New England’s Soul Rebel Project continues releasing some of today’s most heartfelt reggae rock
Photo courtesy of VP Records.
Daily Reggae caught up with Mike Francis, the frontman of Soul Rebel Project, to dive into the Massachusetts-based band’s new music, creative writing process, and recent live shows.
We are vibing to your latest single, “G Town Ride”! The bass line is so irie, and the hook is so fun to sing along with. How did this track come about?
Thank you for the kind words and the opportunity! The song “G Town Ride” is meant to be an uplifting track representing the area of Gloucester, MA, and provide a soundtrack to a nice ride along the coastline -- experiencing the vastness of the ocean when you look across and also the beauty of the surrounding areas all the way to Boston.
New England has an ever expanding reggae scene from The Elovaters, Roots of Creation, Mighty Mystic, Naya Rockers and Buddahfly to homegrown talent like Joe Samba. How does it feel to be part of the growing community, and what are some of your favorite venues to play including in your hometown of Gloucester, Mass?
We are honored to be part of the New England family and do our best to pay homage to reggae in our own way. We are also humbled and very appreciative of all the love we have been shown all over the world, and will continue to write, record, and perform live as long as the Lord allows. We have to give a special thanks to the VP/VPAL/Dub Rockers family for always believing in us.
You played some big shows this summer! What was one of your favorite sets, and how does the band prepare for your live shows?
In a 365-day period SRP played from Rototom in Spain, the mountains of Maine, to Baltimore and NYC, with many other places in between, but the set at SummerStage in Central Park felt so special. We felt love from start to finish and there was a certain energy in the air that day.
How is your new music coming? Can we expect a new album in 2024? We are really loving your 2022 album, “Someday”!
The music is coming along right on schedule and the second single is almost ready. The entire record, which is called Blessings Vol. 1, is on pace for a late winter/early spring release.
Does the music or lyrics come first? And are you open to collaborating with more bands and artists in the future?
In terms of the writing process, usually an arrangement with a phrasing or melody is made and then lyrics are added, but that isn’t always the case. Certain lyrical concepts will come into my head and then I will add music and a tempo to it to build from there. Thank you for the support and we wish you all the best!
