Passafire
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Passafire is a
reggae rock Reggae rock is a subgenre of reggae fusion and rock music that primarily uses the genres reggae, rock, and ska. Typical lyrics of reggae rock songs incorporate love, personal awareness, and life challenges while incorporating music and beat ...
band based in
Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...
.


History


Formation and Self-titled album (2003–2006)

Passafire was founded in 2003 by
Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...
natives Ted Bowne on vocals/guitar and Nick Kubley on drums who at the time were students attending
Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a private art school with locations in Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Lacoste, France. It was founded in 1978 to provide degrees in programs not yet offered in the southeast of the United ...
(SCAD). Adding Tom Heet on bass and Adam Willis on keyboard, Passafire became a quartet. Their debut self-produced, self-titled album ''Passafire'' was released on August 29, 2006.


''Submersible'' (2007)

After Heet's departure from the band, Passafire added Nick's brother Will Kubley on bass and additional vocals. Their sophomore album, ''Submersible'' was released on September 18, 2007. It was recognized by
iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
as one of the "Top 10 Best Reggae Albums of 2007".


''Everyone on Everynight'' (2009)

Passafire's third album, ''Everyone on Everynight'', was released on September 15, 2009, on
Pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...
's recording label, LAW Records.


''Start From Scratch'' (2011)

Their fourth album, ''Start From Scratch'' was released on their on record label FlameGuy Records. It was produced by
Paul Leary Paul Leary Walthall (born May 7, 1957), known as Paul Leary, is an American musician and music producer from Austin, Texas, best known as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist for the rock band Butthole Surfers Butthole Surfers ar ...
and debuted on September 27, 2011. The album reached #1 on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' ''Top Reggae Albums'' chart. ''Start from Scratch'' marked the departure of original keyboardist Adam Willis from the band in 2010. It was the first album to feature Mike DeGuzman on the keys, who was discovered after playing with The Expendables in Chicago during the 2010 Winter Blackout Tour. Adam Willis had left the band for personal reasons after the decision to not continue touring and parted ways with Passafire amicably. They also released ''Remixed From Scratch'' in 2012, which featured
dub music Dub is a musical style that grew out of reggae in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is commonly considered a subgenre of reggae, though it has developed to extend beyond that style.Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.&nb ...
mixes and remixes of their songs from the previous album.


''Vines'' (2013)

In 2013, Passafire signed with
NYC New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive wit ...
's
Easy Star Records Easy Star Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996. Based in New York City, the label primarily produces and releases albums in the genres of reggae and Dub music, dub. The label has had multiple albums chart at No. 1 on t ...
, who welcomed them to the Easy Star family. Passafire's fifth album, ''Vines'', was released on November 11, 2013, and ranked at #1 on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' ''Top Reggae Albums'' chart. This came after working again with Paul Leary, who also worked alongside Sublime, Pepper, U2,
Slightly Stoopid Slightly Stoopid is an American Rock music, rock band based in the Ocean Beach, San Diego, Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego, San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of folk, rock, reggae and blues with hip-hop, funk, m ...
, and several other successful groups.


''Interval EP'' (2015)

The band released their EP, ''Interval'' on March 24, 2015, which featured four new songs that continued their sound in new directions into "progressive reggae".


''Longshot'' (2017)

On May 12, 2017, the band released their sixth album, ''Longshot'', along with a 2-song ''Longshot B-Sides'' EP on June 28, 2017, which included bonus track left off the LP. A year later, Passafire released their latest live album ''Live in Atlanta'' on November 2, 2018. In 2019, they were also featured on ''Sugarshack Sessions Selects Vol. 1'' with a live acoustic single of their song "Submersible". Passafire was featured as one of many reggae bands on
Collie Buddz Colin Patrick Harper (born August 21, 1981), better known by his stage name Collie Buddz, is a Bermudian reggae singer. He signed with Columbia Records to release his self-titled debut studio album (2006), which entered the ''Billboard'' 200 ...
riddim album, ''Cali Roots Riddim 2021'' with their single, "Waste No Time", which was produced by Buddz and mixed by
Stick Figure Stick Figure is an American reggae and dub band founded in 2005. The group has released eight full-length albums and one instrumental album (Prince Fatty Presents), all of which were written and produced by frontman and self-taught multi-instr ...
's touring guitarist, producer Johnny Cosmic. In 2021, Passafire was one of several reggae and punk bands on ''The House That Bradley Built'', a charity compilation honoring Sublime's lead singer
Bradley Nowell Bradley James Nowell (February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996) was an American musician and the lead singer of the band Sublime. Born and raised in Belmont Shore, Long Beach, California, Nowell developed an interest in music at a young age. Nowell ...
, helping musicians with substance abuse. They covered Sublime's song "Greatest Hits".


''Strata'' (2021)

Passafire recorded their seventh album, ''Strata'' which released on Flame Guy Records on September 17, 2021. "The first three singles on ''Strata'' ("Keepin' On", Sleepless", and "Friends") were written and released before the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Bowne explains, "The pandemic kinda stopped things. We're all dispersed across the country now so when the pandemic hit we all went back to our home bases. When we were able to get together, we wrote and recorded the last seven songs on the album within a week. We're excited that we're able to tour again and perform our old and new jams. It's touring and sharing our music that keeps our band alive."


''Remember a Time'' (2023)

On October 20, 2023, Passafire released their 8th full-length studio album titled, ''Remember a Time''. It features 9 tracks which includes musical artists,
Brendan Bayliss Brendan Bayliss (born August 11, 1976) is an American musician and the founder, a lead guitarist, and primary vocalist for progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. Biography Bayliss formed Umphrey's McGee in 1997 and took its moniker from the ...
of
Umphrey's McGee Umphrey's McGee, sometimes stylized as UM, is an American rock band originally from South Bend, Indiana. The band experiments with many musical styles, including rock, metal, funk, jazz, blues, reggae, electronic, bluegrass, country, and ...
, reggae rocker Joe Samba, and rap duo Little Stranger.


Tours

Passafire has been regularly touring, playing shows with bands such as 311 (on the 311 Cruise in 2012 & 2019),
Pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...
(playing on the LAW Records Tour in October 2008), Rebelution,
Matisyahu Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American singer, rapper, beatboxer, and musician. Known for blending spiritual themes with reggae, rock and hip hop beatboxing sounds, Matisyahu's 2005 sin ...
,
Michael Franti Michael Franti (born April 21, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, poet, activist, documentarian, and rapper. Known for his participation in many musical projects, most with a political and social emphasis, including the Beatnig ...
and
The Wailers Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as the Wailers and prior to that the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers and the Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Rober ...
. They also toured with
Slightly Stoopid Slightly Stoopid is an American Rock music, rock band based in the Ocean Beach, San Diego, Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego, San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of folk, rock, reggae and blues with hip-hop, funk, m ...
at the end of December, 2013.


Musical style

While earlier work mostly fits within the reggae-rock genre, the band's sound has taken on many forms since their self-titled release. Elements such as intricate lead guitar and unexpected instrumental breakdowns are reminiscent of
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...
. This and other alternative influences are evident as early as their 2007 release, ''Submersible.'' In 2011, ''Start from Scratch'' explored more organic textures that touched on
folk rock Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...
. The use of banjos, mandolins, acoustic guitar, and
melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usu ...
(most notably on the album's title track, performed by new member Mike DeGuzman) were a temporary shift in sound that would influence later releases.


Other projects

In the fall of 2023, Passafire collaborated with Wise Man Brewing in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the List of municipalities in North Carolina, fifth-most populous ...
for a West Coast Pilsner Style Lager called "Stash Pils'" named after their single, "Stash". It's a "classic brew giving it a fresh spin" by dry-hopping it with Citra and Mosaic hops.


Lineup


Current members

* Ted Bowne – Guitar, Vocals (2003–present) * Nick Kubley – Drums (2003–present) * Will Kubley – Bass, Vocals (2006–present) (beginning with the album ''Submersible''). * Mike DeGuzman – Keyboards (2011–present) (beginning with the album ''Start From Scratch'').


Former members

* Adam Willis – Keyboards (2003–2010) (on albums ''Passafire'', ''Submersible'', and ''Everyone On Everynight''). * Tom Heet – Bass (2003–2006) (on album ''Passafire'').


Discography


Studio albums


Live albums/EPs


Singles


See also

* SCAD Notable Alumni


References


External links

*
Official Passafire website
{{Authority control Rock music groups from Georgia (U.S. state) Easy Star Records artists American reggae rock groups Musical groups from Savannah, Georgia