Dreadlocks and mohawks—that pretty much sums up Fishbone. The band merged worlds and broke down barriers, borrowing elements from funk, punk, and ska, shredding them up, and pasting them back together for a wild creation unlike anything heard before or since. Coming straight out of South Central L.A., they had just as much attitude as N.W.A and more diverse hairstyles.
Although Fishbone never broke through to the mainstream, they did rally a cult following and undoubtedly influenced a generation of musicians to push creative boundaries. The documentary, which opens next month in N.Y. and L.A., includes big co-signs from Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, Questlove of The Roots, and Ice-T.
Today, the mingling of scenes runs rampant, as evidenced by skateboarding punks Odd Future being the new buzz in hip-hop, Theophilus London singing hooks that sound like Sting, and introspective indie artists like Justin Vernon taking the stage with Kanye West. It's debatable what triggered all of this genre-clashing, but having eclectic bands like Fishbone around in the '80s certainly played a role.
Even if you never heard of this band in your life—especially if you never have—with Fishbone hitting the road this October, there's no better time to get up on these manic musical trailblazers. Check out the trailer above and get more information here.
