Sonic Boom Six (often shortened to SB6) are a five-piece rock band from Man… Read Full Bio ↴Sonic Boom Six (often shortened to SB6) are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid". Their lyrics tend to focus on social commentary with a live show known for "clashing activism and good times". The band's influences include Bad Brains, Public Enemy, The Fugees, The Specials, The Streets, and The Clash.

Sonic Boom Six first appeared on the Manchester punk scene in April 2002. Some of their members were previously in the band Grimace. Their self-titled demo, recorded with Jerry Melchers, was self-released in October 2002. To promote the CD, they toured the UK with third wave ska veterans The Toasters and London ska punk/hip hop band King Prawn. They also toured with Coolie Ranx and performed as his backing band. In September 2003, they released The Turbo EP, their first release for Moon Ska Europe. This was produced by Ace (of Skunk Anansie) and Christophe. After a series of good reviews, Sonic Boom Six were invited to perform a session on BBC Radio One's The Lock Up.

After further touring with Catch 22, as well as on the Moon Ska Launchpad Tour 2004 (alongside Zen Baseballbat, Graveltrap, Babar Luck and Dumpster Pop), the band re-united with Ace and Christophe to record their second EP. Sounds to Consume was released on Moon Ska Europe in August 2004, and include the Turbo EP as bonus tracks. After tour dates with Leftöver Crack and The Suicide Machines, the band appeared on BBC2's Asian arts programme Desi DNA performing in a scrapyard, as well as being interviewed by Adil Ray for his show on the BBC Asian Network.
Sonic Boom Six performing "All In" with Itch of The King Blues. Leeds Festival, Bramham Park, 27 August 2006

In early February 2005, Sonic Boom Six replaced guitarist Dave "Hellfire" Kelly with guitarist Ben, who used to play sax, thus making SB6 a four-piece. Ben's old sax parts are now played through a sampler when performing live, or by musicians from other bands, such as Grown at Home and The Flaming Tsunamis. In 2005, the band opened the Love Music Hate Racism event on the Leftfield Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, played Belgium's Sortie 23 festival and performed at the premier of the Rock Against Racism film Who Shot the Sheriff? with HARD-Fi and Roll Deep. 2005 also saw the release of the Champion Edition of Sounds to Consume, which featured four of their original demo tracks (remixed by Tim G), three remixes, an acoustic track and a video. They also embarked on several dates on the inaugural Good To Go Tour alongside The Aquabats and Never Heard of It.

In 2006, the band recorded their second session for BBC Radio 1's The Lock Up, which was broadcast on 27 June. They were joined by Pete and Tucker from Jesse James and Itch from The King Blues. Their debut full-length album, The Ruff Guide to Genre-Terrorism, was released on 10 July 2006 on Deck Cheese Records, and in August 2006 the band played the Reading and Leeds Festivals as a last minute replacement for Paramore. They were joined again by Itch of The King Blues for a performance of "All In" (singing the parts of the song written by Coolie Ranx) and Nick 'The Blade' Horne of Howards Alias, partner of vocalist Laila, who played trombone on the songs "Bigger Than Punk Rock" and "Until the Sunlight Comes".

In May 2007, they played at the Slam Dunk Festival at Leeds University Union with Paramore and Reel Big Fish. During Reel Big Fish's set, Laila joined the band on stage to sing parts of "She Has a Girlfriend Now" alongside Aaron Barrett. She joined them again during Reel Big Fish's Monkeys for Nothin' winter tour in 2008. They played the Reading and Leeds Festivals again in 2007, on the Lock Up stage, playing not only their own material but covering the song "Sound System" by Operation Ivy. During this song, Itch from the King Blues once again joined them on stage to sing it. November 2007 saw the release of the band's second full-length CD, Arcade Perfect, on their own Rebel Alliance Recordings.

In May 2008, the band embarked on the Rude Awakening 2008 tour, alongside Big D and the Kids Table and Random Hand. 2008 also saw a second Ruff and Ready tour. This was followed by the release of a remixes, b-sides and rarities album entitled Play On: Rare, Rejected and Arcade Perfected, which the band toured in support of in late 2008. Nick Horne also joined the band as a full time member, now playing guitar and bass live as well as trombone. They played at the Hevy Music Festival on 1 August 2009.

In May 2009 Sonic Boom Six released their third album City of Thieves, once again on Rebel Alliance Recordings. August 2009 saw Sonic Boom Six open the Main Stage at the Reading and Leeds Festival.

On 8 October 2009, it was announced on the band's official website that Ben Childs would be leaving the band after the forthcoming "Boom or Bust" tour and that he would be temporarily replaced by Matthew Reynolds – current vocalist and guitarist with rock band Drawings and also formerly of Howards Alias. In February 2010 new permanent member James "Jimmy T Boom" Routh, formerly of Myth of Unity, joined the band on guitar.

Play Inna Day
Sonic Boom Six Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once upon a time when all we had to do was make rhyme it didn't matter what they say.
Then other boys and girls would stop our games and call us nasty names
I couldn't pretend I was from the USA.

I guess the scene had never wanted to be mean,
Suburban debutantes in mother's car with brand new guitars,
Never took the time to innovate,
Just imitate and claim they never did it to be stars.

Something to say,
So we find a way,
Repeating it over and over,
If I believe in the things they say then maybe I can play in a day and you can too.

All the stickers in the world on your guitar don't change the sound when it's a birthday toy
And you rock a reggae riddim like a middle class whiteboy.
For one night only we can pay for punk and kareoke ska and all pretend we're from LA.

Was never fond of fishes in the local pond.
Would never change my tune for fickle political guestbook goons,
would never get upset by people that I've never met and never get a meeting to respond.

Something to say,
So we find a way,
Repeating it over and over,
If I believe in the things they say then maybe I can play in a day and you can too.

You can too, every one of you; It's inside you.

You'd better be making notes and taking the lesson in the sound,
Whether up on the chart or deep underground,
Don't believe them when they say there is enough of it around.
Never dibbi-dibbi when the tape a rewounda.
So buy the tape and wear the shirt and write a song and when its time to bring style grab the microphone And make it better, mandem say you can play inna day.

It isn't easy to turn over a new leaf,
it isn't easy to ignore the criticisms you receive
But that's the consequence of living with your heart upon your sleeve, if you believe.

Something to say so we find a way,

The stories a long way from over,
And I believe in the things I say so maybe then despite what they say I can play in a day and you can too.

Overall Meaning

The song "Play Inna Day" by Sonic Boom Six is a reflection on the struggles and challenges faced by young musicians trying to make it in the music industry. The lyrics suggest that in the beginning, making music was easy - all that mattered was making rhyme and expressing oneself. However, the arrival of doubters, naysayers, and copycats made things more difficult. The pressure to conform and replicate what was popular - rather than innovate and make something unique - was a constant threat to the creativity and authenticity of the art form.

The first verse suggests that the suburban lifestyle - where young musicians were confined to their homes or local scenes - hindered their growth and development. The fear of being different, of standing out, or of being ridiculed by others, created a sense of self-doubt and anxiety. However, the chorus emphasizes the importance of individuality and resilience: "if I believe in the things they say then maybe I can play in a day and you can too." The message here is that through perseverance and authenticity, anyone can make it in the industry without compromising their values and beliefs.

The second verse touches on the issue of cultural appropriation and how some musicians try to mimic or replicate the sound of other cultures without truly understanding or respecting their origins. The line "rock a reggae riddim like a middle-class white boy" suggests that some musicians may use other cultures' sounds and styles as a gimmick or a means of selling records, rather than as a genuine appreciation or tribute. The song encourages young musicians to avoid this trap and to find their own sound and style, rather than imitating what's popular or fashionable.

Overall, "Play Inna Day" is a passionate and empowering call to arms for young musicians. It encourages them to stay true to themselves, to find inspiration in their local scenes and cultures, and to keep pushing back against the pressures and challenges of the industry.

Line by Line Meaning

Once upon a time when all we had to do was make rhyme it didn't matter what they say.
Back in the day, we used to just focus on our music and didn't let other people's opinions bother us.

Then other boys and girls would stop our games and call us nasty names, I couldn't pretend I was from the USA.
But as we started getting more attention, other people would try to bring us down with insults, and I couldn't just ignore them by pretending to be American.

I guess the scene had never wanted to be mean, Suburban debutantes in mother's car with brand new guitars, Never took the time to innovate, Just imitate and claim they never did it to be stars.
It seemed like the music scene we were a part of didn't like it when we pushed boundaries and tried new things, and instead just wanted to copy what was already popular.

Something to say, So we find a way, Repeating it over and over, If I believe in the things they say then maybe I can play in a day and you can too.
Despite this pressure to conform, we still had something to say and we kept repeating our message until people heard us. And we wanted others to believe in themselves too, so they could also achieve their dreams in a short amount of time.

All the stickers in the world on your guitar don't change the sound when it's a birthday toy, And you rock a reggae riddim like a middle class whiteboy. For one night only we can pay for punk and kareoke ska and all pretend we're from LA.
No matter how many stickers or decorations you put on your guitar, it won't make it sound any better if it's just a cheap toy. And it's not genuine to listen to and perform music from a culture you didn't grow up in just because it's currently trendy. But even if we do indulge in that for one night, it's just for fun and not something we actually take seriously.

Was never fond of fishes in the local pond. Would never change my tune for fickle political guestbook goons, would never get upset by people that I've never met and never get a meeting to respond.
We weren't interested in gaining popularity in just our small local music scene. And we wouldn't change our music just to placate those who cared more about politics than the actual sound. And we wouldn't waste energy getting upset at people who don't even take the time to properly meet with us.

You can too, every one of you; It's inside you.
We believe that everyone has the potential to make their dreams come true, if they just believe in themselves and work hard.

You'd better be making notes and taking the lesson in the sound, Whether up on the chart or deep underground, Don't believe them when they say there is enough of it around. Never dibbi-dibbi when the tape a rewounda. So buy the tape and wear the shirt and write a song and when its time to bring style grab the microphone And make it better, mandem say you can play inna day.
No matter where you are or where you want to be, always be learning and improving from the music around you. And don't let people tell you that there's already too much of a certain sound, because there's never enough creativity in the world. Don't be passive, but actively participate in music by buying records, writing your own songs, and performing with your own style. And if you do, we believe you can succeed quickly.

It isn't easy to turn over a new leaf, it isn't easy to ignore the criticisms you receive But that's the consequence of living with your heart upon your sleeve, if you believe.
Changing yourself or ignoring negative feedback is never easy, but that's what you have to do if you're truly passionate and open about your music. And if you believe in yourself and your message, mistakes and backlash won't deter you.

Something to say so we find a way, The stories a long way from over, And I believe in the things I say so maybe then despite what they say I can play in a day and you can too.
We always have something important to say, and we'll keep finding ways to express it. Our journey is far from over, and we'll always believe in ourselves and encourage others to believe in themselves too. So don't let others' opinions get you down, because if we can achieve our goals quickly, so can you.

Contributed by Caleb C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS