Heavensbee is a reggae/ska collective featuring myself and Roger Apollon Jr of ska/reggae groups Bigger Thomas &Rude Boy George and features Carolyn Coleman (The 1865) and Dunia Best Sinreich (Agent 99, Dubistry) I'm also writing a book titled "Ska Boom: An Oral History About The Birth Of American Ska & Reggae 1976-1991" that will be published by DiWulf Publishing in 2020. I recently helped to form two new musical projects - Rude Boy George, a band that performs ska, reggae and rocksteady versions of 80's new wave songs and Heavensbee, an original studio project that makes dub pop. I pay special attention to the birth of American ska and the stories of the bands and musicians who were ahead of their time and never received the recognition they deserved. I also tell the stories of the many bands who helped popularize ska in the U.S.
That allows me to give readers the inside scoop on all the bands they love.
Maybe you've heard of us? As a musician I've had the good luck to meet and play with most of my musical heroes. A little bit later I picked up a bass and taught myself to play and in 1988 started the first ska/reggae band from New Jersey called Bigger Thomas. I loved the sound, the look and the energy. South Orange, NJ, United States I heard ska and reggae music for the first time when I was 14 and it was love at first listen. To pay homage to Winehouse and to her love of ska, I have posted some of her best live versions of her singing 2-Tone classics by The Specials below. Like her penchant and ease with soul and RnB which she wore like a second skin, ska seemed to come effortlessly to Winehouse. Sadly, that album or any of the ska songs she might have demoed or recorded is unlikely to see the light of day and that's a shame. Winehouse was such a ska fan that she confirmed to Rolling Stone back in 2008 that her planned follow-up to her break through 'Back To Black' would include a fair amount of ska. Later, she joined the reunited line-up of The Specials live and you could tell she loved every minute of the experience. She covered The Specials live (quite memorably at the Glastonbury Festival back in 2008 urging them to re-form from the stage) and had members of the band join her on stage. Its no secret that Winehouse had a thing for ska and for 2-Tone in particular and that made me love her even more. She was a truly unique talent who I greatly admired and she will be deeply missed. My condolences and thoughts are with her family during this very difficult time. Like everyone else I heard the very sad news about the untimely passing of Amy Winehouse over the weekend.
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