Dustin Bushnell (Duddy B)
Jon Olazabal
Matt Ochoa
David Foral
Shawn HagoodDirty Heads is a band from Huntington Beach, California, with a melodic style that includes hip hop and ska punk genres. Their debut album, Any Port in a Storm, was released on September 23, 2008, by Executive Music Group (Fontana/Universal). Their newest album, Sound of Change, was released July 8, 2014.
Early history
The band was founded in 1996 by Jared “Dirty J” Watson and vocalist/guitarist Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell in Orange County, CA. The two first met at a party during their freshman year of high school. Upon hearing one of Bushnell’s rap demo tapes, Watson became inspired to collaborate with him on a new project. At the time Bushnell was already in a punk rock band, while Watson had no previous music experience.[ In Bushnell’s garage, the two began writing hip-hop songs with reggae and punk influences. The band’s name stems from their older brothers and family calling them “dirty heads” when they were younger.[citation needed]
Any Port in a Storm
Later, percussionist Jon Olazabal, drummer Matt Ochoa, and bassist David Foral were added to the lineup, further defining the band’s sound. Renowned record producer Rob Cavallo originally signed the band to Warner Bros., but artistic differences led them to leave the label. The band managed to keep hold of their master recordings through the separation, which make up the bulk of Any Port in a Storm .The band then connected with producers Steve Fox and Stan Frazier to complete their debut album. The album features appearances from legendary Beatles collaborator Billy Preston, Josh Freese (drummer for The Vandals and session drummer for Nine Inch Nails and Korn), percussionist Alex Acuna, Grammy nominated British reggae singer and DJ Tippa Irie,and Indie 103.1 reggae host Native Wayne. The song “Check the Level” includes guitarist Slash and heavy metal vocalist M. Shadows. The album was mixed by Beastie Boys producer Mario C,[and Lewis Richards of 17th Street Recording.
The group first entered the rock/reggae scene when “Ring the Alarm” was chosen as a song on the first Pier Sampler.The band started touring heavily in California, Arizona, and some parts of Mexico before becoming a national touring act. They maintain close ties with groups such as Sublime with Rome.
The Dirty Heads tour the U.S. frequently with bands such as O.A.R., 311, Pepper, Kottonmouth Kings, Unwritten Law, Matisyahu, and Sublime with Rome. The band has also been part of marketing campaigns for Etnies Jeans, Rag Dynasty Shirts, and Vestal Watches. The Dirty Heads were among the first bands featured on YouTube‘s “RAWsession”. The set included a cover of Coldplay‘s “Viva La Vida.”
Their most successful single to date, “Lay Me Down“, features vocalist/guitarist Rome Ramirez of Sublime With Rome. The video was directed by Thomas Mignone and premiered on MTV on June 24, 2010.[citation needed]
Cabin by the Sea[edit]
On March 9, 2012, the song “Spread Too Thin”, off their upcoming album Cabin by the Sea, premiered on KROQ. On the origins of the song, Watson commented, “In the music industry, there are ups-and-downs, and it’s probably more emotionally stressful than physically. So I was talking to my dad, just about some stuff. I was a little stressed, and he has this funny saying. ‘You’re like a little bit of butter on too much bread.’”
Cabin by the Sea was released on June 19, 2012.[The band played several music festivals during Summer 2012, including Catalpa Music Festival on Randalls Island in New York City.
Home – Phantoms of Summer
On July 9, 2013, The Dirty Heads released an acoustic version of the song Cabin By The Sea, recorded with Thepier.org, as a part of their acoustic series.
On July 28, 2013, The Dirty Heads played their largest sold-out show to date in front of 8,500 hometown friends, family, and fans at the Orange County Fair’s Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, CA. The emotional stop on their “Cabin By The Sea Tour” ended with a gracious “thank you” from the band for all the local support over the years, including a “trip down memory lane” story of when the band used to play small shows in local Huntington Beach, CA bars to a handful of people.
The Dirty Heads released an 11-track acoustic album, titled “Home – Phantoms of Summer”, on October 29, 2013.
Sounds of Change
On May 6, 2014, they released the first single titled “My Sweet Summer”, from their new album on iTunes. Their new album, titled Sound of Change, was released on July 8, 2014.
