Fishbone has been entertaining underground audiences with their peerless blend of musical styles and high-energy stage shows for over 30 years. They practically pioneered a new genre combining elements of ska, funk, punk, rock and hardcore. Stomping in and around the mainstream, without ever submitting entirely to it, the stage-diving, crowd-surfing band with the mohawked and dreadlocked horn section has proven to be one of the few survivors from the pop-fab ‘80s.
The band’s lineup has changed considerably over the years, and the musical direction along with it, but their core of amped-up, genre-hopping music, and outrageous, hyper-active live performances have come to define Fishbone; whoever that may include. As Michael Franti of Spearhead said, “The cool thing is, the music takes the shape of whatever lineup it is.”
The unwavering loyalty of their hardcore fanbase combined with the dedication and commitment of original members Angelo Moore and John Norwood Fisher has managed to keep the Fishbone train on track despite the occasional setback. 2010 saw the release of a documentary entitled Everyday Sunshine: the Story of Fishbone, and a national tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band’s first album, the self-titled and critically acclaimed EP, Fishbone.
Proving that innovation just may be the key to longevity, Fishbone continues to do what it does best, never compromising their originality in the name of marketability. They’re as tough to define now as they were when they initially burst onto the Los Angeles scene with their eccentric mix of styles and sounds. As Ice-T said, “It wasn’t hip-hop, it wasn’t funk, it was some different s***.”
