THE ULTRAINFIDELS

The UltraInfidels
Some things just cannot be planned. And so it was with the creation of the UltraInfidels, whose debut EP will be released Summer 2012. The UltraInfidels is fronted by Chris Dowd, founding member and multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter of the Los Angeles based-band Fishbone. One of the most influential bands of the past three decades, Fishbone pioneered the musical landscape of what was to become alternative music.
Bassist and writer/producer D. Seeff, who has played on albums by artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, and Talib Kweli, had always been a Fishbone fan. The memory of a 1992 concert he attended while studying in London in which the band filmed the video for the song “Fight the Youth” was an inspirational and life changing moment that he often found himself replaying in his mind. One day in 2008, Seeff was playing a show at a cultural center and noticed a guy that looked suspiciously like Chris Dowd. There was just one thing that seemed strange. He appeared to be in a chef’s outfit. After the show, Seeff approached him and found out it was indeed Dowd, who at the time was taking a break from the world of music to indulge in his other passion, cooking. The two started talking and an hour later realized that they had a lot in common musically and personally and also that they both were looking to make some new music. And thus the UltraInfidels came to be.
While obvious comparisons to Fishbone cannot be avoided (after all Dowd was one of Fishbone’s primary songwriters), the UltraInfidels 6 song EP has its own distinct energy – wild, funny, unpredictable, inventive, and at times heartbreaking. The EP’s lead single “Cubicle” is a venting of the frustrations at the work place that in one song leaps from breackneck ska to a Pink Floyd-inspired psychadelic dream sequence. During the recording of the EP, an early version of “Cubicle” was featured in the 2010 John Cusack film “Hot Tub Time Machine.” “Why You Wanna Break My Heart?” melds classic reggae with Philly Soul while telling a wistful tale of love and betrayal. The tango/ska marriage “Stop!” points the way to an original sound for the group as it describes an obsessed lover whose fixation on a former flame is driving him to the brink of madness. The remaining tracks “Time Aint Long”, “I Had a Ball” and “Walking Dead” range from ska to Louis Jordan-style swing to menacing circus-like rock.
In recording the EP, Dowd and Seeff enlisted the talents of a formidable cast of characters. Drummer Blake Colie was the first addition, whose experience in the reggae band the Lions displays his passion for Jamaican music. But don’t be fooled, Colie can also rock with the best. Next in the line-up came sound master and guitar experimentalist Steve Abagon, member of the art-rock band Woven, formerly signed to Interscope. Abagon’s soundscapes bring a mystery and eerie ambiance to the music. Rounding out the group are trombonist Dave Goodwin, saxophonist Eddie Felix and trumpeter/keyboardist Mike Bolger. The EP was recorded all over Los Angeles at studios like the Cat Toy Factory (an actual Cat Toy Factory with a studio within, owned by Woven drummer Marc Viner), Dave Goodwin’s Pico Music, and Seeff’s home studio. A couple guests like Fishbone’s Angelo Moore and up-and-coming jazz saxophonist Dayna Stephens stopped through along the way to add their touches to the songs. The last magical step occurred when former Fishbone producer David Kahne (now known for his work with such luminaries as Paul McCartney) agreed to mix the EP.
The UltraInfidels are just getting started as they plan their attack on today’s music scene. Live shows, videos and more music are on the way in 2012. It’s going to be a wild ride so hold on tight. The UltraInfidels are on the way!