PRESSURE, Our 1980’s Reggae Band…

L to R Courtney Audain, Tom Robinson, Ras Iginga Tafari, Steve Carter, Claude McCan, Ras Abijah

Band members…Claude McCan-Keys/vocals, Sebastian Williams-Vocals, Courtney Audain-Bass/Vocals, Steve Carter-Guitar/Vocals, Ras Abijah-Lead Guitar/Vocals, Ras Iginga-Drums/Steel Drums, Richard Mercado-Lead Guitar, Brian Lee Sebastian-Drums, Donny Silverman-Sax and Flute,Tom Robinson-Sax and Electronic Wind Controller, Jerry Stevens-Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals, Addae (Michael Cannon)-Percussion, Rory McLeod-Harmonica/Vocals, David Highfill-Drums, Johnny Reverb-Lead Guitar/Vocals, Roots-Tambourine, Michael Ramos-Keyboards, Chris Bailey-Lead Guitar and Mark “Dino” Eastwood-Soundman/Vocals.

Pressure was an amazing band, one of the best bands I have ever played with. We survived many personnel changes and many, many road trips.

We played at SUNFEST, in Kingston Jamaica, Bob Marley Stadium, that may have been the peak moment for the band. Rita Marley was there and told me she enjoyed our show. We rehearsed in Jimmy Cliff’s house! The day after that show, we were invited to play at a “party” in the country. That “party” turned out to be 10,000 people, in a natural amphitheater, in the mountains, at St. D’acre, near Nine Mile, where Bob Marley is buried. It was mind blowing, bonfires everywhere and nuthin’ but Jamaicans for as far as the eye could see. We opened for Kotch, a huge Jamaican band at the time. I remember being directed to go to a stall for some Jerk Chicken. As I was walking through this crowd I heard a voice going “White Boy! White Boy!..I turned and saw this gold toothed Rasta grinning wildly at me. He said “Don’t frighten, Man, you safe… you safe.” Must have been the look on my face. I wasn’t scared but I really was overwhelmed. Oh yeah, when we arrived on the shuttle bus, we were surrounded by curious Jamaicans. I remember a policeman, armed with an M16, just leveled it at the crowd and they parted, like the Red Sea, and we rushed to the stage. We played for 3 hours, straight. (PS I have never, to this day, been as high as I was on Jamaican weed!)

When Pressure was formed, I was playing with The Lotions, as an auxiliary player. Sebastian Williams was their roadie. He was, and still is a fantastic singer. Claude McCan had been in The Radio Planets, a popular New Wave band and he would often sit in with the Lotions. Claude had also formed the STARMEN, the first reggae band in Austin, several years before. He is a fine keyboard player, especially on a synth and a great singer and songwriter. They asked me if I wanted to start a reggae band and I was thrilled.

When we first played I was on bass. We had Rory Mcleod on harmonica and David Highfill on drums. We had our first gig at Liberty Lunch, opening for reggae legend, Dennis Brown. Rory has had a long and stellar career, back in England.

I had played my first gig in Austin, at Antone’s, with a Calypso/reggae singer named Lord Brynner who had changed his name to Kade-I-Man. I had played with Brynner in Baytown, TX., in STEADY, the first reggae band I ever played with. It was named after Stedman Joseph, who would later join us as Ras Iginga. Brynner had flown this kid down from Brooklyn who was quite an accomplished musician, Courtney Audain. Courtney is my life long best friend.

At some point, we decided to move me to rhythm guitar and hire Courtney. Richard Mercado ( an awesome guitarist and a funny man! ) was already our lead guitarist but ya gotta have riddim guitar in a reggae band, which is what I was doing with The Lotions. We added Brian Lee “Basher” Sebastian on drums, who was playing in The Sapphires, a Motown band that Claude and I were also in. There was this cool, quiet Rasta named Roots, who would play tambourine and took it very seriously! I don’t know whatever happened to Roots but when he left Addae (ah-DAH-aay) showed up. Donny Silverman joined the band on sax. Donny had played with Townes van Zant, for years, before joining us.

That incarnation lasted a good while. We toured up the East Coast and down through the Mid-West a few times. HAHA! Once, we played a 2 night gig, at a Cuban club, in Washington D.C. and the club, nicely paid to NOT play the second night! We did play a very successful gig, at a D.C. club that liked reggae the next night. Our “manager” was Louis Meyers (RIP) and he had booked us to play at Jonathan Swift’s, in Cambridge, Mass. but when we showed up, the club had never heard of us. They did let us open for one of our idols, Max Romeo, for no money. That started the “No Money” part of our tour. Louis called and told us the next 3 nights were cancelled. Now, to make sure you know, Louis was our dear friend, for all of our lives and we miss him a lot. Shit happens. During this phase, at a gig in Joplin, MS, John Hall (Founder of the great band, Orleans, wrote Still The One, and Dance With Me) asked to sit in with us. He was a fantastic guitarist and we had a ball.

We only had enough money for rooms, we consolidated and doubled up in beds to get us through until our gigs in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Across the street from our Cambridge hotel was a little Pizza joint, run by 2 old ladies (“Old”, as in probably the age I am now). When they heard about our $$ troubles they just said “Come by, every night at closing”. Their kindness and leftover Calzones kept us alive and I will never forget them.

The next generation happened when “Basher” left. Tom Robinson replaced Donny Silverman. Actually, we stole Tom from a popular Corpus Christi band, “The Detectives”, we begged him to move to Austin, and we contacted my old drummer, Stedman Joseph. “Steady” was in Trinidad and had changed his name to Ras Iginga Tafari because he had fled to Trinidad after getting busted by the FBI for selling pot in Houston. He came up, anyway. We were about to hire a great lead guitarist and friend, Chris Bailey, when, one night, at our Liberty Lunch gig, this dark skinned, dread locked man was dancing wildly, right up front. He came back stage and announced to us that “HE” was our new lead guitarist, plain and simple. Ras Abijah is a hugely talented musician. He and Iginga would play Jazz standards for hours. (with Iginga on the steel drums. He was amazing, he played with 4 sticks, 2 in each hand. He was a true”Pan Master”) This, in my opinion, was the best line-up in the band’s history. It was always a great band, from day one, but this outfit killed…This outfit played The Rockies quite a bit, ski resorts, Santa Fe…etc..

After Abaijah went back to St. Lucia and Claude left the band, Johnny Reverb, from The Lotions, joined us for a while. At that time we were into electronic things. Tom played a synth-sax and we had added electronic drums so that Iginga could hit a foot switch, in the middle of a song, and go and play steel drums. It was pretty amazing.

Jerry Stevens asked to join the band and, to our utter amazement, knew every song and could play keyboards OR guitar OR flute and sing any missing background vocals. We worked him in in a single rehearsal. I’ve rarely seen anything like it. Iginga ended up going back to Trinidad. ( He passed away a few years ago. He was a great friend and huge musical influence in my life. I love and respect him.) Courtney and Jerry were wizards with the Midi stuff, so, we went forth with no drummer. I remember, at one, point, where we had 14 synthesizers, playing drums, horn sections, strings, you name it.

One time, in Santa Fe, Stewart Copeland (THE POLICE) was in the club and wanted to sit in, with us. When he realized we had no drum set…well…that was that.

Liberty Lunch was one of the most amazing clubs in Austin History. It has been a lumber yard, where City Hall sits now. The owners, Mark Pratz and Jeanette Ward, had a reunion show last year and we were invited. We got the original band back together and it was stellar fun.

I enjoyed being in that band so much. We were a “House Band” at Brad First’s “CLUB FOOT”. Touring bands would often stop in and see us, Cheap Trick, Hall and Oates, The Clash, Culture Club, Journey. Pat Benatar and Neil Geraldo. beacame pals and would guest list us when they came to town.

Courtney and I smoked a joint with Robin Williams behind Steamboat. He was dressed as Mork. What a cool moment in time.

Our vinyl EP, featuring Eric Johnson and Tomas Ramirez, won Best EP, 1983 Austin Chronicle Music poll and we were voted Best Reggae Band 3 years in a row.

Bands we played with,,,,Steel Pulse, Peter Tosh, Mutabaruka, Dennis Brown, Yellowman, The Gladiators (our friends!), Twinkle Brothers, Flock of Seagulls, Third World, UB40, Toots and The Maytalls, Gregory Isaacs, Freddy McGregor, Black Uhuru, B52’s, Burning Spear, Talking Heads, Max Romeo, Big Youth and Burning Spear.

2016 LIBERTY LUNCH REUNION

In Jamaica, Bob Marley Stadium

Our first gig. Opening for Dennis Brown at Liberty Lunch. 

L to R Top Steve, David highfill, Richard Mercado

Bottom Rory Mcleod, Sebastian Williams, Claude McCan

L to R Steve, Jerry Stevens, Tom Robinson, Courtney Audain

L to R Top Courtney Audain, Donny Silverman

Bottom Claude McCan, Brian Sebastian, Sebastian Williams, Steve, Addae

L to R Claude, me, Sebastian, Brian Sebastian, Courtney, Roots, Richard Mercado.