| Described as the mother of all concept albums The | | | | unique take on other artists work it would be |
| Beatles "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" | | | | erroneous to omit their album of originals,Until The |
| is not an album for the faint hearted to cover but the | | | | Day,when discussing them and Goldwasser says they |
| Easy Star All-Stars are not a band to let that put them | | | | have plans for another in the pipeline. |
| off. | | | | As if recording and touring was enough for the Easy |
| Easy-Stars are the creative force behind Dub Side of | | | | Stars family they also run their own record label, aptly |
| the Moon (Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon) and | | | | named Easy-Star Records. |
| Radiodread (Radiohead's OK Computer). | | | | They have signed some of the freshest and funkiest |
| What Easy-Stars co-founders Michael Goldwasser, | | | | bands around including John Brown's Body who will |
| Eric Smith and Len Oppenheimer achieve in tackling | | | | accompany Easy Stars on their October UK tour. |
| three classic rock albums can be described as | | | | "We (Easy-Star Records) have put out their last three |
| genre-defining, while bringing together a who's who of | | | | releases, and we believe now is the time to introduce |
| reggae artists under the Easy Star All-Stars banner. | | | | them to an international audience." said Goldwasser. |
| Band leader Goldwasser sat down in the Waiting | | | | Easy-Star Records clearly believe JBB to be at the |
| Room for a chat about the band's latest offering, their | | | | forefront of the progressive reggae scene in the US |
| upcoming UK tour and plans for the future. | | | | and hope their success is repeated here. |
| The choice of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's is a | | | | Commenting on the current state of reggae music |
| departure from the previous two albums which were | | | | Goldwasser was less optimistic, he said: "As with |
| primarily darker, minor-key affairs, while the Easy-Stars | | | | many styles of music, a lot of artists are not bringing |
| take on The Beatles is largely more upbeat and | | | | much new to the table- they are just emulating what |
| major-key, more of a pop album, admits Goldwasser. | | | | they like to listen to." |
| "One of the keys to making these albums is to start | | | | However Goldwasser was pleased to see root |
| with great source material, and Sgt. Pepper's is a great | | | | reggae with a full band making a resurgence. |
| and interesting album filled with well written songs." said | | | | The native of New York is a connoisseur of all types |
| Goldwasser. | | | | of music as is evident by the current music spinning on |
| While Goldwasser was happy to admit The Beatles | | | | his decks. |
| have been extensively covered many times, Sgt. | | | | The Black Seeds, Solid Ground- reggae/rock-steady |
| Pepper's still has a lot of songs which have not been | | | | funk from NZ. |
| sampled quite as much. | | | | Tommy T, The Prester John Sessions- Ethiopian music |
| "We thought it would a good challenge to adapt the | | | | mixed with reggae and jazz from Gogol Bordello's |
| Easy-Stars sound to something like that." | | | | bassist. |
| A consistent theme in Easy-Stars work is the use of | | | | Asward, Live and Direct, Goldwasser favourite live |
| guest artists which while leading to great albums, can | | | | reggae album. |
| however make it difficult to co-ordinate so that all of | | | | Funk 'n' Stein, The Band- some serious 70's funk. |
| them can appear on stage at any one time. | | | | The Isley Brothers, Harvest for the World- timeless |
| Goldwasser, however, did not see it as a issue, he | | | | r&b. |
| said: "We have several great vocalists in the touring | | | | With each new album a carefully guarded secret, |
| band, so covering the vocals is not difficult. | | | | speculation will no doubt start once again right until the |
| "Some of the singers in the touring band, such as | | | | Easy-Stars unleash their next offering on an expectant |
| Kristy Rock and Menny More, also sing on the albums." | | | | fan base. |
| While it can said Easy-Stars are best known for their | | | | |