Westbound Train
Encyclopedia
Westbound Train is a ska
band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2001. Their name originates from the Dennis Brown
hit song by the same name.
Westbound Train released their first album, Searching for A Melody, in 2003. The band self-released their second album, Five to Two, in 2005, which featured guest appearances from Alex Desert
of Hepcat
and King Django
. The album was re-released by Stomp Records on March 14, 2006.
Westbound Train were featured on the Hellcat Records
compilation Give 'Em the Boot IV
in November 2004. In January 2006, Hellcat announced that they had signed the band. A third full-length, titled Transitions
, was released in September 2006.
Westbound Train played the Summer of Ska tour in the summer of 2006, along with Suburban Legends
, Big D and the Kids Table
, Voodoo Glow Skulls
, and Catch 22
. Westbound Train also played the Fall of Ska tour in the fall of 2006, along with Reel Big Fish
, Streetlight Manifesto
, and Suburban Legends
.
Lynval Golding
, the guitarist of The Specials
, is a big Westbound Train fan. Golding can often be seen at Westbound Train concerts in the Seattle, Washington
area, even once playing on stage with them and calling them "the next ska sensation."
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2001. Their name originates from the Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
hit song by the same name.
Westbound Train released their first album, Searching for A Melody, in 2003. The band self-released their second album, Five to Two, in 2005, which featured guest appearances from Alex Desert
Alex Désert
Alex Désert is a Haitian-American actor and musician most known for his roles in the TV series The Flash, Becker, and Boy Meets World...
of Hepcat
Hepcat
Hepcat is a ska and reggae band formed in southern California in 1989.Their soulful harmonies and mellow rhythms were unlike those of contemporaries and more akin to musicians from the heyday of 1960s Jamaican ska, also referred to as the first wave....
and King Django
King Django
Jeff Baker, better known as King Django, is a New Brunswick, NJ-based ska musician. He was the leader of Skinnerbox and Stubborn All-Stars....
. The album was re-released by Stomp Records on March 14, 2006.
Westbound Train were featured on the Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...
compilation Give 'Em the Boot IV
Give 'Em the Boot IV
Give 'Em the Boot IV is the fourth compilation album in the Give 'Em the Boot series, released in 2004 .- Track listing :#"Killing Zone" - Rancid#"Dirty Reggae" - The Aggrolites#"Atomic" - Tiger Army#"Propaganda" - The Slackers...
in November 2004. In January 2006, Hellcat announced that they had signed the band. A third full-length, titled Transitions
Transitions (Westbound Train album)
Transitions is the third album of Boston-based Ska band Westbound Train. It is their first release for Hellcat Records.- Track listing :# Transition 1 # Please Forgive Me # Good Enough # For The First Time # The Test...
, was released in September 2006.
Westbound Train played the Summer of Ska tour in the summer of 2006, along with Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are a third wave ska/pop band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998, and are currently based out of Santa Ana, California.- History :...
, Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
, Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California by brothers Frank, Eddie and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill...
, and Catch 22
Catch 22 (band)
Catch 22 is an American ska punk band from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey.The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tomas Kalnoky and drummer Chris Greer who recruited trumpeter Kevin Gunther, who was working in a local record store...
. Westbound Train also played the Fall of Ska tour in the fall of 2006, along with Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....
, and Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are a third wave ska/pop band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998, and are currently based out of Santa Ana, California.- History :...
.
Lynval Golding
Lynval Golding
Lynval Golding is a British musician. He is best known as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist with the British 2 Tone Records band, The Specials....
, the guitarist of The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
, is a big Westbound Train fan. Golding can often be seen at Westbound Train concerts in the Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
area, even once playing on stage with them and calling them "the next ska sensation."
Band members
- Obi "Day 19" Fernandez - Lead Vocals, TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Rich Graiko - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Josh Cohen- Tenor SaxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Gideon Blumenthal - PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, OrganOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, Backing Vocals - John DeCarlo - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Backing Vocals - Thaddeus Merritt - Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Eric Novodcacapoopoo - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Albums
- Searching for a Melody (2003)
- Five to Two (2005)
- TransitionsTransitions (Westbound Train album)Transitions is the third album of Boston-based Ska band Westbound Train. It is their first release for Hellcat Records.- Track listing :# Transition 1 # Please Forgive Me # Good Enough # For The First Time # The Test...
(2006) - Come and Get ItCome and Get It (Westbound Train album)Come and Get It is the fourth album from Boston-based Ska band Westbound Train. It is their second release for Hellcat Records. It was released on April 21, 2009.- Track listing :...
(2009)
Compilation appearances
- Give 'Em the Boot IVGive 'Em the Boot IVGive 'Em the Boot IV is the fourth compilation album in the Give 'Em the Boot series, released in 2004 .- Track listing :#"Killing Zone" - Rancid#"Dirty Reggae" - The Aggrolites#"Atomic" - Tiger Army#"Propaganda" - The Slackers...
(2004) - Give 'Em the Boot VGive 'Em the Boot VGive 'Em the Boot V is the fifth compilation album in the Give 'Em the Boot series, released in 2006 .- Track listing :#"Tattoo" - Rancid#"Warriors Code" - Dropkick Murphys#"Cold Concrete" - Time Again...
(2006) - Give 'Em the Boot VIGive 'Em the Boot VIGive 'Em the Boot VI is an unofficial sixth entry in the Give 'Em the Boot series of albums. The compilations are periodically released by "Hellcat Records" and there is no record of it on the label's website. It has been distributed through the use of torrent download websites and features a...
(2007) - Ska Is DeadSka Is DeadSka Is Dead is a recurring ska music tour which has featured in 2004, and twice in 2005. It was first titled Ska is Dead and You're Next!The purpose of the tour has been to revitalize and continue interest in ska and ska-influenced music...
(2007)