by Holli Stephens
Ten years ago, the Rebelution crew fatefully met in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara where they got their start playing local shows and eventually created a five-song EP. Bassist Marley D. Williams thinks for a second before saying that the band has grown from all their past playing experiences—bad and good. “The more you play, the more you learn about what you wanna do.” Over the years Williams explains they begun to take new risks and try new things.
The band’s own label, 87 Music, based on the address where they played their first show, is something Williams is truly thankful to have. “It’s not trying to make us something that we’re not. We’ve had a lot of people in our corner from day one and we’ve tried to represent that whole vibe in California and have that freedom to make music. We’re not trying to make dance club [music], that’s not us. I think that represents who we are and were just trying to write our songs.”
After two years of recording their fourth full-length album, Count Me In, it was released on June 10th. Rebelution has always had a mantra of togetherness and getting everyone involved in their music and thus the name Count Me In encompasses all that they stand for. “Experiences of everybody” and universal morals dictate lead singer Eric Rachmany’s lyrics which are accompanied by the gnarly sounds of Wesley Finley on drums.
It’s no secret that Count Me In calls for a culture of love and respect, and through Rory Carey’s groovy key accompaniments and Rachmany’s reggae guitar style the band’s inspirations are beautifully illustrated: Bob Marley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Dr. Dre. These influences help separate their California reggae sound and create a different name for themselves.
For Williams, this album is about giving fans something new. “It’s what this album is all about–playing songs that are different genres and undertones.”
Songwriting and finding the time to write accompaniments while touring old material was a bit overwhelming for the bandmates. Williams explains that, “some songs will just finish really quick and others you get hung up on and don’t make the cut.” Add in the opinions of four different band members–coming to a final conclusion can be challenging work.
Even through the turmoil of settling on a specific sound, the band has nothing but positive hopes for the album and upcoming summer tour that began on June 5th in Hawaii. Rebelution has been releasing a few singles off the new album, but the summer tour will be the first time these songs will be heard by an actual live audience. The tour spans June through August and will travel to both the East and West Coasts.
Through social media, fans will also get the opportunity to enter contests to paint onstage during their performances or jam with the band before the show. “We started in college and there were just a lot of people helping us out. We never were the type of band who are about putting our faces on the album. It’s always been a community feeling and not so much an artist feeling. I think that involving everybody is what we try to do with our music.”
Rebelution along with Iration, The Green, and Stick Figure will be performing at Festival Pier on June 14.
