international news _ JONTY SKRUFFF _ 11th November, 2005
Dreadzone - Cool Shirts Are More Important Than Political Gestures
Greg Dread from veteran British dub-housers Dreadzone chatted to Skrufff this week and revealed that they've long since abandoned any connections with the free party scene and the radical politics that they once briefly dabbled with.
"I am not aware of any current free party scene at all," said Greg, "but if there is one it is regarded as maybe crusty stereotypes. That scene may have even affected us by association because of who we played to in the past, " he continued, "but I like to see us more like the descendents of Big Audio Dynamite where a cool shirt is more important than a political gesture."
Forming Dreadzone from the ashes of Big Audio Dynamite 15 years ago, Dread established the band as one of Britain's biggest draws on the alternative festival circuit, going on to release anti Criminal Justice Bill anthem Fight The Power in 1994, though nowadays the band are entirely focused on music and touring, he stressed.
"Fight The Power and rave culture were tied up in a political context back then with the Tories (Conservatives) being the enemy so today there is not that starting point for rebellion (though some would disagree) and rave culture is neatly packaged in compilations so the cutting edge lies in the underground," said Greg.
"Nowadays, there are no mystical elements to our touring party but rather a solid family unit where we are all inter dependent on each other and the tour bus becomes a travelling messy flat share with ten people."
"Dreadzone have managed to keep going by constantly re-inventing and keeping fresh with djing and working with new people. Plus when you have seen what makes bands collapse you can avoid those pitfalls. The main thing is a love for the music and what we do," he concluded.
"Touring can be messy but as I said, if you avoid the pitfalls such as partying every night it can be OK. We eat healthy, take our vitamins, balance the intake and have the odd early night. A few of us are aware of what damage constant partying can do."
Dreadzone's new album Once Upon A Time is out now and the band are currently promoting it, on tour around the UK.
(Jonty Skrufff)
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