Biography
read full storyBedouin Soundclash is a Canadian band currently based in Toronto. Their sound can be described as reggae and ska.
The band's current lineup consists of vocalist and guitarist Jay Malinowski, and bassist Eon Sinclair with Sekou Lumumba on drums. Their debut album, Root Fire, released in 2001 also included djembe player Brett Dunlop. Patrick Pengelly played drums for the band until recently. The band met while attending Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The band released their second album, Sounding a Mosaic, in 2004. The album's single "When the Night Feels My Song" was the band's breakthrough single on Canadian radio, charting #1 on 102.1 The Edge CFNY and gaining airplay on commercial radio stations throughout Canada in the summer of 2005. The band released their follow-up record Street Gospels on August 21, 2007.
During the recording of Sounding a Mosaic, Bedouin Soundclash formed a close bond with producer Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains, with whom they continue to work today. Despite drastic differences in sound, Bedouin Soundclash and Darryl Jenifer are set to release a collaborative Bad Brains vs. Bedouin Soundclash mash-up.
Bedouin Soundclash takes its name from a dub record by an artist named Badawi, released on ROIR records in 1996. In an early practice, Malinowski exclaimed it sounded like Bedouin Soundclash, and the name was adopted. In 2006 the band began plans for its own imprint 'Pirates Blend' which will release their own side projects and b-sides. The first two projects to be released are set to be a Vernon Maytone solo project, and a Bad Brains mash-up, whose release is yet to be determined.
In the summer of 2005, Bedouin Soundclash appeared on the Vans Warped Tour bill, and had significant chart success in Great Britain, where Sounding a Mosaic reached #1 on the BBC 6 Music charts. They often perform with reggae legend Vernon Buckley from the 1970s reggae duo, The Maytones.
In 2006, Bedouin Soundclash held shows with a variety of performers including Ben Harper, Damian Marley, The Skatalites, Burning Spear and The Junction. They also embarked on a sold out tour (37 dates) across Canada November/December 2005 & UK tour January 2006
The band performed three quarters of their 1-hour headline set at the Leeds Festival in 2006, despite Jay's illness at the time. The band finished with "When The Night Feels My Song", which was sung entirely by the crowd (and once the band had left the stage, sung again by the crowd as a "thank you" to Jay for singing when he was unwell). The band came back on to listen, then Jay invited everyone to come see them again when they come back to Britain in the autumn, saying "We owe you one."
They were the main performance at the September 17, 2006 Toronto rally calling for Canadian intervention in the Darfur crisis.
“When the Night Feels My Song” becomes the #2 most played track on Canadian Radio competing with Nickelback’s “Photograph” and Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends”.
The band's song "When The Night Feels My Song" also appears in a 2006 T-Mobile advert in the UK as well as Teton Gravity Research's ski film, Anomaly. It was also featured in a Zellers commercial in Canada, promoting the summer season of 2006. The song "12:59 Lullaby" was featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, "Where the Boys Are" (Season 3, seventh episode).
“St. Andrews” becomes a #1 on major market rock station Edge 102’s Top 30 Countdown. The band graced the cover of Canadian Musician Magazine and in June 2007 they Co-headline Rogers Picnic with The Roots and Bad Brains.
On September 10, 2007, they played at Wilfrid Laurier University's Turret Nightclub. The crowd repeatedly asked the band to play "Santa Monica" off the Root Fire album. The band played it as an encore, stating that it would most likely be the last time they ever played it live and thanked the crowd for the request. They have yet to play it again, although Jay played a solo acoustic version at a Vancouver benefit concert for Insite on December 6, 2008, and at the 102.1 The Edge Casby Awards on October 22, 2009.
The band also performed at the 2007 V Festival in Chelmsford, Great Britain. They played several songs, including "When The Night Feels My Song" in the "Virgin Mobile Union" area. This year their video for “Walls For Down” jumps to #1 on MuchMoreMusic countdown, Canada’s top national video channel in 2008.
Prestigious “Pop Album of the Year” Juno Award nomination in 2008 for "Street Gospels", alongside major international stars Celine Dion, Anne Murray, Michael Bublé and Feist. That same year “Walls Fall Down” received a “Video of the Year” Juno nomination.
Performed Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival with Coldplay, Alicia Keys, The Verve, 2008.
In 2009 Bedouin Soundclash signed on to tour alongside Paramore as the opening act for Grammy Award winning artists No Doubt's North American Reunion Tour. They also went to do multiple performances at the Australian Soundwave Festival (NIN, Billy Talent), including city centers Melbourne and Sydney, February 2009.
On March 6, 2009, the band premiered their new music video for the song "Hearts in the Night" on the website of the David Suzuki Foundation.
In August 2009 they were chosen as the Headliner at Roots and Blues Festival in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.
On January 7, 2009, drummer Pat Pengelly announced that he would be leaving Bedouin Soundclash to attend Queen's Law School.
In January 2010, the band alongside their management, officially launch their new label Pirates Blend Records. They inked a distribution deal with Sony Music Canada and began with the launch of Jay Malinowski's solo effort "Bright Lights and Bruises". "Bright Lights and Bruises" was the first official release on the label.
As of February 2010, Sekou Lumumba became the official drummer of the band, starting off by joining them in Vancouver, BC for the 2010 Winter Olympic performances. After the "Bright Lights and Bruises tour" with Canadians Michael Rault and Kinnie Starr, Pirates Blend Records announced that King Britt was confirmed to produce the new album in Philadelphia at Larry Gold's studio in May 2010. Also at this time Bedouin officially confirmed to make their debut in Shanghai, China in October 2010 for the World Expo.
Later in 2010, a remixes, rarities and B-sides record was released, featuring remixes from King Britt, k-os, Bad Brains, Pigeon John and Nostalgia 77.
On June 18, the band performed at the 2010 Mississauga Waterfront Festival 18 at Memorial Park in Port Credit.
On September 28, 2010, the band released their fourth studio album, Light the Horizon, featuring the singles "Mountain Top", "Elongo" and "A Chance of Rain".