The path to success for a musician is never clear cut. It’s not unusual to toil away in worthy groups and projects, only to have something started simply for fun eclipse everything that went before.
This is exactly what happened with L.A.’s Aggrolites, who perform at Cane’s Friday, March 7.
The band was formed in late 2002 from the ashes of instrumental reggae combo The Rhythm Doctors by Jesse Wagner (vocals, lead guitar), Brian Dixon (rhythm guitar) and Korey Horn (drums).
“There was nothing much going on and we were all just playing in a lot of different bands,” Wagner said. “Brian and I were talking one night and we had this idea of, ‘Hey, lets just put this band together for fun playing old-school reggae.'”
Wagner had never performed as a vocalist, but he wasn’t concerned since the band would only play a few gigs here and there.
“You know, just have a good time and not having to worry about making a living at it,” he said.
Dixon’s job at a recording studio was the connection to fellow band members Roger Rivas (organ) and Jeff Roffredo (bass).
Wagner said he pretty much just contacted his favorite musicians he knew through there.
To the band’s amazement, what had begun as something less than serious soon took on a life of it’s own, with tour offers both here and in Europe.
“I was surprised,” Wagner said. “The intentions we had originally were just to have fun with it, but the more offers we got, the more serious we got about it.”
To date, The Aggrolites have released three albums, including 2007’s “Reggae Hit L.A.,” and scored a hit in the song “Freetime.”
The band started landing television soundtracks last year with tunes appearing on MTV’s “The Hills,” USA’s “Dr. Steve-O” and Nick Jr.’s “Yo Gabba Gabba.”
When asked about their sound, Wagner uses the phrase “dirty reggae,” referring to their mix of reggae, punk and soul.
“We’re most influenced by the music made when reggae first left Jamaica, got to the UK and became popular between ’68 and ’72,” he said. “Obviously, I don’t have a Jamaican accent. I was raised on American soul music and Jamaican music is influenced by American soul so we added that to it.”
The last ingredient was their high energy shows.
“We all grew up listening to punk rock,” he said.
But the Aggrolites’ biggest impact has been bringing Jamaica’s early reggae sound back to modern music.
“(When) most people think of reggae they think Bob Marley and that’s about it, “he said. “The reggae music of this period is really not that popular in the United States.”
The obscure influence helped the band when it was first starting out.
“Everybody was playing ska at the time or more modern reggae, so we thought, ‘Let’s try to influence people to listen to this type of reggae.'”
But it was Wagner’s family that gave him the music bug early.
“Since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be a musician. My dad was in a soul band and when he was younger my uncle was in a traveling soul band that used to open for Ike & Tina Turner in the ’60s.”
Meanwhile, his mother was an avid music fan with an affinity for The Beatles.
“Growing up around that, seeing it on music on TV and hearing all the stories from my dad and uncle at an early age set me off,” Wagner said. “I knew that’s what I want to do with my life.”
Wagner said The Aggrolites’ best receptions are always in L.A. and San Diego, but touring has helped expand the band’s fan base around the globe.
“We get email from Australia and Malaysia now, and have performed in Mexico and Canada. There’s actually a band called the Aggrobeats, from Malaysia,” Wagner said, noting that this is the ultimate sign that a band has arrived.
“And that’s just crazy,” he said.