Reggae fans, rejoice! The California-based band Rebelution will be making its way through Charlottesville Oct. 17 to promote its newest album Peace of Mind (2012). Known for its fusion of traditional reggae with pop and rock, Rebelution will draw central Virginia’s reggae fans for what will surely be an unforgettable night of music. The Cavalier Daily recently had the opportunity to interview Rebelution’s frontman Eric Rachmany, who is on the road touring.
The Cavalier Daily: Do you ever worry that transcending genres might dilute your fan base, or is it something you strive for?
Eric Rachmany: We all love reggae, but we all love different stuff too. When we come together, we try to put out a hybrid reggae sound. On Peace Of Mind, we still have some of the traditional reggae-sounding stuff, [but] there’s always a strive to do something different. We want to do something that hasn’t been done before.
I think most people understand there’s something a little different about our reggae sound, I suppose.
CD: Where did the idea come from to make Peace of Mind a triple album, complete with acoustic and dub remixes?
ER: Basically, we love acoustic music, I love dub music, I love reggae music. We thought it’d be fun for us and fun for the fans. With the acoustic album, me and Wes [Finley, Rebelution’s drummer] went into the studio and did it all in three or four days. We didn’t have a plan. We just kind of went in and went for it.
CD: Would you say that the band’s sound has changed much since you started in 2004?
ER: I think that we try to manipulate the reggae sound, and it’s a lot of fun for us. Our first album was more rootsy, Bright Side of Life had some different stuff, but Peace of Mind is definitely the most diverse.
CD: You’re on a desert island and can only listen to one album. What is it?
ER: Laserbeam by Don Carlos. It’s a classic reggae album I definitely would recommend. It’s got so many classic songs on it. Don Carlos is my biggest influence, and it wasn’t necessarily because he was doing something that I hadn’t before. It was just like he was doing stuff that I was singing in my head since I was a little kid.
CD: What’s next on the horizon for Rebelution?
ER: We’re really starting to write new material on the road. We’re about to jump on this fall tour. I can’t remember the last time we were in Charlottesville — it must have been three years ago — but we’re stoked. I’m stoked to write new music. We’ll probably go to South America in December, then a big winter tour and sort of gear up for next summer.
Be sure to check out Rebelution next Wednesday at the Jefferson Theater. Doors open at 7 p.m.
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