Dry & Heavy

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Dry & Heavy is a Japanese dub and reggae band formed in 1991 by drummer Shigemoto Nanao (Dry) and bass player Takeshi Akimoto (Heavy). Their names come from a renowned Burning Spear album of the name name. The line-up which recorded the album Dry & Heavy came together in 1995 with Naoki Uchida on dub controls, Mitsuhiro Toike on keyboards, Kei Horiguchi on guitar, and the vocal duo of Likkle Mai and Ao Inoue.

They are clearly influenced by 1970s Jamaican dub sound of King Tubby, Lee Perry and others, however they add a modern touch to this and their abilities as writers / players of instruments which have been noticed in the UK, Europe, the USA and Jamaica.

In 2001, during Fuji Rock (Japan's largest music festival) founding member Takeshi Akimoto (Heavy) announced he was leaving the group, Audio Active's current bassist Pata, stepped in to fill the void. Takeshi Akimoto was the former bassist for Audio Active, and Shigemoto Nanao the former drummer of the same band.

DRY & HEAVY, a rhythm section for a number of years though with great luck and little planning ( and 3 highly acclaimed studio albums supported by endless touring ) evolved from such humble beginnings into the fully fledged unit that we know it as today. Although originally intended as a vehicle for the powerful combination of long time collaborators, drummer and founding Audio Active member, Shigemoto Nanao and bassist, Takeshi Akimoto it was a natural progression as the focus moved more and more onto its two featured vocalists, Likkle Mai and Ao Inoue whose performances on such vintage Dry & Heavy singles as Mr Blueflame, Private Plan, Dawn Is Breaking, Radical Star and Love Explosion have come to the define the truly unique Dry & Heavy sound

As would be expected from an act named of respect for the mighty reggae legend, Burning Spear, this tight-knit combination reproduce and refine that which they have learnt and love of the great roots reggae records reinforced by the experience of four years of constant touring and recording. As well as appearances on every major Japanese rock and reggae festival, the band have enjoyed great success with their own headline dates in Japan, England, France and Switzerland as well as highly acclaimed appearances at the 2000 Reading (U.K.) and Hanover (Germany) Womad festivals and guest appearances in Germany with Asian Dub Foundation and Buju Banton, Hong Kong with Primal Scream and Adrian Sherwood, their own highly successful Japanese dubfest, Echomaniacs which featured Adrian Sherwood, Andrew Weatherall, Dennis Bovell and 3 Head as well as dates in Japan with reggae legends, Lee Perry, Horace Andy, Jah Shaka and Mad Professor

Band Members

Shigemoto Nanao: Drums

Pata: Bass Guitar

Likkle Mai: Vocal

Ao Inoue: Vocal

Mitsuhiro Toike: Keyboard

The K: Guitar

Naoyuki Uchida: Dub Control

No new music has been recorded since 2002's New Creation, though the band continues to tour.

Their albums include:

• Dry & Heavy (08/1997)

1. Law of the Jungle

2. Runs Good

3. Flash Flood

4. I'm A Likkle Lioness

5. Steppin' Out

6. Strange Flute

7. Bow and Arrow

8. Meditate Rocka

9. Mighty Gun

• One Punch (11/11/1999)

1. Mr. Blueflame

2. T.K.O.

3. Triumph

4. Harmony

5. Lost World

6. Say No More

7. Don't Give Up Your Fight

8. Herbal Wise

9. Night Flight

10. Gassy Disco

11. The Athlete

• Full Contact (02/06/2000)

1. Dawn Is Breaking

2. Heavy Special

3. Knife

4. King Cobra Syle

5. Rumble

6. Love Explosion

7. Love Explosion Version

8. Private Plan

9. Life In The Jungle

10. Less Is More

11. Less Is More Version

12. The Smoker's Cough

13. Landing

• King Jammy meets Dry and Heavy in the Jaws of the Tiger (10/14/2000)

1. Do Dub Up Your fight

2. Rumble Dub

3. Dub World

4. Radical Dubber

5. Mr. Dub

6. Breaking Dub

7. Private Plan Dub

8. Harmony Dub

9. Night Flight Dub

10. Tiger Claw Dub

11. Less Is Dub

12. Love Explosion Dub

• New Creation (9/15/2002)

1. Reverse Again

2. Strictly Baby

3. Silent Drive

4. Still Silent

5. Dog And Chicken

6. New Creation

7. Riders Version

8. Right Track

9. Don't Make The Children Cry

10. Kombu

11. Bright Shining Dub