Originally formed in 2010 by Ali Culotta and Danny Portilla, Stop The Presses has come a long way since their early days in Miami. The band deliver an incredible mix of traditional ska & reggae with pop hooks – new wave style and punk rock attitude with a splash of British 2-Tone. In 2019, they released “Money in the Bank”, produced by Agent Jay and featuring Dave Hillyard of The Slackers. This album quickly put the band on the international map with it’s a retro 80s sensibility and modern edge that won over ska fans of all types! Lockdown 2020 brought multiple high profile live streams, collaborative videos, and their “Dub in the Bank” 7 inch release. In 2021, Stop the Presses hit the ground running with an east coast tour, a stand out performance at Supernova Ska Festival and the contribution of their single “Make the Best of It” for the Jump Up / Supernova Alpha Boys School benefit double album “SKA CARES”. In 2022 the band recorded their second full length “Got It” right before heading out on an extensive US tour including an official SXSW showcase and a return performance at Supernova. This new album was entirely recorded in Brooklyn, mixed once again by AGENT JAY at STABBY ROAD. Eight tracks that prove how exciting and diverse a modern traditional ska band can be! Includes a fantastic cover of Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl”! As Agent Jay describes them: “A live natural feel, but a big sound with detailed arrangements.” Available on blue vinyl, compact disc, and cassette tape!
Tag: agent jay
DAVE HILLYARD & ROCKSTEADY 7 “Friends And Enemies” LP (JUMP110LP – OUT OF PRINT)
If you aren’t familiar with Dave’s saxophone playing history, maybe you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of decades? He has been a gigging/touring musician since his teenage years, playing with HEPCAT, RANCID, STUBBORN ALL-STARS, Willie Williams, Stranger Cole, Glen Brown, Glen Adams, Archie Bell, and for the last 18 years, he has been the featured soloist with NYC’s legendary Ska band, THE SLACKERS. ROCKSTEADY 7, a fourteen year old all-star collective, is the band where Dave is able to showcase his unique style of Saxophone playing with extended Jazz improvisations over Reggae-Ska rhythms. As Dave explains, “I’m a freak stylistically. I’m a southern Californian raised kid who started out playing like Jamaican saxophonists, Roland Alphonso and Tommy McCook. Then I moved to New York and got into classic American saxophone like Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Illinois Jacquet. Then I went on the road and started to understand the blues. I got into Howling Wolf, Tbone Walker, and Sonny Boy Williamson.” Continue reading DAVE HILLYARD & ROCKSTEADY 7 “Friends And Enemies” LP (JUMP110LP – OUT OF PRINT)
