Fishbone is an extremely influential band that plays a unique fusion of funk, ska, punk rock, reggae, heavy metal, and more. The band was formed in 1979 ( 1979 in music) in the ghettos of South Central Los Angeles by Angelo Moore, also known as "Dr. Madd Vibe" (vocals, saxophones ranging from sopranino to bass, and theremin); Kendall Jones (guitar); John Norwood Fisher (bass); Philip "Fish" Fisher (drums); "Dirty" Walter A. Kibby II (trumpet); and Chris Dowd (keyboards, trombone). The group came from the same Los Angeles scene that spawned the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction.
Fishbone first gained attention with their unique live concerts, earning a reputation as one of the most original bands in the alternative genre. Their unique stew of different styles, mixed with hectic energy and pounding rhythms, were a huge influence on the funk/rock/metal/rap genre that would become popular in the 1990s. The band did not have any official recordings until the release of their self-titled EP, Fishbone in 1985, featuring their classic song "Party at Ground Zero". In 1987, in support of their first full-length album, In Your Face, the band toured with the Beastie Boys across the US and other parts of the world.
Though the band had a manic, kinetic sound and stage presence, the group was mainly a ska/reggae band in its early years. But by 1987, the band had turned up the distortion, and heavy metal and hardcore sounds started creeping into their music. 1988's Truth and Soul brought Fishbone wide critical acclaim, and is considered one of alternative rock's greatest albums. A brilliant piece of social commentary, Truth and Soul covered important topics such as the breakup of families, early 1900s racism, fascism, nuclear war, and oppression in lower income housing projects. The album was highlighted by a metal version of Curtis Mayfield's classic "Freddie's Dead," from the soundtrack of the movie Superfly. That same year, the group toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and was nationally known as a major player in the burgeoning alternative music scene.
