Bedouin Soundclash


Bedouin Soundclash is a Canadian band currently based in Toronto. Their sound has been described as reggae and ska. Bedouin Soundclash was formed in 2001, and has released four studio albums since its formation. The band released an album most recently in 2019, though a single was released in 2017, its first new album in almost nine years.
Jay Malinowski is the band's lead vocalist, while Eon Sinclair plays bass, and Chuck Treece plays drums.

History

The band's current lineup consists of vocalist and guitarist Jay Malinowski, and bassist Eon Sinclair with Chuck Treece on drums. Patrick Pengelly played drums for the band until 2009. The band met while attending Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The band released their second album, Sounding a Mosaic, in 2004. The album's single "When the Night Feels My Song" was the band's breakthrough single on Canadian radio, charting No. 1 on 102.1 The Edge CFNY and gaining airplay on commercial radio stations throughout Canada in the summer of 2005. The band released their follow-up record Street Gospels on August 21, 2007.
During the recording of Sounding a Mosaic, Bedouin Soundclash formed a close bond with producer Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains, with whom they continue to work today. Despite drastic differences in sound, Bedouin Soundclash and Darryl Jenifer are set to release a collaborative Bad Brains vs. Bedouin Soundclash mash-up.
Bedouin Soundclash takes its name from a dub record by an artist named Badawi, released on ROIR records in 1996. In an early practice, Malinowski exclaimed it sounded like Bedouin Soundclash, and the name was adopted. In 2006 the band began its own imprint Pirates Blend to release their own side projects and b-sides as well as signing artists.

2005-2006

In the middle of 2005, Bedouin Soundclash appeared on the Vans Warped Tour bill, and had significant chart success in the UK, where Sounding a Mosaic reached No. 1 on the BBC 6 Music charts. They often perform with reggae legend Vernon Buckley from the 1970s reggae duo, The Maytones. On November 4, 2005, the band embarked on a 31-date tour of Canada.
In 2006, Bedouin Soundclash held shows with a variety of performers including Ben Harper, Damian Marley, The Skatalites, Burning Spear and The Junction. They also embarked on a sold-out tour across Canada November/December 2005 & UK tour January 2006
The band performed three quarters of their 1-hour headline set at the Leeds Festival in 2006, despite Jay's illness at the time. The band finished with "When The Night Feels My Song", which was sung entirely by the crowd. The band came back on to listen, then Jay invited everyone to come see them again when they come back to Britain in the autumn, saying "We owe you one."
They were the main performance at the September 17, 2006 Toronto rally calling for Canadian intervention in the Darfur crisis.
"When the Night Feels My Song" becomes the No. 2 most played track on Canadian Radio competing with Nickelback's "Photograph" and Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends".
The band's song "When The Night Feels My Song" also appears in a 2006 T-Mobile advert in the UK as well as Teton Gravity Research's ski film, Anomaly. It was also featured in a Zellers commercial in Canada, promoting the summer season of 2006. The song "12:59 Lullaby" was featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, "Where the Boys Are".

2007–2009

Their single "St. Andrews" became a No. 1 on major market rock station Edge 102's Top 30 Countdown. The band also appeared on the cover of Canadian Musician Magazine and in June 2007 they co-headlined Rogers Picnic with The Roots and Bad Brains.
On September 10, 2007, they played at Wilfrid Laurier University's Turret Nightclub. The crowd repeatedly asked the band to play "Santa Monica" off the Root Fire album. Despite the band's annoyance, and referring to the audience as "rude" to be yelling out requests, they played it as an encore, stating that it would most likely be the last time they ever played it live. They have yet to play it again, although Jay played a solo acoustic version at a Vancouver benefit concert for Insite on December 6, 2008, and at the 102.1 The Edge Casby Awards on October 22, 2009.
The band also performed at the 2007 V Festival in Chelmsford, Great Britain. They played several songs, including "When The Night Feels My Song" in the "Virgin Mobile Union" area. That year their video for "Walls Fall Down" jumped to No. 1 on MuchMoreMusic countdown, Canada's top national video channel in 2008.
In 2008, they received a prestigious "Pop Album of the Year" Juno Award nomination for Street Gospels, alongside major international stars Celine Dion, Anne Murray, Michael Bublé and Feist. That same year "Walls Fall Down" received a "Video of the Year" Juno nomination.
They performed Japan's Summer Sonic Festival in 2008, with Coldplay, Alicia Keys and The Verve.
In 2009, Bedouin Soundclash signed on to tour alongside Paramore as the opening act for Grammy Award-winning artists No Doubt's North American Reunion Tour. They also went to do multiple performances at the Australian Soundwave Festival, including city centers Melbourne and Sydney, in February 2009.
On March 6, 2009, the band premiered their new music video for the song "Hearts in the Night" on the website of the David Suzuki Foundation.
In August 2009, they were chosen as the Headliner at Roots and Blues Festival in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.
On January 7, 2009, drummer Pat Pengelly announced that he would be leaving Bedouin Soundclash to attend Queen's Law School. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2013.

2010

In January 2010, the band alongside their management, officially launch their new label Pirates Blend Records. They inked a distribution deal with Sony Music Canada and began with the launch of Jay Malinowski's solo effort "Bright Lights and Bruises". "Bright Lights and Bruises" was the first official release on the label.
As of February 2010, Sekou Lumumba became the official drummer of the band, starting off by joining them in Vancouver, BC for the 2010 Winter Olympic performances. After the "Bright Lights and Bruises tour" with Canadians Michael Rault and Kinnie Starr, Pirates Blend Records announced that King Britt was confirmed to produce the new album in Philadelphia at Larry Gold's studio in May 2010. Also at this time Bedouin officially confirmed to make their debut in Shanghai, China in October 2010 for the World Expo.
On June 18, the band performed at the 2010 Mississauga Waterfront Festival 18 at Memorial Park in Port Credit.
On September 28, 2010, the band released their fourth studio album, Light the Horizon, featuring the singles "Mountain Top", "Elongo" and "Brutal Hearts" featuring Cœur de pirate.

2014-17

On May 10, 2014, the band's original line up reunited for a performance at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. The show was a cystic fibrosis fundraiser held in memory of the band's friend and agent, Paul Gourlie. In 2016, after a hiatus, the band reformed and started working on a new album in New Orleans with Preservation Hall Jazz Band and King Britt as producer. Chuck Treece joined the band on drums. In 2017, the band released "Clock Work", their first single in seven years.

2018

In 2018 the band released 6 different singles throughout the year: "Salt Water", "They Gutted This City", "When We're Gone", "Born Into Bad Times", "Drive", and "Holy". They also announced on Facebook that they would have a new album out sometime in 2019.

Discography