Friday, Whattya say we Reggae?

Tim Armstrong and Jimmy Cliff

Tim Armstrong, formerly of Rancid, is and always will be, a punk-rock icon.  

Not only had he achieved widespread acclaim during his time with Rancid, but he collaborated with Rob Aston and Travis Barker (Blink 182) to form The Transplants in ’99, releasing a self-titled album in ’02. They broke up for a while but recently got back together to create a new album. Tim has contributed to tracks on Boxcar Racer albums and for Bad Religion and Good Charlotte. He’s also worked with Pink and Gwen Stefani.

Alright, so all this punk-talk, WTF is Tim doing in a reggae category?  Well, it just so happens that last year, Tim got together with reggae-master Jimmy Cliff to create an album. Their first single, “Guns of Brixton” you can listen to below. The two couldn’t come from more different backgrounds, and that’s what’s dope. In fact, before getting together in the studio, the two had never met before.

A little bit about Jimmy- He’s as old as your dad, born James Chambers in 1948. He’s the only Jamaican musician to hold the Order of Merit, which is the nation’s highest honor for achievement in the arts and sciences. He’s acted in movies- playing Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin in The Harder They Come and also appeared in Club Paradise co-starring with Robin Williams and Peter O’Toole. He’s recorded 28 albums from 1968-2012, some of his most popular tracks include “Viet Nam”, “The Harder they Come” and “Many Rivers to Cross.” One of Jimmy’s most famous covers is Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now.” Jimmy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Listen to- “Guns of Brixton”

Listen to- “World is Upside Down”

Listen to- “Into Action”