Dreadzone [UK]

[lampard.serg]

PHOTO



BIOGRAPHY

Dreadzone is a three man dub band with strong influences from ragga. Add a pinch of worldmusic and you have happy, free floating almost chanting songs taking turns with more sober, dark and dramatic classic dub sounds.

HISTORY

Dreadzone was formed in London, England in 1993 when ex-Big Audio Dynamite drummer Greg Roberts, teamed up with Tim Bran, who had previously worked as a musician and sound engineer for Julian Cope. The name Dreadzone was suggested to Roberts and Bran by Don Letts.

Bran and Roberts signed to Creation Records in 1993 and released their first album 360°. They were soon joined by bassist Leo Williams and keyboardist Dan Donovan, also formerly of Big Audio Dynamite. Throughout 1994 they developed a reputation as a live act and released a limited edition live album Performance and in June that year opened the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival. During these early years their backing vocalists included Melanie Blatt and Alison Goldfrapp. The following year the band signed to Virgin Records and released their second studio album Second Light. In 1995 Earl 16 joined as a vocalist, singing on the single 'Zion Youth' . Dan Donovan left the group

In January 1996, the group had their first and so far only Top 40 hit in the UK Singles Chart with "Little Britain", which reached No. 20. The song sampled a line from the 1968 cult British film If.... – "Britain today is a powerhouse of ideas, experiments, imagination".[citation needed]

John Peel championed Dreadzone on BBC Radio 1, and cited Second Light as one of his favourite albums of all time. Tracks from Second Light also dominated Peel's Festive Fifty in 1995, and the band recorded six Peel sessions between 1993 and 2001. In 1996 they supported Oasis at the Loch Lomond and Knebworth shows. In 1997 they released their third album Biological Radio. A track from that album 'Dream within a dream' appeared in the soundtrack to the film 'The Saint'

Between 1998 and 2001 the Dreadzone sound system hosted the Dubwiser club night at Notting Hill Arts Club. During that time Greg Roberts and Tim Bran set up a studio together and recorded and released their fourth album 'Sound' which featured Brinsley Forde and MC Spee. In 2000, MC Spee joined as a second vocalist.The album was released on the independent Rufflife label.

In 2001 Ben Balafonic joined , replacing Tim Bran. During the following years Greg, Ben, Spee, Earl and Steve Roberts recorded and released the fifth studio album 'Once upon a time' in 2005 on the independent Functional label run by Biff Mitchell. The band also recorded ,along with Leo Williams, the 'Live at Sunrise' album released on Functional. In August 2006 Ben Balafonic left the group.On 26 October 2006, Dreadzone guitarist Steve Roberts, the brother of Greg Roberts, died.

In 2007, the band were joined by new members Chris Compton and Chris Oldfield (DJ and lighting designer) and returned to touring. In 2007 and 2008 they played gigs and festival across the UK and Europe, and signed to a new management company in 2008. In 2010, the band released their sixth studio album, Eye on the Horizon on their own label Dubwiser.

In 2011, a best of compilation album was released by Dubwiser Records entitled The Good, the Bad and the Dread: The Best of Dreadzone. That same year Greg and Leo were part of the Big Audio Dynamite reunion tour playing shows and festivals in Europe and USA.

In 2012 The band recorded their 7th studio album in Mick Jones studio with Tim Bran back in the fold co producing and playing. James 'Bazil' Bainbridge joined the group replacing Chris Oldfield. In 2013 a new album Escapades was released. in the same year Dreadzone celebrated 20 years as a band with a short film about their history. A single Too Late featuring Mick Jones was released.

In 2016 a new album, entitled Dread Times was recorded. This is scheduled to be released in February 2017.

DISCOGRAPHY

Albums:

360° (1993)
Performance (1994)
Second Light (#37 UK, 1995)
Biological Radio (#45 UK, 1997)
Sound (2001)
The Radio One Sessions (2001)
Once Upon a Time (2005)
Live at Sunrise (2006)
Eye on the Horizon (2010)
The Best of Dreadzone – The Good The Bad and the Dread (2011)
Escapades (2013)
Dread Times (2017)

Singles, EP's:

"The Warning" (EP) (1993)
"The Good, the Bad and the Dread" (1993)
"Dream On" / "House of Dread" (1993)
"Fight the Power" (1994)
"Zion Youth" (#49 UK, 1995)
"Captain Dread" (#49 UK, 1995)
"Maximum" (EP) (#56 UK, 1995)
"Little Britain" (#20 UK, 1996)
"Life Love and Unity" (#56 UK, 1996)
"Earth Angel" (#51 UK, 1997)
"Moving On" (#58 UK, 1997)
"Crazy Knowledge" (2000)
"Believing in It" (2001)
"The Warriors" (2002)
"Once Upon a Time (in Jamaica)" (2005)
"King Dub Rock" (2005)
"Elevate" (2006)
"Iron Shirt" (2006)
"Mashup the Dread" (2006)
"Beyond a Rock" (2009)
"Gangster" (2010)
"Too Late" (2013)

MORE INFO https://www.discogs.com/artist/7116-Dreadzone