Meet The Phensic, a blend of 2 Tone ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, punk, and indie rock. Originating from Bigger Thomas, their evolution brings soulful vibes and dynamic vocal harmonies.
1. Can
you tell us about the origins of The Phensic and how the band came together,
blending elements of 2 Tone ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, punk, and indie rock?
The Phensic is the evolution of a band called Bigger Thomas that our singer
Roger and I formed in New Brunswick, NJ way back in the late 80s. Bigger Thomas
was a band that was inspired by second wave 2 Tone ska bands like The Specials,
The Selecter and English Beat as well as newer American ska bands like Fishbone
and Bim Skala Bim. We were also big fans of British reggae bands like Steel
Pulse, UB40 and Aswad. We played out a lot in the early 90s right before the
third wave of bands like Reel Big Fish, The Bosstones and Save Ferris exploded
on the scene. The Phensic's roots are based on what we started in Bigger Thomas
but with a nod to more sounds like dub, punk and indie rock. We love ska and
reggae but are excited to experiment with mixing more sounds into that base and
also to focus on really soulful lyrics and tight vocal harmonies.
2. What inspired the band's name, "The Phensic," and how does it
reflect the music and vibe you aim to bring to the American ska scene?
Phensic was a pain reliever that was popular in England in the 60s and 70s. It
was also available in Jamaica where it became the slang name for a headache
pill (like an aspirin here in the U.S. It became so popular in Jamaica that it
was mentioned in popular songs by Yellowman and Tappa Zukie. We took the name
from its Jamaican roots and because we like to think our band and its songs
help relieve the pain of daily life!
Check out this 60s British TV ad for Phensic: www.youtube.com/...1Gozzw
Check out this Tappa Zukie song that mentions Phensic: www.youtube.com/...QQ2LzE
3. Your upcoming album, "DCxPC Live Vol. 23 The Phensic," captures a live performance. What made you decide to record a live album, and what can listeners expect from this experience?
The original idea was to give our growing fan base outside the Northeast U.S. a sense of what we sounded like live so we decided to go into a recording studio and play live while filming the performance for a series of videos we would share on social video. Just as we were wrapping up mixing and mastering the live recording we learned about Scott and DCxPC Live and reached out to him to see if he would be interested in working with us. He listened to the tracks and let us know he wanted to put a record out. It all came together really fast. We hope that listeners will get a sense of who we are as a live band and that having our songs on vinyl and on DCxPC Live will help us reach a broader and more diverse audience of listeners.
4. Could you share the story behind the first single from the album, "War Inside"? What themes or messages are explored in this song?
"War Inside" explores the idea that we are all just doing the best we can every day and that sometimes fear, anxiety and anger we direct at ourselves and others can keep us from finding the peace we all crave and need.
5. What was the recording process like for "DCxPC Live Vol. 23 The Phensic"? Did you face any challenges or memorable moments during the recording sessions?
We really tried to capture what seeing the band live would be like for a listener. We had just started playing out live (the band's first show was in October 2023) but we had been rehearsing and writing songs since early 2023. We liked the idea of documenting this very exciting and productive time for the band. Because we were well rehearsed we only allowed ourselves one or two takes for each song. We wanted to capture the energy and excitement of a live performance and if there were a few flubs or mistakes then so be it!
6. As a band with multiple vocalists, how do you approach songwriting and arranging vocal parts to create a cohesive and dynamic sound?
When we started the band we were influenced by 60s rocksteady and early 70s reggae bands that featured multiple vocalists like the Wailers, Black Uhuru and Toots and The Maytals. It was important to us to emphasize crisp and clean vocals with harmonies as a way to pay respect to the music we love but also to set us apart a bit from other bands in the ska and ska punk scene. Our three vocalists Roger, Megg and Honeychild get together for their own rehearsals to work out who is singing what and to finetune harmonies. That makes all the difference when we perform live and we hope audiences respond to that attention to detail.
7. What sets The Phensic apart from other ska and rocksteady bands in terms of musical style and performance?
We are trying to bring in a more soulful mix of sounds and vocals. Having three vocalists who can all sing their asses off is pretty rare these days so we hope that will help to set us apart from other bands. We love loud, aggressive songs and bands as much as the next person, but sometimes people want to groove to catchy riddims. That's our goal.
8. The album release is scheduled for May 17th at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem, PA. What can fans expect from the live performance and celebration of the album's release?
We are really stoked to be playing at Broken Goblet Brewing in May to celebrate the release of our album. We played our first club show there back in November 2023 with The Pietasters and we fell in love with the club, the stage and the PA. It's one of the best venues on the East Coast and Jeremy, who books the club, is a fan of our band and clearly loves ska and reggae. We can't wait to open for Matamoska and to be part of a show spotlighting the diversity of American ska.
9. What do you hope listeners take away from "DCxPC Live Vol. 23 The Phensic" in terms of the emotions, energy, and messages conveyed through the music?
We love that our songs are available on vinyl. There's something about vinyl that just gives music a much warmer sound. Also, records are just a more intimate way to experience a band and its songs than streaming them on Spotify or Apple Music. There's something so cool about holding an album cover in your hands while you listen. We are so grateful to Scott and DCxPC Live for working with us and giving us this amazing opportunity.
10. Can you share any insights into the creative process behind writing and composing your debut album, "Don’t Test Me," from which the live tracks are drawn?
When we started the band back in January 2023, we wanted to come up with a unique sound. Each of the members of the band brings unique strengths and we talked about what kind of sound we wanted. But the most important decision we made at the beginning was that there shouldn't be any rules. We didn't want to box ourselves into only playing ska or reggae. We wanted to experiment and in doing so we hope we've developed our own unique sound that is based on 60s and 70s rocksteady and reggae and 2 Tone ska but also includes touches of punk, funk, R&B and indie rock.
11. How has the ska scene evolved since the band's formation, and how does The Phensic navigate these changes while staying true to your musical roots?
I think it's fair to say that the current American ska scene leans towards a heavier ska punk sound. We think that's great but we want to differentiate ourselves with a more soulful vibe that includes vocal harmonies and a nod to the Jamaican roots of ska and reggae. We also are a diverse band that includes people of color and women members and we like to think that also allows us to bring a different perspective and different voices to the songs we write.
12. What are some of the challenges and rewards of being a part of the ska and rocksteady music scene, particularly in New York and New Jersey?
Traditionally New York and New Jersey were the birthplace for a lot of the original American bands like The Toasters, The Scofflaws and The Slackers and that helped to create a uniquely American version of ska. It's our experience now ska has gone global and that the heart of ska is now in places like Mexico and South America. So our goal is to try and appeal to a much broader audience outside of just people who come to see us where we live.
13. Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations on the horizon for The Phensic that fans can look forward to?
We are focused on playing a lot more shows in front of both ska and non-ska audiences. We'd love to get out to California at some point and also down to Mexico where we have developed a pretty big fanbase. We are also in the process of recording songs for a new 10-song release that will come out later this Fall.
14. Lastly, what message would you like to convey to your fans and listeners as they anticipate the release of "DCxPC Live Vol. 23 The Phensic" and your future endeavors as a band?
With Scott and DCxPC Live's help we are really excited to reach a bigger and broader audience with this record who hopefully like our ska/punk/soul approach to our songs.
The Phensic (@thephensic) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
The Phensic Live Side A dans DCxPC Live Vol. 23 The Phensic (soundcloud.com)
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