Steel Pulse originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, Birmingham, and comprised David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronnie McQueen (bass).
However, it is Hinds who, as songwriter, has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse, from their early days establishing themselves in the Birmingham club scene onwards. Formed in 1975, their debut release, 'Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku" arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. They followed it with 'Nyah Love' for Anchor.
Surprisingly, they were initially refused live dates in Caribbean venues in the Midlands because of their Rastafarian beliefs. Aligning themselves closely with the Rock Against Racism 1 organisation, they chose to tour instead with sympathetic elements of the punk movement, including the Stranglers, XTC etc.: "Punks had a way of enjoying themselves - throw hordes at you, beer, spit at you, that kind of thing".
Eventually they found a more natural home in support slots for Burning Spear, which brought them to the attention of Island Records. Their first release for Island was the 'Ku Klux Klan' 45 rpm, a considered tilt at the evils of racism, and one often accompanied by a visual parody of the sect on stage.
By this time their ranks had swelled to include Selwyn 'Bumbo' Brown (keyboards), Steve 'Grizzly' Nesbitt (drums), Fonso Martin (vocals, percussion) and Michael Riley (vocals). Handsworth Revolution was an accomplished long playing debut and one of the major landmarks in the evolution of British reggae.
However, despite critical and moderate commercial success over three albums, the relationship with Island had soured by the advent of Caught You (released in the US as Reggae Fever). They switched to Elektra, and unveiled their most consistent collection of songs since their debut with True Democracy, distinguished by the Garveyeulogising 'Rally Around' cut.
A further definitive set arrived in Earth Crisis. Unfortunately, Elektra chose to take a leaf out of Island's book in trying to coerce Steel Pulse into a more mainstream vein, asking them to emulate the pop-reggae stance of Eddy Grant. Babylon Bandit was consequently weakened, but did contain the anthemic 'Not King james Version', which was a powerful indictment on the omission of black people and history from certain versions of the Bible.
Their next move was id Hinds of Steel Pulse to MCA for State Of Emergency, which retained some of the synthesized dance elements of its predecessor. Though it was a significantly happier compromise, it still paled before any of their earlier albums.
Rastafari Centennial was recorded live at the Elysee Montmarte in Paris, and dedicated to the hundred year anniversary of the birth of Haile Selassie. It was the first recording since the defection of Fonso Martin, leaving the trio of David Hinds, Steve Nisbett and Selwyn Brown.
While they still faced inverted snobbery at the hands of British reggae fans, in America their reputation was growing, becoming the first ever reggae band to appear on the Tonight television show. Their profile was raised further when, in 1992, Hinds challenged the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission in the Supreme High Court, asserting that their cab drivers discriminated against black people in general and Rastas in particular.
Drummer Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett (15 March 1948 – 18 January 2018) died in 2018.
The band are still recording and touring.
Must Be A Way
Steel Pulse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's stop a while and re-adjust our minds
'Cause this oppression has gone on to long
World leaders are brain washing all mankind
Unveil the mystery of iniquity
Religion's been the backbone of our strife
When you go back into history
Find some way, There must be a way, Let's do it today
Find some way, There must be away, Let's do it today
Stop them break these invisible chains
As we go down the systems avenue
Of corridors with horrors and loud screams
When you cross over to the other side
You realize that life's not what it seems
That's the work of Illuminati
That's made a plan for you to run that course
But never bow down to the Antichrist
Beware 666 behold a pale horse, yes I know
Find some way, There must be a way, Let's do it today
Find some way, There must be away, Let's do it today
Stop them break these invisible chains
That control us
That control us yes
There must be a way
Let's do it today
There must be a way
Make no delay
There must be, there must be
There must be, there must be a way I say heh heh yes!
Steel Pulse's "Must Be a Way" is a call to action for people to open their minds and actively resist oppression by breaking free from the invisible chains that control them. The song acknowledges the influence of religion throughout history, but also criticizes how false prophets have misguided people's lives. The band urges listeners to unveil the mystery of iniquity and stop world leaders from brainwashing them.
The lyrics assert that life is not always what it seems and that the Illuminati has a plan for people to follow their course. The band warns against the Antichrist and highlights its association with the 666 mark of the beast. The constant repetition of the phrase "There must be a way" is a plea for people to come together and create a better world, one in which they won't be controlled by unseen forces.
The overall message of the song is clear: people need to educate themselves, open their minds, and take control of their own lives in order to resist tyranny. By doing so, they can move towards a brighter future. Steel Pulse's call to action for freedom and self-determination is particularly relevant in light of the current political climate.
Line by Line Meaning
Now that we've reached the new millennium
It's time for us to reflect on the long-standing oppression and injustices in society as we enter a new era.
Let's stop a while and re-adjust our minds
We need to take a moment to reconsider our priorities and beliefs to address the problems that we are facing.
'Cause this oppression has gone on to long
The issues we are facing have been persistent and pervasive for too long and must be addressed immediately.
World leaders are brain washing all mankind
Those in power are using the media and other tactics to manipulate the public and spread falsehoods to maintain their position of power.
Unveil the mystery of iniquity
It's time to reveal the hidden agendas and corruption that keep us trapped in a cycle of injustice and oppression.
Religion's been the backbone of our strife
Religious beliefs have been used to support and justify violence and other forms of discrimination throughout history, contributing to the struggles we face today.
When you go back into history
Looking back at history, we can see how false prophets have manipulated society to maintain their power.
False prophet's have misguided our lives, Hey!
Those who have lied to society and manipulated information to maintain power are responsible for the challenges that we face today.
Find some way, There must be a way, Let's do it today
We must take action right now to address the issues that we face, because there is always a solution if we are willing to find it.
Stop them break these invisible chains
We need to break free from the systems of oppression that keep us in invisible chains and prevent us from achieving equality and justice.
As we go down the systems avenue
As we navigate through the institutions that have been built around us, we encounter horrors and injustice that are difficult to address.
Of corridors with horrors and loud screams
Within the systems of oppression that we encounter, there is often immense suffering and a lack of justice that lead to loud cries for change.
When you cross over to the other side
Looking past these systems of oppression and the power structures that maintain them, we can see that life is not what it seems.
You realize that life's not what it seems
When we look past the illusion of these oppressive systems, we see the deeper reality of inequality and injustice that plague our society.
That's the work of Illuminati
The conspiracies and larger powers that maintain systems of oppression are often obscure and difficult to understand, like the idea of the Illuminati.
That's made a plan for you to run that course
Those in power have a plan to maintain their control over us and keep us trapped in systems of oppression that benefit them.
But never bow down to the Antichrist
We should never submit to the forces of evil and corruption that seek to control us and maintain systems of oppression for their own gain.
Beware 666 behold a pale horse, yes I know
We must be wary of the signs of corruption and oppression, like the number 666 and the image of a pale horse.
That control us
These systems of oppression have a tight grip on our lives and limit our ability to achieve true freedom and equality.
That control us yes
The control that these systems have over us is pervasive and difficult to break, but we must keep fighting for change.
There must be a way
We must always believe that there is a way to break free from systems of oppression and achieve true justice and equality.
Make no delay
We can't afford to wait any longer to address these issues and must act with urgency.
There must be, there must be
We must remain steadfast in our belief that change is possible and that there is always a way forward.
There must be, there must be a way I say heh heh yes!
We must keep fighting for change and liberation from oppressive systems, and we must do it with determination and joy.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID ROBERT HINDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lenworth
This album changed my life
Lee Swerdna
these drums are too good. my favorite reggae track in regards to drums
William Winn
no profit,only man.
Yves Augustin
Biggest Reggae band in D world
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