fishbone

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Fishbone
Image:Fishbone SM.jpg
Background information
Also known as	Fishbone & Familyhood Nextperience
Origin	Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre(s)	Ska-punk, Funk metal, Alternative rock
Years active	1979–present
Associated acts	Dirty Walt & The Columbus Sanitation, Trulio Disgracias, Dr Madd Vibe
Website	http://www.fishbone.net/
Members
Angelo Moore Curtis Storey Rocky George Dre Gipson John McKnight John Norwood Fisher John Steward
Former members
Walter A. Kibby II Philip "Fish" Fisher Kendall Jones Chris Dowd John Bigham Spacey T Anthony Brewster Dre Holmes Tori Ruffin

Fishbone is an alternative rock band that plays a fusion of funk, ska, punk rock, reggae, heavy metal and more. The band was formed in 1979 in the ghettos of South Central Los Angeles by Angelo Moore, also known as "Dr. Madd Vibe" (vocals, saxophones ranging from sopranino to bass, and theremin); Kendall Jones (guitar); John Norwood Fisher (bass); Philip "Fish" Fisher (drums); "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (vocals, trumpet); and Chris Dowd (keyboards, trombone). The group came from the same Los Angeles scene that spawned the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction.

Contents 1 History 2 Members 2.1 Current 2.2 Past 3 Discography 3.1 Albums 3.2 EPs 3.3 DVDs 4 External links

History

Fishbone first gained attention with their live concerts, earning a reputation as one of the most diverse bands in the alternative rock genre. Their unique stew of different styles, mixed with hectic energy and pounding rhythms, were a huge influence on the funk/rock/new wave/metal/rap hybrid that would become popular in the 1990s. The band did not have any official recordings until the release of their self-titled EP, Fishbone, in 1985, which featured the classic ska favorite "Party at Ground Zero". In 1987, in support of their first full-length album, In Your Face, the band performed "Jamaica Ska" (the classic Jamaican ska single specifically written as a breakthrough U.S. pop-charts hit) in the Annette Funicello/Frankie Avalon reunion movie Back to the Beach. Fishbone toured with the Beastie Boys across the US and other parts of the world.

Though the band had a manic, kinetic sound and stage presence, the group was mainly a ska/reggae band in its early years. But by 1987, the band had turned up the distortion, and heavy metal and hardcore sounds started creeping into their music. 1988's Truth and Soul brought Fishbone wide critical acclaim, and is considered one of alternative rock's greatest albums. A diverse piece of social commentary, Truth and Soul covered important topics such as the breakup of families, early 1900s racism, fascism, nuclear war, and oppression in lower income housing projects. The album was highlighted by a metal version of Curtis Mayfield's classic "Freddie's Dead," from the soundtrack of the movie Superfly. That same year, the group toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and became nationally known as a major player in the burgeoning alternative music scene, a legacy sealed by live shows that were unrivaled in their fury and intensity.

In 1990, the band added a seventh member, former Miles Davis music director John Bigham on guitar and keyboards. Fishbone's winning streak continued with The Reality of My Surroundings in 1991, a critical and commercial success. An hour-long mini-epic, The Reality of My Surroundings is widely considered Fishbone's greatest triumph. A psychedelic swirl of manic energy and witty commentary, the album showcased the very different personalities of Fishbone's seven members. One month before the album's release, the group played a memorable performance on Saturday Night Live, with Moore doing a back flip into the camera pit a mere five seconds into their performance of "Sunless Saturday" (a song which later featured an MTV video directed by Spike Lee). The sunny soul number "Everyday Sunshine" also became a modest hit on radio and MTV.

Their sound remained rooted in funk and ska, but focused more on hard rock and heavy metal on 1993's Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe. With the burgeoning popularity of alternative rock, Fishbone was suddenly gaining popularity in the mainstream, but the band was beginning to tear apart internally.

Just before hitting the road on the 1993 Lollapalooza tour, the band experienced their first personnel loss as guitarist Kendall Jones left the band to join a religious cult. John Norwood Fisher tracked him down and attempted to kidnap him with duct tape and a stun gun, and was arrested and sued over the incident.[1] The band suffered another blow in 1994 when keyboardist Chris Dowd left the band, as he felt the band wasn't the same without Jones. Fishbone was then dropped by Sony Records. He would record An album with an allstar band including Jeff Buckley using the name "Seedy Arkestra" releasing the album "The Puzzle", which included the incendiary anti-Fishbone track "Flog Your Dead Horse"

Now a five-piece, Fishbone released the extremely heavy/punkish Chim Chim's Bad Ass Revenge in 1996, which did well in the underground music scene, but went completely unnoticed by the general public. By 1998, the band went through more major personnel changes as founding member/ drummer Philip "Fish" Fisher (Norwood's brother) left the band (to be later definitively replaced by John Steward); John Bigham also left the band to pursue his own career (The Soul of John Black) and was replaced by former Sound Barrier and Mother's Finest guitarist Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton. John McKnight (from Ben Harper's band) joined on keyboards, trombone, and guitar after a short stint by Anthony Brewster. During the latter part of the 1990s, Fishbone earned their keep on the road through constant touring, as they remained one of rock's most respected live bands.

Fishbone's dedicated fan base was, for the most part, happy to travel down whatever musical path the musicians pursued, but the band's record sales dropped consistently after 1991. However, in 2000, the band was signed to a major record deal and given the chance to record a new album with several special guests, such as Gwen Stefani, George Clinton, Rick James, H.R. from Bad Brains, Donny Osmond, and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. The result, Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx, was a critical success, but saw poor sales. The band was dropped from their label and headed back on the road. John McKnight left the band in 2001, and the group continued on as a 5-piece. In 2002, on their own independent record label, they released Live at the Temple Bar and More (2002) which contained all brand new original material recorded throughout 2001 and 2002. This was later complemented by another live CD/DVD, Live in Amsterdam, containing most of their hits and filmed at the 2002 Cannabis Cup Festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

In late 2003, Fishbone suffered another blow with the departure of founding member and trumpeter Walter A. Kibby II, as well as guitarist Spacey T. Walter Kibby had previously released a Solo album with "The Columbus Sanitation" (actually many of his current and former Fishbone cohorts including Spacey T) The two would later help form "The Year of the Dragon" who would release the album, A Time To Love Is A Time To Bleed in 2006. Kibby was initially replaced by Dre Holmes but would permanently be replaced by Curtis Storey. Spacey T would be replaced by two guitarists - Rocky George of Suicidal Tendencies and Tori Ruffin of The Time, though Ruffin would leave soon thereafter. The band once again added a keyboardist, Dre Gipson. Two years later in 2005, John McKnight re-joined the band on trombone, guitar, and keyboards.

In 2005, Fishbone contributed the song "Date Rape" to the Sublime tribute CD and DVD Look at All the Love We Found. for which New Congress Pictures produced their first music video in ten years. The video was directed by Renee Tod and Josh Fischel.

Also that year the band The Girlfriend Experience had been reporting to have played with a new Kendall Jones band calling themselves "The Cause"

2006 sees the return of the collaboration between Fishbone and producer David Kahne (who worked on the band's 80's recordings) for the first studio recording in 6 years, titled Still Stuck In Your Throat released in late 2006 in Europe and expected for April 2007 in the USA. Some of these new songs can be seen on the live DVD "Bongidae!," also featuring Slightly Stoopid and Barrington Levy.

Members

For a complete list, see List of Fishbone band members.

Current

• Angelo Moore (1979—) – vocals, saxophones, theremin, percussion
• Rocky George (2003—) – guitar
• Curtis Storey (2005—) – trumpet, vocals
• John McKnight (1999–2001, 2005—) – keyboards, trombone, guitar, vocals
• Dre Gipson (2004—) – keyboards, vocals
• John Norwood Fisher (1979—) – bass guitar, vocals
• John Steward (1999—) – drums

Past

• "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (1979–2003) – trumpet, vocals
• Kendall Jones (1979–1993) – guitar, vocals
• Chris Dowd (1979–1994) – keyboards, trombone, vocals
• Philip "Fish" Fisher (1979–1998) – drums, vocals
• John "JB" Bigham (1989–1997) – guitar, keyboards
• Anthony Brewster (1997–1998) – keyboards
• Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton (1997–2003) – guitars
• Dre "Pastor" Holmes (2004–2005) – trumpet, vocals
• Tori Ruffin (2003-2006) - guitars

Discography

Albums

1. In Your Face (1986)	2. Truth and Soul (1988) #153 on the Billboard 200 on Oct. 29, 1988	3. The Reality of My Surroundings (1991) #49 on the Billboard 200 on May 18, 1991	4. Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe (1993) #99 on the Billboard 200 on Jun. 12, 1993
5. Chim Chim's Bad Ass Revenge (1996) #158 on the Billboard 200 on Jun. 8, 1996	6. Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx (2000)	7. Live at the Temple Bar and More (2002)	8. Live in Amsterdam (CD/DVD - 2005 - recorded in 2002)
9. Still Stuck In Your Throat (2006)

EPs

1. Fishbone (1985)

2. It's a Wonderful Life (1987)

3. Set The Booty Up Right (1990)

4. Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Friendliest Psychosis of All (2002)

DVDs

1. The Reality of My Surroundings - Past to Present (1991)

2. Critical Times - Fishbone's Hen House Sessions (2001)

3. Live in Amsterdam (CD/DVD - 2005 - recorded in 2002)

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