One look and listen to THE PROCESS® and you know this is no ordinary reggae band. While most bands of this genre play it safe by covering reggae standards and keeping the sound traditional, THE PROCESS® take a different route.

I first discovered the Michigan bands’ performance at their inception back in 1989. I was caught off guard by their intense approach to the music and message. The band has re-created reggae with a new beat and a stage show unlike any other. Their punky rock-reggae sound is more in tune with bands like The Ruts DC with Bob Marley and metal riffs thrown into the mix. The show is as intense as the music itself, with lights, smoke, videos, props and costumes, such as the infamous “Pigman.”

Hailing from Vassar, Michigan a small town near Saginaw, THE PROCESS® formed in 1989 when co-founders vocalist David Asher and guitarist Garrick Owen joined forces with the rhythm section of bassist Bill Heffelfinger and drummer/percussionist Sam Metropolis.  Much later, they added former P-Funk Allstar Gabe Gonzalez (also on drums) to the mix. With very limited places to play in their hometown, the band made its way down to Detroit to find an audience. With their music and show being too different for the mainstream reggae venues, they made their home at the clubs geared toward rock and alternative, and word of mouth soon spread. In 1993, they were invited to play at Earthfest --- the music and activism festival--- and their performance was one of the highlights of the event. Their first nationally released Craven Dog earned the band attention from the music press for the first time. Owen was even featured in Guitar World magazine, a rarity for a relatively unknown band.

Now on the release of their fifth album Blood and Bones, the band shows no signs of stopping. When so many bands today can barely make it after one album before calling it quits, to record five albums and a dozen years together is quite an accomplishment. This latest effort showcases the band’s new ideas to keep the music fresh and interesting. Noted producer Gee Pierce offered an extended club remix of one of the songs for the CD. Even though experimenting with the bands sound, THE PROCESS® stay true to their message and original inspiration. Is it this what has held the band together for so long?

“As far as the band’s longevity, It can basically be attributed to the band’s continued relevance and its ability to smash down musical barriers and break down stylistic stereotypes,” Asher says. ”And we are just as pissed as we were from the get-go.”

November/December 2002