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They once shared stages with such luminary stars as Bim Sherman, Aqua Levi, Misty In Roots, The Mad Professor, Burning Spear and the late, great, Desmond Dekker.
They appeared on numerous prestige radio and television programmes.
The press described them in glowing terms “the music is stacked with gutsy, earthy strength, emanating from the girder-strong drum and bass line and hammered home by relentless reggae riffs and kaleidoscopic lead solos”.
The reviewers cooed “Brazenly mixing jazz, funk and metal over the most wicked, dancey, dub stylee. They construct songs of individual and collective brilliance. Variously described as real powerhouse music, tight and fast and even apocalyptic, Heartland Reggae are British reggae personified.
Everywhere they went, the length and breadth of the UK “wasteland dance floors were transformed, the fans sweated, sweltered and swanked that they had seen them, Heartland Reggae became cult”
“Leaving most ‘white reggae’ doubters aghast with their potent punch, ragga rhythms and soothing sensa sounds” Heartland Reggae toured solidly for five years until staffing problems caused “the South West’s first real reggae masters” to split. They played their last gig on New Year’s Eve 1992.
In a cascade of chords and chorus Heartland Reggae bade farewell last week. The dancers’ delight saw in the New Year, had a drink, packed up the system and went home. The groove had gone the way of many a New Year’s Eve supper, forever.
Is this the Final Time? many will hope not.
That was then but now, some fifteen years later, Heartland Reggae are back with a vengeance. Responding to mounting pressure from friends, fans and those in the know, Charlie Stubbings, singer/songwriter and former Heartland Reggae front man decided that the time was right for a reggae resurgence.
The ever present and ever reliable Dave ‘Wooky’ Vaughan readily assumed his former position as custodian of the Heartland Reggae drum stool, ‘rock solid’ Robin Matthews picked up one of his many basses, Andy ‘double bubble’ Lawrence made himself comfortable behind the keys and Rael Matthews swallowed up the vacant ‘guitar hero’ position with alacrity and aplomb.
And here is the really good news, this is no pale imitation. Heartland Reggae are every bit as vibrant and vital today, as they were....back in the day!
Gone are Charlie’s red, gold and green leggings (thank God!) but fully present and correct are the perfect songs, the power, the pomp, the pulse, the professional polish, the passion and the pizzazz.
If you missed them the first time around, now you can see for yourself what all the fuss was about. If you’re ‘a fan’ this regrouping will be sweeter than the homecoming of a long lost friend.
Bigger, bolder, brasher and more bellicose than ever, Heartland Reggae are back with a vengeance.
You will be dancing, foot-tapping is simply not an option.
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