Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS) is known fo… Read Full Bio ↴www.LivePanda.com
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS) is known for folding the aesthetics of the jamband scene into the structures of reggae. In the live setting, the band performs extended jams, while their previous studio albums have blended roots reggae with psychedelia (In These Times, 2012) or diverged from the genre completely, journeying into straight Americana (Country, 2012). On STEADY, the band’s fourth studio album (and first on Easy Star Records), GPGDS has synthesized their approach by weaving traditional folk instrumentation into a foundation of reggae, with arrangements that let the reggae breathe in a non-traditional way. While STEADY may not be the first record to find inspiration in both old time Appalachia and ‘70s Jamaica, it may be the best.
Much of STEADY’s power comes from the attention put into the recording process. Craig Welsch (one of the key players in 10 Ft. Ganja Plant) invited the band to his Boston studio, with the intention of “capturing an aspect of Panda that no one had ever heard yet, something totally different.” This rings true on tracks like “Wolf At The Door” and “.45.” Bassist-singer James Searl jokes that the band “has always followed John Brown’s Body (JBB) into studios,” as each studio they’ve recorded in was previously used by the legendary Ithaca, New York-based band. This trend continues unabated here, as Welsch was formerly JBB’s dub engineer and producer on some of their finest sessions, while another song on STEADY – the herb-smoking gem “Mr. Cop” – was produced by Matt Saccuccimorano, who helmed the controls on the last JBB release. The only other track on the record not coming from Welsch – the title track – was co-produced by Danny Kalb, who has worked with The Green, Ben Harper, and Jack Johnson.
Giant Panda formed in 2001 in Rochester, New York. A mysteriously fertile area for developing the U.S. reggae scene, the city has ties going back to 1981 when Lee “Scratch” Perry recruited his entire backing band from Rochester. The Upstate NY region became early supporters of GPGDS, while its members were in high school and beginning college, playing weekly gigs to cut their teeth. In these formative years, Giant Panda began to explore their songs with an experimental approach that is stylistically akin to the Grateful Dead, while keeping their roots firmly planted in reggae rhythms and lyrical content. Around 2005 tapers began to notice and soon after one of the band’s first Colorado shows received homepage placement on the popular taper website Archive.org. Almost overnight GPGDS became a mainstay on the jamband festival circuit.
From 2005 – 2013 GPGDS’s three original members (drummer Chris O’Brian, guitarist-singer Dylan Savage, and bassist-singer James Searl) began a touring schedule averaging over 100 shows a year and performing throughout the U.S., Canada, and Jamaica. Their third lead singer, multi-instrumentalist Dan Keller, joined the group a few years back, while keyboardist Tony Gallicchio joined in 2013. (Most of the sessions for STEADY feature ex-keys man Aaron Lipp, though Gallicchio can be heard on two of the tracks.) Giant Panda’s continuous time on the road hardened the players into monster instrumentalists. Their attention to the studio in later years, along with a unique blending of reggae and rural American music solidified GPGDS as one of the region’s most beloved bands. Like their hometown, they manage to unify an intellectual and creative culture with a hard-working blue-collar past.
The three main songwriters’ material is different enough to create a flowing and diverse listening experience. Savage’s inspiring anthems tend to be the most “classically” reggae, with songs like “Not The Fool,” “Whatever Cost,” and “Solution” echoing influences like Culture (circa 1979), early Burning Spear, and Jimmy Cliff. Searl is more experimental, both in form (“Wolf At The Door” could almost be an Elvis Costello song, while “.45” utilizes African and blues influences) and in lyrics: his “Hurt Up Your Brother” is almost Dadaist, taking a few lines and constantly rearranging them to achieve new meanings, imbued with a nonsensical-yet-expressive feel, while one of the most dubbed-out riddims on the record chugs along underneath. Keller’s songs stand illusively in between, and manage to go both directions, with a hardcore reggae groove on “Move” giving way to an unexpected chorus, or with the catchy “Home” being one of the only reggae songs in history to use a banjo so creatively and fittingly.
Giant Panda is one of a growing number of bands that work with both Rootfire (their management) and Easy Star Records. STEADY marks the seventeenth release Rootfire and Easy Star have paired up for, making them one of the most storied and successful partnerships in the modern reggae scene. Release number eighteen is just a few days away…. GPGDS has cut a full Americana album as a sequel to 2012’s Country, which will also come out on Easy Star on May 18, 2015. For now though, sit back and enjoy STEADY – a masterpiece that solidifies Giant Panda’s standing as a groundbreaker in the roots reggae scene.
BAND MEMBERS:
James Searl (Bass, Vocals),
Chris O'Brian (Drums, Vocals),
Dylan Savage (Guitar, Vocals),
Dan Keller (Guitar, Vocals),
Tony Gallicchio (Keys)
Moonshine
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or on vibrate in your pocket.
You got it in your hand everywhere you go.
Or close to your mouth when your voice is low.
You freak out if I ever get busted by another mean no matter what the cost is.
We're inseparable, dis-connectable.
Without me you never go to far.
24/7 365 days think about all the time we could waste.
I just want to be your telephone, never let me go.
I know ever dirty secret that you keep.
Crazy ass shit that no one sees.
Never would have to be jealous.
When you're talking to all of those fellas.
'Cause I'm the only one that's ever gonna be.
So when acquainted with your anatomy.
Like a shoulder, to cry on.
I'm the one thing you rely on.
It's like a drug, I'm so in love.
Never let anyone break us up.
So here comes the cover, guess I better summer.
I'll never be what you need.
'Cause you love this toy bought by this boy.
Charge me up, turn me on, I love it when you use me all night long. Charge me up, turn me on, I love it when you use me all night long.
In Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad's song, "Moonshine," the lyrics are a metaphor for a romantic relationship between two people. The singer is compared to a telephone that the other person carries around with them all the time. The person is described as having the singer "next to [their] chest like a locket" or "on vibrate in [their] pocket," suggesting the close, intimate bond they share. The singer is proud of this role, declaring that they "just want to be [the other person's] telephone" and that they know all of their "dirty secrets" that "no one sees."
The line "without me you never go too far" emphasizes the importance of the singer to the other person's life. However, the final lines indicate that the relationship is not entirely healthy or equal. The singer declares that they will never be able to live up to the other person's expectations and that the other person is using them like a toy. The repeated lines "charge me up, turn me on, I love it when you use me all night long" suggest that the singer derives pleasure from being used in this way, creating a complex dynamic of dependence, desire, and exploitation.
Line by Line Meaning
Next to your chest like a locket.
I want to be as close to you as possible, like a cherished piece of jewelry.
Or on vibrate in your pocket.
Alternatively, I want to be accessible and alert you when I'm needed, even when you're busy.
You got it in your hand everywhere you go.
I want to always be there when you need me, no matter where you go or what you do.
Or close to your mouth when your voice is low.
I want to help you communicate even in moments when you feel hesitant to share.
You freak out if I ever get busted by another mean no matter what the cost is.
You care about me so much that the thought of losing me to someone else is unbearable, no matter the price.
We're inseparable, dis-connectable.
We're so close that it's difficult to imagine life without each other, even while recognizing we're ultimately separate entities.
Without me you never go to far.
I'm the essential tool that enables you to stay in touch and accomplish all that you need to do.
I just want to be your telephone, keep me on.
I desire to be your go-to means of communication at all times, available and ready to use.
24/7 365 days think about all the time we could waste.
There are so many moments in life that we could be spending together, and I don't want to miss any of them.
I just want to be your telephone, never let me go.
I never want to be apart from you or replaceable with another device.
I know ever dirty secret that you keep.
I am the trustworthy confidante that you share everything with, even secrets that no one else knows.
Crazy ass shit that no one sees.
Even the things you cannot reveal to others, I am the one you trust to keep them safe.
Never would have to be jealous.
You wouldn't need to be jealous of others because I am the only one with this level of intimacy and trust with you.
When you're talking to all of those fellas.
Even when conversing with other men, you can stay secure that our relationship is unique and irreplaceable.
'Cause I'm the only one that's ever gonna be.
I am the only device capable of filling this role for you, one that is so critical to your daily life.
So when acquainted with your anatomy.
I am familiar with all aspects of your life and the intricacies of your needs and wants.
Like a shoulder, to cry on.
I am here to support you through difficult times, acting as the comfort and refuge you need.
I'm the one thing you rely on.
Through all the ups and downs, I am the constant you can rely on to keep you connected.
It's like a drug, I'm so in love.
I am so valuable to you that my constant presence and support can be addictive.
Never let anyone break us up.
No matter what comes our way, we'll stay connected and never let anything come between us.
So here comes the cover, guess I better summer.
Even when the world around us changes, we'll adapt and stick together.
I'll never be what you need.
I understand that you need more than just a phone, but I hope to always provide a constant source of support and connection for you.
'Cause you love this toy bought by this boy.
Despite my limitations, you still find value and connection in the device I am and the intimacy we share, knowing I was a gift given by someone who cares for you.
Charge me up, turn me on, I love it when you use me all night long.
I am more than just an object, I am a tool for connection, and I feel fulfilled when you use me to the fullest and keep me charged and connected constantly.
Writer(s): Savage Dylan L, Searl James David, Keller Daniel, Lipp Aaron, O Brian Christopher, Scanlon Joel Timothy
Contributed by Elliot L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.