Steppin' Razor brings original, conscious roots rock reggae to the masses of the 21st Century, who not only seek an escape from the monotony, but rather are inspired by positive vibrations. This music is for those who crave something new, but familiar; revolutionary, yet classic. With their debut CD, Gold In Rule, dropping in early 2009, Steppin' Razor's next chapter unfolds.
It was the spring of 2005. The successful Bob Marley and the Wailers tribute band, Babylon Bus, had dissolved. The former lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Johnny Myers, and drummer, Mark Patterson, realized something over the course of an inspiring phone conversation; they still had an unquestionable desire to play Reggae music. With an arsenal of tunes, and a resurgence of inspiration to learn as much as possible about the music they loved, the two started to assemble a new group.
The core 4, Johnny Myers, Mark Patterson, James Hoy, and B. Hold are who stand tall amongst the great cast of players that have come and gone in the history of the band (we give thanks to each of them because without their contributions, we would not be where we are today). Their gigs have taken them from the casinos of Atlantic City, to many of the legendary stages of Philadelphia including the World Cafe Live, Grape Street, The North Star Bar, The Barbary, The Pontiac Grille, and The Khyber, and more recently to headlining spots at The Note in West Chester, PA. Fans have also been enjoying them in West Chester every Wednesday night for Reggae Night for nearly 3 years. These shows are comprised of a mix of Reggae classics and Steppin' Razor originals.
Having cultivated and nurtured their approach to Reggae, work began on a record of Steppin' Razor originals. As it progressed, the band realized that it would be possible to create EVERYTHING themselves and keep all production in-house, save for the CD replication. The result is 2009's Gold In Rule. The full length album was written, produced, engineered, recorded, and mastered by the members of Steppin' Razor. Even the artwork and photography, except for 4 pictures (courtesy of Aaron Owens) were done completely by the band.
With a renewed sense of accomplishment and confidence, Steppin' Razor is looking forward to continued steady growth, with a greater focus on more songwriting and performances in original music-friendly venues. With a second album in the works, look for more shows by the band outside of the greater Philadelphia area soon!
