The Dirty Heads is not your average reggae-rock group.
Set to take the stage on an upcoming tour with Gym Class Heroes, the band is armed with their current album, “Any Port in a Storm,” and an arsenal of catchy reggae rhythms and raps embedded into their California sound.
Singer Jared Watson provided a look recently into the minds of the band members, talking about their music, their sound and their past.
He said their newfound mainstream success has come after years of being on the road.
“We’ve been touring in a van and been broke for 10 years now, and all the hard work is finally paying off.”
Their biggest hit to date, “Lay Me Down” featuring Rome from Sublime, spent 39 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard U.S. Alternative chart.
“Rome has been friends with us for a long time. We had a BBQ and were in the backyard, and we wrote the song, not thinking anything would become of it,” he said.
In terms of their musical influences and vibes, Watson said, “I don’t think we sound like any other bands, but there’s definitely a lot of influence from others like the Beastie Boys and Sublime. I think we’ve found our own sound.”
They are no strangers to the performance arena.
“My favorite aspect of performing is the feeling either after the show or in the middle of a song. [The feeling] after you’ve played a really amazing show is unbeatable,” Watson said. And “singing a song where the crowd is louder than you is the greatest feeling.”
The Dirty Heads will perform with Gym Class Heroes on Thursday, Oct. 13 at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets $23 plus fees at Ticketmaster.com.
