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Publishing ~ Artists & Writers

David Hinds of Steel Pulse

Photograph of Barrington Levy, Dancehall Musician, Jamaica

 

Steel Pulse is one of Britain's greatest reggae bands. They are known for performing well-written, Afrocentric songs that are rebellious without being negative or inflammatory. David 'Dread' Hinds is the fulcrum around which the band revolves. He's written 95% of their material since day one. His exquisite voice and a commanding stage presence have served Hinds well since he and Basil Gabbidon decided to start the band Steel Pulse in the early 70s.

The founding members were schoolmates David Hinds, primary songwriter and lead singer), Basil Gabbidon (guitar), and Ronnie "Stepper" McQueen (bass). All of them came from working class West Indian immigrant families from the inner city area of Handsworth (Birmingham), England. McQueen suggested the group name, after a racehorse, and they soon fleshed out the lineup with drummer Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett, keyboardist/vocalist Selwyn "Bumbo" Brown, percussionist/vocalist Alphonso "Fonso" Martin, and vocalist Michael Riley.

They initially had difficulty finding live gigs and the group wound up as an opening act for punk and new wave bands like the Clash, Generation X, the Police, and XTC. The punk movement was opening up new avenues for music all over Britain, and also finding a spiritual kinship with protest reggae. When Pulse came to the attention of Island Records after opening for Burning Spear they served their intentions on the reggae world with their breathtaking debut album Handsworth Revolution released by Island. Handsworth included their first single "Ku Klux Klan," and was soon hailed as a classic of British reggae, by both fans and critics alike.

Steel Pulse moved on to Elektra/Asylum, which released True Democracy (all time top 5 Reggae album), a generally acclaimed set that balanced bright, accessible production with a return to social consciousness. It became their first charting LP in America, making both the pop and R&B listings. The follow-up, Earth Crisis, was released in 1984. 1986's Babylon the Bandit, won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album.

In 1988, Steel Pulse released State of Emergency, their most explicitly crossover-oriented album yet. They also contributed the track "Can't Stand It" to the soundtrack of Spike Lee's classic Do the Right Thing. In 1991, they released the Grammy-nominated album Victims, which featured the single "Taxi Driver." Backing up the song's views, Steel Pulse filed a class-action lawsuit against the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, charging that drivers discriminated against blacks and particularly Rastafarians. The following year, they performed at Bill Clinton's inaugural celebration, the first reggae band to appear at such an event.

Steel Pulse would return yet again with African Holocaust. Core members David Hinds (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Selwyn Brown (keyboards, backing vocals) are the only ones to remain from the band's original line-up. Hinds and his band shaped by events nationally and in the Caribbean and Africa have been determined to bring their version of conscious reggae to our ears since the 70’s. Their message and music remain true to the band's principles and vision -- Steel Pulse is one of Britain's greatest reggae bands!

Check out Steel Pulse at www.steelpulse.com