Super-Massive (Profile)

They're one of the most original Reggae bands you'll ever hear

By RIC HICKEY

Recently I met up with the members of local Reggae giants Super-Massive at The Mad Frog in Corryville, where they play every Thursday. The band is wrapping up a year that's included many successes and milestones, including the release of their self-titled debut CD in September and, just last month, winning their first Cincinnati Entertainment Award.

At a table near the front bar, I chatted with singer-guitarist Jeremy Lacinak, bassist Nick Blasky and percussionist Alonzo Leggette. Keyboardist Andrew Lenihan walked by our table once or twice to ask a question of his bandmates only to absorb their barbs and taunts like a barrage of snowballs or rotten fruit. Observing this good-natured torment through the bottom of an empty pint glass as I downed my first beer, I thought to myself, "I wonder if he's The New Guy in the band?"

With a deep sigh emitting from behind the broad smile of experience, Lenihan takes this ancient hazing ritual all in stride. "These guys probably don't want me in on this interview anyway," he says, "'cause the last time I was quoted by a reporter the question was ridiculous and I was misquoted."

De facto spokesman/frontman Lacinak is naturally laid back and well-suited to answer questions about the band, so I feel bad for not preparing any. Full disclosure: I'm no stranger to these guys. I've been out to see the band many times over the years and in the process have become well-acquainted with them. I recall seeing guitarist John Gentry Jr. with The Lemmings at Ripley's some years ago, and many are familiar with Blasky's work in Ray's Music Exchange.

During his time with The Zionites, Lacinak learned the ropes of the music biz. Lacinak and Super-Massive are sitting in the fabled catbird's seat on a local level and have no plans at this time for widespread touring.

Because the band is working more than enough paying gigs in the area (including some regional shows) to make this a full-time job, they think a massive touring schedule would be a step back. That said, Lacinak acknowledges the CD as a development that could possibly garner some label attention and create touring opportunities.

The self-titled disc is a brilliant blend of Roots Reggae with catchy melodies and harmonious hooks. Standing at a safe distance from the glitz and glamour of the red carpet outside the Emery Theatre for the recent CEA ceremony, Alonzo confided to me, "We definitely wanted it to be radio-friendly." (Within the hour the band would take the stage to accept the award for Best World Music/Reggae artist.)

"Dog Eat Dog" vacillates between the classic "one drop" Reggae groove and a heavy space vamp reminiscent of '70s Prog. It's here where the band's sick Jazz chops and Zappa-esque humor begin to assert themselves as equal parts in the stew. It's not blatant, but it sets the music apart from other Reggae.

Drummer Tim Hensley is largely absent from the wobbly table where the band graciously ignores my lack of professional interview techniques. He does take a moment to indulge in an all-too-brief discussion about the latest releases from the Frank Zappa archives.

Almost invisible from the pre-gig activities, his presence is literally felt by everyone in the club from the minute the band takes the stage. Precise in tempo, long on groove and an absolute wizard of hypnotic polyrhythms, Hensley speaks volumes with his drum work. Opening with a cover of Bob Marley's "Bend Down Low," Super-Massive snakes seamlessly into a jam on Stevie Wonder's "I Wish."

Moments before going on, the band is lamenting tonight's small turn-out. But before the end of the first set, the place is swelling with dancers, college kids and cute girls chirping and chattering. Blasky does a double take and laughs as the young ladies yell out a spontaneous call-and-response sing-a-long during the band's original tune "Mankind."

Gentry's dreads are piled high so as not to get entangled in his guitar strings. And before the end of "Mankind" he improvises a rabid guitar solo that sounds like it was kicked off a Donald Fagen record for beating up the other guitar solos and taking their lunch money.

It's still early in their first set, but already Super-Massive's jams are leaping and surging unpredictably while Hensley and Blasky are holding down a solid rock-steady Reggae feel.

Super-Massive have hypnotized me with their groovy sway on many previous occasions. But on this night I realize I've never heard a Reggae band that can conjure jams this interesting or a jam band that can pull off Reggae grooves this smoothly and effortlessly.

SUPER-MASSIVE (myspace.com/thesupermassive6) plays every Wednesday at Stanley's Pub (details here) and every Thursday at The Mad Frog (details here).

We are offering a special deal if you buy a T-Shirt and a CD both for just $20!

This deal is only good at our shows!!!

So come to a show and get pimped!

Peace-The Dirty-6

That's right folks! The debut release from SUPER-MASSIVE is out! It will soon be available through iTunes and CD Baby, but until then you can purchase it at our shows or through snail mail. Just shoot us an email and we'll get you the details on how to obtain a copy! CD's are only $10!

By Mike Breen

Cincinnati's finest and most popular Reggae crew, Super-Massive, contains several skilled, veteran musicians from bands like Da Lemmings OnSombol, Ray's Music Exchange, Zionites and Grand Oversoul, so it's no shock that they've created a solid, eclectic collection of Reggae on their self-titled disc. Reggae grooves prevail on the album's 10 tracks and the pristine vocals are drenched in Reggae soul. But, as the group members' varying backgrounds suggest, there are a lot of other genres that inform the band's sound.

Rock, Jazz and Funk weave in and out of the supple rhythms like a boxer, but it is done so seamlessly, it all just feels like one big funky Reggae party. The band seems tailor made for not only Reggae fans, but "Jam band" fans as well, with flowing arrangements that leave a lot of room for extended jams and improv.

With the new CD's crisp production, exceptional performances and outstanding creativity, Super-Massive makes it be known with this album that they are not only the best Reggae band in town, they are also among the best of any genre.

 So here are all of the names submitted to the Rename Selecter Reggae Band Contest...Enjoy! And thanks to everyone who participated!!!

1.Red Dub Band

2.Nati Dread

3.Shredlocks

4.The Local 420

5.Illegal Smile

6.Worse then Cancer
7.The Daughter's Bush
8.The Tali-Band
9.Ganja Soldiers
10.Prince Albert and the Perineums
11.The Cincinati Bow

12.ida spence
13.the ropes
14.the threads
15.trenchtown
16.buffalo soldier

17.connecter
18.collecter
19.effecter
20.najtaj (all your initials)

21.One Up
22.Follan
23.Follen
24.Lead
25.Zoo
26.Strengs
27.Strah

28.J Walker and the Pedestrians

29.Flat Top Pony

30.The Purple Canoes

31.Even Male Entertainment

32.Mean Mini Watermelon
33.Salt
34.GOD Gentlemen of Distinction
35.The Jessica Simpson Assassination
36.BOWL Box of Weed Logs
37.BOW Box of Weed

38.Soul Down
39.Soul Tap
40.Sole Tap
41.The Situation
42.Snatch

43.Three Point Five

44.The Gaegae Reggae Band

45.Dread Luck

46.Faithful Dreads

47.Ah sey one (ah seh won)- Expression to say that something is really cool and great.

48 'Kadouz'

49.Cinci Dub Rockers

50.Under Me Cinci

51.Cinci Millia

52.4/4 Riddim

53.DA Rudebwoz

54."Gwaan Go Maas" - Go cool yourself."

55."Bad Like Yaz" - Expression for saying something is really cool.

56."Ten Toe Turbo" - An funny expression meaning to walk and use your feet.

57.Bamba Yay - means: by and by
58.Bambu Bredren: - means:rolling paper & one's fellow male Rastas
59.Bashment - means: party, dance, session
60.Yaga Yaga - means: Dancehall slang. a way to big up a brethren; to express a greeting or attract attention, i.e. yo! or yush! true friend; bonafide; brethren.

61.Brukout Bredren
62.Drop legs
63.Ease-up
64.Mash it up
65.Upful

66.KINDRED RHYTHM

67.Zaftig
68.The Knobs

69.Pulling Tubes

70.Pressure Drop

71.The CRB(Cincinnati Reggae Band)

72.Reteles

73.Heart Throb

74.HARSH FREE
75.REFUSED STONE
76.SHUBY SHADE
77.BEYOND SHUBY

78.Roots Equinox
79.Roots Enigma
80.Crucial Roots
81.Blunt Rain
82.Blended Blunt
83.Blunt Reverb
84.Brilliant Feedback
85.Dup Radar
86.Dup Junky
87.Dup Science
88.Sekkle Tsunami
89.Pseudo Sekkle
90.Lambsbread
91.Lambsbread Arson
92.Lambsbread Social
93.Lambsbread Affair
94.Lambsbread Harvest
95.Jook the Cat
96.Winjy Wood

97.The Selected

98.Nati Dread

99.3^rd Beat

100.Soul Tap

101.The Rest

102.Selecter 7

103.Select 7

104.Tongue and Groove

105.The Truth

106.The Solution

107.State of Affair

108.Late Night Affair

109.Situation Domination

110.The Guys Next Door

111.Skanky Neighbor

112.Gut Punch

113.One Punch

114.Knockout

115.Bad Men

116.All 6

117.Bigfoot

118.Sons of Kahn

119."Natural Selection" or "Natrul Selection

120."Lamb's Bread" or "Lambs Bred"-Garden Grove Organics

121.Downtown Skanks

122.On the And

123.Peaceful Destiny

124.Midnight Sun

125.The Danks

126.Rectify

127.Mob Barley

128.Grateful Dread

129.Poor Mans Band

130.Acid Kings

131.The Sampsons
132.The Lifted
133.Liftenites
134.Back ally experience
135.The Jahtones

136."For the Mind"
137."Reggae Way"
138."513 Reggae Way"
139."Think and Elaborate"
140."Lions of cincy"
141."Of the People"
142."Rough Cut"

143.The Jahstrastronauts
144.iriecandy
145.Jah's music exchange
146.6 minutes from Dave
147. jerk sauce
148.Mavis Bank
149.Diablo
150.Rose Hall (a haunted plantation... but it's kinda like rose hill drive, so...)
151.Stony Hill
152.Lignum vitae – This tree is sometimes referred to as the "tree of life" because of it's many uses. The blue flower is the national flower of Jamaica.
153.Mahoe- national tree of Jamaica
154.Kumina - A religious worship ritual with Bantu origins. The ritual involves dancing, chanting and spirit possession and prophesizing.
155.Labrish
156.Jackass corn– biscuit made from coconut and sugar.
157.bandulu– some kind of fraud or racket
158.Wattagwan - means "what's going on"
159.rispeck/reespek -respect
160.Brukout- A climax of pure energy and excitement; to act unruly. Usually at a party.
161.Bumboclot- King of curse words
162.Lambsbread- A Rasta term for high-grade ganja
163.Mantell- Male gigolo; a real player and whore of a man
164.Mr. Mention- A real ladies man who is the talk of the town so to speak
165.Ten toe turbo- An funny expression meaning to walk and use your feet. It must be known that the majority of Jamaicans walk for transportation.
166.Bredren- Fellow friends and collegues; brothers in unity.
167.Grindsman- One who is great in bed.
168.Boasin Tone: Swollen penis or testicles
169.DON GORGON: outstanding dreadlocks, a person who is well respected
170.dan dada - big boss
171.RAM GOAT : slang for someone who deals with nuff ladies
172.Bullo Slush - Free lunch given to students attending primary schools. This was a Government aid to children.
173.sweet willie's delight

174.The Struggle

175.Heros of Babylon

177.SelectJah

178.Cliftonites

179.Nati HiFi

180.Nati Drop

181.Choice Maker

182.Decider

183.Pyschedelic Bagel Factory

184.The Athletic Dub Machines

185.Brosephs Dub

186.Dub Dubber

187.Stanley's Reggae Band

188.The East End Dub Conglomerate

189.Jeremys Music Exchange

190.Mercy Sledge

191.Double Bump

192.Double Pump

193.Key Hit

194.Drag

195.the Dilitants

196.Sledge

197.The Nati Roots

198.The Ripley's Allstars

199.Raspect

200.Credentus

201.Gone Jah

202.Pleasure Stride

203.Lions of Cin

204.the Vibrating Dub

205.Mr. Mentions Reggae Invention

206.the Nyabingi Men

207.African Thunder

208.The Revelations

209.the Lift

210.Lazy Moon

211.Hydrate

212.Eye

Hello there Peeps!

With our freshman release looming not to far over the horizon, it has been brought to our attention that another band somewhere else has copywritten the name Selecter! Thats right even with our mispelling of it, someone else has legal rights to it.

Sooooo........this is where you, our loving public, come in! We want you to rename Selecter!!! Thats right! YOU! All you have to do is submit your ideas to us here! It's that easy! And if we like your idea, you will recieve a really sweet package of "insert new band name here" schwag and a few other surprises as well!

We really need all of your help on this......I mean 6 guys couldn't even spell Selecter properly! Now who wants to win???

Thanks!-Nick, John, Jeremy, Alonzo, Tim, and Andy

We just wanted to say that opening for Steel Pulse was a life long dream of eveyone in Selecter! We appreciate all of those who came out and supported us and to all the new fans we've gained! Thanks once again!!!