ADDverse Effects

ADDVERSE EFFECTS: FROM REGGAE TO HIP HOP TO NORMAN TO PORTLAND

May 19, 2015 Michael Martin Spend Your Money Elsewhere

I first encountered ADDverse Effects playing at the Dunlop Codding building in Film Row. I walked away from the show with the hope that they would become Oklahoma’s A Tribe Called Quest for both the younger generation of people who listen to their local music scene and for the older generation who can appreciate the 90’s era of hip-hop. They have a sound that can be described as Joey Bada$$ backed by a trimmed-down version of The Roots.

But then they moved to Portland, so perhaps they are about to become Portland’s A Tribe Called Quest instead. Whichever city ends up getting to claim this innovative and fun hip hop group, I am still confident that their time will come when they will be embraced by the underground rap scene, not just in their region, but across the nation.

ADDverse Effects originally formed in Norman and cut their teeth in the vibrant indie music scene. They recently released an EP featuring some of their older work, but also a brand new song featuring Johnny Polygon. Frontman Joshua ‘Fiji’ Rehanek explained in an interview with Literati Press that the group started making their music with rhymes Rehanek had been writing since he was a teenager and beats that were made about a decade ago by their drummer/rapper, Boyd Littell.

Boyd had originally planned on forming a reggae band, but nothing ever materialized until he heard Rehanek perform. He recruited Rehanek, formed a temporary rhythm section, and rushed into rehearsals. In only a couple days, the group composed six songs just in time for their first live performance, including the fun, smart, and relatable “Live for the Moment.”

Rehanek describes the group’s music as eclectic and fun, something easy to get into at live shows. He also says that the band is willing to experiment with other instruments that you wouldn’t normally hear in a standard hip-hop song, such as an accordion on the song “Flex Five”. They try to keep a 50/50 balance between the rapping and the instrumental, which leads to a broader appeal without it coming off as trying to pander to as many people as possible. Before setting out for Portland, they recorded their debut EP, Just A Taste, at Blackwatch Studios in Norman.

The standout track is “Rock the Mic”, a bouncy back and forth hip hop song rooted in jazz which reaches the middle ground of innovative, but still approachable.

What I see as ADDverse Effects most appealing quality is they can be fun without being mind-numbingly watered down because they emphasize skill, both instrumentally and lyrically, but can be listened to by a wide variety of people ranging from casual listeners, to major hip-hop fans. You can get their music here or on iTunes, I highly suggest it for any listener of jazz or hip-hop music. - Literati Press

I contacted lead MC and band frontman Joshua "Fiji" Rehanek via email last week to discuss how the band’s shifting line-up and the above track.

“Rock the Mic” is one of the first tunes Rehanek wrote with bandmate Boyd Littell (drums/vocals) and the band’s early players. Rehanek said the song’s chorus pays homage to The Roots and early versions of the track had the duo emulating Busta Rhymes, QTip and Del the Funky Homosapien.

Benja Farber (bass), John Calvin (guitar), Michael Stafford (keys) and DJ Timmy B helped round out the rest of the track.

My favorite part of this track is trading verses with Boyd,” Rehanek said. “The catchy hook, energetic live performance and its intelligent nod to the old school make it one of our most well rounded tracks, an easy call for the EP.”
The final version of the song was recorded at Blackwatch Studios and undoubtedly contains a lot of the song’s live energy. ADDverse Effects is currently laying low while it searches for a new keyboardist, but Rehanek assured the band is staying busy in Portland. They’ve connected with other former Okies and have landed a monthly residency at the Eastburn.

The rest of “Juste a Taste” will get released through On Tap Records within the next few weeks. An ADDverse Effects LP is also in the works. - NewsOK

See URL for Image - Norman Transcript

If you are a rap group with a full rhythm section, I will probably like you to some degree. If you are a rap group with a full rhythm section which includes a white guy with dreads playing bass who is also wearing a Daft Punk t-shirt, then I will almost certainly like you.If you are a rap group with a full rhythm section that includes a white guy with dreads playing bass who is also wearing a Daft Punk t-shirt, performing a track about dropping acid while in the courtyard of a law firm at 7 pm in Film Row after being introduced by Rachel Hubbard of KOSU(an NPR affiliate), then I will really like you. If you finish your set with an Outkast cover, then it is most likely love. So, I love you Addverse Effects and I love you Oklahoma for becoming the type of city that is capable of sustaining so many ridiculous and beautiful ideas. - Literati Press

Boyd Littell, drummer for ADDverse, Effects, recently answered some questions about the group.

Q: Why, after sitting on the ADDverse instrumentals for so long, did you decide to actually put a band together?

Photo - ADDverse Effects. Photo provided
ADDverse Effects. Photo provided
A: I was actually trying to start a reggae band with some of the same material. That folded, but while that wasn't working out, I saw Josh (“Fiji” Rehanik, MC) sitting in with local jam bands.

Nooch (John Fullbright drummer Giovanni Carnuccio) and Fiji talked about a set based on drums and rhymes. They got a hold of me and Steve Schaben from Green Lemon; I played bass. Right about that time, John Fullbright was taking off, and Nooch told me, “I'm going to be busy, and it's kind of natural anyway that you try to do something with this.” Steve was moving away, I moved to drums, and Benja (Farber, bassist) and John Calvin (guitarist) were on board from the reggae band.

I also noticed that my favorite new Norman band, The Samurai Conquistadors, their keyboardist (Michael Stafford) has a real Fender Rhodes. This hip-hop group I was in before, I put the drums and bass down for a few years and focused just on Rhodes. Most of these instrumentals I had were written from the Rhodes up.

Q: Was the fact that there's not really an established hip-hop scene or venue in Norman in mind as you put this together?

A: I know that The Deli and Opolis, the two primary venues, are both known for having anything. It's just by default that The Deli leans a little more toward Red Dirt or jam bands, folky singer-songwriters. In the past, there was whole lot more variety. Kind of the same for Opolis; it covers the opposite side of the spectrum.
Sometimes I worry a little that, because what we're doing is a very '90s hip-hop review, it might be too old for kids, but we're having an unexpected reaction. They seem to mostly know contemporary stuff, but they've only heard a little bit of the Tribe Called Quest/Common sound. They really prefer that; they just never knew how to get a hold of it or who to listen to.

Q: I heard rumblings about the band moving to Portland. What's the plan?

A:We're 100 percent gung-ho about it. We're waiting on the album. My original plan was to leave last May. I was just going to replace myself with a drummer and give them the songs, but we started having interest from people who could really help us out. I decided to stick around and get the band's opinion about everyone relocating there. We're hoping to get an album released by January or February.

— Becky Carman - The Oklahoman