Dread Stripe

Dread Stripe is an emerging reggae band from Nashville, TN that describes their music as "a special blend of reggae and dub." The group draws inspiration from 90's beach rockers (Slightly Stoopid, Sublime) and traditional Roots Reggae greats (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh) placing a heavy focus on improvisation and experimentation with rhythmic delay timing effects and sound manipulation techniques reminiscent of dub pioneer King Tubby. Shane Heller, the main songwriter, band leader, and front man originally formed the group along with founding members Silas Jackson (Sky Hi, A La Carte) and James Freeman. Since the groups inception, the band has seen many different forms and personnel changes before reaching it's current form. The band is now rounded out by bassist Kevin Jack (Skub Duger) percussionist Kenneth Williams (Masseuse) and keyboardist Michael Bouchillion (Tame and the Strange.) The band is finding its place among an uprising of reggae music in middle Tennessee. Last year the group performed at the first annual Reggae on the Riverside music festival, a two-day music and camping event that featured some of the area's most exciting new reggae acts. With other performances around the state in McMinnville, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Nashville, and Memphis the band is slowly beginning to make it's mark on the TN Reggae landscape. The group has also just released their debut EP (recorded at Parlor Productions on Music Row in Nashville.) The five song collection delves into a variety of styles ranging from hard-driving blues rock ("Ride With Me") to eastern melodic instrumentals ("Hype Train") and is now available on all streaming outlets. That special blend of reggae and dub.