Rebelution: Rebels With a Cause

Destinie Schroff, Staff Reporter

Destinie_Schroff @csumb.edu

May 1, 2008

On Wednesday, April 23, the sold out

crowd at the Black Box Cabaret (BBC)

sang synonymously “Well it’s a struggle

– everyday we’re stressing, but what’s a

life without dedication?”, as the California

reggae band Rebelution looked into the

crowd and smiled in admiration.

It has been a great feat that Rebelution has

been heard by so many people and has won

so many fans, as well as the iTunes Editor’s

Choice for “Best Reggae Album.” The band

has no money set aside for marketing. This

is a case where the success is truly thanks to

the fans.

Rebelution is made up of four men, Eric

Rachmany who sings vocals and guitar,

Marley Williams who plays bass, drummer

Wes Finley, and Rory Carey on keyboards.

They all met at Santa Barbara City College

in their music class. “Marley had a vision

so we started playing together and we met

Rory who was playing in another band at the

time, but now feels like he’s been with us all

along,” Rachmany said.

The band is described as California Reggae

which Finley said, “to say [Reggae] is the

foundation is true for our band, but we all

listen to different music.”

Each member is inspired by different artists,

from Bob Marley to Gentlemen. Williams

describes their music as “reggae with our

own personal flavor; we mix different kinds

of reggae, alternative, hip hop, funk, and a

little rock.” Rachmany said Rebelution is “a

collection of different styles, we’re trying to

bring out something new.”

Jordan Brown, sophomore Business

major, had never heard Rebelution before

but “they made me into a fan,” he said, “I

normally don’t listen to that kind of music

but I had a blast and I’m probably going to

buy their album.”

Amanda Miravalle, a Social Behavioral

Sciences junior first heard Rebelution during

winter break. When Miravalle heard the

band was coming to the BBC she said she

was “so stoked because I knew they played

at Monterey Live but it was 21 and over.”

Miravelle was able to meet Rebelution and

said “they were so chill and laid back, just

like regular college students hanging out.”

“Rebelution,” a combination of “rebel” and

“solution,” does not advocate any violence but

instead Rachmany said they “rebel with our

minds, music, and creativity; we’re not trying

to be rebels, we’re trying to speak with words

and the pen is mightier than the sword.”