By Robert E. Martin
In the decade that I have become familiar with the music of The Process, I am struck not only by their longevity and tenaciousness, but more importantly, how their sound has evolved, straying into harder-edged sonic explorations without ever losing sight of the Jamaican roots that form both their musical & philosophical foundation.
Few other 'local' bands have braved the slings & arrows of getting their original music heard in the trenches of the club scene with such grit & determination as The Process, and few others have been as successful at innovatively marketing themselves to larger markets through the 21st Century tools of the Internet and video.
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Bill Heffelfinger of The Process - Photo by Kay McEntee |
Indeed, just days prior to presstime, The Process managed
to have their new video for the song Beggar selected by WKBD UPN CH. 50
for the I Can Do Better Than That video contest. Produced by Steven Gotts, the video is a wild amalgam of images and performance shots that rival anything currently seen on MTV. Recently, the band re-released their substantial back catalog through the Internet company MP3.com. The group's six albums showcase their steely determination to push independently to an international audience without compromising its musical agenda. |
Success on the Internet has taken The Process into new markets. In the past months the band has performed from New York to Los Angeles, releasing its first live album last year. It's legalization anthem "Jah Made the Herb", named #18 High Times Magazine 25th Anniversary Pot 25 Chart, reached # 4 on the MP3.com international reggae charts.
The band has also been featured in Guitar Player and will be profiled in an upcoming issue of ASCAP's "Playback" magazine. Cd's by The Process have been selling on MP3.Com in the US, Europe, Japan and South America. With the release of it's back catalog, the issue of it's first compilation CD, "Paraphernalia Vol. 1" and a new CD in the works, the time has come to look back over the groups heady, decade long career.
A Journey Through the Past
| The 8 song Process debut album struck a balance between
its reggae and rock sensibilities. The product of several years of
writing, its freshness is still clear today in the reissue. From the dense
groove of the title track to the dirge punk rages of "Begger" and
"Pigman", the album breaks new ground with each track. The remastered CD
reverberates with more clarity and sonic density, showcasing the material
in a new light.
It is interesting to note the bands "grass roots " influence on music
and culture, from the hemp movement to the many groups which have
adapted |
Pigman - Photo by Kay McEntee |
The Process 2nd album was an impressive offering of 10 diverse songs, and the re-issue sounds even better the original. The lyrics are even more politically charged than Mystery Babylon, infused with singer David Asher's Rastafarian imagery. Guitarist Garrick Owen stabs out howling lead solos, while bassist and programmer Bill Heffelfinger and drummer Arek Aneszko drive the grooves with fury. Standout cuts include the opening track "Run them Down" and the 7:00 minute plus epic "House of Cards". Here Asher decries the hypocrisy of the US government's overseas policies, while the drums act as a musical battering ram, knocking down Babylon's walls.
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David Asher - Photo by Kay McEntee
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Baldhead Vex set the bar high for future musical offerings
from The Process. Although the group would release a remix album in 1994,
it would not be until four years later that an all new musical product was
offered by the group.
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Garrick Owen - Photo by Kay McEntee |
Dub Instructor (1994). This remix Cd of tracks from the first two Process albums, though mixed in 1992, was not released until 2 years later. Dub Instructor is the most "Un-Process-like" album done by the band, consisting mostly of reggae tunes remixed in the classic "Dub style" of versioning. Elements of sound are removed from the mix, stripping it to bass and drums, with sounds then reintroduced with gusts of reverb and echo. The eerie mixes then get injected with tasty hot flashes of rock guitar riffs. Sonically the shimmering mixes gain much from remastering, swirling up like a heady smoke signal. The reissued 8:00 minute instrumental "House of Dub" reached #25 on the internet reggae charts last month. Dub Instructor would be the last Process offering for 2 more years
Craven Dog is the bands unquestioned masterpiece. The recording gained much from the new digital technology, as well as from the outside financial investment of other producers. Recorded at Saginaw's U BE U Production house and mixed by esteemed producer Bernard Terry, Craven Dog sent non-believers scrambling for cover. The albums 10 songs featured the maturing talent of all four members and the material was it's strongest to date.
From the carnival like swirl of the reggae/rock title track to the raging metal fury of Scoffer, Craven Dog worked on all levels. It's pioneering digital recording and analog mixes added to the focus of the material as the band struck the best balance yet of its fusion of styles.
Live in Los Angeles (1999). The band trip to Los Angeles for a label showcase produced this Internet only; "official live bootleg". Live in Los Angeles was recorded live on the air on KXLU in June of '99 and was released without overdubs as a live document of the event. The Cd features longtime Process collaborator Sam Metropoulos on drums and captures the band in its raw, live element.
Up to Date
The Review recently caught up with Process front man David Asher and guitarist Garrick Owen for a chat about their upcoming projects and a look back on the past.
REVIEW: Tell us about the direction of the new album? OWEN: It's a little more rock oriented with heavy guitars and solid drums. Bill has arranged some amazing horn and string sections. We are even using a sitar on some tracks.
ASHER: It's sort of a concept album, the melodies are very eastern sounding and the lyrics take you back to ancient mystic places. Routes along the silk road. Its imagery is very visual, you can almost smell the Myrrh and feel the desert wind in your face.
REVIEW: What has changed as far as technology in the studio since Craven Dog?
OWEN: We are working with Gee Man at U BE U again, starting in February. We'll be using Pro Tools. The technology is so amazing and Gee is on top of it all, he has an all-new facility and we can't wait to start.
REVIEW: How has MP3.com helped you guys to broaden your fan base around the world?
Asher: They gave us a presence on the Internet where people could find us. They also provided the manufacture of our product on a per-order basis. Before this we were always running out of money to keep our products in print. When an album would sell out, we would already be in the studio making another one, with our cash tied up in that. It's like the technology rose to meet us halfway. It's a blessing.
REVIEW: Any words to the fans? ASHER: Our fans are the best, they have stuck by us through the years and supported us in everything. They don't want to see us compromise and I can promise them our new album is going to be well worth the wait.
CDS by THE PROCESS are available at Media Play, Harmony House, Sam Goody and CD Exchange. Visit the Process on the web at www.mp3.com/processmusic THE PROCESS appears at the Westown in Bay City on Friday & Saturday, Jan. 19 & 20. Poke is opening up Friday night, with Matt Besey opening on Saturday. Also featured will be guitarist/songwriter Ben MacArthur.
