Steel Pulse

David Hinds - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Selwyn Brown - Vocals, Keyboards

STEEL PULSE may have explored various styles of music since they started out in 1975, but when it comes to the message, the UK’s Grammy – Winning reggae band has remained close to their roots. The Group have continued their commitment to fighting injustice, educating the masses, and promoting positive messages through spiritually uplifting music.

“We just can’t ignore the politics, because every life and soul that’s born on this earth is a political manoeuvre for someone, at some stage”, Hinds explains. “From a spiritual aspect, it’s really an upliftment through facing reality – what’s out there. We deal with positive spirits. It means putting aside the guns, the drugs and all of the things that are ailments of society – especially the black communities right now”.

STEEL PULSE have always taken their causes to heart, filing a $1 million class action lawsuit against New York City’s Taxi & Limousine Commission. The group charged that cabbies refused to pick up blacks and Rastafarians throughout the streets of New York.

STEEL PULSE is the only UK reggae group to win a Grammy. In 1985 Babylon The Bandit Album won the Best Reggae Album category. Their international success earned them further Grammy Nominations for their albums, Victims, Rastafari Centennial, Rage & Fury, Living Legacy and African Holocaust.

Invited guest appearances include Arsenio Hall, ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jay Leno and ‘Late Night’ with Conan O’Brien. The Rev. Al Sharpton, Jay Leno, Branford Marsalis, C Thomas Howell and Robert Townsend have all had cameo appearances in STEEL PULSE videos. The band have been joined live on stage by artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder to the Stranglers and have performed live with Bob Marley & the Wailers, Sting, Inxs, Santana, Robert Palmer, Herbie Hancock and Bob Dylan, amongst others. A collaboration with Spike Lee on the Do The Right Thing movie soundtrack in 1989 resulted in David’s composition ‘Can’t Stand It’ featuring in the movie.

In 1993, at the request of the Clinton Administration, STEEL PULSE became the first reggae band ever to perform during the inaugural festivities at The White House

STEEL PULSE, started out performing on the British punk scene with groups like Generation X as part of the Rock Against Racism movement was founded in the Handsworth section of Birmingham by Hinds, and core members Selwyn Brown and, Steve Nisbett. Their original Bass player, Ronald McQueen, named the group after a popular racehorse.

HANDSWORTH REVOLUTION (ISLAND) 1978
TRIBUTE TO THE MARTYRS (ISLAND) 1979
CAUGHT YOU/REGGAE FEVER (ISLAND) 1980
TRUE DEMOCRACY (ELEKTRA) 1982
EARTH CRISIS (ELEKTRA) 1984
BABYLON THE BANDIT (ELEKTRA) 1985
ISLAND GREATS (MANGO) 1985
STATE OF EMERGENCY (MCA) 1988
VICTIMS (MCA) 1991
RASTAFARI CENTENNIAL (MCA) 1992
SMASH HITS (ELEKTRA) 1993
VEX (MCA) 1994
RASTANTHOLOGY WISE MAN DOCTRINE 1996
RAGE & FURY (MESA ATLANTIC) 1997
LIVING LEGACY (TUFF GONG) 1999
AFRICAN HOLOCAUST (SANCTUARY / NOCTURNE) 2004