Thanks for signing up! You'll receive a confirmation email from us shortly!
No Lies Drastic Roots Remix 2010 Unreleased / Digital
01 No Lies (Drastic Roots Remix)
Our dude MC Zulu was part of this remix competition with the producer Dub Gabriel ... It was basically a popularity contest with the winners having the most friends on whatever-music-community site it was hosted ... But we threw ours into the mix anyway cause, ya know, it's fun ... So here's the one remix with live instruments, arranging, and an actual chord progression ... Go social networking!
Plus Two Minus One Live At The Chopin Theater, Chicago 2010 / Digital
2 rehearsals, 1 gig where it was anyone's guess as to what was going on; when to play, how long to play, what to play, etc ... this is what happened ...
Charles Gorczynski: Alto Sax
Nate Lepine: Tenor Sax
Andrew Zelm: Trombone, Melodica
Brian Citro: Guitar
Chris Merrill: Double Bass
Anthony Abbinanti: Drums
Digital 7" Series Vol. 2 Release TBD, Happy As A Lark / Digital
01 Marionette Rock Parts 1 & 2
02 Cosmic Awareness (w Nate Lepine & Charles Gorczynski)
03 Search For Peace
04 Lightning Train (w MC Zulu)
05 U.V. Rockers
06 Monday Morning (w MC Zulu)
07 Striped Curtain Dub
08 Here Comes The Bass (w MC Zulu)
09 Earl Warren Ska
Cosmic Awareness
Here Comes The Bass (feat. MC Zulu) b/w Earl Warren Ska
Ralph "Soul" Jackson Meets The Drastics In Dub 2010 Unreleased / Digital
01 Can't Leave The Dub Alone
02 Woman Pride Dub
03 Free To Dub
04 A Missing Dub
A few years ago we had chance to meet and work with (some of us continually to this day) Northern (Southern?) Soul Legend Ralph "Soul" Jackson. We had opportunity to perform as his backing band on several sold out shows in Chicago at The Hideout and Park West. After being "rediscovered" by East of Eden Soul DJ John Ciba while curating his Birmingham Sound compilation, we got to work on a 5 track EP of new and old Ralph material at the Drastic's resident studio, Dirty North.
We pulled out the tape, dusted off the magnetic fields and put a hurtin' dub on 2 of the tracks we cut with Mr. "Soul" Jackson back in 2007. No, it's not reggae .. it's soul ... but soul if Muscle Shoals had the same kind of engineers as the Black Ark.
Ralph "Soul" Jackson - Vocals, Hammond Organ
Elliot Ross, JD Mark - Guitar
Chris Merrill - Bass
Anthony Abbinanti - Drums, Fender Rhodes, B Sax, Percussion
Tom Riley - T Sax
Andrew Zelm - Trombone
Gerald Bailey - Trumpet
MJ A Rocker 2009 / Vinyl 12" EP
01 I Want You Back
02 Rock With You
03 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough
04 Billie Jean
05 Smooth Criminal
06 The Way You Make Me Feel
Digital 7" Series Vol. 1 2009, Happy As A Lark / Digital
01 Fraudulent, Parts 1 & 2 (w Fada Dougou)
02 Ever Ready (w MC Zulu & Fada Dougou)
03 Ever Dubbing
04 Toppa Top (w Fada Dougou)
05 Blowtorch Version
06 Vibes, Love, Music (w MC Zulu)
07 Jheri Curl Version
08 Lonely No More (w MC Zulu)
09 Dub Me No More
The first collection of our 'Digital Single Series' featuring MC Zulu and Fada Dougou. 5 original vocal tracks on a variety of riddim-styles and 4 dubs/versions experimenting with sonic structures and dub exploration.
Our first in a series of digital singles pressed to wax. We began in November '08 with this offering featuring MC Zulu on the mic and a politically-charged hard dub on the "flip". A departure from the usual Drastics heavy-handed sound, the track is definitely more or a party-groove-for sure. Don't be a jerk and check it out.
THE GOOD TIME DIGITAL 7" 2007, Happy As A Lark / Digital
01 Good Dub Tonight
02 Good Timin' Version (w Jah Scoob & Victor Culture)
Available only by download from our site!
Free download for signing up to our email list. "Good Dub Tonight" is an old school dub of "Good Time Tonight" off our critically acclaimed full length Waiting. "Good Timin' Version" is an unreleased deejay version of Corey Dixon's lovers rock tune "Good Timin'" off our double disc Chicago Massive. Toasting provided by Jah Scoob and Victor Culture. Get it now by signing up!
WAITING 2007, Jump Up! Records / CD
01 ... Strikeback!
02 Waiting
03 Feast
04 Famine
05 Trapezoid
06 Redlight (w MC Zulu)
07 Septentrion
08 Good Time Tonight (w Fada Dougou)
09 Das Krampus
10 Egos
11 Welcome To ...
12 Nilbog
13 Still Waiting
With their third release, The Drastics show no sign of slowing down. Refining their cutting-edge sound, Waiting comes hard and to-the-point with 12 new tracks.
The album drops a perfect mixture of fresh material expanding from dub to vocal to jazz-centric improvisation carrying with it a maturity of sound appealing to reggae and non-reggae
heads a like. Regular vocalists MC Zulu and Fada Dougou lend their voices over the tough "Redlight" and catchy "Good Time Tonight".
While local hornsmen Charles Gorczynski (Silences Sumire, Leaves, Colorlist) and Gerald Bailey (Black Bear Combo, Charles Mantis) lend a hand to the horn section.
What People Say ...
"If you're not familiar with The Drastics, you're missing out on one of the finest dub bands in the country." Music Is Our Occupation
"The Drastics are a band that can entertain the reggae fan, the jazz fan, and everyone in between ... " DC Soundclash
"... another easy to listen to disc from the most forward thinking experimental dub act you are likely to find anywhere." 4.5/5 Stars Melt Magazine
"... fans need wait no more, the Drastics have finally delivered their masterpiece." allMusic Guide
"... with original riddims and melodies abounding and a style as crucial as the best American reggae gets." Tom Orr, Reggae-Reviews.Com
THE DRASTICS REMIXES 2007, ears&eyes Records / CD EP
01 Dirty North (Obliterated Mix)
02 Zelm
03 To Qrunk
04 Chris
05 Run Qwala
06 Caffeine Fidelity
Actually not a Drastics release, but a remix album by our good friends Silences Sumire! This album is a remix of material sourced from our sophmore release
Chicago Massive. Ranging from soundscape to downtempo to drum and bass, The Drastics Remixes takes the usual Drastics sound into another plane of musical
existance. This is some serious future-blip-music. Each copy hand screened by Chicago artist Shawn Stucky, album artwork from Anthony Abbinanti.
VERY FINE, REAL FINE 2006, Jump Up! Records / Vinyl EP
A
01 Yureru Version (w Craig Akira Fujita)
02 Mama Africa (w Fada Dougou)
03 Marie's Dub
B
01 High Fidelity (w I Black Fiery)
02 Persian Dub
03 Deejay Premonition
The accompanying vinyl release to Chicago Massive ... This vinyl EP hits with 6 alternate versions and dubs of cuts taken from Chicago Massive.
Featuring a handful of vocalists as well as straight riddim/dubs for selectors to play with DJs, only 6 cuts so you can rock it loud at yer next gig or party!
CHICAGO MASSIVE 2006, Jump Up! Records / 2xCD
Disc 01
01 Fidelity Dub
02 Urban's Fight
03 Yureru
04 Satet Rock
05 Anqet
06 10(2)k(6)
07 Najib Najib
08 Chicago Crazy Roll
09 Dark Premonition
10 Ghetto Drastic
11 The Vacillator
12 The Alarm
13 Ataraxia
14 Rollin' On
15 Al Q'runka
Disc 02
01 Nice (w Jahn the Baptist)
02 Fidelity (w Mario Valentine)
03 Slip Away (w Fada Dougou and Low Key)
04 Satet Version (w Dr Ring Ding)
05 Good Timin' (w Cory Dixon)
06 Ransom the Senator (w MC Zulu)
07 Dancefloor (w Mario Valentine)
08 Nyabinghi Blues (w Dayna Lynn)
09 Tell Me Goodbye (w Todd Hembrook)
10 Musical Shark Attack (w King Django)
11 Adjust Jah Works (w Jah Scoob)
12 Me a Rasta (w Ghanaboy & Family)
With their second release, Chicago Massive, The Drastics undertook their biggest endeavor to date. Chicago Massive is a 2 disc album boasting 27 tracks and 24 friends sharing the mic in a variety of styles.
Guest musicians on the first disc include Chicago reeds player Charles Gorczynski (Silences Sumire, Leaves, Colorlist), Mike "Spider" Hobson (Deals Gone Bad), and trumpeter Rich Graiko (Void Union, Westbound Train).
Guest vocalists include Drastic mainstays Fada Dougou and MC Zulu as well as friends King Django, Dr. Ring Ding, Dayna Lynn, Todd Hembrook (Deals Gone Bad), and Corey Dixon (The Zvooks).
Selected cuts off this record were also treated to remix album appropriately titled "The Drastics Remixes" by electro-acoustic duo Silences Sumire (Rope-a-dope).
What People Say ...
" ... niceness from a Midwestern band who play dub-rich music ... I'd endorse this double album most heartily. 4/5 Stars. Tom Orr, Reggae-Reviews.Com
"Following their widely praised 2005 debut, "dub masters" The Drastics don't mess with success on Chicago Massive." Illinois Entertainer
"So creative are the riddims, so intriguing the dubs ... The Drastics deserve much credit for moving deep into unchartered territories ..." allMusic Guide
OUTLAW TRACKS 2006, Happy As A Lark / CD EP
01 Strange Keys
02 Anquet Dub (demo)
03 Broke Babylon (w Craig Akira Fujita)
04 Dub Thieves
05 Ig (Alta Villa Version)
06 Satet Rock (alt mix)
The Drastics first and a half release, Outlaw Tracks contains alternate versions of tunes off Premonition as well as samplings of things to come.
Limited pressing of 200 copies, each hand assembled and stamped.
PREMONITION 2005, Jump Up! Records / CD
01 Kevlar Suit
02 Fistful of Dub
03 Motherland (w Craig Akira Fujita)
04 Ransome (w Rich Graiko)
05 Ig (w Obi Fernandez)
06 10k (w Vandell Harris)
07 Bulletproof
08 Wild Bunch (w Dr Ring Ding)
09 Psychic War (w DJ Prince)
10 Fivebar
11 Kevlar Version (w Craig Akira Fujita)
12 Fistful a Riddim (w King Django)
The Drastics first full-length album, Premonition, was released in 2005 to great expectation on Chicago's JumpUp! Records. The album featured guest vocalists Craig Akira Fujita (Pressure Cooker, Joint Chiefs, 10 ft Ganja Plant), King Django (Stubborn All Stars, Skinnerbox), Dr. Ring Ding as well as several local underground talents. The record's raw dirty sound quickly solidified their authenticity while their innovative approach to the music set them apart as leaders of a new school of reggae-based music.
